China unveils 5-year plan on energy technology innovation Xinhua) 10:46, April 03, 2022 BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- China has unveiled a five-year plan, from 2021 to 2025, on developing energy technologies to propel green growth and digital transformation of the energy sector, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said Saturday. The country will focus on developing new technologies to render a more efficient, cost-effective and reliable supply of renewables such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy, according to the plan jointly released by the NEA and the Ministry of Science and Technology. Technological breakthroughs are expected in the generation and usage of hydrogen energy, the plan stated, adding that a new power grid system will be established to accommodate renewable energy sources, and power storage will be enhanced. The plan also called for innovation to make nuclear and fossil energy more efficient. China will pilot regional smart energy systems and apply digital and smart technologies to such traditional energy sectors as coal mining and gasoline production, the plan stated. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) 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 Government has ruled out rationing energy in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine, according to Grant Shapps. The Cabinet ministers comment came after Labours Jonathan Reynolds said the Government should consider rationing oil and gas but later changed his position. Asked on BBC Ones Sunday Morning programme if it is a good idea for the UK to look into energy rationing, Mr Shapps said: No, I dont. Pressed on whether he can completely rule out such a move in the UK, the Transport Secretary added: Yes, I can. Its not the route that we want to go down. Shadow business and energy secretary Mr Reynolds originally told the same programme that the Government should be making plans in private to ration gas and oil. Asked about taking such steps, the Labour MP said: We should be making those plans and the Government should be preparing, not necessarily in public, for that situation. Theres a lot of complacency in this country about the relative lower exposure to Russian gas that we have. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is interviewed by host Clive Myrie by video-link on BBC Ones Sunday Morning programme (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) But we should bear in mind that part of the supply that comes to this country from, for instance, Norway or from the liquefied natural gas that goes into the terminals and wells, that is partly because Russian gas is fulfilling the demands of central Europe. I think what the Government should announce is a plan which is not simply shopping from one authoritarian regime to the next for fossil fuels, but that long-term plan on renewables or nuclear and energy efficiency that would make the difference. But speaking on Times Radio an hour later, Mr Reynolds appeared to U-turn on his position. Asked again whether the UK should be rationing energy, he said: No, that would be a disaster for households and for businesses. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said there is a lot of complacency about the UKs relatively low exposure to Russian gas (Yui Mok/PA) But the fact youre even asking the question is an indictment of Conservative energy policy for the last decade. We still havent had a plan from the Government, even though they said it was to them a priority and an emergency. On LBC minutes later, he clarified that Labour believes a successful plan would absolutely mean we did not have to consider rationing energy. A view of the Yankees logo behind home plate of Yankee Stadium. On Saturday, the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers agreed to a trade centered around right-handed pitcher Albert Abreu. The Yankees are sending Abreu and left-handed pitcher Robby Ahlstrom to the Rangers in exchange for catcher Jose Trevino. Abreu will be added to the Rangers Major League roster. In 28 appearances last season, he went 2-0 with a 5.15 ERA and 35 strikeouts. Ahlstrom, meanwhile, was selected by the Yankees in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He has not yet made his MLB debut, but he did have an impressive resume at the University of Oregon. With those two pitchers on their way out, the Yankees are adding a serviceable catcher to their roster in Trevino Over the past four seasons, Trevino is a .245 hitter with nine homers and 55 RBI. He could end up being the primary backup to Kyle Higashioka. The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired C Jose Trevino from the Texas Rangers in exchange for RHP Albert Abreu and LHP Robert Ahlstrom. New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 2, 2022 The Yankees will have to make a decision on Trevino fairly soon since Opening Day is around the corner. On Thursday, the Yankees will host the Red Sox in their season opener. The post Yankees, Rangers Agreed To Trade On Saturday appeared first on The Spun. In a letter, the pope asked the Archieparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly "to take a step back" in contention that pitts the largest archdiocese of this eastern rite against the others. Easter deadline for the entry into force of the unified rite of the Holy Qurbana confirmed. "We cannot afford to cause scandal". Kochi (AsiaNews) - In the onging standoff on the unified liturgy that has long divided the Syro-Malabar Church, Pope Francis has asked the archieparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly - the largest among the dioceses of this rite of the Christians of India - to obey the decisions with which the Synod of this Church of the East last August had decided the deadline of Easter 2022 for the adoption of the unified version of the Holy Qurbana, the Eucharistic rite of this community. The position is contained in a letter addressed by the pontiff to the archieparchy, which - even though it hosts in its territory the seat of the major archbishop, Cardinal George Alencherry - is led by the metropolitan vicar Antony Kariyil, who until now has been reluctant to follow the Synod's indication, opposed by a good part of the clergy and faithful. The pontiff's letter - written in English and released by the Vatican media - is dated March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation. A few days after - that is - the disconcerting spectacle aroused in India by the sensational protest with which a group of lay people in Ernakulam set on fire two mannequins with the faces of Cardinal Alencherry and the Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri. Last March 11, the Roman Prelate had already expressed the same indications which have now been put in black and white also by the Pope. Francis defines it as "aa paternal exhortation to the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly, urging adherence to the synodal decision concerning the form of celebration of the Holy Qurbana by Easter 2022. He recalls the long journey that began as early as 1999 to arrive at a single mode of Eucharistic celebration. A compromise solution, adopted by the Synod with respect to the three different rites currently in use: it provides, in fact, that in the first part of the celebration and in the liturgy of the Word the priest turns towards the faithful, and then turns towards the altar ("in the direction in which the faithful also look") in the central part, that of the consecration and the Eucharistic rites. However, those communities of the archieparchy of Ernakulam-Algamany, where - for 50 years now - the Holy Qurbana is celebrated entirely with the priest facing the faithful, do not want to adapt to this solution. And so far the vicar Kariyil has supported them by granting them an exemption from the norms established by the Synod. In the letter, however, the pope recalls that with that decision, fully aware of the different traditions with the diverse contexts of your Church, all were asked to take a step back from their respective styles of celebration in order to offer a sign of communion born of the fact that everyone involved sacrificed something particularly their own, out of love and witness to something greater." Unfortunately, however, Francis regretted that as of 28 November 2021, the date chosen for the implementation of the Holy Qurbana, thirty-four Eparchies decided to enact the synodal decision. However, regrettably, this was not the case in the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly where it chose instead to continue following your particular liturgical form, albeit after careful reflection, in isolation from the rest of the Syro-Malabar Church. Nonetheless, the Pope notes that it is good for us, as believers in Christ, to ask ourselves about our behaviour, how we express dissent, how we accept even difficulty and humiliation, how we take steps back. This "not by a criterion of human victory or defeat, of one group over another, but by looking to the Lord and accepting not only to celebrate his Easter, but to live it together with him, beginning with the upheaval and the Passion." The Pontiff reflects on the fact that Christ himself, choosing the way of the gift of his own life, "takes a step back from a human claim to affirmation, to success." For this reason, "as Church, all together, we need to live with Him and like Him, accepting also the way of humiliation and the Cross. We cannot live divided, we cannot create division, we cannot allow ourselves to give scandal," Francis stressed. Hence the invitation to adhere to the Synod's decision, contemplating however the possibility "that some parishes will need more time in order to carry out a more ample catechesis, as was done elsewhere, so that everyone will be prepared to accept the changes." This is understandable, the Pope says, as long as it does not call into question the synodal decision. He adds that as provided for in law, it is possible to ask for the necessary dispensation from the Major Archbishop, who is the Metropolitan of the Archeparchy, or with the approval of the Major Archbishop, from his Vicar but the dispensation would only be given for a determined amount of time in accordance with the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Francis says he is aware that he is asking for "a suffered and painful step," yet he says he finds in the archieparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly "priests and faithful willing to remain in listening to the voice of the Lord, entrusting themselves to the advice and invitation of the pope." Moreover, he notes, "the Syro-Malabar Church has distinguished itself for this throughout the centuries, for its fidelity that has overcome many historical misunderstandings, and now flourishes in vocations and missionary style. The Lord will not forget the sacrifice you are offering him - assures Francis - but in this way you will open your heart to the abundance of his blessings." He concludes by quoting Psalm 125 (126) "if we sow in the Lord, we can reap, if we sow wind, we will reap storm: that first of all of the scandal of division and of the counter-testimony offered in a context as delicate as yours". Mass in Granaries square Floriana, in front of authorities and 20 thousand faithful. Faced with wars, such as the "sacrilegious" one in Ukraine, the invitation to become "tireless witnesses of reconciliation". He looked at refugees, the sick and the last of the world. The admonition to young people that they must spend themselves "in love" and safeguard "their roots, grandparents and the elderly". The visit to the Grotto of St Paul and the meeting with migrants. Valletta (AsiaNews) - In the face of conflicts, wars ravaging the earth not least the one in Ukraine, at the gates of Europe, which he calls "sacrilegious" it is essential to become "tireless witnesses of reconciliation" because "for God no one is irretrievable." Pope Francis affirmed this today at Mass on the fifth Sunday of Lent, celebrated from the forecourt of the Granaries of Floriana, the city that lies beyond Valletta's city walls and Malta's largest open-air site, during his two-day apostolic journey to the island. Commenting on the Gospel passage dedicated to the adulterous woman, the pontiff exhorts to go in search of sinners to bring them back to the heart of God, because this is what Jesus teaches with his example. An unconditional love, which makes the misery (of the woman) meet the mercy (of God), reminding us that we all need to be healed of our inner wounds and to turn to others with the gaze of Christ. The Pope's Sunday is in the footsteps of St Paul in Malta. He is the third pontiff on the island after St John Paul II (in 1990 and 2001) and Benedict XVI in 2010 in a two-day apostolic journey that was "brief but intense". A day with his gaze turned to migrants, the sick, drug addicts, the victims of war, the last of the world who suffer the "anachronistic pretensions" of some "powerful" sadly "locked up" as he said yesterday on his arrival. The pontiff celebrated Mass in the presence of about 20,000 faithful and representatives of the Christian Churches and other religious denominations, after arriving aboard the popemobile and greeting the crowd present, as well as the authorities and leaders of the local Church including the Archbishop of Malta, Mgr. Charles Jude Scicluna. In his brief message to the Pope, the prelate recalled the "rare humanity" with which the Maltese welcomed St. Paul and the 275 people shipwrecked with him. The visit, he added, should be an occasion to arouse "in our hearts that flame of charity and that 'rare humanity' that are the fruit of the Spirit of the Lord." In his homily, the pope extolled "God's holy people, who here in Malta are numerous and lively," linked to a "concrete faith." In the accusers of the adulteress, he sees "the image of those who boast of being righteous, observant of God's law, good and decent people." They do not recognize Jesus and see him "as an enemy to be eliminated", pervaded by the "worm of hypocrisy" and the "habit of pointing the finger". In reality, "those who believe they are defending the faith by pointing the finger at others - he affirms - may have a religious vision, but they do not espouse the spirit of the Gospel, because they forget mercy, which is the heart of God". The episode of the adulteress and her accusers shows how many make faith "a facade, where what stands out is the solemn exterior, but lacks inner poverty, which is man's most precious treasure". However, when "we open our hearts in truth, he can perform wonders in us" because God "always leaves a possibility open and knows how to find ways of liberation and salvation every time [...] The life of that woman changes thanks to forgiveness. There is no sin or failure that, brought to Him, cannot become an opportunity to begin a new, different life, under the sign of mercy. This is the Lord Jesus. He is truly known by those who experience his forgiveness." In the Angelus, the pontiff then addressed young people, reminding them of the beauty of Jesus and inviting them "to spend themselves in love, which sets us free" without forgetting "the roots" which are "the grandparents, the elderly" with whom we must speak to keep memory alive. In conclusion to the Marian prayer, Pope Francis renewed his invitation to pray for peace and "for the humanitarian tragedy" that is unfolding in Ukraine, a victim of the offensive launched by Russia, a "martyred" land in which a war that he continues to define as "sacrilegious" is underway. In the early morning today, the Pope visited St Paul's Grotto in Rabat, just outside the walls of Medina, where the apostle stayed following the shipwreck, after a brief private meeting with members of the Society of Jesus. He was welcomed by a festive atmosphere in the grotto where, according to tradition, the Apostle of the Gentiles lived during the three months he spent on the island after the shipwreck of the boat that was taking him to Rome, an event evoked by a reproduction of a ship on which a candle is burning. In the Pauline Basilica, the Pontiff addressed a prayer and lit a votive lamp, also addressing a prayer to the saint, then signed the Book of Honor and greeted the 14 religious leaders present. Recalling the story of St. Paul on the island and the spirit of its inhabitants, "good-hearted pagan people," the pontiff stressed that "there was no time for discussions, judgments, analyses and calculations; it was time to render aid; they left their occupations and so they did." This was followed by the meeting inside the basilica with the sick and needy helped by the local Caritas (which coordinates the activities of 26 welfare organizations), some of whom were hosted in the "House of Pope Francis" in Santa Venera. Finally, the last event of the pope's trip to the land of Malta is scheduled in the afternoon and is also related to the theme of hospitality, when he will meet two hundred migrants in the small theater of the Peace Lab dedicated to St. John XXIII, in Hal Far. Founded in 1971 by Franciscan Father Dionysus Mintoff, the facility now houses 55 people among the latest migrants, the rejected and undocumented, coming in particular from African nations such as Mali, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea and Senegal. Born in 1967 with a 1.5-liter Ford V4 engine, the Saab sported a power rating of just 65 horsepower, which in performance figures means it needed 12.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph).Despite being built in Sweden, the Sonett V4 was first and foremost aimed at the American market. Its production figures, however, havent been exactly impressive. Saab built only 70 units in 1967 before increasing the output to around 900 units in 1968. The final year of this generation brought just 640 Sonetts, most of them sent to the States.As a result, finding a 1969 Sonett V4 today isnt necessarily as easy as it sounds. But what we have here is more than just a rare Sonett. Its a one-of-a-kind (though its believed a second example could also exist, but no further evidence has been found) Sonett V4 fitted with an electric motor.The conversion was performed by a professional team that used LiFePO4 batteries supposed to provide a range of, well, just 60 miles (96 km). Its not impressive, but given its an electric Saab, we should just ignore the range.The battery doesnt require any sophisticated charger, as it supports 120 volts AC, so no extra equipment is needed if you want to charge it at home.Other than the electric motor, the Sonett V4 obviously comes with an upgraded interior to provide information on the battery level. However, the cabin looks new, and so does the exterior, as the new paint comes courtesy of a team of professionals.The odometer shows a little over 700 miles (1,100 km), all of them on electric power.This unique electric Saab can be purchased from Silverstone Motorcars , but it costs more than you probably expect. The car is offered at $65,000, and some financing options are also available. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA SUV The) previously alerted drivers and owners alike that these two GM SUVs have windshield wipers that may fail. According to a release from March that's now become relevant, the potential number of units affected is 681,509. The campaign number is 22V165000. Further information from the NHTSA can be found in the document attached at the end of this article.Owners must know the remedy applied consists of a repair or replace of the wiper module thats prone to rust and malfunction. Notifications will be sent by manufacturers starting from the 2nd of May. The entire service operation will bear no cost for customers.The ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode, causing one or both windshield wipers to fail, says the NHTSA.If youre wondering about your cars situation, then you can contact Chevrolet or GMCs customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and 1-800-462-8782. If youre facing this visibility issue but your car isnt part of the recall, you can get in touch with NHTSA for further assistance. Before doing this, it'd be a good idea to try and reach an understanding with the dealer or the producer.According to CNN , General Motors started this recall campaign voluntarily. NHTSA documentation paints a larger picture. It shows an investigation began in 2019 after more than 600 customer complaints. These kept piling up until their number got to over 1,000. Furthermore, this same wiper-modules issues were also present on the 2013 model-year Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain.The good news is that, while 681,509 units are susceptible to this visibility complication, only 1% of the cars are estimated to have this defect. Still, you must be on the lookout.Subpar quality seems to be a recurring problem for some of GMs cars, as weve also learned in March that the Terrainmade between 2010 and 2017 had to be recalled for a headlight brightness issue However, the entire world quickly figured out the lack of chips wasnt necessarily something that could just go away overnight, so the same analysts then predicted a recovery to normal levels at some point in 2021.Fast-forward to 2022, and here we are still waiting for the crisis to be over, with these experts now believing the pre-2020 chip inventory levels could be achieved in the second half of the year (even though it becomes more and more obvious this isnt going to happen).Meanwhile, carmakers out there continue to struggle with the super-constrained inventory, and after General Motors, Ford, Toyota , and others, its now Hyundais turn to admit it has fallen victim to the chip shortage.The South Korean company said its March sales dropped no less than 17 percent year-over-year, admitting the lack of semiconductors is the one to blame for the whole thing. Its total sales came down to close to 314,000 vehicles, down from over 378,000 vehicles in March 2021.In the first three months of the year, Hyundai recorded a decline of 9.8 percent as compared to the same period in 2021.The South Korean company says its not just the chip shortage the one thats wreaking havoc. The health issue, which is still leading to government lockdowns and restrictions in some regions, continues to be a big concern in the short term.While Hyundai hasnt said anything in this regard, the geopolitical tensions have also become a problem for carmakers in Europe, especially as they could lead to more component shortages and supply disruptions that would eventually impact the manufacturing of vehicles as well. Along with Bockscar, another B-29, the two are often credited with bringing an end to almost eight years of brutal fighting between Imperial Japan and the Allied powers. But did you know these two icons come from a lineage of over 80 specially modified B-29s purpose-built for the Manhattan Project? It's a piece of wisdom that tends to get lost in translation quite a bit.You see, by June 1943, the Allied nations were inching ever closer to their goal of a functioning fission reactor atom bomb. Project scientist Dr. Norman F. Ramsey of Los Alamos Laboratories concluded that the Boeing B-29 was the only American airplane remotely capable of carrying such a large and powerful weapon. But there was a problem. The B-29 was becoming a costly albatross around the U.S. Air Force, growing larger as each month passed.No one knew for certain whether the Superfortress would be ready in time for its operational objective. The problem was so bad at one point that the Americans breifly discussed giving the job to the British Avro Lancaster bomber instead, although that idea never materialized into anything substantive. Still, such an idea was a humiliating prospect for the emerging American superpower. Happily, Boeing's engineers pulled through, and the first B-29 was delivered in the summer of 1943.Around this time, the director of the Manhattan Project, Major General Leslie R. Groves Jr, and General of the Army Air Corps Henry "Hap" Arnold agreed that a limited production run of modified Superfortress bombers would be needed to ensure atomic weapons could be delivered by an American aircraft specifically. The special bombers would utilize a single 33-foot (ten-meter) single bomb bay door in place of the usual four 12-foot (3.7-meter) doors.Mounting points were installed to allow for different types of bomb types, nuclear isotopes, shapes, and firing mechanisms currently under study in the Nevada Desert. At this time, the designation "Silver Plate" had already been informally adopted and then changed to a singular "Silverplate," in order to throw off intelligence operations conducted by the Germans and Japanese, the clever B.S. line was spun in the press regarding its origins.Legend has it a phony story was written up implying the Silverplate moniker was the designation for a modified Pullman train car. One devised for use in U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and U.K Prime Minister Winston Churchill's personal rail transportation system. Evidently, the elaborate ruse worked to perfection, as there's no evidence of a warning being issued by Imperial Japan before the first bomb was dropped in August 1945.The Silverplate B-29s continued to serve in the nuclear payload carrier role for another eight years until November 1951. At which point, many were phased out in favor of the heavily modified B-50 Superfortress or were reassigned to other duties. Before this date, in 1947, it was discovered that the Silverplate codename had been compromised. The program was then re-named project Saddletree.Over time, Saddletree became a designation not just for B-29s but also for B-50s, Convair B-36 Peacemakers, and Boeing C-97 Stratofreighters. It's believed that as many as 80 Silverplate B-29 airframes left Boeing's Witchita, Kansas production facility. The Silverplate standard was heavily mimicked with the Tupolev Tu-4 Bull, the Soviet reverse-engineered Superfortress. A bomber also generally agreed to be nuclear ordinance compatible.To reiterate, the B-29 was a bit like what the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is to the U.S. Military today, but back in the 1940s. A complete and airworthy single unmodified B-29 cost $782,000 in 1945 or around $12,000,000 in today's money. The cost of the Silverplate modifications brought the cost up to roughly $814,000 in 1945 or $12.85 million per airframe in 2022. With all the logistics included, the cost of the Silverplate program was around $60 million in 1945, or just shy of $1 billion.It's thought the total cost of the B-29 program roughly translates to $3 billion by 1945 money or a whopping $43 billion in 2022. Here's a stat that'll blow your mind. The cost of the entire B-29 Superfortress program from start to finish costs a little over 10% of what it costs the F-35 JSF over its lifetime. What does this tell us? Well, perhaps we should be less wishy-washy with who we allow access to the Pentagon's checkbooks. We used to be able to get things done a heck of a lot cheaper 75 years ago.Check back for more from Limited Edition Month here on autoevolution. There's almost always something to look forward to from this multi-billion dollar engineering team. And yes, these industries include helicopters. Built with the blessings of Bell Textron, the makers of the Famous UH-1 Iroquois, Subaru fully intends for their 412EPX to pull the brunt of the utility helicopter duties for the Japanese police and military.Its first prototype helicopter under the Subaru moniker and not the old Fuji brand will be the 412EPX. The latest evolution in a UH-1- Huey lineage that's already in use with the Japanese Police and Self Defense Force.It's important to remember that the American Bell 412 line of helicopters is already over 40 years old at this juncture, itself a derivative of the Bell 212, which originated from the U.S. Military's Huey derived CH-135 "Twin Huey."So, outside of a shiny, new coat of paint, what's this Subaru manufactured example got that its American counterpart doesn't? As it happens, the answer needs to be explained in sections.Starting with a brief historical recap, Subaru and Bell Textron have been on and off working partners since the early 1960s. Back when the original Bell UH-1 Iriquois helicopter was flying over Vietnam, Subaru, under the Fuji Heavy Industry moniker, was among the first to license-build Bell helicopters overseas.One of the very first, the Fuji-Bell 204B, looked nearly identical to the American helicopter it was devised from. By 1995, the upgraded Fuji-Bell 205B was flying with the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (Ministry of Transportation). Moving into the 21st century, the next phase of the Fuji-Bell program was ready to take shape by the mid-2010s. Now under the same Subaru branding used with their passenger cars.Work began on what we now call the Subaru 412EPX in at least 2014 and likely well before, with Subaru's official press release for the project coming in September 2015. The new helicopter is purpose-built for use with the Japanese Self Defense Forces as a utility chopper.Powering this Japanese-American beast is a single electrically controlled Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T Twin-Pac turboshaft engine with 11% more torque on offer over the normal Bell 412, thanks to an improved transmission. It's the same engine that powers the American AH-1Z Super Cobra and the Navalized AH-1J SeaCobra.Safe to say, it's more than robust enough for non-combat operations. Or even light troop transport if the need arises. Inside the cockpit, the second generation of Bell's Basi-Pro glass display system enveloped the dashboard in a sea of clear, crips, liquid crystal panels that integrate all the operations of the aircraft into four large screens.It incorporates a Garmin GTN-750 NAV/COM/GPS with high-resolution digital maps, a downside better than what you get with Apple Maps. The system is also synced to the helicopter's autopilot system, allowing for a certain level of autonomous operation. Loaded to around 10,500 pounds (4762.71 kg), including its own weight, Subaru-Bell reckons it can hover at a maximum altitude of between 13 and 15,000 feet (4572 meters).A fascinating new feature on the 412EPX is the integrated "Fast Fin" located at the rear of the aircraft. This stabilizing element in close proximity to the tail rotor improves airflow around the tail boom and vertical fin. So just in case the 412EPX needs to escape in a hurry, there shouldn't be any issues maneuvering away from danger.Inside the cabin, there are three options for a seating arrangement of 13, two of which come at no extra cost to the operator. These two include a Fabric covered folding seat variant with individual seat belts and a single strap shoulder harness. The other is Nylon covered bench seating arranged with one row of four rearward facing seats behind the crew, one row of five forward-facing seats, and two outward-facing benches. Palmdale, CA (93550) Today Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 86F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 59F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zocalo Public Square, which is hosting at 6 p.m. Thursday an online event, with an in-person audience in Susanville, titled What Would the End of Mass Incarceration Mean for Prison Towns? Register at Eventbrite. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. Hyderabad: Noted almanac reader B. Santosh Kumar Sastry predicted that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will take several 'bold decisions' with regard to governance and politics in the Telugu New Year that started on Saturday. Delivering 'panchanga sravanam' during the official Ugadi celebrations at Pragathi Bhavan, he said Rao's horoscope was very powerful this year and he was poised to take centrestage in national politics. He also predicted Telangana would excel in all fields, thanks to an excellent administration. However, he issued a word of caution for TRS leaders who intend to jump to other parties or those who try to sabotage the party's interests by joining hands with political opponents. Sastry said that those who switch parties at the eleventh hour would be doomed. He cautioned them that Rao had a 'third eye' and he would come to know if anyone indulged in such dissident activities. Sastry predicted bountiful rains and bumper harvest this year and warned of floods caused by heavy rains between July and October. He said that the work from home concept will end this year. The real estate sector would progress on all fronts. It will boom in Hyderabad and would be normal in other parts of the state, he said. This year, women will excel in their chosen fields with some even topping the charts, he predicted. He said the dreams of unemployed youth to get a job would be accomplished. The financial situation in the state will improve and there is no need to panic, he said. Farmers will also be benefited to a large extent in monsoon, he said, adding that the government would focus on reforms and come up with new policies. Sounding caution, he urged people to give priority to savings in view of the crisis being faced in Sri Lanka. Stating that there would be tension on the country's borders with Pakistan and other countries, he said there could be threat to the lives of some VVIPs. While Meghan Marohn from Bethlehem, N.Y. remains missing in Lee, state and local police have temporarily suspended the search for the high school teacher missing for almost a week. LOCAL REGION 2022 EASTER EGG HUNTS: Easter is almost here! We here at Nelly Broadcasting have comprised a list of all the known local Easter Egg Hunting events currently being planned for 2022 organized by day and location. If you know or an event that we may have missed, please email us at news@bigcountry977.com, or send a message to Big Country News Connection on Facebook. Easter Egg Hunt List 2022 Thursday, April 14 LEWISTON Prestige Care Easter Egg Hunt (2:00 p.m.) - On Thursday, April 14, come put a smile on residents faces with the annual Prestige Care Easter Egg Hunt for children aged 0-12! Egg hunt begins at 2:00 p.m. The Easter bunny will also be on-hand for pictures! ---------------------------------------------------------- Friday, April 15 LEWISTON/CLARKSTON Asotin County Family Aquatic Center Underwater Easter Egg Carnival (6:30 - 8:30 p.m.) -- Are you looking for a different kind of Easter Egg Hunt for your kids this year? On April 15, come to the Asotin County Family Aquatic Center for the second annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt! COST IS $2.99 PER CHILD (limited tickets available for each age group). See front desk for purchase. ---------------------------------------------------------- MOSCOW Aspen Park of Cascadia Egg Hunt (4:45p.m.) -- The in-person egg hunt returns this year for children ages 12 and UNDER. There will be over 1,000 eggs that are surely to be gone in minutes! Keep an eye out for that golden egg for a special treat! The Easter Bunny will also be on-hand! (Location: 420 Rowe St in Moscow) ---------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, April 16 COTTONWOOD Cottonwood Community Easter Egg Hunt (10:00 a.m.) -- The Annual Cottonwood Community Easter Egg Hunt will be held at Cottonwood City Parl on Saturday, April 16 at 10:00 a.m. Over 3,000 eggs will be set out to hunt, including special prize eggs and grand prizes in three age divisions (0-4), (5-8) & (9+). ---------------------------------------------------------- DEARY Deary Fire & Ambulance Easter Egg Hunt (10:00 a.m. SHARP) -- Children ages 0-12 are invited to join Deary Fire and Ambulance for their annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 16! The egg hunt will be held at Deary School and will begin at 10:00 a.m. SHARP! ---------------------------------------------------------- JULIAETTA Kendrick-Juliaetta Community Easter Egg Hunt (12:00 p.m.) -- Children 12 and under are invited to join the fun at the Kendrick-Juliaetta Community Easter Egg Hunt on April 16! The egg hunt will begin at noon! Hunters should bring their own basket. This egg hunt will be held at the Juliaetta Elementary School Playground. ---------------------------------------------------------- LEWISTON P1FCU 4th Annual Easter Egg Hunt (Starts at 9:00 a.m.) Join P1FCU and the LC Warrior baseball team on Saturday, April 16, 9:00a.m., at Harris Field on the LC Campus for lots of fun and prizes. The Easter Egg Hunt is FREE and open to children 10 and under. Please bring your own basket. Hells Canyon Grand Hotel Easter Egg Hunt & Pictures (10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.) -- Get ready for a fun-filled day on Hells Canyon Grand Hotel north lawn! The Egg Hunt will begin at 11:00 a.m. for children ages 0-5, and begin at 11:30 a.m. for ages 6-12. The Easter Bunny will also be available for pictures in the hotel lobby. Orchards Community Church Easter Egg Hunt (11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.) -- Orchards Community Church will host an Easter Egg Hunt between 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Located on the lawn on the east side of the chapel. Come enjoy games, hot dogs, an egg hunt and a message from Pastor James. Lewiston Eagles Annual Egg Hunt (hunt starts at noon) -- Join the Lewiston Eagles for their annual Easter Egg Hunt at Hereth Park on Saturday, April 16. The fun will start at 11 and the egg hunt will begin at noon! ---------------------------------------------------------- MOSCOW Moscow Central Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt (10:00 a.m.) -- The Moscow Central Lions is inviting children 12 and under to enjoy a FREE Easter egg hunt at East City Park in Moscow. More than 1,000 eggs will be hidden around the park on Saturday, April 16. Leo the Lion will blow his whistle 10:00 a.m. sharp to begin the hunt. ---------------------------------------------------------- PULLMAN Pullman Building Supply Easter Eggstravaganza (9:00 a.m.) -- Bring the kids by for a FREE indoor Easter Egg Hunt. Look out for the golden egg, which holds a special prize! Bring your own Basket/bag. Ages 12 and UNDER. Pullman Police Department Easter Egg Hunt (10:00 a.m.) -- Hop on over to Kruegel Park in Pullman on Saturday morning for the City of Pullman Police Department Easter Egg Hunt! The fun begins at 10:00 a.m. ---------------------------------------------------------- TROY Troy Community Easter Egg Hunt (11:00 a.m.) -- Come down to the 2nd annual Troy Community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 16! Children ages 0-12 are invited to bring their basket for hunting eggs, prizes and more fun! Age Groups will be divided as follows: (0-4), (5-8), & (9-12). Eggs will be filled with candy and some special eggs will have numbered tickets for prizes! ---------------------------------------------------------- UNIONTOWN Uniontown/Colton Community Egg Hunt (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) -- Uniontown will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt for the Uniontown & Colton communities on Saturday, April 16 at Holzer Park. If there is inclement weather, the hunt will be moved inside the Uniontown Community Building. --------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, April 17 ASOTIN Asotin Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt (12:00 - 2:00 p.m.) -- Join the Asotin Lions Club for their annual Easter Egg Hunt at Asotin City Park on April 17! The hunt for all ages will begin at noon! A hunt for those with special needs will follow at 1:00 p.m. Prizes will be awarded per age group. --------------------------------------------------------- LEWISTON Lewiston First Church of Nazarene Egg Hunt (9:00 - 10:00 a.m.) - Come down to the First Church of the Nazarene in Lewiston and enjoy an Easter brunch and an egg hunt for kids in 6th grade or under. Brunch will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the egg hunt will start at 10:00 a.m.All attendees are also invited to stay for the Easter church service which will begin at 10:30 a.m. (Location: 1700 8th Street in Lewiston) More state legislative incumbents are facing primary challenges in Idaho this year than at any point since at least 2014. Seventy-five incumbents are seeking re-election this year, 61.3% of whom (46) are running in contested primaries. From 2014 to 2020, the percentage of incumbents in contested primaries hovered at around half that rate, ranging from 32 to 34%. Of those 46 incumbents in contested primaries, 45 are Republicans, and one Rep. James Ruchti is a Democrat. Redistricting is a partial cause of this increase. When states redraw district lines, they can change so that incumbents who previously represented one district now live within the district lines of another. This can result in incumbents challenging other incumbents in contested primaries or general elections if they choose to seek re-election. There are four such incumbent vs. incumbent primaries this year: House District 9B: Rep. Scott Syme (R), first elected to District 11A in 2016, will face Rep. Judy Boyle (R), first elected in 2008. House District 22A: Rep. Greg Ferch (R), first elected to District 21B in 2020, will face Rep. John Vander Woude (R), first elected in 2010. Senate District 9: Sen. Jim Rice (R), first elected to District 8 in 2012, will face Sen. Abby Lee (R), first elected in 2014. Two other candidates are running in this primary. Senate District 14: Sen. Steven Thayn (R), first elected to District 8 in 2012, will face Sen. C. Scott Grow (R), first appointed in 2018. One other candidate is running in this primary. For the purposes of our analysis, all eight of these incumbents are considered incumbents in contested primaries. Looking beyond incumbents in contested primaries, the total number of primaries also increased this year to its highest level compared to previous cycles, driven entirely by an increase in Republican contests. These figures come from Ballotpedias analysis of post-filing deadline competitiveness statistics. The filing deadline for candidates running for state or federal office in Idaho this year was March 11. Candidates filed to run for the states 35 Senate and 70 House seats. Here are some other highlights from this years filings: Of the 105 seats up for election, 32.3% are open, meaning no incumbent is in the running. This is the largest percentage of open seats since at least 2014. Newcomers are guaranteed to win these open seats, meaning at least one-third of the Idaho Legislature will be new to their seats in the 2023 legislative session. Of the 105 seats up for election, 32.3% are open, meaning no incumbent is in the running. This is the largest percentage of open seats since at least 2014. Newcomers are guaranteed to win these open seats, meaning at least one-third of the Idaho Legislature will be new to their seats in the 2023 legislative session. Of the 105 seats up for election, 32.3% are open, meaning no incumbent is in the running. This is the largest percentage of open seats since at least 2014. Newcomers are guaranteed to win these open seats, meaning at least one-third of the Idaho Legislature will be new to their seats in the 2023 legislative session. Republicans currently hold a 28-7 majority in the state Senate and a 58-12 majority in the state House. With a Republican governor, Idaho is one of 23 Republican trifectas. Idahos state legislative primaries are scheduled for May 17, making them the sixth in the nation. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, should we be gloating over Joe Biden's failures? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Local proptech firm Flow has been awarded Best Late-Stage Startup at this year's AfricArena Summit. Held in Johannesburg last week, the summit was a side event to the SA Investment Conference. The event saw 21 startups from across Southern Africa come together to learn, network, and showcase their ideas to the AfricArena ecosystem of investors, incubators and accelerators. Gil Sperling and Daniel Levy, co-founders and co-CEOs of Flow Its at events like AfricArena that you get to lift your head up from the entrepreneurial trenches and get the validation for you and your team that the business youre working hard on is having an asymmetrical impact on something so meaningful to all of us - finding and buying our homes, says Flow co-founder and co-CEO Gil Sperling.The five winners, including Flow, qualified for the AfricArena Grand Summit in Cape Town in November 2022.Winning an award like this in a talented pool of amazing startups shows that were on the right track, says Flow co-CEO and co-founder, Daniel Levy. We know that were making a difference in the proptech sector in South Africa and beyond and its encouraging to see that other people understand the amazing value weve unlocked for the property industry, buyers and sellers." There are currently no plans to discontinue the use of coal as part of the country's energy mix, said Deputy President David Mabuza while responding to questions in the National Assembly on Thursday, 31 March. Need for new infrastructure, technologies and solutions Planned optimised plant shutdowns He said the countrys energy generation is guided by the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019 which provides for the use of all energy resources available, including, among others, coal, gas and renewable energy sources.Currently, there are no plans for the discontinuation of the use of coal as 99% of South Africas electricity supply is derived from coal and 30% of liquid fuels are derived from the same commodity.Coal remains one of our largest natural endowments that will continue to form part of our energy mix in terms of the IRP 2019, he said.He said, however, that despite this, the country is committed to forging a low-carbon growth path that prioritises environmental sustainability.We need to ensure that we deploy new infrastructure, technologies and solutions that enable us to adhere to ambient air quality standards, and protect the lives of communities from negative environmental externalities.Going forward, the IRP 2019 proposes the use of high efficiency, low emissions coal technologies. Government is currently working on other measures, such as the Gas Utilisation Master Plan and the Renewable Energy Master Plan.Mabuza said government is exploring the development of the Nuclear Procurement Framework as proposed in the IRP 2019. He said these are part of the medium to long-term plans in ensuring security of energy supply.Having said that, it is important to point out that out of the entire fleet, there are planned optimised plant shutdowns that is aligned with the Integrated Resource Plan to balance capacity, environmental, social and economic considerations.This is inevitable because, in the main, these plants are approaching the end of their lifespan, and have become uneconomical, unpredictable and costly to run.Nine coal-fired power stations will be shut down by 2035, thereby impacting significantly on the reduction of generation capacity, he said. HYDERABAD: BJP MLA Etala Rajendar on Friday asked Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to step down from his post if his government was not able to procure paddy produced in Telangana. He said if the state government was broke and did not have funds for such an intervention, he could discuss the financial health of the state with the Central government for finding a way out. Rajendar said all it took to solve the problem of millers purchasing paddy during the current rabi crop for the state government was to offer some subsidy and allow a higher rate for broken rice as sought by millers. It would cost the Telangana government some Rs 600 crore to Rs 1000 crore, he said. The BJP MLA said, The Chief Minister says Telangana is rich. If it is, then finding the money needed to buy the rice from millers should not be a problem, as FCI is willing to purchase milled raw rice from the state. If he finds that the state has no money to ensure paddy grown by state farmers is bought, then he can always admit that the state is actually poor. He said the CM claimed that his government was spending some Rs 30,000 crore for farmers. If this is indeed the case, then he should be able to find the money needed to ensure paddy is procured from farmers. The petitioner's grievance was that the representations from the public were not looked into and he sought quashing of G.O. Ms. No. 240 (October 11, 2016) related to the formation of new districts. DC Image Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court dismissed a PIL that challenged the creation of new districts in Telangana. A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili, had recently pronounced the judgement in a PIL filed in 2017 challenging the creation of new districts. The petitioner's contention was that the decision was contrary to the statutory provisions as contained in the Telangana Districts (Formation) Act, 1974 and the Telangana Districts (Formation) Rules, 2016. He submitted that Section 3 of Telangana Districts (Formation) Act, 1974 enables that before issuing any notification for a new district, the government or the commissioner of land revenue, shall publish the proposals inviting objections or suggestions thereon from those residing within the district, revenue division, mandal or village, who are likely to be affected thereby within the period as may be specified therein, and shall take into consideration the objections or suggestions, if any, that are received. His grievance was that the representations from the public were not looked into and he sought quashing of G.O. Ms. No. 240 (October 11, 2016) related to the formation of new districts. Dismissing the PIL, the court said that the petitioner has not been able to point out infringement of any fundamental right and noted that the creation of new districts, revenue divisions or mandals is purely a policy decision of the state government. It also observed that the GO 240 was issued strictly in consonance with the Telangana Districts (Formation) Act, 1974 and the Telangana Districts (Formation) Rules, 2016 and therefore, the court does not find any reason to interfere with a policy decision of the government. Theres an intergovernmental battle over health care coming your way. It will be a very Canadian conflict. Dueling news releases will unleash words of mass distraction. Demands for face-to-face negotiations will flounder over the shape of the virtual or in-person table. Red lines will be drawn and erased. Theres an intergovernmental battle over health care coming your way. It will be a very Canadian conflict. Dueling news releases will unleash words of mass distraction. Demands for face-to-face negotiations will flounder over the shape of the virtual or in-person table. Red lines will be drawn and erased. In the end, federal money, bolstered by three years of newly secured power ahead, will prevail. This is the result of last weeks Liberal-New Democratic Party Supply and Confidence Agreement. Since thats a mouthful, and columns like these have a word cap, lets call it the Lib-Dip (for NDP "Dippers") Deal. Politics aside, behind the plaudits for national pharmacare and dental care is a decisive entrenchment (a familiar constitutionalism) of federal overreach in areas of provincial jurisdiction. The Lib-Dip Deal has cemented a clear interventionist and expansionist pattern in Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus practice of intergovernmental relations. After six years in power, Ottawas rinse-and-repeat features are obvious: First, set national goals to build political demand. From carbon pricing to child care, and from the pandemic Safe Restart agreement to infrastructure and whats coming with pharmacare and dental care, all are predicated on a set of national goals formulated by Ottawa. Provinces have flexibility, but only at the margins of what they can do instead. There is no opt-out unless it meets these federal goals and standards. National goals incite national demand. Second, devalue provinces as constitutional partners. The federal intergovernmental affairs ministers formal mandate letter places provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous partners all on the same constitutional footing. Where provinces and territories were once privileged partners as an "order of government," this federal government eschews constitutional niceties by dealing directly with municipalities, which are creatures of provincial governments. Indeed, the minister is explicitly instructed to ensure "that the priorities of municipalities are reflected in our agenda," reflective of the Liberals political representation from urban Canada. Big-city mayors are empowered to directly challenge premiers for projects and cash. Third, spend lots of money. The most powerful intergovernmental tool in Ottawas arsenal is federal spending power. Wielding it causes big things to happen, such as federal-provincial-territorial agreements on child care. No premier can long resist "free" federal money, even if it skews provincial priorities. The best you can do is lobby for prevailing local circumstances (as Manitoba did with an age threshold of six rather than five years with its child-care deal, but couldnt accomplish with carbon pricing). Pharmacare and dental care will face the same dynamic to cement a national arrangement to federal liking. Fourth, carve out Quebec. Canadas "distinct society" is alive and well in Justin Trudeaus constitutionalism, despite the concept never having been constitutionalized. More prosaically known as "asymmetric federalism," Ottawa was quick to recognize Quebecs existing cap-and-trade carbon pricing regime and child-care program by not touching the former and handing over cash equivalents for the latter. This allowed Ottawa to say its plan was "pan-Canadian" rather than "national," proving that intergovernmental officials are the most adept "wordsmiths" in any public service. Either way, this enables the federal government to advance nation-building plans with Quebec appeased or acquiesced. After 150 years, Canadas original watertight constitutionalism of the British North America Act is as leaky as Alberta Premier Jason Kenneys office. Health is not formally mentioned in the Constitution, but is widely accepted as falling mostly, if not exclusively, in provincial jurisdiction. The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that the topic was "amorphousdepending on the circumstances." So, while Ottawa would likely not be allowed to legally deliver hospital care in a province, it can fund some or all of that hospital care via the province. And it can set conditions for the related health-care funding, which it will. Now, with pharmacare and dental care in play courtesy of the Lib-Dip Deal, provinces can expect stronger conditionality to accompany these two new programs as well as any CHT increase. Based on past practice, we can expect premiers to react to type. Protestation will give way to permission, as Ottawa strikes bilateral deals with one province after the other. A cascade into another new national (oops, pan-Canadian) program will ensue. Meanwhile, the original constitutional expression of two equal but different orders of government mutates further into an increasingly one-sided partnership, as provinces leach authority to the central government one intergovernmental agreement at a time. Such is the pragmatic nature, or even "bug," of Canadian federalism. Past constitutional battles were won with words, not weapons. We have no tradition of erecting barricades to demand provincial rights. Our battlefields have been the courts, not the streets. But make no mistake, for better or worse, with each such step Canada becomes more centralized and nationalized. This Liberal prime minister is boldly remaking the federation in a way that premiers have proven powerless to resist. So, tune in. An intergovernmental battle is coming to a province in which you live. But dont worry if you miss it; the results are already in. David McLaughlin was Clerk of the Executive Council in the government of Manitoba in 2020-21. He was campaign manager for the PC Party of Manitoba in the 2016 and 2019 elections. Australias national broadcaster has struck a deal to make its news video available on a new video streaming platform, but the content will not appear on Foxtel-owned Flash despite previous talks of a tie-up. The ABC will give access to video content to LeadStory, an on-demand news platform launched last year by former Sky News and Seven journalist, Cameron Price, for the next three years. It is the latest commercial deal for the ABC, which was holding talks with Foxtel about a licensing deal for its content late last year. The ABC has signed a commercial deal with new video aggregator, LeadStory Credit:Screenshot Were delighted to welcome ABC News to LeadStory, Mr Price, LeadStorys chief executive, said. Our users demand compelling storytelling on the issues they care about, alongside instant access to breaking news and ABC is a natural choice to provide that. LeadStory is a free online platform that allows users to follow local and international stories. It aggregates content from CNBC, Al Jazeera, Euronews, Bloomberg, Reuters, France24, CBC Canada, Ticker News and Fox News. It was founded by Mr Price and software engineer Cheyne Wallace. For many retail investors, BHPs decision last August to collapse its dual-listing structure and repatriate London-listed shares to the ASX may have seemed like a technical piece of financial engineering. But for index fund managers like IFM Investors Aidan Puddy the move was hugely significant. As a result of the move, BHPs weighting in the benchmark ASX200 was suddenly going to jump from 5.2 per to 10 per cent. Or 12 per cent of the ASX100 and 14.8 per cent of the ASX50. Global head of listed equities at IFM Investors, Aidan Puddy, says the reunification of BHP was a difficult, given moving prices and volumes. Credit:Luis Ascui That was probably one of the biggest index changes we have ever had, Puddy explains. Aidan Puddy is arguably Australias least-known mega-fund manager. He manages over $45 billion worth of stocks but has no public profile compared to stock picking superstars, because he focuses on index investing on behalf of institutional clients. VIJAYAWADA: Government adviser Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy on Saturday maintained that no deadline can be given for the development of Amaravati as funds are the main constraint. He underlined that 2 crore per acre are required for developing lands in Amaravati. Owing to the financial crunch, AP Chief Secretary has accordingly filed an affidavit in the AP High Court providing all details, Ramakrishna Reddy said. He pointed to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddys explanation that 1 lakh crore will be required for just providing basic amenities at Amaravati. If the government spends such an amount on Amaravati, what about the development of other areas in AP, he asked. He underlines that Amaravati will be developed depending on the resources available. The government adviser said the new cabinet will be formed keeping in mind social justice. Selection of ministers will be the prerogative of the CM. He said all arrangements have been completed for formation of new districts. The final notification will be issued at any time. Ramakrishna Reddy disclosed that 90 per cent of government offices in new districts will be constructed on government lands. All departments will function from buildings over a 15-acre complex, which will be completed by 2023, he said. This offering skilfully guides us from the comfort of a frivolous show allegedly written in the woods of New Zealand during COVID to the unavoidable truth that the world is going to hell, the sheer scale of which she wrestles with addressing. Subjects such as the cesspool of internet discourse and pervasiveness of dumb people are well worn, so its testament to Davis subtlety and originality of thought that this never feels like medicine, with enough expertly triggered release points and unexpected turns to keep things moving. It would be a stretch to say that she stuck the landing, but while this is a show that does not shy away from a sense of helplessness, it is decidedly defiant and damn funny. The inimitable Davis might despair, but the good news is she will not be stopped. Patrick Horan Andrew Portelli, Tough Guy Fad Gallery until April 10 Quitting law to pursue comedy full-time in late 2019 as Andrew Portelli did may not have been great timing, but on this evidence it was a judicious decision. The nerdy Portelli delivers a remarkably consistent offering of observational material with the occasional sharp or unexpected edge. Hes less a fighter, more an anti-histamine guy who prefers delivering scathing online reviews to fisticuffs and he channels this energy to maximum effect. Ex lawyer Andrew Portelli. Impressive belly laughs are derived from potentially hack topics like how rom-coms dont resemble real life, overbearing parents and even stressing about penis size. The one caveat is that the duration is relatively short compared to other festival shows, with Portelli drafting a mate to warm up the crowd and top the show up to 45. All depends on whether you prefer padding to stringent quality control. We prefer the latter. Our advice: ignore the length, feel the mirth. Patrick Horan Scout Boxall, Buck Wild Comedy Republic until April 10 When you combine a show from a nominee for last years best newcomer award, throw in direction by a nominee for last years most outstanding show (Michelle Brasier) and sprinkle in a Moosehead grant and all the creative luxuries that encompasses, youre in good hands. Despite the promotional material, Buck Wild isnt the rollicking spaghetti western you might imagine. Rather, its a subterranean dive into Boxalls experiences with mental health as a queer, non-binary person with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Plenty of laughs: Scout Boxall. Then theres the mullet so decadent they could probably be drafted by the Western Bulldogs. Loading Thats not to say there arent laughs they are plentiful especially when Boxall employs their pipes. A diss track of Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen startles the audience like a late-night mugger on King Street, and they manage to elicit tears from the crowd through, of all things, a mournful rendition of LMFAOs 2011 electro-hit Sorry For Party Rocking. With a slight tightening of the script and without the technical issues that plagued this evenings performance, Buck Wild will be a must-see by the end of its season. Tyson Wray Madeleine Stewart, So Brave Malthouse Theatre until April 10 Having been born with congenital limb deficiency, Madeleine Stewart is possibly the only comic this festival that could get away with shouting f--k the disabled! She means it literally, of course. After the deft touch of employing an audio track providing aid to the visually impaired, Stewart blasts onto the stage with a ten-minute torrent on living with a physical malady. So Brave: Madeleine Stewart Throughout the hour she ricochets through love and lust, dating and disability, stigmatisation and sex. A lot of sex. All with a pinpoint precision, conveying the reality of living with others constantly displaying ableism, pity, or even worse: prayer. Just dont call her the c-word, she mourns: courageous. The conclusion is, while important to voice, jarring as she abruptly shifts the discourse from jovial one-night stands and terrible life-drawing artists to horrendous statistics about the sexual violence disabled women in Australia endure and the chronic failures of the NDIS. Thought-provoking and eye-opening, the only thing missing from Stewarts debut hour is a tighter interwoven thread. Tyson Wray Annie and Lena, Different Now Queen Victoria Womens Centre until April 23 There can be a dark undercurrent to comedy double acts a sense of tension, jealousy, even hatred simmering beneath the onstage camaraderie. Its a spiritual booster shot, then, to catch a duo whose genuine friendship seems to spill off the stage. Comedy duo Annie and Lena. Its what allows Annie and Lena to deliver machine-gun banter while seeming so off-the-cuff, and this amiability makes it easy to forget that the two are essentially sketch comics. Its a surprise every time you realise theyve seamlessly switched from stand-up to absurd set-piece. Fady Kassab. Their style is millennial casual, and their fascinations appropriately relatable: weaponised incompetence, unsolicited advice, having to ask your workplace if you still work there. A 21st birthday speech opens with the Websters Dictionary definition of a slut, and a game show challenges a 30-year-old to make a single decision. The pair are willing to probe murkier waters, and a funny or upsetting? round of revelations is both. Theres never any danger of floundering, though, with this pairs irrepressible buoyancy. John Bailey Fady Kassab, Is This Legal? The Oxford Scholar until April 10 Since taking home the coveted RAW Comedy crown in 2019, a certain virus has meant that Fady Kassab has had to bide his time before launching his debut Melbourne solo show. Having grown up through the Lebanon war, Kassabs first outing dives into the only world he fears more than the battlefront: dating in his mid-40s. Blake Freeman. While his anecdotes of courting were amusing enough, Kassabs most engaging material came from his own unique perspective of living through warfare, immigration and racism, leading to juxtapositions and insights into the atrocities taking place in Ukraine and Palestine. Unfortunately, his rhythm was thrown multiple times due to a plague of latecomers. In a festival that has a deluge of quips about the perils of dating apps and divorce, Kassab has the opportunity to stand out from the crowd by shaping a distinct voice due to a history most of us could never fathom lets hope he hones in on this potential in the future. Tyson Wray Blake Freeman The Swiss Club until April 24 Blake Freeman is dumb. Its one of the first things he points out at the top of this show and has been a defining element of his stage persona since winning best newcomer in 2019. Given the quality of his writing, its an arguable claim, but it underpins his anxiety-ridden yet somehow easygoing style and recounting of personal experiences that clearly resonate with a mental health-conscious generation. His struggles with confidence and social interaction are again cheerfully covered here, but this show seems more preoccupied with class anxiety and Freemans unease with the contrast between his modest upbringing and family traits and the circles and relationships he now finds himself in. Its rich territory in theory, but while Freemans storytelling is strong, theres not a lot of connective tissue between riffs on his personal preoccupations (the lack of a show title seems quite deliberate). Meanwhile, the relentless sorry about that deprecation becomes a little wearing, as do reheats and repeats of material from previous shows. His prodigious talent is undeniable and this certainly doesnt drag, but surely more polished and hopefully ambitious shows lie ahead. Patrick Horan Nats What I Reckon, Uncooked Forum Downstairs until April 3 If youre searching for a bizarre and confusing comedy set, Nats What I Reckon - Uncooked is certainly going to provide. Nat, who gained a cult following of more than 450,000 followers for his cooking videos on Instagram, attempts to bring his humour from the screen to the stage, with limited success. Nats What I Reckon Uncooked Described as a multimedia p-ss-taking extravaganza, this 70-minute set consists of songs about parmas, a conspiracy theory on the coronavirus and Toyota Camrys, and a cooking segment using a phallic-shaped egg cooker. Though confusing, you certainly cant deny Nats originality. From a 60 Minutes parody to an analysis of photographs from a microwave cooking book from the 70s, Nat knows how to keep the element of surprise. The key ingredient missing from this show? A set that translates to wider audiences. Unless youre an avid superfan, much if not all of the show will fall flat. Carla Jaeger Sonia Di Iorio, Big Eyes, Big Pussy Coopers Inn until April 10 If youre searching for one of the smuttiest shows of the festival then Sonia Di Iorio has you covered. Explicit: Sonia Di Iorio As you may have guessed from the title, Di Iorio isnt shy in divulging her sexual escapades. But, after having awkwardly introduced herself to latecomers as a dumb slut, the vibe never quite lifts. Through a cavalcade of dick jokes, ejaculate entendres and explicit reminiscence, Di Iorio details her sex life with as much crudity and finesse as a 90s Comedy Central re-run. Loading HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre April 2 until April 23 Its gone from being rare to optional, fashionable and almost compulsory: the idea art should reveal the artist. Many playwrights also feel obliged to reveal their convictions, thereby often degrading art to doctrine. US playwright Will Arbery is braver and more ambitious. He bombards us with his opinions no more than did Shakespeare, so you emerge from Heroes of the Fourth Turning, about five conservative Catholics in the first year of Trumps presidency, almost beatified by the fact you dont know whether Arbery sides with them or against them. Heroes of the Fourth Turning is fundamentally a piece about people not ideas. Credit:Richard Farland Across a dense two-and-a-half hours, these people interrogate each others faith, their own and their faiths ideological baggage, to arrive at startlingly different conclusions about everything from Mary to motherhood, abortion to Trump, and racism to self-loathing. Yet the glory is that its fundamentally not a piece about ideas, but about people. NSW will go it alone on new cash handouts to help uninsured flood victims whose homes have been decimated and contents destroyed after the federal government refused to go halves in the cost. Premier Dominic Perrottet will announce the new $112 million Back Home grants in Lismore on Monday when he returns from paternity leave. A new funding package will be unveiled by Premier Dominic Perrottet after Lismore was hit by floods for the second time. Credit:Natalie Grono The Back Home scheme provides up to $20,000 to residents whose homes have been declared damaged or destroyed and who are unable to claim on insurance or natural disaster relief. The program will be open to the Hawkesbury, Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed local government areas. Property prices were expected to fall, but not quite this soon. Conventional wisdom said a rise in official interest rates would be the trigger for housing prices to fall, because it would reduce the amount of money that buyers can borrow to spend at auction. So what changed? Property values fell in the two major capitals due to a combination of factors causing buyers to pull back. Credit:Peter Rae. Sydney and Melbourne home values have started to edge lower before any change to interest rates, as buyers reach the limits of what they can afford, banks reduce how much they will lend, and more homes are listed for sale. The falls are modest so far but are a reversal of the strong run up in prices in the past year. Sydney home values fell 0.2 per cent in March after a 0.1 per cent fall in February, CoreLogics latest figures show, while Melbourne values fell 0.1 per cent in March and also fell 0.1 per cent in December. Belgrade: Opposition claims of widespread irregularities marked Serbias national election in which President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling populists hoped to extend their 10-year grip on power. Vucic secured about 59 per cent of the vote in the presidential contest, more than enough to secure a second term in office without a run-off ballot, according to a partial count taken by the non-governmental Centre for Free Elections and Democracy. The Serbian President accused Australia of torturing and tormenting Novak Djokovic and treating him like a mass murderer when it deported the tennis star in January for not being vaccinated against COVID-19. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic waves to his supporters during a pre-election rally, in Belgrade. Credit:AP Some 6.5 million voters were eligible to choose the countrys president and a new parliament, and elections were being held as well for local authorities in the capital, Belgrade, and in over a dozen other towns and municipalities. Turnout was reported about 55 per cent an hour before polls closed, higher than in most Serbian elections. Washington: The gap in phone logs in the official White House records on January 6, 2021, is of intense interest to the House select committee investigating the attack on the US Capitol, one of the panel members said. In an interview on CBS News Face the Nation, Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, noted that a 7-hour gap in the phone logs for then president Donald Trumps communications that day covered the period when the Capitol assault was taking place. White House call logs obtained by the House panel investigating the US Capitol riots do not list calls made or received by then-president Donald Trump as he watched the violence unfold on television. Credit:AP Raskin said he and other committee members had been able to piece together some of Trumps activities during that time based on other peoples interviews and depositions, but holes remained. Its a very unusual thing for us to find that suddenly everything goes dark for a seven-hour period in terms of tracking the movements and the conversations of the president, Raskin said. Latest News 24 lenders raise interest rates Read the full list here Clients seek advice on interest rate rise City brokers field many enquiries CoreLogics national Home Value Index (HVI) increased 0.7% in March, a subtle rise on the 0.6% uptick recorded in February, primarily driven by stronger conditions in regional Australia, offsetting a slip in values across Sydney and Melbourne. Australian dwelling values were up by 2.4% in the first quarter of the year, adding approximately $17,000 to the value of an Australian dwelling. Values were rising at more than double the current pace a year ago, up 5.8% over the three months to March 2021 before the quarterly rate of growth peaked at 7% over the three months ending May 2021. Sydneys housing market has seen the most significant slowdown in growth rate, falling from a peak of 9.3% in the three months to May 2021, to 0.3% in the first quarter of 2022. Melbournes growth rate, meanwhile, fell from 5.8% in April last year to just 0.1% over the past three months. Tim Lawless, CoreLogics research director, said despite the increase in the monthly growth rate among cities and regions, mounting evidence showed housing growth rates were losing momentum. Virtually every capital city and major rest of state region has moved through a peak in the trend rate of growth some time last year or earlier this year, Lawless said. The sharpest slowdown has been in Sydney, where housing prices are the most unaffordable, advertised supply is trending higher and sales activity is down over the year. There are a few exceptions to the slowdown, with regional South Australia recording a new cyclical high over the March quarter and some momentum is returning to the Perth market where the rate of growth is once again trending higher since WA reopened its borders. Amidst the softening market conditions, the national growth rate was 18.2% the first time it has fallen below the 20% mark since August last year, after reaching a cyclical high of 22.4% in January 2021. Lawless said there would be a sharp fall in the annual growth trend in the coming months, as the strong gains recorded in early 2021 would be dropped out of the 12-month calculation. National housing turnover was also easing, with preliminary transactions estimated for the March quarter tracking 14.3% lower than the same period in 2021, but still up 12.2% compared to the previous five-year average. Nationally, the volume of housing sales is coming off record highs but there is some diversity across the capital cities in these figures as well, Lawless said. Our estimate of sales activity through the March quarter is 39% lower than a year ago in Sydney and 27% lower in Melbourne, while stronger markets like Brisbane and Adelaide have recorded a rise in sales over the same period. Regional Australia has continued to show some resilience to a slowdown, with housing values across the combined regional areas rising at more than three times the pace of the combined capital cities through the March quarter. Regional dwelling values rose 5.1% in the three months to March, compared with the 1.5% increase recorded across the combined capital cities. The rolling quarterly growth rate in regional dwelling values has consistently held above the 5% mark since February 2021, CoreLogic data showed. Helping explain the strong housing conditions outside of the capitals was the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) regional population growth figures for FY2020-21, which showed an increase of nearly 71,000 residents living in regional areas of Australia, while those living in the capitals fell by approximately 26,000. Latest News 24 lenders raise interest rates Read the full list here Clients seek advice on interest rate rise City brokers field many enquiries Hejaz Financial Services has partnered with technology provider Simpology to simplify the application process for brokers. The Islamic finance provider wants to assist by providing a digital solution for its broker partners. Simpology is an innovative fintech that offers a solution for processing mortgage applications by unifying all interactions for an application including third-party providers and channel requests on one dashboard. The partnership aims to ease the Hejaz onboarding process for brokers and reduce the difficulties Australian Muslims face in accessing suitable financing. Hejaz Financial Services chief operations officer Muzzammil Dhedhy (pictured above) said the partnership would make it easier for brokers to access information on Hejazs lending products. Read more: Hejaz seeking to become first Islamic bank By partnering with Simpology were reducing the friction created in the onboarding process, ensuring brokers can spend more time focusing on their clients needs and answering their questions, Dhedhy said. As we work towards realising our ambition of becoming Australias first Islamic Bank, we are streamlining our loan applications online, making the whole process faster, more efficient and ultimately more transparent for customers seeking alternative sharia-compliant financing options. Simpology CEO Kate Gubbins said she was thrilled that Hejaz had partnered with Simpology through its broker network. Its a great example of how our flexible tech stack can support different credit streams, requirements and audiences, she said. We really look forward to supporting Hejaz more as they expand their networks and customer base. Dhedhy said Hejazs vision was to make it as easy as possible for Australians to access world-class Sharia-compliant financial products. He said many Australian Muslims do not engage with the financial system because it was hard to find home loans, superannuation, or investment products that comply with their faith. Read more: Budget boost what does it mean for home buyers and brokers? In the Islamic faith, charging interest on loans is not permitted and Islamic laws outline the process that needs to be undertaken to make a financial product sharia compliant. Hejaz Financial Services uses the ijara financial model for its loans. Ijara is based on the notion of a shared equity rental. Hejaz Finance has approximately 6,500 customers directly or through its 400 accredited brokers. It is working with APRA towards its goal of becoming the first Islamic financial service provider to obtain a banking licence. Australia is the only country in the western world with an advanced economy without an Islamic bank, and we want to be the first to change that. Our partnership is a key step to creating the digital infrastructure needed to service Australians directly, Dhedhy said. Hejaz Financial Services recently announced it had appointed Dominic Savrimoutoo to the role of head of broker distribution. "Dom is an experienced bank manager, project manager, people leader, business improvement coach and customer service manager within the finance industry for the past 18 years," Dhedhy said. "Dom is specialised in consumer markets, residential and commercial lending fields and consumter protection. With a background working at Bank of Melbourne and GE Money, he brings a wealth of experience to the team and leading our broker division. We are excited to be working alongside him." Latest News 24 lenders raise interest rates Read the full list here Clients seek advice on interest rate rise City brokers field many enquiries Its a changing of the guard at MyState Limited as the Tasmania-headquartered group ushers in new senior executives. MyState Limited, consists of MyState Bank and TPT Wealth, a trustee and wealth management company. Vaughn Richtor (pictured top) has been appointed new board chair, while Brett Morgan (pictured below) is the new managing director and CEO. They replace chair Miles Hampton and managing Director and CEO Melos Sulicich. Renewal in key leadership roles is vital if organisations are to progress, and its the right time for me to retire, said Hampton. It has been both a privilege and honour to be chairman at MyState. Hamptons retirement signals the end of a 16-year association with Tasmanian Perpetual Trustees (now TPT Wealth) and MyState Limited. Hampton said MyState had been a quiet achiever. We have delivered solid returns to shareholders since MyState Limited was created in 2009, delivering a total shareholder return of 299% vs the ASX 200 146%, he said. We have built the platform to provide the services customers expect, career opportunities for our people but most importantly, and what I am most proud of, is we have remained true to our credit union and trustee company roots where the overriding culture is one of putting our customers first. Read more: MyState launches big ticket marketing campaign to back up broker success Incoming chair Richtor said Hamptons pride in Tasmania, dedication to local businesses and its people and community projects never wavered. Miles has been chairman for nine years and leaves MyState in terrific shape by honouring its past and steering us towards a digital banking future, Richtor said. Both Brett and I are grateful as today we have a sharp, customer-centric focus wealth management business that sets us apart from most in the industry. Richtor has held CEO roles in Asia and was the foundation CEO of ING Direct Australia. Ive joined MyState because Ive always been drawn to transformation and change. I see an organisation that has worked hard to get the operational and technical platform in place, with a rich culture and great home base in Tasmania, he said. Read more: MyState set for major broker play in 2022 Hampton said Morgans background, including senior executive roles at ING, the fintech space, and more recently as CEO of ASX-listed BNK Banking Corporation made him a perfect fit. Morgan said he was naturally driven to be part of a business that served its customers well when he joined the company in January. I was fortunate to join ING before it launched and had an amazing 15 years of delivering fairer banking for Australians. I love being part of a team and culture where we are all chasing a better way for customers, Morgan said. Morgan said joining MyState was on his radar because it had a great reputation with customers for delivering quality products and service, with aspirations to grow in its Tasmanian heartland and across Australia. This year Queen Elizabeth II marks her unprecedented 70th anniversary on the throne, having succeeded unexpectedly when her father, King George VI, died on February 6, 1952, aged only 56. On the following day Winston Churchill, recently returned to Downing Street as prime minister, spoke on the BBC to an audience at home and throughout the world, ending with a grandiose flourish. The young monarch will command the loyalty of her native land and of all other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire. I, whose youth was passed in the august, unchallenged and tranquil glories of the Victorian era, may well feel a thrill in invoking once more the prayer and the anthem, God Save the Queen! August and unchallenged were debatable terms for Victorias reign, and tranquil still more so: There wasnt one of those 63 years when British soldiers werent fighting, killing and dying somewhere on earth. For that matter there was nothing so tranquil at that very moment Churchill spoke: British forces were fighting rebels in Malaya, having not long before been in action in Palestine, as they were about to be in Kenya, among the often brutal and miserable conflicts that marked the decline and fall of the British Empire. Which left a bitter aftertaste. A professor at Harvard, Caroline Elkins made her name in 2005 with her book Imperial Reckoning: The Untold Story of Britains Gulag in Kenya, describing the manner in which the Mau Mau insurgency had been suppressed with mass internment and many executions. That book won a Pulitzer Prize, but it was also criticized for exaggeration. As so often, there was no need for such exaggeration: The truth was bad enough. Ms Elkins helped to show just that when she was a witness in a 2011 court case in London that obtained belated compensation for some of those who had been shamefully treated in Kenyan detention camps. Now she returns to a much larger canvas in her provocative new book, Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire. Despite the ambitious title, she really begins her story only in the 19th century, with a series of colonial rebellions from Ireland to India. In 1865, a rising in Jamaica was put down and Edward Eyre, the governor, boasted that the retribution has been so prompt and so terrible that it is likely never to be forgotten. Nor was it: A Jamaica Committee including John Stuart Mill, John Bright, Darwin and Dickens investigated and condemned that terrible retribution. But Ms Elkins finds such humane concern dubious: Her particular target is liberal imperialism, with its belief in the benevolent power of empire to improve subject peoples. As the 20th century unfolded, Ms Elkins writes, British security forces deployed ever-intensifying forms of systematic violence that made empire look like a recurring conquest state. One grim new factor was what its proponents called air power. From 1919 onward, aircraft of the newborn Royal Air Force were a far cheaper means of subjugation than armies. They bombed and machine-gunned defenceless people in Afghanistan, India, Iraq and Palestine, with no officer more enthusiastic for the task than Arthur Bomber Harris, as Mr Elkins anachronistically calls him (the sobriquet was conferred by the popular press two decades later when he directed Bomber Command in a far greater campaign of destruction against Germany). After the Great War, the empire had reached its territorial zenith with the acquisition of the vast new territories of Iraq and Palestine. Having bombed Iraqi villages, Harris moved on to bombing Palestinian villages, and here a more fraught question emerges. Pax Britannica in Palestine was creating conflict with the auspices of the rule of law, Ms Elkins writes, but its not quite clear what she means by that. The British may be said to have created conflict by granting the Balfour Declaration in 1917, favouring the creation of a national home for the Jews, while insisting in contradictory words that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine. That was the origin of todays tragic and intractable conflict. In November 1942, in words for some reason considered so amusing that Ronald Reagan borrowed and adapted them in his first inaugural, Churchill said that I have not become the kings First Minister in order to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire. But he had, since that liquidation was the outcome of the war in which he led his country. It was immediately followed by the wretched last years of British Mandatory Palestine. As it proved, Palestine was only the first of several dismal campaigns in Africa and Asia. All of those episodes were not merely or principally anticolonial: From Palestine on, they were almost all ethnic or communal conflicts as well. The CTs, Communist terrorists in Malaya, were from the Chinese minority, and the Mau Mau uprising was a rebellion of the Kikuyu minority. For any American writing on this subject there lurks a further irony of history. Today several hundreds of millions or even billions of people in Asia and Africa regard the United States as the last great imperial power, and also view Israel as a colonial settler state. Does Ms Elkins agree? She is understandably derisive about neo-imperialist polemicists like Niall Ferguson and Andrew Roberts, with their forlorn attempts to burnish the lustre of empire. But Professor Roberts has also written that just as in science fiction people are able to live on through cryogenic freezing after their bodies die, so British postimperial greatness has been preserved and fostered through its incorporation into the American world-historical project. If that is true, then this is a story without a happy or as yet any ending. 2022 The New York Times News Service HYDERABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) on Saturday announced agitation programmes from Monday to April 11, all the way from villages to the national capital, to press its demand that the Centre procure paddy produced in the state in the rabi season. The party will hold a rally in Delhi on April 11 but a decision has not been taken on the participation of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao released the five-phase action programme here at Telangana Bhavan on Saturday. Speaking to media personnel, Rama Rao said protest rallies would be held in all mandal headquarters on Monday. On April 6, four major national highways to Nagpur, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Vijayawada will be blocked. On April 7, protest rallies will be held in all the 32 district headquarters barring Hyderabad by ministers and MLAs along with farmers. On April 8, hoisting of black flags in all the 12,769-gram panchayats will be undertaken. Rama Rao urged farmers to hoist a black flag in their house to mark their protests. He called upon them to burn effigies of the BJP-led government at the Centre. On April 11, all TRS ministers, MLAs, MLCs, MPs, chairpersons of zilla parishads and mandal parishads, chairpersons and mayors of municipalities and municipal corporations, chairpersons of market committees and cooperative societies, Rythu Bandhu Samiti leaders from madal level to state level, TRS mandal, district party presidents etc will take part in 'Chalo Delhi' programme and hold a protest rally in Delhi. Rama Rao urged all farmers to take part in the agitation programmes announced by the TRS since they were being undertaken to protect the interests of Telangana farmers. He said there was no question of stopping the protest till the Centre yielded. He said the TRS government had advised farmers in advance not to sow paddy. "But BJP leaders Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay provoked farmers and misled them stating that the state government had no role in paddy procurement and the Centre would procure and that they would take this responsibility. Believing them, Telangana farmers sow paddy in 35 lakh acres in rabi. Now the crop has reached the harvest stage and stocks will arrive in markets in a week or so. Now the BJP government at the Centre is giving statements in Delhi that there is no question of procuring paddy from Telangana in rabi. Where are our state BJP leaders who provoked and misled farmers to sow paddy in rabi," Rama Rao asked. Rama Rao condemned union food minister Piyush Goyal's statement in Parliament on paddy purchase. "Goyal says there is no demand for boiled rice. We have all the evidence of how there is huge demand for boiled rice in international markets and how the Centre exported one crore tonnes of boiled rice. We will expose all these details soon. Goyal says the Centre cannot export rice procured under the Food Security Act. Why can't the Centre amend this Act," Rama Rao asked. Kerala-based public sector player and Chemicals Travancore (FACT) has achieved a turnover of more than Rs 4,100 crore for the financial year 2021-22, up 27 per cent year on year. The company performed well despite the pandemic-led adverse market scenario in which raw material prices sky-rocketed in the international markets. FACT produced 963,000 MT fertiliser during the year. Total fertilizer sales for the year crossed one million MT. Another highlight for FACT during the year is the restart of Caprolactam production after about nine years. The company produced 20,835 MT of Caprolactam resulting in considerable reduction in import of Caprolactam to the country. FACT is also planning to increase its production capacity with an additional NP fertilizer plant at its Cochin Division located at Ambalamedu. The work for the new project has already started and is expected to be completed by 2024. This will add another 500,000 MT to the total production capacity of the company. US e-commerce giant has made a submission to Indias Supreme Court against Limited (FRL) alleging that the Kishore Biyani-led retailer is making false statements before the Indian Courts, including the SC, related to its $3.4 billion asset deal with Limited. (RIL). The Applicant (Amazon) is currently faced with a situation where it has valid, binding, subsisting and operating injunctions in its favour, but is not being able to prevent FRLs utter disregard of the binding injunctions, said Amazons petition, dated April 02, 2022, submitted to the SC and was reviewed by Business Standard. The proceedings before the Arbitral Tribunal are stayed, while FRL is alienating its Retail Assets to the MDA (Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani) Group in the garb of forceful takeover by making false statements before the Indian Courts, including this Honble Court. The relief sought by is in aid of its final relief of resumption and continuation of the Arbitration Proceedings, as in case the Retail Assets of FRL are alienated in breach of the specific and categorical injunctions against it, nothing will remain in the Arbitration Proceedings. As set out above, the stratagem is being used to consummate the Impugned Transaction even prior to the final order of sanction to be passed by the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal), said the petition. It said that FRL and the Applicant (Amazon) are on common ground that status quo ought to be maintained in respect of the retail stores purportedly handed over to the MDA Group. It said this is stated in such terms in the disclosure dated 16 March 2022: The Company is in continuous discussion with Reliance Group to maintain status quo and for safeguarding the interest of various stakeholders. has made a prayer for interim relief which mentioned there should be no alienation or disposal of FRLs retail stores to the MDA Group pending the final award in the Arbitration Proceedings. It also made a prayer that FRLs retail stores shall remain in control of FRL. Amazon said that in the event FRL succeeds in the Arbitration Proceedings, it shall be able to transfer Retail Assets in accordance with the scheme and upon final sanction by the NCLT. The above arrangements are intended to continue until the conclusion of the Arbitration Proceedings, said the petition. They do not in any manner deprive any of the parties of their rights to initiate such proceedings as are available in law upon the conclusion of the Arbitration Proceedings. Legal experts said that by filing these Written Note on Submissions before SC, Amazon is seeking the apex courts intervention so as to prevent alienation or disposal of FRLs retail stores to the MDA Group pending the final award in the Arbitration Proceedings. Amazon wants Court order to ensure that FRLs retail stores shall remain in control of FRL, said Salman Waris, managing partner at technology law firm TechLegis Advocates & Solicitors, who analysed Amazons petition. Amazon claims fraud by FRL as the purported surrender deeds record that FRL was obtaining a refund of the security deposits for the premises in Udaipur and Bangalore and None of these purported surrender deeds record any failure to make payments by FRL, and the fact that security deposit was being refunded incontrovertibly demonstrates that the landlord did not have any dues against FRL. Waris said Amazon claims in the petition that all such purported arrangements were done between December 2020 and March 2021, i.e., subsequent to the orders of the emergency arbitrator. Amazons petition said any statement that FRL is at the brink of insolvency is irrelevant and is an attempt to confound matters. However, it said the threat of such proceedings cannot be used to defraud Courts and legitimise a stratagem to defeat lawful and binding injunctions. Further, this Honble Court has consistently held that economic hardship cannot be a basis to avoid contractual obligations, binding judgments and giving false undertakings to this Honble Court, Amazon submitted to the court. Amazon alleged that it is clear that FRL has played an elaborate and orchestrated fraud on this Honble Court as well as on the Honble High Court of Delhi and the Arbitral Tribunal to procure favourable orders by continuously making false assurances and undertakings in relation to the continued vesting of its retail stores in FRL The issue between Amazon and Future goes back to August 2019, when Amazon acquired 49 per cent in FCPL (Future Coupons Pvt Ltd), the promoter entity of FRL, for around Rs 1,500 crore. One year later, in August 2020, Future Group struck a $3.4-billion asset-sale deal with RIL. In October 2020, Amazon sent legal notice to Future for doing the deal. It alleged it breached Futures agreement with Amazon. It cited its non-compete agreement with Future. The deal specified any disputes would be arbitrated under the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) rules. The same month, October 2020, Amazon got a favourable ruling for its plea at the SIAC. In November 2020, Future moved the Delhi High Court (HC) against Amazon, alleging interference by the US firm in the deal with RIL. Since then, Amazon has been fighting a legal battle with FRL to stop Futures $3.4-billion deal with RIL. An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment on the issue. Ltd. (FRL) has also filed a reply to Amazon special leave application in the Supreme Court (SC) and opposes the grant of interim relief to Amazon. It said in its response that Amazons special leave petition as it is beyond the scope of the present proceedings, the petitioner (Amazon) is seeking to circumvent the jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court (HC) and deprives FRL of its statutory right of appeal against interim orders passed by any arbitral tribunal and the application is based on the false premise that FRL has alienated its retail assets in violation of orders of an arbitral tribunal. On January 5, Delhi High Court stayed Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) arbitration proceedings in the Amazon- Future case. It also said that the petitioner (Amazon) is seeping to enlarge the scope of the present proceedings and brings issues before SC that were not before the court. The present application, on the other hand, not only seeks the grant of various interim reliefs travelling far beyond the resumption of arbitration proceedings but additionally prays that such reliefs be directed to operate till the final award is pronounced by the Tribunal, FRL said in its response. It also said that the application under reply is an abuse of the process of aourt, since the petitioner (Amazon) has filed petition for enforcement of the interim order passed by the Arbitral Tribunal, in which the Amazon has advanced substantially the same pleas as in the present application and prayed for analogous reliefs. It also said that amazon contends that while FRL has given SC and Delhi High Court an assurance that its retail assets would not be alienated until a final order of approval of the scheme is granted by NCLT, it has engaging in stratagems to alienate its assets through other means. It also said that Amazon has falsely contended the between February-March 2021, FRL willingly surrendered lease deeds in relation to the premises where it carries on is retail business and entered into back-to-back arrangements with constituents of the Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani Group to operate out of the leases premises as a licensee. It also said that due to the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the scheme due to the legal actions initiated by Amazon, FRLs creditors began to initiate adverse actions against it. Among FRLs creditors are the lessors who had leased the store premises too FRL. FRLs stores operate out of these leases premises, FRL said in its reply. It also said that from December 2020/January 2021 onwards, lessors of the store premises began terminating the leases on account of non-payment of lease rentals by FRL and took back passions of the premises. It also said that landlords approached Reliance and Reliance Projects & Property Management Services Ltd. (RPPMSL) entered into lease arrangements with the landlords of the stores. RPPMSL allowed FRL to continue its business activities from these store premises on leave and licence basis on payment of agreed licence fees for a period of one year. It also said that FRL has been classified as a non-performing asset by banks and FRL has not paid RPPMSL any license fees in respect of these 835 store premises. The aggregate outstanding of license fees due from FRL to RPPMSL is over Rs 1,100 crore. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday the submissions of US e-commerce major Amazon, seeking an interim order to ensure that the Future Retail Limited (FRL) assets, including "Big Bazaar shops", not be alienated till the dispute over its merger with Reliance Retail is decided by an arbitral tribunal. A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli, which had heard part arguments on Amazon's plea on April 1, has posted the case for the conclusion of submissions on April 4. The bench had taken note of the submissions of both sides, and Future Group, that they have no objection to the resumption of the arbitral proceedings and said as far as "the first issue about going ahead with the arbitration is concerned, both of you have agreed". "You both file a small memo so that we can record it and the SLP can be disposed of. The other aspect is this IA, which is regarding non-alienation of properties," it had said. The court had also questioned whether it could pass an interim order restraining FRL from alienating its assets till the decision of the arbitral tribunal comes in view of the fact that no landlord of "Big Bazaar shops" was present before it as a party. "If tenants or landlords are not before us, how can the court pass an order injuncting them from taking possession (of shops)," it had said. At the outset, senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, appearing for the US firm, had said as far as the resumption of the arbitration proceedings is concerned, there is no difference of opinion between and . "But there cannot be a sudden handover of assets," Subramanium had said, adding that the US firm needs an interim order "against alienation of the assets in favour of any other party and the assets must continue to remain with FRL and operate with FRL until the matter is resolved by the arbitral tribunal". He had said over 800 shops of FRL have been vacated and taken over by the Reliance group. Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for FRL, had said around 374 shops are with the group and it is not going to give those to anybody on its own unless some landlords throw them out. "My bank accounts are frozen and I cannot pay rent. Everyone is hoping that if the scheme gets through, Reliance comes in and everyone will get the money," he had said, adding that there is no money to pay the rentals and moreover, if the lending banks come into the picture, the IBC (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code) will come into play. had apprehended the "disappearance" of assets and sought an interim order from the top court to ensure the preservation of the FRL assets, besides the resumption of arbitration over FRL's merger deal with Reliance Retail. The bench had taken note of the allegations of the US firm that the "applecart was being upset" by its rivals and asked the firms -- FRL and Future Coupons Limited (FCPL) -- to respond to Amazon's interim plea. Amazon and are engaged in a multi-forum litigation on the issue of FRL's merger deal to the tune of Rs 24,500 crore with Reliance Retail Limited after the US e-commerce giant dragged FRL into arbitration at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre in October 2020. It has been alleged by Amazon that on March 3, as many as 600 stores of FRL were taken away by Reliance. The plea was vehemently objected to by the Future Group lawyers on Tuesday. The top court was told by Amazon that besides seeking the resumption of the arbitral proceedings, it wants an order so that FRL's assets are there for it if it wins the arbitration as the "applecart was being upset". The bench is hearing Amazon's appeal against the January 5 order of the Delhi High Court, which stayed the proceedings before the arbitral tribunal over Future Retail's merger deal with Reliance Retail. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The has directed the Arbitral Tribunal to dispose of an application of jurisdictional challenge raised by India in the case with KKR India Financial Services without being influenced by observations of the Division and Single Bench of the Delhi High Court. In an order dated April 1, the apex court also asked Eveready not to dissipate or dispose of its assets, except in the usual course of business. The order said that the petitioner (Eveready) is restrained from creating any encumbrances of its unencumbered assets for a period of four weeks or till further orders of the Arbitral Tribunal, whichever is earlier. Eveready informed stock exchanges about the order on Saturday and said that the company is in the process of taking appropriate action as required, based on advice from its legal counsel. Company sources pointed out that the apex court order was a relief to the extent that it was allowed to create charge or sell assets in the usual course of business as opposed to a blanket injunction earlier. Sources also pointed out that in four weeks the Arbitral Tribunal would have to decide on whether Eveready could be made a party to the arbitration proceedings. In February, a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court upheld an injunction order by the Single Bench that prevented Eveready, as part of the Williamson Magor group, from selling, transferring, alienating, disposing, assigning, dealing, encumbering or creating third party rights on any of its assets, and carrying out any change in its capital structure, or any corporate or debt restructuring. Eveready had opposed the injunction and also raised a jurisdictional challenge under the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996, in respect of arbitration proceedings before the Arbitral Tribunal of the International Chamber of Commerce on grounds that no proceedings can be made against it as it was not a party to any agreement or arrangement with the petitioner (KKR). A special leave petition (SLP) was filed by Eveready in the against the Division Bench order. The apex court then passed an order on April 1. The legal case arose as KKR sought to recover a Rs 200 crore loan extended to Williamson Magor & Company and Williamson Financial Services. KKR had moved Delhi High Court under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, as there was an arbitration agreement in the facility agreement, to seek a restraint against the borrowers, guarantors, obligor and Williamson Magor group Eveready, McLeod Russel India, McNally Bharat Engineering from dealing with their assets. So while the borrowers were the holding Williamson Magor & Company and Williamson Financial Services the restraining order by the Single Bench and Division Bench impacted Eveready, McNally and McLeod as KKR invoked the group doctrine. Hence, Eveready moved the SLP in the . Eveready is in the process of going through a change. The Burman family promoters of Dabur India who have the largest shareholding in Eveready announced an open offer for an additional 26 per cent and intent to take control on February 28. Following this, Khaitan family members existing promoters of Eveready stepped down from the board. In addition, Eveready has appointed consultancy firm, Bain & Company, to chart out a business strategy. In the future it may even look at new verticals of growth which may require capital infusion. The Single Bench and Division Bench order prevented any change in its capital structure, or any corporate or debt restructuring. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor For Indians, Sri Lanka is one of the favourite venues for destination weddings. But last month, when a family from Delhi chartered a Vistara Airbus A320 to Colombo, it packed much more than the standard paraphernalia of clothes, gifts and jewellery. The family ferried meals from Delhi for all the guests and to cover their entire stay in Colombo due to the food and fuel shortages in the island nation. Tourist movement to Sri Lanka has continued despite the economic crisis, but with the declaration of emergency and a 36-hour night curfew from Saturday, Indian tourists are rethinking their plans. Five-star hotels in Colombo are already seeing cancellations and deferrals from group travellers, said an executive. Flight loads have dropped and travel companies are seeing sluggish demand as customers prefer to wait and watch. We are witnessing lower bookings to Colombo due to the ongoing crisis. We are continuously monitoring the impact and may take appropriate action to adjust the capacity based on the demand and situation in Sri Lanka, IndiGo said in a statement. Air India has reduced its weekly flights to Colombo to 13 from 16 at present. The revised schedule will come into effect from April 8. We are closely monitoring the ongoing situation together with our local partners and keeping our customers updated. Currently, while we have observed a slowdown, we are yet to receive booking cancellations for Sri Lanka, said Daniel DSouza, president and country head (holidays), SOTC Travel. The island nation has been a favourite with Indian tourists due to affordability and access. In 2021, Indians topped tourist arrivals with over 56,000 visitors. Demand started picking up from February as the country restarted visa on arrival facilities for foreign tourists including those from India. Hotel bookings for April, too, have been strong with conferences, events and weddings. But the emergency measures have poured cold water on travel plans. Sri Lanka is a resilient country. It has fought back against terrorism and the Covid-19 pandemic. We hope this crisis passes quickly, said a local hotelier. An additional 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel were shipped from India on Saturday. India has already extended a $1 billion credit line to the country. Some within Sri Lanka believe sporadic incidents have got undue media attention, which is affecting tourism. It is not as if the entire country is shut and there is no food, said Sri Lanka India Society President Kishore Reddy. But the declaration of emergency has travel agents worried. We have asked for clarity on when the emergency measures would be lifted, said Jyoti Mayal, president of Travel Agents Association of India, which is hosting a convention in Sri Lanka later this month. According to Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group CEO of MakeMyTrip, leisure bookings to Sri Lanka have been impacted by the recent developments, but the cancellation rate remains low. To ensure safety of travellers visiting Sri Lanka in the near future, our teams are working round-the-clock to keep them abreast of the latest developments including travel guidelines and standard travel protocols. We have also extended the option of a no-cost change of destination, depending on the travellers convenience. on Sunday reported 10 COVID-19 cases, which took the tally to 12,23,932, while an equal number of people getting discharged increased the recovery count to 12,12,926, a state health department official said. The death toll remained unchanged at 10,942, leaving the state with 64 active cases, he added. The addition to the tally during the day comprised three cases each in Ahmedabad and Patan, two in Mehsana and one each in Surat and Vadodara, he said. A government release said 10.62 crore COVID-19 vaccination doses have been administered in the state so far, including 4,776 on Sunday. The Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu continued to be free of active cases, a local official said. Gujarat's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 12,23,932, new cases 10, death toll 10,942, discharged 12,12,926, active cases 64, 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 application process for the Common University (CUET) will commence from Saturday. CUET scores have been made mandatory for admission to undergraduate courses at 45 central varsities from the 2022-23 academic session. A link will be made available on the official website https://cuet.samarth.ac.in/ for students to apply. The application process will be on till April 30. The CUET is likely to be held in July. In a public notice issued last week, the Testing Agency announced that the CUET will provide a single-window opportunity to students to seek admission in any of the central universities across the country. The CUET (UG) - 2022 will be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) Mode, it had said. The exam will have four parts -- Section IA (13 Languages), Section IB (19 Languages), Section II (27 Domain specific Subjects), and Section III (General Test). A candidate can choose a maximum of any three languages from Section IA and Section IB taken together, according to the guidelines. One of the languages chosen needs to be in lieu of the domain specific subjects. Section II offers 27 Subjects, out of which a candidate may choose a maximum of six subjects, while Section III constitutes the general test. Section IA, which will be compulsory, will be in 13 languages and candidates can choose the language of their choice. The language options in Section IA are English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Section IB is optional, and is for students who want to opt for another language apart from the ones that are a part of Section IA. Some of the languages on offer are French, Arabic, German, etc, according to the guidelines. All questions across sections will consider Class XII level as the benchmark, it said. UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar had earlier said that the test syllabus will be modelled on the Class 12 NCERT syllabus. Delhi University vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh has called the CUET a good system and urged students to not be worried. Jawaharlal Nehru University had adapted the CUET in January this year while Jamia Millia Islamia has said it will hold admissions to its eight undergraduate courses on the basis of this entrance. (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.) will be able to return to the valley soon, chief said on Sunday, asserting that work is on to create a conducive atmosphere so that they are never displaced again. Anyone harbouring the ill-motive of driving out the community again from Kashmir will have to face severe consequences, he said addressing virtually on the last day of the three-day Navreh' celebrations. He also praised The Kashmir Files' movie, saying it has created public awareness across the country and outside about the reality behind the exodus of from the valley in 1990. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief said that the time has come for Kashmiri Pandits to fulfil the pledge of returning to their homes in the Kashmir valley. The time for your return to the valley as a Hindu and a Bharat Bhakt' is approachingyou have faced displacement in the past but in the future, nothing like this should happen with you, he said. "Work is in progress to create such an atmosphere where you will feel secure and live peacefully with your neighbours like in the past and nobody will be able able to dislodge you again from there. Anyone harbouring such an ill-motive will face bitter consequences. There are people (among the Muslim community) with whom you were enjoying good relations. We have to defeat extremism and live peacefully with everyone, he said. Referring to his participation in the Kashmiri pandit festival Herath' (Shivaratri) in 2011 in Delhi, he said the community had taken a pledge on the occasion that they will return to their homeland. It won't take many days for the fulfilment of our pledge. It will come true very soon and we have to continue making attempts in this direction. Our history and our great leaders should serve as the guiding light and inspiration for all of us, Bhagwat said in his over half-an-hour speech. He said the removal of Article 370 "opened the way for the return of the pandits to the Kashmir valley". Challenges do come in everyone's life ... We are in a situation where we were displaced in our own country three-four decades ago. What is the solution? he said and added, We will not succumb and see our pledge fulfilled by returning to our homes. He referred to Israel and said the Jews struggled for 1800 years for their homeland. Nothing much was done in 1700 years by them for their pledge, but over the past 100 years, the history of Israel saw it achieving its target and also becoming one of the leading countries in the world. We (Kashmiri pandits) have had to live in different parts of the globe despite the fact that Kashmir is an integral part of India. We can live anywhere but we cannot forget our homeland, he said. Though it was taking some time, Kashmiri pandits will be back in their homeland on their own conditions, Bhagwat 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.) Environment Minister Gopal Rai will chair a multi-department high-level meeting on on Monday to plan a campaign against open burning of garbage, fires at landfill sites and dust pollution, officials said on Sunday. The meeting will be held at the Secretariat around noon and senior officials from the environment department, Urban Shelter Improvement Board, fire services, Public Works Department, Delhi Development Authority and municipal corporations will be in attendance. Rai had on Wednesday directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to impose a fine of Rs 50 lakh on the East Delhi Municipal Corporation and take action against officials responsible for a massive fire at the Ghazipur landfill site. He had said the government will plan a campaign against open burning of garbage and fires at landfill sites. (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.) When we look back at the last decades of our existence as the worlds largest democracy, what is apparent is that democratically elected leaders have more often than not chosen power over principle in the running of the State. (Representational Image/ PTI File) Political leaders and political parties have to often resolve the dilemma between mechanical legality and moral rectitude. The choice is not easy since there is a third element that intervenes: power. The desire to capture power, perpetuate it, eliminate all opposition to it, and make it even more invincible, propels political leaders towards actions that justify the cynical and repressive use of the law against the moral imperative. In this process, the interests of the State become conterminous with the personal interests of the political leader. Our civilisational wisdom in these matters is open to interpretation. Broadly, the Hindu view of statecraft reflected two aspects, both diametrically opposed to each other when seen in isolation, but in harmony when taken together. The first focussed on the imperative of preserving the state, strengthening the king and keeping enemies, both within and without, at bay. In securing these objectives, statecraft could be cynically unsentimental, ruthless and amoral. Both the Arthashastra and the Shanti Parva list a series of measures which are entirely devoted to the perpetuation of kingly power, and by extension of the kingdom. The State was expected to be almost totalitarian, with the theoretical right to interfere in all areas of society, including family matters. To prevent subversion of the possibility of rebellion, espionage was recommended, and elaborate instructions are given in the Arthashastra on how to use it effectively. Deception, in order to confuse malcontents, was considered an efficacious tool. This could be taken to extremes by standards of conventional morality. The Shanti Parva, as expounded by the smitten Bhisma lying on a bed of arrows, states: When wishing to smite, (the king) should speak gently; after smiting he should be gentler still; after striking off the head with his sword, he should grieve and shed tears. While one part of political theory was obsessed with power, the other, quite characteristically of the Hindu mind, prescribed the opposite, viz. limits to the use of that power. The king, although all powerful, was conjoined for the sake of the power that he wished to retain, to work in conformity with dharma, respect established customs, and devote all his energies to the welfare of the people by approximating to the ideal of a rajarshi or a statesman-philosopher. The king was advised to choose his ministers on merit; the ministers were also advised to state their views fearlessly. The State was expected to be sensitive to public opinion; the people were not to be excessively taxed, and cesses were to be collected, as the Manusmriti rather picturesquely puts it, only as a bee would suck honey, or a calf gently drink milk or as a leech sucked blood drop by drop. A king acquired political legitimacy by winning the approbation of the ruled, not by fear. Kalidasa defines a rulers rajdharma as pravartatamprakritihitayaparthivah (working for the welfare of all his people). The Arthashastra bluntly says that it is unrighteous for a king to do an act which excites popular fury. The Mahabharata explicitly sanctions revolt against a king who is oppressive, for such a ruler is no king, and has no claim to continue in power. How does a ruler negotiate these conflicting but categorical injunctions in todays India? Selectivity cannot be the answer, where one can cherrypick the option depending on the solution desired. Moreover, and most importantly, we now have a Constitution, that, inter alia, guarantees democracy, the rule of law, human rights and individual freedom. Democratically elected leaders must face today the right choice between the temptations to misuse power, and the imperative to do the right thing in conformity with the letter and spirit of the Constitution. When we look back at the last decades of our existence as the worlds largest democracy, what is apparent is that democratically elected leaders have more often than not chosen power over principle in the running of the State. If this were not the case, Indira Gandhi, would not have invoked a provision of the Constitution to impose the Emergency and rubbish the democratic rights of her citizens. Governments would not have brought in laws that are deliberately draconian and can pulverise a dissenting voice by sanctioning arrest at will and the denial of bail. Rulers would not believe that, because they have been democratically elected, they have the ordained right to trample upon the democratic rights of individuals. Media channels would not be under pressure to toe the government line. And, there would not be an atmosphere of pervasive fear, where ordinary people are afraid to talk on the phone lest their conversation is being recorded, and corporate leaders too scared to voice their opinion lest they are the next to be raided by the forever compliant arms of the IT or the ED. According to reliable folklore, one of Indias most reputed business leaders was raided by the I-T recently, just because reportedly his personal preferences were in favour of political parties opposed to the BJP. Under the awning of democracy, the predatory powers of the State to take any action that eliminates opposition, should be a matter of increasing concern. Opposition leaders now take for granted that they could be the target of State investigating agencies, and many such leaders have, indeed, already been targeted. Conversely, the most corrupt leaders, if they join the BJP, miraculously find their cases being put on the back-burner. The judiciary is, of course, one ray of hope against this litany of vindictive and arbitrary action, but even the Chief Justice himself was constrained to point out in a recent public address how the complicity between the States investigative agencies and their political masters needs to be curbed. Democracy in India has yet to find a strong bulwark against a democratically elected government that resorts to authoritarian practices. For those who are less enamoured by the Constitution, and more by our ancient past, it would be advisable to read its lessons in their entirety, and not just choose portions that conform to their undemocratic cynicism. India's position on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has been steadfast and consistent, President has said, emphasising that the current global order is anchored in international law, UN Charter, and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. Unlike many other leading powers, India has not yet criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and it abstained from the votes at the UN platforms in condemning the Russian aggression. India has been pressing for the resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue. Interacting with young students at the prestigious Institute of International Relations here on Saturday, President Kovind said that India is deeply concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine. India's position on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has been steadfast and consistent, he said. We have emphasised that the current global order is anchored in international law, the UN Charter, and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. We are deeply concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation. We have called for immediate cessation of violence and hostilities and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We have also provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, Kovind said. His comments came in the backdrop of increasing disquiet in the West over India not criticising Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and abstaining from the votes at the UN Security Council. Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Parliament that India's position on the Ukraine conflict has been "steadfast and consistent" and that it has been seeking immediate cessation of violence. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that India stands ready to contribute in any way to the peace efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and called for early cessation of violence in that country. Russia has been India's major supplier of military hardware and New Delhi has been worried about possible delays in the supply of some key platforms and equipment because of the Ukraine conflict. India has also decided to purchase discounted crude oil from Russia, triggering concern among a number of Western powers. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said around two weeks back that India taking the Russian offer of discounted crude oil would not be a violation of the US sanctions on Moscow but underlined that countries should also think about "where you want to stand" on the Russian action. More than 2.5 million people are estimated to have fled Ukraine to escape Russian attacks, in what the United Nations has called the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. On March 23, India abstained in the UN Security Council on a vote on a draft resolution by Russia on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine on Wednesday. India had previously abstained on two occasions in the Security Council and once in the General Assembly on resolutions on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Exercise Varuna 2022 (Varuna 22) the 20th edition of the Indo-French naval exercise is being conducted this year off Goa, in the Arabian Sea. Paris regards itself as an Indian Ocean power and carefully husbands its island territories in the ocean such as the Reunion Island. Given the French Navys stakes in the region, New Delhi believes there is a serious strategic dimension to Exercise Varuna. The exercise (Varuna) has been a principal driver for operational level interactions between the two navies and has underscored the shared commitment of both nations to security, safety and freedom of the global maritime commons, said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Sunday. Bilateral naval exercises between the Indian and French navies were initiated in 1993. In 2001, the exercise was christened VARUNA and has become a vital part of India-France strategic bilateral relationship, said the press release. Phase I of Exercise Varuna-22 concluded on Sunday, while phase II will be held on May 22. The exercise this year has an expanded scope and includes surface gun firings on practice targets, advanced anti-submarine and air defence exercises, and other tactical manoeuvres that cover a broad spectrum of maritime operations, said the MoD. The French Navy projects power into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) with nuclear-powered submarines and a relatively state-of-the-art aircraft carrier battle group built around its flagship: the Charles de Gaulle. This 42,500-tonne nuclear-powered aircraft carrier carries a potent air complement that includes the Rafale-M (Rafale Marine) aircraft. Given the Indian Navys eagerness to buy 57 twin-engine, deck-borne fighters, Paris is tracking that tender closely. Having grown in content and complexity since 1993, Exercise Varuna provides the two navies an opportunity to learn from each others best practices. It focuses on operational level interaction between them to enhance mutual cooperation at sea, underscoring their shared commitment to regional security. During the sea phase of Exercise Varuna 2022, the is being represented by the indigenously built stealth destroyer, INS Chennai, with its integral complement of Sea King Mk 42B helicopters. India is also fielding its P-8I and Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and MiG-29K/KUB fighter aircraft. The French Navy is being represented by the La Fayette class frigate, FS Courbet and the submarine support vessel, FS Loire. The units undertook cross deck landings by integral helicopters, showcasing a high level of interoperability between them. Gun firing and underway replenishment procedures were also exercised between ships, said the Indian Navy, describing phase I of the exercise. All exercises planned during Varuna 2022 aim to enhance common understanding of the two navies on the conduct of joint maritime security operations, said the MoD. The will hear on Monday the plea challenging the grant of bail to Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister Ajay Mishra, in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that had left eight people, including four farmers, dead. A special bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli had on March 30 directed the Uttar Pradesh government to respond by April 4 to the two reports of a retired judge monitoring the SIT probe in the case suggesting cancellation of bail to Ashish Mishra. The top court noted the monitoring judge had written to the state government to seek cancellation of bail granted by the Allahabad High Court to Ashish Mishra in connection with the case. "There are two letters sent by the SIT to the Additional chief secretary (home) of the Uttar Pradesh government by the monitoring judge who had written to the state to file appeal in SC to cancel bail of main accused Ashish Mishra," the bench had said. Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the state government, had then informed the bench that the Additional Secretary, Home, had said he did not receive the letters. The bench had then asked Jethmalani to go through the reports submitted by the SIT and respond by April 4. Prior to that, the state government had said the decision to challenge the grant of bail was pending consideration by the relevant authorities. The top court had appointed Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to supervise on a day-to-day basis the Uttar Pradesh SIT's probe in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The state government said, in accordance with the orders of the court, the families of all the victims of Lakhimpur violence case and all the witnesses, whose statements were recorded under Section 164 (by a magistrate), have been receiving continuous security under the Witness Protection Scheme of 2018. On March 16, the top court had sought responses of the UP government and Ashish Mishra, on a plea challenging the grant of bail to him. It had also directed the state government to ensure protection of witnesses after counsel, appearing for farmers, referred to the attack on a key witness on March 10. On October 3 last year, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area. Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV, in which Ashish Mishra was seated, according to the UP police FIR. Following the incident, the driver and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence that triggered outrage among opposition parties and farmer groups agitating over the Centre's now-repealed agricultural reform laws. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) modules were busted and five militant associates were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, police said on Sunday. Based on specific information, police along with security forces arrested four terrorist associates in the north Kashmir district, a police spokesman said. He identified them as Irfan Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Ashtangoo, Irfan Ahmad Jan, a resident of Qazipora, Sajad Ahmad Mir and Shariq Ahmad Mir, both residents of the Arin area of Bandipora. Two Chinese grenades and incriminating material were recovered from their possession, the spokesman said. Preliminary investigation revealed that they were involved in providing mobile sim cards and logistic support to active terrorists in the district, he said. A case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation into the matter is in progress, the spokesman said. In another incident, police along with security forces arrested one terrorist associate at a checkpoint in the Rakh Hajin area of Bandipora. He has been identified as Irfan Aziz Bhat, a resident of Hajin, the spokesman said. One Chinese grenade was recovered from his possession, he said. Preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested accused was in close contact with Pakistan-based terrorist Umer Lala and was directed to carry out terror attacks in the Hajin area, the spokesman said. Bhat was also in contact of the killed terrorist Saleem Parray of Hajin, he said. A case has been registered and further investigation into the matter is underway, police said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) said there were no issues with its Covid-19 vaccine or its certification, reacting after the (WHO) suspended supplies of Covaxin through United Nations agencies. Covaxin certificates issued remain valid, as there is no impact on efficacy and safety of the vaccine, it said. Sources close to the development said the company had no further supply commitments to the WHO, and therefore, there was no suspension of any upcoming orders. The WHO, however, asked to upgrade its production facilities, which the company will undertake now. It is like one was taking a sedan for an uphill drive, and the WHO said that having an SUV would be a better option. There are no issues on quality of the vaccine, or even the vaccine production process. Now that we are in the endemic stage, one can stop production and upgrade the facilities, said a source without commenting on the exact nature of the observations that the global agency has made. Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotechs facilities were re-purposed to produce high volumes of Covaxin. These facilities were not originally built to make Covaxin in such large volumes. Therefore, upgradation is necessary, pointed out the source. The WHO said the vaccine is effective and no safety concerns exist, but the suspension of production for export will result in the interruption of Covaxin supply. It said the suspension is in response to the outcomes of WHO post emergency use listing (EUL) inspection conducted from March 14 to 22. During the recent WHO post EUL inspection, agreed with the WHO team on the scope of the planned improvement activities and indicated that they will be executed as soon as practical, Bharat Biotech said. "The company was also pleased to learn from the WHO, that the necessary optimization work Does not indicate a change in the risk-benefit ratio (for Covaxin) and the data, available to WHO, indicates the vaccine is effective and no safety concern exists, " the company said in a statement. This risk assessment by the WHO is based on the supply of hundreds of millions of doses of Covaxin globally. Bharat Biotech is working to further improvements and upgrades to ensure that the production of Covaxin continues to meet ever increasing global regulatory requirements, the company said. Bharat Biotech said on Friday that it is slowing down Covaxin production across sites as it sees decrease in demand. The company added that it has finished supply obligations to various procurement agencies. "For the coming period, the company will focus on pending facility maintenance, process and facility optimization activities," it said. As all existing facilities were repurposed for the manufacture of Covaxin, with continuous production during the past year, to meet the public health emergency of COVID-19, these upgrades were due, it said. In December, Serum Institute of India had cut down Covishield production by half after it piled up an inventory of 250 mn finished doses and 250 mn bulk doses. More than 1 million doses of Covaxin were introduced under clinical trial mode, where safety of subjects was actively documented. Finally, Covaxin was evaluated in around 30,000 subjects in more than 10 controlled clinical trials, resulting in more than 15 publications. "Since patient safety is the primary consideration for any new vaccine, there can be no compromises in meeting operational excellence objectives," the company said. Bharat Biotech is fully committed to implementing the facility improvements and upgrades to ensure that the production of Covaxin meets all global regulatory requirements, said the firm. The number of passengers in a single day from Hyderabad International Airport touched around 53,000 on March 27, which is about 109 per cent of pre-Covid daily average domestic traffic, the airport operator revealed on Sunday. The airport also recorded the highest number of post-Covid domestic Air Traffic Movements (ATMs) of 374 on the same day. On March 28, the airport also achieved the highest-ever international passenger recovery of about 89 per cent of pre-Covid daily average passenger traffic. According to officials, the airport witnessed about 7 lakh domestic passengers and around 1 lakh international travellers during the first half of March. The scheduled international commercial flights resumed from March 27. With the lifting of international travel restrictions, Hyderabad International Airport is likely to get a boost in international connectivity. For the Summer-22 schedule starting from March 27, as many as 22 international airlines have filed flight slots to 19 international destinations. Malaysian Airlines, British Airways, Thai Smile, Fly Scoot, Flynas, Emirates, Gulf Air, Etihad, Air India, Indigo are among the airlines. The international summer slots filled is 103 per cent of the pre-Covid times. Though the overall international travel was subdued during the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic, is now connected to its earlier favourite destinations like Singapore, Qatar, Sharjah, Doha and Kuwait. The airport also added flights to new international destinations like Chicago and Maldives which got an exceptional response from travellers. Recently, the Hyderabad-Colombo flight has resumed. Dhaka and Baghdad will soon be added to this list. According to the airport operator, the post-Covid growth in the destinations being connected has been remarkable and in the last few months, it has added 15 new domestic sectors. Hyderabad International Airport is now connected to over 70 domestic destinations, from the pre Covid period of 55 domestic destinations. The UDAN initiative, which is aimed to bolster the regional connectivity to the travellers to Tier II-Tier III cities has further boosted the connectivity across India. Hyderabad is the only airport in the country where all ten domestic airlines fly. It has the right mix of passenger traffic. The profile of the passengers includes corporate travellers, VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives), tourists, MSME (Micro Small and Medium Enterprises) and students. In the last two years, these segments have helped Hyderabad International Airport recover faster than any other metro airport in India "With the international travel now open, we foresee considerable demand in the international passenger traffic in the coming months. The overwhelming response from leading and international airlines in the summer schedule is proof of the sector returning to normalcy," Pradeep Panicker, CEO - GMR Hyderabad International Airport, said. "We are working with all our stakeholders to add more domestic and international connections from the Hyderabad International Airport. Passengers are also in for an enhanced experience and we will shortly open up the first phase of our expanded airport," he added. --IANS ms/svn/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commerce and Industry Minister will be leading a business delegation to Australia this week to deepen economic ties, increase bilateral trade and investment and forge greater unity among Quad members, an official said. The Quad members are Japan, India, Australia and the United States. During the three-day official visit, starting from April 6, the commerce minister will hold discussions with top Australian authorities and businesses. "The visit aims at further deepening economic ties with Australia," the official said. The minister would reach out to businesses of both sides so that they can take full advantage of the trade pact, signed on April 2. He will be visiting Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. India and Australia on April 2 signed an economic cooperation and trade agreement. Goyal has said the agreement would help in taking bilateral trade from USD 27.5 billion at present to USD 45-50 billion in the next five years. Australia is the 17th largest trading partner of India, while New Delhi is Canberra's 9th largest partner. India's goods exports were worth USD 6.9 billion and imports aggregated to USD 15.1 billion in 2021. (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 value of goods exported from India witnessed 40 per cent growth during the financial year 2021-22, hitting a record $417.8 billion and surpassing the target set by the government by 5 per cent, according to the commerce and industry ministry. During the month of March, touched $40.38 billion, as compared to $34 billion during the same period a year earlier. The growth was driven by higher demand for items in the petroleum, gems and jewellery, engineering products. India has exported $418 billion, for the first time in its history. This is more than the set target. Exceed $40 billion in in March alone which is the history of highest export in a single month, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal told reporters on Sunday. We have been able to achieve such wonderful results without any specific subsidies and grants and that is the way to goYou can handhold up to a level, but ultimately we have to stand on our own feet, we have to engage with the world from a position of strength, with self confidence, with the basis of our confidence and high quality and that is reflected in our achievement today, Goyal said. While the government is yet to release the import data for the month of March, it is expected that inbound shipments will also touch record high. Imports grew 51 per cent on year to $589 billion during 1 April 2021- 21 March 2022, resulting in widening of the trade deficit to $189 billion. Considering these numbers, Indias total trade, in a first, is set to exceed $1 trillion. Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Santosh Sarangi told reporters that Indias export basket is not confined to intermediate goods or raw materials, but is gradually moving towards manufactured goods. Our engineering and electronics goods export indicates this, Sarangi said. While electronics goods are one of the top items in Indias import basket, after gold, Sarangi said that electronic goods witnessed a 40 per cent jump in FY22, as it got a massive push from the production-linked incentive scheme (PLI). Export of non-petroleum goods grew by close to a third at $352.76 billion. Sarangi further said that India has seen a significant jump in to developed markets as well such as the United States, Netherlands, Singapore, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany. On the contrary, till now substantial amounts of goods were exported to neighbouring countries, predominantly to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The minister had earlier said that in order to achieve the export target, a detailed strategy was in place, including specific country-wise, product-wise and export promotion council-wise target, monitoring and course correction. Engineering goods exports topped $111 billion in FY22 and is expected to sustain the growth momentum in the current fiscal too despite challenges emerging out of global geo-political tensions, EEPC India Chairman Mr Mahesh Desai said. The volatility in commodity prices, supply chain disruptions and a possible change in world political order would certainly have its impact on trade and economy. Some of the leading rating agencies have in the past few weeks lowered India's GDP forecast. So, clearly the impact would be felt but it should not be severe," Mr Desai said. The Union government is looking to raise Rs 8.45 lakh crore through borrowings in the first half of 2022-23 to fund the revenue gap for reviving the economy, the said on Thursday. Out of the gross market borrowing of Rs 14.31 lakh crore estimated for the next financial year, Rs 8.45 lakh crore is planned to be borrowed in the first half or April-September period. The government has front loaded its borrowing programme as the 60 per cent of the record borrowing planned for the financial year beginning April 1 would be complete in the first six months itself. Front loading of borrowing will be done with the objective of pushing capital expenditure which will have a multiplier effect on the economy. As per the Union Budget document, the gross market borrowing through dated securities for 2022-23 will be Rs 14,95,000 crore. Taking into account the switch operations conducted on January 28, 2022, the gross market borrowing through dated securities for 2022-23 is expected at Rs 14,31,352 crore, the ministry said in a statement. The gross borrowing for 2021-22 was Rs 12,05,500 crore. The borrowing is scheduled to be completed in 26 weekly tranches of Rs 32,000-33,000 crore, the ministry said. The borrowing will be spread under 2, 5, 7, 10, 14, 30 and 40 year securities and Floating Rate Bonds (FRBs) of various tenors. Long term securities, including the 14, 30 and 40 year ones, will make up for a significant chunk of the borrowing. FRBs of various tenors will be issued on a fortnightly basis. The government will continue to carry out switching of securities to smoothen the redemptions, the statement said, adding that it may continue to exercise the greenshoe option to retain an additional subscription up to Rs 2,000 crore against each of the securities indicated in the auction notification. Weekly borrowing under treasury bills in the first quarter of 2022-23 is expected to be Rs 33,000-34,000 crore, with net borrowing of Rs 2.40 lakh crore during the quarter. There will also be an issuance of Rs 13,000 crore under 91 DTBs, Rs 12,000-13,000 crore under 182 DTBs and Rs 8,000 crore under 364 DTBs in each auction to be held during the quarter. To take care of the temporary mismatches in government account, the statement said the Reserve Bank of India has fixed the Ways and Mean Advances (WMA) limit for H1 of FY'23 at Rs 1,50,000 crore. The government and the RBI are working jointly to bring a framework for issuance of sovereign green bonds. In her Union Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that the government proposes to issue sovereign green bonds to mobilise resources for green infrastructure. The net borrowing during 2022-23 would be Rs 11.6 lakh crore, which is nearly Rs 2 lakh crore higher than the current year's budget estimate of Rs 9.7 lakh crore. Gross borrowing includes repayment of past loans. The government raises money from the market to fund its fiscal deficit through dated securities and treasury bills. (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 spurted to a record high of USD 418 billion in the 2021-22 fiscal on higher shipments of petroleum products, engineering goods, gem and jewellery and chemicals, according to official data released on Sunday. Outbound shipments touched an all-time high of USD 40 billion in a month in March 2022, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters here. stood at USD 34 billion in March 2021. were worth USD 292 billion in FY2020-21. India's had breached the targeted USD 400 billion mark on March 23 this year. The key export sectors, which contributed to record healthy growth, include petroleum products, engineering, gems and jewellery, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The top five export destinations are the US, UAE, China, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Hailing the country's success in achieving the goods export target, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that this is a key milestone in India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' journey. (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 vice premier stresses support for foreign trade companies Xinhua) 11:02, April 03, 2022 Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, chairs a symposium on foreign trade situations in Beijing, capital of China, April 2, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua on Saturday called for more efforts to ramp up support for foreign trade enterprises and ensure stable foreign trade. Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while chairing a symposium on foreign trade situations. Noting the good start of China's foreign trade in the first quarter of the year based on the joint efforts of government authorities and enterprises, Hu underlined the more severe and complex external environment for foreign trade. He urged the relevant authorities to attach greater importance to optimizing services for companies in foreign trade, promoting the implementation of favorable policies that have been introduced, and actively helping the companies solve problems. The authorities should closely follow foreign trade situations, make accurate analyses and judgments, and pay full heed to the opinions of experts, scholars and enterprises, Hu said. He also called on research institutions and experts to strengthen related analysis and research, while encouraging enterprises to actively respond to new situations and problems in production and operation. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) The country's are likely is cross 100 lakh tonnes (10 million tonnes) during 2022-23, due to increasing demand for the commodity in the world market, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Sunday. The have crossed 70 lakh tonnes in 2021-22 (worth over Rs 15,000 crore) as against 21.55 lakh tonnes (over Rs 4,000 crore) in 2020-21. It was only two lakh tonnes (Rs 500 crore) in 2019-20. The minister said have helped several countries in meeting the requirements of food security. "We will continue to export in a big way and meet the needs of the countries that are not getting their supplies from the conflict areas, and my own sense is that this time we will probably exceed our wheat exports (of) over 100 lakh tonnes comfortably," he told reporters here. Russia and Ukraine together account for almost a quarter of the global wheat supply. Their wheat crop will mature in August and September this year. Farmers are focused on increasing production also, and regions like Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are exporting in a big way from last year, he added. India is in final talks to start wheat export to Egypt, while discussions are going on with countries like China, Turkey, China and Iran to begin the outbound shipments of the commodity. Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Santosh Kumar Sarangi said that there is also an effort on the part of the departments of commerce and food and public distribution to facilitate exports from other ports. Maximum exports are routed through Kandla port. Discussions are on with railways for facilitation of wheat exports from different ports, such as Vizag, Kakinada, and Nhava Sheva, Sarangi added. India exports wheat mainly to neighbouring countries, with Bangladesh having the largest share of more than 54 per cent in both volume and value terms in 2020-21. It has entered new wheat markets such as Yemen, Afghanistan, Qatar and Indonesia. Wheat exports to Bangladesh have crossed 3.5 million tonnes in 2021-22. The top ten importing countries for Indian wheat in 2020-21 were Bangladesh, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Afghanistan, Qatar, Indonesia, Oman and Malaysia. India accounts for even less than 1 per cent of world wheat export. However, its share has increased from 0.14 per cent in 2016 to 0.54 per cent in 2020. India is the second-largest producer of wheat. It had contributed around 14.14 per cent of the world's total production in 2020. India produces around 107.59 million tonnes of wheat annually, while a major chunk of it goes towards domestic consumption. Major wheat growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Will Smith's film 'Fast and Loose' has been put on hold by after he slapped comedian Chris Rock at Oscars 2022 a few days ago. Weeks before the Oscars ceremony, director David Leitch reportedly also pulled away from the project, electing to move to the Ryan Gosling vehicle 'Fall Guy' for Universal, and now the streaming giant has decided to pull away from the film, Variety reported. For the unversed, the conflict arose after Rock, who was presenting the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, seized the moment to crack a few jokes, including one about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. He compared the 50-year-old actor's appearance to that of Demi Moore's look in 'G.I. Jane'. Jada, who recently opened up about living with alopecia areata, was visibly upset, rolling her eyes from her seat. Seconds later, Smith walked onstage and approached Rock, smacking him in front of the audience. The 53-year-old actor also shouted to a stunned Rock, "Keep my wife's name out of your f---ing mouth." When Smith won Best Actor later in the ceremony, he apologised to the Academy and his fellow nominees but didn't mention Rock by name. In his tearful speech, he spoke about acting out of love and protection, saying, "Love makes you do crazy things." The 'King Richard' actor went on to publicly apologise to Rock on social media the following day. (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 union that .com workers recently voted to represent them has demanded the company start bargaining in early May and cease any changes to employment terms at their warehouse in the interim, according to a letter the group issued on Twitter. The Labor Union also demanded the retailer respect workers rights to union representation during disciplinary meetings, the letter said. did not immediately comment. On Friday, after some 55 per cent of workers voted to make their warehouse in Staten Island, New York Amazon's first unionised worksite in US. REUTERS announces ban on production of poppy Afghanistans ruling announced a ban on Sunday on poppy production, even as farmers across the country began harvesting the bright red flower that produces the opium used to make heroin. The order warns farmers that their crops will be burned and they can be jailed if they proceed with the harvest. The ban is reminiscent of the Talibans previous rule in the late 1990s when the religion-driven movement outlawed poppy production. At that time, the ban was staggered and implemented countrywide within two years. AP 6 dead, 9 injured in mass shooting in At least six people were killed and nine more wounded in a shooting in the city of Sacramento early Sunday, police said. Officers located at least 15 shooting victims, including 6 who are killed, Sacramento police said in a statement on Twitter. Earlier they had called for people to avoid the area as a large police presence will remain and the scene remains active. Video posted on Twitter showed people running through the street as the sound of rapid gunfire could be heard in the background. AGENCIES Russian attacks have destroyed an oil refinery in the central Poltava region and struck critical infrastructure, most likely oil facilities, near the port city of Odesa, local officials said on Sunday. Russian forces have attacked Odesa, the main base for Ukraine's navy, alongside other Ukrainian Black Sea ports such as Mariupol and Mykolaiv. If taken, it would give a land corridor from Crimea to Transniestria, a Russian-speaking breakaway province of Moldova that hosts Russian troops. Oil facilities have been a focus of attacks. Dmytro Lunin, governor of the Poltava region, said on television that the refinery had been destroyed in a rocket attack on Saturday. The fire at the refinery has been extinguished but the facility has been completely destroyed and can no longer function, he said. Two blasts were heard in the Russian city of Belgorod near the border with on Sunday, two witnesses told Reuters, days after Russian authorities accused Ukrainian forces of striking a fuel depot there. The cause of the blasts was not immediately clear. One witness said the blasts were so powerful that they rattled the windows of her home in Belgorod. The blasts come days after Russia's defence ministry said two Ukrainian helicopters struck a fuel depot in the city, some 35 km from the border with Ukraine, after entering at low altitude. on Sunday denied Ukrainian allegations that it had killed civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. Ukrainian prosecutors investigating possible war crimes by Russia have found 410 bodies in towns near Kyiv and 140 of them had been examined, Prosecutor General Iryna Venedyktova said on television on Sunday. EU warns Russia faces new sanctions for war crimes Some European Union governments are pushing for the bloc to quickly impose new sanctions in response to multiple reports that Russian troops executed unarmed civilians in Ukrainian towns, according to diplomats familiar with the discussions. The European Commission was already honing measures that would mostly focus on closing loopholes, strengthening existing actions such as export controls on technology goods and fully sanctioning banks already cut off from the SWIFT global payments system and expanding the list of sanctioned individuals. China added more than 13,000 new Covid-19 infections with state media reporting a case infected with a new subtype of the omicron variant. The new iteration of the virus, isolated from a mild Covid-19 patient in a city less than 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Shanghai, evolves from the BA.1.1 branch of the omicron variant, Global Times reported, citing sequencing data from local health authorities. The report said the subtype doesnt match other thats causing Covid in China nor those submitted to GISAID, where scientists around the world share the they sequenced as a way to monitor mutations. Almost 12,000 of the cases reported nationwide on Saturday were asymptomatic. Vice Premier Sun Chunlan arrived in the countrys virus hotspot of Shanghai to oversee prevention efforts, as she ordered officials to curtail the outbreak as soon as possible, according to Xinhua. Cases in the financial hub exceeded 8,000 on Saturday including 7,788 asymptomatic infections. Shanghai will start a new round of mass testing on Monday, authorities said. Sun, who previously went to Jilin to oversee lockdown measures in the northeast province, ordered Shanghai officials to resolutely conduct measures to stop the outbreak. All of the metropolis 25 million residents are currently under some form of quarantine. In the city of Sanya in Hainan province, authorities suspended all transportation to stymie the spread of Covid, according to a post on an official WeChat account. A wary on Sunday kept a close watch on the rapid political developments in - its all-weather ally - after the Parliament in Islamabad was dissolved over Prime Minister Imran Khan's allegation that there was American hand behind the Opposition parties no-confidence motion against him. While there is no official comment here yet, the state-run media highlighted Khan's allegations of US hand behind the opposition no confidence motion against him, which was cited as a reason by Qasim Khan Suri, deputy speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly, to reject the opposition's no-confidence motion against the government. State-run Xinhua reported the political drama unfolding in Islamabad leading to President Arif Alvi approving Khan's recommendation for the dissolution of the Parliament. Xinhua report highlighted Khan's remarks that a foreign power hatched a conspiracy to remove his government through a no-confidence motion against him, and the deputy speaker of the lower house rejected the motion because the nation cannot let such kind of conspiracies succeed. In the run-up to the tabling of the no-confidence motion by the opposition, has appealed to all the political parties to close ranks in the interest of stability and development. " always follows the principle of non-interference in other country's internal affairs," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on March 31 when asked whether Beijing was concerned over Khan's potential defeat in the Parliament and the impact of leadership change on the China- close ties. "As Pakistan's all-weather strategic cooperative partner and friendly neighbour, China sincerely hopes that all parties in Pakistan can maintain solidarity and jointly uphold development and stability," he said. Observers here say that China may not be unduly concerned about the crisis as Beijing sees the Pakistan military as the cornerstone of its ironclad ties with Islamabad. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has not yet reacted to queries on Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa's remarks denouncing Russia's "invasion" against Ukraine, which is radically different from China's stand. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Qamar Bajwa on Saturday said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine must be "stopped immediately", terming it a great tragedy. Speaking at the Islamabad Security Dialogue, Gen. Bajwa expressed Pakistan's serious concern over the conflict, adding that "despite legitimate security concerns of Russia, its aggression against a smaller country cannot be condoned." Gen. Bajwa also said the Russian invasion of Ukraine was very unfortunate as thousands of people had been killed, millions made refugees and "half of Ukraine destroyed". As a close ally of Moscow, China has declined to condemn Russia's war on Ukraine even though it walked a fine-line calling for peaceful resolution while highlighting Russia's security concerns relating to NATO expansion. Gen. Bajwa also spoke of expanding relations with the US saying that Pakistan sought to broaden and expand relations with both China and the US "without impacting our relations with [either]". "Pakistan enjoyed a close strategic relationship with China which was demonstrated by the country's commitment towards the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)," he said, adding, "equally, we share a long and excellent strategic relationship with the US which remains our largest export market," Pakistan Daily Dawn quoted him as saying. (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 global alliance of global parliamentarians have written a letter to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to express their concern about the ongoing cases of two men of Uyghur Muslim ethnicity in the country. Abduweli and Rozi, both originally from the Xinjiang province in China, were arrested on November 20, 2020, by the Saudi local police, while they were in for religious reasons. The arrest was allegedly carried out after the Chinese Embassy in had requested their extradition. "We, Co-Chairs of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on (IPAC), write to you to express our concern about the ongoing cases of Nurmemet Rozi and Hemdullah Abduweli," the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on (IPAC) wrote. "We understand that Abduweli and Rozi are currently detained in and are at imminent risk of being forcibly returned to . Additionally, it has come to our attention that acts of reprisal have been taken against family members of the two men," IPAC added. The global parliamentarians said China is carrying out a global campaign of threats and intimidation against Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, Chinese dissidents and other activists abroad. They argued that those extradited or deported to China will not face a fair trial and are at severe risk of persecution, arbitrary detention and torture. "We urge you to oppose the forcible return of Abduweli, Rozi and their relatives, and to ensure that those targeted by the PRC government are protected from any threats, intimidation and harassment at the hands of the PRC government in your jurisdiction," they said. UN human rights experts on April 1 had also called on the Saudi government to uphold its obligations not to extradite two Chinese nationals belonging to the Uyghur minority, saying they risked serious violations of their human rights if they are returned to China. "We are alarmed by the arrest of two Uyghur men in Saudi Arabia, since November 2020, and their continuous detention without proper legal justification or implementation of fundamental safeguards, reportedly on the basis of an extradition request made by China," the experts said. Rights groups say there are widespread atrocities committed against Muslims of the Uyghurs community in Xinjiang, China. Since 2017, the Chinese government is said to have detained about 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in hundreds of "re-education camps" in Xinjiang. Beijing continues to deny all charges. (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 Sri Lankan government on Saturday imposed a 36-hour curfew as a nationwide public emergency has been enforced ahead of a planned anti-government rally over the worst economic crisis in the island nation that has hit the common man badly. The island wide curfew has been imposed with effect from 6 pm Saturday to 6 am Monday (April 4), the information department said. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has given the directive under the Public Security Ordinance regulations, it said. The move came as the island nation braced for country-wide on Sunday against the government's poor handling of the ongoing economic crisis where people currently endure long hours of power outages and scarcity of essentials. The imposition of curfew would prevent citizens from holding . President Rajapaksa issued a special gazette notification late on Friday night, declaring a public emergency in with immediate effect from April 1. In the gazette, the President states: Whereas I am of the opinion that by reason of a public emergency in it is expedient to do so in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community. In another regulation following his action to impose a state of emergency which followed an order to impose a nationwide curfew, Rajapaksa said no one should come out and visit public places during the curfew hours. I consider that it is necessary to maintain public order in the areas.direct that no person shall be on any public road, railway, public park, public recreation ground or other public ground or the seashore in such areas from 1800 hour of April 2, 2022, to 0600 hours of April 4, 2022, except under the authority of a written permit granted, he said. However, even after the curfew came into force at 6 pm on Saturday, peaceful continued well into the night. People were seen protesting in several Colombo suburbs despite the curfew order. In recent weeks, there has been mounting public anger against the government over its handling of the country's worst-ever economic crisis. Commenting on the emergency, independent think-tank Centre for Policy Alternatives said that regulations may impose restrictions on certain fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution one of them would be among others: the rights to freedom of expression, assembly, association, movement, occupation, religion, culture and language. Lawyers commented that the regulations gave the police sweeping powers to arrest anyone for unlawful assembly. The regulations must be approved in Parliament every 30 days from their imposition. The declaration came at the same time as the court ordered bail to a section of the protesters arrested for the demonstration opposite Rajapaksa's private residence on Thursday. Lawyer Nuwan Bopage, who was among around 500 lawyers gathered at the Colombo suburban Gangodawila magistrate's court to give free counsel, said that out of the 54 arrested, as many as 21 were given bail. Six were remanded until April 4. The rest of the 27 are in hospitals with severe assault injuries. This was a very significant ruling. The court asked the police to file evidence of each of their involvement in acts of violence. They could not do so, Bopage said. The government blamed the Rajapaksa residence incidents on an extreme group connected to the Opposition political parties. The protesters said that participants had no political motivation and were only looking for solutions from the government for the hardships heaped on the public. Several people were injured and vehicles were set on fire as the agitation turned violent. Police fired tear gas and water cannons at the protesters after they pulled down a steel barricade placed near the president's residence. Following the incident, several people were arrested and a curfew briefly imposed in most parts of Colombo city. A statement issued by the presidential media division on Friday said an extremist group was behind the unrest near President Rajapaksa's residence in Mirihana. The police said that five policemen were injured, while a police bus, a jeep and two motorcycles were burnt as protesters turned violent. The demonstrators also caused damage to a police water cannon truck. A Sri Lankan man on Saturday alleged that his son, who is a social media activist, has been abducted by the police after a state of emergency amidst protests over the country's worst economic crisis. Anurudda Bandara's father said his son was taken away by someone from the north Colombo police station of Modera on Friday night. According to the police, he was wanted to be questioned over his social media activities. is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in history. With long lines for fuel, cooking gas, essentials in short supply and long hours of power cuts the public has been suffering for weeks. Meanwhile, a consignment of 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel from India reached Sri Lanka on Saturday, the fourth such assistance from New Delhi, to mitigate the spike in power cuts in the island nation, which is facing an unprecedented economic and energy crisis caused due to shortage of foreign exchange. Rajapaksa has defended his government's actions, saying the foreign exchange crisis was not his making and the economic downturn was largely pandemic driven where the island's tourism revenue and inward remittances waning. (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.) More than 60 foreign ships are unable to leave Ukrainian ports because of the threat of shelling and mines, the head of the Russian National Defense Control Center, Mikhail Mizintsev, said. "Over 60 foreign vessels continue to be blocked in Ukrainian ports. The threat of shelling and high mine danger created by the official Kiev in its internal waters and territorial sea do not allow ships to safely go out," Mizintsev said at a Saturday briefing. He added that the Russian forces open a humanitarian corridor (a safe lane in the south-western direction from the territorial waters of Ukraine) every day, but there is still a threat of drift of Ukrainian mines torn from anchor along the coast of the Black Sea states. "We are calling on the Maritime Organization and the management of shipowners to influence the official Kiev to take measures aimed at unblocking and ensuring the safety of the exit of ships of foreign states from the ports of Ukraine," Mizintsev said. On Thursday, Russian defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that the Ukrainian Navy had placed 420 anchor mines in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea between February 25 and March 4. At least ten of these mines have been drifting freely in the western part of the Black Sea after a storm that tore the anchor cables. Russia launched a special military operation in on February 24, after the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kiev forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and "denazify" and that only military infrastructure is being targeted. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy . (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.) Pakistan's former Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Sunday said the Federal Cabinet has been dissolved, but Prime Minister Imran Khan will continue his duties under Article 224 of the Constitution, Dunya News reported. Hussain however did not give any further details. Earlier on Sunday, NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri dismissed the much-anticipated no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister saying it was in contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution. In a televised address just minutes after the dismissal, Khan announced that he had advised the President Alvi to dissolve all Assemblies, paving the way for snap elections. The President, heeding to the proposal, dissolved the NA and according to sources, elections will be held within a period of 90 days. --IANS san/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Arif Alvi on Sunday dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan, minutes after the embattled leader of the ruling party advised him to call for fresh elections. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said that President Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly as per the advice of the prime minister. He said the election will be held within 90 days. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the Cabinet has been dissolved. Prime Minister Khan, who had effectively lost majority in the 342-member National Assembly, earlier made a brief address to the nation after a stormy parliament session was adjourned by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri. Khan congratulated the nation for the no-trust motion being dismissed, saying the deputy speaker had "rejected the attempt of changing the regime [and] the foreign conspiracy". "The nation should prepare for the new elections," he said, adding that the no-confidence was actually a "foreign agenda". Khan said that he has advised President Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh elections. (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.) has threatened to end cooperation with other countries on the Space Station (ISS) until the sanctions are lifted that were imposed on the country after its invasion of Ukraine. Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, posted on Twitter that the "restoration of normal relations between partners" on the ISS and other projects is only possible with the "complete and unconditional lifting of illegal sanctions". "The position of our partners is clear: the sanctions will not be lifted," Rogozin said late on Saturday. "The purpose of the sanctions is to kill the Russian economy, plunge our people into despair and hunger, and bring our country to its knees." Roscosmos will soon determine a date on when to halt Russia's involvement with the ISS. In his tweets, Rogozin said he has appealed to lift the sanctions in letters to NASA, the European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency. "The head of NASA, Senator (Bill) Nelson, the head of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher, and the head of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Lisa Campbell, responded to my appeal to them demanding the lifting of sanctions against a number of enterprises in the Russian rocket and space industry," he further tweeted. In a response, NASA administrator Nelson said that "the US continues to support government space cooperations, especially those activities associated with operating the ISS with Russia, Canada, Europe, and Japan". "New and existing US export control measures continue to allow cooperation between the US and to ensure continued safe operations of the ISS," he added. The CSA responded to Rogozin's request, saying that "I can assure you that Canada continues to support the ISS program, and is dedicated to its safe and successful operations". ESA head Aschbacher replied that he will pass on Rogozin's request to the agency's member states for assessment. Rogozin had strongly reacted to the sanctions imposed by US President Joe Biden. NASA last week said that was "moving toward" extending its cooperation on the ISS until 2030. The US space agency and Russia's state space corporation have been the two largest partners on the ISS for the last three decades. The two organisations have agreed to work together on the ISS through 2024, but on December 31, 2021, the Biden administration committed to extending the ISS operations through 2030. Russia has not formally agreed to the extension yet. --IANS na/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The war in is the conflict where spies came in from the cold and took centre stage. Since Russia invaded its neighbour in late February, intelligence agencies in the U.S. and Britain have been remarkably willing to go public with their secret intelligence assessments of what is happening on the battlefield and inside the Kremlin. The U.S. this week declassified intelligence findings claiming Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed about his military's poor performance in by advisers scared to tell him the truth. On Thursday a British spy chief said demoralised Russian troops were refusing to carry out orders and sabotaging their own equipment. Jeremy Fleming, who heads Britain's electronic intelligence agency GCHQ, made the comments in a public speech where he said the pace and scale at which secret intelligence is being released really is unprecedented. Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert at University College London, agreed that the very public intelligence campaign reflects the fact that we now live in a different age, politically and internationally. And this is a different kind of war. Officials say the stream of declassified intelligence which includes regular briefings to journalists in Washington and London and daily Twitter updates from Britain's defense ministry has several aims. Partly it's to let Putin know he is being watched, and to make him question what he's being told. It's also designed to embolden the Russian military to tell Putin the truth, and to convey to the Russian public that they have been lied to about the war. The U.S. and Britain also have released intelligence assessments in a bid to deter Russian actions. That was the case with recent warnings Russia might be preparing to use chemical weapons in . It's all part of a closely coordinated trans-Atlantic strategy that has been in the works for months. Biden administration officials say they decided to aggressively share intelligence and coordinate messaging with key allies, including Britain, as U.S. concerns about Russian troop movements in autumn 2021 put the intelligence community on high alert. In early November, President Joe Biden dispatched CIA director William Burns to Moscow to warn that the U.S. was fully aware of Russian troop movements. The White House has typically been tight-lipped about the director's travels, but the Biden administration calculated that in this situation they needed to advertise the visit far and wide. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow announced that Burns had met with top Kremlin officials shortly after his trip was over. Soon after Burns' Moscow mission, U.S. officials decided they needed to accelerate intelligence sharing. Officials shared sensitive intelligence with other members of the Five Eyes alliance Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and also with Ukraine. Director of national intelligence Avril Haines was dispatched to Brussels to brief NATO members on intelligence underlying growing American concerns that Russia seemed intent on invasion, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue. Some allies and analysts were sceptical, with memories lingering of past intelligence failings, like the false claim Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction that was used to justify the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Late last year, France and Germany led a group of European countries that appeared to be seeing similar military intelligence as the U.S. and Britain, but were less convinced that an invasion of Ukraine was imminent. At NATO, Germany initially blocked the use of a system for helping Ukraine to acquire certain military equipment. France and Germany also blocked NATO from launching an early crisis planning system in response to the buildup, before relenting in December. This week, French media reported that the head of France's military intelligence agency, which failed to anticipate the Russian invasion, has been removed from his post. Eric Vidaud's departure comes amid soul-searching among France's leadership about why it was taken by surprise by the war which was particularly embarrassing for President Emmanuel Macron, who speaks regularly with Putin. Some see Vidaud as a scapegoat, and note that his removal comes just ahead of this month's French presidential election. In January, as Russia amassed troops near Ukraine's border, Britain's Foreign Office issued a statement alleging that Putin wanted to install a pro-Moscow regime in Ukraine. The U.K. said it was making the intelligence assessment public because of the exceptional circumstances. Russia's invasion on Feb. 24 largely silenced the doubters, and drew a unified response from NATO. The release of U.S. and British intelligence is partly designed to shore up that Western unity, officials and analysts say. Both Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson doubt Putin is serious about negotiating an end to the war and want to keep up the West's military and moral support of Ukraine. The impact inside Russia is hard to measure. The U.S. official who spoke to the AP said the White House hopes divulging intelligence that Putin is misinformed could help prod the Russian leader to reconsider his options in Ukraine. But the publicity could also risk further isolating Putin or make him double down on his aim of restoring Russian prestige lost since the fall of the Soviet Union. The official said Biden is in part shaped by a belief that Putin is going to do what Putin is going to do, regardless of efforts to deter him. Galeotti said Western intelligence agencies likely don't know how much impact their efforts will have on Putin. But there's no harm in giving it a try, he said. Because when it comes down to it, in this kind of intensely personalistic system (of government), if one line, or one particular notion, happens to get through and lodge itself in Putin's brain, then that's a really powerful result. (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.) Since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, universities across Europe and the United States have condemned the war and cut ties with Russia altogether. In the following Q&A, Arik Burakovsky, an expert on relations between the U. S. and Russia, shines light on the future of cooperation between and the West in the realm of higher education. What kinds of ties have existed between Western and Russian universities? Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, Western and Russian higher education institutions have formed hundreds of partnerships and cooperated on different initiatives. These activities have included academic exchanges, curriculum development, joint online courses and collaborative research projects. has worked over the past two decades to make its universities more prestigious. The Russian government internationalized and updated its higher education system. This meant moving away from Soviet traditions and adopting European higher education standards, particularly transitioning from the one-tier, five-year specialist degree to the two-tier bachelor-master system. In their desire for global competitiveness, Russian universities built international branch campuses throughout former Soviet countries. They also offered more opportunities for Russian students to study abroad and attracted more international students. The number of foreign students in Russia nearly tripled, from 100,900 in the 2004-2005 academic year to 282,900 a decade later. Russian universities have opened more courses taught in English and established joint- and dual-degree programs with Western universities in a variety of disciplines. For example, the Moscow School for the Social and Economic Sciences offers joint bachelors and masters degree diplomas with the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. What have these relationships produced? Western and Russian students have learned about each others cultures, languages and societies. Scientists in Russia and the West have worked together on research projects related to outer space exploration, particle physics, climate change, biodiversity in the Arctic and many other areas. However, as geopolitical tensions grew over time, the Russian authorities became apprehensive about what they believed to be efforts to educate young people in a pro-Western way, form a protest electorate and inculcate a hostile ideology. Subsequently, Putin began to stifle international academic bonds by imposing restrictions on them. has dissolved academic connections with the West through legislation on so-called foreign agents and undesirable organizations. The government ramped up scrutiny of foreign funding and outlawed dozens of Western think tanks, charities, and universities that previously had worked in Russia. These banned organizations include the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan international affairs think tank in Washington, D. C., and Bard College, a private liberal arts college in New York state. In 2021, Russia banned all educational activities not approved by the government. This includes cooperation with foreign universities. Before Russian academics meet with foreign scholars, they must notify the government. In my work at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University since 2017, I have managed collaborative teaching, research and academic exchanges with universities and think tanks in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Vladivostok. I have seen students and experts in the two countries gain mutual understanding of international affairs by sharing diverse perspectives and learning from one another. These interactions were formally ended by the university where I work on March 15, 2022, as they are now considered morally unacceptable. Does Russias invasion of threaten these relationships? Yes. The Ukrainian government has called for an academic boycott of Russia. Many colleges have pulled students out of Russia. They have also paused scientific cooperation, cut financial ties and increased scrutiny of donations from Russia. These moves are all part of a global wave of condemnation against the invasion. While many academic leaders have urged caution about moving too quickly, some American and European universities have already frozen their relationships with Russia completely. Universities in Estonia and Belgium collectively decided to suspend all ties with Russia. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology ended its high-tech teaching and research cooperation with the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow on Feb. 25. The partnership, which began in 2010, had been bolstered by a five-year extension and multimillion-dollar funding in 2019. Yet the program had been mired in controversy since 2018 over sponsorship from sanctioned oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Many European governments, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Norway, Latvia and Lithuania, have asked their universities to cut ties with Russia entirely. The United Kingdom announced on March 27 that it will halt tens of millions of pounds in funding for all research projects with links to Russia. What are the reasons given for and against severing ties? Proponents claim these actions are needed to take a moral stance against Putin. They also say they are meant to fight corruption, reduce the risks of spying, block Putins propaganda machine and prevent technology theft. Chris Philp, the United Kingdoms minister for technology and the digital economy, says he does not see how anyone in good conscience can collaborate with Russian universities. Opponents argue that by shutting out Russian academia, the West is alienating Russian students and scholars and setting a bad precedent for international academic cooperation broadly. They maintain that scientific openness promotes democracy and human rights, helps counter misinformation inside Russia and encourages conflict resolution. Lawrence Bacow, president of Harvard University, emphasizes the value of academic diplomacy. He points out that individuals are not necessarily responsible for the policies of their governments. On March 9, the universitys Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies suspended its relationships with Russian universities whose administrations expressed support for the war. How will these severed ties affect higher education in Russia? By closing lines of communication with Russia, Western universities may be unwittingly aiding Putins efforts to isolate Russian students and academics. Putin wants to convince young people and academics, who tend to be more pro-Western and anti-authoritarian than the rest of the population, that there is no hope for them now that they are alone. Russian researchers say they increasingly feel disconnected from the West and disheartened about the future of Russian science. The Russian government declared on March 22 that it will bar its researchers from participating in conferences. Are Russian academics free to condemn the invasion? A climate of fear reigns over people in Russia who oppose the war. A new law punishes the spread of intentionally fake information about the military with up to 15 years in prison. In his televised speech on March 16, Putin vowed to cleanse Russia of pro-Western scum and traitors, setting the stage for a severe domestic crackdown. Russian scholars are unable to criticize the invasion without risking employment terminations, fines and jail sentences. Saint Petersburg State University has expelled 13 students who were detained at anti-war protests. While more than 700 government-appointed Russian university presidents issued a statement of support for the special military operation in Ukraine, almost 8,000 Russian scholars voiced their opposition to the war in an open letter condemning the hostilities. Hundreds of thousands of members of Russias liberal intelligentsia and political opposition fled the country in the wake of the war. They are afraid of political persecution and conscription. As room for free speech rapidly closes, some universities abroad have opened temporary teaching and research positions for Russian scholars in search of refuge. [More than 150,000 readers get one of The Conversations informative newsletters. Join the list today.] Arik Burakovsky, Assistant Director, Russia and Eurasia Program, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. British Prime Minister congratulated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for successfully pushing back Russian forces from key regions in the country, including the capital city of Kyiv. In a telephone call on Saturday evening amid reports of Ukrainian forces gaining control of Kyiv, Johnson noted that huge challenges remain in other parts of the country in the ongoing conflict with Russia. Both leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to ratchet up sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin to increase the economic pressure on his war machine. "The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again this evening. He congratulated Ukraine's brave armed forces for successfully pushing back Russia's invading army in a number of areas, but recognised the huge challenges that remain and the immense suffering being inflicted on civilians, a Downing Street spokesperson said. The Prime Minister updated President Zelenskyy on the progress made at last week's military donor conference, convened by the UK with 35 countries, and committed to continue to step up defensive support. President Zelenskyy underscored the urgency of Ukraine's fight for its survival as a free and democratic nation and the importance of assistance, the spokesperson said. Zelenskyy is also said to have updated Johnson on the status of peace negotiations and welcomed further UK involvement in the ongoing diplomatic efforts. "Both leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to ratchet up sanctions to increase the economic pressure on Putin's war machine, so long as Russian troops remain on Ukrainian territory, the official added. Ukraine claims its military has retaken the entire region around the capital, as Russia has withdrawn from key towns. However, as the Russian forces retreat, there are reports emerging from the ground of mounting civilian attacks. The UK and other NATO allies have warned Russia against such war crimes, with Britain pledging to fully support any investigations by the Criminal Court. As Russian troops are forced into retreat, we are seeing increasing evidence of appalling acts by the invading forces in towns such as Irpin and Bucha, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement. Their indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians during Russia's illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine must be investigated as war crimes. We will not allow Russia to cover up their involvement in these atrocities through cynical disinformation and will ensure that the reality of Russia's actions are brought to light, she said. "The UK-led effort to expedite and support an Criminal Court investigation into crimes in Ukraine was the largest State referral in its history. We will not rest until those responsible for atrocities, including military commanders and individuals in the Putin regime, have faced justice, she added. The minister, who returned from a whistle-stop visit to India earlier this week, reiterated that it was essential that the international community continues to provide Ukraine with the humanitarian and military support it so dearly needs, and that all countries step up sanctions to cut off funding for Putin's war machine at source. (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.) Residents of Ukraine's besieged southeastern coast awaited possible evacuation Sunday as the country's president said Russia's obsession with capturing a key port city had left it weakened and created opportunities for his military. With Mariupol squarely in Russia's crosshairs, insists it has gained a leg up elsewhere in the country, leading to troops retaking territory north of the capital of Kyiv as Russian forces departed. has gained invaluable time, time that is allowing us to foil the enemy's tactics and weaken its capabilities, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Saturday. Inside Mariupol, though, surrounded by Russian forces for more than a month and brutalized by some of the war's worst attacks, conditions remain dire and prospects for escape uncertain. About 100,000 people are believed to remain in the Sea of Azov city, less than a quarter its prewar population of 430,000, and dire shortages of water, food, fuel and medicine persist. Many still in Mariupol await fulfillment of promises to help them reach safety. Among those trying to get residents out was the Committee of the Red Cross, which still hadn't reached the city on Saturday, a day after local authorities said it had been blocked by Russian forces. Some residents escaped on their own, including Tamila Mazurenko, who reached Zaporizhzhia, a city still under Ukrainian control that has served as a hub for other evacuations. I have only one question: Why? she said of her city's ordeal. Our normal life was destroyed. And we lost everything. I don't have any job, I can't find my son. Mariupol is in the mostly Russian-speaking Donbas region, where Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian troops for eight years. Its capture would create an unbroken land corridor from to Crimea, which Moscow seized from in 2014. As Ukrainian troops moved cautiously to retake territory north of Kyiv, the country and its Western allies said is building strength in eastern Ukraine. Where Russian troops recede, Ukraine said it would continue its attacks, shelling and targeting them as they pull out. Peace will not be the result of any decisions the enemy makes somewhere in Moscow. There is no need to entertain empty hopes that they will simply leave our land. We can only have peace by fighting, Zelenskyy said. Though the geography of the battlefield morphed, little changed for many Ukrainians more than five weeks into a war that has sent more than 4 million people fleeing the country as refugees. Zelenskyy alleged that as Russian troops have shifted, they've left mines around homes, abandoned equipment and even the bodies of the dead. Those claims could not be independently verified, but Ukrainian troops were seen heeding the warning. In Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, Associated Press journalists watched as Ukrainian soldiers, backed by a column of tanks and other armored vehicles, used cables to drag bodies off of a street from a distance for fear they may have been booby-trapped. Locals said the dead AP counted at least six were civilians killed without provocation by departing Russian soldiers. In towns and cities surrounding Kyiv, signs of fierce fighting were everywhere in the wake of the Russian redeployment. Destroyed armored vehicles from both armies lay in streets and fields along with scattered military gear. Ukrainian troops were stationed at the entrance to Antonov Airport in the suburb of Hostomel, demonstrating control of the runway that tried to storm in the first days of the war. Inside the compound, the Mriya, one of the biggest planes ever built, lay wrecked underneath a hangar pockmarked with holes from the February attack. The Russians couldn't make one like it so they destroyed it, said Oleksandr Merkushev, mayor of nearby Irpin. The head of Ukraine's delegation in talks with Russia said Moscow's negotiators informally agreed to most of a draft proposal discussed during face-to-face talks in Istanbul this week, but no written confirmation has been provided. However, Davyd Arakhamia said on Ukrainian TV that he hopes that draft is developed enough so that the two countries' presidents can meet to discuss it. Even as flickers of hope emerged for Ukraine in some places, Zelenskyy said he expects towns where Russian forces depart to endure missile and rocket strikes from afar and for the battle in the east to be intense. In his evening address Saturday, he called for his people to do whatever they can to ensure the country's survival, even acts as simple as showing each other kindness. When a nation is defending itself in a war of annihilation, when it is a question of life or death of millions, there are no unimportant things. ... And everyone can contribute to a victory for all, the president said. Some with weapons in their hands. Some by working. And some with a warm word and help at the right moment. Do everything you can so we stand together in this war for our freedom, for our independence. (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.) spends about $10 billion per month on the conflict with Russia, the presidential press service said. "The Ukrainian state spends about $10 billion a month on hostilities," said a statement on the Ukrainian presidential website on Saturday, citing data from the Ministry of Finance. Among Ukraine's sources of expenditure financing, the statement named the country's own tax revenues and assistance from Ukraine's partners. The military conflict between and started on February 24. --IANS int/khz/ (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.) Authorities in the tiny breakaway region of Transnistria in Moldova denied absolutely untrue claims Saturday by that Russian troops based there are massing to conduct provocations along Ukraine's border. Earlier Saturday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of said that Russian troops already in Transnistria were preparing for a demonstration of readiness for the offensive and, possibly, hostilities against . The information disseminated by the General Staff of Ukraine is absolutely untrue, Transnistria's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that leaders have repeatedly declared the absence of any threat to Ukraine. Moldova's Foreign Ministry also said Saturday there is no information to confirm the mobilisation of troops in the Transnistrian region and that state institutions are closely monitoring the security situation in the region. Transnistria is a Russia-backed region of Moldova that broke away after a short civil war in the early 1990s, and is unrecognised by most countries. An estimated 1,500 Russian soldiers are stationed there. (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.) Ukrainian troops moved cautiously to retake territory north of the country's capital on Saturday, using cables to pull the bodies of civilians off the streets in one town out of fear that Russian forces might have booby-trapped them before leaving. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned in his nightly video address hours earlier that departing Russian troops were creating a catastrophic" situation for civilians by leaving mines around homes, abandoned equipment and even the bodies of those killed." Associated Press journalists in Bucha, a suburb northwest of Kyiv, watched Saturday as Ukrainian soldiers backed by a column of tanks and other armored vehicles used cables to drag bodies off of a street from a distance, fearing they might have been rigged to explode. Locals said the dead the AP counted at least six were civilians who were killed by departing Russian soldiers without provocation. and its Western allies reported mounting evidence of withdrawing its forces from around Kyiv and building its troop strength in eastern . Ukrainian fighters reclaimed several areas near the capital after forcing the Russians out or moving in after them, officials said. The visible shift did not mean the country faced a reprieve from more than five weeks of war or that the more than 4 million refugees who have fled will return soon. Zelenskyy said he expects departed towns to endure missile strikes and rocket strikes from afar and for the battle in the east to be intense. It's still not possible to return to normal life, as it used to be, even at the territories that we are taking back after the fighting. We need wait until our land is demined, wait till we are able to assure you that there won't be new shelling, the president said during his nightly video address, though his claims about Russian mines couldn't be independently verified. Moscow's focus on eastern Ukraine also kept the besieged southern city of Mariupol in the crosshairs. The port city on the Sea of Azoz is located in the mostly Russian-speaking Donbas region, where Russia-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian troops for eight years. Military analysts think Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to capture the region after his forces failed to secure Kyiv and other major cities. The Committee of the Red Cross planned to try Saturday to get into Mariupol to evacuate residents. The Red Cross said it could not carry out the operation Friday because it did not receive assurances the route was safe. City authorities said the Russians blocked access to the city. The humanitarian group said a team with three vehicles and nine Red Cross staff members was headed to Mariupol on Saturday to help facilitate the safe evacuation of civilians. It said its team planned to accompany a convoy of civilians from Mariupol to another city. Our presence will put a humanitarian marker on this planned movement of people, giving the convoy additional protection and reminding all sides of the civilian, humanitarian nature of the operation, it said in a statement. Ukraine's deputy prime minister, Iryna Vereshchuk, said 765 Mariupol residents reached Zaporizhzhia on Saturday in private vehicles. The Mariupol city council said earlier Saturday that 10 empty buses were headed to Berdyansk, a city 84 kilometers (52.2 miles) west of Mariupol, to pick up people who managed to get there on their own. About 2,000 made it out of Mariupol on Friday, some on buses and some in their own vehicles, city officials said. Evacuees boarded about 25 buses in Berdyansk and arrived around midnight to Zaporizhzhia, a city still under Ukrainian control that has served as the destination under previous cease-fires announced and then broken to get civilians out and aid into Mariupol. Among them was Tamila Mazurenko, who said she fled Mariupol on Monday and made it to Berdyansk that night. Mazurenko said she waited for a bus until Friday, spending one night sleeping in a field. I have only one question: Why? she said of her city's ordeal. We only lived as normal people. And our normal life was destroyed. And we lost everything. I don't have any job, I can't find my son. Mariupol, which was surrounded by Russian forces a month ago, has suffered some of the war's worst attacks, including on a maternity hospital and a theater that was sheltering civilians. Around 100,000 people are believed to remain in the city, down from a prewar population of 430,000, and they are facing dire shortages of water, food, fuel and medicine. The city's capture would give Moscow an unbroken land bridge from to Crimea, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014. But its resistance has also has taken on symbolic significance during Russia's invasion, said Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Ukrainian think-tank Penta. Mariupol has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, and without its conquest, Putin cannot sit down at the negotiating table, Fesenko said. An adviser to Zelenskyy, Oleksiy Arestovych, said in an interview with Russian lawyer and activist Mark Feygin that and Ukraine had reached an agreement to allow 45 buses to drive to Mariupol to evacuate residents in coming days. About 500 refugees from eastern Ukraine, including 99 children and 12 people with disabilities, arrived in the Russian city of Kazan by train overnight. Asked if he saw a chance to return home, Mariupol resident Artur Kirillov answered, That's unlikely, there is no city anymore. On the outskirts of Kyiv, signs of fierce fighting were everywhere in the wake of the Russian redeployment. Destroyed armored vehicles from both armies left in streets and fields and scattered military gear covered the ground next to an abandoned Russian tank. Ukrainian forces recaptured the city of Brovary, about 12 miles (20 kilometers) east of the capital, Mayor Ihor Sapozhko said Friday night. Shops were reopening and residents were returning but still stand ready to defend their city, he added. A prominent Ukrainian photojournalist who went missing last month in a combat zone near the capital was found dead Friday in the Huta Mezhyhirska village north of Kyiv, the country's prosecutor general's office announced. Maks Levin, 40, worked as a photojournalist and videographer for many Ukrainian and publications. The prosecutor general's office attributed his death to two gunshots allegedly fired by the Russian military, and it said an investigation was underway. Elsewhere, at least three Russian ballistic missiles were fired late Friday at the Odesa region on the Black Sea, regional leader Maksim Marchenko said. The Ukrainian military said the Iskander missiles did not hit the critical infrastructure they targeted in Odesa, Ukraine's largest port and the headquarters of its navy. Ukraine's state nuclear agency reported a series of blasts Saturday that injured four people in Enerhodar, a city in southeastern Ukraine that has been under Russian control since early March along with the nearby Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman said on Telegram that the four were badly burned when Russian troops fired light and noise grenades and mortars at a pro-Ukraine demonstration. There was no immediate word Saturday on the latest round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators, which took place Friday by video. During a round of talks earlier in the week, Ukraine said it would be willing to abandon a bid to join NATO and declare itself neutral Moscow's chief demand in return for security guarantees from several other countries. On Friday, the Kremlin accused Ukraine of launching a helicopter attack on a fuel depot on Russian soil. Ukraine denied responsibility for the fiery blast at the civilian oil storage facility on the outskirts of the city of Belgorod, about 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the Ukraine border. If Moscow's claim is confirmed, it would be the war's first known attack in which Ukrainian aircraft penetrated Russian airspace. (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.) White House chief of staff Ron Klain says the US remains fully committed to providing a full range of economic and military support to Ukraine in its war against Russia, which he describes as far from over. Klain credits Ukrainians for fighting off Russian troops in the northern part of Ukraine and says the US and its allies are sending weapons into the country almost every single day. But he also tells ABC's This Week that there are signs that Russian President Vladimir Putin is redeploying Russian troops to the eastern part of Ukraine. Klain says while it will be up to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to decide if the political endgame is to allow Russia to occupy the eastern part of Ukraine, from the US standpoint, the military future of this attack has to be push back. He says regarding a potential Russian occupation of eastern Ukraine: I will tell you, as President Zelenskyy has said, that's not acceptable to him, and we are going to support him with military aid, with economic aid, with humanitarian aid. (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.) Reliving thousands of those waiting in queues at stations around the country and those hit by 13-hour-long power cuts, 40,000 MT of diesel under the Indian Line of Credit of $500 million arrived at the Colombo harbour on Saturday. As the shipment arrived, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) announced that 13-hour power cuts would now be reduced to nearly 2 hours from Sunday. Sri Lanka's power generation mainly depends on and all except two plants have been shut down due to lack of diesel. For days, the country's economy has been suffering due to lack of transportation of goods, while mechanised farming and fishing have come to a standstill with no diesel in the stations. The fourth consignment under the fuel Line of Credit from India followed three previous deliveries on March 16, 20 and 23. Over the last 50 days, India has supplied nearly 200,000 MT including a consignment of 40,000 MT by Indian Oil Corporation outside the line of credit facility in February 2022. "In view of the urgent nature of Sri Lanka's requirement, India worked overtime to expeditiously finalise and implement both the lines of credit within weeks," the Indian High Commission said. Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, who visited the Colombo harbour, observed that the fuel deliveries is a concrete manifestation of India's commitment to the people of in the current circumstances in line with its 'Neighbourhood First' policy. Sri Lanka's Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge, who visited the harbour to welcome the shipment, thanked India for helping at a critical moment. Earlier, the Export Import Bank of India and the Government of had signed a $500 million Line of Credit Agreement for the purchase of petroleum products on February 2. The agreement was signed by Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle from the Sri Lankan side and Chief General Manager of EXIM Bank, Gaurav Bhandari, from the Indian side. "In response to a separate and urgent request from the Government of Sri Lanka, extension of a credit facility of $1 billion for supply of essential items, including food and medicines, has been finalised and the first shipments of rice under this facility is expected to reach Sri Lanka soon," the Indian High Commission in Colombo stated. Earlier in January this year, India had provided financial assistance to Sri Lanka that included a credit swap of $400 million and deferment of an Asian Clearing Union payment of over $515 million. In cumulative terms, Indian support to the people of Sri Lanka in the first quarter of 2022 is in excess of $2.5 billion, the High Commission added. The High Commission also noted that the Government of India continues to encourage the efforts towards medium to long-term capacity creation through enhanced Indian investment in Sri Lanka in key sectors that include ports, renewable energy, manufacturing etc. --IANS sfl/arm (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) I am at the annual meeting of energy business magnates and experts perhaps the most important of all such events held in Houston, Texas. CeraWeek, as it is called, has been held this year after a two-year hiatus because of Covid-19. It is the worst of times the Russia-Ukraine war is on; sanctions have been imposed; and energy prices are spiralling out of control. As I sit and listen to the oil and gas producers, I realise that I am seeing a tectonic shift in the global energy chessboard. The fact is, the energy price hike before and during the war has brought ... Many say the April 6-8 meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), the rate-setting body of Indias central bank, will be its toughest since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic. In its last meeting in February, just after the Union Budget, the MPC left the repo rate (at which the central bank infuses liquidity into the system) and the reverse repo rate (at which it sucks liquidity out) unchanged at 4 per cent and 3.35 per cent, respectively. It also committed to continue with the accommodative stance as long as necessary to revive and sustain growth on a durable ... Haryana Chief Minister on Sunday said his government is carrying out equitable development in the state. The chief minister was addressing a public meeting at Safidon in Jind district after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of 18 projects worth around Rs 135 crore of the irrigation, electricity, sports, public health and the public works departments. "All-round development is being done in every sphere of the state without any bias. Homogeneous development of the state is the main objective of the government, and there will be no shortage of funds for this," he said, as per an official statement here. The chief minister said he was constantly striving to ensure a developed and corruption-free Haryana. "There is no place for corruption in the state, and those who indulge in such activities will not be spared," Khattar said. Referring to the major ongoing projects in Haryana, he said the 85-km-long Kundli-Manesar road has been constructed at a cost of Rs 400 crore. Work on the Delhi-Sonepat-Jalandhar-Amritsar-Katra highway is in progress, Khattar said, adding that it will considerably reduce travel time. Later in Karnal, the chief minister said that during the tenure of the present government, several services have been digitised which has helped curtail corruption. In Karnal, he laid the foundation stone of five development projects at a cost of around Rs 31.50 crore. He also announced that an indoor stadium for kabaddi would be built at a cost of Rs 2 crore. (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.) Defence Minister said on Sunday that India was earlier "perceived as a weak" country but now when it says something on international forums, the entire world "listens to it and seriously considers" its proposition. Singh was addressing a 'Holi Milan' event organised by the Lucknow city unit of the here. "India was dependent on others earlier, but now it is becoming self-reliant. The dream of the prime minister is that all things are to be manufactured in India and the products made here should be exported to other countries. It is for the first time in the history of independent India that India's exports reached USD 400 billion," he said. "India's stature has grown in the whole world ever since our government was formed at the Centre. Earlier India was perceived as weak but now when India says something on international forums, the whole world listens to its words and thinks seriously," Singh said. The defence minister said India's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been praised by many countries as well as the opposition parties. "The prime minister of Pakistan is also praising India," he said. Singh said the BJP's support base is growing and it is now the first party since 1990 to touch the 100-seat mark in Rajya Sabha. "We have a majority in Lok Sabha and we will have a majority in Rajya Sabha as well," he said. He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was praised by most countries, including the US, Germany, France and the UK. "We manufactured coronavirus vaccines and gave them to other countries," he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The prospects of Congress, which once governed seven of the eight northeastern states, appear to be bleak ahead of the Assembly elections in four northeastern states next year, especially after the recent drubbing it faced in the Rajya Sabha elections in the region. The elections for the two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam and one each in Tripura and Nagaland were held recently, and the Congress, considering its allies' strength, was expected to win one seat in Assam, but cross-voting by legislators led to the humiliating defeat of the combined opposition candidate and sitting Upper House member Ripun Bora. Votes of two MLAs were rejected due to procedural reasons. Assam President Bhupen Kumar Borah has suspended Karimganj South MLA Siddique Ahmed from the primary membership of the party for "deliberately disobeying" the three-line whip issued by Congress legislative party chief whip Wazed Ali Choudhury with regard to the Rajya Sabha elections. After the outcome of the Rajya Sabha polls, Congress' representation in the Upper House of Parliament from the politically important northeast region is now nil. Assam has seven Rajya Sabha seats while the remaining seven states in the northeast have one seat each, and these 14 Upper House seats are now held by the and their allies. Out of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the eight northeastern states, highest number of 14 seats are with the BJP, while only four seats belong to the Congress and one is held by the Maulana Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front, a Muslim-based party in Assam. The remaining five seats are held by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's constituents Naga People's Front (NPF) in Manipur, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland, National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalaya, Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram, and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha in Sikkim. Of the 14 Lok Sabha seats held by the BJP, nine are in Assam, two each in Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura and one is in Manipur, while the Congress holds three seats in Assam and one in Meghalaya. Amid the changing political situation in the northeastern region, especially after the BJP's return to power in Manipur for a second consecutive term with absolute majority, Assembly elections would be held in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura in early next year and in Mizoram in November-December in 2023. Political pundits feel that when the and other local parties are grabbing the political base of the Congress, the party is making no serious efforts to keep its foot intact in one of its erstwhile strongholds. "Except in Assam, the Congress is not even an opposition party in the remaining seven northeastern states. When their organisational strength weakened gradually, the central and state leadership remained indifferent over the party's future plan," said political commentator Apurba Kumar Dey. Dey told IANS: "Due to their ideological stand and the political mindset of the erstwhile national leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, irrespective of caste, creed, religion and community, people of the northeastern region overwhelmingly supported the Congress for many years. But over the years, the party's strength in all aspects has declined, which got reflected in elections over the years." Political analyst Tapas Dey said that though the northeastern region consists of only 8 per cent of the country's total geographical area and 4 per cent of the country's population, its strategical importance is very significant as the region is home to 45.58 million people (2011 Census) and shares borders with China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal. "Central leaders of the Congress are solely responsible for the party's almost non-existence in the region. The party appointed junior and inexperienced leaders as state in-charges in the northeast, leading to ineffective state organisations," he told IANS. Of the 45.58 million population in the eight northeastern states, around 28 per cent are tribals, who are the overwhelming majority in Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. Tapas Dey said that while people belonging to Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities are always supportive and caring towards the Congress, during the last few decades, the party largely distanced itself from all the tribal and non-tribal communities, causing further erosion of the party. Among the poll-bound states of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Mizoram, the is in power in Tripura while its NDA partners -- NPP and MNF -- are governing in Meghalaya and Mizoram. The BJP with 12 MLAs is an ally of Nagaland's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government in which NPF with 25 MLAs is a major ally, while the NDPP with 21 members is the dominant party of the UDA, which is an all-party alliance governing India's first Opposition less state. In Mizoram, the Congress has five legislators and BJP one in the 40-member Assembly, while Congress has no MLA in BJP-ruled Tripura. After the 12 Congress MLAs in Meghalaya, led by former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, joined the Trinamool Congress in November last year, the party's strength has reduced to five in the 60-member Assembly. These five Congress MLAs led by legislative party leader Ampareen Lyngdoh joined the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government on February 8, leading to no Congress MLAs in the Meghalaya Assembly. (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) --IANS sc/arm (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao will reach Delhi on Sunday and is likely to meet several political leaders soon, sources said on Sunday. Rao is accompanied by his wife and daughter for the visit. Rao has been meeting several Opposition leaders to intensify his efforts to bring together like-minded parties for an anti-BJP front. During his Mumbai visit in February, he met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Rashtra Samiti (TRS) working president and Minister KT Rama Rao announced that the party will organize a five-pronged protest against the Centre's stance on paddy procurement from . He further said, "TRS party has come up with an action plan against the Centre and state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. On April 4, protests will be held at all Mandal headquarters in the state. On April 6, TRS workers will hold 'Rasta roko' on the Highways leading to Mumbai, Nagpur, Bengaluru, and Vijaywada." "On April 7, protests will be held with lakhs of farmers at all district headquarters except Hyderabad. On April 8, every farmer will hoist a black flag across 12,769 panchayats in the state. On April 11, TRS ministers and public representatives will hold protests and the party MPs will voice their opposition in Parliament. (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 many as 12 from have been arrested by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly fishing in its waters, a Fisheries official here said on Sunday. One boat was also impounded. They fishers were engaged in fishing near Katchatheevu late on Saturday when they were apprehended by the Lankan navy, the official said. Ramanathapuram MP K Nawas Kani took up the matter with the External Affairs Ministry. This is the third instance of the Lankan navy picking up for alleged maritime boundary violation, since March 29. A total of seven fishermen had been apprehended on Tuesday and Thursday. Two boats used by the fishermen were also then seized. (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.) Clearly, leaders across the world have India on their minds. Last week, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was in New Delhi at the same time as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. US Deputy Security Adviser Daleep Singh was also visiting the capital around the same time. March also saw Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi come to New Delhi. Before Truss, Lavrov, and Singh, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida conducted his first visit to India as Prime Minister. In front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Japanese Prime Minister called out Russias invasion of Ukraine. He said that Moscows actions had shaken the foundation of international order. Prime Minister Modi, however, did not mention Ukraine directly. And, that points to whats going on with all these foreign diplomats visiting India at the same time. The tug-of-war is on between two major blocs. Theres the US, along with its allies in the West and the Indo-Pacific, on one side. On the other end are Russia and China. Russias invasion of Ukraine, and the sharp polarisation that it has led to, are the triggers. And, India is the prize. So, what has put India in this position? Well, New Delhi has developed close ties with Washington in recent years. Along with the US, Japan and Australia, India is a key member of the Quad grouping that seeks to counter an increasingly assertive China. However, India also has longstanding military and economic ties with Russia. All of this has put India in a unique position when it comes to Ukraine. India has called for a ceasefire and diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis. It also refrained from backing a Russian resolution that sought to deflect the blame for the humanitarian crisis it has created in Ukraine. But thats not enough for the West, which has been pressing New Delhi to shift its position at the United Nations, where it has consistently abstained from resolutions criticising Moscow for its actions. Then there is the fact that India continues to buy Russian crude oil, even as pressure mounts to isolate the Kremlin. Last week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India had already started buying discounted oil from Russia and had received 3-4 days worth of supply. Now that we have some sense of Indias position, lets see what the various players involved want. For Russia, the goal is clear. Even if India is not on board with its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow will want New Delhi to continue its middle-ground position on the war. And of course, Russia would want India to go on trading with it. But, what else might the Russians and the Chinese want from India, at a time when they stand isolated internationally? Now, lets come to the US and the Western bloc. Theres something that bothers them more than India not publicly criticising Russia. The US and Australia condemned India for considering a plan to make rupee- ruble-denominated payments using an alternative to SWIFT. The plan involves making payments using Russias messaging system, SPFS. The US and its allies fear such arrangements would undermine the sanctions imposed by them. And, in what could be considered a warning for India, the US has said that there will be consequences for countries that actively attempt to circumvent or backfill American sanctions against Russia. While India deals with the challenges arising from the Ukraine conflict, it should also look at the emerging opportunities. Relations with Moscow are important because of the defence and strategic ties with India. India has also found strategic convergence with the US, other Quad countries and some western nations when it comes to Chinese aggression. Equally important is the fact that trade volume with Russia is small compared to how much India trades with the US and its allies. These trade ties, take for example Japans recently announced investments, are vital for India. The government will have to find a way to deftly balance these diverging interests. 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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 After its global unveil in India last November and subsequent spy shots showing it landing at the Batangas Port and on its way to dealers... Photo: Brendan Kergin Grey skies with plenty of rain are expected to arrive in Vancouver today. In a special weather statement issued by Environment Canada, the federal agency warns that up to 70 mm of rain is expected to fall between Sunday morning and Monday morning. "A strong onshore flow will direct two storm systems towards the south coast. Rain will intensify today and continue through tonight," they state. The North Shore mountains are expected to see the most rain. The statement does not include southern areas of Metro Vancouver like Richmond, Delta and Surrey. The Fraser Valley and Sunshine Coast are also covered in the weather statement. "Heavy rain should ease to showers by Monday morning," states Environment Canada. "Periods of strong and gusty winds are also expected today into Monday morning." At the same time, "strong localized winds" may hit some areas. For those travelling to or from the interior of B.C., a full weather warning has been issued for the Coquihalla with up to 40 cm of snow expected by Tuesday morning around the Coquihalla Summit. "Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. Rapidly accumulating snow will make travel difficult. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow," warns Environment Canada Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was allegedly attacked in London on Saturday by an activist of the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's ruling PTI party, said that Imran Khan should be arrested for 'provocation, incitement and sedition'. Earlier, ahead of the no-confidence vote in National Assembly, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday also called for nationwide protests in Pakistan. Taking to Twitter, Maryam wrote, "Those of PTI who resort to violence or create a law and order situation should be arrested and thrown behind bars, IK (Imran Khan) included. IK should be booked for provocation, incitement and sedition. Will be Insha'Allah. None of them should be spared." A Pakistan journalist on Saturday said that the former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was attacked in London by a PTI activist and added efforts for the arrest of the culprits are being made. This comes at a time when keeping up his attack on the opposition ahead of Sunday's vote of confidence in the National Assembly, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that if Leader of Opposition and PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif (Brother of Nawaz Sharif) takes over, "they will do slavery of America". Ahmad Noorani, the Pakistani journalist currently with Fact Focus, a Pakistan-based digital media outlet, wrote on Twitter, "Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been attacked in London by a PTI activist. Action must be taken in Pakistan against the PTI as now the party has crossed all limits. Physical violence can never be condoned. PTI must be made an example now." He also shared that Sharif's guard was injured in the attack. "Nawaz Sharif's guard was injured in the attack. All efforts must be made to ensure the arrest of culprits in the UK tonight. PTI must also be fixed during a few hours," he added. "Shahbaz Sharif will be a slave of America... he said in a TV Programme yesterday that beggars are not choosers... what does this mean? Does that mean that the poor and beggars are slaves? Ask him (Shehbaz Sharif) who brought Pakistan to such a state. Just because we are poor, should we be slaves?" Imran Khan said while taking questions from viewers on TV. Opposition parties have said that Imran Khan "has lost majority" with some of his allies deserting him and that Shahbaz Sharif will be the Prime Minister. Imran Khan attacked Shahbaz Sharif saying he faces allegations of massive corruption. He also referred to the "threat letter" from a foreign power and linked the opposition's no-trust vote with it. "The letter says as soon as Imran Khan is removed, we will spare you... They all had conspired beforehand that when Imran Khan is removed, Shahbaz Sharif will come, on whom there are allegations of corruption worth millions," Khan said. "Who brought Pakistan to life support machine? These three stooges were taking turns to rule the country for 30 years. They have brought us to this state and are now asking us to be slaves of America," he added. Khan has been referring to Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman as "three-stooges". "They will always be slaves of America and will make all of you slaves of America," Imran Khan said. He urged people, especially the youth, to come on the streets to express their disapproval of the opposition's move against him. The no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government is set to be tabled in the National Assembly on Sunday and he faces the prospect of losing it. (ANI) Police stopped a man carrying a BB gun walking down Rossville Boulevard. He told police he just bought it from his friend and was in the process of walking home with his new gun. The man was not holding the gun in an aggressive manner and was extremely polite and professional. He was not a danger to himself or anyone else and police let him continue home with his BB gun. * * * An anonymous caller at 610 Georgia Ave. told police a white male who appeared homeless was harassing customers walking by. Upon arrival, police identified the man. He didnt appear to be causing any issues with the public. He was asked not to panhandle. Another anonymous source who did not wish to be named on this report told police the man stole cookies out of the cookie jar inside Off The Rack. The anonymous source said they did not wish to pursue the matter and did not wish to make a report. * * * Police were dispatched to Walgreens at 4542 Highway 58 on a report of a possible unconscious person. Upon police arrival, police spoke with the man who was just sleeping. He came back negative for warrants and was asked to not sleep on private property he does not own. He left the property after speaking with police. * * * A man at the Chattanooga Volvo dealership told police he is an insurance inspector and works for North Georgia Appraisal. He said he came to the dealership to conduct an insurance inspection on a recovered vehicle that was stolen. The vehicle was recovered a week ago but did not release to the owner until the insurance appraisal was completed. While conducting the inspection, he saw a small baggie of marijuana in the passenger door and marijuana residue in the back seat. Police collected the small baggie and turned it into Property. * * * A woman on Quarry View called police and said she received an alert from McAfee that a Cyrus Cross with a phone number in the area of Philadelphia, Pa. tried to use her Social Security number to apply for credit. She said the attempt failed. She wants a record of the incident on file. She already alerted the credit bureaus and has taken other steps to avoid identity theft. Her purse was stolen and her information was in her purse. * * * A man called police and said he was headed out of town and had left his car on Camellia Drive with a woman. Police spoke with the woman and she said the man and Charlie were both arguing about who was going to take the car. Charlie said he would give the man $250 to take the vehicle to Virginia. The man declined that and he left in a rental car. Charlie still took the vehicle to Virginia. The man only wanted his vehicle back and does not want to press charges. The woman said she spoke with Charlie and he agreed to meet up with the man with his vehicle. * * * A woman told police her car had been broken into on Broad Street and a mint green purse had been stolen. She said there was a paper notepad and other miscellaneous items in the purse. The vehicle rear corner window had been broken to gain access. * * * An officer responded to a suspicious person call at Eastgate Mall at 5600 Brainerd Road. Police spoke to a man with mall security and a Logistics employee. They said the employee was leaving the mall when a homeless white male pushed past him to enter the mall. The security officer already walked through once and didn't find the homeless man but wanted police to do another sweep. Police cleared the mall but didn't find anyone. * * * Two officers initiated a traffic stop at the 4100 block of Hixson Pike after observing a vehicle with an obstructed tag. Upon contact with the driver and passenger, one of the officers informed the driver of the obstructed tag. The driver didnt have a driver's license and neither of them had active warrants. The driver was given a verbal warning to get her license. * * * A woman was outside the apartments at 701 North Germantown Road and was intoxicated, slurring and rambling, complaining a man had disrespected her and put his hands on her. She said he is a friend she gave a bed to when needed and he betrayed her by disrespect. She asked the officer to teach him how to treat people how they want to be treated. The officer asked her to go inside before speaking with him, and she did. The resident of the apartment didn't open the door to speak with police like the woman anticipated. * * * A woman on Howell Road said her neighbor keeps calling Mckamey Animal Control on her because of a past incident with their two dogs. She said it's becoming an inconvenience to her daily activity because McKamey has to come out and speak to her. The neighbor has also been feeding their dogs through the fence and is scared it may be poisonous. The woman does not know the neighbor's name and was asking what she could do. * * * A man at the Home2Suites at 2330 Center St. said while inside the hotel elevator, a white female told him that she had ordered pizza for her husband, and she needed change for $100 to give to the pizza delivery man. The man said the female said she stays in room 212, and she was going to go get the change to pay the pizza delivery man. The man said he gave the woman $60, then the female walked out of the hotel and never came back with the money. Police spoke with the hotel front desk employee, and the employee said the female is known to scam guests at hotels in the area. A few of my friends were sitting on the porch a few weeks back when one, rather casually, lit up a joint of marijuana. He was delighted to share it with another friend and we who dont partake of weed kidded them as they got a buzz. To me it was no different than the beer and whiskey that was also present and by nightfall had also created a buzz. In case you missed it the House of Representatives voted on Friday to decriminalize marijuana nationally, as 37 states have already done so in varying degrees of legalization. For the record, the Senate is expected to block the MORE Act it stands for Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act but it is a giant step towards legalizing recreational pot nationally. The House vote was 220-204 on party lines but the stuff might as well be legal I am told on excellent authority you can buy it all over Chattanooga as well as the country itself. Im easy being around it and I believe we ought to tax it and sell it in much the same way liquor stores work. According to the Centers for Disease Control, pot is the most commonly used illegal drug in America. In 2019, the CDC said 48.2 million Americans (18 percent of us) used it at least once and that doesnt include the smart ones who aint telling. Also, according to the most recent statistics, in 2019 someone was arrested on a cannabis offense every 58 seconds. Thats right 545,601 during that year and of those collars, 92 percent were for simple possession. Today it is a misdemeanor in most states But get this if the Senate were to man up and give up trying to control cannabis, thousands of non-violent offenders would be immediately released at an incarceration savings of $800 million over 10 years. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 18 states have legalized the adult use of marijuana for recreational purposes (and medical use, as well): Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. (Washington, D.C. has as well). Rhode Island has adult use legislation pending. Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming have medical allowances for the legal possession of CBD (cannabidiol) products containing low levels of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, generally less than three percent. Most legal dispensaries sell products with THC percentages of 25 percent and above. * * * IVE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS EXCERPT FROM ROLLCALL.COM -- When a similar bill passed in 2020, the GOP-controlled Senate declined to take it up, but lawmakers are hopeful that growing public support and a Democratic majority in the chamber could spur action. The Senate works with its own schedule, said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat. Weve talked to a number of people in terms of their support for this, but Ive only been here 20 years, and I do not pretend to understand the ways of the Senate. Senator Cory Booker said earlier this week that moving the House bill would be unlikely and senators are focusing on their own proposal. Right now, were looking at doing the one that weve been working on for a long time, said the New Jersey Democrat, referring to a discussion draft released last year with Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon. That draft contained a similar tax regime to what is imposed on alcohol and tobacco. The House bill and Senate proposal differ on how to impose excise taxes for marijuana importers and distributors. Senators sought to set the rate at 10 percent, and it would rise to 25 percent over five years. Advocacy and industry groups argue the rate would be too high, even though proposed tax credits would halve that rate for small businesses. The House bill calls for a five percent rate that would inch up to eight percent over five years. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the House bill could generate $8.1 billion by 2031, some of which would be used to fund programs in communities most affected by the war on drugs. It would also create a process for some people to get federal cannabis convictions expunged and sentences reviewed. Its just very encouraging that there is an appetite not just to decriminalize at the federal level, but really do restorative justice - things that are very important, Booker said. Booker said it could be tough finding 60 votes in the Senate, but supporters best bet would be to package it with provisions that have been favorably received by the GOP. That includes House-passed legislation to give banks the ability to provide services to legitimate cannabis-related businesses. royexum@aol.com Vera Brooks Anderson, 68, of LaFayette, passed away on Saturday, April 2, 2022. She was a member of New Harvest Baptist Church. Vera retired from the Walker County School System where she was a special education paraprofessional. She was preceded in death by her husband, David Anderson; and father, Willard Baker. She is survived by her children, Larry (Leigh) Brooks, Jason (Heather) Pickard, and Candi (Todd) Crosswhite; grandchildren, Ally Brooks, Logan Brooks, Madison (Grayson) Blaschke, Gracie Pickard, Caleb Crosswhite, Cody (Ashley) Crosswhite, and Hunter Crosswhite; great grandkids, Sadie Blaschke, Stetson Blaschke, Little Cody Crosswhite, and Ember Crosswhite; mother, Jewel Baker; brothers and sisters, Jess (Geisla) Baker, Pam (Marshall) Kellett, and Donna (Bart) Hinson. Graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 4, at LaFayette Memory Gardens with her son Larry Brooks officiating. Pallbearers are Todd Crosswhite, Jason Pickard, Caleb Crosswhite, Cody Crosswhite, Larry Brooks Sr., and Logan Brooks. Arrangements are by Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home, LaFayette. TL;DR: Derick Dillard enrolled in the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2018 He graduated in May 2021 and passed the bar exam administered in February 2022 Dillard once said he plans to use his law degree in the public sector Much has gone on in the lives of Derick Dillard and Jill Dillard in the wake of Josh Duggars child pornography arrest and trial. Derick graduated from law school in May 2021, weeks after federal marshals arrested the eldest Duggar. Jill and Derick also found out they were expecting and then suffered a miscarriage. Around the time of the trial, they learned they were pregnant again. Now, Derick has officially passed the bar exam and can practice law. Their third child is due in July. Derick Dillard has officially passed the bar exam Derick Dillard is officially a lawyer in the state of Arkansas. According to an official press release, the former reality TV star passed the bar exam administered by the state in February 2022. Along with 44 other applicants, he can now legally practice. Jill Dillard and husband Derick Dillard | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra Dillards decision to take the exam in February has some Duggar family followers questioning whether he failed to pass on his first try. The test is administered twice each year, once in February and July. According to several sources, most students opt to take the exam in July when the material from their schooling is still fresh. A person can sit for the exam as many times as they want. However, they must pay exam fees each time they register. Derick never revealed whether he took the exam in July 2021 or if he simply opted to wait for the February test date. According to the National Conference of Bar Examiners, 70% of people who sat for the July 2021 exam passed. The organization has yet to release the pass rate for the February 2022 exam. Where did the former reality TV star go to law school? Derick Dillard, 33, graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law in May 2021. Derick enrolled in the program in 2018. His family, along with Jill Dillards brother, James Duggar, were on hand to help him celebrate his graduation. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were conspicuously absent from the event. Check out the new horizons for the Dillard family in this latest update with new pictures and videos! https://t.co/7hGqD9SjIw pic.twitter.com/iVuXu49PL6 Derick Dillard (@derickmdillard) September 10, 2018 Dillard has spent a good portion of his life in school. Before meeting and marrying Jill, Dillard attended Oklahoma State University. He graduated in 2011. After his 2014 wedding, Dillard went on to study theology at a seminary before ultimately enrolling in law school. What type of law will Derick Dillard practice? Dillard hasnt been particularly open about his plans, but he did offer a general idea of the area of law he is interested in during a podcast appearance. During a 2020 appearance on First Class Fatherhood, Dillard revealed that he entered law school intending to enter the public sector. As of 2020, he was still on that path. Dillard has had several externships, including one with the Attorney General. According to his Linkedin profile, Derick was involved in an immigration law clinic during his time at the school. Whether that will inform his chosen area of law remains to be seen, though. Derick and Jill have yet to comment on his accomplishment publicly. RELATED: Jill Dillard and Derick Dillard Announce Gender of Baby #3 For two decades, Eminem has sat at the top of the hip-hop heap, with No. 1 singles and bestselling albums to his name. In the years since his debut, Slim Shady has inspired countless young emcees, including breakout rapper Jack Harlow. Jack Harlow | Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images Jack Harlow is one of Gen Zs hottest new rappers Jack Harlow grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and worked hard throughout the 2010s releasing his own music. Since the turn of the decade, Harlow has emerged as one of Gen Zs hottest young rappers alongside Lil Nas X. Harlow released his debut album Thats What They All Say, in 2020; the albums lead single, Whats Poppin, hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2021, Harlow notched his first No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 with the Lil Nas X collab Industry Baby. He also worked with established artists in the hip-hop world, including Chris Brown, Ty Dolla $ign, and even Eminem. Harlows second album, Come Home the Kids Miss You, is slated for release in May 2022. The albums lead single Nail Tech debuted at No. 18 on the Hot 100 chart in March 2022. Eminem | M. Caulfield/WireImage Eminem showed Jack Harlow his support Harlows fledgling career pales in comparison to rap legend Eminem, to whom hes often been compared due to their being two prominent white men in hip-hop. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he spoke about why he looked up to Eminem so much. Thats what made Em so hard he was in the dog pile, Harlow said. I want to be the face of my s***, like the face of my generation, for these next 10 years. We need more people in my generation that are trying to be the best, and you cant do that with just ear candy, vibe records. You got to come out swinging sometimes. He went on to talk about his forthcoming music on Come Home the Kids Miss You. My new s*** is much more serious. Right now, my message is letting m*********ers know I love hip-hop, and Im one of the best in my generation. You cant do that with nonchalant, like, Eeey, I got the b****es, in clever ways over and over again. I got to dig deeper this time. Eminem and Jack Harlow collaborated on a song together In 2021, Harlow got to work with Eminem himself on a remix of his own song Killer. Getting Eminem on one of his songs was an important, full-circle moment for Harlow. Harlow told Billboard that even though they never met face-to-face, he got Eminems blessing from afar. We didnt get to meet, but we had a phone call that meant the world to me, Harlow said. I havent shared it with the world yet, but I cant wait until the world hears it. He gave me a lot of props that any artist would love to get. Sometimes, the best gem is just somebody you admire, letting you know who you think you are. He let me know, Youre that. Youre dope. Ive waited a decade to hear that. So it was special. RELATED: Jack Harlow Credits His Success to Reading Harry Potter Books As a Kid Outlander made Sam Heughan an action hero. Jamie Fraser (Heughan) is both a lover and a fighter, and the series has given him both opportunities. Growing up, Heughan said he admired Harrison Ford, specifically as Indiana Jones. Now that hes a famous actor, too, Heughan got a chance to fanboy over Ford. Fords response was priceless. Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe | Starz Heughan was a guest on the March 4 episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast. He told the story of meeting Ford and why he was such a fan growing up. Outlander Season 6 airs Sundays on Starz. Harrison Ford humored Indiana Jones fanfare from Outlander star Sam Heughan When Outlander was nominated for the Golden Globes, Heughan was in the same room as stars of film and television. When he saw Ford, Heughan became a little kid watching Indiana Jones again. Waypoints is my new book, a memoir with a different, following my 100mile hike and possible climb of Ben Nevis. Cant wait to share this journey with you! Available now for preorder.https://t.co/AqCyXx8GCX#samheughan #WaypointsWednesday #ad @radarbooks pic.twitter.com/4GciKgBpUu Sam Heughan (@SamHeughan) March 30, 2022 RELATED: Outlander: Sam Heughans Drama Teacher Once Told Him You Cant Act I met Harrison, I think it was my first Golden Globes and we were at an afterparty in Los Angeles and Id had a few tequilas, Heughan said on Happy Sad Confused. Were in this sort of Italian restaurant and he was there sitting at a bar with his stud in his ear. And I went up to him and all I could say was, Im a big fan, sir. And he went, Thank you, kid. Outlander star Sam Heughan wonders if he was too young to watch Indiana Jones Heughan was born in 1980 so he probably missed Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in theaters. Even if he was old enough to see Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in theaters, Heughan said he mostly remembers watching them all on TV. And looking back, hes amazed he wasnt traumatized. I love Indiana Jones movies, Heughan said. They were always on, on British TV around wintertime. I guess theyre fun and entertaining and I always felt as a child I shouldnt be watching this, but my mom allowed me to watch it. Because theres a lot that happens in it, people dying in grotesque ways and eating weird stuff and theres Nazis. Its completely mad. His favorite Indiana Jones movie Asked which was his favorite Indiana Jones movie, Heughan picked the third entry, which came out in 1989. Well, its the best one, Heughan said. The Last Crusade is just phenomenal I think. You have Sean Connery playing his dad. Youve got River Phoenix playing a young Indiana. Youve got the origin of how Indiana got all his trappings. Its just such a riot. And then the sort of Holy Grail aspect of it I just love. Its such a good movie. Heughan even quoted Raiders and Last Crusade on the podcast. Indy, Heughan said. Indiana! Belongs in a museum. Love it. Asps, very dangerous. You go first. RELATED: Outlander: Sam Heughan Names His Favorite Person Behind the Scenes Prince William recently visited the Caribbean nations of Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas with his wife, Kate Middleton. At the end of the tour, William released a statement about the future of these countries and reflected on the Commonwealth. However, according to some royal experts, this statement could have been incredibly irritating for Williams father, Prince Charles. (L) Prince William | Tim Rooke/Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage, (R) Prince Charles | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images What Prince William said in his statement During the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges Caribbean tour, there were a lot of talks about the future of the royal family in these former colonies. For example, when William and Kate visited Jamaica, there were protests demanding the removal of Queen Elizabeth as head of state. On March 27, William took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the Commonwealth following the Caribbean tour. Foreign tours are an opportunity to reflect, he wrote. You learn so much. What is on the minds of Prime Ministers. The hopes and ambitions of school children. The day-to-day challenges faced by families and communities. William continued, I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future. In Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon. But we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with communities in all three countries, understanding more about the issues that matter most to them. Catherine and I are committed to service, the duke said. For us thats not telling people what to do. It is about serving and supporting them in whatever way they think best, by using the platform we are lucky to have. It is why tours such as this reaffirm our desire to serve the people of the Commonwealth and to listen to communities around the world. William ended the statement by reassuring people that who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isnt what is on my mind. Rather, he noted, What matters to us is the potential the Commonwealth family has to create a better future for the people who form it, and our commitment to serve and support as best we can. Williams statement may have been incredibly irritating for Charles, experts say NEW: Highly unusual statement from Prince William at end of Caribbean Royal Tour. Promises to reflect on lessons learned and hints that the next Head of the @commonwealthsec should *not be a member of the Royal Familyhttps://t.co/69u6fZazoX Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) March 26, 2022 RELATED: Prince William and Prince Charles Undoubtedly Bonded Over Drama With Prince Harry, Expert Says According to some royal experts, Williams statement may have been irritating for Charles, especially when some people interpreted it as William setting the tone for the monarchy. The way William and his aides were talking, they were sort of forgetting that he is not the next king, royal editor Richard Eden said on Mail Plus Palace Confidential show. There is a man waiting to be king; William is down the line. And thats quite easy to forget. But I think it is a reflection of the fact that even when Charles is on the throne, it will be almost a dual kingship with his son. Another royal editor, Richard Kay, agreed that the statement must have been incredibly irritating for Charles. Kay commented, For years he had to put up with the spotlight shining on his late wife. As soon as William came of age and got a glamorous, gorgeous girlfriend and then married her and had lovely children, the spotlight shifted once again. It has been a frustrating few years for him in that regard. Charles reportedly does not want to be erased because of Williams popularity This year, the Duchy of Cornwall will plant 70 groups of 70 trees to mark The Princes 70th anniversary as Duke of Cornwall. His Royal Highness at the very first tree planting in Llwynywermod, Wales. #InternationalDayofForests pic.twitter.com/EoXfPqTxYM The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) March 21, 2022 William consistently ranks as being more popular than his father, and according to author Penny Junor, this has left Charles feeling hurt. Its very hurtful and difficult for Charles to see all the attention on his son, and his pretty wife and his lovely children, Junor told The Daily Beast. Charles and Camilla are grandparents. They cant compete with that. Junor added, Im sure hes really proud of William. Im sure hes really proud of the incredible work he has done and the success he has made of his marriage and family. But he also doesnt want to be erased just yet. RELATED: Prince Charles Once Reportedly Called Prince William Naive During a Disagreement Over Conservation Issues Steven Spielbergs Jaws is one of filmmakings very best blockbusters ever to hit the silver screen. It continues to haunt moviegoers when they even think about heading to the beach. However, one Jaws fan sought out the filming locations and directly compared them from then to now. There are some significant changes made to the Massachusetts locations since Spielberg shot the 1975 movie. The beach film locations in the Jaws opening scene changed over time Murray Hamilton as Vaughn, Roy Schneider as Brody, and Richard Dreyfuss as Hooper | Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images The Nick P Was Here YouTube channel explored all of the Jaws filming locations possible in Massachusetts. Nick started with the movies opening scene, but there have been some significant changes to the beach since the original filming. The video starts at South Beach at the Herring Creek Road entrance. Nick spoke with locals and learned that all of the new sand dunes flattened because of the surging floodwater. There used to be a lot more beach, so it looks quite a bit different now. However, its a different beach when Chrissie Watkins (Susan Jane Backlinie) actually enters the water before her legendary death scene. Nick mentions that was shot at Edgartown Beach, which is private. Steven Spielbergs Brody House went under construction Stop being the Mayor from Jaws, start being Brody pic.twitter.com/ybrcQCOsWZ Colin Jones (@colinjones) March 15, 2020 Next, Nick went to the house of Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), which is located at 265 East Chop Drive, Vineyard Haven. However, Nick explained that the home was demolished many years back and rebuilt. Theres a new home standing on the same land, but Nick heard that the detached unit was the same structure used for the garage. It also appears that the driveway was moved, so it no longer is center-aligned with the structure. However, the road that Brody drives down looks the same. A walk around Amity Island for Steven Spielbergs Jaws filming locations Hey! The shark's dead! I think it's safe for us to go back in the water now! Thanks for being here for this 45th Anniversary #JawsAtHome Watch Along! The brand new 4k edition of JAWS is now available everywhere. And always remember kids: Amity, as you know, means friendship! pic.twitter.com/pKF7WuGO38 KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) June 13, 2020 After Nick had examined the location where the Amity Island sign once stood, he moved into the town. He started with the Jaws police station filming location. This can be found at Davis Lane and South Water Street, Edgartown. Nick perfectly captured the scene with a side-by-side comparison with the film. The structure certainly had some modifications over the years. The next Jaws filming locations include the medical examiners office, the Amity Gazette, Bad Hat Harrys Bike Rental, and Amity Hardware, which are also in Edgartown. Nick once again captures the angles, making it easy to recognize the locations. Many of these streets look identical. The Amity Ferry introduces a new waterline compared to Steven Spielbergs film Nick headed to the Amity Ferry Jaws filming location next, which is also in Edgartown. He went to Chappaquiddick, displaying the same ride that the characters take in the movie. When he got to the other side, he realized that the waterline was in a completely different place now than in the original scene where Brody told his son to play in the pond. This area was also susceptible to flooding because the waterline moved a lot closer to the main road than during production. Nick explained the difficulty in finding some of the exact Jaws filming locations due to the changes in the landscape. Nevertheless, Nick did his best to match the scenes by the water with the locations in real life. Next, he explored the Amity Town Hall, which is actually Edgartown Town Hall. Unfortunately, the specific room where the film introduced Quint (Robert Shaw) and he scratched his nails on the chalkboard doesnt exist anymore. However, the same clock and desk from the movie remain. Nick ventured to the Jaws docks filming locations. He again tracks each sequence, including where they strung up the tiger shark they thought was responsible for the attacks. Quints shack offers an iconic Jaws filming location In honor of Jaws hitting the movie theaters 44 years ago today, I offer up a few pictures from my pilgrimage to Marthas Vineyard a few years ago, including the very spot where Quints shack sat in Menemsha. pic.twitter.com/7aLUPSBXTz Chris Low (@ClowESPN) June 20, 2019 The final Jaws filming location that Nick explored was Quints shop. Its located at 511/515 N Road, Chilmark. This was where the main cast disembarked to seek out the shark. He went to the location where Quints shack once stood, which was only there for filming. However, they pulled it down after they finished shooting. Spielberg created one of the most iconic movies of all time with Jaws, which the filming locations only enhanced. These picturesque locations perfectly captured the films atmosphere, creating something truly special that stands the test of time. RELATED: How Steven Spielberg Totally Improvised the Saving Private Ryan D-Day Scene Two-time Survivor star Zeke Smith and actor Nico Santos of Superstore and Crazy Rich Asians fame got engaged onstage at the 2022 GLAAD Media Awards, four years after meeting at the same event. The couple released pictures of the surprise moment, with Smith calling himself the luckiest guy in the world and Santos professing that his fiancee has his heart forever. Zeke Smith and Nico Santos | Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images Zeke Smith and Nico Santos are engaged after four years of dating After meeting at the 2018 GLAAD Media Awards, two-time Survivor player Zeke Smith, 34, and Superstore actor Nico Santos, 42, revealed their relationship. They announced their romance in June 2018 while celebrating Pride month in Los Angeles in separate Instagram posts in which they referred to each other as my love, and Santos called Smith his boyfriend. Went looking for Glaad Awards red carpet pics, but got completely slammed in the feels by the photos of Zeke Smith proposing to Nico Santos on stage (but fashion thread incoming) pic.twitter.com/cOcn1aHPVH Kylie (@Styla73) April 3, 2022 RELATED: Three Years Later, Survivor Star Zeke Smith Addresses Being Outed On Television At the 2022 GLAAD Media Awards, the same event the couple met four years prior, Smith proposed to the actor on stage. The Survivor star posted a photo of him kneeling in front of a shocked Santos, who had tears in his eyes, captioning it, Im the luckiest guy in the world. The Superstore star uploaded different pictures of their special moment, including one of a smiling Smith putting the ring on his finger. Smith became known for his time on Survivor In 2016, the New York-based asset manager first appeared on Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X. He played a smart game and strategically flipped when necessary at the merge. Smith also formed his own alliance that gained a majority before a successful idol play sent him to the jury. The ninth-place finisher immediately returned for the following season, Game Changers, and continued his strategic gameplay by leading the charge to vote out two-time champ Sandra Diaz-Twine. One of my fav memories on @survivorcbs was the helicopter reward, it was my dream & I got to share it with @zekerchief making it perfection. Also my fav @BretLaBelle lost his shots (FYI- thats Boston for shorts) & @RealDaveWright Happy birthday Zeke you youngin you ! pic.twitter.com/T4p89kAnDo Sunday Burquest (@sundaysurvivor) January 26, 2019 After getting memorably outed as a transgender man by contestant Jeff Varner, paranoia got the best of Smith, ultimately resulting in his blindside and a 10th place finish. He most recently appeared in the Netflix 2020 documentary, Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen, which investigates the medias impact on the trans community. Actors Laverne Cox, Elliot Fletcher, and Jared Leto also appear. Santos is known for Superstore and Crazy Rich Asians roles Although he originally wanted to become an actor, Santos spent several years working in the costume department at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival following disheartening remarks from a teacher. In 2012, Santos got his start as a frequent panelist on the late-night comedy talk show Chelsea Lately before getting a spot in the annual CBS Diversity Showcase, which gave him exposure. The customer is always right, but your coworkers are probably wrong. Right, Mateo? pic.twitter.com/slBkmoTgkY Superstore (@NBCSuperstore) December 20, 2018 After minor appearances in a few shows, including Ground Floor (2014), Go-Go Boy Interrupted (2014), and 2 Broke Girls (2014), Santos landed his breakthrough role as retail store associate Mateo Fernando Aquino Liwanag in Superstore (2015). His performance has earned him the Hollywood Critics Association Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series. Other nods include a Critics Choice Television Award nomination. He also appeared in the celebrated 2018 romantic comedy film Crazy Rich Asians as Oliver Tsien, where he gave another performance viewers praised. RELATED: Superstore Got a Title Change at the Last Minute Mark Wahlberg has proven he can play a wide range of roles. From taking comedic turns in films such as Daddys Home and The Other Guys, showing his dramatic side in movies including The Departed and Joe Bell, and taking the action route in blockbusters like Shooter and Transformers: Age of Extinction, Wahlberg consistently delivers when it comes to acting chops. Now the Oscar nominee is showing audiences his spiritual side in the upcoming biopic Father Stu. Mark Wahlberg of Father Stu | Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images Mark Wahlberg has been working on Father Stu for 6 years Wahlberg plays Stuart Long, an amateur boxer whose career gets sidelined by an injury. After moving to Los Angeles, Stuart starts attending church to impress a woman he meets. A series of events follows that prompts him to pursue the priesthood. The inspirational story has been a passion project of Wahlbergs for quite some time. A devout Catholic, the Instant Family star saw the opportunity to make the film as a vehicle of gratitude for all of his success. Its been about six years in the making, Wahlberg told Raymond Arroyo, according to the National Catholic Register. Ive always been kind of thinking about: How do I continue to pay for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me? I know God didnt put me in this position to kind of forget about where I came from. Growing up in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts as the youngest of nine kids, Wahlberg is no stranger to adversity and went down a troubled path in his youth. Now an A-list actor who makes God a priority in his life, Wahlberg hopes to strengthen the faith of others by taking Longs story to the screen. God doesnt give you the gifts and the talents until its time to utilize [them] in the right way and for Him and not for yourself, Wahlberg commented. So Ive always been kind of saying, Okay, what is my mission? What is my purpose? And planting the seed, letting it blossom, and then utilizing that to continue to spread His word. Uncharted star financed the film Wahlberg considered himself a big fan of Rosalind Ross in her previous work with Mel Gibson and recruited her to direct the movie after she wrote the script. Since he wasnt receiving much interest from potential financiers for the project, Wahlberg decided to back up Father Stu with his own bank account. Yes, I broke the cardinal rule, he shared. You never put your own money into a film. But I didnt really go out to a lot of people. I didnt send it to any major studios. I had a couple of friends who I had made kind of small independent movies with or people that I made a couple of true stories with, and they didnt even really respond to it. So I said, You know what? Im just going to do it on my own. The Uncharted actor saw the film as a vehicle to share the life-changing power of faith and pursuing your God-given purpose. Did I think it was a great part for me to play? Yes, Wahlbeg remarked. But it was more important to tell the story and get the story out there and encourage other people to find their own faith and their own purpose in life and bring lapsed Catholics back to church. It felt like it was a story and a message that everybody needed to hear. Its about doing more, giving back The film also stars Gibson, Jacki Weaver, and Teresa Ruiz. Wahlberg now considers the message of Father Stu as his mission. Do I always try to find some sort of personal connection to a role? Absolutely, the father of four said. I need to identify with it some way. Is this something that I identify with more than anything else? Absolutely. Is this my mission to now continue to do Stus work and take on that responsibility? Yes. Wahlberg hopes to uplift others with the story of Father Stu, which is scheduled for release right before Easter. Ive spent 50 years working on Mark Wahlberg, whether it was the good part of Mark Wahlberg or the bad part of Mark Wahlberg, and now its about doing more, giving back, he explained. Many people are having very difficult journeys right now. And thats who we want to touch. Thats who we want to inspire, to be able to [encourage to] overcome and to persevere. Father Stu arrives in theaters on April 13, 2022. RELATED: Who is Mark Wahlbergs Wife? Zoe Kravitz opened up about Big Little Lies and revealed that she experienced racism while working on the popular HBO series. Heres what Kravitz said made her uncomfortable while filming with the shows star-studded cast. Zoe Kravitz | Lia Toby/Getty Images Zoe Kravitz had connections with some of her Big Little Lies castmates Actor and musician Zoe Kravitz starred as Bonnie Carlson on Big Little Lies, an HBO series based on the Liane Moriarty book by the same name. The cast was praised for their excellent chemistry, which could be due to the fact that many of the stars knew each other before filming started. Kravitz previously worked with Shailene Woodley on the Divergent movies. And she also had an interesting connection with Nicole Kidman. The two stars knew each other when Kravitz was just a teenager because Kidman dated her father, musician Lenny Kravitz. In an interview with The Edit, Zoe opened up about her relationship with Kidman. I hadnt seen her in a long time before Big Little Lies, but there was a point where we were all kind of living together, she revealed. I was about 13, and she would take me to see movies; she was so nice to me. Zoe Kravitz | Arturo Holmes/FilmMagic Zoe Kravitz said she experienced racism while working on Big Little Lies Although Zoe Kravitz had some strong connections with her co-stars, her experience filming Big Little Lies wasnt entirely comfortable. In a March 2022 interview with The Guardian, Kravitz opened up about playing Bonnie, a part which she shared was originally written for a white person. She also said she experienced racism while filming in Monterey, California. There were a few moments where I felt a little uncomfortable, Kravitz shared. Because it is such a white area. When pressed for details, she elaborated, Just weird racist people in bars and things like that. Zoe Kravitz Responds to Criticism Over I Am Not a Black Artist Image by Proclaiming #ArtIsArt https://t.co/FJoE7t8ouJ pic.twitter.com/ssJApVMY03 Black News Zone (@blacknewszone) March 20, 2018 The Batman star has been candid about her racial identity in the past Zoe Kravitz has spoken about her racial identity several times in interviews and on social media. In a May 2017 interview with Allure, Kravitz shared that she felt more connected to her roots and history as she got older. I am definitely mixed. Both my parents are mixed. I have white family on both sides, the actor explained. The older I get, the more I experience life, I am identifying more and more with being Black, and what that means being more and more proud of that and feeling connected to my roots and my history. Kravitz described her experience as a biracial child in predominantly white classrooms. Its been a really interesting journey because I was always one of the only Black kids in any of my schools, she said. I went to private schools full of white kids. I think a lot of that made me want to blend in or not be looked at as Black. The white kids are always talking about your hair and making you feel weird. The Batman star said that now she loves her culture and is so proud to be Black. I had this struggle of accepting myself as Black and loving that part of myself, Kravitz said. And now Im so in love with my culture and so proud to be Black. RELATED: Lenny Kravitz Wrote This Song for His Daughter The Batman Star Zoe Kravitz This undated photo provided by Edith Kanaka'ole Foundation show the late Native Hawaiian hula teacher Edith Kanaka'ole. Kanaka"ole is among five women who will be individually featured on a U.S. quarter next year as part of a program that depicts notable women on the flip side of the coin. The following was received from First Congregational Church: A celebration of the 20-year ministry of the Rev. Alison McCaffrey at Cheshires First Congregational Church will take place on Sunday, April 3. She is believed to be currently the longest-serving minister in Cheshire. I first felt a call to ministry when I was six or seven, she explains. Sitting in the pew and looking at the clergy, I said, I want to do that someday, she remembers. But the road to ordained ministry turned out to be a lengthy one. Growing up in Bridgeport and Stamford, Alison joined the Youth Group at Stamfords First Congregational Church while attending Rippowam High School. She then married and had three children. After the family moved to Milford, she began working part time as Director of Christian Education at the Devon United Church of Christ. In 1984, again feeling a strong call to active ministry, she began her degree work at Housatonic Community College and Southern Connecticut State University (first in her class at both colleges), then enrolled in Andover Newton Theological School, at the time in the Boston area, but now in New Haven as part of Yale. After graduation, Rev. McCaffrey interviewed at several churches for ministry positions. When she came to Cheshires First Congregational Church, I knew there was something special here, she says. She was ordained and joined the Cheshire church as Associate Minister in January 2002. Rev. McCaffrey has been involved in almost every aspect of the life of the Cheshire church, but, in her two decades, a couple of experiences stand out. One is going with church members on several adult mission trips to poverty-stricken areas the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Appalachian areas of West Virginia, among others. At First Congregational, she introduced the concept of sacred staging, artistic and dramatic experiences in worship and elsewhere that she describes as exploring gifts of creativity beyond the ability of words. Rev. McCaffrey is an integral part of the fabric of this congregation, says the Rev. Dr. James Campbell, Senior Minister since 2018. She has made my own ministry possible, providing the institutional memory I lack, while at the same time being very engaged in the present moment, and dreaming with me about the future. Alisons husband, the Rev. Matthew McCaffrey, is presently the Interim Minister at the Gilead Congregational Church in Hebron. Between them, they have five children and eight grandchildren. Her two decades of ordination and service will be recognized this Sunday, April 3, at a worship service beginning at 10 a.m. and a reception afterward. The public is welcome to attend. Will the metaverse end the megachurch? Months before the coronavirus pandemic hit, many churches struggled to acknowledge that an increasing share of their audience had been migrating to online teachers and worship experiences. When the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020, data from the Nashville-based LifeWay Research suggests that many churches were not prepared to take their services online. At the time, just 22% of pastors livestreamed their entire service, and about 10% only livestreamed their sermon. Some 41% of pastors admitted they didnt post any portion of their church service online, while about 52% said they posted the sermon online after the church service. Less than two years after enduring the ravages of the pandemic, however, a lot has changed. Data collected in a survey of nearly 2,000 decision-making church leaders for The 2021 State of Church Technology Report from Pushpay shows that most American churches now embrace technology as an important tool in achieving their mission and agree that the digital church is here to stay. The report finds that churches, more than ever, "are enthusiastic to adopt technology for the long haul" as the pandemic "erased any doubts regarding the viability of a digital Church." Earlier this year, Pastor Toure Roberts of the Potters House of Denverannounced his congregation would sell their $12.2 million, 137,000-square-foot church in Arapahoe County, Colorado, and go completely virtual after COVID-19 wreaked havoc on their in-person attendance and donations. Many other churches sold or shuttered their church buildings for good. Others have been trying more creative ways to survive outside of migrating online completely or merging with another church, as the pastors of Hope Church in High Point and Renaissance Church in Jamestown, North Carolina, did earlier this year. The metaverse While many churches are wrestling with the basics of the constantly evolving wave of online technologies impacting the way people live, major technology companies and a minority of churches are already getting ready for the future of the internet, what some are calling the metaverse. Chevon Lewis, a representative of social media giant Facebook, whose parent company Meta Platforms Inc. is investing heavily in the development of the metaverse, described it to The Christian Post as a set of virtual spaces where you can create and explore with other people who arent in the same physical space as you. We see the metaverse as the next evolution in social technologies and the successor to the mobile internet, Lewis said. It will feel like a hybrid of todays online social experiences, sometimes expanded into three dimensions, or projected into the physical world and seamlessly stitched together so that you can easily jump from one thing to another. In the metaverse, Lewis said, people can work, play, learn, shop, create and hang out with their friends, among other things. The metaverse isnt a single product one company can build alone, Lewis said. And it wont be built overnight. Many of these products will only be fully realized in the next 10 to 15 years. Some have raised concerns that the metaverse isnt safe for women and children, with reports of women being groped and asked if they watch porn. Children are particularly vulnerable, according to Andy Burrows, head of child safety online policy at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the United Kingdom. Burrows told The Times of London that one problem is that parents cannot see what their children are viewing. Meta told women who have complained about harassment on the platform that they should have used an optional safety feature called Safe Zone. That feature disables other users ability to talk to or interact with the user. In the view of Katherine Cross, who researches online harassment at the University of Washington, Metas response that the user is responsible for protecting themselves from the bad behavior of others is problematic. When companies address online abuse, their solution is to outsource it to the user and say, Here, we give you the power to take care of yourselves, she told MIT Technology Review. Church in the metaverse Last summer, during a virtual faith summit with several religious groups, Facebooks Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg highlighted the role Facebook played when communities of faith were unable to gather in person due to the pandemic. She said she was looking forward to the day when churches and other religious groups begin hosting services in virtual reality on the platform. I know that faith organizations and social media are a natural fit because fundamentally, both are about connection, Sandberg said. This was true long before the pandemic. Back in 2017, we changed our mission to give people the power to build community around the world closer together. We envisioned a world where our platform could help people build community by connecting with others who shared their interests. Our hope is that one day people will host religious services in virtual reality spaces as well or use augmented reality as an educational tool to teach their children the story of their faith. Bishop D.J. Soto, who began preaching in the metaverse in 2016, had initially planned to plant physical churches but now leads the VR Church, one of the few prominent congregations in the metaverse. VR Church is a spiritual community which exists entirely in the metaverse to celebrate Gods love for the world, the church declares on its website. We believe church can be anywhere at any time with anyoneeven in the metaverse. Soto, who was previously involved with the ministry of a megachurch, believes that church in the metaverse, or the MetaChurch, as he calls it, is the successor to the megachurch. I was part of a megachurch, and in 2016, we left to go to what we thought would be physical church planting. So thats what we set out to do. And it was about the same time Facebook bought Oculus, and we got into VR and entered into the metaverse, via Altspace, which is owned by Microsoft, Soto told Carey Nieuwhof during a podcast interview earlier this year. Nieuwhof is a former lawyer and founding pastor of Connexus Church in Ontario, Canada. When we got in there, I was like, wow, this is amazing. I just was blown away. Ive never seen anything like it. You think youve seen everything. And I was only in there a couple of hours. It was a Friday; we were shifting our lives into this physical church plane, but I thought, man, what if we did a little experiment and had church in this metaverse? And so three days later, I had my first church service in VR, and I was so pumped because five people came to launch day, Soto recalled. And more than five years later, the VR Church continues to grow. When thinking about megachurch to MetaChurch, I just look back at our five years of our ministry in Virtual Reality Church and the experiences that weve had have been so compelling. And the spirit has just been alive in our community, and weve experienced God in our environment, within our relationships, Soto said. And so just experiencing that and just saying, Wow, this is such a powerful tool. Gods here. Hes with us. Hes not just in the physical. Hes sharing His love with people all across the metaverse. To participate in the VR Church experience, Soto and his team recommend that worshipers get a quality virtual reality headset, like the Oculus Quest 2, which retails for $299. Facebook declined to share sales numbers for the headset, which it launched in October 2020, but said it was a popular holiday gift last Christmas and remains a product in high demand. Lewis said the Oculus app reached No. 1 in the App Store for the first time on Christmas Day in the U.S. in 2021. Even though the VR Church exists in many metaverses like VRChat, RecRoom, AltspaceVR and Facebook Horizons, first-time visitors are asked to join through AltspaceVR, a social virtual reality platform. In my ministry, in our church, I am an avatar a hundred percent. And so its part of just coming in with a 3D representation of my physical self, Soto said. And when I put on the virtual reality headset, it mirrors my movement. So if I turn my head to the left, my avatar, his head would turn. If I raised my hands, it would do the same things. And so when I preach every Sunday, people are seeing that avatar, and Im interacting with people all over the world. Sometimes, I do interviews in my avatar. I think church leaders are trying to wrap their brain around that. But I think our church represents what church is going to look like in 2030, where its going to be very normal for you as a senior leader, senior pastor, teacher to preach in your avatar. I think thats where were heading. Life.Church The Craig Groeschel-led Life.Church, which spans some 40 campuses and owns the popular YouVersion Bible app, has been a leading voice for innovation among churches in America for a while now. The church has hosted a booming online community for more than 10 years and tells CP that as far back as 2007, they were already experimenting with church in the metaverse. It was no surprise last December when the church added a campus in the metaverse. This isnt the first time weve held services in the metaverse. In 2007, we held services in Second Life, which was a 3D virtual environment similar to what you see today in the metaverse, except you didnt have the option to use VR to navigate it, Life.Church pastor and innovative leader Bobby Gruenewald told CP in a statement. As people spend more time in digital spaces and as the technology improves, its important to us that the Church has a presence so we can bring hope and encouragement. Gruenewald said that compared to building a physical campus, the cost to set up a campus in the metaverse using AltspaceVR was nominal. Initially, we didnt create our own building there. We used a theater-style venue that was available as a template, he said. It was fairly quick and easy to set up and worked well for our first couple weeks. Recently, we modeled a venue to look like one of our physical locations in dimension, shape, color and experience. It took our team a couple weeks to build, but it was a nominal budget, certainly in comparison to one of our physical locations. We also began this effort with just a couple of team members giving their time to host services in the metaverse. Now, we are in the process of building a volunteer team to help support it. Criticism But not every Christian leader is excited about the churchs march toward evolving online technology. G. Craige Lewis, EX Ministries founder and leader of Adamant Believers Council in North Richland Hills, Texas, believes the devil is forcing everyone into the bottleneck of the internet, which may seem like a good idea for some now." But he contends that its a setup. Even the metaverse its a setup, Lewis told CP. Once youre in that space, he (the devil) holds the power of the club. And they can pull the plug. Thats already happened in other countries, other continents, especially China, where you cant even mention Jesus Christ online, he added. All they have to do is create a synthetic robot or whatever online to go through, and clean it up of every mention of Jesus Christ, Lewis said. The church is done if their only presence is online. Gruenewald, however, maintains that the presence of churches in the metaverse is valid. When someone doubts the validity of church in the metaverse, our response is similar to what weve said for years about church online. There are unique benefits to church in digital spaces. Its a way to reach people who might never set foot in a physical church, he said. Maybe they have health limitations, so they cant leave their home, or they live in a part of the world that makes it difficult to meet in person, he continued. Others may be too intimidated to walk into a church building, but theyre comfortable exploring church in an online environment. We recently talked with a dad whose son has social anxiety. He wouldnt walk into a physical church, but he felt comfortable coming to church in the metaverse. Thats why were passionate about leveraging technology to share the Gospel. We know that to reach people no one is reaching, well have to do things no one is doing. Gruenewald noted that, in some ways, its easier to connect with people online than in the physical church setting. Weve found that people are often willing to be vulnerable more quickly when theyre online than when they are face-to-face with someone, Gruenewald said. People hide behind facades in both online and physical spaces. In person, people tend to put up emotional facades. Theyre afraid of what might happen if they let someone in, so they build walls. Whereas the physical facade of an avatar gives people a sense of anonymity that helps them feel more comfortable letting their guard down. Theyll talk about their struggles with depression, difficulties in their marriage, and other intimate details of their life that people dont usually talk about as quickly or easily in a physical setting. The Life.Church leader said he sees the relationship between church in the metaverse and physical services as complementary and doesnt believe one will replace the other. At Life.Church, we will continue to take a hybrid approach, he said. Were all-in on physical church and all-in on digital church. Theyre both effective in different ways, and theyre both important. One doesnt replace the need for the other. As new technologies have emerged throughout history, there have always [been] bold predictions about how things will change. When the telephone was invented, there were those who worried no one would meet together or leave their house again. Those arguments have been around for decades, but they dont hold up. If the isolation of the last couple of years has taught us anything, we know we have an inherent human desire to be together, Gruenewald added. At the same time, digital tools are now woven throughout peoples lives, and we dont want the Church to miss out on digital opportunities. Franklin Graham asks Putin and Zelenskyy for a Holy Week ceasefire amid Ukraine invasion As more than 1,300 civilians have been killed in Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, evangelist Franklin Graham is urging Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to agree on a ceasefire during the 10 days of Easter observances. I have written to Putin and to Zelenskyy asking for a ceasefire from April 15-24, Graham, who heads the international humanitarian organization Samaritans Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, wrote on Facebook on Thursday. I shared with them that I will be calling on churches in Ukraine, Russia, and around the globe to join together in prayer during those 10 days, wrote Graham, who recently visited Ukraine. May we humbly unite before the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace, to ask for His help and mercy. Graham wrote that he hopes that if they can agree to a 10-day ceasefire, then maybe they can stop fighting for two weeks. If they stop for two weeks, maybe they can stop for a month, he added. If they stop for a month, maybe they can stop for good. Youve got to start somewhere. Since Russia began its invasion on Feb. 24, at least 1,325 civilians have been killed and 2,017 injured as of a Saturday update from the United Nations. Among those killed are 120 children. Since the invasion began, more than 10 million people in Ukraine have been forced to flee their homes. Graham, the son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham, said the deadly conflict is a man-made disaster, a historic humanitarian crisis. He believes God is the only solution. In an interview with The Christian Post last month, Graham discussed Samaritans Purses efforts to minister to help Ukrainians fleeing the regions of their country targeted by Russia for western Ukraine. The organization has established a field hospital in western Ukraine. The North Carolina-based charity is operating medical clinics and distributing relief items through 3,000 church partners in Ukraine and Moldova. The charity has made five airlifts, delivering more than 185 tons of supplies since March 4. Youve got people that are diabetic, youve got people with heart conditions, high blood pressure, all of these kinds of things are just normal everyday problems of life, Graham said. On top of that, you have a lot of people that have been wounded due to the shelling. And so, you have to throw that into the mix. Among the medical clinics Samaritans Purse has established is a 24-hour clinic at a train station in Lviv and another at a bus station in the city. A third clinic is located in Chernivtsi in southwest Ukraine. Samaritans Purse has over 150 staff members in the region and treats over 100 patients per day. The organization has seen more than 2,400 patients across all of its medical sites as of last week. The organization plans to set up a second emergency field hospital near the front lines of the conflict. Graham has received scrutiny in the media for his past meetings with Russian religious and government leaders. When I go to Russia, were not there for political reasons, Graham said. Were there for spiritual reasons. We want to have an impact with the churches. Russias the largest landmass in the world, and they go from one time zone to the other. This is a huge country and we ought to try to help the churches as best we can. Graham, who met Putin in 2015, attributed his past meetings with Putin and Russian leaders to a desire to try to be a positive force in Russia to benefit the work of evangelicals and try to improve the relations with churches. If we dont go and if we dont talk to them, then nothing happens, Graham stated. Although Graham has met with Russian leaders in the past, he took action in opposition to Russian policies that impact religious freedom. In 2016, he moved the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians that was initially scheduled to take place in Moscow out of Russia in opposition to a law that severely limits the freedom to evangelize in public. Specifically, the law banned evangelism outside of churches, which restricted missionary activities in residential neighborhoods. The law also required Christians to obtain government permission before they can share their faith with others publicly. Graham rescheduled the summit for Washington, D.C., in May 2017. In Russia, police have arrested thousands of protesters who have demonstrated against the invasion amid widespread censorship of social media and news outlets. More than 280 priests and deacons of the Russian Orthodox Church and over 400 ministers of Evangelical churches in Russia have called for reconciliation and an immediate end to Russias ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In his Facebook post, Graham urged Christians worldwide to pray for God to work in the hearts of leaders involved and to intervene and bring peace and an end to the conflict. I pray there will be an end to this horrible conflict even sooner Today! he wrote. But if not, maybe this could be a starting point. Will you join me in this prayer? 4 biblical and unbiblical forms of Christian nationalism By Christian nationalism, I refer to a belief that a particular nation's values, culture, and laws should respect or reflect biblical ethics and morality. The following are four popular historical views that I have observed related to this subject. 1. Religious nationalism The first view is when church and state are completely integrated so that the opinions and identity of a church will coincide with the values and identity of a particular nation and culture. A prime example of this is the Eastern Orthodox Church. Their churches are so intertwined with the culture and nation that they are named after their country, for example, the Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, and Polish Orthodox. If there is a civil war or a segment of a nation experiences a geo/political split, the Orthodox Church within that nation will also experience an ecclesial split based on its political alliances. Currently, we are witnessing ecclesial division between the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox leadership. They are each blessing the respective armies of their nation during the present Russian invasion of Ukraine. This is a very unbiblical form of Christian nationalism since the Gospel should never be subservient to the dictates and politics of any nation. 2. Cultural Christian nationalism Since the early centuries of Christianity, church and state have been mingled in certain periods. During the Protestant Reformation, a person was considered either a Roman Catholic or a Protestant based on which nation they were born in. For example, "The Peace of Westphalia" in the 17th century ended the "30 years war" by allowing certain lands to be either designated as Roman Catholic or Protestant. Even today, we have people born in Germany or Norway who consider themselves Lutheran, or if they were born in England, they tend to identify as Anglican. This is unbiblical since God has no grandchildren; every person has to be born from above, not of flesh and blood or through the will of men (John 1:12-13). Almost 80 years ago, the world witnessed a horrific example of Christian cultural nationalism when Hitler equated an Arian German with being a historic Lutheran Christian. He even used some of the later quotes of Martin Luther to rile up sentiment against Jewish people and support his notion of the so-called Reich Church. Consequently, just because you are born in a certain nation does not grant you citizenship in Heaven. The Gospel of the Kingdom transcends all geo/political identities because, as King of Kings, Jesus claims all nations for Himself (Psalm 2). 3. Political/Christian nationalism Since the American Revolution, we have seen some Christians connect the Kingdom of God with the United States. Based on their interpretation of "Manifest Destiny," some have even called America the "New Israel" because they claim this nation was the only other nation besides Israel that was founded upon a covenant with God. For example, when men signed the Mayflower compact and initiated a covenant with God. However, Abraham, the father of Israel, never initiated a covenant with God. God initiated it with Abraham and the nation of Israel (Genesis 15:7-20; Hebrews 6:13-19). In recent days, some of the so-called prophets and their followers seemed to connect the Kingdom of God with the political destiny of America, with some even saying that Donald Trump has been crowned as the only recognized U.S. president in Heaven. Connecting any political party, person or secular movement with the Kingdom is unbiblical. The Kingdom transcends all nations and systems and never depends upon a top-down political control to prosecute the will of God. 4. Salt and light nationalism This form of Christian nationalism comes about through Gospel permeation, not top-down political coercion. True Gospel permeation in society eventually influences a nation with Judeo/Christian principles. After all, Jesus called His followers "the salt of the earth and the light of the world," not the salt of the church and the light of the pew (Matthew 5:13-16). This is an express declaration by Jesus that He expects Believers to be prophets to the world. The Lord's prayer takes it further as it involves praying for God's Kingdom and will to be done on earth (not just in church buildings for two hours on a Sunday morning) as it is in Heaven (Luke 11:2-4). Thus, since God claims the earth for Himself, there is no such thing as neutrality in this world. A nation bases its laws and policies upon Biblical ethos or autonomous humanism. Consequently, all Christ-followers should work for biblical righteousness in their civic government and model the values of the Kingdom in their particular sphere of influence. If every church were making disciples and releasing them to serve in the workplace, their nation would see the transformation from the bottom up through changed hearts and minds. As far as "salt and light" Christian nationalism, we are responsible for loving our neighbor as we love ourselves as individual believers. We cannot care for others if we do not take care of ourselves. The Apostle Paul also commands Christians to manage their household and care for their family members (1 Timothy 3:5; 1 Timothy 5:8). The command to take care of one's own family first can be logically expanded to include providing first for your nation since a nation sustains the ecosystem needed for healthy biological families. Ergo, a responsible Christian should prioritize reaching their nation and support policies that advance the quality of life of their own country if they truly love their immediate family and community. For example, if you're a believer living in the U.S., a case can be made for an "America First" mindset, as long as it doesn't involve the abuse of other nations. In conclusion, Christian nationalism is biblical if it is based upon influencing one's nation through bottom-up community service, advanced problem solving and Gospel permeation that then results in the exaltation of Christ in every sphere of society. Human rights must not be twisted to include abortion Senate Republicans are beginning to sound the alarm about a dangerous provision being slipped into U.S. sanction bills. Instead of simply reauthorizing the Global Magnitsky Act an important mechanism for the U.S. government to sanction human rights violators Democrats have made dangerous modifications to the language now waiting to be voted on in the Senate. The new changes would make a tool meant to punish foreign individuals for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights (a term defined in U.S. law) to simply serious human rights abuse (a legally undefined concept). Some conservative legislators have recognized how this bill might be abused. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told Politico, If you dont define what human rights abuses are, you set up something so wide open that you could have abuse of a president whos allowed to sanction anyone in the world for anything they feel like. This begs the question: just how might an untethered definition of human rights be abused by a far-Left administration that promotes an ever-expanding list of what they consider to be human rights? Sadly, the World Health Organization (WHO) offered a shameless example earlier this month of what twisting human rights to fit a radical agenda looks like. In a massive report on Abortion care guidelines, the WHO made a series of bold recommendations meant to guide the policies of all countries. Among the many policy recommendations were the removal of laws and regulations that restrict abortion by grounds and the insistence that abortion be available on the request of the woman, girl or other pregnant person. Make no mistake the WHO is urging countries to drop any protections for life in the womb. To justify this radical push, the report points to several rights listed in international human rights treaties (some of which the United States has chosen not to ratify). Yet, it twists each of these rights to read a supposed right to abortion into it. This is a disingenuous interpretation of international human rights agreements; we shouldnt let the WHO and all the UN entities that have contributed to this corrupt understanding of human rights set the standard. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saw this dangerous trend and commissioned a report from the Unalienable Rights Commission to ground the U.S. governments understanding of human rights in American tradition and our commitment to international human rights principles. Its worth noting that both the right to life and the right to be recognized as a person before the law are widely-recognized in human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which the United States ratified in 1992. While activists try to make human rights about expanding abortion, its up to us to uphold the integrity of the human rights movement. Writing in National Review, Wesley Smith hinted at the dangers this WHO report poses for countries that want to protect life. The WHO has forgotten that the entire world does not share the moral and policy perspectives of progressive Americans, Western European elites, and the odious CCP. In this sense, these so-called leaders are trying to impose policies on the world that I wager the majority of the people it supposedly serves do not find moral or right. In fact, the WHOs guidelines are aligned with the abortion laws of China and North Korea two of the greatest human rights violators of our time and, sadly, the United States. However, they are completely out of step with all but six countries around the world that protect life in the womb after the second trimester. Rescinding the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy, which prevented U.S. taxpayer money from funding abortions in other countries, was one of President Bidens first acts in office, demonstrating his priorities and laying the groundwork for his administration to promote abortion around the world. This is where the Democrats change of the Global Magnitsky Acts language comes in. If the Biden administration is given the unlimited authority to sanction foreign individuals for serious human rights violations (again, a term not defined in U.S. law), there is a legitimate concern that administration officials will use the sanctions to target foreign officials for pro-life laws something that the WHO would no doubt approve of. This would be a gross misuse of a human rights tool and waters down and confuses the profound meaning of human rights. Congress should retain the Global Magnitsky Acts original language. This will prevent opportunities for abuse by leftist administrations to punish countries with conservative values. The recent WHO report is a glaring example of why we must vigilantly protect against vague definitions of human rights that can be twisted to push radical policies. Originally published at the Family Research Council. So. Baptist group hosts 32 charity projects in Mississippi: 'The Church is not a club for perfect people' A Southern Baptist relief organization recently hosted several aid efforts in Mississippi, including one church that helped oversee a free dental care event. Central Baptist Church of Meridian hosted a dental care clinic on March 18-19, with an estimated 175 people in need coming to get dental care, including fillings and extractions. The event was just one of 32 projects held in the Meridian area organized by Send Relief, a charity group overseen by the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board. John Maxey of the Lauderdale Baptist Association, to which Central Baptist belongs, told The Christian Post on Tuesday that the events were part of a seven-stop tour by Send Relief. The multi-state service tour is being held in partnership with local churches, city leaders and schools that have identified tangible needs within their communities, Maxey said. While this was the first time that Central Baptist hosted a dental clinic, The Lauderdale Baptist Association had previously hosted a similar clinic at another partnering congregation, Calvary Baptist Church. In my opinion, both events were a success and accomplished the purpose of having the event, said Maxey. Because of it being one less day than the previous one, we didn't see as many clients this year. With the assistance of local volunteers and the Mississippi Department of Oral Health, we intend to have another dental mission next year. Other projects that were part of the tour included landscaping at local schools, delivering meals to nurses who work the night shift, building beds for children in need and constructing huts for the homeless. I hope we were able to express the love of Jesus through meeting both the physical and spiritual needs of those coming to receive assistance, Maxey added. Central Baptist is a wonderful congregation that desires to meet and build relationships with individuals in their community. The Church is not a club for perfect people, but rather a place where imperfect people will be loved, encouraged and cared for by other imperfect people. In addition to meeting local needs in Mississippi, Send Relief is also helping efforts in Poland to care for refugees from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to an IMB press release from earlier this month, Send Relief is working with the Polish Baptist Union and others to help house as many as 1,000 Ukrainian refugees. Evangelical Lutheran Church sues pastor over sale of $2M NYC parsonage apartment NEW YORK The Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has sued one of its pastors for signing a contract to sell a $2 million Manhattan cooperative apartment he was given to use as a parsonage more than 30 years ago. The synod is now asking the Supreme Court of New York to block a transfer of the title in that sale to prevent untold damage. Money damages alone will not repair the damage that would be done if defendants transfer title to the apartment, the Synod argues in a complaint filed in the Supreme Court of New York on March 22. Listed as defendants in the lawsuit are Pastor Gregory Fryer, the longtime leader of Immanuel Lutheran Church in New York City; the cooperative identified as East 82 Corporation; Douglas Elliman Property Management, the residential real estate firm; Brown Harris Stevens, and John Doe and Jane Doe. The complaint contends that Fryer, who has been the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church since 1991, began living in the pre-war apartment, unit 7C at 108 East 82 Street on Manhattans Upper East Side, in 1993. A real estate listing shows that the apartment has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a formal dining room, custom made built-in bookshelves, high beamed ceilings and pristine hardwood floors. The pet-friendly doorman building, which also features a planted roof deck, is located right off Park Avenue and blocks from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The monthly maintenance is also almost $4,000. It was argued in the complaint, however, that Fryer and Immanuel Lutheran Church broke a state law that requires the sale of religious properties to get a special approval to be valid. The complaint says that in 1993, East 82 Corporation issued stock certificate number 183 to Fryer, representing ownership of 220 shares of stock in the corporation and the proprietary lease for the apartment. Upon information and belief, defendants Fryer and Immanuel entered into an agreement for the title to the Apartment to be in the name of defendant Fryer, despite the fact that the real and beneficial owner of the Apartment is Immanuel and that upon the sale of the Apartment, part or all of the consideration for the sale would be given to Immanuel, the complaint says. The Agreement was in violation of Religious Corporations Law 12 and Not-for-Profit Corporation Law [sections] 511 and 511-a, which require that New York religious corporations seeking to sell, mortgage or lease for a term exceeding five years any of its real property must first receive the approval of the Attorney General or the New York State Supreme Court, and is void as against public policy. The synod notes that even if Fryer or Immanuel have sought approval for the sale under the law, they cannot establish that the purposes of defendant Immanuel nor the interests of its members will be promoted by the sale, lease or exchange of the apartment. The defendants say the suit also cannot establish that the synod, the ecclesiastic governing body, has consented to the transaction. Representatives of Immanuel Lutheran Church were not immediately available for comment when contacted by The Christian Post Wednesday. However, the synod led by Bishop Paul Egensteiner told CP in a statement: In the State of New York, a religious organization may not sell, mortgage, or lease for five years or more any of their real estate unless they have obtained approval from the NYS Attorney General and (or) the NYS Supreme Court a step that has not been undertaken. Defendants Fryer and Immanuel have ignored and continue to act in defiance of the Religious Corporations and Not-for-Profit Corporation Laws, their own Constitution, their covenants with the Church and the Synod and their covenant with their members, the complaint argues. Plaintiff, Synod, prays this Court: (a) issue a permanent injunction enjoining defendants Fryer and Immanuel from transferring title to the Apartment; and (b) issue an order for such other and further relief as this Court may deem just and proper. This week in Christian history: MLK assassinated; crusading king captured Throughout the extensive history of the Church, there have been numerous events of lasting significance. Each week brings anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births, notable deaths and everything in between. Some of the events drawn from over 2,000 years of history might be familiar, while other happenings might be previously unknown by most people. The following pages highlight anniversaries of memorable events that occurred this week April 3 through April 9 in Christian history. 1 2 3 4 Next In some American cities, young women earn more than young men: study While the gender pay gap among full-time, year-round workers continues to endure nationally, a new analysis by the Pew Research Center shows that the median earnings for young women in some American cities are the same or more than their male counterparts. An analysis of Census Bureau data by senior researcher Richard Fry shows that when it comes to younger workers under 30 nationally, the gender pay gap is much narrower than the general population of workers, where young women earn 93% of the earnings of their young male counterparts. While the median annual earnings of women in 2019 registered at just 82% of mens earnings, women under 30 in 22 of 250 metropolitan areas in the U.S. were found to be making the same or more than men their age. In New York City and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas, young women earn 102% of what young men earn when examining median annual earnings among full-time, year-round workers. In New York City, for example, women under 30 had median annual earnings of $41,717 while their male counterparts earned $40,725. In some smaller metropolitan areas, the pay gap was even more in favor of women in 2019. In Wenatchee, Washington, young women earned 120% of what young men earned. And in Morgantown, West Virginia, young women earned 114% of what young men earned. In Wenatchee, women under 30 had median annual earnings of $30,363 while young men had annual median earnings of $25,251. In Morgantown, the home of the University of West Virginia, the median annual earnings of full-time employed young women was $32,373 in 2019, while the median earnings for young men were $28,507. Young women were similarly out-earning their male counterparts in other places, such as Yuba City, California; San Angelo, Texas; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Gainesville, Florida; and San Diego, California. In cities like Richmond, Virginia; Flagstaff, Arizona; and Los Angeles, California, the median annual earnings of men and women are even. From a regional perspective, metropolitan areas in the Midwest tend to have wider gender wage gaps among young workers. Young women working full time, year-round in Midwestern metros earn about 90% of their male counterparts, Fry wrote. In other regions, by comparison, young women earn 94% or more of what young men earn. The Institute for Womens Policy Research, which provides national data on the needs of women in the U.S., contends that [c]losing the gender wage gap would help many women and families, and particularly single women and mothers, achieve economic security. For each state and the nation overall and for the men, women, and families who live in communities around the country equal pay could provide a significant boost to the economy, the organizations website, the Status of Women in the States, reads. Recent data shows, however, that young adults have been finding it much harder to save for the future, pay for college, buy a house or find a spouse. Research also suggests that at least when it comes to finding a spouse a shrinking gender pay gap may have more negative consequences for men. In 2019, for example, researchers Daniel T. Lichter of Cornell University, Joseph P. Price of Brigham Young University and Jeffrey M. Swigert of Southern Utah University found in their study, Mismatches in the Marriage Market, that America is facing a significant shortage of highly educated economically attractive unmarried men who earned at least $53,000. As of March 24, Zip Recruiters reports the average annual pay for men in the U.S. at $37,185. The study results were based on comparisons between actual data on unmarried men and a synthetic profile of the ideal husband that the average unmarried woman desired, created from marriage data from 2008 to 2012 and 2013 to 2017 recorded in the American Community Survey. These synthetic husbands have an average income that is about 58% higher than actual unmarried men who are currently available to unmarried women. They also are 30% more likely to be employed (90% vs. 70%) and 19% more likely to have a college degree (30% vs. 25%), the study noted. Our analyses provide clear evidence of an excess supply of men with low income and education and, conversely, shortages of economically attractive unmarried men (with at least a bachelors degree and higher levels of income) for women to marry. One implication is that promoting good jobs may ultimately be the best marriage promotion policy rather than marriage education courses that teach new relationship skills. A 2020 analysis by the Institute of Family Studies suggests that despite the ability of modern women to earn their own livelihoods, there is still a tendency among women to marry men who earn more than they do. Hypergamy turns out to be a stubborn thing. It seems that the highly-credentialed alpha female still prefers a mate above her pay grade, wrote Kay Hymowitz, the William E. Simon Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, who studies family issues, poverty and cultural change in the U.S. In one of the most widely-cited papers on the subject, demographer Yue Qian compared couples in the 1980 Census and in 2012 American Community Survey. She found that during the intervening decades, though wives became more likely to marry down in terms of educational achievement, the tendency for women to marry men with higher incomes than themselves persisted. In fact, women with the same or more education than their husbands were more likely to marry up. It seems to be me that our culture and how we see ourselves seem to be very similar to a culture war battle they are fighting over in the United States of America. It is the idea that America and now it seems Australia is a systemically racist country and that your identity is defined by your race, your gender and your sexual orientation. Why all of the sudden do we believe that our culture is defined by this? We certainly did not even talk about race or gender, or sexual orientation when I was a kid. However, there was a certain event in 2008 that changed the world more than we realised. And no its not me leaving school to attend University however it was the end of my innocence and the time I left a rather blessed childhood for a world that has changed. The 2008 Global Financial Crisis There was a mortgage crisis that very nearly led to the entire collapse of the global banking system. The banks were taking excessive risks, which lead to foreclosures and the collapse of the US housing bubble, the value of the stock market collapsed. Sadly it was the taxpayers that bailed out the reckless banks. There were two schools of thought about how to deal with the issues of the banks. There was an old socialist way of seizing the banks' money and redistributing it to the poor as a form of punishment for the banks. Then there was an emergence of the woke left who blamed this economic injustice on 300 years of white patriarchy. This idea which has grown to become Critical Race Theory presented Wall Street with a way out of this PR disaster, we can go from being the bad guys to the good guys. All they had to do was admit their eyes had been opened in other words they woke up. How did Big Business become woke? They had to be seen as the good guys to improve their PR. You want us to stop climate change? No problems You want us to get on board with the LGBTIQ movement? We can do that too We can be whoever you want us to be, just dont talk about systemic financial risk. So they had added token minorities to their boards, added logos of the latest fads to their social media profiles, they would preach on Climate Change about reducing to net-zero emissions after flying in their private jets, as long as the banks said the right things they were free to do as they please make as much money as they want with little regulation as possible. This all changed in 2016, the man who was not supposed to win became President of the United States. This time the scrutiny changed from Wall Street to Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley just followed Wall Streets playbook, we want to become the good guys, we will censor and cancel opinions we dont like, and we will make sure the next election goes the way it should. Then big tech kept their monopoly and did what their masters could not do and that was censor political speech. We have seen that through Donald Trump and even those who speak out against Covid vaccines. All of a sudden their views became the views of the mainstream, accept them or risk being ostracised. So how do we respond? We know how they work, generally, when a company like to be virtuous it is usually because they have bad PR somewhere. It means they enforce these virtues on their employees, we see this when Rugby Australia forced Israel Folau to keep his convictions to himself and fired him for speaking them. It is a scary prospect because it would mean we have to choose between speaking our minds or putting food on the table. But we have power in our voice and how we spend. Support companies that trade ethically and let God shape our lifestyle. A new advanced electronic warfare suite was developed for the Indian Air Force that will be equipped for its fighters. The Indian Air Force has several adversaries to deal with at its borders that are arming up with missile systems. Going up against the Chinese J-16D EW had necessitated the equipping of combat jets. Indian Air Force Embarks in Next Gen Warfare The Ministry of Defense and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), an industrial partner, have signed a contract to deliver the Indian Air Force with an advanced electronic warfare suite for its fighter aircraft, cited PIB. Modern electronic warfare systems would dramatically increase the battle-survivability of Indian Air Force jet fighters while conducting operational missions versus opponents' ground-based and airborne fire control and surveillance radars. After the 2019 battle between the Indian Air Force and Pakistani pilots amid the Balakot strikes and the standoff with China in the Eastern Ladakh region, where both sides had mobilized their respective fighter planes, the Indian Air Force's electronic warfare suite deal became critical. The cost of development by BEL to design and develop the Instrumented Electronic Warfare Range (IEWR), electronic warfare equipment, is Rs 1109 crores, mentioned the New Indian Express. The Ministry of Defense said the IEWR would be used to test and evaluate airborne electronic warfare equipment and validate their implementation in an operational context. The Shakti electronic warfare system was developed for the Indian Navy by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for warships to accomplish interception, detection, classification, identification, and jamming of conventional and modern radars in November when the system was given to the Indian Navy. The advanced electronic warfare suite used by the Indian Air Force was also developed and researched by the DRDO. Read Also: Vladimir Putin Net Worth 2022: Does Anyone Know Russian President's Hidden Wealth? An initial Shakti system was installed on the INS Visakhapatnam and is on the INS Vikrant, India's indigenous aircraft carrier, expected to operate later this year. This research center also developed the 'Uttam' AESA radar to aid electronic warfare operations; India is one of the few countries with an indigenous electronic warfare force multiplier, reported the Eurasian Times. Capable of tracking 50 targets in a radius of more than 100 kilometers and engaging four of them simultaneously. The DRDO showcased the Indian-made AESA radar, termed 'Uttam,' at India's Republic Day celebration this year. The LCA Tejas aircraft are anticipated to be outfitted with this radar. Indian Electronic Warfare System In today's intensely disputed combat zone, having a robust electronic warfare capability is required. The Indian Air Force will benefit from modern electronic warfare technology that gives pilots a leg up on the competition. Electronic warfare aims to deny the opponent unrestricted access while allowing friendly access. When US Air Force bombers were outfitted with jammer pods to reduce losses from surface-to-air missiles in Vietnam, electronic warfare proved to be invaluable. J-16D is an electronic warfare derivative of the J-16 fighter jet built by China. It has been updated to improve precision capability and tactical maneuver for information and communication, resulting in adopting a blanket aviation electronic system. Equipped electronic warfare pods should electronically mask a plane from radar and other specific electronic functions. The aircraft has air-to-air missiles with the electronic warfare suite. This advanced electronic warfare suite deployed by the Indian Air Force allows its fighter to be a match to the J-16D, which needs to survive modern air combat. Related Article: Russian Hypersonic Missiles Are Undetectable to Most Air Defense Systems of the Western Alliance @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Whilst I was away walking the GR5 trail through the Alps my book on a previous long walk, the Scottish Watershed, was published. Now I... For Monday's story with the latest updates, click here. LATEST April 3, 4:30 p.m. Sacramento police chief Kathy Lester said at a press conference on Sunday afternoon that multiple suspects were involved in the early morning shooting that broke out after a large fight near 10th and K Streets, killing six people three men and three women and leaving 12 other victims injured. "The scale of violence that just happened in our city is unprecedented," Lester said. "We are shocked and heartbroken by this tragedy, but we are also resolved as an agency to find those responsible and to secure justice for the victims and their families." Investigators are currently interviewing multiple witnesses and have located hundreds of pieces of evidence at the scene, including a stolen handgun, Lester said. They also found that several buildings were struck by gunfire during the incident. The injured victims were admitted to area hospitals, but Lester did not have any information to share regarding the status of their conditions. At the press conference, Mayor Darrell Steinberg described the shooting as a "senseless and unacceptable tragedy." "Thoughts and prayers are not nearly enough. We must do more as a city, as a state and as a nation," he said. During a question-and-answer session with reporters, Lester said no additional information could be relayed regarding the identities of the suspects at this time and could not confirm what type of weapons were used in the shooting. One reporter said the victims' bodies were still on the ground downtown. "Is there a reason for that?" they asked. "It's almost 12 hours later." In response, Lester explained that multiple streets were blocked off at the scene of the mass shooting, which she described as "really complex and complicated." "There is a process," she said. "And what we want to do is make sure this investigation is completed thoroughly and accurately, because we do want the perpetrators of this crime brought to justice." City officials also discussed the implementation of more cameras, lighting and other security measures downtown. Lester said that City Hall had been opened as a meeting point and information center for victims' families with a dedicated investigator on scene providing assistance. April 3, 5:37 a.m. At least six people are dead and 12 more injured after a shooting in downtown Sacramento, police said. The shooting occurred near 10th and K streets, not far from the State Capitol building and a popular cluster of downtown nightclubs, around 2 a.m. Sunday. Video posted on Twitter showed people running through the street as the sound of rapid gunfire could be heard in the background. "We are aware of a social media video that appears to show an altercation that preceded the shooting," Sacramento police said in a statement. "We are currently working to determine what, if any, relation these events have to the shooting." Two employees at the El Santo Ultra Lounge said that with some clubs closing at 2 a.m., the streets were busy with departing partygoers. Jesse Fuentes, a club security guard, told the Los Angeles Times that he and another guard saw a scuffle start at a nearby parking garage. Rich Pedroncelli/AP Once we went over there, it was pretty much a gunfight going on, Fuentes said. We were just trying to take cover because we couldnt tell where the shots were coming from at first, because they were coming from two different areas. But the one that really just freaked everybody out was the automatic weapons. Thats when everyone was running and pushing. Kelsey Schar, 18, was staying on the fourth floor of the Citizen Hotel when she heard gunshots and saw flashes in the dark, she said. She walked to the window and saw a guy running and just shooting, Schar told the Associated Press. Her friend, Madalyn Woodard, 17, said she saw a crowd in the street scatter amid the gunfire. She said she saw a girl who appeared to have been shot in the arm lying on the ground. Security guards from a nearby nightclub rushed to help the girl with what looked like napkins to try to stanch the bleeding. Sacramento police Chief Kathy Lester called it a very complex and complicated scene and asked any witnesses or people with video evidence to contact police. Police said the suspect or suspects are still at large, and one firearm was recovered at the scene. Another witness described the nightmarish scene to ABC10. A lot of victims with blood, just watching some of the families that didnt know if their loved one was alive, running, trying to figure out what was happening, people distraught, people discombobulated, community activist Berry Accius told the TV station. It was just horrific. Police provided few details about the circumstances surrounding the shooting but said in a tweet that a large police presence will remain and the scene remains active. Ninth Street to 13th Street is closed between L and J streets until further notice. Helicopter footage from KCRA shows investigators walking the area and leaving evidence markers on the sidewalks. No victims have been identified by law enforcement; families are asked to go to Sacramento City Hall for more information. Kay Harris, 32, told AP she was asleep when one of her family members called to say they thought her brother Sergio Harris had been killed. She said she thought he had been at the London nightclub, which is near the shooting. Harris said she has been to the club a few times and described it as a place for the younger crowd. She spent the morning circling the block waiting for news. Very much so a senseless, violent act, she said. Pamela Harris, Sergio Harris mother, told the Sacramento Bee the family has not heard from him yet. We just want to know what happened to him, Pamela Harris told the newspaper. Not knowing anything is just hard to face. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg gave a brief press conference late Sunday morning, pointing to the epidemic of gun violence in America. This is a sickness, Steinberg said. A sickness in our country, and a sickness in our culture. Sundays mass shooting is the second instance of gun violence to shock the Sacramento area in recent months. In late February, a father fatally shot his three daughters and their chaperone at a supervised visit at a Sacramento church; the man then killed himself. This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information is available. The Associated Press contributed to this report. MILFORD Jeremy Bronen and Tim Krupski have entered the small-business world, and the results have proven a benefit to senior citizens and people with disabilities. The pair, founders of SedMed, have developed a self-lifting toilet seat, with the goal of keeping the elderly and disabled safe and independent. The company was formed in the spring of 2020, and Bronen, a Milford resident, said the pair hopes to find space locally to showcase their operation. SedMed began because my co-founder Tim was living with a close family friend of his, who he affectionately called Grandma Grace, said Bronen. While he was in high school, she suffered from a stroke and became wheelchair-bound, and he would watch her struggle around the house, getting on and off the surface, and they hired a caregiver. The experience Krupski had with Grandma Grace gave him the inspiration to set out and develop a self-lifting toilet seat. The product is a toilet lift, said Bronen. It mounts onto a toilet without electricity and helps people to get on and off the toilet for their safety, independence and to reduce costs to healthcare institutions. Both Bronen and Krupksi are mechanical engineers and graduated from UConn, where they met and kicked off their partnership. He had been working on the idea for about 10 years, said Bronen. He sponsored my senior design project at UConn, and thats how I met him. Bronen said his senior project that Krupski sponsored was a powered toilet lift. When we picked what our project was going to be, I saw toilet lift. It was fourth on my list. The first on my list was a canon, he said. But the excitement came once he was like, Hey, Im doing this business accelerated program. Do you want to check it out with me? Me being an engineering student who was more interested in business, I told him yes. They decided to go through the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program. Through those accelerated programs, they realized they needed to pivot and thats how they came up with the design. We found this niche in the market that was under-served and underappreciated with innovation, and that is what got me excited more, said Bronen. SedMed has plans to have their toilet seats in healthcare institutions to reduce injuries for healthcare workers. Thats the forefront of the business as well, said Bronen. Healthcare workers constantly get injured lifting people on and off the toilet because they are straining their back lifting up a person, which leads to high cost for healthcare institutions. Currently, the SedMed team is working from home. For Bronen, that means he is working in Milford, where he has lived for the past two years. He plans to stay in the city. I reached out to Julie Nash (Milford economic development director) because we are looking for office space and co-working space, he said. We are operating pretty lean, but we want something to get a little more in-person stuff going. Tokyo has no intentions of halting energy projects with Moscow, implying Japan's energy security despite the sanctions placed on Russia. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made the announcement last Thursday despite the effort to stop Vladimir Putin from funding the Ukraine incursion, like other nations still buying Russian LNG and gas, which is not as penalized in the current setup. Japan Choses Energy Security Over Sanctions PM Kishida, like other world leaders, agrees on the sanctions heaped on Moscow but cannot include risking its economy over the loss of energy sources, reported the Epoch Times. This venture with Russia is the Sakhalin-2 liquefied natural gas (LNG) project between Japan and Moscow. A report by Kyodo News said the PM announced at a parliamentary meeting that the joint venture would allow access to cheap liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the long-term energy security of the country, which cannot be stressed enough. He added that there would be efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy sources with the Group of Seven (G7) advanced countries' plan. Russia is the fifth-largest provider of liquefied natural gas to Japan, approximately 8 percent of its consumption. The Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in the Russian Far East is like what Gazprom is to Brussels, which is a total of a yearly usage of 9.6 million tons will drive Japan into an energy shortage or worse. Tokyo remarked that the liquefied natural gas from the Sakhalin 1 and 2 projects with Russia will still go ahead. Read Also: Vladimir Putin Net Worth 2022: Does Anyone Know Russian President's Hidden Wealth? Japanese firms like Mitsui and Mitsubishi have a share of 12.5 and 10.5 percent stakes in the Sakhalin-2 project, while Russian state firm Gazprom holds ownership of 50 percent. One of the stakeholders, Shell, with 27.5 percent in the venture, left the project to the incursion by Russia. The US energy firm ExxonMobil chose to follow what US President Joe Biden told firms to leave the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia; before, and they were Western firms BP and Equinor. Russia Requires Payment in Rubles Last Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin authored a degree that required foreign firms and unfriendly nations to pay in rubles for energy supplies. The Kremlin called out Japan and the US as unfriendly nations that should be following its instructions on paying; after questionable sanctions due to defending separatists in the DPR and LPR in Ukraine. Putin stated that buyers would have to open ruble accounts using Russian banks to make payments and that if they failed to do so, their contracts would be nullified. The G7 nations contended that it was a breach of contract, but the Kremlin refused to back down. According to Nikkei Asia, Japan's trade minister, Koichi Hagiuda, announced Friday that the government will closely monitor the situation. However, he believes the edict will not immediately affect Japan. As a result of the conflict in Ukraine, Japan has tightened sanctions on Russian persons and organizations. Russia's exports of specific items have been curtailed, and Russian banks have been blocked from using the SWIFT global interbank network. Tokyo said that Sakhalin 1 and 2 projects in partnership with Moscow would move ahead, said PM Fumio Kishida, because of the need for liquified natural gas. Compared to Europe, Japan is less affected by pressure from the US may change that. Related Article: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Disagrees With Bloc Members on Total EU Embargo, Calls To Cancel Russian Oil Ban @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. MONROE A woman wanted for a string of car robberies hit multiple police cars in Waterbury before crashing into a pole at Route 111 in Monroe Sunday morning, closing the road, police said. Waterbury Police said they received information around 8:45 a.m. Sunday that a vehicle and a female suspect wanted in connection with recent criminal activity were in the area of Rutledge Street in Waterbury. When police approached the vehicle a white Hummer with a woman identified as Hannah Casperson in the drivers seat Casperson accelerated and collided with the police cruiser before fleeing the area, police said. She then struck another police cruiser at Brass Mill Drive and East Main Street before entering Interstate 84, traveling west, police said. Casperson lost control of her vehicle in Monroe and struck a telephone pole near the Monroe Turnpike and Wheeler Road just before 10 a.m., causing a section of the road to be closed so police could investigate, police said. It was expected to reopen around 3 p.m. Waterbury police took Casperson into custody. She is currently being treated for non-life-threatening injuries in St. Vincents Hospital in Bridgeport, according to police. Police said Casperson, of Brookfield, faces additional pending charges as well as multiple outstanding warrants. On Friday, Wolcott Police said Casperson is wanted in connection with dozens of thefts from cars that occurred in an elderly living complex on Wolfs Hill Road in Wolcott overnight Thursday. Thefts from vehicles were also reported on Munson and Brooks Hill roads area. More than 40 vehicles were entered through unlocked doors or smashed windows, with numerous items taken, police said. Wolcott Police said Waterbury Police notified the department around 11:30 a.m. on Friday that the white Hummer police said was connected to the car breaks had been seen heading into Wolcott. Officers spotted the car in a grocery store parking lot, but the driver, later identified as Casperson, saw them and fled south. Officers arrested a second suspect in the thefts in the grocery store. Thomas Crawford, 32 of Naugatuck, is charged with 41 counts each of third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny, conspiracy to comitt both and second-degree criminal mischief. Crawford is being held on a $75,000 bond, Wolcott police said. BIG RAPIDS TOWNSHIP A single vehicle accident over the weekend left one person dead. At 5:08 p.m. Saturday, April 2, Mecosta County Sheriff's deputies responded to reports of a single motor vehicle accident on northbound U.S. 131 at 15 Mile Road in Big Rapids Township. According to a news release, the driver of the vehicle went off the roadway and hit the cement columns supporting the bridge overpass. The driver sustained severe injuries and died at the scene. The sheriff's office is withholding information about the driver and vehicle pending further investigation. Personnel from the following agencies assisted deputies at the scene: Big Rapids Department of Public Safety, Big Rapids Township Fire Department, Mecosta County Sheriff Posse, Ferris State University Department of Public Safety, Big Rapids Towing, Mid-Michigan Medical Examiner Group and the Mecosta County Road Commission. BLOTTER Deputies with the Mecosta County Sheriffs Office responded to the following calls from March 30 through April 2. All calls may not be reported. All suspects are assumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. A male filed a fraud complaint in the 2000 block of Arthur in Sheridan Township. He told deputies that his mothers ex boyfriend used her bank card with authority. A traffic stop for no plate near 50th and 9 Mile Road in Wheatland Township led to driver being arrested on three failure to appear warrants out of Mecosta County. An appearance citation was issued for driving while license suspended and no insurance. A female reported receiving mail from inmate. There is a no contact order between them. Deputies assisted an individual in the 19000 block of 11 Mile Road in Mecosta Township. According to deputies, a male caller was having difficulty breathing as he was on the phone with the hospital and said he was giving up. Not Suicidal, just upset. A report of fraud was made in the 16000 block of 16 Mile Road. The complainant said they purchased four American Eagle Gold coins from Craigslist. The victim met the seller at Big Rapids Department of Public Safety and paid cash for the coins that were fake. Deputies responded to a two vehicle personal injury accident. One injured person was transported to Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital. Big Rapids Tow took both vehicles. A report of malicious destruction of property was made at the 10000 block of Northland Drive. Deputies said an unknown suspect pulled a power panel off the post sometime between March 30 and March 31. The panel was found near the parking lot off from Northland Drive. Deputies responded to a domestic situation in the 9000 block of 10th Avenue in Wheatland Township. A male was arrested for allegedly assaulting another male. GLEN CARBON An open house was held March 31 for the Skin Care Center of Southern Illinois (SCC) at 4575 Benes St., Glen Carbon. The clinic has been open since Feb. 28; by June it will be open five days a week for general dermatology. The clinic provides medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology to patients. Were thrilled to be in the community, said Chief Operating Officer Lisa Shoults Belflower. Our philosophy is to always create a highly satisfying patient experience, and we take pride in that with each visit for our patients. The clinic is not all inclusive, but some patient diagnoses and treatments include rash, eczema, psoriasis, warts, annual skin checks, skin cancer, excisions, Mohs surgery, cosmetic neurotoxins and dermal fillers. SCC clinics are also located in Mt. Vernon, Centralia and Nashville Illinois. The Glen Carbon clinic is medically directed by Dr. George Nahass, a long time southern Illinois board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist. I believe strongly in the mission statement, and I am hopeful and believe that we will bring that mission and fulfill it here, said Nahass. And the mission statement is: to provide the highest quality medical, surgical and cosmetic derm services equivalent to anything you can get anywhere else in the country, including St. Louis. Nahass said the mission is to deliver that excellence in care in the community as well as to be embedded in the community because that provides what he believes to be the most valuable aspects in healtchare: continunity. Theres no substitute for continuity Nahass said. The patient knowing the doctor and the doctor knowing the patient. We want to bring that excellence in care to the community and provide it in a continual way, and in a patient-centered way. When that happens, the care is of the highest quality, Nahass said. And so thats our commitment to this area, and I believe this practice will fulfill that commitment. SCC patients at the new Glen Carbon clinic will also have the opportunity to receive care from board-certified Dermatologist Dr. Robert Schnietz, Board-certified Mohs Surgeon Dr. Kelly MacArthur and Cosmetic RN Mary McKaig. I grew up in Edwardsville and did my training in Springfield, Illinois, so for me its exciting to get to practice in the place that I grew up, said Schnietz. For many years theres been a need for general dermatology and for Mohs as well. Dr. Nahass in Mt. Vernon has been offering care for Central and Southern Illinois for many years and I think its just exciting to get to continue that tradition here in the Metro East. Sherrie Wick, lab manager at the Glen Carbon clinic, said not many clinics have a lab on site and have to send specimens to large hospitals. Sometimes when you have locations that are only sending to these large hospitals that have a thousand specimens a day, you dont get the turnaround time that we do on site here, Wick said. That person might come get a biopsy on Monday, and by Thursday theyre already getting Mohs, and in one week or less than a week they can be cancer free. So thats a big benefit of having it on site here, with the right lab staff and pathologist on site. SCC Glen Carbon offers Mohs surgery, a layer-type surgery that can remove skin cancer from a patient without creating a large incision. It involves removing the smallest amount of specimen possible. If somebody has a biopsy and it does come back that it has cancer and its at a certain area of the body, that can qualify for Mohs, Wick said. What Mohs does is, the patient is sitting there in the room and we remove what we think is a good border. We test it, and if theres still an area that still has cancer, that patient is still here so they can go back and remove it. So that patient leaves here not having skin cancer anymore. Its just a better way because they only take what they need and then the physician closes it to make sure that the skin looks nice, said Shoults Belflower. For more about the SCC Glen Carbon visit www.skincarecenterderm.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As the addiction and overdose crisis that has gripped the U.S. for two decades turns even deadlier, state governments are scrambling for ways to stem the destruction wrought by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In statehouses across the country, lawmakers have been considering and adopting laws on two fronts: reducing the risk to users and increasing the penalties for dealing fentanyl or mixing it with other drugs. Meanwhile, Republican state attorneys general are calling for more federal action, while some GOP governors are deploying National Guard units with a mission that includes stopping the flow of fentanyl from Mexico. Its a fine line to help people and try to get people clean, and at the same time incarcerate and get the drug dealers off the streets, said Nathan Manning, a Republican state senator in Ohio who is sponsoring legislation to make it clear that materials used to test drugs for fentanyl are legal. The urgency is heightened because of the deepening impact of the drugs. Last year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the nation had hit a grim milestone. For the first time, more than 100,000 Americans had died of drug overdoses over a 12-month period. About two-thirds of the deaths were linked to fentanyl and other synthetic drugs, which can be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, heroin or prescription opioids. The recent case of five West Point cadets who overdosed on fentanyl-laced cocaine during spring break in Florida put the dangers and pervasiveness of the fentanyl crisis back in the spotlight. The chemical precursors to the drugs are being shipped largely from China to Mexico, where much of the illicit fentanyl supply is produced in labs before being smuggled into the U.S. While users sometimes seek out fentanyl specifically, it and other synthetics with similar properties are often mixed with other drugs or formed into counterfeit pills so users often dont know theyre taking it. Advocates say test strips can help prevent accidental overdoses of drugs laced with fentanyl. The strips are given out at needle exchanges and sometimes at concerts or other events where drugs are expected to be sold or used. Thomas Stuber, chief legislative officer at The LCADA Way, a drug treatment organization in Ohio that serves Lorain County and nearby areas, has been pushing for the test strip legislation. It also would ease access to naloxone, a drug that can be used to revive people when theyre having opioid overdoses. This is a harm-reduction approach that has received a lot of acceptance, he said. We cannot treat somebody if theyre dead. Since last year, at least a half-dozen states have enacted similar laws and at least a dozen others have considered them, according to research by the National Conference of State Legislatures. In West Virginia, the state hardest hit by opioids per capita, lawmakers passed a bill this month to legalize the testing strips. It now heads to the governor. The measure was sponsored by Republican lawmakers. But state Delegate Mike Pushkin, a Democrat whose district includes central Charleston, has also been pushing for more access to fentanyl strips. He said the situation got worse last year when a state law tightened regulations on needle exchanges, causing some of them to close. Pushkin, who also is in long-term addiction recovery, is pleased with passage of the testing strip bill but upset with another measure passed this month that would increase the penalties for trafficking fentanyl. That bill also would create a new crime of adding fentanyl to another drug. Their initial reaction is, We have to do something, he said. Its not just about doing something, its about doing the right thing that actually has results. But for many lawmakers, making sure that tough criminal penalties apply to fentanyl is a priority. California Assemblywoman Janet Nguyen, a Republican, introduced a measure that would make penalties for dealing fentanyl just as harsh as those for selling cocaine or heroin. The Republican represents Orange County, where there were more than 600 reported fentanyl-related deaths last year. This is sending messages to those who arent afraid of selling these drugs that theres a longer, bigger penalty than you might think, said Nguyen, whose bill failed to advance from her chamber's public safety committee in a 5-2 vote last week. She said after the bill failed that she was considering trying again. She said committee members stressed compassion for drug users, something she said she agrees with. The less available these pills are out there, the better it is, Nguyen said. And that is going after the drug dealer. The same day her measure failed to advance, a Democratic lawmaker in California announced a different bill to increase fentanyl-dealing penalties. The National Conference of State Legislatures found 12 states with fentanyl-specific drug trafficking or possession laws as of last year. Similar measures have been introduced or considered since the start of 2021 in at least 19 states, the Associated Press found in an analysis of bills compiled by LegiScan. That does not include measures to add more synthetic opioids to controlled substance lists to mirror federal law; those have been adopted in many states, with bipartisan support. Fentanyl has been in the spotlight in Colorado since February, when five people were found dead in a suburban Denver apartment from overdoses of fentanyl mixed with cocaine. Under state law, possession with intent to distribute less than 14 grams of fentanyl is an offense normally punishable by two to four years in prison. But fentanyl is so potent that 14 grams can represent up to 700 lethal doses, under a calculation used by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Its making it impossible to hold the dealer accountable for the deadliness of the drugs theyre peddling, Colorado House Speaker Alec Garnett, a Democrat, said in an interview. He and a bipartisan group of lawmakers last week unveiled a bill also backed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis that would increase penalties for dealers with smaller amounts of fentanyl and in cases where the drug leads to a death. The legislation also would increase the accessibility of naloxone and test strips while steering people who possess fentanyl into education and treatment programs. Maritza Perez, director of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, a group that advocates for harm-reduction measures, is skeptical of the legislation that would increase criminal penalties. We have the largest incarceration rate in the entire world and were also setting records in terms of overdose deaths," she said. Democratic governors are focusing primarily on harm reduction methods. Among them is Illinois Gov. Jay Pritzker, who released a broad overdose action plan last month. Several Republican governors and attorneys general have responded to the rising death toll with administrative enforcement efforts and by pushing for more federal intervention. Last year, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey called for states to help secure the border with Mexico. Along with trying to keep people from entering the U.S., stopping the flow of fentanyl was cited as a reason. Several other Republican governors have sent contingents of state troopers or National Guard units. The Texas Military Department said that from March 2021 through earlier this month, its troops near the border confiscated more than 1,200 pounds (540 kilograms) of fentanyl. By comparison, federal authorities reported confiscating about 11,000 pounds (4,990 kilograms) in 2021 still a fraction of what entered the country. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice filed about 2,700 cases involving crimes related to the distribution of fentanyl and similar synthetic drugs, up nearly tenfold from 2017. Even so, Republican state officials are critical of federal efforts to stop fentanyl from entering the country. In January, 16 GOP state attorneys general sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on him to exert more pressure on China and Mexico to stop the flow of fentanyl. Those are steps that Dr. Rahul Gupta, the director of National Drug Control Policy, said are already being taken. In March, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey called on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for more enforcement on fentanyl trafficking and harsher penalties. "Fentanyl is killing Americans of all walks of life in unprecedented numbers," Morrisey said in a statement emailed to the AP, "and the federal government must respond with full force, across the board, using every tool available to stem the tide of death. EDWARDSVILLE A suspect was arrested by Illinois State Police Saturday afternoon a few hours after two deceased woman were found in the Collinsville area. According to information from the Madison County Sheriffs Department, at about 10:26 a.m. on April 2 deputies and Collinsville Police were dispatched to the 1000 block of McDonough Lake Road after a 911 call where it sounded like a possible disturbance. Madison County Chief Deputy Maj. Jeff Connor said that, upon arriving, officers found the bodies of two females outside the Collinsville residence. Both appeared to be homicide victims, Connor said. llinois State Police (ISP) Division of Internal Investigation (DII) is now leading an investigation into the discharge of an ISP Troopers duty weapon after the pursuit of a suspect in connection to the Collinsville deaths. ISP officials stated that, at about 11:14 a.m. Saturday, the ISP Collinsville Communications Center shared information provided by the Madison County Sheriffs Office via the Illinois State Police Emergency Radio Network regarding a suspect wanted in connection to the deaths. Shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday, local law enforcement located the suspect vehicle northbound on Illinois 127 near Hillsboro. A pursuit ensued when officers attempted a traffic stop, which was later joined by ISP Troopers. The pursuit crossed Illinois 16, then went north onto U.S. 51 where, after becoming partially disabled, the suspect vehicle came to a stop just north of Pana at about 1:53 p.m. State police said the driver of the suspect vehicle exited it and pointed a firearm in the direction of an ISP Trooper. The trooper discharged their duty weapon in the direction of the suspect, the ISP said, and the suspect was taken to a regional hospital for the treatment of serious, life-threatening injuries. The cause and nature of those injuries is under investigation. No law enforcement officers were injured in the incident. The involved trooper is a 26-year ISP veteran. Connor said the sheriffs department was assisted by Collinsville Police and ISP in clearing the scene and determining the suspect had fled. The scene was being processed Saturday by the sheriffs department, the Madison County Coroners Office and the ISP Crime Scene Services. In accordance with the Police and Community Relations Improvement Act and the Illinois State Police Law, Special Agents of the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation are investigating Saturday's trooper-involved shooting. The Madison County Sheriffs Department is handling the investigating the two deaths in the Collinsville area. State police said the investigation is open and ongoing; all evidence and facts will be submitted for review upon completion of the investigation to the Christian County States Attorney's Office. Authorities on Saturday evening had not released the name of the deceased or the person in custody. Everybody goes, said Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia. It was 1967, and the Grateful Dead were having an informal band meeting in the living room of their Haight-Ashbury Victorian. The topic was a group fantasy that had recently taken a couple steps toward reality: a European tour. With the bands first album out and their star rising, traveling abroad now felt like something that could actually happen: not just possible, but tantalizingly in reach. But that raised a thornier issue. Who would go? It wasnt an easy decision. After all, the Dead were about community, and not just the Haight, which celebrated them as hometown heroes. Years later, when staffer Alan Trist was asked about the bands management philosophy, he explained, Everyone had a voice, and every voice was heard. That was why band meetings could be a little chaotic, with not only the members and managers but also staffers, roadies and even a few stalwart fans, like Sue Swanson and Connie Bonner, who ran the bands newsletter at the time. And that made the idea of choosing a core group to go to Europe more than just difficult, but also somehow wrong which was why Garcia ended the discussion by saying, Everybody goes. Five years later, the band honored that promise. When the Dead set off for England on April 1, 1972, on their first, full-fledged foreign tour, almost 50 people made the trip: not just the band and crew, but partners and paramours, managers and press liaisons, even a dedicated recording crew all friends and fellow travelers. That was 50 years ago. In the time since, the tour has become one of the more famous chapters in the Deads storied history. Part of that was the caliber of the music they made, but the tour also embodied the Deads philosophy, from their approach to music and performance to the way they did business. Europe 72, as both the tour and the album documenting it were known, was the first real opportunity to see what an extended sojourn might do for their music. There had been a few foreign excursions before then, notably their week-long Canadian tour with an array of bands in 1970, and even quick trips to England and France, but nothing extensive. And by 1972, the Dead were at the top of their game, and if they had already learned how places and audiences and venues shaped their music at home, what could a full tour of the Old World do for their celebrated improvisations? The six weeks they spent in April and May would be formative. In addition to England, the Dead performed in Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Luxembourg. One of the most notable gigs included a brutally cold and rainy outdoor festival in Wigan, England, that earned them enormous goodwill for their professionalism. In another standout, the band played to the ornate splendor of the Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen, where they channeled the spirit of the orchestral music the venue normally hosted. Even a canceled gig in France produced miracles: Some expert schedule wrangling let them return a couple of weeks later, making good on their promise with a free show in the town square. French fans were already passionate about the Dead, but that show, in Lille, burnished their reputation forever. And for the band, that afternoon was both a reminder of their early days, playing for free in Golden Gate Park, and a glimpse of the magic light of the French countryside. For bassist Phil Lesh, Lille would forever be the show that taught him what Cezanne had seen. That became part of the tours legend, but like all of the Deads art, hard work made what looked like pure serendipity possible. When the idea for the tour began to take shape in 1971, the Dead dispatched Alan Trist to reconnoiter. A Cambridge-educated Englishman who had become close friends with Garcia and band lyricist Robert Hunter in the early 1960s, Trist scouted venues and made contacts across Europe that paved the way. Road manager Sam Cutler another Brit put the tour together, and the band cajoled Warner Brothers into underwriting the adventure as an advance on a live album. That was one of the tours real achievements. With a dedicated crew manning a mobile 16-track studio, the Dead recorded every show. The results were an embarrassment of riches, more than enough to fill the three LPs that they persuaded Warner Bros. to release. The album sold well enough, but there was more to be heard. Fans heard hints of that with a few later archival releases, but in 2011, the band and Rhino raised eyebrows by releasing a box set of the tour that included every show. Skeptics chortled but all 7,200 copies were snapped up in four days. Critics may have been surprised but fans knew better. The box set provided definitive proof of all that Europe had heard, and imparted: hard on the heels of the Deads turn to Americana with 1970s Workingmans Dead and American Beauty, the band had delivered long, leisurely shows that wove the peak of their psychedelic baroque of Dark Star and The Other One with crystalline versions of the full range of their influences, from blues staples like Big Boss Man to country classics like Merle Haggards Sing Me Back Home. They had a handful of new songs as well, bolstered by Bob Weirs increasing prominence as a songwriter, with his Playing in the Band a feature of set lists on the tour. And the recent addition of Donna Jean Godchaux added a new voice and new harmonies to the mix, too. Decades later, the legend of Europe 72 hasnt dimmed especially for those lucky enough to have been a part of it. Rosie McGee, a longtime member of the bands family whose native French made her especially valuable on the tour, called it a blur of great concerts by the band at one of the heights of their musical evolution. Most of all, it brought everyone even closer, forging bonds thicker than blood, as McGee put it. Road crew member Steve Parish called it a zenith in their career, filled with moments that brought us together, that made us feel as though we were really on some sort of mission. The tour was a test of that mission. More than just the music, the tour showed that the band had more than weathered the storms of the 1960s and the death of the Haight. Even though they had lost Mickey Hart the year before he would return a few years later and Europe would be the swan song of band co-founder Ron Pigpen McKernan (already suffering from terminal illness), the addition of Keith Godchaux on keyboards and his wife Donna Jean gave the Dead a new dimension in their sound. Along with the music, the changes showed a band that was still progressing, still innovating. That was as true offstage as on, as they pushed the frontiers of audio technology, from live concert sound to recording techniques, and soon they would go even further, launching their own record company. That was already an idea they were discussing in Europe. Fittingly, the final stop was a late addition to the itinerary: four nights at Londons Lyceum Theatre, a gilded legacy of bygone glory that made a perfect close to the tour. Those shows provided nine of the albums 14 tracks, but they were also a thank-you to the fans who had made the concerts a success. And like the tour as a whole, they showed that the Deads mission their unique vision of artistic community could cross oceans, continents and cultures. Nicholas G. Meriwether is curator at the Haight Street Art Center, where the exhibition Psychedelic Renaissance: Posters from the Family Dog and Bill Graham Presents, 1965-1967 is showing through May 15, at 215 Haight St. Free admission. Wilkes Barre, PA (18701) Today Rain. High 56F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain. Low 49F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. China, Thailand agree to enhance traditional friendship Xinhua) 11:02, April 03, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, April 2, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) HEFEI, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks on Saturday with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, with the two sides agreeing to promote bilateral ties. Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Thailand, Wang said China is willing to advance all-round cooperation with Thailand. Wang said both sides should step up consultations on the Belt and Road cooperation plan outline and joint action plan, and accelerate the construction of the China-Thailand railway. Wang also called on the two countries to take the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement as an opportunity to tap the potential of bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and to expand cooperation in electronic technology, digital economy, new energy and other fields. Don Pramudwinai said that Thailand cherishes the traditional friendship between the two countries and is willing to work with China to jointly build the Belt and Road to a high quality standard and actively participate in the Global Development Initiative. Thailand hopes to expand agricultural trade, connectivity and cooperation, ensure the security of industrial and supply chains, and deepen cooperation on sustainable development, Don Pramudwinai said. The two sides agreed to solidly advance the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and maintain in-depth communication on strengthening multilateral coordination. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, April 2, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) Pope Francis expressed his desire to visit war-torn Ukraine and blasted Russia's continued aggression toward the Eastern European nation that displaced millions of civilians. During a flight from Rome to Malta on the papal plane, Francis was asked by a journalist if he was considering an invitation from the Ukrainian government and religious officials. The Pope gave an affirmative answer, saying, "it is on the table." However, the head of the Roman Catholic Church did not provide further information, according to ABC News. In his message, Pope Francis said "some potentiate" had launched the danger of nuclear war on the world in an "infantile and destructive" attack under the pretext of "anachronist claims of nationalistic interests. However, he did not mention the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added that the world thought that "invasions" of other nations, "savage" fighting in the streets, and "atomic threats" have become "grim memories" in history. Last month, the 85-year-old pontiff strongly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which he called unreasonable, and civilians' attacks as "barbaric." Millions Displaced, Thousands Trapped in Ukraine According to UN High Commissioner for Refugees, there are more than 10.5 million people have been displaced either within Ukraine or elsewhere as refugees. Throughout the country, 13 million people are believed to be in desperate need of humanitarian help. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people are reportedly trapped, with a limited supply of food and water, in the city of Mariupol. According to a DW report, the situation on the ground on Saturday is "far from being well-organized" and "pretty chaotic." The dire scenario makes it difficult for a Red Cross evacuation team to reach the trapped residents in the besieged port city. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the team has been trying to rescue the civilians since Friday. But Russia's Defense Ministry blames the ICRC team, saying that the convoys left too late in their scheduled travel into the city. Read Also: Russia-Ukraine War: US Confirms Ukraine Strike on Russian Oil Depot Ukrainian Military Regains Kyiv Region Meanwhile, a senior Ukrainian defense official claimed that the Kyiv region had been set free from Russian control. Ukrainian Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said in a Facebook post on Saturday that the Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, and "the whole" region of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, was "liberated from the invader." She said in a post on Facebook that Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, and "the whole Kyiv region was liberated from the invader." Now it is time to refrain from entering the freed settlements until the allocation is completed," the translation of her post reads. In the past days, Ukrainian forces regained control of Kyiv's suburbs. However, as of present writing, the international media network CNN has not received immediate verification if the Kyiv region is already clear of Russian military presence. But Moscow's troops claimed that it is "de-escalating" the region. The mayor of Bucha, outside Ukraine's capital Kyiv, said that around 300 people had been buried in a mass grave in his town, which the Ukrainian forces retook from Russian control. Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk said that there are "280 people in mass graves," and the town streets are devastated with corpses lying everywhere, as per an Al Jazeera report. The local official added that the victims, men, and women, were "shot, killed, in the back of the head"-- including a 14-year old boy. Fedoruk also said that it had been a difficult challenge to collect corpses on the town streets at the moment due to fears that the Russian military placed booby traps in the dead bodies. He said that he had sighted no less than 22 corpses along the roads of Bucha. Related Article: Russian Troops Flee Chernobyl Amid Possible 'Acute Radiation Sickness,' Ukrainian Officials Claim @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Another week, another This Week on iTP rundown of the top stories here on the site! The internet, in particular, seems to have had a pretty busy and colorful week this past week. From Will Smith slapping Chris Rock memes to leaks from "hacktivist" group Anonymous, a lot went down and we are about to talk about it right now. Believe it or not, Apple and Meta, two of the biggest tech companies in the world, have been scammed by hackers into giving sensitive data by hackers. How did the hackers manager to do so? By using a fake emergency data request that law enforcement officials typically use. The scam is reportedly to have taken place last year. A cybercriminal group that has since disbanded is said to be behind it. NASA had been teasing that they have a big announcement coming up and true enough, it is a very big and important one. In fact, the space agency ended up announcing that the Hubble Space Telescope has captured the farthest star it has seen to date. The star has been named Earendel and it is being reported that the light from the star had to travel around 12.9 billion years before it could reach our planet. It is also being said that the star is millions of times brighter than our own sun. Read Also: #ThisWeekOnITP: NASA's SLS Rollout, Russia Running Out of Data Storage, and More! Arguably the most talked about event of the week, actor Will Smith made headlines during this year's Oscars when he went up the stage and slapped fellow comedian Chris Rock. Prior to the event now known as "The Slap," Rock had joked about the bald head of Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia. Needless to say, the internet did not waste any time and there were soon a number of memes going around related to the incident. To say that cyber "hacktivist" group Anonymous is not happy with Russia and its government's decision to invade Ukraine is probably the understatement of the year. In fact, the group seems to be far from done hacking and stealing sensitive information from the country and its companies. Its latest leak involves a mining company that is said to have refused to leave Russia. Anonymous has also warned that it is preparing for another leak that it describess will "blow Russia away." This past week's top story involves a Google Chrome security update that includes an emergency fix for a zero-day exploit. The zero-day bug is tracked as CVE-2022-1096 and is considered a high-severity Type Confusion in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine. Type confusion flaws usually cause browsers like Google Chrome to crash after the vulnerability is exploited. Related Article: #ThisWeekOnITP: Anonymous Leaks Russian Central Bank Docs, Polestar 2 Arrival in the US, and More! RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia state agencies collectively lost situational awareness and failed to keep up with growing gridlock during a January snowstorm that stranded hundreds of motorists along Interstate 95, a state-commissioned report released Friday said. While the 41-page report offered suggestions for improving future emergency responses, it did not ascribe blame to any single person or agency. It noted first responders faced unusually heavy snowfall, busier-than-normal traffic and COVID-19-related staffing shortages all while dealing with a highway corridor notorious for congestion in the best of circumstances. State officials, including leaders of the Virginia Department of Transportation, vowed to thoroughly review the report and its recommendations. VDOTs top priority is and always will be the safety of the traveling public, and as we learn from each event, this report highlighted key areas for us to refine in our winter-weather operations, Virginia Commissioner of Highways Stephen Brich said. No deaths or injuries were reported from the gridlock near the nations capital. But the monster logjams fed outrage among motorists, some of them stranded overnight Monday, Jan. 3, into Tuesday, Jan. 4, pleading on social media for help. The report included a detailed timeline. It noted plowing began as snow began accumulating, but earlier rain meant roads couldnt be pretreated. Traffic accidents began just before 4 a.m. Monday and conditions worsened for hours, with traffic bogging down in heavy afternoon congestion, the report said. Snowfall then intensified, with reports of three inches an hour falling in the Fredericksburg area south of Washington, D.C. Snowplows struggled to keep up. The queue of traffic continued to build and by 3 a.m. that Tuesday, numerous clusters of disabled cars and tractor-trailers were scattered along a 40-mile (65-kilometer) stretch of I-95 both ways, the report said. With alternate routes impassable, problems mounted and state agencies collectively lost situational awareness and could not verify the extent and locations of the blockages, according to the report. It said that was partly due to numerous technological challenges, including a traffic camera failure during widespread power outages; a power outage and ensuing generator issue at a Virginia State Police communications center; severe communications issues with inoperable cell towers; and a system failure of the VDOT real-time traffic information service. Information also flooded in from social media posts but responding agencies didnt have a plan for using those non-traditional data sources to form an operational picture, the report said, adding that information was not conveyed to agency leadership in real time. Meanwhile, some VDOT districts experienced field staff shortages because of COVID-19, and Virginia State Police had widespread staffing issues before the storm, according to the report. Adding to the woes, passenger traffic was higher than normal because of recent holidays and a raft of flight cancellations, the report said. And just-in-time trucking was up since 2019, partly due to supply chain issues. The report addressed questions frequently raised in the immediate aftermath of the snowstorm, including why then-Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, did not activate the Virginia National Guard. The report said state officials explored the possibility but noted, as Northam did at the time, that the Guard is not a quick reaction force. The report said the Guard, even if it had been activated, would have had little to no impact on a situation already in progress. The report also addressed questions raised about why more direct assistance to the stranded motorists was not provided. State officials considering that concluded the best strategy was to stay focused on clearing the highway, it said. Responding to the report, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin and members of his administration took critical aim at Northam and his office. Youngkin said in a news release that the report showed the previous administrations leadership did not properly prepare or communicate. In a letter to Youngkin, Transportation Secretary W. Sheppard Miller III and Public Safety Secretary Robert Mosier claimed there was almost no apparent involvement by the Governor or his senior staff. The secretaries wrote it appeared neither Northam nor his staff considered an emergency declaration. Emails obtained by The Associated Press in the aftermath of the gridlock showed that was not the case and that consideration was given as to whether one was appropriate. Northams name was mentioned only once in the report, which did not list anyone from his office among those interviewed. The report did not explain the interview selections. The report was produced by CNA, a nonprofit research and analysis organization that has conducted similar work for the U.S. Navy and local, state and federal government agencies. It said it drew from documents including situation reports, real-time planning documents, news articles, social media, interviews and other sources. The report also included an admonition to motorists. Additionally, the public bears some responsibility to stay informed about road conditions and traffic during snowstorms, and should implement an informed decision-making process before choosing to take to the roadways, it said. Associated Press writer Denise Lavoie contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Kwon Jin-kyu's "Self Portrait" (1968), left, and "Self Portrait" (1969-70) / Courtesy of Kwon Jin Kyu Commemoration Foundation, SeMA Ongoing exhibition marks sculptor's birth centennial By Park Han-sol Kwon Jin-kyu, a pioneer of modern sculpture in Korea / Courtesy of Kwon Jin Kyu Commemoration Foundation "A model adorned in vanity and religion, I must remove the model's masquerade and resurrect her in plaster clay. I drain the desire from her thick lips and wipe her snake-like eye rims with purified water." In his poem featured in the Chosun Ilbo daily in 1972, pioneering sculptor Kwon Jin-kyu (1922-1973) details his distinctive artistic goal to materialize what he calls an "angel of my atelier" the pure spiritual ideals that transcend time and space. Borrowing the sculptor's definition of his own oeuvre, the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) in central Seoul is hosting his largest retrospective to date, titled "Kwon Jin Kyu Centennial: Angel of Atelier," in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of his birth. More than 240 works of terracotta and lacquer sculptures, reliefs, drawings and oil paintings spanning between the 1950s and 1970s are on display. Visually speaking, the exhibition is structured to resemble the shape of the brick well and kiln Kwon used when he was alive, thereby transforming itself into an alluring journey to the artist's studio. "While Kwon is most famously labeled as an artist in a lifelong pursuit of 'Korean realism,' the element he ultimately sought for in his works is neither realism nor beauty, but a sense of eternity," curator Han Hee-jean said at a press conference held recently at the museum. "The sculptor would closely observe objects and human models around him, but instead of simply replicating their physical realness, he would encapsulate the invisible essence that lies within each of them and eternalize it." Kwon Jin-kyu's "Bust 'Z'" (1967) / Courtesy of SeMA Therefore, although his subjects varied widely throughout the two decades of his artistic career from his signature female busts and self-portraits to statues of Buddha and Jesus Christ and animal sculptures his effort to capture the spiritual essence within them remained the same. Kwon's goal to represent "eternity" in his sculptures was also the reason why he chose the medium of terracotta which he described as a material that doesn't rot easily, as seen from the surviving burial artifacts from ancient times and lacquer, which is distinctively resistant to damage by water, abrasion and acid. But while using these traditional materials and methods, he never failed to incorporate his own artistic style. For example, although lacquer products are typically designed to have a smooth surface layer, Kwon purposefully added hemp cloth, wood flour and red clay powder to transform his sculptures with a uniquely rough texture. Han described the sculptor as "a true modernist" for refusing to assign hierarchy or make a clear distinction between the figurative and the abstract, the East and the West, women and men and the secular and the ideal in his works. Kwon Jin-kyu's "Crucifixion" (1970) / Courtesy of SeMA His "Crucifixion" is one example, where he fused the symbols of Christianity (Jesus Christ) and Buddhism (wheel of dharma) into a peculiar whole. Similarly, "Buddha Statue" combines the head of Maitreya, a bodhisattva, and the body of the Buddha, thereby merging the secular world with the transcendent ideal. One aspect of Kwon's life that is seared into the collective memory is none other than his death, when he took his own life at the age of 51 in his studio the same day he attended an exhibition at Korea University, where three of his own pieces were on display. Although the exact reason behind his suicide remains undisclosed, some speculate that he suffered from internal torment for being unable to achieve the level of perfection he long yearned for or possibly his unrequited love for one of his pupils. He was said to be frustrated by his sculptures being unable to appeal to the public largely due to the unfamiliar nature of his works, which were not influenced by any schools of thought or trends in Korea at the time. "But one thing is for certain: Kwon was able to establish his own sense of modernity in his oeuvre, making him an iconic and meaningful figure in the history of Korean sculpture," Han said. "Kwon Jin Kyu Centennial: Angel of Atelier" runs through May 22 at SeMA. After the Seoul edition, the show is scheduled to travel to Gwangju Museum of Art in July. SeMA will also establish a permanent exhibition hall dedicated to the artist at the Nam-Seoul Museum of Art in Gwanak District next year. North Korea blasted a recent United Nations resolution condemning Pyongyang's human rights abuses, Sunday, calling it "a product of illegal and inhuman hostile policy" of Washington against the reclusive nation. The U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed the resolution for the 20th consecutive year Friday. The resolution condemned the North's continued rights violations and highlighted worsening humanitarian conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. North Korea's foreign ministry issued a statement Sunday to reject the resolution, condemning it as "a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our state and a political provocation against it." "As the fair and impartial international society recognize, the anti-DPRK human rights resolution put forward by the U.S. and the Western countries every year does not bear any relation to genuine human rights," read the ministry's English-language statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "And it is no more than a highly politicized means of hostility to tarnish the dignified image of the DPRK and to deny the genuine rights and interests of the Korean people," the statement also read. The ministry also said institutional human rights violations, such as racial discrimination and violence against women, are rampant in the U.S. and other Western states, adding it was hypocritical of them to pose as "human rights judges" on North Korea. "The DPRK will show zero tolerance for hostile acts by the U.S. and its followers," the ministry added. "And it will do its level best to safeguard our socialist system and the genuine people's rights which our people value as their life." (Yonhap) Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. MONTANA Lawsuit: EPA fails to protect Montana rivers from pollution BILLINGS A conservation group has filed a lawsuit against U.S. environmental officials for alleged failure to intervene after the Montana Legislature rolled back longstanding water pollution rules. The Bozeman-based Upper Missouri Waterkeeper group said a set of replacement rules proposed by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality will allow more nutrient pollution to enter streams, rivers and other waterways across the state. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has oversight of the state's pollution rules and is required to approve or reject the changes but has failed to do so, according to the lawsuit filed on March 24 in U.S. District Court in Great Falls. Nutrient pollution comes from farm fertilizer, industrial plants, treated sewage waste, pet waste and numerous other sources. It can be harmful to fish and human health by encouraging the growth of algae blooms that are sometimes toxic. Montana's Republican-dominated Legislature last year repealed longstanding rules that dictated specific water pollution limits, also known as numeric standards. Those limits are being replaced with "narrative" standards that describe what conditions should be present for a waterbody that's free of pollution. State officials have said the rules would protect rivers and streams that are vital to the state's tourism and recreation industries, while creating flexibility in how nutrients get reduced by polluters. They have rejected concerns that the rules would degrade waterways. EPA spokesperson Richard Mylott said the agency had no comment on the litigation against the agency. IDAHO Governor signs law to boost execution drug secrecy BOISE Idaho Gov. Brad Little has signed into law a bill that dramatically increases the secrecy surrounding Idaho's execution drugs. The Republican governor signed the bill on March 23 after it passed the Senate 21-14 and the House 38-30. The law prohibits Idaho officials from revealing where they obtain the drugs used in lethal injections, even if the officials are ordered to do so by the courts. The legislation drew passionate debate from Republican and Democratic opponents who said it would be challenged in court, that executions require more transparency rather than less and that it would reduce public trust in the state's execution process. But supporters said the bill was the only way that the state would be able to continue to carry out lawful executions, because no suppliers of lethal injection chemicals will sell the drugs to the state without guaranteed confidentiality. Republican Sen. Todd Lakey, one of the bill's sponsors, said the drugs are tested for efficacy before they are used and that the Idaho Department of Correction takes executions seriously. Nineteen other states have similar confidentiality provisions, he said. ARIZONA Legislature approves 15-week abortion ban PHOENIX The Arizona Legislature on March 24 joined the growing list of Republican-led states to pass aggressive anti-abortion legislation as the conservative U.S. Supreme Court is considering ratcheting back abortion rights that have been in place for nearly 50 years. The House voted on party lines to outlaw abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, mirroring a Mississippi law now being considered by the nation's high court. The bill explicitly says it does not overrule a state law in place for more than 100 years that would ban abortion outright if the Supreme Court overrules Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that enshrined the right to abortion in law. The bill now goes to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, an abortion opponent who has signed every piece of anti-abortion legislation that has reached his desk since he took office in 2015. The Arizona 15-week abortion ban bill contains no exceptions for rape or incest and would also bar abortions for families that learn later on in a pregnancy that a fetus is not viable. It contains exemptions for medical emergencies in which the mother is at risk of dying or having permanent, irreversible injury. The measure was pushed by the Center for Arizona Policy, a prominent social conservative group that pushes religious freedom, anti-abortion and parental rights bills that wields great power among Republican lawmakers. Minority Democrats have said the measure is unconstitutional and that any ban would disproportionally impact poor and minority women who won't be able to travel to states without strict abortion laws. But Sen. Nancy Barto, the Republican sponsor of the bill, has said she hopes the high court upholds Mississippi's law banning abortion after 15 weeks. Under current abortion rulings, abortion is legal until the point a fetus can survive outside the womb, which is usually around 24 weeks. Barto's bill would make it a crime for a doctor to perform an abortion after 15 weeks but would prohibit the prosecution of pregnant people for receiving one. Doctors could face felony charges and lose their license to practice medicine. NEW MEXICO Oil companies join fight against nuclear waste facilities CARLSBAD Oil companies operating in the most active oilfield in the United States are the latest opponents of plans to store spent nuclear fuel from commercial power plants in the Permian Basin. Federal regulators already have granted a license for one interim storage project in West Texas, and developers are awaiting approval for a similar facility in southeastern New Mexico. Tommy Taylor, chairman of the Permian Basin Coalition, said in a recent statement that rising gas prices and global tensions involving Russia one of the world's largest oil producers should be a concern. The coalition has called on Congress to include language to block the storage projects in the federal omnibus spending package, the Carlsbad Current-Argus reported. The coalition's members include Shell Oil Company, the Texas Oil and Gas Association and dozens of Texas cities, counties and chambers of commerce. The Nuclear Regulator Commission recently granted a license to Waste Control Specialists for a storage facility in Andrews, Texas. They're still considering an application by Holtec International for a similar facility just to the west of the state line in New Mexico. Both facilities would see thousands of metric tons of spent fuel shipped into Texas and New Mexico from nuclear power plants around the country for temporary storage pending development of a permanent repository. Critics, including top elected officials from Texas and New Mexico, have voiced concerns because the federal government lacks any plans for a permanent resting place for the radioactive waste. Bandelier officials assessing area of fatal rock fall LOS ALAMOS Officials are assessing the area of Bandelier National Monument in northern New Mexico where an Illinois woman was killed when struck by a falling rock while climbing a ladder to reach a canyon alcove. Monument officials said Brenda Holzer, 54, was fatally injured on March 23 while climbing the second of four ladders to reach the Alcove House. Bandelier spokesperson Joanie Budzileni told the Santa Fe New Mexican there was no evidence the falling rock was caused by another person and that the Alcove House hadn't experienced a similar incident in recent history. Officials were "assessing and investigating the entire Alcove House area," which was closed after the incident, Budzileni said in an email. Longtime climber Peter Olson of Santa Fe said wintertime snow melting in the cracks of rock formations can expand and dislodge rocks over time. A snowstorm blanketed the area earlier this week. Olson said people who develop rock climbing routes try to remove dangerous rocks that might fall. "But places like Bandelier are not really a rock climbing area," Olson added. "It's a historic area with ladders and who knows what type of mitigation they did above it." 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. Kim Yo-jong, second from left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in talk while watching a performance by North Korea's Samjiyon art troupe inside Haeoreum Grand Theater of the National Theater of Korea in Seoul's Jung District in February 2018. Yonhap By Ko Dong-hwan North Korea lambasted South Korea on Sunday after the South's defense minister said Seoul is capable of launching preemptive strikes against "any target" in the North. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and an influential figure in Pyongyang's politburo, said Seoul will face serious consequences if it makes any military moves against the North. "On April 1, the South's defense minister showed a belligerent maniacal nature by mentioning 'preemptive strikes' against our country," Kim Yo-jong, the vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), was quoted as saying by the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), the North's official mouthpiece. "The South might encounter a serious threat because of the absurd comment their defense minister recklessly made." She accused the South of provoking the North through extreme language and expressing its willingness to challenge the regime. "I will seriously warn the South with the power vested in me," Kim added. "We will reconsider a lot as to our concerns with the South." Experts assume that the "vested" power she mentioned most likely refers to the authority as endorsed by her brother. The younger Kim also observed that the South's defense minister's comments essentially provoked a "nuclear-armed country," which wouldn't be of any benefit to his country. "Repent unless you want to see a disaster," she said. "I wish he never repeats such blunder." Her comments came after South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook on April 1 underscored the South's missile capabilities amid heightened tensions following Pyongyang's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch on March 24. He made the comments during a ceremony marking the reinforcement of the Army Missile Strategic Command in Wonju, Gangwon Province, as he ordered troops to maintain a "firm" readiness posture. Suh said on Friday that South Korea's military currently possesses large numbers and various types of missiles that are advanced in terms of range, accuracy and power, and have the capability to strike any target in North Korea accurately and swiftly. The Republic of Korea Air Force's F-35As take part in an "elephant walk" exercise on March 25 at a South Korean air base. / Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense Suh further stressed the South Korean military's ability to conduct precision strikes on the "origin of any attack and its command and support facilities." It was an apparent warning against additional provocations by Pyongyang. Earlier in the day, Suh vowed to further develop an "advanced, multilayered missile defense system that the North does not possess," during another event celebrating the strengthening of the Air and Missile Defense Command at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. The last time Kim Yo-jong released a statement to the public was last September. North Korea's top military official, Pak Jong-chon, also warned South Korea in a separate statement that Pyongyang will destroy any target in the South in case of a preemptive strike. "If the South Korean army engages in a dangerous military action such as a preemptive strike against the North due to a misjudgment, our army will mercilessly direct all of its military force into destroying major targets in Seoul and the South Korean army," Pak said. Pak, the secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, added that the two Koreas are still technically at war, since the Korean War ended in an armistice in 1953. Any slight misjudgment or ill statement under the current military tension, he said, may trigger a "dangerous conflict and a full-blown war." The statements issued by the North Korean leader's sister and Pak were carried by the Rodong Sinmun, a North Korean daily. North Korea has conducted 12 missile tests so far this year, including the latest ICBM launch on March 24, escalating tensions not only in East Asia but also the United States, which has always kept a close eye on North Korea's missile capability. Following the North's ICBM launch, South Korea has been highlighting its military readiness by showcasing its firepower and air assets. The South's Air Force carried out an "elephant walk" drill on March 25 using dozens of F-35A stealth fighters, in which fighter jets form a fleet and move in unison until seconds before takeoff with weapons fully loaded. Australias federal budget The Australia federal government announced the budget for the next fiscal year 2022-2023. It has several items related to tech and ICT. Skills and training One announcement was on skills and training, but there are different values being discussed and the technology industry itself seems confused about what is what and where it will go. So far, this is what we understand may have an impact in the Australian tech industry: There is a $12 billion investment over five years for the National Skills Agreement (NSA), which is yet to be agreed on. There is an additional $3.7 billion investment to support the NSA, which intends to bring state and territories together supporting vocational education and training. There is also a $4 billion investment over five years to introduce a new Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System (AAIS), designed to increase commencements and completions in priority occupations and support employers around Australia to fill skill shortages. $3.9 million will go into a program to support women to develop and use their digital skills and, in partnership with industry, provide free tailored online digital training to pursue a mid-career transition into the tech workforce. There are other incentives such as $48.5 million to further support JobTrainer. [ Further reading: Diversity and inclusion make IT stronger ] Tax deduction sounds too good to be true Delivering the budget, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that, as of 29 March 2022, for every hundred dollars a small business spends on training their employees, they will get a $120 tax deduction. The same incentive applies to small businesses that spend on digital technologies like cloud computing, e-invoicing, cybersecurity, and web design. This incentive will apply to those investing up to $100,000 per year. $9.9 billion investment on cybersecurity The Australia federal government announced a $9.9 billion investment in cybersecurity for the next 10 years, which is set to create 1,900 jobs including data analysts, programmers, and software engineers. This investment will deliver the resilience, effects, defence, space, intelligence, cyber and enablers (REDSPICE) package to enhance the offensive and defensive cyber and intelligence capabilities of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD). $10.7 million goes into IT cadetship trial MEGT Australia, Goanna Solutions, the Creative Co-operation, and Community Corporate will share $10.7 million from the Australia federal governments Digital Skills Cadetship Trial. The program will focus on skills in demand such as cybersecurity, data analytics, and cloud computing and priority will be given to those changing careers, those that have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, and those returning to the workforce, particularly women. The four organisations will trial a different approach to upskill people for digital roles over a four- to-six-month period. Cadetships will blend formal training with on-the-job learning and mentoring. Cadets will put their newly acquired digital skills into practice with employers that will be matched with the tech talent they need. Cadetship projects will test a range of training strategies using accredited and nonaccredited vocational education and training, as well as industry-recognised courses offered by global technology companies. The goal of the trial is to identify opportunities to enhance Australias national education and training system. Here is what each organisation has proposed: In partnership with the Institute of Applied Technology in Digital Tech, Prodigy Learning, and Women in Technology, and supported by Microsoft Australia, MEGT (Australia) will help women across Australia begin a career in data analytics, cloud computing, or cybersecurity using Microsoft certifications and specialist microcredentials. Goanna Solutions, an Aboriginal-owned and -operated tech education-to-employment and Registered Training Organisation specialising in ICT, will provide accredited vocational education and training and industry-recognised vendor training across various digital career pathways. The project will target diverse groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, older career changers, and regionally based participants. The Creative Co-operation will provide structured, industry-recognised digital skills training with a focus on cultural and linguistically diverse women and youth. Community Corporate will provide refugees and humanitarian migrants with digital skills training in cloud computing using ServiceNow qualifications and on-the-job placements with large employers. Gender pay gap for digital work can be as high as 37% A new report has found structural barriers to womens workforce participation and fair payment are present in digital work. The Gendered Dimensions of Digital Platform Work Review of the Literature and New Findings was commissioned by the Victoria government in June 2021 and delivered by the Queensland University of Technology. The report confirmed findings of previous reports that women earn significantly less than men, which according to the report in gig-economy roles can vary between 10% and 37% less. For the same work, on average men earned $2.67 per hour more than women. The state government will consult with workers and unions, businesses and industry representatives, and academics to introduce standards that promote transparency and fair conduct by hiring platforms and to improve outcomes for nonemployee on-demand workers, while not compromising on fairness or stifling innovation and entrepreneurship. NextDC Darwin data centre still waits for approval NextDC is waiting for development approval to what expects will be an 8MW data centre located in Darwins central business district. In November 2021, the company announced it had been selected by the Northern Territory government to build the data centre. The plan is to build the D1 data centre in the citys central business district next to a major electricity substation, as well as near critical telecommunications, utilities, public infrastructure, and the Charles Darwin University campus. NextDC revealed plans for the space to accommodate an innovation centre, a collaboration hub that will promote research, development, and new incubator programs, as well as a mission-critical operations space. Vocus is the facility anchor tenant and will provide high-capacity connectivity to D1 on its Terabit Territory fibre network. Destination Southland for Tier 4 data centre Recently formed company T4 Group has announced plans to build a colocation centre in Southland, which it says will be both New Zealands first Tier 4 and carbon neutral data centre. T4 Group was founded in 2021 and following its acquisition of Advanced Data Centres (ADC) in Northland, the company now plans to develop a network of regional data centres across the country. The groups head office will also be located in Southland. The new facility will use hydro power and maximise cool natural airflow to reduce reliance on powered cooling systems making it a carbon neutral data centre, T4 claims. Using the regions natural resources, such as access to hydro energy, means the company will not have to rely on coal as a secondary power source as other data centres in New Zealand generally do, the company said. The modular design of the new data centre will also allow newer, more sustainable technology to be incorporated into future expansions. Construction is expected to start by early 2023. Kiwi workers: Reward us for what we do deliver, not how long we work. Its time for New Zealand business leaders to reconsider what productivity means, according to a new report. Commissioned by Microsoft, the survey found 71% of New Zealanders want to be rewarded for the impact of the work they do rather than hours worked. Respondents identified meeting business objectives, positive client feedback and achieving individual goals as the most important KPIs to hit. In response, 32% of New Zealand employers are rethinking how to measure productivity within the next year, said Microsoft. The results also showed Kiwis place an especially high value on relationships. Meanwhile, even though employees are keen to embrace a more hybrid way of working, beyond simply measuring time spent in the office, the report also found that one in three Kiwi employers will require their team to go back into the office full-time in the next 12 months. With modern tools and technologies businesses should be better able to measure the elements of work that can help increase productivity, Microsoft said. Titled Great Expectations: Making Hybrid Work Work, the report surveyed 31,000 people in 31 countries. Hi-Tech Awards finalists announced The finalists in the 2022 NZ Hi-Tech Awards have been announced. The event that runs since 1994 recognises tech companies and individuals across ICT, electronics, software, biotechnology, creative, telecommunications, and digital media. A record number of new companies from across the country and from all areas of the high-tech sector entered the awards this year, according to the organiser. The finalists across the 14 award categories are: PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year award: Cin7, Education Perfect, Kami, Pushpay, Seequent, and Wellington Drive Technologies. Cin7, Education Perfect, Kami, Pushpay, Seequent, and Wellington Drive Technologies. Pacific Edge Hi-Tech Emerging Company of the Year award: Auror, LawVu, Lumin, MacroActive, NanoLayr, and UBCO. Auror, LawVu, Lumin, MacroActive, NanoLayr, and UBCO. Punakaiki Fund Hi-Tech Startup Company of the Year award: Halter, Hectre, Narrative, Onside, and Seen Safety. Halter, Hectre, Narrative, Onside, and Seen Safety. IBM Hi-Tech Inspiring Individual award: Brooke Roberts, Dr Elizabeth Berryman, Graham Le Gros, Pieta Brown, Shaun Maloney, Tamara Buckland, and Terry Miller. Brooke Roberts, Dr Elizabeth Berryman, Graham Le Gros, Pieta Brown, Shaun Maloney, Tamara Buckland, and Terry Miller. Callaghan Innovation Hi-Tech Kamupene Maori o te Tau Maori Company of the Year award: Agrisea, Envico Technologies, Height Project Management, and Plink Software. Agrisea, Envico Technologies, Height Project Management, and Plink Software. Duncan Cotterill Most Innovative Hi-Tech Software Solution award: Auror, M2X GroupParkable, Partly, and Wellington Drive Technologies. Auror, M2X GroupParkable, Partly, and Wellington Drive Technologies. Kiwibank Most Innovative Hi-Tech Service Award: Beany, Envico Technologies, Fi Innovations, First AML, Hnry, and Reveal. Beany, Envico Technologies, Fi Innovations, First AML, Hnry, and Reveal. Endace Most Innovative Hi-Tech Hardware Product award: Alimetry, Eight360, StretchSense, Teknique, The Insides Company, and The Village Goldsmith. Alimetry, Eight360, StretchSense, Teknique, The Insides Company, and The Village Goldsmith. Halo Consulting Best Contribution to the NZ Tech Sector award: Digital Future Aotearoa, Humanitix, Microsoft, and Summer of Tech. Digital Future Aotearoa, Humanitix, Microsoft, and Summer of Tech. New Zealand Trade & Enterprise Most Innovative Hi-Tech Agritech Solution award: Crospy, Hectre, M2X Group, and SmartMachine. Crospy, Hectre, M2X Group, and SmartMachine. Xero Hi-Tech Young Achiever: Ankita Dhakar, Caleb McIvor, Imche Fourie, Jamie Beaton, Levi Fawcett, and Tal Meser. Ankita Dhakar, Caleb McIvor, Imche Fourie, Jamie Beaton, Levi Fawcett, and Tal Meser. Soul Machines Most Innovative Deep Tech Solution award: Alimetry, Halter, and Marama Labs. Alimetry, Halter, and Marama Labs. Auckland Unlimited Most Innovative Hi-Tech Creative Technology Solution award: Alimetry, Excio, Imagr, Rocketwerkz, StretchSense, and Writers Toolbox. Alimetry, Excio, Imagr, Rocketwerkz, StretchSense, and Writers Toolbox. Visa Best Hi-Tech Solution for the Public Good award: GNS Science, and Kara Technologies. Winners will be announced on Friday, 5 August 2022. Microsoft launches A/NZ startup hub Microsoft has launched a new service that aims to support founders in New Zealand and Australia at every stage of their startup journey with access to more than US$300,000 in benefits. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a digital platform which gives startups free access to technology, tools, and resources to help build and run their business. Founders will also be able to access mentorship and training opportunities with industry experts and Microsoft Learn the vendors learning platform. New Zealand-based cleantech company, Phytrac, has had early access to the programme. CEO Owen Darby said as an entrepreneur it was important that he can focus on his core offering while having access to technology, tools and resources to allow him to build his business. He said that for someone that doesnt have a development background tools such as Power Platform, Power Automate and Power BI Pro, can be very useful. The hub is designed for early-stage startups and is available to all startups in New Zealand, including those without third-party backing. Contractor's Question: Are British citizens required to have a visa to work in Switzerland? As a UK national, I've been told some job sites that I would require a visa for a few Zurich-based contracts. But doesn't Switzerland's status in the EEC entitle free-movement of Britons to work there? If it doesn't, how quickly can I arrange the relevant visa and paperwork to work at a Swiss client company? Expert's Answer: British, and indeed European, passport holders do not need a visa to travel to Switzerland. Switzerland is part of the EU social charter for the free movement of labour to and from its borders. That said, a person still requires a residence and work permit to work in Switzerland and there are a number of different types of permit. To obtain a work permit: * An employer in Switzerland must announce to the competent authority the activity for a short period (three consecutive months or 90 days per calendar year) of the nationals of the former EU Member states. * The Nationals of the former EU Members States intending to work in Switzerland for more than 90 days are required to obtain a work permit for the length of their stay. The approval of the commune of residency must be obtained to make the request. * For jobseekers from the new EU Member States, the application for a work permit must be made by the employer to the competent authority. Fortunately, this process is extremely fast and a person can start work immediately while the paperwork is being processed. As a freelance contractor, you must also be aware that if you work in Switzerland you must work through a company/agency that holds a valid labour leasing licence and manages your payroll as an employee. The expert was Paul Matthews of Capital Tax Consulting. Further information on working in Switzerland as a British national is available from Sigma. Converting locally earned dollars or dinars - and the likes of - into pounds and pence is a growing business for us, partly thanks to IT contractors cottoning on to a potential saving of 8,000, writes Alan Williams of TorFX. The rise of the global IT contractor Its also partly down to the sheer number of IT contractors who are increasingly going global in the way they live, work and transact. They want currencies to be exchangeable 24 hours a day (not just when their bank opens); sometimes on the same day (it takes up to 12 days with some banks) and via someone whos contactable (theres no human intermediary with peer-to-peer exchanges). And its not just the straightforward conversion of dollars into sterling that IT contractors expect with all of the above. One-offs, ROPs and Multiples In fact, were seeing contract IT professionals wanting to make ROPs Regular Overseas Payments sometimes in a handful of different currencies, on top of the ubiquitous one-off lump sum transfer. Lets take an example. Lee is an IT contractor in London whose Plan B website business is finally up and running but only thanks to two developers, one in Austria, the other in Russia. The one in Austria Lee needs to pay now from the UK in Austrias currency (Euros). So Lees looking at a one off lump sum transfer. But the developer in Russia will need both paying now in Russian currency (Rubles), and for every forthcoming month for the next six months, as the developer will be doing maintenance work on Lees site until November. So Lee will also need to make ROPs, for half a year. Jan is another example of an IT contractor who we can service. Shes a Norwegian computer programmer who has just started living and working in Bristol in the UK. She wants money owed to her from a client in Oslo sent to her new UK company account. Shes not eyeing a major new purchase as such; she just wants to have her funds where shes now living. Jan and Lee want to make different types of foreign exchange transactions, though both want to make the most of their money. By ignoring their bank and using a broker, each IT contractor will typically be looking at 3% more currency for their cash. They can potentially also avoid the commission or transfer fees that their local branch would have imposed, as some leading brokers waive these. IT contractor Sam should bypass the bank too But the ROP services on big sums are where the biggest savings via some brokers are on offer. Youd be wise to consider these when looking at a transfer of wages (like Lee) or on a mortgage, like Sam, below. Systems integrator Sam is a working on a temporary contract in Manchester but the fees hes going to get for his hard work he wants to go towards a mortgage and property deposit hes looking to make happen in Prague. So he wants to convert the British pounds hes going to get paid into Czech Crowns and send it to a bank account hes got in the Czech Republic, to service both the deposit and the ensuing mortgage. Sam should bear in mind that if he does try the above via his bank, then they can add on a whole host of fees for transfers of this sort, such as flat fees, minimum charges and transfer fees, which can cost anywhere between 10-40. Like Sam, if youre about to conduct regular overseas currency transfers each month, be aware that those additional charges can soon add up and prove to be a painful cost to your business. PSC (Personal Service Counts) Furthermore, if you have several ROPs you need to make every month, you can set up multiple plans at a commercial rate to enable you to transfer money easily. The best brokers also assign you a personal account manager, who can help you handle all your foreign exchange needs and manage your regular payments. The best managers will offer you specialist insight into the market and help you pick the best time to trade. Having him or her at the end of the phone gives you piece of mind about your serious financial transactions, and a point of contact from start to finish. Its also much more efficient to call them direct than waiting in call centre queues. Where brokers come into their own As to the 8,000 saving mentioned at this pieces outset, lets take the example of one large international money transfer. If youre moving 200,000 with a high street bank, they may offer you a GBP/EUR exchange rate of 1.34%, whereas a broker would likely offer you 1.39%. With the banks exchange rate youd receive around 269,660 for your money. Whereas if you used the brokers 1.39% exchange rate, youd receive 278,000 instead -- a massive 8,340 difference. Thats the saving even before you take into account transfer fees and commission costs. Joe is a British-born IT contractor whose interested in making such hefty savings but he wont begin working in France, where hell be paid in Euros, until mid-July, more than two months away. The good news is that Joe and any other IT contractor looking to transfer money in the near future can fix an exchange rate they find today, by getting from a broker whats called a forward contract. This document effectively keeps the rate fixed for up to two years. These forward contracts allowing you to fix an exchange rate is a sure-fire way to get your finances organised now, before you depart for your contract overseas, at the same time as being able to insulate yourself from the Eurozones economic headwinds, which could adversely affect how much you get for your money. So if IT contracting overseas looks just the ticket for you; dont delay, fix today. Editor's Note: For more on Foreign Exchange services for contractors click here. Contractor's Question I was wondering if anyone could offer some advice. I've won a nice long-term contract with Microsoft in Belgium. It won't be as financially lucrative as a UK contract due to the additional expenses of travelling and renting accomodation out there and the additional tax burden (explained below) but I'm prepared to accept that to get "worked for Microsoft" on my CV. At the moment no contracts have been signed so I can still pull out if necessary (not that I want to, but...) The problem that I have is that since being offered the role, I have found out that I cannot operate legally over there and use my UK based limited company. The most tax-efficient way to work out there is therefore to use a native management company to register me with a form E101 and act as a Swiss national (sort of). What this basically means, is that I will be hit with tax and other contributions of around 35% of my top-line which is considerably more than in the UK. I'm currently trying to negotiate the rate to make it worthwhile as given my family (kids and wife) won't be joining me, I'll be travelling and coming home at weekends. So, presuming we can get the rate to something that I like (and I think it's possible) what is my UK tax burden? My understanding - and I fully acknowledge that this could be erroneous - is that there is an EU understanding in place that means I would only be liable for any additional tax in the UK if what I pay in Belgium is less than what I would pay in the UK. As I would normally expect to pay around the 20-25% margin, then 35% means I'll be paying around 10-15% more than I would here. Can I get a rebate of that additional 10-15%? Thanks very much. Expert's Answer: This is a very well thought-through question, and covers almost everything that needs considering. You have been correctly informed that you cannot use your UK limited company in Belgium, and management companies are indeed a good way of running your local tax affairs in a compliant manner. There are two questions here: that of tax residency and that of the double-taxation avoidance treaty between the UK and Belgium. From a tax residency perspective, this individual, as he's leaving his family back in the UK and returning regularly, will remain a UK tax-resident throughout his Belgian contract and will therefore remain taxable in the UK on his worldwide income. His first liability for tax on his Belgian income, however, will be to the Belgian authorities, either as a resident or as a non-resident taxpayer. The double-taxation avoidance treaty between Belgium and the UK (it is a specific relationship, rather than an EU understanding) dictates that any tax paid in Belgium cannot then be levied again in the UK. Let's have a look at an example using fictitious tax rates: A contractor earns a certain amount in Belgium, which is taxed at 40%. On his UK tax return, he then declares the amount earned as "foreign earnings", and also declares the tax paid on those earnings. If the UK level of tax on those same earnings is higher, HMRC may ask the contractor for top-up tax to the UK level. If the UK level of tax is lower, there will be no extra tax to pay. The contractor will not, however, be able to claim back the higher tax from Belgium or the UK. Update: further to your initial question, you asked whether you could offset travel expenses against tax while working overseas. Basically, yes: any travel between your home and your temporary place of work can be offset against your Belgian tax liability. For more information on compliant set ups in Belgium, or to discuss this example in more detail, please contact Matt Walters at Capital Consulting . 100% Website amovens.com uses latest and advanced technologies. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 147010 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 168743 bytes (164.79 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2022-04-03, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon monitors the conditions of Seoul Memorial Park, a crematorium on the southern outskirts of Seoul, April 3. Yonhap Seoul Metropolitan Government will actively consider building new crematoriums in addition to adding furnaces to existing ones in an effort to meet soaring demand for cremations from rising COVID-19 deaths, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Sunday. Oh made the remarks to reporters during a visit to Seoul Memorial Park, a crematorium on the southern outskirts of Seoul, saying the demand for cremation is difficult to meet even though the facilities have been operating at full capacity. "Workers in the field are in a very difficult situation as their workload has nearly doubled. I believe the situation has reached a critical point," Oh said. "We have secured room for adding 11 to 15 furnaces to cope with the rise in cremation demand. As an urgent situation has happened, we're considering adding furnaces." Continue Reading Below Advertisement Jobs not only took credit for Apple cofounder Steve Wozniaks work to get a job at Atari but also convinced him to keep doing Jobss work in exchange for a 50/50 split of a promised bonus. Jobs told Wozniak the circuit board they built together earned him only $700 and gave him $350, but his bonus was actually $5,000. Wozniak didnt find out for 10 years, and just a few years later, he left Apple in general disgust. 10 He Stole Stuff Constantly (Toa Heftiba/Unsplash) Continue Reading Below Advertisement That wasnt the only time Jobs took credit for something that wasnt his. Given his reputation as a brilliant inventor, his genius seemed to lie mostly in identifying other peoples revolutionary ideas and stealing them, from Xeroxs graphical user interfaces for the first Macs to a no-name British inventors whole concept for a digital audio player for the iPod (who Apple admitted to ripping off but refused to pay). Jobs readily acknowledged this, often citing what he claimed was the Picasso quote Good artists copy; great artists steal, which Picasso didnt say. Perhaps because rumors of devouring human flesh arent exactly great for the Ewok plush toy business, Disney went to great lengths to ret-con this story, and conclusively illustrate that the losing Imperial forces didnt end up in a bunch of Ewok tummies. In a 2017 animated short, part of the Star Wars Forces of Destiny YouTube series, we get to see a cartoony recreation of the immediate aftermath of the Rebel victory. And, yeah, the Ewoks are totally preparing to kill and eat those Stormtroopers. But Princess Leia takes offense and sends Han on an errand to find some ration sticks to feed those adorable beasts instead. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Han ends up having to bargain for the rations with Hera from Star Wars Rebels (synergy!), and he eventually convinces the Ewoks to eat his preservative-filled garbage food instead of freshly-barbecued bad guys. Thus Leia was able to save the lives of a handful of souls, reaffirming the Rebels hero status, despite the fact that her friends literally just blew up thousands of those guys, and everybody cheered like it was happy hour on Life Day. You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter! Top Image: Lucasfilm This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KILLINGWORTH The developer who had the high bid to buy the Deer Lake Boy Scout camp said she has no problem with the Scouts extending their deadline to May 1 to consider a better offer. In fact, she hopes a higher offer does come in. Margaret Streicker, CEO of Fortitude Capital LLC, urged the state or a third party to step in and beat her $4.6 million offer to buy the 255-acre camp on Paper Mill Road. We mutually agreed that could be extended, Streicker said. Streicker is taking it slow regarding her plans for the property, she said, and currently is talking with groups concerned for the site. She noted she recently met with Killingworth First Selectman Nancy Gorski. Deer Lake is a very special place to lot of people and, as such, it deserves the time and consideration, and having the opportunity to hear from all of the various stakeholders in the community, Streicker said Thursday. So were certainly not rushing anything, she said. We intend to be slow and deliberate and make sure we do something that future generations will enjoy, she said. I have had the opportunity to speak with the first selectwoman of Killingworth two days ago and we had a wonderful conversation. And I have spoken to a number of other constituents in the community, Streicker said. To dispel concerns of parents of day campers, she said, Ive already agreed to lease the summer camp to Pathfinders for the next three summers. Streicker, who also sits on the board of directors of the Connecticut Yankee Council, said she had recused herself from all council meetings and any discussions about the matter, in order to avoid any conflict of interest. Conservationists, residents, local and state and federal officials have opposed the sale of the camp to a private developer, wanting to keep it as priceless green space. Streicker said the property appeals to her because Deer Lake is a wonderful opportunity to acquire a very large parcel of land, its picturesque, its bucolic, theres so many wonderful things about it. The bidding on the property has turned into a lengthy process with deadlines moved at the last minute in the past few months. The Boy Scouts have had three offers; the most recent bid was submitted hours before the March 31 deadline. A local Scouting organization, Pathfinders, made an offer of an undisclosed amount March 30. The Boy Scouts accepted Streickers bid in February and rejected the bid of $2.4 million from the Trust for Public Land. The council then extended the deadline to March 31 to accept a superior offer. With just hours left until the that deadline, state Attorney General William Tong interceded and the Boy Scouts of America agreed to postpone consideration of proposals until May 1, according to Tongs office. The attorney generals office is reviewing legal questions raised regarding the sale of the camp, according to the office. Streicker said she had no problems with the attorney generals announcement of the deadline extension. However, she added, I encourage the attorney general, Sen. (Richard) Blumenthal and Gov. (Ned) Lamont to put their money where their mouth is and actually raise the offer to the Boy Scouts, regarding their public statements on the sale of Deer Lake. I have no problems, but there is a commercial transaction here and they have been suggesting to the press that the Boy Scouts owe it to the community to sell it for far less than it is value and thats simply not so, Streicker said. Were entering a transaction and that is what it is, she said. And should the state come in and choose to buy the land within the time frame [of] the Boy Scouts again this has nothing to do with me, I dont control their time line should they come in and make a superior offer. Alls fair in love and war. By all means, please do, she said. And I would celebrate that, Streicker said. I look forward to that fantastic opportunity which in theory is a win for the Boy Scouts and a win for future generations from one perspective. There are many perspectives. Right now she is gathering information. Im in my fact-finding phase, she said. As someone who appreciates the difficult politics here as someone whos run for Connecticuts U.S. congressional seat, I can say that I am trying to understand what all the various positions are and trying to come up with a plan that is beneficial to all if possible. Understanding that theres still financial obligations. ... And I also recognize that other people werent stepping up in the right way, she said. Again, I look forward to Sen. Blumenthal putting his money where this mouth is to all of these various politicians who have stepped themselves into this conversation. Streicker advocates the state buy the parcel. The state, should they so choose, has the resources so they can spend it to make an appropriate investment in the future of land conservancy, said Streicker. Blumenthal, D-Conn., disagreed with Streicker comments regarding the sale. Politics have nothing to do with it its a matter of whats right or what people of Connecticut, particularly generations of young people who will have their own children and should have an opportunity to repeat those wonderful memories of camping, hiking, fishing all of the great stuff the Boy Scouts have championed, he said. Blumenthal said he would fight to unlock federal funds that will help preserve this land, this preserve, this unique, precious resource for generations of outdoors lovers to come. We have a profoundly significant opportunity to sustain this pristine resource for the community with the value that goes beyond its commercial price, Blumenthal said. ... So we will fight as long and hard as possible to make available federal funds from the department of Interior if were given the chance to do it, Blumenthal said. Streicker, a Republican, ran for the 3rd District U.S. House seat held by Democrat U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro in the last election did not rule out running for public office in Connecticut again. Streicker has residences in New York, and Milford. When asked whether she would consider running for the 3rd District seat again, she said anythings possible. When asked whether she would run for any other public office in Connecticut, she answered again that anything is possible. The Boy Scouts is selling Deer Like because of declining enrollment, Scout officials have said. The Boy Scouts of America declared bankruptcy in 2021 and in March this year have offered $2.7 billion to settle a claim with tens of thousands of sex abuse survivors, according to Reuters. The Connecticut Yankee Council paid a portion with a combination of land and cash from its endowment to fulfill its share of the national organizations settlement, according to Scouting officials. A delegation representing President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol heads to the departure gate at Incheon International Airport, April 3. Yonhap A delegation representing President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol left for the United States, Sunday, for a weeklong trip aimed at coordinating security and foreign policy ahead of the launch of the new government. The seven-member delegation, led by Rep. Park Jin of Yoon's People Power Party, is expected to hold meetings with officials from the State Department and the White House, congressional leaders and experts at major think tanks. Whether they will be able to meet with President Joe Biden is also a focus of attention, though chances of such a meeting do not appear to be high given the fact that the team is paying the visit for policy coordination rather than as a special envoy of Yoon. When asked whether there are plans for a meeting with Biden, Yoon's spokesperson, Kim Eun-hye, had earlier said that the delegation will meet with "key people in positions of responsibility" to conduct "practical policy consultations." "We are focused on discussing policy and exploring areas of cooperation with our counterpart before President-elect Yoon's inauguration," she said. The delegation also includes former Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong; Chung Jae-ho, a professor of political science and international relations at Seoul National University (SNU); Park Cheol-hee, a professor of the SNU Graduate School of International Studies; Pyo Se-woo, former defense attache at the South Korean Embassy in Washington; Yeon Won-ho, a researcher at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy; and Kang In-sun, the president-elect's spokesperson for foreign press. (Yonhap) WESTPORT The amount of violations and permits have nearly doubled in the last year, with the Westport Conservation Department seeing a significant increase in the amount of development taking place in town. Westport Conservation Department Director Alicia Mozian said with the increase in the number of violations of non-permitted building, cutting, clearing and filling of wetlands, residents need to be reminded to call before they dig. I dont think people understand the value and the importance of wetlands, Mozian said. Im trying to give people the benefit of the doubt, but it has been very frustrating for our office with the amount of wetland disturbance. In 2020, the conservation department issued nearly 250 permits to residents for development. In 2021, the number increased to about 400 permits. The amount of violations of residents conducting work without permits has also increased from the low teens to 31 violations in two years, according to the conservation department. Mozian said she attributes the increase in permits and violations to the pandemic, which resulted in more people working from home and new residents moving to Westport. She also said the violations could also be because residents arent aware of wetlands. Its not just the people who are moving into town, its the people that want to just enjoy their property more and we get that, Mozain said. Its rare that the staff or commission would deny a application. Our goal is to balance the right of the property owner with the need for environmental protection. Wetlands are determined by the type of soil in Connecticut. They are poorly drained soil areas that not only provide a habitat for plants and animals, but also help out with water storage. She said during heavy rain, the wetlands act as a sponge and soak in the extra water and during droughts, wetlands slowly release the water back into the groundwater, which helps keep the streams and ponds filled and also helps maintain the drinking water supply. When you fill it in, youre not doing yourself any favors, Mozian said. The water is going to go somewhere and sometimes itll be in your basement or on your property. Mozain said her office is charged with protecting the wetlands, however, when non-permitted work is done it damages the natural resources and in some cases the work is irreparable. We try to be proactive in curtailing these violations, she said. If a resident is fined for violating a wetlands regulation, the conservation department will send a cease-and-correct notice. If the work is not stopped and the wetland has not been restored, a maximum fine of $2,000 will be sent. Mozian said the fine is not necessarily the last result, but the goal is not to generate money. Its to stop the activity and restore the wetland, she said. Mozian said prior to wetland regulations being established in the 1970s, the town was built on top of filled wetlands. She said currently the town is about 95 to 97 percent developed, which means a lot of the work is focused on redevelopment. Also, with its proximity to Long Island Sound, Westport is a very wet town, she said. With the few wetlands that we have left, they are very important, Mozian said. It is very important that homeowners and contractors contact the conservation department before work starts to determine what permits are required. serenity.bishop@hearstmediact.com For a little spot on a tiny lot, the store on Hillspoint Road looms large in Westport life and in the memories of everyone who grew up anywhere near here. Very few Westporters remember the original Old Mill Grocery. Built in the 1920s, it did its job: serving the needs of the neighborhood. But it did more than sell staples. The first telephone in the area was installed in back. When a call came in, the owner stepped outside and yelled. The person called walked over, picked up the receiver, and talked. And, no doubt, lingered afterward to chat with the owner. In the 1950s - much later for most businesses, but the blink of an eye for this one - a new proprietor took over. Kenny Montgomery owned a similar store at the Greens Farms Road/South Compo/Bridge Street intersection. When the Connecticut Turnpike (now called I-95) slashed through, his store was demolished. He moved a mile or so away, and the Old Mill Grocery became Kennys. That was the official name, anyway. To generations of kids and teenagers, it was Grubs. The name was given - harshly, in retrospect - because as Kenny got older, he grew shabbier. The merchandise got dustier. I admit - not proudly - to being one of the countless youngsters who took advantage by walking out of the store without paying. But enough people must have paid that it did not matter. After he died, Kenny Montgomerys estate announced he had left $500,000 to the Westport Weston YMCA. It was an astonishing gift - one no one could have imagined - and it changed the public perception of the owner forever. The modern history of the Old Mill landmark begins with Elviras. Nick and Stacey Yiozanakos bought the business, and brought fresh eyes and energy. The market became a deli/restaurant, serving hot food, coffee - and a huge dose of community spirit. Proud of their Greek heritage, they put gyros on the menu. They added pizza, wraps and salads. They put tables with umbrellas outside. Elviras was named for Staceys sister. The entire family pitched in to make their namesake feel like home. House accounts enabled customers to run a tab. Kids waited there in the rain for the school bus; in the afternoon they headed in for snacks. Stacey and her daughter Nicki relayed messages that parents had left. Youngsters knew they were welcome at Elviras: Their school photos were there for all to see, under glass on the front counter. Elviras thrived. It served neighbors from Old Mill, Hillspoint and Compo Hill, plus many others. Walkers, joggers, bicyclists and folks driving by on their way to or from Compo Beach stopped in. So did the many construction workers and tradespeople who, in the 1990s and 2000s, had plenty of work as the neighborhood boomed. The Yiozanakos family dedicated more than two decades to Elviras. It was long, hard work, and Nick and Stacey were ready to retire. Rumors swirled that the new buyers would tear down the deli, and build a big home. Hal and Betsy Kravitz saved the day. Captivated by the beach area, theyd bought a home off South Compo less than half a mile away. They renovated Kennys interior, added a walk-up ice cream window, called it Elvira Maes (honoring the past, while adding Betsys middle name), and opened for business. A year later, the Kravitzes added a partner. After 30 years, Joey Romeo had lost his lease running the Compo Beach concession stand. He found a new home around the corner. The deli was now Joeys by the Shore, Featuring Elvira Maes Coffee Bar. The announcement of the new venture coincided with the arrival of COVID. Like other businesses, Joeys adapted. Doors closed; customers ordered online, paying by credit card only. It was a tough two years. The Kravitzes planned to move south, and put the property on the market. A number of food service folks - deli and market owners, pizza places, ice cream shops - trooped through. None made an offer. After nearly 100 years, it looked like Old Mill would lose its last commercial tenant, and place as a true community hub. But the neighborhood is resourceful. Residents - both old-timers and newcomers - joined with others who had grown up in the area. Their plan: form a non-profit, raise the $1.8 million needed to buy the property, reopen the deli - and employ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This week marks the deadline. Theyre this close to raising the necessary funds. In a stroke of genius, theyve come up with a name: Old Mill Grocery. No, its not original. Sure, its a throwback to the 1920s. But OMG: It totally speaks to the 2020s. And - God and Westporters willing - the little market that could will still be here in the 2120s. Dan Woog is a Westport writer, and his Woog's World appears each Friday. He can be reached at dwoog@optonline.net. His personal blog is danwoog06880.com. MONROE After electrical problems popped up in town last week for the third time in a two-month span, Eversource is going to be undergoing additional work on the towns power infrastructure, according to media relations personnel Mitch Gross. There were outages on March 22 and March 23, according to an Eversource report posted to the towns Facebook page. The town said approximately 2,000 customers had some sort of power issues and 1,200 had an outage that lasted about 40 minutes. We clearly understand the inconveniences that those instances caused our Monroe customers and we remain committed to ensuring that we take the necessary steps to resolve them, Gross said. Eversource said everything required to stabilize the system was done by March 24, but the company will be replacing the two circuits that feed the substation. It is a large project that will take several months to finish, according to the company. Its additional work to make the system more reliable, more resilient. Make it stronger, Gross said. Well do what needs to be done. While the town has experienced outages in recent months for an issue with a part at the substation that switches power between circuits, this was a different issue, Eversource said. On March 22 and 23, the switch did not fail, Eversource said in its report. As a result, customers did not see the on/off/on/off effect they experienced in previous events. The outages on March 22 and 23 occurred because Eversource was actively working in the area to make improvements and was thereby limited in our ability to switch customers over to another circuit automatically when the faults occurred. The recent outages were caused by work that Eversource was doing on the source circuit. One of the circuits faulted, causing the outage on March 22. The circuit failed on March 23 too, resulting in another outage. Gross said the crew was working on a nearby line when an issue with an overhead line on the Monroe Turnpike happened, causing the outage. Our crews moved quickly to make those repairs, Gross said. In fact, they stayed overnight that night taking care of additional work on the system to ensure that we took care of those issues. The previous issue stemmed from a switch at the local substation on Fan Hill Drive that was not properly switching power between circuits. This caused some town residents to experience a flickering between on and off on February 8 and both March 7 and 8. The switch was analyzed and, in addition to a hardware issue, an underlying software condition was identified as the root cause, the Eversource report said about the previous outages. The hardware was replaced, the software was updated, and the switch was put back in service when tests indicated it was fully functional. There were no fire calls resulting from the outages, according to Kevin Catalano, deputy fire chief of Monroes volunteer fire department. The fire alarm at Masuk High School was tripped, but no other calls came and there was no imminent danger, he said. The outage did affect a group taking the SATs at Masuk for about 10 minutes, according to First Selectman Kenneth Kellogg. The school administration addressed the situation with the students and parents, he said. mike.mavredakis@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FAIRFIELD Romeo and Juliet is one of the best known plays in history, with a devastating moral lesson that life without love is not worth living. But on April 8 and 9, audience members will have a chance to give the star-crossed lovers a happy ending or resign them to the fate William Shakespeare originally penned for them centuries ago. The ability to vote on which ending happens is just one of the immersive elements of Romeo and Juliet The Choice, a twist on Sergei Prokofievs ballet presented by WSHU Public Radio and the SHU Community Theatre. The show features Frederic Chiu, an internationally acclaimed pianist and Westport resident, and a cast of 12 dancers from New York City choreographed by Sandra Shih Parks, who is now at Choate Rosemary Hall. Chiu and Parks are the co-creators. Im just thrilled, Chiu said. Its all I dreamed of and more. Chiu came up with the idea for the show about 30 years ago when he came across Prokofievs original score for the ballet. He had been living in Paris at the time and even met Prokofievs family, who was living in France. I was deep in the subject, he said, adding its one of his favorite repertoires to listen to. I love this ballet. Prokofiev originally crafted the score for the ballet in the 1930s with the happy ending. It was the beginning of the Soviet Union and he wanted to make something for the people. Romeo and Juliet was a popular story, but the two main characters died at the end, so he changed it to let them live. The revision was considered too radical though, and so the show was never performed or even fully orchestrated beyond the piano score he used to compose adding notes for which instrument would take which part. The ballet premiered a little later with the traditional ending of the lovers dying. Chius vision for the show was finally realized about five years ago when he met Parks at a symposium, where Parks had choreographed another piece by the composer, perfectly capturing the spirit of Prokofiev. I said, I think I found my choreographer, Chiu said. It took me 25 years but I found my person. The two teamed up and Parks took Chius idea and ran with it. The show debuted in 2018 in Philadelphia where Parks was living at the time. A selection was also performed in Westport at the librarys Booked for The Evening event honoring Chiu. While the SHU Community Theatre is a different space, both said they were able to still carry that intimacy of the original show through to the stage and help break down the dramatic fourth wall that usually separates the performers from the audience. Some audience members will be on stage next to the dancers and Chiu at the piano for part of the show. There will also be times the dancers are in the audience, including Juliet on the balcony with video of her broadcast on the screen on stage where Romeo will be dancing. The smaller cast and only the piano playing also set the show apart from a traditional ballet because the dancers and Chiu can adjust to each other, feeling the energy and emotions and letting certain elements linger or quicken. This shows the control each has over his or her craft, hopefully instilling a new appreciation among the audience, as well as a raw emotional connection to the performance. All of these things are part of the intimacy and interactive nature of what makes this unique, Chiu said. The element that perhaps most sets it apart is the ability for the audience to directly choose how the show will end by voting for the traditional or alternate endings during intermission. The dancers and Chiu will know which ending to perform just before starting the second act, but the audience wont know until Juliet awakens from her potion. Two dance numbers are affected by which ending is selected, as is the closing bow itself. And while the music itself isnt really changed for the final scene, how Chiu plays it certainly is. Theres kind of hope in one and despair in the other, but its the same music, he said. The two endings were always part of the concept. Its why its called Romeo and Juliet The Choice, Parks said. She said she hopes the performance inspires people to talk about it and the broader debate on what artistic changes can be made to existing works, something she said is a big discussion in the dance world. Four scholars will debate the two endings even before you hear a note or see a foot of a dancer, she said. That will hopefully get people to continue to talk about it, Parks said. Shes also taken some liberties in the show, casting the traditionally male roles of the duke, friar and Tybalt with women. Parks said changing Tybalt to female, makes the dynamic more of a big sister relationship than another male authority figure in Juliets life. It also adds more complexity to Juliets character and how different actions in the play affect her. Even her decision to take that potion is still, in some way, a life and death choice, Parks said. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on April 8 and 2 p.m. April 9 at the Sacred Heart University Community Theatre, 1420 Post Road in Fairfield. Tickets cost $55 and $65 and are available at https://shucommunitytheatre.org/. Students at Geraldine Johnson School interacted Saturday with robots from MOVIA Robotics during an exclusive first look at the company's Robot Assisted Instruction technology showcase at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport. The event was part of a World Autism Day celebration. Students, their families, and staff were also treated to a surprise announcement: the donation of a $5,000 MOVIA Robotics Educational Robot to Geraldine Johnson School for those with autism to use for years down the road. Debris from a KT-1 trainer jet following a midair collision with another KT-1 is seen in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, in this April 1 photo. Yonhap The Air Force said Sunday it had retrieved the black boxes from the recent crash involving two KT-1 trainer jets, allowing its investigation into the cause of the incident to pick up speed An Air Force official said Sunday that a black box from one of the two jets was recovered Saturday morning from the crash site in Sacheon, 440 kilometers south of Seoul. The official added that the black box from the other jet had been retrieved earlier. These black boxes should contain all flight and communications records at the time of the crash. The two KT-1 jets collided in midair Friday afternoon, killing all four pilots aboard. Each jet carried a trainee pilot and a civilian flight instructor. The Air Force said all four ejected from the planes but were later found dead. KT-1, the homegrown single-engine, two-seat basic training aircraft, has been in operation since 2000. According to the Air Force, this was the first midair collision of KT-1 jets, and the first such involving any pair of Air Force planes since two F-5E fighter jets collided in 2008. (Yonhap) The Prime Minister received a victors welcome from Tory Party donors in the ballroom at Claridges on Thursday night. They were treated to a bombastic speech by Boris, which included a joke that Labour would want the Army to be gender neutral. As well as mentioning the Ukraine war, the PM talked about having got through Covid and urged his moneymen to book a fourth vaccine. My spies tell me he heaped praise on Tory co-chairman Ben Elliot, who has been criticised for his luxury concierge firm having had Russian clients. As well as mentioning the Ukraine war, the PM talked about having got through Covid and urged his moneymen to book a fourth vaccine Flanked by Lord (Howard) Leigh, the ex-Tory Treasurer, the PM then hobnobbed with guests, one of whom gave him a tie in Ukrainian colours. The mood wasnt dampened by the fact that the first Partygate fines had been issued earlier that day. Donors downed Laurent-Perrier champagne and canapes while grumbling about the police for taking a huge amount of time investigating Downing Streets breach of lockdown rules. Behind the bravado was a serious appeal to help save marginal Tory seats. The donors who included the Leaders Group whose members give at least 50,000 were tapped up to support MPs with precarious majorities, including Bury North and Stroud. Nervous party chiefs fear that Tory candidates in next months local election will be savaged because of the explosion in the cost of living. The identities of ballroom benefactors was public knowledge until the Tory Party stopped publishing its list of Leaders Group members in 2018. For the past two years it has promised to restart publishing them in due course. Yesterday, Labour asked again for the identities to be disclosed, this time amid concerns over Putins cronies giving money. Dont hold your breath. Museums suffered hugely from lockdowns. New accounts for the National Gallery reveal its income collapsed, and visitor numbers wont return to pre-pandemic levels for several years. Emergency taxpayer funding of 4.2 million propped it up, while its commercial arm sacked many staff. But the pay package of boss Gabriele Finaldi has risen from 210,000 to 240,000, which included a bonus awarded by a committee that counts ex-BBC chief Lord Hall as a member. Hes no stranger to rewarding public-service execs (and to ignoring calls to resign his peerage after a damning report into the Martin Bashir-Princess Diana scandal). Chippy Rishis slap bang out of order How gracious of Rishi Sunak to say that, unlike Will Smith at the Oscars, he didnt get up and slap anybody after questions were asked about his wifes finances. The Chancellor knows full well that the ministerial code is clear the business interests of spouses of those who run our country are of public interest. Mrs Sunak is a shareholder in tech giant Infosys, co-founded by her father. Sunak has told businesses to cut ties with Russia, but apparently didnt see any problem with his wife receiving millions in dividends from a company with a Moscow office and past work with now-sanctioned Russian banks. Infosys has bowed to pressure and just pulled out of the country. Its all grossly unfair, cries Sunak, because, unlike him, his wife Akshata is not a public figure. No, but she is also his former business partner. Until he became an MP, Sunak was co-director and co-founder of the venture capital firm she now runs solo. Those attacking the Sunaks are not comedians but journalists, and the Chancellor appeared to seek praise for not going all Will Smith on them. Of course, hell know how his boss, Boris, reacted when Old Etonian fraudster pal Darius Guppy told him he wanted to beat up a journalist. The future PM asked Guppy: Uh, how badly are you going to hurt this guy? before agreeing to supply the journalists address. When the Government finally publishes its much delayed energy strategy, probably on Thursday, it should carry an apology for all the mistakes which it and its predecessors have made over the past two decades. In the midst of a worldwide energy crisis caused by Russia's war in Ukraine, these missteps have made this country especially vulnerable to escalating gas and electricity prices, as well as possible shortages. The Government's apology might go something like this... We're sorry that, under pressure from the Green lobby, decisions were taken to shut down coal power stations without creating adequate affordable alternatives, the more so as there are vast coal reserves in the UK. Foolish In particular, we regret that little has been done to develop new nuclear power stations, though it has long been known that our existing nuclear power stations will soon reach the end of their natural life. The Tories realised that most people don't like to see the countryside disfigured by turbines almost as high as St Paul's Cathedral Over recent days, there have been disquieting media reports that Boris Johnson and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng want onshore wind power in the UK to double by 2030, and treble by 2035. Pictured: YouGov poll results show 67 per cent of Tory voters support new onshore windfarms We also acknowledge that, insofar as any thought was given to a new generation of nuclear power stations, it was extremely foolish to rely on a company controlled by the Chinese state. Furthermore, we can now see that it was premature to ban fracking in England in 2019. As a result of an idiotic devolution settlement, the Scottish and Welsh administrations had previously vetoed fracking. We were wrong to follow suit without properly weighing the arguments. Fracking may not be without risks, but we now see that these have been greatly exaggerated by the Greens. Indeed, it is probably environmentally less damaging than onshore wind power, which the Greens continue to champion, oblivious to its effect on the countryside and nature... Wouldn't it be wonderful if the Government said something like that? Fat chance. We can be certain that, as it confidently lays out its new energy strategy, there won't be the slightest acceptance of past errors. All that can be said by way of consolation and it isn't much is that the German government has got itself into an even bigger mess, with its reliance on Russian gas and oil imports, and its rejection of new nuclear power stations. In Berlin, there is serious talk of energy rationing. The mistakes of the British State can be easily summarised. Energy security has been sacrificed on the altar of Green ideology. Of course we should decarbonise, though remember that this country is responsible for only one per cent of all global emissions. But the process towards net zero shouldn't proceed at such a rate that people face the prospect of astronomical energy bills, whose small print they may end up studying with the help of a flickering candle. I wish I believed that the Government had learnt from past errors, but I fear it has only partially done so. In one respect, it may be about to make things worse. One of the relatively rare achievements of David Cameron's administration was to make the erection of onshore wind farms in England impractical if there is local opposition. The Tories realised that most people don't like to see the countryside disfigured by turbines almost as high as St Paul's Cathedral. Wind turbines are not only ugly. They are also noisy, and present a hazard to birds, killing many thousands every year. Why don't the Greens care more about that? Over recent days, there have been disquieting media reports that Boris Johnson and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng want onshore wind power in the UK to double by 2030, and treble by 2035. The rights of local people in England to object might have to be watered down, though Government sources deny this. Kwasi Kwarteng suggested yesterday that up to seven new nuclear power stations could be built as part of Britain's quest to become self-sufficient in energy Several Cabinet ministers are unhappy. One of them, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, made clear his displeasure during a TV interview yesterday. Dozens of Tory MPs are against wind turbines. We'll have to wait and see exactly what the Government proposes. How strange that Conservatives, of all people, should contemplate facilitating the ruination of vast tracts of unspoiled countryside! We should be alarmed by reports that Boris Johnson, who loves huge projects, would like to carpet the Irish Sea with turbines. The Government must take another look at fracking, which could supply a rapid bonus. Pictured: Work under way at a drill site in 2018 in Preston New Road It's not just about aesthetics. Wind turbines are unreliable producers of energy. They're effective when the wind is blowing but useless when it isn't. As Matt Ridley recently pointed out in these pages, in 2020 less than 4 per cent of the UK's primary demand for energy was supplied by wind power. Zealots who defend wind power (they are not infrequently beneficiaries of lavish government grants) claim that methods of storing electricity are becoming less expensive, and so it won't matter if the wind doesn't blow. As things stand, though, these costs remain high. Danger So we should be alarmed by reports that Boris Johnson, who loves huge projects, would like to carpet the Irish Sea with turbines. When the danger to birds was pointed out to him, he is said to have asked why they can't learn to fly higher. What is certain is that neither offshore nor (God forbid) onshore wind turbines can provide a solution to the energy crisis. Their main advantage is that they take less time to set up than alternatives. But what is the good of that if they aren't fully effective? More dependable sources are needed. To be fair to the Government, it has grasped the need to develop nuclear power. Kwasi Kwarteng suggested yesterday that up to seven new nuclear power stations could be built as part of Britain's quest to become self-sufficient in energy. There is also the idea of building smaller nuclear reactors. Rolls-Royce is racing to secure approval for its own mini reactors. A company linked to American multi-billionaire and serial entrepreneur Elon Musk has its own proposals for even smaller reactors. Rage The problem with all these nuclear plans, sensible though they undoubtedly are, is that they are likely to take a decade or more to come to fruition. In the meantime, the lights could go out. Any plans to reverse the decline in North Sea production and to undo the moratorium on fracking if the Government has the guts to put it in will lead to much beating of breasts by the Greens. Pictured: An oil platform in the North sea That is why the Government must take another look at fracking, which could supply a rapid bonus. Let's hope that the energy strategy will contain a commitment to do so. Ministers have also indicated that efforts will be made to ramp up North Sea gas and oil production, where there are significant untapped reserves. This commitment is likely to be included in the energy strategy. If it is, the Green lobby will squeal with rage. In fact, although some Greens may accept the expansion of nuclear power, and virtually all will cheer more wind turbines whether offshore or onshore, many will vigorously object to the Government's overall energy strategy. Any plans to reverse the decline in North Sea production and to undo the moratorium on fracking if the Government has the guts to put it in will lead to much beating of breasts by the Greens. To which I say: so what? Net zero can come later. For the next few years, we are talking about survival about people's ability to heat and light their homes at a reasonable cost, and for the economy to function. Numerous mistakes have been made, usually as a result of putting greenery in front of practical considerations. Maybe Vladimir Putin's monstrous behaviour will serve as a wake-up call, and our rulers will at last show a little common sense. Aline Horst was completely blind-sighted by her stage-three cancer diagnosis after doing her best to live a healthy life A 39-year-old pre-school teacher will take a 'one-way trip' to Mexico for cancer treatment after her body rejected chemotherapy and doctors 'sent her home to die'. Aline Horst was completely blind-sided by her stage-three cancer diagnosis after doing her best to live a healthy life. The teacher told FEMAIL she never smoked, always kept in shape and avoided all drugs including pain killers in an attempt to keep as well as possible. In August 2020 Aline went to her doctor complaining of stomach cramps, only to be told she was 'probably constipated'. She asked her doctor for a full blood-test to be safe but ended up taking herself to the emergency department before she could see her GP again about the results. 'I now know those results, which were sitting on her desk for days, showed I had high tumour markers,' she said. At the hospital doctors found a five centimetre growth in her large intestine, which they removed immediately. Aline has been in and out of hospital for 18 months and admits she never expected to get cancer because she lived such a healthy life She is pictured here with her mum who has been one of her main supports through her cancer journey 'It took so long for answers, I asked what it was and they wouldn't answer until the labs confirmed it was cancer. 'My friends and family already knew but I was in shock when they told me,' she said. Doctors immediately started the teacher on chemotherapy but it made Aline 'too sick'. 'I dropped a lot of weight and after two rounds I only weighed 38 kilos, I was so sick,' she said. So she decided not to continue the treatment which she believed would kill her before cancer could. 'I was put in hospital for a few weeks and they told me they could keep doing chemo until I weighed 30 kilos but that didn't seem safe to me,' she said. 'From the first moment I heard chemotherapy I had this gut feeling it wouldn't work for me. I am already sensitive to drugs and I was right.' Aline became very sick when she was going through chemotherapy and decided not to continue with treatment, pictured with a nurse Aline dropped down to 38 kilos during chemo treatment and feared it would kill her before the cancer had a chance to In May, 2021, a scan revealed the cancer had spread to the peritoneum, an area which is very difficult to treat. She was then offered a place in an immunotherapy trial which she believed would work. Over the next seven months the trial had mixed results, with some tumours shrinking and others growing. But in February 2022 doctors found cancer had spread into her stomach, pancreas and liver which prompted them to stop the immunotherapy treatment. 'That's when they sent me home to die,' she said. Aline, pictured recently, says when the immunotherapy failed doctors 'sent her home to die' What are the risk factors for colon cancer? Older age. Colon cancer can be diagnosed at any age, but a majority of people with colon cancer are older than 50. The rates of colon cancer in people younger than 50 have been increasing, but doctors aren't sure why. A personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps. If you've already had colon cancer or noncancerous colon polyps, you have a greater risk of colon cancer in the future. Inflammatory intestinal conditions. Chronic inflammatory diseases of the colon, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, can increase your risk of colon cancer. Family history of colon cancer. You're more likely to develop colon cancer if you have a blood relative who has had the disease. If more than one family member has colon cancer or rectal cancer, your risk is even greater. Low-fibre, high-fat diet. Colon cancer and rectal cancer may be associated with a typical Western diet, which is low in fibre and high in fat and calories. Research in this area has had mixed results. Some studies have found an increased risk of colon cancer in people who eat diets high in red meat and processed meat. A sedentary lifestyle. People who are inactive are more likely to develop colon cancer. Getting regular physical activity may reduce your risk of colon cancer. Diabetes. People with diabetes or insulin resistance have an increased risk of colon cancer. Obesity. People who are obese have an increased risk of colon cancer and an increased risk of dying of colon cancer when compared with people considered normal weight. Smoking. People who smoke may have an increased risk of colon cancer. Alcohol. Heavy use of alcohol increases your risk of colon cancer. Radiation therapy for cancer. Radiation therapy directed at the abdomen to treat previous cancers increases the risk of colon cancer. Source: Mayo Clinic Advertisement Her oncologist had referred her to palliative care and told her to 'get to know' the services available at the hospital. 'To me talking about palliative care is crazy because I don't feel like I am dying. I still have a good life so for them to use those words and ignore my requests for experimental treatments is absurd,' she said. Aline says she believes a holistic approach could cure her and that while she is happy to die if it is her time she wants to try everything while she can. 'My favourite oncologist, the one that was less in-the-box and talked about the power of the mind, miracles and faith, told me once that I am the 'annoying' patient. 'The one who asks too many questions. Then he told me to keep being that patient because those who don't give all of their power away live longer,' she said. She has spoken to cancer patients and their families who have mixed success after heading to Mexico. And while she has been in and out of hospital a lot the 39-year-old says she doesn't feel sick or like she is about to die What are the symptoms of colon cancer? 1 - A persistent change in your bowel habits, including diarrhoea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool 2 - Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool 3 - Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain 4 - A feeling that your bowel doesn't empty completely 5 - Weakness or fatigue 6 - Unexplained weight loss Guidelines generally recommend that colon cancer screenings begin around 50. Your doctor may recommend more frequent or earlier screening if you have other risk factors, such as a family history of the disease. Advertisement 'Leaving Australia will be the hardest part, I love this country and if treatment doesn't work then I will never see it again,' she said. If the treatment, which she is currently raising funds for, fails she will return to her family home in Brazil - after being away for 20 years. 'I will be with my family and have to make my peace before I die,' she said. Aline used to go to the GP every year for checkups and is disappointed they weren't able to identify her cancer earlier. She has decided to try treatment in Mexico but understands at this stage it will likely be a one-way trip - her mum will join her 'I have always been so careful - if they had told me I had high tumour markers I would have followed up with scans,' she said. 'I think people need to make sure they ask their doctors all of the questions and look for second and third opinions if their gut tells them something is wrong.' Aline has recently started a protein-based treatment and will give it a chance before finalising her plans for Mexico. She will have to sell all of her things before heading to the clinic where she will be joined by her mother who will act as her support person. A young couple have shared how they built their first home worth $780,000 despite struggling to get into the property market and battling Covid setbacks. Jasmyn Prestt, 23, and Mitchell Wilson, 27, 'always knew' they wanted to build their 'dream home' rather than buy an existing property to renovate. The pair from Drouin, 90 minutes southeast of Melbourne, managed to secure a 1.4 acre property on June 16, 2020 during the pandemic. Jasmyn told Daily Mail Australia she and Mitchell had to save hard for three years - working long hours and on weekends in order to save a 20 per cent deposit of $102,000. A young Australian couple have built their dreamy 'modern farmhouse' worth $780,000 Jasmyn Prestt, 23, and Mitchell Wilson, 27, 'always knew' they wanted to build a house rather than buy an existing home to renovate. The pair from Drouin, 90minutes southeast of Melbourne, managed to secure a huge 1.4acre property on June 16, 2020 'We got incredibly lucky on the land and paid $390,000 (each) and the block is 5524m2,' cafe manager Jasmyn said. 'We really weighed up the pros and cons of buying an established property or starting from scratch, but in my mind I had a super particular style I was going for. 'The best option for us to achieve that was to build instead of buy an already built home.' They secured the house on January 24, 2021 and the stunning 'modern farmhouse' features four bedrooms, two lounge rooms, two bathrooms and a powder room. At the moment they are waiting for furniture to arrive to complete the look. They secured the house on January 24, 2021 and the stunning home (pictured) features four bedrooms, two lounge rooms, two bathrooms and a powder room Jasmyn said she's been 'obsessed' with ranch-style homes for as long as she can remember and wanted to combine the look with a minimalistic touch 'We really weighed up the pros and cons of buying an established property or starting from scratch, but in my mind I had a super particular style I was going for,' Jasmyn said Jasmyn said she's been 'obsessed' with farm houses for as long as she can remember and wanted to combine the look with a minimalistic touch. The pair had been saving for three years and boosted their incomes by working extra hours as well as on weekends. 'It was super hard to find the balance of being social and working to save more money especially the year leading up to purchase the block,' Jasmyn said. Luckily the pair also had access to a first home owner grant, giving them $20,000 towards the house deposit as well as $15,000 for a builder grant at the time of purchase. The entire home build only took eight months to complete with a few setbacks due to Covid. The entire home build only took eight months to complete with a few setbacks due to Covid The pair had been saving for three years and boosted their incomes by working extra hours as well as on weekends The advantages of building a home compared to buying: 1. You are the first owner - any problems, maintenance issues and short-term problems can be fixed by speaking to the builder 2. Limited surprise bills - as a young person you won't want to be putting money towards occurring maintenance costs - such as leaking taps, holes in the roof, etc. 3. Higher rental price and easier to rent to tenants Advertisement While they adore the finished look, Jasmyn said that handling the property market was 'stressful from start to finish'. 'Covid had just hit Australia, I was losing my job and prices for everything were rising - it was a scary time I really worried a lot at the start if any of this would be possible,' she recalled. 'We definitely got the block we were after we like to say we hit the jackpot and feel extremely lucky.' Covid also caused delays on the build and material shortages, which 'robbed' the couple of the fulfilling experience. 'We missed out on most stages due to lockdowns and I was out of a job, so it was super stressful to not know what the future held for us,' Jasmyn said. But while this is the couple's 'dream home' it likely won't be their 'forever home'. A Ukrainian woman living in the UK has said more needs to be done to help those who are unable to flee the conflict. Quantity surveyor Tatiana Bland, 30, of Twickenham, west London, was born in Ukraine but has lived in the UK for 10 years. Her parents remain in her hometown of Mykolayiv, near the Black Sea, where her mother Svetlana, 51, lives in 'constant fear'. Meanwhile Tatiana's father Aleksander, 51, has been sent to fight near Mariupol. Tatiana Bland, 30, who lives in Twickenham, has called for people to provide donations that will help those stranded in Ukraine. Pictured: Tatiana with her family Tatiana said her father Aleksander, 51, is fighting in the South near Mariupol, while her mother Svetlana, 51, (both pictured) has recently survived a near-miss on their flat The couple lost their home in a blast. 'My mum was with my godmother at the time the shell hit but they managed to escape before the fire spread there as well,' she told MyLondon. 'Theyre staying with some friends now but theyre reluctant to leave because both their husbands are still fighting.' Tatiana explained that there was a period when she did not hear from her father for several weeks because he was defending the besieged port city, and feared the situation isn't hopeful. The 30-year-old is now raising funds to send aid to people in her hometown, hoping she will be able to make a difference She believes more needs to be done people like her parents who are living through the war, not just those fleeing. 'Everyone is helping the refugees leaving but not the people in Ukraine,' she said. 'There are plenty of towns where people are dying from starvation, and fast. This should never be happening in this day and age.' The 30-year-old is now raising funds to send aid to people in her hometown, hoping she will be able to make a difference. She has already raised 9,000 to purchase and transport food, clothing, and medical supplies. Tatiana, who has played an active role in connecting volunteers in London with those in the west of Ukraine, described the efforts of the people in her local borough as 'brilliant'. 'Sending these trucks costs money, it costs over 2,000 just to send them from England, so the donations are great but we need to make sure those trucks actually cross the border and dont just stop in Poland,' she said. Rep. Song Young-gil of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) speaks during a campaign speech for DPK's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung in this March 8 file photo. Korea Times file An Aldi shopper has excited hundreds after she announced the supermarket giant has relaunched ice creams made with an iconic Australian chocolate. Mum-of-two Linda was quick to spread the news on Facebook that the beloved Bertie Beetle Mini Choc Sticks have made a return to stores. The social media post received more than 500 'likes' and many comments from fans who are already planning their trip to Aldi. An Aldi shopper has excited hundreds after she announced that the supermarket store has relaunched ice creams that are made with an iconic Australian chocolate (pictured) 'You best believe I'm running to the shops now. Our family favourite is finally back,' a mum wrote in the comments. 'I've heard good things about these ice creams. Can't wait to try them, I'm a big Bertie Beetle fan,' another wrote. 'If you haven't tried these you're missing out. They are delicious,' a third wrote. The Bertie Beetle ice creams come covered in its famous chocolate that Aussies have loved for decades, with pieces of sweet honeycomb throughout The Bertie Beetle ice creams come covered in its famous chocolate that Aussies have loved for decades, with pieces of sweet honeycomb throughout. Fans of the iconic beetle-shaped chocolate bars can get a box of mini ice cream sticks from the freezer aisle for only $4.99 for a pack of six. The indulgent dessert was relaunched last year and those who got their hands on the treats say they were a 'huge hit' among their families. Those who tasted the ice cream described it as 'delicious' and 'tasty' while others said it brought back a lot of childhood memories such as the Sydney Royal Easter Show The Peter's ice cream range was first sold exclusively at Woolworths in 2019 - but were quietly discontinued a few months later. Many called on the brand to relaunch the range, with one saying: 'Bring them back, they were great. Extra creamy and also with a chocolate malty flavour.' Those who tasted the ice cream described it as 'delicious' and 'tasty' while others said it brought back a lot of childhood memories such as the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Kate Middleton feels 'a wrench' being away from Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis during overseas tours, a royal expert has claimed. The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, last week returned from a controversial tour of the Caribbean with the Duke, 39, with the pair leaving Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three, back in the UK. However, despite the smiles, Katie Nicholl, author of Kate The Future Queen, who has been on several tours with Kate, said the mother-of-three struggles being away from her young family. Speaking to Closer magazine, the royal expert said: 'Kate wants to be modern, she wants to be hands-on, she wants to be present.' Kate Middleton, 40, feels 'a wrench' being away from Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis during overseas tours, a royal expert has claimed Meanwhile the royal expert also revealed how Kate had described how 'difficult' it was leaving her children behind on previous royal tours, including Bhutan in 2016. Katie added: 'Despite being the Duchess of Cambridge and being able to afford around-the-clock nannies and so on, she had her mum looking after Prince George and Princess Charlotte, which struck me as just really normal. 'I could see how much comfort and confidence that gave her in getting on with her job, which she does brilliantly, but I think it is always such a wrench for her to leave her children behind.' And that feeling of 'wrench' is going to possibly intensify in the future as Kate and William's royal duties increase. The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, last week returned from a controversial tour of the Caribbean with the Duke, 39 (pictured) As the Queen, 95, grows increasingly frail and she possibly cancels more engagements the Duke and Duchess may get busier than ever. Katie managed to dazzle both the press and her supporters throughout her Caribbean trip; despite difficulties such as Jamaica's desire to become a republic and leave the Commonwealth, removing the Queen as Head of State, and their demands for reparations for the part the monarchy played in slavery. But last week at Prince Philip's memorial service Kate and William's two older children, George, eight, and Charlotte, six, were proudly by their side. Little Louis, three, was at home, most probably looked after by Kate's mother Carole, 67. Meanwhile the royal expert also revealed how Kate had described how 'difficult' it was leaving her children behind on previous royal tours, including Bhutan in 2016 (pictured with Prince William) Katie's comments come days after a royal expert claimed the Queen Mother 'would have approved of Kate Middleton' because she is 'the real deal.' Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said The Duchess of Cambridge is 'shaping up to be to be the perfect future Queen'. Speaking to OK! Jennie explained how The Queen Mother, who died aged 101 in 2002, would have approved of her great-grandson's wife as she is 'gracious, elegant, committed and dutiful'. Katie's comments come after Jennie Bond claimed the Queen Mother 'would have approved of Kate Middleton' because she is 'the real deal'. Kate is pictured in the Bahamas in March She explained: 'Everyone who spoke to the Queen Mother would say that she gave you the time of day. I say the same about Kate. 'She gives the impression of being fully engaged and committed to any conversation or engagement, and the Queen Mother was notorious for that. She was so notorious for it, in fact, that she was late for everything!' Jennie added that Kate and William are similar and that they 'connect with young people in a way that's vital for the success and future of the crown' and have 'nailed monarchy cool'. Novelist David Peace has become the latest renowned author to slam publishing's sensitivity crisis as he said novelists have 'a responsibility to push boundaries.' The 55-year-old, who lives in Tokyo, has penned 11 novels, including The Damned Utd, which was made into a film with Michael Sheen in the lead role as Brian Clough. Speaking to The Guardian, he said: 'Publishers should be less risk-averse...if novels are going to survive, novelists have a responsibility to push the boundaries.' His comments come after a number of critically-acclaimed authors spoke out on cancel culture within the publishing world. Novelist David Peace, 55, who lives in Tokyo, has become the latest renowned author to slam publishing's sensitivity crisis as he said novelists have 'a responsibility to push boundaries' Art Spiegelman, 74, who penned the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus about the Holocaust, saw his book banned by a Tennessee school district over a few curse words and a nude image earlier this year. Meanwhile Atwood, 81, saw her a graphic novel version of her critically-acclaimed book The Handmaid's Tale removed from classroom libraries in a Texas school district in December. Speaking to The Guardian, Atwood said there was a form of moral hysteria around upsetting children, adding: 'Theyre playing woke snowflakery back: [by saying] This might upset people.' Spiegelman, who wrote the poignant tale about his parents' survival against Nazi atrocities, said culture surrounding books had become 'the most Orwellian version of society Ive ever lived in.' David, who has penned 11 novels, including The Damned Utd, said publishers should be 'less risk averse' He explained: 'Its not as simple as left v right. Its a culture war thats totally out of control. 'As a first-amendment fundamentalist, I believe in the right of anyone to read anything, provided they are properly supported.' Last month, the McMinn County School Board in Tennessee voted to remove Maus from its curriculum due to 'inappropriate language' (eight swear words) and its 'not wise or healthy' content. The book includes an illustration of a nude woman, according to minutes from a board meeting. Margaret Atwood, 81 and Art Spiegelman are among the renowned authors who have slammed publishing's sensitivity crisis as they called it 'a culture war that's totally out of control' (pictured, Atwood) Spiegelman, 74, who penned the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus about the Holocaust, saw the book banned by a Tennessee school district over a few curse words and a nude image earlier this year The McMinn County Board of Education voted 10-0 to remove Maus on January 10, despite educators arguing that the graphic novel is an 'anchor text' in eighth-grade English language arts instruction and the centerpiece of a months-long study of the Holocaust. Published in 1991, Maus is inspired by the story of Spiegelman's parents, Vladek and Anja, who survived the Holocaust after being shipped to Auschwitz concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. The graphic novel depicts Nazis as cats and Jewish people as mice. Spiegelman's autobiographical book won a Pulitzer in 1992. Spiegelman, who wrote the poignant tale about his parents' survival against Nazi atrocities, said culture surrounding books had become 'the most Orwellian version of society Ive ever lived in' The Tennessee board's decision came amid a wave of conservative-sponsored legislation and other actions to pull books from schools, with other banned works including Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Earlier this year, author Anne Tyler, 80, slammed cancel culture in a new interview, while insisting that she 'should be allowed' to write a book from the 'viewpoint of a black man' without being accused of appropriation. The author from Baltimore, has sold ten million books during her 50-year career, including her best-selling novel Accidental Tourist, which was turned into a major Hollywood movie in 1988 starring William Hurt and Kathleen Turner, and her latest release French Braid, which comes out on Tuesday. However, the writer - who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1989 - says she has been left horrified by the way in which the industry has changed in recent years, calling particular attention to the negative impact that 'cancel culture' has had on literature. 'Im astonished by the appropriation issue,' she told The Sunday Times. 'It would be very foolish for me to write, lets say, a novel from the viewpoint of a black man, but I think I should be allowed to do it.' The author added that the misdeeds or crimes of writers should not lead to their works being pulled from shelves, using 19th century artist Paul Gaugin - who reportedly had sex with and fathered children with underage girls. Despite Gaugin's controversial personal life however, his paintings continue to be exhibited in museums around the world. Atwood saw her a graphic novel version of her critically-acclaimed book The Handmaid's Tale removed from classroom libraries in a Texas school district in December According to Tyler, authors should receive the same treatment. 'If an incredibly talented person has written novels in the 1930s or 40s and all of a sudden it is discovered that there was something he said or did even something as bad as sexual harassment he should be condemned for it but I dont see why you should withdraw his novels from publication. 'We couldnt look at Gauguins paintings, could we? They would have to be destroyed or put away.' Earlier this month, award-winning novelist Howard Jacobson said misogyny 'is not a word that should be used about writers' as he made a stand against publishing's sensitivity crisis. Baltimore-based author Anne Tyler, 80, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1989, has said she is horrified by the implications of 'cancel culture' on literature The 79-year-old, who lives in London, said he was repeatedly warned to 'be careful' when writing his memoir Mother's Boy. The author, who won the Booker Prize for The Finkler Question in 2010, said he was warned by his publisher that his book would make him seem 'not very likeable'. Having previously been accused of misogyny by critics, he told The Telegraph: 'I've lost the energy for the battle...[Misogyny] is not a critical term. As anti-Semitism is not a critical term... 'Dickens wrote novels that you could say are anti-Semitic so what have you said? And a male writer is not obliged to like women.' Meanwhile critically-acclaimed author Kate Clanchy, 57, from Scotland, has found herself at the centre of a cancel culture row over revising her memoir. Novelist Howard Jacobson, 79, previously said misogyny 'is not a word that should be used about writers' as he made a stand against publishing's sensitivity crisis She revealed her former publisher Picador recruited 'sensitivity readers' to 'detect and reform problematic racism and ableism' in her Orwell Prize-winning book. It came after the 2019 memoir about her life as a state school teacher was criticised for allegedly portraying some pupils in a racist manner. Miss Clanchy, 57, said she was 'horrified that people found prejudice and cruelty' in the book and 'went into the process' of the memoir being scrutinised by the sensitivity 'experts' willingly. Writing for website UnHerd, she said one focus group rated supposedly offensive words and passages on a scale of one to three. She wrote: 'One Reader fusspots around single words: I should not use 'disfigure' of a landscape (infraction level 3, as presumably comparing bings spoil heaps to boils might be harmful to acne sufferers). Kate Clanchy (pictured), who wrote Some Kids I Taught And What They Taught Me, revealed her former publisher Picador recruited 'sensitivity readers' to 'detect and reform problematic racism and ableism' in her Orwell Prize-winning book 'Nor should I use 'handicap' in its ordinary sense of 'impede' (infraction level 2, serious); and I should prefer the acronym 'SEN' to its origin phrase, special educational needs, because it is more inclusive (infraction level 2).' She added: 'My Readers though, have not been hired as literary people. They are there to help create a book that would play better on Twitter, not one that is better written.' Miss Clanchy, who was awarded an MBE in 2019, cut ties with Picador before the revised version of the book was published. Swift Press has reissued it without the changes but with other edits. Swift Press told the Daily Telegraph: 'The only thing we wish to say is that minor revisions were made because Kate wished to make them. The Prince of Wales wrapped up warm against the spring chill today as he arrived for the morning service at St Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham in Norfolk. Prince Charles, 73, was snapped wearing a lengthy brown coat for the outing, and could be seen clutching an umbrella in caution of a possible downpour. The royal, who has spent the last three years ago converting Sandringham to a fully organic operation, appeared to be staying in Norfolk for the weekend. The pictures are the latest sign the Duke of Cornwall is moving on following the fall-out from his brother Prince Andrew's appearance at Prince Philip's memorial last week. The Prince of Wales, 73, wrapped up warm against the spring chill today as he arrived for the morning service at St Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham in Norfolk The Duke of York, 62, took centre stage at Westminster Abbey's Thanksgioving of Life service escorting the Queen to the front row leaving the royal family 'dismayed'. It had been expected that the Dean of Westminster would take the Queen to her seat, with Andrew behind. But the shamed royal instead walked her right in front of live cameras. The prince has been forced to step back from public life over his association with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Earlier this month he paid millions to Virginia Giuffre, who had accused him of rape. He has consistently denied her allegations. Prince Charles was snapped wearing a lengthy brown coat for the outing, and could be seen clutching an umbrella in caution of a possible downpour Insiders have claimed he'll use the opportunity as a springboard to support his mother at a Platinum Jubilee service at St Paul's Cathedral in June and is not bothered if 'public opinion is against him', However, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams suggested there is 'no way' William and Charles will accept Andrew's part in the celebrations. He told the Mirror: 'In terms of royal events, I don't expect we will see Prince Andrew appear in the near future - if ever again. 'He won't play any kind of a role in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, of that I think we can be quite sure. 'Prince Charles and William will be totally apposed to it, it's a non-starter.' The royal, who has spent the last three years ago converting Sandringham to a fully organic operation, appeared to be staying in Norfolk for the weekend Earlier this week the Daily Mail revealed that senior royals had 'reluctantly' accepted Andrew would travel with the Queen to London because they live so close to each other. But they had hoped 'common sense' would prevail and that Andrew would not seek to play a prominent role in his first public appearance since he struck the out-of-court settlement with Epstein victim Mrs Giuffre, 38. A family source said that senior royals including Prince Charles and the Duke of Cambridge were 'dismayed' by events and that Andrew's decision to put himself 'front and centre' of the service had caused 'consternation', However, experts have also suggested walk with Andrew was the Queen's way of signalling it's 'ok' and that Her Majesty is 'very clearly stating that he has a role at family occasions'. Princes Charles and William won't allow Prince Andrew to be involved in The Firm's future events, a royal expert has claimed. The Duke of York, 62, took centre stage at Prince Philip's memorial this week escorting the Queen to the front row of Westminster Abbey leaving the royal family ' dismayed ' Vanity Fair royal editor Katie Nichol said the Queen 'deliberately chose to have Andrew play such a prominent role' to show the public 'she still makes decisions'. 'This was the Queen's way of showing two things; one, that the buck stops with her, and she makes the decisions, and secondly that she believes he's innocent. She made the point very, very clearly. 'But Charles and William were very aware of the perspective, of the optics of this 'Unfortunately, this picture [of Prince Andrew escorting the Queen] has overtaken what should have been a memorial to a great man.' The reports come as Prince Andrew has become embroiled in another scandal as Buckingham Palace told bankers a mysterious 750,000 gift to The Duke was for his daughter Princess Beatrice's wedding. Craig Revel Horwood, 57, began his dancing career in his native Australia before moving to Paris and then London, where he appeared in the musical Cats. Best known as a judge on Strictly, hes also an acclaimed choreographer. He and his fiance, horticulturalist Jonathan Myring, live in Northamptonshire and will marry next year. Fear can prevent people from trying something new. But, used properly, it can be a force for good. Australian-British choreographer Craig Revel Horwood, 57, says that used properly fear can be a force for good In the end, I dont think it really exists. The worst that can happen is failure, and we can all learn from failure. Its why I brought out a Christmas single. Id like it to have gone to Number 1 but I was up against Elton John, Ed Sheeran and Adele. Still, it reached Number 21. Not bad. I also recorded a duets album with [Strictly Come Dancing vocalist] Rietta Austin during lockdown. Another example of pushing myself outside my comfort zone is acting in the film Nativity Rocks. All the cast, including Celia Imrie and Ruth Jones, had to improvise their lines. There was no script we were just thrown in at the deep end. That could have been scary but in the end it was like being in a giant playground. Ive never directed a movie, but Id really like to give that a go too. The point is that, whenever you step into the unknown, the anticipation is always worse than the actuality. You have to face it head on and when you do, its all right. Craig (pictured) on the Strictly Come Dancing stage, where he is usually a judge, giving a drag performance Ive just embarked on a one-man solo tour of the UK singing songs and sharing anecdotes about my life so far. Its the waiting in the wings thats the scariest bit. My heart is in my mouth when I walk on stage. The trick is to use that energy. Without the adrenaline, youre not going to perform well. And, if youre not experiencing that rush, you shouldnt be doing what youre doing anymore. I used to be scared of heights. But seven years ago I jumped out of an aeroplane in New Zealand from 15,000 feet, free falling for a minute. I loved it. So my message is simple: Dont be frightened of fear. Styling: Nicola Rose. Make-up: Caroline Barnes at Frank Agency. Hair: Alex Szabo at Carol Hayes management Forget ownership of yachts and Ferraris: on my post-marriage dating checklist an abundance of money was a low priority. Consequently I ended up going out with everyone from impoverished creatives to millionaire CEOs. Rather than material wealth, I admit Ive always been much more interested in superficial physical attributes (strong arms, twinkly eyes, thigh circumference bigger than mine), as well as the more wholesome traits of kindness, loyalty and wit. When I met my boyfriend (who then became my husband) at university, I knew he was never going to go into the City and earn megabucks. And that was fine with me because, hey, its the 21st century, and I can make my own money. As wealth was so unimportant to my younger, idealistic self, I could never understand those reports that said money was the number-one reason why couples split up. Of all the things to divorce over, surely the overdraft wasnt one of them? I could understand if your libidos werent compatible, or if you wanted to live in the country and your other half didnt, or if they licked their plate clean and thought Kim Jong-un was a decent chap. But money? How crass. And to go out with someone purely based on the noughts on their bank balance? I couldnt fathom it. Now Im older I still feel the same. (Although I was somewhat tempted when approached by an introduction service whose clients had a net wealth averaging 50 million but thats a whole other story) Ive realised that both the younger and older me were missing the point. In another post-divorce revelatory moment, I sussed it was not about how much money somebody makes, but their attitude towards it. Whether they liked to spend or save; if theyre a flash Harry or a steady Eddie. Its more about his attitude to money rather than how much he makes Full disclosure: I am both a spender and a scrimper. Much to my childrens mortification, I take my own popcorn to the cinema and I know the words for tap water in seven different languages. I want to bang my head on the till when I forget to take my shopping bags to the supermarket. And if I get a free flight on air miles I am grinning inanely in my seat the whole way to my destination. But while I love a deal, Im also about splashing out on the finer things. A live for today type who likes cashmere, cocktails and expensive candles. My ex-husband once said that lighting one was like burning fivers. I like staying in hotels where you dont think the bedspread should carry a health warning. My ex was careful with money. When we first met in student halls, his room was like a monastic cell. He wasnt going to waste his cash on Red Hot Chili Peppers posters and a lava lamp. For food, he and his mates went to Kwik Save to stock up on the No Frills range. In the beginning we thought our differences were funny. And then came children. And mortgages. And things got tight. Our incomes, always fairly equal, suddenly were not. I thought it was reasonable that we had carpets upstairs. The thermostat became a friction point. Our differences became less amusing. For both of us. Eventually we became one of the statistics. Money did divide us. Now, in my relatively new relationship, I am hoping that the boyfriend and I are financially compatible. So far, so good. He seems to have a similar spend-and-save ethos to me he loves a five-bubble spa and premium toothpaste, but today, when he cashed in his coffee loyalty card for a free cappuccino, he was happier than a Kardashian in a diamond store. Ker-ching! @lifeisrosie Why are men able to interrupt your sleep when: A) You have only met him for lunch, once. B) He texted a week or so later, while you were waiting for him at a table in Soho House, to say we are both too busy and live too far apart for us to even have a one-night stand. This resulted in the waiter removing a set of knives and forks, and two glasses, with a great deal of clatter. 'No one should FaceTime me at 5am. The only view they got was Gracies bottom' This morning I was woken at 05.18 by the man I had met for lunch, who had pursued me before looking up my address on his satnav and deciding it was too far on the cusp of our second date. He was FaceTiming me. Who FaceTimes anyone at five in the morning? Especially me, who resembles a dead tortoise at that hour. Even though I am propped up on four pillows like a Victorian consumptive to avoid eyebags, and I do after all have brand new eyebrows.* Its odd, because earlier in the week he had sent me a map of New York, showing the location of Carrie Bradshaws apartment and the message, I wonder if shes in? My mates dont even know who she is! At first I was puzzled. Then I realised he must be on a mini-break with male friends (a woman, any woman knows who Carrie Bradshaw is) but, frankly, who cares? You are nothing to me! Then, later this morning, I got a text, saying: Your beauty is not your hair or looks. Your beauty is you. Oh, bugger off! I need to stop undervaluing myself. I remember, just before the pandemic, I went to dinner with a friend. She asked about Nigel the photographer who lives in Australia and told me I needed to just get on a plane to Sydney. He will never find someone as funny and interesting as you! she said. She was right. But now its too late: he has a partner and has just taken delivery of a puppy**. We often know what we need to do but lack courage. Are riddled with self-doubt. What if he had rejected me when I landed, puffy-eyed and dehydrated? After all, he knows I exist. He could have pursued me. These are the things we tell ourselves when we are not brave enough to go after what we want.*** Ive just been to lunch with a friend. Outside, and not even under canvas as she thinks canvas will give her Covid. She has already started stockpiling due to the war in Ukraine and, given we live near the biggest military base in Europe, keeps sending me links to properties in the Highlands. I cant leave my horses, I keep telling her. The house next door has a cellar, so Im thinking we will hide there. I cant carry four collies. Mini was so excited to see my girlfriend, she started bouncing and jumping up. I was wearing leggings, which meant she pulled them to my knees, revealing my very saggy M&S pants (I only wear Myla if theres a prospect of a man taking them off). My friend laughed. A man would have been embarrassed, or made an inappropriate remark. I havent replied to this man who gave me such a rude awakening, who is probably bored and regretful despite being on holiday in New York. Theyre always regretful. Chippy at the time, when you take them to the French Embassy in Kensington for a fashion show, or to Marrakech with Blur, or to meet Dave Gilmour before a film screening. Thinking you are too much hard work, they date a normal woman and end up spending every weekend in Sainsburys. On FaceTime, the only view this man got was of Gracies bottom, next to me on her nappy pad. Furry and incontinent. I suspect he thought it was me. *You can read about this process in all its gory detail at dailymail.co.uk/femail **Never underestimate a womans ability to stalk you online *** I do this in my career, too Contact Liz at lizjonesgoddess.com and stalk her @lizjonesgoddess Everyones talking about Liz Joness Diary: The Podcast! Join Liz and her trusty (long-suffering) assistant Nicola as they dissect her weekly YOU magazine diary and delve into the archives to relive the bust-ups, betrayals, bullets and much more in this brilliant podcast. Theyre outspoken, outrageous and utterly hilarious. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and mailplus.co.uk A taxpayer-backed investment firm has sacked a millionaire tech entrepreneur after he was charged with sexual assault. Stefan Glaenzer has been dismissed by Passion Capital, which has received funding from the British Business Bank and owns a stake in the banking app Monzo. Passion Capital said it 'recently learned of criminal charges brought against Stefan Glaenzer' and had cut 'all contractual commitments'. Charges: Stefan Glaenzer has been dismissed by Passion Capital, which has received funding from the British Business Bank Glaenzer is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London on Thursday. The firm is 'actively seeking' to exercise any rights to stop him gaining financially from its success, and removing his involvement from its entities. It added that Glaenzer 'had not had an active role with the firm since his departure in 2018'. Although he reportedly ceased to be involved in investing decisions then, he is said to have continued as a manager of certain funds. Builders' merchant Travis Perkins will no longer buy 'conflict timber' from Russia and Belarus because of the war in Ukraine. French manufacturer Saint-Gobain has taken the same approach since the invasion by Russian president Vladimir Putin. Leading forest certification organisations ruled last month that all products originating in Russia and Belarus would be considered 'conflict timber'. Ban: Leading forest certification organisations ruled last month that all products originating in Russia and Belarus would be considered 'conflict timber' A spokesman for Travis Perkins, which owns the retailer Toolstation, said: 'We work with our suppliers to make sure the timber we purchase comes from certified Forest Stewardship Council or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification sources, and we have ensured that we have made no purchases of anything designated as conflict timber.' The disrupted flow of supply is likely to push prices up, the trade body Timber Development UK said. It also warned that it would take time for existing 'pre-conflict' timber to 'flush through the system'. Property prices in the Byron Bay region could tumble as record-breaking floods decimate communities, but experts say buyers will have to be quick to snap up a bargain. Entire homes, shops and businesses have been completely submerged in the unprecedented floods that have swept through Lismore and Ballina, in the NSW Northern Rivers, for the second time this month. Lismore - which is positioned in a flood plane - was the worst hit, with water levels peaking at 14.4m in early March, and 11.4m overnight on Wednesday. Even Byron Bay, which is by the ocean and tends to experience shorter flash floods, saw the main street submerged with water during the deluge this week. Within the last year, homes in the area have almost doubled in value in the sleepy towns, but real estate agents say a price drop could be on the cards as people reconsider whether they want to invest in a disaster zone. Peter Carmont, from Property Professionals, has been selling houses in the Ballina, Byron Bay and Lismore area for 30 years and told Daily Mail Australia that data gathered from previous floods shows prices could fall between six and 10 per cent. Byron Bay saw floods this week after a deluge swept across the Northern Rivers of NSW. Pictured: People walking through floods in Byron Bay on Wednesday Byron Bay is a tourist and celebrity hotspot where the median house price sits at around $3million In February - the month before disaster struck - properties in Lismore were at at $512,000, up from $378,000 in March last year. The median house price in Ballina was at $900,000 in February after peaking at $680,000 a year ago. Buyers paid around $2.5million for a home in Byron Bay in March 2021, but homes in cost an average of $3million last month. 'We've seen price drops between six and ten per cent before - there's an apprehension from buyers,' Mr Carmont said, referencing floods in 2017, and previously in 1989, 1974 and 1954. 'But now we've had two incidents in a four-week period and we're on national news - I have had emails from people who say they won't buy in Ballina.' 'I don't see an upward trend.' Pictured: A woman standing in floodwater in Lismore on Thursday morning. The region has seen its second flood in a month Floodwaters inundate a road in Lismore where residents have been forced to evacuate their homes Pictured: Lismore, before the floods hit in March. Median house prices almost doubled over the past year Mr Carmont has sold residential properties within the last month, but the houses have either been outside flood zones or only saw small amounts of water damage. Gai Mason, from Byron Ballina Property in Lismore, said there will likely be a number of houses on the market going for less than they were a month ago - but that will attract people who want to snap up a bargain. 'While there are certainly houses still selling, I don't think there's as much of a demand to buy property because of the fact that people are having trouble getting in and out of the area because of the water,' she said. 'But then everyone will want to get off the flat and they'll be buying up everything else, out of flood zones.' Many people were evacuated and lost all their belongings in the floods when they swept though Lismore, twice (pictured) One real estate agent who works in Byron Bay (pictured) said prices in Lismore will likely be more impacted by the freak weather events She said properties have been sold in the last few months that are now underwater, but any house that survived the floods will eventually be worth more. Realtor Ed Silk, who runs Ed Silk Byron Bay, hesitantly said that prices in flood-ravaged regions could very likely see a drop. 'Generally, my logic says that if there are properties in Lismore that have been flooded twice in a couple of weeks, that are uninhabitable, what's going to happen to their value?' he asked. 'Who would be buying a house in a known flood area that's been destroyed?' Mr Silk's business focuses on properties in Byron Bay itself, but he doesn't see the recent weather events having an impact on housing prices in the small town - which has become a a new celebrity hotspot, and the focus of Netflix series Byron Baes. People walk through floodwater on March 30, 2022 in Byron Bay, northern New South Wales 'Because Byron is small geographically, supply is low and demand is high, so I'd say my guess is prices will remain the same,' he said. Data from CoreLogic, a leading authority on property prices, suggests property sales and listings in all three towns have dropped, but realtors say it's too soon to tell what the overall impact of the floods will be. On Thursday morning, former Byron Bay mayor Simon Richardson said the town is a 'living example of poor planning 100 years ago'. 'It's actually below the waterline in a wetlands you wouldn't build a town there now for quids,' he said. 'The water gets captured in Byron like in a wok.' Ms Mason said some areas of Byron Bay 'aren't as well planned as they could be', while Mr Silk agreed that the area has a lot of water because, 100 years ago, people relied on water to travel and export commodities down to Sydney. Ballina has also experienced major flooding this month (pictured) 'Why was Lismore built on the river?' he asked. 'Because that's how they got produce in and out, but they wouldn't build it like that again. 'We make plans that make sense at the time - they were doing their best, but it's nice that Simon had that thought,' he added. Ministry of National Defense headquarters in Yongsan District, Seoul / Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo Aides to President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and President Moon Jae-in have reached a temporary agreement on Yoon's plan to relocate the presidential office to the defense ministry compound, with his team seeking government approval for more than 30 billion won ($24.6 million) out of the 49.6 billion won total cost. According to multiple sources, Sunday, senior presidential secretary for political affairs Lee Cheol-hee and Yoon's Chief of Staff Rep. Chang Je-won have agreed on moving a number of branches of the Ministry of National Defense that do not participate in upcoming Korea-U.S. joint military exercises to the nearby Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) building first, to provide enough room to set up the new presidential office at the ministry's headquarters in Seoul's Yongsan District. Last month, Yoon announced his plan to relocate the presidential office to the defense ministry headquarters and begin his presidency in the new office. To make room, the president-elect sought to move the defense ministry to the JCS building, and relocate some branches of the JCS to other buildings in the compound. This, however, has faced opposition from President Moon, who expressed concern that a "security vacuum" would likely occur during the relocation. In addition, Moon dismissed Yoon's request for Cabinet approval on financing the 49.6 billion won relocation cost from the state reserve fund. After weeks of conflicts, the two sides reportedly have reached a middle ground, by moving some of the defense ministry branches first. Since the annual Korea-U.S. joint military exercises are scheduled for April 12 to 28, relocation of the JCS branches was not included in the agreement, according to sources from Yoon's presidential office relocation team. Against this backdrop, the relocation team has requested Cabinet approval on a new budget, excluding the costs for relocating the various JCS branches. Since Yoon assumes that the costs for moving the JCS will stand at 11.8 billion won, the new budget is anticipated to be between 30 billion won and 37 billion won. The new budget can be approved as early as Tuesday when Moon will hold a Cabinet meeting, but uncertainty remains because Moon has already said during his meeting with Yoon on March 28 that he would "have a thorough review of the budget." Regardless of the budget, chances are slim for Yoon to keep his pledge to start his presidency on May 10 at the new presidential office due to time constraints. "Even if we are budgeted more than 30 billion won, it has already became difficult to start the presidency on May 10 at the new office," a relocation team official told Yonhap News Agency. Yoon is expected to use his presidential transition committee office in Tongui-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, until the new office is ready. A teenager has been charged with eight counts of rape including of a classmate at a party, prompting a 15-month investigation of his high school. The boy, who can't be named, was charged in January 2021 and the police probe into Katoomba High School began about the same time. He was also charged with choking and assault and faced the NSW Children's Court where he pleaded not guilty. A magistrate will decide his fate in May. The charges initially sprung from his alleged rape of a female student at a party in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney in 2019. A Katoomba High School student was allegedly raped by a teenage boy from the same school. Pictured is a stock image of a girl sitting on a step The alleged rape was first reported to Katoomba High School and then to police, who decided a wider investigation of the school was needed. Strike Force Woolalla was set up to investigate alleged sexual violence and threatening behaviour of students. Parents in the town posted flyers urging 'current or past' pupils of KHS to report 'rape, sexual assault or sexual harassment' to police. 'The school has been the subject of an ongoing 15-month rape-related investigation by the Department of Education,' the flyers read. 'Parents whose daughters have attended Katoomba High should check on their welfare regarding this issue.' The NSW Education Department launched a professional and ethical standards investigation into KHS on December 9, 2020. It began after a girl's parents complained the school did not have the boy spoken to by police for allegedly harassing their daughter, before he allegedly raped the child. Pictured is a flyer posted around the town of Katoomba about allegations of rape and sexual assault Both the education department and police investigations are ongoing. An education department official told parents in a letter that the investigation was examining if any staff at the school engaged in misconduct. A parent sent a complaint to the education department and the NSW Ombudsman complaining of how long the investigation was taking. 'Given the very serious incidents being investigated by the Department of Education, they should have completed this investigation in a very short period of time,' the parent wrote, according to the Sunday Telegraph. 'Their failure to do so has put the safety of female pupils at risk at Katoomba High School.' A spokeswoman for DoE told Daily Mail Australia that 'As court and police proceedings are ongoing, its not appropriate to comment.' Katoomba High School has also been contacted for comment. Katoomba High School (pictured) is the subject of a NSW Department of Education Professional and Ethical Standards investigation The school has previously been caught up in a sex scandal, with a teacher jailed two years ago. In 2020, a former KHS teacher, Gavin Malcolm Duncan, pleaded guilty to three counts of having sex with a person in his care. After taking advantage of the girl on one occasion in his home, Duncan asked her to wear a skirt to school the next day so they could have sex in a classroom. He was sentenced to at least seven months behind bars, with an additional eight months on parole over his sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student at Katoomba High School. Former Katoomba High School teacher, Gavin Malcolm Duncan, pleaded guilty in 2020 to three counts of having sexual intercourse with a person in his care In a victim impact statement the girl read to the NSW District Court sitting in Penrith she described how Duncan had groomed her at school. 'I felt comfortable opening up and he was always happy to listen to me,' she said. 'This made him the best person in my life at the time, because I believed he cared about me. 'Every choice I made, I would ask myself how Gav would react if he found out and he always knew what I was up to... which I now realise was part of the grooming.' A one-time mining worker turned cocaine smuggler was taken down because police recognised his dog Louis from a photo he sent to co-conspirators - before he was found dead in his jail cell. Detectives secretly raided Bennet Schwartz's Double Bay unit, in the Sydney's eastern suburbs, in August to look for evidence that would link him to a major syndicate that allegedly involved alleged drug kingpin Mostafa Baluch. The person they were looking for had sent a photo of a French bulldog to someone months earlier using the same phone that was used to run the cocaine operation, but investigators had limited evidence that it was Schwartz. When they opened the door and saw the same dog sitting in the apartment, it confirmed the 34-year-old former Rio Tinto worker was involved. Convicted cocaine smuggler and former Rio Tinto employee Bennet Schwartz (pictured) was brought down by a photo of his French bulldog Detectives were looking for a man who sent a photo of his French bulldog (left) to co-conspirators on Anom. When they raided Schwartz's apartment, they found the same dog (right) 'The dog's name was Louie,' a police source told the Daily Telegraph. 'Schwartz owned two of the same breed.' The tiles in the unit also matched the ones Louis was sitting on in the photo Schwartz sent under the alias 'Anybreak' on May 25. Authorities were able to see messages between drug smugglers because they were sent using AN0M. The messaging app popular among criminals because it was thought to have impenetrable encryption that stopped conversations being monitored. In reality, the app was created by a criminal informant who worked for the FBI in the US to catch international crime syndicates, and recorded all their conversations. The Australian Federal Police then created a system to decode the encrypted messages. Police took a photo of Louis on the day they raided the apartment in August and used it as evidence against Schwartz, alongside the image he sent in May. Pictured: Bennet Schwartz being arrested outside his Rose Bay home in October last year. He was accused of smuggling drugs into the country Schwartz was accused of texting Baluch on the police-run encrypted messaging app ANOM while allegedly trying to smuggle 27kg of cocaine into Australia. The drugs were allegedly concealed in modelling clay (pictured) Investigators also seized a burner phone that was used to check the delivery status of the cocaine shipment, along with 62 other shipments of heroin and meth. With the photo and the phone, police had enough evidence to prove Schwartz was trying to make a plan to smuggle 27kg of cocaine into Australia with northern beaches restaurateur and accused drug baron Mostafa Baluch. The drugs were allegedly concealed in modelling clay. Baluch was also charged over the plot, but he is yet to enter a plea to any of the charges. He is in Australia's most secure prison, Goulburn's Supermax, after allegedly cutting off an ankle monitor while he was on bail and going on the run. Accused drug kingpin Mostafa Baluch went on the run from police for 16 days after cutting off his ankle monitor. He is pictured at Bankstown Airport after his extradition from Queensland to NSW in November In 2016, AFP and Border Force officers intercepted 25kg of cocaine worth $4.5 million imported from the US and linked it to Schwartz. The Sydney Grammar graduate used an encrypted Blackberry phone to communicate about the drug importation with associates including a criminal known as 'Dr Octopus'. NSW District Court Judge Peter Berman sentenced Schwartz to a maximum six years in jail with a non-parole period of three-and-a-half years in April 2018. 'Many offenders coming for sentence to this court have terrible backgrounds,' Judge Berman said. 'They are raised by parents who model illegal behaviour. They are abused, they do not have guidance and they associate with criminals. 'The offender has no excuse whatsoever for his behaviour. Corrective Services confirmed Schwartz was found unresponsive at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre at Silverwater (pictured) 'He was raised by his widowed mother in an appropriate way. She made sacrifices to give him a good education, he studied, he had a job and the support of his family.' Schwartz was the victim of extortion attempts while behind bars and was released in March 2020. He was arrested again in October the following year and charged over his involvement with the cocaine shipment. He was awaiting trial over further drug smuggling charges when he was found dead at Silverwater's Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in February. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death are underway and Corrective Services confirmed there would be a coronial inquest. Britain may be home to seven new nuclear power stations in the next 30 years, the Business Secretary said. All but one of UK's existing plants is set to be decommissioned by 2030. However, Kwasi Kwarteng has said more could be done to ease energy worries. The UK could massively scale up its nuclear power capability by 2050 - with new stations having far greater capacity, it is understood. 'There is a realisation across Government that we could do more on nuclear,' the Business Secretary told The Sunday Telegraph. He added: 'With energy, you're thinking maybe 30, even 40 years [ahead]. If we fast forward to 2050, there is a world where we have six or seven sites in the UK. 'That isn't going to happen in the next two years, but it's definitely something that we can aspire to. 'The Prime Minister said, in terms of the energy generation mix, we could see maybe a quarter of that being nuclear. Boris Johnson is reportedly preparing to announce plans to expand the Government's commitment to move forward with new large-scale nuclear power stations this decade 'I'd say 15 to 25 per cent. But obviously in the first three years you're not going to suddenly have six new nuclear stations in three years. It's physically impossible to do that.' It means the UK could massively scale up its nuclear power capability by 2050 - with new stations having far greater capacity. While the number of stations is likely to remain similar to now - the plan is for each new site to be far more powerful than those they will replace, significantly pushing up the UK's capacity. All but one of UK's existing plants is set to be decommissioned by 2030. Pictured: Hinkley Point C nuclear power station Boris Johnson is reportedly preparing to announce plans to expand the Government's commitment to move forward with new large-scale nuclear power stations this decade. The plan had been to back one by 2024 but it is thought the new ambition will be to support the construction of two by 2030. The move to scale up nuclear power production will reportedly form part of a major expansion of homegrown energy in the wake of the Ukraine crisis. It comes as the Government's energy security strategy is expected to be unveiled on Thursday. As one of fashion's most influential stars, Dame Anna Wintour is no stranger to controversy. But the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, who has been on a mission to preserve her legacy and make the fashion bible more 'woke', has now found herself at the centre of an escalating staff mutiny over allegations of tokenistic hiring decisions and poor pay and conditions. Workers last year staged protests outside Dame Anna's Manhattan townhouse, chanting 'You can't eat prestige' and 'The boss wears Prada, the workers get nada'. And now 400 employees of Conde Nast, Vogue's parent company which also includes The New Yorker and Glamour magazines have formed a union to protest against what they describe as the corporation's unethical practices. Workers last year staged protests (pictured) outside Dame Anna's Manhattan townhouse, chanting 'You can't eat prestige' and 'The boss wears Prada, the workers get nada' Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour - who has been on a mission to preserve her legacy and make the fashion bible more 'woke' - has now found herself at the centre of an escalating staff mutiny over allegations of tokenistic hiring decisions and poor pay and conditions One of the union's most vocal members, Cortni Spearman, has personally accused the company of using people of colour like her to fulfil a 'diversity quota'. And in a two-minute video circulated to rally support, members of staff are seen declaring: 'We're burned out, we're underpaid. We're unionising for a future where any worker from any background can thrive. 'The company thinks we're replaceable, that we should be grateful to be here.' Ms Wintour, 72, who has also been Global Chief Content Officer for Conde Nast since 2020, sought to distance herself from the complaints last week, with a source from her camp insisting it was a corporate issue, which is not 'her bag'. But sources say the issues may become harder for her to dismiss. Another source told The Mail on Sunday: 'Everyone answers to Anna. The idea she's not involved, given all the effort she has been putting in lately to make Vogue "woke" is hard to swallow. 'The workers are rising up in mutiny. London will be next.' The legendary magazine editor has, in recent years, been attempting to atone for past missteps. Some claim Ms Wintour is simply jumping on the latest trendy bandwagon as Vogue undergoes a woke overhaul with the UK edition now operating under its first black UK editor, Edward Enninful (pictured) She apologised to staff for race-related mistakes in an internal email, and in one editorial meeting is rumoured to have declared: 'Why are there so many white people in the room?' Some claim Ms Wintour is simply jumping on the latest trendy bandwagon as Vogue undergoes a woke overhaul with the UK edition now operating under its first black UK editor, Edward Enninful. UK Vogue has featured a more diverse range of faces on its cover, opened a trendy new London office and started policing its fashion cupboard, where employees were once encouraged to supplement their meagre income with freebies. There are concerns Enninful will lift the lid on the industry's discriminatory history in his autobiography, A Visible Man, which is due to be published in September. Spearman, who left her job as a senior social-media manager at Glamour yesterday, said: 'I've never seen or experienced first-hand the kind of discrimination, burnout, or pay disparities that I've witnessed at Conde Nast.' A Conde Nast spokesman said: 'We plan to have productive and thoughtful conversations with them [the union] over the coming weeks to learn more.' Police have arrested the ex-boyfriend of a missing Florida mom in Tennessee nearly a week after she went to see him to pick up their four-year-old daughter, and her family is 'relieved' and hoping to find 'more answers.' Marcus Spanevelo, 34, was arrested in Lebanon, Tennessee, around 10 a.m. on Saturday and has been charged with tampering with evidence, giving false information concerning a missing person investigation and destruction of evidence. 'Spanevelo was arrested based on a Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office Major Crimes warrant which was signed by a judge,' the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office wrote in a press release. 'We are cautious as to the information being released due to the sensitivity of this case.' Carli's sister Raeann posted a video on Facebook reacting to the arrest, saying: 'We are a little relieved to know that Marcus is in custody, and we're hoping that can bring us some more answers and closer to finding Cassie. 'Like I said, now that he's in custody, hopefully we can get a few more answers on her disappearance. We're going to bring Cassie home.' Scroll down for video Marcus Spanevelo was arrested on Saturday in Lebanon, Tennessee, around 10am and has been charged with tampering with evidence, giving false information concerning a missing person investigation, and destruction of evidence Cassie Carli, 37, was last seen leaving her father's home in Navarre, Florida, at 7pm on Sunday to pick up her 4-year-old daughter, Saylor (right), from the girl's father Carli with her daughter Saylor Carli's sister Raeann posted a video on Facebook reacting to the arrest, saying: 'We are a little relieved to know that Marcus is in custody, and we're hoping that can bring us some more answers and closer to finding Cassie' We are so thankful for Sgt. Aloy & all of the law enforcement involved in helping get justice for Cassie. The search continues tomorrow!!! 10am on Navarre Beach under the water tower!! Will make a post after this with more detailed info! Lets BEING CASSIE HOME!! Posted by Raeann Carli on Saturday, April 2, 2022 She also said the 'search is on tomorrow' as the family continues to look for the mother-of-one. Detectives from Santa Rosa County traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday and located Marcus Spanevelo and his daughter, Saylor, four, three days after the girl's mother, Cassie Carli, vanished in Navarre, Florida, located more than 260 miles away. Authorities said the former couple's child is 'safe' and 'search efforts for Cassi Carli remain underway.' The Maury County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee said the father has been booked into jail. Carli was last seen on Sunday and days after Spanevelo was found in Alabama, hundreds of miles away, before being arrested on Saturday The community has shown up on the beach every day to help search for Carli Spanevelo, the ex-boyfriend of missing Florida mother Cassie Carli, was located in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, with his four-year-old daughter Saylor, but he has not been arrested or charged Carli's car was located on Tuesday in Navarre with her purse inside, raising concerns for her well-being, Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said during a press conference on Thursday, adding that there has been no activity on the missing woman's phone or credit card since Sunday. Johnson said his detectives still do not know if Carli has been the victim of a crime, but she is considered to be missing and endangered. Carli had arranged to meet up with Spanevelo to exchange custody of their daughter at around 7 p.m. in the parking lot of Juanita's Grill at Navarre Beach. Every day the family and community members have met in the parking lot of Juanita's Grill at Navarre Beach - where her car was found - to search for her, according to WEAR-TV. He was booked into jail, according to the Maury County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee Her father, Andrew Carli, told DailyMail.com that before going, she told him, '"I'll be right back." She never came back.' Andrew said Spanevelo, whom he described as a 'narcissist,' had a turbulent relationship with his daughter after their split. He claimed that prior to her disappearance, Carli had obtained a court order compelling her ex-boyfriend to pay her $6,000 in child support. Carli's dad also said that Spanevelo would not take his calls or answer his text messaging asking about Carli. Carli's young sister Raeann told Fox News her sister felt 'extremely unsafe' around Spanevelo and had warned her family about him. 'Just in general, with her relationship with him, it has always been, she has had some fear of him,' her sister said. 'Hes always controlling, and tried to be manipulative, and she had some fear of him in the past. And what hes capable of, or planning maliciously towards her.' Raeann, who lives in North Carolina, told NBC's Dateline that Cassie and her ex typically met at a Walmart located in Destin, halfway between Navarre and Panama City, where Spanevelo lives. The custody exchange was set to take place at this parking lot at Navarre Beach Carli never returned home and was reported missing by her father on Monday evening But for an unknown reason, they decided at the last minute to change their meeting place Sunday. Nearly four hours after Carli went out to pick up Saylor, her father, with whom she lives in Navarre, received text messages from his daughter's phone, telling him that she was having problems with her phone and her car. Speaking to DailyMail.com on Thursday, Andrew Carli said he does not believe Cassie sent those texts. Carli never made it home that night, and she was still missing the following day when her father came home from work and discovered that his daughter has not returned. That evening, nearly 24 hours after her last sighting, Carli's father contacted the authorities and reported her missing. Santa Rosa Sheriff's deputies located Carli's vehicle on Tuesday morning at Navarre Beach, but she was nowhere to be found. Her purse was discovered inside. Saylor has been found safe with her dad, but her mother never made it home, sparking a massive search involving law enforcement officials and volunteers Sheriff's deputies located Carli's car at the Navarre Beach parking lot on Tuesday Carli's friend Sam Graves, who organized a search party in Navarre on Tuesday, told WEAR-TV that Saylor's father, whom she identified as Spanevelo, falsely claimed that he had brought Cassie to Graves' house after she 'freaked out' on Sunday. Andrew Carli, Cassie's dad, called those claims 'bulls***,' arguing that Spanevelo never even met Graves. Graves said that Spenevelo is a Brazilian national and that he previously threatened to take Saylor out of the country. She also alleged that the man was an 'abuser,' although Spenevelo has not been charged with any crime related to Carli. Graves grimly remarked said that all indicators are pointing to a 'worst-scenario ending.' However, Sergeant Richard Aloy, with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, said officials do not suspect foul play at this time and are actively looking for Carli. Carli had just started a new job at the nearby Eglin Air Force base the day before. Her sister said Carli told her that her first shift went well. Raeann Carli said that her sister is in a great physical and mental shape, and is known for her fun and outgoing personality. Carli is described as being 5-foot-5 and 150lbs, with blue eyes and blonde shoulder-length hair. She has a mole on her right cheek. Families are hanging wreaths on the door, putting up the tree and decorating their homes this week ready for the holiday celebrations. No, Christmas hasn't come early the new trend for Easter decorations is booming and more homes are expected to be decorated for the bank holiday weekend this year than ever before. In 2021, nearly one in 20 Britons bought home decorations for Easter, rising to one in 10 among millennials aged 25 to 40, according to retail analysts Mintel. This is expected to increase this year, as people host more events at home for friends and family to make up for two years where Easter and Christmas have been cancelled, or severely affected by Covid. At John Lewis, sales of Easter trees are up 65 per cent compared to the same time last year, while Easter wreaths have sold out. In 2021, nearly one in 20 Britons bought home decorations for Easter, rising to one in 10 among millennials aged 25 to 40, according to retail analysts Mintel. This is expected to increase this year, as people host more events at home for friends and family to make up for two years where Easter and Christmas have been cancelled, or severely affected by Covid Lisa Cherry, seasonal buyer at the retailer, said: 'Customers are looking to create their biggest ever Easter celebrations this year and bring friends and family together.' Popular Easter decorations include trees and wreaths, often decorated with eggs and spring flowers in bright or pastel colours. Decorations supplier Ginger Ray said internet searches for 'Easter wreath' this January were 21 times higher than in 2020. The brand's decoration expert Jess Martin said: 'The wreath has been given a seasonal refresh.' Arts and crafts giant Hobbycraft has also seen demand rising for Easter-themed home decorations, with searches for its mache cracked egg up 300 per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year, and those for its hanging ceramic bunny up 122 per cent. Popular Easter decorations include trees and wreaths, often decorated with eggs and spring flowers in bright or pastel colours The Instagram-driven trend for 'tablescaping' heavily decorated themed tables and a spike in demand for faux flowers was helping boost pre-Easter sales, said Jonathon Warren, from luxury interior marketplace LuxDeco. 'People have spent so much time at home in recent years, they want to make their home environment as attractive as possible for a special occasion,' said Catherine Nix, founder of MyScentedHome, which has seen a 1,000 per cent increase in demand for dried floral wreaths and bouquets since lockdown began. Demand from customers has triggered eco-friendly party goods supplier The Conscious Party Box to launch its first Easter-specific decorations kit this year. Co-founder Pip Hounslow said: 'I think people are thinking: why not celebrate the small things in life right now, especially at the moment with everything negative that's going on around the world.' As a young economist on his way to high office at the Bank of England, David Beers would relax by reading the novels of John le Carre. But the rising star of finance was plunged into a real-life tale of espionage when the then 27-year-old was targeted by Czech secret police as a potential spy while working in New York. The extraordinary story of how a special adviser to former Bank of England governor Mark Carney operated as a 'double agent' to expose Communist spies during the Cold War can today be revealed. The rising star of finance was plunged into a real-life tale of espionage when the then 27-year-old was targeted by Czech secret police as a potential spy while working in New York Documents uncovered in a Prague archive by The Mail on Sunday reveal that Mr Beers, now 68, became the prized quarry of Czech secret service agents when he was working for the Bankers Trust company in New York during the 1980s. The files, hidden for almost 40 years, detail how the Communist state's StB spy agency believed it had recruited him as a source and held 25 meetings with him over four years. 'No signs of contact being detected by enemy counter-intelligence service, and no signs of a potential halt to collaboration,' one StB agent noted in a report following a meeting with Mr Beers. But the Czech secret agents posing as diplomats at the UN in New York were unaware that Mr Beers, inspired by le Carre, was double-crossing them and helping expose their status as foreign spies. He was invited by a Czech agent to the Smith & Wollensky restaurant. The files, hidden for almost 40 years, detail how the Communist state's StB spy agency believed it had recruited him as a source and held 25 meetings with him over four years Having alerted the FBI in early 1983, he was holding follow-up meetings to brief the US agency. Last night, the dual British-US citizen, who spent seven years at the Bank of England before retiring last year, said: 'I assumed it all along [that they were working as spies]. They all pretended they were economists but it was obvious they were not. 'I was glad that, as a teenager, I had read John le Carre because in this shadowy fraternity of spies [in his books] there were people not unlike the people I was dealing with. I thought it was in my interest to approach the FBI because I certainly didn't want them to view me as a suspect.' At a meeting in August 1983, Mr Beers's handler Captain Jaromir Rada took him to the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse restaurant where he was quizzed on his personal life in a 'non-forceful way'. An assessment by the Czechs in October 1983 described Mr Beers, codenamed 'Boar', as 'an intelligence asset [that] has been developed through direct contact with employees of Czechoslovak intelligence... the results obtained during development indicate that Boar is interested in cooperation'. A profile of Mr Beers, compiled by a Lieutenant Pavel Zavrel, said: 'Boar lives a youthful life, which undoubtedly has an impact on his life management. It is believed he has certain problems with his stomach. Nonetheless, he likes spicy Japanese and Chinese food and likes to eat. He drinks alcohol in moderation, usually beer.' 'Boar' was categorised as a 'duverny styk', the second highest rank of contact behind full agent, and was providing the spies with what they thought was useful economic intelligence. In February 1984, they claimed Mr Beers had handed over a Bankers Trust 'internal study' of US banks' transactions that he had told them was 'partly confidential' an assertion that he denies. 'I never gave them any confidential documents from Bankers Trust or any other source,' he said. 'I think they made this claim to impress their bosses in Prague.' After his meeting with the Czech agents, usually in Chinese or Japanese restaurants, he would call his FBI handlers who would then visit him at his eighth-floor New York apartment for a debriefing. Two agents, led by a woman in her 30s who gave her name as 'Susan Springle', would quiz him. Astonishingly, even though the Czechs kept Beers' apartment under surveillance, their agents remained unaware they were being duped. During this period there was a wave of expulsions of spies posing as Warsaw Pact diplomats in the US, and Karel Koecher, a Czech agent in New York, was even exposed as having infiltrated the CIA in 1984. 'My sense is that the Czechs saw me as a 'sleeper cell' contact, a person potentially useful to them but one who they hadn't yet figured out if, when or how to deploy', said Mr Beers. 'Most of the meetings [with the FBI] happened in my apartment. There were at least two of them present. The 'Ms Springle' was always there and would lead the conversation. They confirmed my view early on that the agents I was dealing with were spies.' He added: 'By 1985, the FBI floated this idea they would prepare a so-called confidential document that I could give Miroslav [one of the StB agents] and it would be a sting operation. They would arrest him and expel him. 'They asked if I had any feelings for these people. I said, 'No, I'm not going to shed any tears if you expel them from the country.' ' Mr Beers, a former head of international public finance ratings at S&P Global, now lives in Sussex. His career as a double-agent ended when a new job opportunity arose. 'I approached the FBI and they agreed. I moved to Brooklyn then and never spoke to the FBI and the Czechs ever again.' Documents uncovered by the MoS show that the Czech agents continued attempts to contact Mr Beers for a further year and his file was only finally archived in 1987. Five young agitators are leading the Just Stop Oil protests that targeted oil refineries last week and which threaten to bring more misery this month. Louis McKechnie, a Bournemouth University student, was seen 'surfing' on an oil truck in Essex on Friday, but his activism began with Extinction Rebellion (XR) in 2020 before he joined vegan group Animal Rebellion. The 21-year-old, whose experience of work appears to be only stints with a local fish-and-chip shop and supermarket, was one of the 'Highway Nine' Insulate Britain protesters jailed for blocking the M25 last year. After serving half of a three-month prison sentence, he warned: 'What comes next will make Insulate Britain look like child's play.' Louis McKechnie, a Bournemouth University student, was seen 'surfing' on an oil truck in Essex on Friday, but his activism began with Extinction Rebellion (XR) in 2020 before he joined vegan group Animal Rebellion. Pictured: Louis McKechnie and Hannah Hunt Police officers from the Protester Removal Team work to free a Just Stop Oil activist who is part of a blockade at the Tritan Truck Park in Grays, Essex on April 2 He became a poster boy for Just Stop Oil (JSO) in February by leading a protest outside Downing Street and storming the Baftas. He also tied himself to a goalpost to disrupt a Premier League at Everton last month. Another JSO activist is graphic designer Gabriella Ditton, 27, from Norfolk, who was arrested for blocking oil trucks on Friday. In a newspaper interview, Ms Ditton who attended Wymondham College in Norfolk, where annual boarding fees are more than 12,000 bragged: 'I've been arrested 16 times and it's honestly fine.' She has stripped naked and covered her body in oil at protests. A third agitator is 22-year-old King's College London student Nathan McGovern, who studies religion. The Coventry activist has flirted with XR and Animal Rebellion and disrupted a game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Police officers from the Protester Removal Team work to free a Just Stop Oil activist who is part of a blockade at the Titan Truck Park in Grays, Essex on April 2 Police officers from the Protester Removal Team work to free a Just Stop Oil activist from beneath the ground at the Tritan Truck Park in Grays, Essex on April 2 Just Stop Oil of protesters who blocked a road near to the Titan Truck Park in Grays, Essex on April 2 Extinction Rebellion Just Stop Oil protesters blocked Piccadilly Way in Warwickshire, near the town of Kingsbury as they climbed an oil tanker protesting to urge the Government to stop new oil projects Another prominent activist is student Hannah Hunt, 23, also a former XR supporter who broke into an ExxonMobil Oil refinery in Hampshire. The Brighton-based activist studied at Sussex University, where she joined the sailing team. Her Instagram shows her holidaying in locations including Australia, Greece, Gran Canaria and Bali. The fifth eco-fanatic is Indigo Rumbelow, 27, from Gower, South-West Wales, who has been arrested at least five times. In a Zoom call watched by The Mail on Sunday last week, she told activists: 'We want to create sustained disruption for two weeks.' Last night, Ms Rumbelow said: 'My generation is being forced into action because our Government is destroying our future. We will immediately end all actions when it makes a statement that it will stop all new oil and gas.' One person has died and 37 have been injured after a massive explosion at a nightclub in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku. Horrifying footage shows people lying wounded on the street outside a building in the city after blast thought to have been caused by a gas leak in the early hours of this morning. Harrowing footage from the scene shows pieces of debris in the street, as well as damage to vehicles and nearby buildings. The building the blast appears to have taken place in can also be seen still on fire. One person was killed and dozens injured in the blast at a nightclub in Baku in the early hours of this morning The incident happened after a gas leak in the nightclub, the name of which is yet to be released by the authorities Emergency services rushed to the scene at around 3am after reports of the explosion from the public The explosion took place in a nightclub in Tarlan Aliyarbayov Street, in the Sabail district of the city. The name of the nightclub has not been released. Some 24 of those injured had to be taken to hospital after suffering burn injuries, a Health Ministry spokesperson was quoted a saying. According to the office of the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan, a gas leak had caused the explosion. In a statement it said: 'As reported, an explosion occurred in a nightclub located in Tarlan Aliyarbayov Street, Baku city, Sabail district, on April 3, 2022 around 03:00 o'clock. 'It was determined that the incident occurred due to the lack of gas supply in the building as a result of a leak from a gas balloon installed there. The incident took place in a nightclub in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan which lies on the Caspian Sea Initial reports suggested three people had died in the blast, but this was later revised down to one The office of the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan said 37 people were injured in the blast, four of which are in a critical condition in hospital 'The number of dead as a result of the explosion is currently one person (an employee of the night club, Maya Akhundova, born in 1979). 'Thirty-seven people suffered various degrees of bodily injuries, four of them are in very critical condition. 'Fourteen cars, one apartment and two non-residential facilities were also damaged.' It added that it had assembled an investigative team to see if any crimes had been committed through the breaching of fire safety regulations or negligence. 'A joint investigation team was created and the conduct of the investigation was entrusted to the Investigation Department of the General Prosecutor's Office,' it said. 'Necessary investigation actions are being continued with the appointment of relevant experts on criminal case.' In a statement on its website, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said it was told there had been an explosion at around 3am. It said: 'Forces of the State Fire Protection Service and Special Risk Rescue Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were immediately called to the area. Prosecutors are looking into whether any laws have been broken in the aftermath of the explosion Officials said one person, an employee at the nightclub, was found dead underneath the rubble The blast caused severe damage to the building, as well as cars and items in the surrounding streets 'While assessing the operational conditions at the scene, it was determined that an explosion occurred at the facility, which acts as a nightclub, and caused damage inside the facility. 'Thanks to the prompt intervention of firefighters, the fire was extinguished in a short time, preventing it from spreading.' In a follow-up statement, it said one person had been found dead under the rubble. It added: 'The search and rescue operation carried out by the Ministry of Emergency Situations has ended in connection with the fire and explosion in a nightclub located on Tarlan Aliyarbayov Street, Sabail district, Baku. It is reported 24 people were taken to hospital following the incident, most of which required treatment for burn injuries The Ministry of Emergency Situations said the building caught fire, but firefighters were able to stop this spreading and put it out Minister of Emergency Situations, Colonel-General Kamaladdin Heydarov, arrives at the scene of the explosion on Sunday morning 'As a result of reconnaissance operations at the scene, the body of one person found under the rubble was removed and handed over to the relevant authorities. 'Specially trained search dogs of the Special Risk Rescue Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were also involved in the search and rescue operation. 'In total, according to preliminary reports, one person was killed and 31 were injured in the blast. 'The causes of the incident are being investigated by the relevant agencies.' 13 monks receive 'doctoral degree' of Tibetan Buddhism Xinhua) 11:05, April 03, 2022 Monks attend the award ceremony of the degree of Geshe Lharampa held in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022. Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa on Saturday in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa. Geshe Lharampa, which means "intellectual" in the Tibetan language, is the highest academic degree for the Gelugba School -- also known as the Yellow Sect -- of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of Geshe Lharampa goes back 400 years. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) LHASA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa -- equivalent to a doctoral degree in modern education -- on Saturday in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The awarding ceremony was held in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa, the regional capital. Geshe Lharampa is the highest degree in exoteric teachings of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Those monks who received the degree are all revered Buddhists from Tibet and southwest China's Yunnan Province. Lozang Taktra, a 47-year-old monk from the Sera Monastery in Lhasa, won the first place, saying he would constantly improve his religious learning and maintain his love for the country and the religion. Monks attend the debate activity, a part of the award ceremony of the degree of Geshe Lharampa held in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022. Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa on Saturday in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa. Geshe Lharampa, which means "intellectual" in the Tibetan language, is the highest academic degree for the Gelugba School -- also known as the Yellow Sect -- of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of Geshe Lharampa goes back 400 years. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) Monks attend the debate activity, a part of the award ceremony of the degree of Geshe Lharampa held in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022. Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa on Saturday in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa. Geshe Lharampa, which means "intellectual" in the Tibetan language, is the highest academic degree for the Gelugba School -- also known as the Yellow Sect -- of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of Geshe Lharampa goes back 400 years. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) Monks attend the debate activity, a part of the award ceremony of the degree of Geshe Lharampa held in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022. Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa on Saturday in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa. Geshe Lharampa, which means "intellectual" in the Tibetan language, is the highest academic degree for the Gelugba School -- also known as the Yellow Sect -- of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of Geshe Lharampa goes back 400 years. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) Monks awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa pose for a group photo in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022. Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa on Saturday in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa. Geshe Lharampa, which means "intellectual" in the Tibetan language, is the highest academic degree for the Gelugba School -- also known as the Yellow Sect -- of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of Geshe Lharampa goes back 400 years. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) A monk is being awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022. Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa on Saturday in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa. Geshe Lharampa, which means "intellectual" in the Tibetan language, is the highest academic degree for the Gelugba School -- also known as the Yellow Sect -- of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of Geshe Lharampa goes back 400 years. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) Monks attend the award ceremony of the degree of Geshe Lharampa held in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022. Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa on Saturday in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa. Geshe Lharampa, which means "intellectual" in the Tibetan language, is the highest academic degree for the Gelugba School -- also known as the Yellow Sect -- of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of Geshe Lharampa goes back 400 years. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) Monks attend the award ceremony of the degree of Geshe Lharampa held in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022. Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa on Saturday in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa. Geshe Lharampa, which means "intellectual" in the Tibetan language, is the highest academic degree for the Gelugba School -- also known as the Yellow Sect -- of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of Geshe Lharampa goes back 400 years. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) Monks attend the award ceremony of the degree of Geshe Lharampa held in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022. Thirteen monks were awarded the degree of Geshe Lharampa on Saturday in the Jokhang Temple in downtown Lhasa. Geshe Lharampa, which means "intellectual" in the Tibetan language, is the highest academic degree for the Gelugba School -- also known as the Yellow Sect -- of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of Geshe Lharampa goes back 400 years. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a speech during a ceremony paying tribute to the victims of the Jeju Massacre at the Jeju April 3 Peace Park on Jeju Island, Sunday. Yoon is the first president or president-elect from a conservative party to attend the ceremony. Yonhap By Kwon Mee-yoo President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol visited Jeju Island, Sunday, to pay his tribute to the victims of the Jeju Massacre which began on April 3, 1948, vowing to restore the tarnished honor of the victims of the massacre and their families during his term. This is the first time for a president or president-elect of a conservative party to attend the ceremony to commemorate the anniversary. Yoon kept the promise he made in February during the presidential campaign to attend the memorial ceremony if elected. The incident, often referred to as April 3 or 4.3, began when Jeju islanders held a protest against the U.S. Army Military Government in Korea and its plan to hold an election for the southern half of the peninsula only. The uprising was suppressed with violence and the protesters were accused of being communist insurgents, resulting in years of violence lasting until 1954, which saw the deaths of some 30,000 civilians, approximately 10 percent of the island's population at the time. "We remember the tragic history of the Jeju April 3 Uprising and the innocent victims of the massacre," Yoon said in his speech during the ceremony, wearing a camellia-shaped pin commemorating the victims. "Healing the anguish and tending to the scars of April 3 is our responsibility as we move toward a future of reconciliation and coexistence." He added that the new government will make efforts to promote the values of peace and human rights highlighted at the Jeju 4.3 Peace Park. Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson of President-elect Yoon, emphasized Yoon will to keep his word to Jeju islanders. "President-elect Yoon was supposed to announce the prime minister nominee in the morning, but instead he visited Jeju Island to attend the April 3 ceremony because he thought it was more important for him to honor the victims who were sacrificed for democracy," Kim said. Oh Im-jong of the Association for Bereaved Families of 4.3 Victims appreciated President-elect Yoon for keeping his word and attending the ceremony. "National integration begins from accepting and healing the past... (We hope) for President-elect Yoon to become a president who keeps his promises and integrates the country by including the pledge to compensate the victims' families in his major government projects," Oh said during the ceremony. Roh Moo-hyun became the first Korean president to issue an official apology from the Korean government to the massacre victims in 2003, and he attended the commemorative ceremony on Jeju in 2006. Conservative former presidents Lee Myng-bak and Park Geun-hye did not attend the April 3 ceremonies, while current President Moon Jae-in took part in the ceremony three times in 2018, 2020 and 2021. Last December, the National Assembly approved a special bill on providing up to 90 million won in compensation to the victims. The Special Act on Discovering the Truth of the Jeju 4.3 Incident and the Restoration of Honor of Victims marks the biggest amount of compensation from the government to the victims of a single historical incident. One in five of the organised criminal groups (OCGs) in England and Wales is run from inside prisons, an investigation has discovered. Mobile phones are the most commonly used communications tool for incarcerated criminals, although they also pass on messages through prison visits and regular phone calls. A senior source at the Multi-Agency Response to Serious and Organised Crime (Marsoc), which carried out the study, said: The scale of the challenge is huge mobile phone use is still a problem across prisons and we can see the effects of the contact from within prison to the gangs on the outside. The unit which includes the police, prison service and National Crime Agency (NCA) was set up in 2020 to jointly disrupt gangland activity. Mobile phones are the most commonly used communications tool for incarcerated criminals, although they also pass on messages through prison visits and regular phone calls The NCA has made several assessments of organised crime in the UK. Last year it said there were 69,281 individuals engaged in serious and organised crime. In 2018, the agency mapped 4,629 organised crime groups across the country, while in 2020 it said 1,716 gangs were involved in the illicit supply of drugs. John Podmore, former governor at Category-A Belmarsh Prison in South-East London, said: It shows the level of the problem. The role of the prison service is also about stopping crime being committed in prison but putting them behind bars is not doing that. Serious and organised crime is seriously and well organised in prison. You not only have to proactively stop prisoners escaping, youve got to stop them operating inside and the gang culture. He added: The police often dont respond to crimes in prison they argue theyve got enough to deal with outside. A Government spokesman said: We are doing more than ever before to tackle crime behind bars, including a 100 million investment in prison security the biggest for more than 25 years. This is delivering innovative new measures like X-ray body scanners to stem the smuggling of illegal phones and drugs, and closer working with the police to crack down on organised criminals in jail. Marsoc co-ordinates investigations into gangland criminals, focusing on those who operate behind bars, and seeks to reduce the impact of the highest-harm persistent serious and organised criminals on the criminal justice system. Chris Ellison, who played DCI Frank Burnside in The Bill, has lost the ability to speak since he suffered a stroke 18 months ago, his wife has revealed. The actor, 75, was diagnosed with aphasia - the same brain disorder which movie legend Bruce Willis was revealed to suffer from this week - after having a stroke in 2020. Aphasia is a potentially devastating condition which affects one's ability to understand language. The TV star's wife Anita, 69, told The Sun on Sunday: 'It's awful, we've been so lonely. Chris is trapped in his body. He can understand everything going on around him but can't speak, read or write. 'He has not uttered any sense in 18 months. Sometimes I feel as if I have lost my charismatic, very funny and caring husband. Chris Ellison, who played DCI Frank Burnside in The Bill, has lost the ability to speak since he suffered a stroke 18 months ago, his wife, Anita, has revealed. (The couple are pictured in 2018) Chris played the volatile Burnside for 15 years on The Bill (above) and proved so popular that he got a spin-off in 2000 'It's frustrating for us both but when he looks into my eyes, I see he's still in there. I have cried buckets.' Chris played the volatile Burnside for 15 years on The Bill and proved so popular that he got a spin-off in 2000. Titled Burnside, it saw him work for the National Crime Squad. It only ran for one season, and aired six episodes. He later appeared in EastEnders, an audio play for Doctor Who, as a contestant on Pointless Celebrities and found himself on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015 alongside Janice Dickinson, Jenna Jameson and Daniel Baldwin. Chris suffered the stroke at his home in Brighton and was found by Anita on the bedroom floor. His aphasia was known only to a few friends and family but he was inspired to share it with the wider world following the 67-year-old Die Hard actor's diagnosis. Willis, who starred in dozens of action movies, will now retire from acting after being diagnosed with the condition that has hampered his 'cognitive abilities,' his family said on Wednesday. The actor (above in The Bill), 75, was diagnosed with aphasia - the same brain disorder which movie legend Bruce Willis was revealed to suffer from this week - after having a stroke in 2020 He rose to fame in the 1980s' comedy-drama TV series Moonlighting and has appeared in about 100 films across his four-decade career, garnering acclaim for his roles in Pulp Fiction and The Sixth Sense, and winning a Golden Globe Award and two Emmys. But Willis is perhaps best known for playing the tough-as-nails New York cop who pursued bad guys in the five Die Hard movies, released from 1988 to 2013. 'This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support,' his family said in a statement. Willis and actress Demi Moore were one of Hollywood's most high-profile celebrity couples in the 1990s until their divorce in 2000, but they remained close after the break-up. He is currently married to model and actress Emma Heming and is father to a total of five children with both women. 'We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him,' said the statement, which was signed by the actor's family and shared on Instagram by Demi Moore and their daughter Rumer. Aphasia is a disorder most commonly caused by a stroke that can also stem from head trauma or, in rare cases, from neurological disease, said Brenda Rapp, a professor of cognitive science at Johns Hopkins University. Symptoms vary widely and can affect speech, comprehension and reading ability, Rapp said in a telephone interview. In some instances, aphasia can be treated with speech therapy. Women whose husbands want to become transgender will retain the right to veto their partners transition so they are not trapped in same-sex marriages, Liz Truss has pledged. Ministers have faced growing pressure to amend divorce laws to allow a husband freely to switch gender without their wifes consent and stay married. The current law demands a new marriage contract is put in place if one partner legally changes gender and also requires the non-transitioning spouse to agree to continuing the marriage before their partner can be granted a Gender Recognition Certificate. Truss said women must have a 'safeguard' against husbands transitioning and thereby turning their marriage into a same-sex one. Trans rights activists say this amounts to a 'spousal veto' Trans activists have branded the process akin to a spousal veto' to someone transitioning. But Ms Truss, Minister for Women and Equalities, has guaranteed wives would continue to be able to veto their husbands gender reassignment, to save women from being locked into a non-consensual same-sex marriage. Her declaration is understood to be fiercely opposed by male junior minister Mike Freer, who is said to have been pushing for the controversial overhaul to please transgender rights campaigners. The argument has been brewing for some time, with trans activists demanding a husband should be able to change legal gender and remain married to his wife. Their demands were backed by Mr Freer, who told MPs upcoming changes in divorce law will remove what is known as spousal veto. But Ms Truss has insisted women must have a safeguard. Women whose husbands change gender are sometimes known as trans widows because of the way their relationship has ended. Police are seeking help from the public to find a teenage girl who went missing over the weekend. Helena Beemsterboer, 14, was last seen at her home in Northmead, in western Sydney, about 7pm on Friday. Her family later reported her missing to police on Saturday after she didn't return home the following day. Helena Beemsterboer (pictured), 14, was last spotted at her home in Northmead on Friday around 7pm. Her family later reported her missing to police after she didn't return home the following day Officers linked to the Parramatta Police Area Command commenced inquiries into her disappearance and whereabouts. Her family have grave concerns for her wellbeing due to her young age. Helena is white, 165cm tall with a slim build, brown hair and eyes. She has a noticeable scar on her right shin. Helena often frequents the towns of Northmead, Toongabbie, Mt Druitt and Liverpool. She also visits the Central Coast on occasion. She regularly uses trains to travel around. Anyone with information regarding Helena's whereabouts is urged to contact police. The Church of England has been accused of hypocrisy after Canterbury Cathedral advertised zero-hours jobs at just 9p above the living wage. The historic cathedral, known as the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion, is offering the banqueting and kiosk posts at its luxury hotel and conference lodge. Applicants for the general assistant roles are expected to 'ensure all guests of the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge receive a high standard of food and beverage service'. The zero-hours posts are being advertised despite Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, describing the gig economy and zero-hours contracts as 'the reincarnation of an ancient evil' during a speech in 2018. Candidates are expected to have 'excellent customer service skills food/cafe/retail experience' and 'an understanding of the Cathedral', and the job description lists 26 tasks, including to 'deputise on occasion in the absence of the catering manager and conference and banqueting supervisors' and working 'under the direction of the head chef to complete general tasks in the kitchen'. The historic cathedral, known as the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion, is offering the banqueting and kiosk posts at its luxury hotel and conference lodge Potential applicants for the 9-an-hour jobs are also told that their approach to 'days and hours worked' must be fully flexible. The minimum wage for over-23s was 8.91 an hour and 6.56 for over-18s when the jobs were advertised last month. The lodge venue, which offers hotel rooms at up to 160 a night and hosts weddings, is situated in the historic cathedral grounds. The revelation comes as more than 200 church leaders, including Anglican bishops, have called on the Government to tackle the cost-of-living crisis that is currently hitting families. In a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the church leaders who include former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said: 'We urge you to increase support for vulnerable households across the UK facing a cost-of-living crisis as a result of increasing food and energy prices, through measures including a windfall tax on oil and gas companies.' The zero-hours posts are being advertised despite Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, describing the gig economy and zero-hours contracts as 'the reincarnation of an ancient evil' during a speech in 2018 Local Labour MP Rosie Duffield said: 'We are all aware that people are struggling at the moment and they [Canterbury Cathedral] could probably afford to be a little bit more generous. 'Everyone is struggling with their bills and cost of living, so this isn't great at all. They're good jobs but people have got to be able to afford the rising cost of living.' Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said: 'We expect the Church to adopt the moral higher ground and live up to its own expectations. What comes to mind is the line from scripture: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Given the Church's criticism of zero-hours contracts, it is clearly easier to be one teaching a thousand than one of a thousand being taught.' The Church of England was criticised in 2018 after it emerged that Gloucester Cathedral and Norwich Cathedral were also offering zero-hours contracts. A spokesman for the Cathedral said that the Church of England was not able to always offer full-time roles. A Canterbury Cathedral spokesman said: As of 1st April 2022, Canterbury Cathedral's minimum rate of pay is 9.90 per hour (except for first-year apprentices), matching the Real Living Wage, and exceeding the governments National Living Wage. This is part of an organisation-wide pay rise for our staff, tapered so that the increases focus on those on the lower salaries at the Cathedral who are impacted most by the current rise in cost of living. Whilst a few roles at the Cathedral are offered as zero-hour contracts, these are either where individual staff have requested to be on zero-hour contracts because of the flexibility these give, or where we are unable to guarantee set hours due to the nature of the work. In these instances, these employment opportunities would likely not exist without the flexibility of zero-hour contracts. A former mayor found guilty of electoral fraud is embroiled in fresh controversy over remarks one of his supporters made about collecting postal votes, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Footage has emerged of a key campaigner working for Lutfur Rahman, who became Britains first elected Muslim mayor in 2010, apparently urging fellow activists to collect ballots from elderly and sick voters. Mr Rahman, 56, was ordered by a High Court judge to step down as mayor of Tower Hamlets in East London in 2015 over a string of electoral offences, including harvesting postal votes on an industrial scale. Originally Labour, but elected as an Independent, Mr Rahman was barred from elected office for five years but is now standing to become mayor of Tower Hamlets again. Footage has emerged of a key campaigner working for Lutfur Rahman, who became Britains first elected Muslim mayor in 2010, apparently urging fellow activists to collect ballots from elderly and sick voters But a video posted on social media shows one of his supporters, Mohammed Abdus Shukur, 58, telling a packed meeting of activists last September to collect votes for Mr Rahman. In the video, Mr Shukur, a professional carer, says in Bengali: In Tower Hamlets, there are 3,500 carer brothers and sisters. If 1,000 carer brothers and sisters actively work in this way and if every brother and sister carer collects 20 votes each, then from our carers 20,000 votes can enter Lutfurs [ballot] box. He adds: Can you all not collect 20 votes per head? I give you an oath, as an adviser, I will collect 1,000 votes. Mr Rahman attended the meeting at a halal steakhouse. While there is no evidence that he condoned Mr Shukurs words, he did not criticise or clarify the remarks. Last week Communities Minister Kemi Badenoch warned the Metropolitan Police and the Electoral Commission of possible fraud in polls next month in Tower Hamlets. Campaigners are not allowed to fill in or collect others postal votes, to prevent ballot papers being used fraudulently. Previous instances of election fraud in the borough, where Mr Rahman has been tipped to unseat the Labour incumbent, involved registering fake voters for postal ballots in unoccupied flats, and party activists posing as council officials to collect postal ballots from elderly Asian residents before filling them in themselves. Tory Lord Hayward highlighted the video of Mr Shukur in the Lords recently, saying: On four occasions during that meeting, different people do not refer to campaigning for votes, but repeatedly use the word collect. Mr Shukurs legal representative said that by collecting votes, their client meant encouraging the audience to go out campaigning to persuade others to vote in a certain way. Mr Shukurs comments were investigated by the police who did not pursue the matter, they said. Mr Rahman said: To drag a key worker into a political row is unfair and unreasonable. If I had any inkling that any campaigner on any side intended to abuse a position of trust, I would report it instantly. Dame Cressida Dick is to pocket only a third of the 500,000 golden handshake she could have had on her departure from Scotland Yard. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, whose last working day will be next Sunday, will receive 165,727 six months' notice plus two months' salary. She signed a two-year extension to her 246,000-a-year role last September that would have taken her up to April 2024. But a bust-up with London Mayor Sadiq Khan after the force was hit by a series of scandals sparked her resignation in February. Mr Khan, who has said the Met is facing 'deep cultural issues', is understood to have resisted paying the full settlement of nearly 500,000 after stressing Dame Cressida had resigned and was not sacked. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, whose last working day will be next Sunday, will receive 165,727 six months' notice plus two months' salary Allies of the Commissioner and the Met's Police Federation representing rank-and-file officers believe she was forced out. Dame Cressida tweeted yesterday: 'It has been a tremendous honour to serve the people of London and the UK.' It is understood that she will not be prevented from speaking about Mr Khan or her work. The row with Mr Khan and Dame Cressida's subsequent resignation 'blindsided' Government officials, with Home Secretary Priti Patel said to be furious with the mayor. Mr Khan is believed to have told the police chief he had no faith in her plans to reform the force after a report found evidence of bullying, racism, misogyny and homophobia. Dame Cressida's deputy Sir Steve House will be acting Commissioner while Miss Patel appoints a new Met chief. The Yard has faced a string of scandals, including fallout from the historic child abuse investigation Operation Midland, the abduction and murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne Couzens and claims that the force is 'institutionally corrupt'. Mr Khan's spokeswoman said: 'The mayor thanks Dame Cressida Dick for her decades of public service.' A huge blaze which took 59 hours to extinguish was caused by an explosion at a controversial mega-battery site, a report has confirmed. The revelation, only made public following a Freedom of Information Request, raises concerns over Government plans to roll out dozens of huge solar farms, which rely on giant lithium-ion batteries to store excess energy. The fire, near a residential area in a Liverpool suburb in September 2020, threatened to engulf the area in a toxic plume of gas, while debris was blasted up to 75ft away. Efforts to put out the blaze were hampered after water hydrants proved 'inadequate', the report by Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service found. Firefighters initially mistook the battery cabins for refrigeration units. Dr Edmund Fordham, a fellow of the Institute of Physics, said it was 'a warning of what may be to come with much larger battery farms'. There are hundreds of sites in operation or going through the planning process, said Dr Fordham, who last year co-authored a report into the dangers of the battery storage systems and is campaigning against a proposed mega-farm in Cambridgeshire. The revelation, only made public following a Freedom of Information Request, raises concerns over Government plans to roll out dozens of huge solar farms, which rely on giant lithium-ion batteries to store excess energy (stock image) 'There is a major accident hazard,' he said. 'But the Health and Safety Executive is giving the battery industry a free pass. The Government isn't bothered, probably because it's so central to their crackpot energy policy.' The Government is keen to expand the number of solar farms. But they rely on large batteries, known as BESS, to store excess electricity before releasing it to the grid. Fears have been growing over the safety of the batteries following a series of fires around the world. Two firefighters were killed last year in Beijing, while in 2018 there were 23 such fires in Korea. The report found the Liverpool blaze happened despite safety checks a month earlier. A spokesman for Orsted, the firm which owns the site, said an investigation into the fire was 'ongoing'. Orsted is planning another energy storage site using batteries in Norfolk. An HSE spokesman said current regulations were 'sufficient and suitably robust'. A cost of living storm is brewing in the kitchen with two out of ten Britons drinking less tea to save money on energy bills. Almost 20 per cent of the countrys tea drinkers say fears over sky-rocketing gas and electricity bills means they are consciously boiling the kettle less. The survey of 2,000 UK adults by Cleaning product Colour Catcher found the baby boomer generation those aged 55 to 74 has cut down the most with 17 per cent saying they are actively foregoing cuppas to save cash. Millennials have cut down the least with only 13 per cent of those aged 25 to 38 flicking the kettle on less. Meanwhile, women have cut down more than men - 17 per cent compared to 16 per cent. The cost of living crisis means some Britons are reducing the number of times a day they boil a kettle As well as the higher energy prices, the costs of the ingredients for a cup of tea or coffee have increased over the past year and are expected to rise further The cost of living crisis has also pushed up the price of a brew in other ways. Last year, 250g of tea cost 2.03, compared to 2.15 now, while the price of a pint of milk has risen by 7 pence over the same period, from 42p to 49p. Sugar has also become more expensive with a kilogram now costing 77p, compared to 71p last year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. The findings come as sales of tea pots and tea cosies are making a comeback as tea drinkers aim to make a brew last longer. John Lewis said their most popular teapot has seen sales spike by 64 per cent compared to last year. Joyce Maina, tea expert and founder of the Cambridge Tea Consultancy, said tea drinkers could save cash by boiling just enough water for the cups they require. That is incredibly important most of us boil far too much water so we waste energy and money, she said. Measure out the cups for the kettle so you are only boiling what you need. Researchers also found 59 per cent of Brits have also cut down on laundry frequency and 27 per cent said they now mix loads. Fourteen per cent have cut down on flushing the toilet and another 14 per cent have cut down on showers. Former B&Q boss Sir Ian Cheshire has been appointed as the next chairman of Channel 4. He joins the broadcaster's board this month, succeeding interim chairwoman Dawn Airey, watchdog Ofcom announced. Sir Ian, 62, served as group chief executive of home improvement company Kingfisher from January 2008 to early 2015. Before that, he was chief executive of B&Q. Sir Ian said: 'I am excited to be joining Channel 4 at this vitally important time for public service broadcasting. As it transforms for a new era of media consumption, I look forward to helping Channel 4 deliver for viewers right across the UK for many years to come.' His appointment comes as Channel 4 faces the prospect of privatisation. The Government has been consulting on plans to privatise the broadcaster, which could be sold off to a private buyer, following concerns for its survival in the streaming era. Former B&Q boss Sir Ian Cheshire has been appointed as the next chairman of Channel 4 Sir Ian is currently chairman of Spire Healthcare, chairman of the environmental investment trust Menhaden and a non-executive director of BT. He is also chairman of the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund and the Mental Health at Work Leadership Council. Since 2015, he has also held public roles and was lead non-executive director at the Cabinet Office. Sir Ian was knighted in 2014 for services to business, sustainability and the environment, and is a Chevalier of the National Order of Merit of France. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said yesterday: 'I am delighted to approve Sir Ian Cheshire to be the new chair of Channel 4. 'Sir Ian has an impressive record at the helm of some of Britain's biggest businesses and I am confident his proven leadership will help Channel 4 go from strength to strength.' But Labour media spokeswoman Lucy Powell criticised the appointment, saying: 'Coming fresh off the heels of the appointment of a Tory peer as head of Ofcom, this decision stinks of more cronyism.' On Friday, Conservative peer Michael Grade was confirmed as Ofcom chairman. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol names Han Duck-soo, right, as the first prime minister of his government during a press conference at the presidential transition committee office in Tongui-dong, Seoul, Sunday. Joint Press Corps By Nam Hyun-woo President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol named former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as the first premier of his administration. During a press conference, Sunday, Yoon named the 72-year-old as the prime minister, saying he "served a number of key government posts, thanks to his expertise." "The new government must pave the way for an economic rebound amid difficulties both inside and outside of the country and thoroughly prepare for an era in which the economy and national security together emerge as key tasks the government must handle," Yoon told reporters. "Han is a qualified nominee who can successfully coordinate the Cabinet and address pending national tasks based on his rich experience." Han said Korea faces grave economic and geopolitical challenges and the country has to make adjustments in its strategies to address those tasks. He picked diplomacy based on national interests, fiscal prudence, balance of international payments and improvements in productivity as some of the main national tasks. "As the prime minister nominee, I will make efforts for discussions and communication to set up policies that can be realized," Han said. "For this, national unity and cooperation between the conservative and liberal sides will be key elements for success." Han was widely expected to become the first prime minister of the Yoon government due to his bipartisan and extensive experience in key government posts, both in the areas of economy and diplomacy. Born in 1946 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Han is a Seoul National University graduate with a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University. He spent most of his career as an economic bureaucrat. He served as vice minister of the then Ministry of Trade and Industry in 1997 and the trade minister of the former Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1998 under the liberal Kim Dae-jung administration. Under the subsequent Roh Moo-hyun administration, he took charge of Korea's signing of a free trade agreement with the U.S. in 2006 and became prime minister in 2007. Under the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration, he served as Korea's ambassador to the U.S. Since appointing a prime minister requires the approval of the National Assembly, which is dominated by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Yoon, who is from the main opposition People Power Party, appears to have picked a bipartisan figure in order to facilitate the approval process by the National Assembly before naming other Cabinet members. "There have been many news reports anticipating Han as the prime minister of the Yoon government," Yoon's Chief of Staff Rep. Chang Je-won told reporters Sunday. "This is because the press was also thinking Han is a figure who can symbolize and carry on the new government's key agendas of economy, diplomacy, trade and national unity." According to Chang, Yoon had a meeting with Han on Saturday and shared ideas on various state affairs. During the meeting, Han requested the president-elect to introduce a new protocol in which the prime minister recommends a minister and the president will then decide. In addition, when ministers are appointed, they will recommend vice ministers to the president, so that the president can decide, in order to give more power and responsibility to each minister. Yoon also agreed with that idea, Chang said. As Yoon nominates the first prime minister, other positions in his Cabinet are expected to be filled in coming weeks. Currently, Yoon's presidential transition committee members, Rep. Choo Kyung-ho and former first Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, are tapped as either deputy prime minister for economy or top presidential economic advisors. Korea University Prof. Kim Sung-han, Reps. Park Jin and Cho Tae-yong are mentioned as either national security advisor, foreign minister or other diplomatic posts. Han told Yonhap News Agency that ministers would be named among "very predictable" figures. A terror suspect imprisoned at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre for nearly 20 years has been released and sent back to his homeland. The US Department of Defense announced on Saturday that Algerian Sufyian Barhoumi had been repatriated with assurances from the Algerian government that he would be treated humanely. The Algerian authorities also said security measures would be imposed to reduce the risk that he could pose a threat in the future. The Pentagon did not provide details about those security measures, which could include restrictions on travel. The US Department of Defense announced on Saturday that Algerian Sufyian Barhoumi had been repatriated with assurances from the Algerian government that he would be treated humanely Barhoumi was captured in Pakistan and taken to the US naval base on Cuba in 2002. The US eventually decided he was involved with various extremist groups but was not a member of Al Qaeda or the Taliban, according to a report by a review board at the prison that approved his release in 2016. US authorities attempted to prosecute Barhoumi in 2008 but this was dropped amid legal challenges. Shayana Kadidal, of the US Center for Constitutional Rights, said: 'I will dearly miss his constant good humour and empathy for the suffering of others in Guantanamo.' Barhoumi's release brings the total held there to 37 men, including 18 deemed eligible for repatriation or resettlement in a third country. Furious Priti Patel is said to have 'torn strips' off her civil servants over the slow progress of the visa scheme for Ukrainian refugees hoping to come to the UK. Relations between the Home Secretary and her team are said to be at an 'all-time low' following a recent meeting in which she is understood to have given an excoriating assessment of her team's delivery of the scheme so far. The Home Office initially predicted it would hand out 10,000 visas in the first week of the Homes For Ukraine scheme, but fewer than 5,000 visas have so far been granted since it began on March 14. 'The Home Secretary has torn strips off the senior team,' said a source. Furious Priti Patel is said to have 'torn strips' off her civil servants over the slow progress of the visa scheme for Ukrainian refugees hoping to come to the UK 'She effectively called them all useless and with words and a tone which shocked senior staff. 'Relations between the Home Secretary and the civil servants are at an all-time low.' But sources close to Ms Patel said last night they and others who were at the board meeting did not 'recognise the characterisation' of the event. One source pointedly said: 'It's interesting that we don't see officials criticising the tone of a male Minister. 'There is certainly a sexist undertone to all this. 'It's been a difficult few weeks, but it's rubbish that this is an all-time low. 'She's a Secretary of State holding her department to account. This is about policy and delivery, not individuals.' In total, 29,100 Ukrainians have been given sanctuary in the United Kingdom during the first month of the war, including those joining relatives in the country or extending their stay. A spokesman for the Home Secretary said: 'This is the largest and fastest humanitarian route the UK has ever set up already approving nearly 30,000 visas for Ukrainians to seek sanctuary. Its right that ministers provides scrutiny and challenge to ensure the pace of delivery is matching the ambition and need for the scheme while ensuring something like the Windrush scandal cant happen again.' One of Scott Morrison's political rivals has been forced to double down on claims the prime minister tried to use his Lebanese background against him. Michael Towke accused Mr Morrison of telling their fellow Liberal Party members it would be 'risky' to consider him for the seat of Cook in Sydney's south in 2007. The prime minister flatly denied using his preselection opponent's heritage to get himself elected, forcing Mr Towke to reveal new details of his claims. 'These are quite malicious and bitter slurs, which are deeply offensive, and I reject them absolutely,' he told reporters in Tasmania on Sunday. Mr Towke claimed Mr Morrison had cast these doubts because he was from a Lebanese family and because of false rumours he was a Muslim. He alleged the prime minister pointed to the infamous Cronulla riots two years earlier and said he was unsure if locals would vote to get Mr Towke elected in the Shire due to his ethnicity. Scott Morrison (pictured delivering his maiden speech in 2008) has been accused of using a political rival's Lebanese background against him when he first ran for political office Michael Towke has double-downed on his accusations Scott Morrison told fellow Liberal Party members it would be 'risky' to consider him for the seat of Cook in Sydney's south in 2007 Mr Morrison denied the accusations when quizzed by reporters on Saturday, prompting Mr Towke to back two statutory declarations he signed in 2016. 'I stand by the declarations I asserted in my statutory declaration,' he told the Sun Herald in his first public statement since the comments became public. 'Amongst many unedifying tactics used to unseat me from my preselection victory for Morrison, racial vilification was front and centre and he was directly involved. 'Racism is divisive, creating hate and hurt, and should have no place in Australian society.' The statements follow accusations by Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells in the Senate on Tuesday that Mr Morrison was 'not fit to be prime minister' based on the alleged historical racial comments. Ms Fierravanti-Wells also claimed the PM had interfered with the 2007 preselection contest after winning only eight votes versus Towke's 82 in an initial ballot. Mr Morrison (pictured at Parliament House in 2008) flatly denied the accusations he had 'warned' voters about Towke's family background when quizzed by reporters on Saturday 'Morrison might profess to be Christian, but there was nothing Christian about what was done to Michael Towke,' she told the senate. 'I am advised that there are several statutory declarations to attest to racial comments made by Morrison at the time that we can't have a Lebanese person in Cook.' When asked about the allegations on Saturday, Mr Morrison denied suggestions on three occasions that he 'warned' voters about Mr Towke's family background or that he was a practicing Muslim. The prime minister then added 'you'll have to ask them' when asked where the accusations originated from. His spokesman on Friday also dismissed the bombshell allegations and labelled them as 'baseless and false' and spread with 'malicious intent'. Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers said he didn't think anyone believed the prime minister's denial of his comments during the bitter preselection battle. Dr Chalmers also alluded to a pattern in which those who worked closest with Mr Morrison formed the lowest opinion of him. 'I don't think anyone believes the prime minister, frankly,' he told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program. 'I don't think people believe the prime minster more broadly.' Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the prime minister had denied the claims and simply answered 'No' when asked if anyone had come to him with concerns about his behaviour during an appearance on ABC's Insiders Program. Social Services Minister Anne Ruston called it a 'calculated, political hit job' and claimed there hadn't been a prime minister who had prioritised multicultural communities, including the Lebanese community, as much as Mr Morrison had. Senator Fierravanti-Wells on Tuesday described Mr Morrison (pictured on Saturday) as 'ruthless' and a 'bully' in an extraordinary Senate attack in Canberra In one of the statutory declarations, party member Scott Chapman - a friend of Mr Towke - states Mr Morrison outlined his rival's ethnicity. 'Scott Morrison told me that, if Michael Towke were to be pre-selected, there would be a 'swing against the Liberal Party in Cook' because of Mr Towke's Lebanese background,' Mr Chapman said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Mr Towke penned the second declaration and claims Mr Morrison was 'adamant that a candidate of Lebanese heritage could not hold the seat of Cook, especially after the Cronulla riots'. Senator Fierravanti-Wells this week described Mr Morrison as 'ruthless' and a 'bully' in an extraordinary Senate attack in Canberra given she is an elected member of the prime minister's party. Her attack was dismissed by many politicians due to her friendship with Mr Towke and the fact she will leave the upper house in June after losing her place on the Senate ticket to stay in parliament. Labor leader Anthony Albanese claimed the racial allegations pointed at Mr Morrison reflect his poor character. Labor leader Anthony Albanese claimed the racial allegations pointed at Mr Morrison reflect on his character 'These reports join other reports from within the Prime Minister's own party,' the Opposition Leader said in a press conference on Saturday. 'Be it former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, his current Deputy Barnaby Joyce, comments that have been made by (former NSW premier) Gladys Berejiklian, or the comments this week from Concetta Fierravanti-Wells... there is a theme which comes through about the Prime Minister's character. 'People can look at those comments and make their own judgements. 'There are bad relationships wherever Scott Morrison has been. He doesn't have lasting friendships and lasting loyalties.' Mr Albanese also said that in 2007 Mr Morrison's eight votes in the Cook Liberal Party pre-selection ballot, and that it was obvious locals felt 'the other candidates would be better to represent their local community.' One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson and Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie continued the pile-on this week, describing the PM as 'unpleasant' and a 'bully'. 'It was like dealing with a two-year-old, to be honest with you, on a tempy tampy. That's what it was like,' Ms Lambie said on Q&A on Tuesday night. She also echoed Senator Fierravanti-Wells' statements about Mr Morrison. 'I cannot take anything away from what Connie Fierravanti-Wells said, straight out of her mouth and straight to the point,' the independent senator said. 'And I can tell you she did it very, very well. It was not nasty. It was just the truth. And that is the truth of the matter. It was either his way or the highway.' Downing Street staff initially missed their 'Partygate' fines because they landed in their email junk folders. Last week police issued the first 20 fixed penalty notices for breaching Covid rules, and insiders said workers are now frantically checking their spam mail to see if they've been found in breach of the laws. Fines will double if not paid within a fortnight, and could lead to court if not settled within 28 days. Sue Gray has led the investigation into Partygate, which has resulted in a number of fines Sources said advisers and civil servants should be required to disclose they have been fined to their employers or risk leaving themselves open to blackmail. Police are issuing fines directly to staff and so far they have not been required by No10 or the Cabinet Office to reveal they received them. The Metropolitan Police said it will not confirm the names of those fined. A boozy leaving do for Downing Street private secretary Hannah Young on June 18, 2020 is reportedly the first 'Partygate' event where 50 fixed penalty notices have been issued. No10 has said it will only disclose if Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak or Cabinet Secretary Simon Case were fined over Downing Street parties. The West Coast is getting its own taste of some Spring Break mayhem. Police in Santa Barbara, California, are said to have become 'overwhelmed with medical calls' on Saturday evening after Deltopia celebrations - the city's equivalent of Spring Break - became unruly. Just before 6 p.m., Santa Barbara County Fire declared a 'multi-casualty incident' in Isla Vista, west of downtown Santa Barbara, because of what was described as 'multiple severe traumas and medical emergencies.' A number of calls concerned people falling from buildings. At 1:15 p.m., emergency personnel were sent to Del Playa Drive after it was reported a woman had fallen from a room. Later on Saturday afternoon, paramedics were on the scene after someone fell out of a second-story window on El Nido Lane. No other details were immediately available about their conditions. By Saturday evening, firefighters had treated people with major injuries that included broken bones. Some calls were also for people who had either overdosed on drugs or alcohol, according to SanLuisObispo.com. Scroll down for video Police in Santa Barbara declared a 'multi casualty incident' in Isla Vista where a raucous college Spring Break party Deltopia is underway From the air, crows could be seen gathered on beachside balconies as the partying raged on The chaos started early Friday with three arrests and 20 citations handed out on the first night of Isla Vista's Deltopia weekend, taking place where the University of California Santa Barbara is based. But that appears to have been calm in comparison to Saturday's shenanigans. Firefighters declared the event a 'mass casualty incident' because of the sheer number of patients with medical emergencies, 'By declaring an MCI, first responders and the hospitals are able to triage and transport multiple patients to different hospitals more efficiently,' said Daniel Bertucelli, a spokesperson for SBCFD. 'It was real busy out there!' he said. The daytime bash known as Deltopia isn't sanctioned by the university or formally planned, but it's a well-known happening the first weekend of the spring quarter in the community next to UC Santa Barbara's campus and picturesque beachside cliffs. College students could be seen crowding onto rooftops and balconies in the Isla Vista area Thousands of people are thought to have packed the streets on Saturday in classic Isla Vista garb - bikinis, flip-flops, tank tops and shorts. With drinks in hand, they lined yards in front of two-story apartment buildings and crowded overhanging balconies. Streets were littered in glass and garbage cans overflowing with red cups and bottles, as students tried to shake off a lingering hangover from Friday's party before it morphed into a raucous and violent blowout in the streets around one of the nation's best-known party schools. First responders suddenly became so extremely busy Saturday at about 3:30 p.m. that a triage system had to be implemented in which the most serious cases are given priority for medical emergencies. Problems with excessive partying have persisted for decades on this roughly half-square-mile that is home to 23,000 people, but the at-times violence has brought out politicians, university officials, police and student leaders to call for more prudent partying. The event became even more out of control on Saturday with police saying they became 'inundated with medical calls' Pictures show thousands on crowded onto streets, beaches, and balconies The Sheriff's office switched to a triage system for medical emergencies The chaos started early on in the weekend with three arrests and 20 citations handed out on the first night of Isla Vista's Deltopia Deltopia evolved from Floatopia, which started in 2004 and included a beach part. It has been banned since 2009 after it was deemed an environmental and safety hazard because of trash, human waste and near-drownings. Since then, beaches are closed that weekend, and the party migrated a block inland to Del Playa Drive. Authorities ramped up patrols after a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student fell to her death off the cliffs in 2008 and an overcrowded balcony collapsed, injuring several partygoers. Victorian health officials are so 'freaked out' by rising Covid numbers the government has dumped plans to drag workers back to the office. Public service workers were told to keep working from home as much as two days a week as Daniel Andrews' government fears surging outbreaks in Melbourne offices. Despite the work from home advice being in place for more than two years and the rest of Australia now returned to offices full time, Victoria are continuing to delay the decision to fully restore its CBDs. Victorian health officials are 'freaked out' by rising Covid numbers and are still advising people to work from home as Melbourne's CBD remains at only 60 per cent capacity The government told several departments to keep working remotely and it's expected that will remain through winter. 'The government was planning to get rid of some stuff this week but the health team are freaked out by the rising numbers,' a health department source told the Herald Sun. Workers expected Mr Andrews to call for everyone to return to workplaces full time at the end of last month, however the decision never came and instead is likely to stay in place for months. It's not known how many of the state's 50,000 public servants actually returned to the office at all, with Melbourne's CBD still relatively empty. Public service workers have been told to remain working from home as much as two days per week as Daniel Andrews' government fears surging outbreaks in Melbourne offices The government also refused calls to wipe out vaccine mandates for specific industries despite high vaccination rates. Victoria has some of the harshest vaccine mandates in the country and is even considering mandating booster shots in certain sectors as it battles the latest wave. Mr Andrews said last month he expected only 60 per cent of the workforce to return to offices post pandemic. So far 65.7 per cent of the state's population aged over 18 have received their third jab, with a move to allow employers to self mandate the vaccine being considered. There are limits to what can be said by anyone who wishes to have any serious influence on our politics and government. They are very wide. British politics is supposed to embrace a very wide range of opinion. It is one of the main purposes of Parliament that everyone, or at least almost everyone, should feel that at least one voice in the House of Commons speaks for them. No matter how eccentric or obscure a view it is, it is entitled to a hearing. This is a very British rule, and it has tended to be the parties of the Left that have followed it most in practice. Labour, thanks to a long tradition of pacifism on its radical wing, has tended to provide a home for many of these voices. And quite right too. No policy cannot be improved. Serious, thoughtful opposition is necessary in all areas of government to expose folly, overspending and complacency. As for the issue of the Trident nuclear missile system, there are plenty of fairly crusty generals who privately wish to scrap it. They think the money should be spent on conventional weapons instead. Speaking to a meeting of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in September 2019, Fabian Hamilton said that 'Russian hackers can already hack into the software' that controls Trident The much-admired D-Day hero Field Marshal Lord Bramall said openly in 2009 that he thought renewing the missiles was a useless waste of money. Who would deny him the right to hold such a view and express it? So, while it is a little odd that Labour has a Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament when he has no real Minister to shadow it is not unreasonable for Labour to maintain such a position on its front bench. That is presumably why the Opposition leader, Sir Keir Starmer, did not abolish the post, even though it was created by his now-despised forerunner Jeremy Corbyn. So Mr Fabian Hamilton remains in his position. And The Mail on Sunday today reveals that he has made shocking use of it. Speaking to a meeting of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in September 2019, he said that 'Russian hackers can already hack into the software' that controls Trident. This may or may not be true, though many will doubt it. But, astonishingly, he also said that 'I'd be quite happy about that'. His defenders will point out that he added: 'As long as we could do the same to theirs.' But can an elected British MP, who may possibly hold office in the future, say such a thing? Does the fact that he 'balances' it by saying that he has no problem 'as long as we could do the same to theirs' get him off the hook? Not really. The hacking of defence equipment by a hostile foreign power is an act of war, equivalent to physical sabotage of an aircraft or a ship. In the case of nuclear weapons, it is even more terrible. We must surely all hope that it does not happen, and be appalled if it does. The fact that we have done similar damage to the other side simply would not diminish that. Whatever Mr Hamilton may think personally about our nuclear deterrent, or about deterrence in general, it is fair to say that its existence is supported by a great majority of voters, put to them repeatedly in party manifestos. On page 101 of the 2019 Labour manifesto, on which Mr Hamilton stood for re-election, are the words: 'Labour supports the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent.' If he rejected that, then he should have stood for another party or on another platform. As it is, he really has to quit his position immediately. With a terrifying war now raging in Ukraine, and the nuclear-armed Vladimir Putin behaving irrationally and unpredictably, we cannot have someone with such irresponsible opinions anywhere near even the smallest levers of power. A New York City tourist was left with bruises, a black eye and a chipped tooth when a criminal intentionally tripped her after arriving at Penn Station for a theater trip her daughters gifted her as a Christmas present. Cyndi Gradwell, 72, of Ocean City, Maryland, arrived in NYC with her two daughters on Friday. As the trio was walking down Ninth Avenue between 35th and 36th streets in Hell's Kitchen with their suitcases after enjoying a nice lunch, Kelvin Winfield started yelling at Gradwell's daughters. He said: 'Where are you going? Where are you going?' as he walked closely behind the two women, with Gradwell behind them, according to ABC 7. Surveillance footage, obtained by the New York Post, shows Gradwell trying to move to go around him when he sticks his foot out and trips her, causing her to fall flat on her face, hitting her teeth. Winfield keeps moving forward as her daughters stop and one leaves her suitcase on the sidewalk to help her mother off the ground. Many people gather around the 72-year-old as she kneels on the ground and leans heavily on her suitcase as her daughter rubs her back and comforts her. Gradwell suffered a black eye and bruises, and said she had several of her teeth 'knocked [loose],' causing her to only to be able to eat mashed potatoes, eggs, and 'spaghetti strands one at a time.' Scroll down for video Cyndi Gradwell, 72, of Ocean City, Maryland, was left with a black eye, a chipped tooth, and bruises after criminal Kelvin Winfield intentionally tripped her as she and her daughters walked down Ninth Avenue in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen district Her daughters gifted her a trip to New York City as a Christmas present and the ladies were walking down the street with their suitcases after enjoying a nice lunch together when Winfield started yelling at Gradwell's daughters before cutting her off and tripping her 'My mouth hurts a little bit, because a couple of my teeth were knocked [loose]. I need to go to a dental surgeon, so I can't eat,' she told ABC 7. Police have reportedly arrested Winfield, who has six prior arrests, including a 2019 assault at Penn Station, according to the New York Post. Gradwell, who has been in the city many times and enjoys the theater district, said she won't be returning to New York after the assault. It was unclear if she was in town to watch a specific play or musical. Gradwell isn't the only one hesitant to return to the Big Apple due to crime, which is up almost 45 percent with felony assaults up 19 percent compared to the same time last year. All areas of violent crime, except murder, are up with shooting victims, rape and robbery up 16.9, 23.7 and 46.1 percent, respectively. Winfield, who has six prior arrests, reportedly shouted: 'Where are you going' to her daughters as she tried to veer around him He intentionally moved toward her (pictured) before sticking his foot out to trip her Winfield (pictured in a white and black coat) tripped Gradwell (pictured on the ground) as she walked down the street 'My mouth hurts a little bit, because a couple of my teeth were knocked [loose]. I need to go to a dental surgeon, so I can't eat,' she told ABC 7 A 12-year-old died in Brooklyn earlier this week as he and his 20-year-old cousin Jenna Ellis and another female relative, eight, were sitting in a car eating Boston Market when a shooter shot several bullets into their car. Kade Lewin was shot in the head and chest with multiple bullets after he and two relatives pulled over to eat their Boston Market food on East 56th Street and Linden Boulevard in East Flatbush at around 7:45 p.m. on Thursday. He was pronounced dead at the scene after the shooter fired 11 bullets into the Toyota Corolla. His cousin Jenna Ellis, 20, who was sitting in the driver's seat, was hit in the upper leg and right cheek. She was rushed to Kings County Hospital where she is expected to survive, but remains in critical condition. She had recently gotten her license and was driving Lewin's mother's car. Lewin and Ellis were reportedly very close and saw each other frequently. The eight-year-old relative was left uninjured. Investigators believe the family was not targeted. A source told the New York Daily News that the gunman was targeting someone who drives a similar make and model car. Immediately after the shooting, two black sedans were reported to have fled the scene at high speeds. Crime is up almost 45 percent in the Big Apple, with assault up 19 percent The NY Post reported a witness as saying: 'I heard eight shots and I would say within 20 seconds of the shots, I saw a car on the corner facing East New York Avenue and they almost got into an accident with oncoming traffic.' Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said the force will use 'every possible resource' to find the shooter. 'We have a number of leads that we intend to follow up on [Friday] and when we have some information we will make sure we will put it out. 'We cannot lose sight of the fact that there are people being hurt in our streets. Theres violence affecting our communities, and it has to stop,' she added. Lewin's mother Suzette is hoping an arrest will be made soon and for justice to be brought for her son. 'Just justice,' she told the New York Daily News. 'Justice for my baby.' Saturday Night Live poked fun at the moment Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars last Sunday with a sketch recreating the moment, followed by a rapid fire of jokes during the Weekend update despite host Jerrod Carmichael opening the show with a monologue about the world's fatigue over the scandal. Carmichael, 34, who has a new HBO special, said he loved talking about the incident with friends on Monday, but, now, he doesn't want to discuss the six-day old assault where Smith slapped Rock for making a joke about his wife's baldness. 'I don't want to talk about it,' Carmichael said during his monologue, with the audience laughing as it was clear he was discussing the Oscars drama - without actually saying the word 'slap.' 'But Lorne Michaels told me ''I think you should talk about it. The Nation needs to heal.''' SNL wasted no time spoofing the moment with a sketch of a manic Will Smith, played by Chris Redd, frightening life-long fanboys who witnessed the assault at the Academy Awards, as well as having Kenan Thomas' OJ Simpson weigh in on the issue during the show's Weekend Update segment. Saturday's show also saw Pete Davidson's return as he sang a new comedy song with Gunna criticizing long movies while also taking shots at King of Staten Island, which starred Davidson and clocked in at more than 2 hours long. Chris Redd (right) portrayed a manic Will Smith in a sketch recreating the Oscar night scandal. Redd echoed back Smith's shouting and uneasy mannerism, which scared the two fans Comedian Jerrod Carmichael (pictured) said he was tired talking about Sunday night's Oscar drama where Will Smith slapped Chris Rock Smith (right) stunned viewers when he slapped Rock for making fun of his wife's baldness. Carmichael said it was all he could talk about on Monday, but it's gotten old now Pete Davidson (above) made a surprise return to the show with his song skit with Gunna The slap from the POV of a seat filler pic.twitter.com/TO3IGN57K5 Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) April 3, 2022 In his opening monologue, Carmichael said: 'If this was Monday, you wouldnt get me to shut up about it... It's been six days. Doesn't it feel like it happened years ago? 'By Friday, I made a vow to myself. I promised myself that I would never talk about it again,' the comedian said of the slapping incident before noting that the SNL team wanted him to talk about it. Carmichael then used his platform to send a message to former President Barack Obama, saying that he was needed now more than ever. 'You got us all hopped up on hope and change,' Carmichael said. 'Unfortunately, I have some news for your Barack. 'I think youre gonna have to talk about it. The nation needs to heal.' The comedian also joked about how the slap drama was ruining his recent coming out on his HBO special as he wanted to enjoy the life of a gay man in New York but instead has to use his time on SNL to talk about the incident. The host quipped that it would take former President Barack Obama to get the nation to heal and move past the Oscar slap scandal Jerrod Carmichaels monologue! pic.twitter.com/lJGzY0R9zo Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) April 3, 2022 Despite Carmichael's reservations, SNL wasted no time bringing up the slap with a recreation of the moment, as one of the sketches featured a fan boy at the Oscar gushed about sitting next to Smith. Chris Redd's Smith happily complies with the fan's request for a selfie but interrupts it when the audio cue plays of Chris's joke against Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Redd's Smith then lets out a laugh, get's up, and a loud slap echoes, shocking the fan, who is immediately scared and tries to distance himself from Redd's manic Smith who pretends like nothing happened. As he talks with the frightened fan, Redd echoes Smith's words on Sunday, 'Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth,' shouting it twice. 'I love the Oscars, man,' he yells. 'I love the movies, man.' The sketch continues with a second fan coming on-scene and learning about what happened as he and the other fan try to get away from the out-of-control Smith. Redd's Smith was happy to meet a fan but interrupted him to go slap Chris Rock The fan was left shocked as he watch Redd's Smith recreate the actor's meltdown The sketch played on how unhinged Smith appeared after the incident The Smith jokes didn't end there, as SNL kept on it in their Weekend Update segment where Michael Che and Colin Jost cracked a volley of jokes about the incident. The duo joked about Smith appearing to laugh at Rock's jokes until Jada 'gave him that look,' and mocked Rock - who has a nonverbal learning disorder - for standing with his hands behind his back as Smith approached him, clearly angered about the quip. They also pointed out that Smith's resignation from the Academy would land him on the same list as other outcasts- Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein and Roman Polanski - whom they dubbed, 'Bad Boys for Life,' referencing Smith's latest blockbuster. Che and Jost then brought out Kenan Thompson's OJ Simpson to weigh in on the issue, who said he didn't understand Rock's joke and hadn't actually watched the Oscars. Thompson's OJ did, however, say he believed Smith overreacted by assaulting Rock. 'I dont want to say you got rage issues, but if the glove fits,' Thompson's OJ joked. 'Love makes you do crazy things, allegedly.' Colin and Che break down the slap pic.twitter.com/TnSk7YOgW2 Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) April 3, 2022 In the Weekend Update, Kenan Thompson's OJ Simpson (right) joined Michael Che (left) and Colin Jost in cracking jokes about the Oscar night scandal Aside form the jokes about the Oscars, this week's SNL also saw the return of Davidson, albeit in a pre-tapped sketch, after he's been noticeably absent from the show for weeks. Many believed he would be taking a leave from the show following drama between him and Kanye West after he began dating West's ex Kim Kardashian. Davidson appeared in a comedy music video with Redd and musical guest Gunna, where they sang about their love of short movies and the fact that longer films put audiences to sleep. Davidson did not show up for the rest of the episode and it's still unknown if he will be making a proper return to SNL later in April. The Will Smith Jokes proceeded a surprise return of Pete Davidson (left) who performed a comedy song about the length of movies with musical guest star Gunna (right) Communities across eastern Victoria are being urged to seek higher ground and shelter after heavy rain flooded rivers in the region, with more severe weather on the way. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe wet weather warning across East Gippsland on Sunday morning. Authorities have insisted that residents seek cover and prepare for flash flooding and winds of up to 100km per hour. The bureau says a rain bomb of up to 120mm is expected to batter the region as a low pressure system heads towards Victoria from the Tasman Sea. Communities across eastern Victoria are being urged to seek higher ground after heavy rain flooded rivers in the region, with more severe weather on the way. Pictured: Two people walking across a street in Melbourne while it rains Major flood warnings are in place for the Snowy, Buchan, Cann and Bemm rivers after heavy rain also lashed the region on Saturday. There are reports that the town of Cann River has already experienced major flooding after authorities warned residents to move to higher ground. More severe weather is expected to hit during the night, with fears the river near Weeragua and Chandlers Creek will reach major flooding. A moderate flood warning has been issued for Mitchell River to Glenaladale, with residents in the area being urged to move to higher ground on Sunday afternoon. Moderate warnings are also in place for the Genoa, Tambo and Nicholson rivers. The Bemm, Cann and Genoa rivers have received between 20 and 100mm of rain since 9am on Saturday. Bemm River residents are being told to urgently enact their flood plans, with road access to be cut at Sydenham Inlet Road on Sunday afternoon into the evening. 'You may become isolated, with no access in or out of your home. Ensure you have prepared for this event or consider leaving now. Remember to take your pets, mobile phone, spare clothes and medications if you leave,' a warning said. The bureau says a rain bomb of up to 120mm is expected to hit the region as a low pressure system heads towards Victoria from the Tasman Sea Authorities and residents in the East Gippsland area are on high alert as severe wet weather batters the region Major flood warnings are in place for the Snowy, Buchan, Bemm and Cann rivers after heavy rain also lashed the region on Saturday. Pictured: A person walking past the floodwaters in Traralgon, Victoria In the 24 hours to 9am Sunday, up to 35mm of rain was recorded across the Snowy River, with isolated totals of up to 66mm. Another 20 to 100mm of rain could hit the river over the rest of the day and water levels on the Snowy River downstream at McKillops Bridge could rise to major flooding by the evening. Residents around the Snowy are urged to move to higher ground with fears the river near Orbost could exceed above seven metres by Monday morning. 'Move stock and machinery to higher ground. Prepare to take actions to protect your life and property,' an emergency alert said. 'You may become isolated and need to activate your flood plan due to the potential impacts to Orbost from coming flood water.' Communities around the Buchan River are also warned to move their stock and machinery to higher ground, with that catchment expected to reach major flooding by Sunday night. By Yi Woo-won I took an overnight trip to Buyeo in South Chungcheong Province last month. I was with the family of my second-eldest daughter who came down to pick me up from Daejeon, where they live now. Buyeo is a little more than an hour's drive from Daejeon. We had to postpone the outing for over a month because of the ever-intensifying wave of COVID-19 infections in the country. Ju-hyeok, who is their only child and my grandson, studied two years for his graduate course at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) in Daejeon. Although he had been provided with a dormitory room by the institute, my devoted but overprotective daughter moved with him down from Seoul. She reasoned that she could support him better if she lived nearby and she would be less lonely. Now that Ju-hyeok has earned his Master of Science in AI degree, I gave him a big hug when I met him, congratulating him on his academic achievement and hard work. Buyeo, the destination of our journey, is the last capital of the Baekje Kingdom, one of the three Kingdoms of Korea (57 B.C. to 668 A.D.). Baekje is noted for its handicrafts, architecture and old Buddhist temples. I felt shameful that I had never been there once in my whole life. The weather turned out gorgeous and balmy for early spring and I could enjoy fully the incredible rustic beauty of the great outdoors for the first time in two years. In a little over a two hour ride from my home, we arrived in Gongju, which is an earlier capital of the Baekje Kingdom. Here is the famous Magoksa Temple, one of the top 10 temples of over 900 traditional Buddhist temples scattered around the country. But we were starved, as the Korean saying goes, "Even if Mt. Geumgang is in front of the eyes, eating always comes first." There were small restaurants alongside a little street. My son-in-law knew a few places famed for their excellent cuisine. We walked into one of them. I noticed the name of the restaurant on the front door: "The Fragrance of Pines." The interior was clean and the tables were socially-distanced. Our table was soon piled up with over a dozen different dishes and bowls of healthy, appetizing foods, including steamed lotus leaves for rice wraps. It was a really delicious meal that I could remember for a long time. Magoksa Temple was within walking distance of the restaurant. With the support of my grandson, I gasped for breath while walking up the steep stone steps. Quite a few people were bustling about to go in and out of the main temple, where the Buddha statue was enshrined. I crawled over the threshold to go in and sat in front of a Buddha. I looked up and was surprised to see he was my favorite Vairocana Buddha who is revered as "the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of Emptiness." We walked around the temple grounds to look at the 5-story stone pagoda and other historic buildings and structures. Then we left for Buyeo to check into the Lotte Resort Buyeo for a night. The next day, we were in Buyeo all day to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. First, we went to see Buyeo Naseong Fortress, an outer fortress wall to guard the kingdom from enemy attacks. The scale of the wall provided some insights into how large Buyeo City was in 538 A.D., when it was built by piling up soil, not rocks. It is the oldest fortress in Korea. Regrettably, the Buyeo National Museum was closed because it was Monday. Instead, we walked to look at the Seven Royal Tombs. The graves were arranged in orderly rows on the gentle slope of a hill. Comparing these tombs with those of the Silla Kingdom in Gyeongju, they were so small, but they looked so snug, happy and peaceful. They are presumed to be part of the royal family. We had to skip many attractions and sites because of time. While heading back home, we stopped to see Gungnamji Pond. It is Korea's first artificial pond with a pavilion in the center connecting to a bridge. It was stunningly beautiful. According to the "Samguksagi," a historical record of Korea's Three Kingdoms, it was created by King Mu of the Baekje Kingdom for Princess Seonhwa, whom he was in love with and eventually married. Yi Woo-won (yiwoowon1988@gmail.com) lives in Waegwan, North Gyeongsang Province, and has been writing since 1986. Millions of Australians have rushed to enjoy a rare glimpse of the sun as the city finally receives some reprieve from weeks of relentless rain as experts warn the warmer weather won't last for long. Residents finally awoke to blue skies and balmy temperatures on Sunday after suffering through the wettest March on record. Hundreds of sun-seekers rushed to their local beach or park to soak up some much-needed rays as Sydney experienced temperatures of up to 27C. Jordan Notara from the Bureau of Meteorology told Daily Mail Australia the unexpected sunshine would disappear as early as Wednesday. Millions of Sydneysiders have rushed to enjoy a rare glimpse of the sun as the city finally receives some reprieve from weeks of relentless rain (pictured, a beach-goer on Sunday) Hundreds of sun-seekers rushed to their local beach or park to soak up some much-needed rays as the city experienced temperatures of up to 27C (pictured, beachgoers in Bondi) FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR SYDNEY Monday: Mostly sunny. Min 15 Max 27 Tuesday: Sunny day. Late shower or two. Min 15 Max 25 Wednesday: Showers. Min 18 Max 23 Thursday: Showers. Min 16 Max 22 Friday: Showers. Min 17 Max 22 Saturday: Showers. Min 17 Max 23 Advertisement The meteorologist said a low pressure system moving southwards across the Bass Strait towards Tasmania could be thanked for the warmer weather. He predicted temperatures would hit 27C along the coast and 29C in Sydney's west on Monday before a cool change set in on Tuesday. While most of Tuesday is expected to remain sunny, clouds will appear in the afternoon with predictions of a late shower, the forecaster said. He said temperatures would block to the low 20's with highs of 24C to 25C degrees on the coast and 27C in the city's west. Mr Notara said there was a high chance of showers across the city on Wednesday with wet conditions to linger for the rest of the week. A high pressure system ridging along the coast had provided the 'settled' weather while a trough forming off the coast was due to bring wild easterly winds. The NSW coastline was pounded by powerful surf on Saturday with popular beaches closed due to the hazardous surf conditions. Residents finally awoke to blue skies and balmy temperatures on Sunday after suffering through the wettest March on record (pictured, warm weather in Manly on Sunday) The NSW coastline was pounded by powerful surf on Saturday with popular beaches closed due to the hazardous surf conditions (pictured, onlookers at Bronte Beach on Saturday) In extraordinary scenes, countless waves crashed past blockades and onto the foreshore on Saturday morning, with the popular swimming pool at Bondi Icebergs virtually invisible due to ocean water foam. Waverley Council confirmed the large swells damaged a fence at North Bondi, which resulted in the partial closure of the popular Bondi-to-Bronte walkway. Residents on Australia's east coast were told to prepare for gale force winds that could reach speeds of up to 100km/hour. BoM issued an urgent surf warning for NSW coastal areas on both Saturday and Sunday following this week's relentless downpour. 'Surf and swell conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, boating, and swimming,' the bureau said. At Avoca on the state's Central Coast, a tide described as a 'mini tsunami' has shocked scores of locals who gathered at beaches to watch the wild swells. BoM issued an urgent surf warning for NSW coastal areas on both Saturday and Sunday following this week's relentless downpour (pictured, onlookers at Bronte Beach) Furniture and other debris washed into waterfront properties, with some children heard screaming as they fled to safety. The NSW Snowy Mountains is also expecting cooler weather and heavy winds leading into Sunday, with flood warnings in place from Bega to the Victorian border, as well as Lismore's Wilsons River. Record-breaking rainfall totals for the city in March made it a 'very significant month' according to BoM meteorologist Jonathan How. 'It's very likely Sydney will surpass the 1942 record (this week)' Mr How told AAP earlier this week. 'What we do know is that it's the second-fastest on record that Sydney has surpassed 1000mm.' Meanwhile, communities across eastern Victoria are being urged to seek higher ground after heavy rain flooded rivers in the region. Residents finally awoke to blue skies and balmy temperatures on Sunday after suffering through the wettest March on record (pictured, beach-goers at St Kilda Beach) The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for intense rainfall and damaging winds across East Gippsland on Sunday morning. Major flood warnings are in place for the Snowy, Buchan, Bemm and Cann rivers after heavy rain also lashed the region on Saturday. In the 24 hours to 9am Sunday, up to 35mm of rain was recorded across the Snowy River, with isolated totals of up to 66mm. Another 20 to 100mm of rain could hit the river over the rest of the day and water levels on the Snowy River downstream at McKillops Bridge could rise to major flooding by the evening. Residents around the Snowy are urged to move to higher ground with fears the river near Orbost could exceed above seven metres by Monday morning. A four-month-old puppy was rescued from the East River after breaking free from his leash on Saturday morning. The black rescue pup, known as Bebe, was being walked by Can Liu, a worker at the Animal Haven shelter in Lower Manhattan, when he was suddenly startled by a Rottweiler who was not on a leash. The other dog tried to bite Bebe's face, who then managed to get away from his walker. 'He latched onto my dog's face. I was trying to separate them,' Liu told the New York Post. 'The little guy must have gotten spooked by the big dog, then he was wandering around before managing to jump into the frigid East River.' NYPD Emergency Service Unit officers managed to save the life of a puppy who got away from its owner and jumped into the East River on Saturday morning The pup, called Bebe, broke free from his leash at South Street Seaport and ran into the water off Pier 17 Bebe was rescued from the streets of Antigua and brought to New York City NYPD Special Ops provided details on Twitter over what had happened on Saturday morning 'He's scared of people. I guess he found like a crevice by the pier and just jumped in.' The puppy was carried along by the current under Pier 17. 'That's when everybody started freaking out. This is like a little four-month-old puppy in freezing cold water.' Officers from the NYPD Emergency Service Unit were quickly on the scene and jumped into the water, managing to bring Bebe to shore. On Saturday afternoon, the dog was back at the shelter and appeared unharmed. 'He seems fine now, much better. He's eating. He's still playing,' Liu said. Bebe was rescued from the streets of Antigua and brought to New York City so he could be adopted. The lttle dog swam more than 200 yards in the freezing cold river before he was rescued The dog appeared to be overjoyed having made it back onto dry land Rescuers put on wetsuits and swam out to rescue the puppy bringing him safely back to land to Can Liu, a worker at the Animal Haven shelter, pictured center, who was walking him at the time Later on Saturday afternoon, having been warmed up, the dog was rescued by someone who wanted to adopt him Later in the day, the dog was rescued once again - this time finding his forever home. Brooklyn resident, Rayshon Modeste, 18, saw the dog's picture on Animal Haven's website, having already adopted another dog, Dash, from the same shelter. 'My soul talked with Bee Bee just from the picture I saw of [him] on the website, the same way my soul talked with Dash,' said Modeste, who took Bebe home on Saturday. Republicans believe Australians don't want Prince Charles to become the nation's head of state after his mother Queen Elizabeth II's record reign ends. The 95-year-old is celebrating her 70th year on the throne and is Britain's longest-serving monarch, but republicans want that reign to be the last in Australia, pumping for a publicly elected president to replace the royal family. The Australian Republic Movement has released a draft of constitutional amendments, including having up to 11 candidates nominated for president to serve five-year terms. Republicans believe Australians don't want Prince Charles (pictured) to become the nation's head of state after his mother Queen Elizabeth II's record reign ends 'With the Queen's reign drawing to an end, we're about to see some dramatic change in Australia ... We'll have Charles as King of Australia and that's something that Australians clearly don't want,' ARM director Sandy Briar told AAP on Sunday. He said under the movement's plans, each state and territory could nominate one presidential candidate and the federal government could nominate three, with Australians voting on their preferred candidate. The head of state 'with limited powers' would serve alongside the prime minister, but without US-style executive powers in their hands, with the federal and state system of governance in place. 'We [would] make sure that there's no overlap between the responsibilities of the prime minister and the head of state,' he said. 'That's quite a difference from now, where there is a tension between the governor-general as the Queen's representative and the prime minister, with both of them involved in the passing of laws.' Australia's constitution has been amended by referendum eight times since 1901. The last referendum on switching to a republic was in 1999, when 55 per cent of Australians voted against it. The Australian Republic Movement has released a draft of constitutional amendments, including having up to 11 candidates nominated for president to serve five-year terms. Pictured: A group from the Australian Republic Movement A July 2020 YouGov poll found 62 per cent of Australians would vote for a republic, but other surveys since have suggested declining support. But Mr Briar says 'generational change is coming and momentum is building', with about 85 per cent of Australians under 25 not knowing the Queen is Australia's head of state. He said Australia would be following into the footsteps of the majority of the 54 Commonwealth countries, with 15 still having the Queen governing them. The draft constitutional amendments were collated by a panel of legal academics. 'We should have an Australian chosen by Australians as their head of state,' said Mr Briar. Scott Morrison has emphatically denied 'malicious' claims he tried to use his political rival's Lebanese background against him during a bitter preselection battle in 2007. Michael Towke accused Mr Morrison of telling their fellow Liberal Party members it would be 'risky' to consider him for the seat of Cook in Sydney's south. The prime minister denied using his preselection opponent's heritage to get himself elected and told reporters he rejected the allegations 'absolutely'. Mr Morrison responded to Mr Towkes' claims while making a funding announcement for the Marinus Link electricity inter-connector project in Tasmania. 'It's just simply untrue,' he told reporters on Sunday. Scott Morrison (pictured in Tasmania on Sunday) has emphatically denied 'malicious' claims he tried to use his political rival's Lebanese background against him during a preselection battle Mr Morrison (pictured on Sunday) responded to Mr Towkes' claims while making a funding announcement for the Marinus Link electricity inter-connector project in Tasmania 'These are quite malicious and bitter slurs, which are deeply offensive, and I reject them absolutely. It comes at an interesting time that these vicious personal attacks come on the eve of an election. 'I'll let people work out their their own findings on what's motivating these voices. Bitterness can often produce all sorts of slings and arrows.' Mr Towke claimed Mr Morrison had cast these doubts because he was from a Lebanese family and because of false rumours he was a Muslim. He alleged the prime minister pointed to the infamous Cronulla riots two years earlier and said he was unsure if locals would vote to get Mr Towke elected in the Shire due to his ethnicity. Mr Morrison denied the accusations when quizzed by reporters on Saturday, prompting Mr Towke to back two statutory declarations he signed in 2016. Scott Morrison (pictured delivering his maiden speech in 2008) has been accused of using a political rival's Lebanese background against him when he first ran for political office Michael Towke has double-downed on his accusations Scott Morrison told fellow Liberal Party members it would be 'risky' to consider him for the seat of Cook in Sydney's south in 2007 'I stand by the declarations I asserted in my statutory declaration,' he told the Sun Herald in his first public statement since the comments became public. 'Amongst many unedifying tactics used to unseat me from my preselection victory for Morrison, racial vilification was front and centre and he was directly involved. 'Racism is divisive, creating hate and hurt, and should have no place in Australian society.' The statements follow accusations by Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells in the Senate on Tuesday that Mr Morrison was 'not fit to be prime minister' based on the alleged historical racial comments. Ms Fierravanti-Wells also claimed the PM had interfered with the 2007 preselection contest after winning only eight votes versus Towke's 82 in an initial ballot. 'These are quite malicious and bitter slurs, which are deeply offensive, and I reject them absolutely,' Mr Morrison said of the claims on Sunday (pictured) The prime minister's spokesman also dismissed the bombshell allegations and labelled them as 'baseless and false' and spread with 'malicious intent' (pictured is Mr Morrison on Sunday) 'Morrison might profess to be Christian, but there was nothing Christian about what was done to Michael Towke,' she told the senate. 'I am advised that there are several statutory declarations to attest to racial comments made by Morrison at the time that we can't have a Lebanese person in Cook.' When asked about the allegations on Saturday, Mr Morrison denied suggestions on three occasions that he 'warned' voters about Mr Towke's family background or that he was a practicing Muslim. The prime minister then added 'you'll have to ask them' when asked where the accusations originated from. His spokesman on Friday also dismissed the bombshell allegations and labelled them as 'baseless and false' and spread with 'malicious intent'. Mr Morrison (pictured at Parliament House in 2008) flatly denied the accusations he had 'warned' voters about Towke's family background when quizzed by reporters on Saturday Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers said he didn't think anyone believed the prime minister's denial of his comments during the bitter preselection battle. Dr Chalmers also alluded to a pattern in which those who worked closest with Mr Morrison formed the lowest opinion of him. 'I don't think anyone believes the prime minister, frankly,' he told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program. 'I don't think people believe the prime minster more broadly.' Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the prime minister had denied the claims and simply answered 'No' when asked if anyone had come to him with concerns about his behaviour during an appearance on ABC's Insiders Program. Social Services Minister Anne Ruston called it a 'calculated, political hit job' and claimed there hadn't been a prime minister who had prioritised multicultural communities, including the Lebanese community, as much as Mr Morrison had. Senator Fierravanti-Wells on Tuesday described Mr Morrison (pictured on Saturday) as 'ruthless' and a 'bully' in an extraordinary Senate attack in Canberra In one of the statutory declarations, party member Scott Chapman - a friend of Mr Towke - states Mr Morrison outlined his rival's ethnicity. 'Scott Morrison told me that, if Michael Towke were to be pre-selected, there would be a 'swing against the Liberal Party in Cook' because of Mr Towke's Lebanese background,' Mr Chapman said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Mr Towke penned the second declaration and claims Mr Morrison was 'adamant that a candidate of Lebanese heritage could not hold the seat of Cook, especially after the Cronulla riots'. Senator Fierravanti-Wells this week described Mr Morrison as 'ruthless' and a 'bully' in an extraordinary Senate attack in Canberra given she is an elected member of the prime minister's party. Her attack was dismissed by many politicians due to her friendship with Mr Towke and the fact she will leave the upper house in June after losing her place on the Senate ticket to stay in parliament. Labor leader Anthony Albanese claimed the racial allegations pointed at Mr Morrison reflect his poor character. Labor leader Anthony Albanese claimed the racial allegations pointed at Mr Morrison reflect on his character 'These reports join other reports from within the Prime Minister's own party,' the Opposition Leader said in a press conference on Saturday. 'Be it former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, his current Deputy Barnaby Joyce, comments that have been made by (former NSW premier) Gladys Berejiklian, or the comments this week from Concetta Fierravanti-Wells... there is a theme which comes through about the Prime Minister's character. 'People can look at those comments and make their own judgements. 'There are bad relationships wherever Scott Morrison has been. He doesn't have lasting friendships and lasting loyalties.' Mr Albanese also said that in 2007 Mr Morrison's eight votes in the Cook Liberal Party pre-selection ballot, and that it was obvious locals felt 'the other candidates would be better to represent their local community.' One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson and Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie continued the pile-on this week, describing the PM as 'unpleasant' and a 'bully'. 'It was like dealing with a two-year-old, to be honest with you, on a tempy tampy. That's what it was like,' Ms Lambie said on Q&A on Tuesday night. She also echoed Senator Fierravanti-Wells' statements about Mr Morrison. 'I cannot take anything away from what Connie Fierravanti-Wells said, straight out of her mouth and straight to the point,' the independent senator said. 'And I can tell you she did it very, very well. It was not nasty. It was just the truth. And that is the truth of the matter. It was either his way or the highway.' The director of one of Australia's supermarket chains accidentally shared his toy model car collection he stores in his office. Drakes Supermarkets director John-Paul Drake, 45, shared a photo to his LinkedIn last week that showed part of his large model toy collection. The post was focused on a handwritten note he received from PepsiCo ANZ's chief executive Kyle Faulconer. He praised Mr Faulconer for wanting to 'understand his customers and our goals - and not just push the PepsiCo agenda'. And while many people were appreciative of the note, it was the wall behind him which drew the most attention. Drakes Supermarkets director John-Paul Drake, 45, told The Advertiser he has built a collection of 718 toy model cars including Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Tomy Tomica, and Majorette Mr Drake has worked at the family business for 32 years and seen the independent grocer build 60 locations in South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland People in the comments were amazed by Mr Drake's collection and asked for more detail. 'Are you going to post this whole thing and not tell us anything about that collection behind you?,' one person asked. 'Wondering do you have the boxes for all those toys?,' another wrote. His impressive collection is on full display in a custom-made 'art installation' in one of Mr Drake's Adelaide offices. 'I've loved cars ever since I was a kid,' Mr Drake said. Mr Drake's impressive collection is on full display in a custom-made 'art installation' in one of Mr Drake's Adelaide offices 'I can't buy all the cars in real life, but I can buy the diecast models. There's no way my wife would let me have that display at home.' He told The Advertiser he has built a collection of 718 toy model cars including Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Tomy Tomica, and Majorette sets. Drakes is an independent grocer in South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland with over 60 locations. His favourite cars include an Orange Lexus LFA and a Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt model he found last week. Mr Drake said one of the perks of working for the family business the last 32 years is having easy access to his hobby. Mr Drake is on a mission to fill the last 73 slots on his display wall, including one he has hopefully reserved for a Hakosuka GTR 'I have a tendency to scour our shelves when I'm visiting a store. I'm really looking for the models of cars that I like or dreamt of one day owning as a kid,' he said. Mr Drake is on a mission to fill the last 73 slots on his display wall, including one he has hopefully reserved for a Hakosuka GTR which are worth anywhere from $50 to $100. However said it's unlikely his collecting will stop when the display is full and will swap out his older models for new finds in the future. Two elderly pedestrians have been rushed to hospital after they were struck by a reversing car and dragged down the street while out walking in Sydney. Multiple police and ambulance vehicles responded to the incident on New South Head Rd in Double Bay just after 3pm on Sunday. Traffic was brought to a standstill and bystanders watched on in shock as the elderly man and woman were treated on the edge of the busy street by paramedics. A man and woman were also pictured helping ambulance crews though it is unclear if they were bystanders or off-duty medical workers. Multiple ambulances and police cars attended the scene in Double Bay on Sunday afternoon (pictured) A male and female in their 80s were transported to St Vincent's Hospital by specialist paramedics for treatment (pictured) 'It appears they were were struck by a reversing car which has knocked them down and dragged them for some distance,' Giles Buchannan from NSW Ambulance said at the scene. 'They've suffered some limb injuries as well as some possible chest and abdominal injuries,' he said. 'Thankfully both patients were conscious and talking to us throughout the incident but given the force of a car impact it could have been much worse, they were very lucky.' The two patients were rushed by intensive care paramedics to nearby St Vincent's Hospital. NSW Police (pictured) said the drive of the car was a woman in her 70s who returned a clear roadside breath test NSW Police said they were told the car had been reversing out of a private driveway. 'An 87-year-old man and a 82-year-old woman were treated on scene,' a spokesperson said. The driver of the car - a 70-year-old female who is understood to have waited to assist police - returned a negative roadside breath test. 'She has been taken to St Vincent's Hospital for mandatory testing,' the spokesperson added. Advertisement Explosions have rocked the Black Sea port of Odessa as Vladimir Putin weighs up an amphibious invasion of the southern Ukrainian city. The blasts sent up at least three columns of black smoke with flames visible apparently in an industrial area of the strategically important city but there have been no reported casualties. The Russian defence ministry confirmed the strike. Smoke rises after an airstrike attack by Russian army on a fuel depot in Odessa, Ukraine early on Sunday morning at 6am Fires continue to rage at the depot as Putin refocuses the war on the eastern cities of Ukraine following retreat from Kyiv Ukrainian firefighters worked at the scene of the destroyed building after shelling in Odessa this morning The city has been preparing for invasion by land and sea for weeks as Russian advances were focussed elsewhere The UK's Ministry of Defence said that while Russia have the capability to launch an assault - it would likely be cost for them 'This morning, high-precision sea and air-based missiles destroyed an oil refinery and three storage facilities for fuel and lubricants near the city of Odessa, from which fuel was supplied to a group of Ukrainian troops in the direction of Mykolaiv,' it said. The attack could be retaliation for an alleged attack by two helicopters on a fuel depot in Belgorod, Russia on Friday. Kyiv denies involvement in the strike on Russian soil. The rocket attacks came as Russian forces and appeared to be withdrawing from the country's north after Kyiv warned that Moscow was trying to consolidate troops in the south. Despite the rocket attacks, there were no casualties, said officer Vladislav Nazarov in a statement from the southern regional command that reiterated a ban on publishing the exact sites under fire or the extent of damage. AFP reported explosions in the port city at around 6am local time on Sunday morning and the strike was confirmed by a senior official on Telegram later that day. A woman walks in a dressing gown as smoke rises in the air in the background after shelling in Odessa this morning A Ukranian security officer keeps the press away as smoke rises after the airborne attack by the invading Russian army Smoke billowed in the air in the early hours of the morning before firefighters were able to extinguish the flames Kyiv had warned that Russia was trying to consolidate its troops in the south to split Ukrainian troops across the eastern front Women stay next to a car as smoke rises in the air in the background after shelling in Odessa, Ukraine Anton Herashchenko, adviser to the interior minister, wrote: 'Odessa was attacked from the air, 'Fires were reported in some areas. Some of the missiles were shot down by air defence.' Despite the strikes, British intelligence is still claiming that Putin's forces are failing to establish the air superiority that they expected to have during the first days of the war. On Sunday, the Ministry of Defence tweeted that while the Russian navy is maintaining a blockade in the Black Sea, 'Ukraine continues to provide a significant challenge to Russian Air and Missile operations. 'As a result, Russian aircraft are still vulnerable to short and medium range air defence systems.' The attack comes as Russian forces appeared to be withdrawing from the country's north ahead of a renewed push to seize territory in the Donbas region in the east. On Friday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Russia was consolidating and preparing 'powerful strikes' in the south, joining a chorus of Western assessments that Moscow's troops were regrouping. Odessa, a historic city of around one million people, is Ukraine's largest Black Sea port. The explosions come as Putin's war machine pivots to focus on assaults on eastern Ukraine having given up in its pursuit of capturing the capital city Kyiv. Odessa, known as the jewel or pearl of the Black Sea, has been preparing for an amphibious attack by Russian marines for weeks. It has a population of a million people and is a major import/export hub. The Prime Minister has told his Cabinet he wanted to kit out Kyiv's small navy and coastal defenses in the same way Volodymyr Zelensky's forces have been supplied with British anti-tank weapons. Boris Johnson wants Ukraine armed with anti-ship missiles to blow Vladimir Putin's Black Sea fleet out of the water and save the city. The Prime Minister has told his Cabinet he wanted to kit out Kyiv's navy and coastal defenses in the same way Volodymyr Zelensky's forces have been supplied with British anti-tank weapons. Odessa, known as the jewel or pearl of the Black Sea, has been preparing for an amphibious attack by Russian marines for weeks. It has a population of a million people and is a major import/export hub. Britain has been sending anti-tank weapons including the NLAW (next-generation light anti-tank weapons) missile since before the invasion. But Zelensky has asked for anti-ship weapons, including the Harpoon missiles used by the Royal Navy. A source told the Sunday Times: 'We anticipated this mass column of tanks coming across what is a very flat expanse of landscape and that Kyiv would be taken in three days. The NLAWs stopped that. 'That bit of the war is not over but it's parked. They're now concentrating on the south. The next target is Odesa. It's not tanks which are going to come at Odesa. It's going to be ships. NLAWs don't work against ships, so what does? They want the kind of stuff that can take out ships. 'The PM is eager and determined to help find that. We don't have everything they need for the next stage but we have become the default co-ordinator of other countries.' Odessa, known as the jewel or pearl of the Black Sea, has been preparing for an amphibious attack by Russian marines for weeks. It has a population of a million people. But Zelensky has asked for anti-ship weapons, including the Harpoon missiles used by the Royal Navy. Mr Johnson spoke with the Ukrainian president again last night. A Downing Street spokeswoman said: 'He congratulated Ukraine's brave armed forces for successfully pushing back Russia's invading army in a number of areas, but recognised the huge challenges that remain and the immense suffering being inflicted on civilians.' The Prime Minister updated Mr Zelensky on the progress made at the recent military donor conference, convened by the UK with 35 countries, No 10 said, and 'committed to continue to step up defensive support'. The spokesperson added: 'President Zelensky underscored the urgency of Ukraine's fight for its survival as a free and democratic nation, and the importance of international assistance. 'President Zelensky also updated on the status on peace negotiations and welcomed further UK involvement in these diplomatic efforts. Both leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to ratchet up sanctions to increase the economic pressure on (Vladimir) Putin's war machine, so long as Russian troops remain on Ukrainian territory. 'They committed to remain in close contact and speak again in the coming days.' The UK has blocked the use of another jet with links to Russian oligarchs, the Transport Secretary said, as part of efforts to crack down on those who have benefited from Vladimir Putin's regime. Grant Shapps did not provide further details of the aircraft, or its ownership, but said the move was taken on Saturday morning. He added that the UK 'won't stand by and watch those who've made millions through Putin's patronage live their lives in peace as innocent blood is shed'. It comes after the grounding of a private jet with possible links to Russia on March 19. In that incident, the Cessna aircraft was blocked from taking off from London Biggin Hill Airport while it was investigated to see whether it fell foul of sanctions banning all Russian-linked aircraft. On March 8, a private jet suspected of being linked to a Russian oligarch was impounded at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire hours before it was due to fly to Dubai. The aircraft was detained on the orders of Mr Shapps to enable an investigation into its connection with billionaire oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler, a friend of Roman Abramovich. Three prison officers' cars were fitted with GPS trackers as a group left behind an intimidating note calling for the transfer of a prisoner jailed after he was caught on CCTV wielding a gun in an armed robbery, a source claims. Ashley Waterman, 34, reportedly asked to be moved to a softer prison Staff were worried they would be followed home and attacked by a gang, which reportedly wants Ashley Waterman, 34, moved from HMP Wayland near Griston, Norfolk, to a softer prison. The note allegedly said: 'Ashley Waterman has asked to be transferred and you haven't listened, there are three trackers just for show.' Speaking to the Sun, a source claimed the trackers were 'fully working' and could have led dangerous criminals to officers' homes. They said: 'It sounds like a plot from TV's Line of Duty but it was deadly serious. 'The trackers were fully working and would have provided the GPS coordinates of the officers' homes. 'The officers and their families could have been at real risk.' Waterman pleaded guilty to seven counts of conspiracy to rob and one of possession of an imitation firearm in 2016. He is understood to have been the ringleader of a gang which carried out a series of armed robberies in north London. Waterman was was given 15 years and eight months but this was later cut to 13 years on appeal. Norfolk Police told the Sun it responded to reports of vehicle interference. MailOnline has reached out to the force and HMP Wayland for more information. The paper also reports that Waterman was moved to the segregation unit in the prison. HMP Wayland is a category C men's prison - the second softest category followed only by category D. According to the government website, 'most prisoners are located in a category C', which 'provide prisoners with the opportunity to develop their own skills so they can find work and resettle back into the community on release'. Waterman, currently at HMP Wayland near Griston, Norfolk, pleaded guilty to seven counts of conspiracy to rob and one of possession of an imitation firearm in 2016 Category D facilities have minimal security and even allow eligible prisoners to spend most of their day away from the jail 'on licence to carry out work, education or for other resettlement purpose'. Portable GPS trackers, which can record data regarding a vehicle's whereabouts, can sometimes even provide real-life speed and location data using a network of satellites, Lifewire reports. Portable models are discreet enough to be fitted underneath a car, inside a wheel well or in the trunk. Prince Andrew 'received payments of more than 1 million' from a Turkish 'fraudster' after they met through the duke's gun smuggler friend - who attended Fergie's surprise 60th birthday bash and Eugenie's wedding. Tarek Kaituni has previously boasted of his influence over the Duke and attended the wedding of daughter Princess Eugenie in 2018. The convicted smuggler is also understood to have previously helped broker secret meetings for the Duke with the late dictator Colonel Gaddafi and once told undercover reporters he played a key role in the release of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi. Kaituni introduced Andrew to Selman Turk, 35, in the early summer of 2019, before the pair became friendly and shared dinners at the alleged fraudster's South Kensington home. It has now emerged that Fergie's surprise 60th birthday party, which took place just months after their introduction, was partially funded by Mr Turk, The Sunday Telegraph reports. And months later, Mr Turk and Kaitani took a selfie photograph together during a visit to what appears to be Frogmore House, the royal residence in Windsor Great Park, in February 2020. Since their introduction less than three years ago, Mr Turk is alleged to have made payments totalling 1.1m to Andrew, of 250,000 to Sarah and 25,000 to Princess Eugenie. Of the sum allegedly paid to the princess, $15,000 had been listed as a birthday gift, but it is understood to have actually been used to pay for the surprise party. However, it is alleged that the this money was stolen by Mr Turk from Turkish millionaress Nebahat Evyap Isbilen, who had entrusted him with helping her move $87 million out of Turkey as she attempted to avoid political persecution. A selfie taken by Selman Turk alongside Tarek Kaituni during a visit to what appears to be Frogmore House, the royal residence in Windsor Great Park, in February 2020 Prince Andrew has allegedly received payments of more than 1million from Turkish businessman Mr Turk Turkish businessman Selman Turk, 35, is alleged to have made payments of more than 1 million to Prince Andrew after being introduce to the duke by Tarek Kaitun Tarek Kaituni, 54, attended the surprise 60th birthday party and Princess Eugenie's wedding despite a conviction for gun smuggling Andrew first became involved with Kaituni, who now has US citizenship, in 2005. Kaituni (pictured with his former wife Lisa van Goinga at their wedding) brokered meetings between the Duke and Gaddafi Sarah, Duchess of York, Princess Beatrice and Prince Andrew, Duke of York pictured together at Royal Ascot in 2018 The complex case is ongoing, no trial has taken place and the allegations have not been resolved. Mr Turk denies all allegations of wrongdoing. In preliminary hearings, it was alleged 'substantial sums' were paid to the Duke and Duchess of York, but there has been no suggestion they have any involvement in the allegations. The party was attended by the likes of Ellie Goulding, Robbie Williams and Julian Fellowes. Princess Eugenie has said she believed the payments to be 'gifts' from family friends to assist with the cost of the surprise bash. In a statement, she said: 'In early October 2019 I had received a call from our family friend saying that he wanted to make a financial contribution towards my mothers birthday party to assist with the catering costs. 'I suggested that any contribution could be made directly to the caterers, but in the event provided my account details to which two payments were made totalling 25,000, which I then transferred on to the company organising my mothers party.' Kaituni was among 100 guests at the party and enjoyed regular access to Andrew, with photographs showing the duke sitting near him at the event. Andrew first became involved with Kaituni in 2005, the same year he was caught trying to smuggle a submachine gun from the Netherlands to France. Kaituni has previously demonstrated his willingness to trade on their friendship and has claimed he could influence Andrew into backing commercial projects He was among 800 guests at St Georges Chapel, Windsor, for the wedding of Andrews daughter Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank. Later he was a guest at the exclusive black-tie reception for the couples closest friends and family at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. The Libyan once gave Eugenies sister Beatrice an 18,000 diamond necklace months before the Duke allegedly lobbied a British company on his behalf. Mr Turk currently lives in a multi-million-pound flat in a prestigious Mayfair property owned by the Queen. Mr Turk currently lives in a multi-million-pound flat in Mayfair. The flat is owned by 'The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty In Right Of Her Crown care of The Crown Estate Commissioners', Land Registry documents suggest Sarah, Duchess of York and the Duke of York have been named in a High Court case as receiving 'substantial sums' of money He is understood to have been introduced to Kaitani in early 2019, before then meeting Andrew for the first time in May or June later the same year. Mr Turk, Kaitani and the duke subsequently met on at least two occasions, including a dinner with potential investors at the alleged fraudster's South Kensington home in west London in December 2019. The only time Andrew and Mr Turk have been pictured together in public was when the latter won an award at the Duke of York's Dragons' Den-style competition Pitch@Palace in November 2019. In a video posted on the Pitch@Palace Twitter account, he outlined how he was creating a new consumer-focused digital bank aimed at millennials named Heyman Al. The next evening Heyman AI won the People's Choice Award and he was photographed shaking hands with the duke, who hosted the event. But days later, Mr Turk told an official from Mrs Isbilens private bank that the 750,000 payment was a 'wedding gift'. In court documents, Mrs Isbilen, who also attended the Pitch@Palace event has suggested the transfer could be connected to the award Mr Turk won that evening. The prince has since repaid the cash after she alleged it was a scam. A spokeswoman for the Duke of York said: 'We will not be commenting on an ongoing legal matter.' Advertisement Passengers at Manchester and Heathrow Airports were facing long queues today as first of the Easter holidays got under way, while the traffic jams continued to blight the Port of Dover. The airport blamed the disruption on Covid checks required by destination countries and 'high passenger volumes'. But there were also reports of staff shortages and problems with the e-gate passport checkpoints, as travellers took to social media to air their frustrations. Some said they had waited hours to check in and take off as the airport confirmed 'congestion' was affecting Terminal 2. Other travellers said several automatic e-gates - which are staffed by Border Force - used to process passengers, were not operating properly. The Home Office has been contacted for comment. One passenger reported having sat on a plane for two hours waiting for take-off and said the reason given was staff shortage issues. The travel chaos comes at the start of the Easter break, with an increase in holidaymakers understood to be driving up passenger numbers. Staff shortages are also said to have contributed to delays, with some travellers sat on planes for up to an hour waiting to take off. On Twitter, Ali posted: 'Manchester Airport not ideal as it's so busy. Well done as it's organised and amazing staff are smiling through abuse and announcements etc... Gutted about our fast track passes and not being able to use them.' Massive traffic queues were seen in Dover as a shortage of ferry services meant severe delays for HGV drivers Manchester Airport apologised for its services today after staff shortages led to hours of delays for passengers checking in Large queues were reported at Manchester Airport this morning as the first April weekend got off to an awkward start Alison Unwin, 60, also saw scores of uncollected bags in Manchester Airport - from flights which landed the day before - strewn around the reclaim hall in Terminal 3 Alison Unwin, pictured in front of unclaimed bags in Terminal 3 of Manchester Airport yesterday Actress Amanda Abbington tweeted there was no one to process her baggage claim at Manchester Airport A Manchester Airport spokesperson admitted the service was short-staffed and said: 'We apologise to passengers whose experience at Manchester Airport has fallen short of the standards they expected. 'As we recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, our whole industry is facing staff shortages and recruitment challenges. 'As a result we are advising customers that security queues may be longer than usual, and we encourage them to arrive at the earliest time recommended by their airline. 'Due to the security checks and training associated with these roles, it takes time to for people to be able to start work in our operation. Another passenger reported waits of over three hours at Manchester Airport yesterday A holidaymaker has slammed Manchester Airport after waiting more than two hours to collect her bags while long queues for check in have blighted the service today The situation at Manchester Airport was described as chaotic although staff were praised for their professionalism in the face of numerous complaints 'As we recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, our whole industry is facing staff shortages and recruitment challenges,' said Manchester Airport 'That is why we are exploring a number of short-term measures to deliver the best possible service we can, such as the use of agency staff and different ways in which existing colleagues can support our operation. 'We are aware similar challenges are being faced by airlines and third parties, such as baggage handling agents, operating on our site. Together, we are working hard to deliver the best possible service we can in the circumstances, and to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.' Terminal Two of Heathrow was said by one traveller to be at 'near capacity' with passengers admitted just three hours before flight time. But it is understood the terminal is free-flowing again after some restrictions this morning due to increased passenger numbers in the Easter holiday. A Heathrow spokesperson said: 'Due to high passenger volumes and the Covid documentation checks still required by many end destinations, Terminal 2 departures has experienced some congestion today. 'Our teams are supporting our airline partners to get passengers away on their journeys as quickly as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.' Nick Gale, a teacher from Kent, described six mile traffic queues at the Port of Dover caused by disruption to cross-Channel ferries and bad weather. The situation at the Port of Dover has improved slightly but delays are likely to continue beyond the weekend, the boss of the British Ports Association has said. The area has been plunged into traffic chaos, with gridlocked roads near the port caused by disruption to cross-Channel ferries and bad weather. Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Sunday, Richard Ballantyne said: 'It is a bit better today, we understand. 'Yesterday we were up to nine-hour queues outside the port. Traffic measures are in place, which... are working fairly well and it enables other people around east Kent and businesses, residents etc to move around freely. 'But (it is) not a good position if you're stuck in a vehicle for six to eight hours.' The suspension of P&O services, with three of the company's vessels at berth in Dover, has been partly blamed for long queues in the area. Adverse weather in the Channel and congestion caused by tourists travelling to Kent for an Easter getaway are also said to be contributing to the jams. Drivers have been forced to wait for hours to board ferries after measures were triggered to control the movement of HGVs in the area. Under Operation Brock, lorries heading to Dover are allowed to use one side of the M20 while all other traffic is restricted to a contraflow system on the opposite side. Terminal two of Heathrow was said to be at full capacity, with passenger unable to enter until three hours before their flight The cross-Channel situation was dealt a further blow when a DFDS ferry, Dover Seaways, hit a berth in high winds on Thursday. DFDS said in a statement the vessel is being inspected ahead of repairs and it is expected to return to service on Monday or Tuesday. Despite the slight improvement, Mr Ballantyne said authorities are predicting delays will extend into the working week. He said: 'East Kent and the Kent police services... and the very well established operations team at the Port of Dover are predicting this is going to continue for another couple of days, but it is something we just quite don't know how long it's going to go on for.' Nick Gale, a teacher from Kent travelling with his family to Calais for a trip to Amsterdam, said they had been stuck for 'over two hours' on Saturday and missed the ferry they were booked on. He said: 'No communication at all from port staff. Policeman said it was basically the perfect storm, less ferries... plus bad weather and (the) P&O issue.' Mr Gale criticised the 'awful' communication around Dover, saying non-freight travellers were left in the dark about what to do. 'I think around Dover it's awful, there is no communication for what non-freight customers (are) to do. 'We're local to the area so knew a couple of ways to beat the huge queues but it's literally not moving,' he said. 'We've got no food and an eight-year-old in the back moaning.' Suspended P&O Ferry services are said to have contributed to long delays at the Port of Dover throughout the weekend, along with two DFDS ferries out of action 'This has been caused by a number of factors, including severe weather in the Channel.' Despite the overnight delays, waiting times from Dover to Calais are reported to be six hours - down from 14 hours yesterday. An emergency air-and-sea rescue operation was underway in the English Channel last night after a plane with two people on board crashed after taking off in the UK. The Piper PA-28 was in a group of aircraft which was heading to the northern France resort of Le Touquet on Saturday morning. 'It crashed into British waters for an unknown reason,' said a spokesman for the French emergency services. 'British Coastguard launched an operation supported by French aircraft and boats including the Abeille-Languedoc (Languedoc Bee) tug, which has been chartered by the French Navy.' Yoon's tribute seen as bid for national unity President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has vowed to restore the dignity of victims of a civilian massacre on the southern island of Jeju. He made the vow Sunday when he attend the 74th anniversary of the April 3, 1948, uprising of Jeju residents against the U.S. military-led rule following the country's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. It marked the first time that a president-elect has attended such a memorial event and paid tribute to the victims. In 2006, then President Roh Moo-hyun became the first sitting head of state to do so. President Moon Jae-in took part in the commemoration ceremony three times in 2018, 2020 and 2021. No conservative presidents such as Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye went to such a ceremony. In fact, conservative politicians have so far been reluctant to embrace the spirit of the uprising for freedom and democracy. The uprising had long been distorted as a communist riot which resulted in the death of up to 30,000 civilians in bloody armed crackdowns. The estimated death toll accounted for 10 percent of the island's population at the time. The massacre was a national tragedy prompted by violence of the U.S.-led military government in Korea at the time. It came amid the extreme ideological confrontation between the left and the right after the country was liberated from Japanese rule at the end of World War II. However, it took so long for the uprising to get a proper assessment. The Park Geun-hye administration designated April 3 as a day of national commemoration in 2014. Yet Park never attended the memorial during her presidency. Now is the time to restore the honor of the victims and heal the wounds of their surviving families. Yoon's presence at the commemoration was seen as a step in the right direction toward reconciliation and forgiveness. His gesture will hopefully mark a starting point in promoting the unity of the nation which has been divided sharply between progressives and conservatives, especially since Moon took power in 2017 following Park's impeachment. Yoon's commemorative speech is worth noting. "Healing the anguish and tending to the scars of April 3 is our responsibility as we move toward a future of reconciliation and coexistence," he said at the Jeju 4.3 Peace Park. He stressed the importance of embracing innocent victims and sharing. As he put forward, doing that is an obligation for a free democratic state that pursues the universal values of freedom and human rights. In the lead-up to the March 9 election, Yoon promised proper compensation for the victims' families. He needs to make sure that compensation will be paid soon in accordance with a revision to the special law on the massacre which was passed through the National Assembly in February. After his May 10 inauguration, he is expected to attend a memorial marking the 42nd anniversary of the pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju which began on May 18, 1980. Yoon and his conservative People Power Party (PPP) should re-evaluate the uprising in ways that can bring the people together to create a better future for the nation. Prince Andrew will be accompanying the Queen to the Derby over the Platinum Jubilee weekend this year. The Duke is planning on escorting his mother to the Epsom race, despite one source telling The Sun that he was meant to 'stay invisible' during the weekend celebrations in June. The 62-year-old, who settled a sex case with Virginia Giuffre in February this year, was centre in the public eye last week at Prince Phillip's memorial service. 'The Queen needs a chaperone on all occasions at the moment due to her mobility issues and Andrew has earmarked the Derby as the one he will accompany her at,' the source said. 'He just doesnt seem to understand the public outcry.' The Duke of York with the Queen and the late Prince Phillip at the Epsom Derby in 2016 The Duke is planning on escorting his mother to the Epsom race this June. Above, with his late father at the Surrey racing venue The Duke's prominent role in last week's event was said to have left Princes Charles and William 'dismayed'. He was seen walked his mother through Westminster Abbey to her seat in full view of the live broadcast cameras to the shock of many in the congregation. Even his siblings were said to be 'dismayed' by the stunt, with them earlier hoping 'common sense' would prevail and he would accept playing a backroom role in the event. But the Queen said that it was her 'wish and final decision' for Prince Andrew to walk with her that day. The Queen said that it was her 'wish and final decision' for Prince Andrew to walk with her that day The Queen arrived at the service holding the Duke of York by the elbow with her left hand and her stick with the right The Queen walked towards her seat at Westminster Abbey after being accompanied down by the aisle by Prince Andrew It was the shamed royal's first public appearance since he paid a reported 12million settlement to Jeffrey Epstein victim Ms Giuffre to end a highly-damaging civil sexual assault case in New York. He was forced to step back from public life over his association with late paedophile, Epstein. It is reported that Princes Charles and William raised concerns 'on more than one occasion' about the optics of allowing the duke to escort the 95-year-old monarch down to her seat at such a well-publicised event. The Duke of York is understood to have got his way after lobbying to take his 95-year-old mother to her seat because she 'couldn't say no to her favourite son' despite objections from William and Charles, sources claimed. A family source said that senior royals including Prince Charles and the Duke of Cambridge were 'dismayed' by events and that Andrew's decision to put himself 'front and centre' of the service had caused 'consternation'. Pictured: Prince Charles and Camilla walk down the aisle at Westminster Abbey followed by Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and the Duchess of Cambridge The Dean of Westminster had been expected to take the Monarch to her seat while the Prince followed behind, according to the order of service. After walking arm in arm with his mother, he then sat in the front row next to brother Prince Edward, rather than with his daughters as was expected. Critics painted the move as a brazen attempt by the 62-year-old to slide back into the spotlight, hoping it might lead to a 'mission creep' return to public life or a 'springboard' to appear at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Taking an official role, such as riding in procession for Trooping the Colour, has been ruled out. A source close to the duke previously suggested the service would mark his final public appearance and that it was 'highly unlikely' he would appear at the flagship events to mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne. He was stripped of his military honours and royal patronages, and told by Charles he would be made to 'disappear' from public life following his final official outing for his father's memorial. Advertisement Russian troops near Kharkiv died after eating poisoned stuffed buns given to them as 'gifts' by Ukrainian citizens, a Ukrainian intelligence agency has claimed. Two soldiers from the 3rd Motor Rifle Division died immediately after eating the delicacies served by the citizens of Izium, a Facebook post by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine announced on Saturday. Another 28 Russian troops are in intensive care after the poisoning with several hundred others also suffering from 'severe illnesses' after drinking poisoned alcohol given to them by civilians. Two soldiers from Russia's 3rd Motor Rifle Division died immediately after eating the popular Ukrainian stuffed buns WHAT ARE UKRAINIAN STUFFED BUNS? Ukrainian stuffed buns (pyrizhky) are crescent-shaped stuffed pastry which are a famous delicacy in the country. They are baked or fried yeast dough which can be filled with sweet or savoury fillings. Savoury buns are often filled with meat or potatoes alongside cabbage, salo, haricot beans or liver. Sweet alternatives include apples, apricots, cherries, plums or even cheese. They are often served as appetisers or desserts to supplement a larger meal. Advertisement In the post, the agency said: 'Ukrainians resist the occupiers by all available means. According to available information, local residents of the Izium district (Kharkiv region) 'treated' Russians from the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the Russian Federation with poisoned pies. 'As a result, two occupiers died at once, another 28 were taken to the intensive care unit. Their current state is being clarified.' 'About 500 more servicemen of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the Russian Federation are in hospitals due to severe alcohol poisoning of unknown origin.' Russia has reportedly written the troops off as 'non-combat losses' as it begins to pivot its war effort to focus on fighting in the Donbas region of east Ukraine having failed to encircle Kyiv in the first six weeks of the war. The sabotage is the latest in a campaign of civilian warfare by Ukrainians seeking to defy Russian attempts to capture their cities. Izium is expected to see more combat in the coming weeks as Putin desperately scrambles to reverse his fortunes after a shambolic start to his invasion of Ukraine. It is a town of strategic importance for Russia as it would allow troops to use it as a base for sustained assaults into the Donbas and allow Putin to resupply his troops with the town being near to the Russian border. Control of the city would allow Russians to coordinate with forces fighting further south in the Donbas region and split the eastern front and isolate Ukraine's southern forces from those fighting in the north. The poisoning comes as mass graves of civilian corpses were discovered on the outskirts of Kyiv after the Russian retreat it was claimed yesterday. The graves were discovered after Ukraine took back the 'whole Kyiv region' from Russian troops according to the country's deputy defence minister yesterday. In a statement posted on social media, Hanna Maliar said: 'Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region were liberated from the invader.' Irpin and Bucha, commuters towns outside Kyiv, were retaken by the Ukrainian army this week. Both towns have suffered vast destruction and high civilian death tolls. Horrific images emerged of bodies strewn across the streets of commuter town Bucha, which was retaken by Ukrainian forces on Friday. Bucha's mayor said 280 people had been buried in a mass grave in the town and that corpses littered the streets. 'All these people were shot, killed, in the back of the head', he said. He added that many of the bodies had white bandages on them 'to show that they were unarmed' and that a 14-year-old boy was among the dead. He claimed some of the victims had tried to cross the Buchanka river to Ukrainian-controlled territory and that entire families had perished, including 'children, women, grandmothers. These are the consequences of Russian occupation,' he added. At least 200 people have been killed in Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv, since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, while Gostomel, near Kyiv, was the setting of heavy fighting to take control of the airfield there. Ukrainians claimed Russian forces 'booby-trap corpses and execute civilians while retreating from recaptured Kyiv area'. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted her outrage at the scenes. Truss tweeted: 'Appalled by atrocities in Bucha and other towns in Ukraine. Reports of Russian forces targeting innocent civilians are abhorrent. The UK is working with others to collect evidence and support [the International Criminal Court] war crimes investigation. Those responsible will be held to account.' Ukraine has said Russia is withdrawing from northern areas and appears to be focusing on the east and south of the country. Downing Street said that Boris Johnson had called to congratulate Ukrainian President Zelensky's 'brave armed forces' for successfully pushing back Russia's invading forces and agreed to continue increasing the economic pressure on Vladimir Putin. The Prime Minister has told his Cabinet he wanted to kit out Kyiv's small navy and coastal defenses in the same way Volodymyr Zelensky's forces have been supplied with British anti-tank weapons to take on Putin's war machine Boris Johnson has also said he wants Ukraine armed with anti-ship missiles to blow Vladimir Putin's Black Sea fleet out of the water and save the city. The Prime Minister has told his Cabinet he wanted to kit out Kyiv's navy and coastal defenses in the same way Volodymyr Zelensky's forces have been supplied with British anti-tank weapons. Odessa, known as the jewel or pearl of the Black Sea, has been preparing for an amphibious attack by Russian marines for weeks. It has a population of a million people and is a major import/export hub. Britain has been sending anti-tank weapons including the NLAW (next-generation light anti-tank weapons) missile since before the invasion. But Zelensky has asked for anti-ship weapons, including the Harpoon missiles used by the Royal Navy. A source told the Sunday Times: 'We anticipated this mass column of tanks coming across what is a very flat expanse of landscape and that Kyiv would be taken in three days. The NLAWs stopped that. Odessa, known as the jewel or pearl of the Black Sea, has been preparing for an amphibious attack by Russian marines for weeks. It has a population of a million people. But Zelensky has asked for anti-ship weapons, including the Harpoon missiles used by the Royal Navy, to help defend Odessa 'That bit of the war is not over but it's parked. They're now concentrating on the south. The next target is Odesa. It's not tanks which are going to come at Odesa. It's going to be ships. NLAWs don't work against ships, so what does? They want the kind of stuff that can take out ships. 'The PM is eager and determined to help find that. We don't have everything they need for the next stage but we have become the default co-ordinator of other countries.' The attempt to arm Ukraine to protect Odessa came as explosions rocked the city early on Sunday morning. The blasts sent up at least three columns of black smoke with flames visible apparently in an industrial area of the strategically important city but there have been no reported casualties. Smoke rises after an airstrike attack by Russian army in Odessa early on Sunday morning as Russia refocuses on east Ukraine The Russian defence ministry confirmed the strike. 'This morning, high-precision sea and air-based missiles destroyed an oil refinery and three storage facilities for fuel and lubricants near the city of Odessa, from which fuel was supplied to a group of Ukrainian troops in the direction of Mykolaiv,' it said. The rocket attacks came as Russian forces and appeared to be withdrawing from the country's north after Kyiv warned that Moscow was trying to consolidate troops in the south. Despite the rocket attacks, there were no casualties, said officer Vladislav Nazarov in a statement from the southern regional command that reiterated a ban on publishing the exact sites under fire or the extent of damage. AFP reported explosions in the port city at around 6am local time on Sunday morning and the strike was confirmed by a senior official on Telegram later that day. Anton Herashchenko, adviser to the interior minister, wrote: 'Odessa was attacked from the air, 'Fires were reported in some areas. Some of the missiles were shot down by air defence.' Despite the strikes, British intelligence is still claiming that Putin's forces are failing to establish the air superiority that they expected to have during the first days of the war. On Sunday, the Ministry of Defence tweeted that while the Russian navy is maintaining a blockade in the Black Sea, 'Ukraine continues to provide a significant challenge to Russian Air and Missile operations. 'As a result, Russian aircraft are still vulnerable to short and medium range air defence systems.' Odessa, a historic city of around one million people, is Ukraine's largest Black Sea port. Not even the world's biggest boy band will be exempt from military service, with all seven members of BTS 'very much expected' to serve in the South Korean army, a leading diplomat has said. Gunn Kim, South Korea's ambassador to Britain, shared his views on the K-pop phenomenon and their 'obligation' to their home country in the wake of growing tension between South Korea and her neighbour, North Korea, which just days ago claimed to have successfully test-fired a Hwasong-17 missile. The world's biggest boyband are 'very much expected' to serve in the South Korean army as soon as they each turn 30 and for a minimum of 18 months Analysts say the long-range ballistic missile may be capable of carrying nuclear warheads. But the weapon fired on 24 March is now believed to actually be a Hwasong-15, a smaller and less powerful missile first paraded five years ago, according to intelligence analysts in Seoul and Washington. Nevertheless, South Korea remains in a tension-ridden situation with the North and places much importance on having a fighting force at the ready. North Korea announced it had launched the Hwasong-17, which was first unveiled at a military parade in Pyongyang two years ago (pictured) That includes mandatory conscription for all men aged 18 to 28 for a minimum of 18 months to add to the nation's 555,000-strong active force and 3.1million reserve troops. Speaking to The Sunday Times about BTS - which translated stands for 'Bulletproof Boy Scouts', Kim said: 'It is very much expected that young Korean men serve the country and those BTS members are role models for many young-generation Koreans.' He added: 'Most of our people expect that our members of BTS will fulfil their obligation as citizens of Korea. Eventually I think that will happen.' The boys have already received something of a small reprieve given their global status, which alongside millions of records sold includes more than 44 million followers on Twitter and a staggering nearly 62 million on Instagram. North Korea claimed the missile fired recently is a Hwasong-17 - but analysts remain doubtful In December 2020, South Korea's national assembly passed the so-called BTS Law, which allowed members of the band to postpone their military service until they turn 30. But Kim Seok-Jin, who goes by Jin and is the band's oldest member, turns 30 in December, sparking speculation that he may well be soon swapping dance moves for military moves. In time, he will be joined by Suga, who is currently 29, J-Hope, 28, RM, 27, Jimin, 26, V, 26, and Jungkook, 24. BTS, pictured in 2020, have been allowed to delay their military service until they turn 30 They will join a long line of well-known names who have served time in the military over the decades. Elvis Presley was famously filmed getting a buzzcut after he was drafted into the US army in 1958. BTS could follow in the footsteps of other celebrities, including Elvis Presley, who served in the US army and is seen pictured in Germany on a tour of duty in 1959 Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon and his co-astronaut Buzz Aldrin, both served during the Korean War, as did Sir Michael Caine, James Garner and Johnny Cash. Meanwhile Paul Newman served in the US Navy during the Second World War and Arnold Schwarzenegger did military service for the Austrian Army in 1965. Arnold Schwarzenegger was required to sign up to the Austrian Army for one year aged 18 Jimi Hendrix also gained military experience before he achieved fame. In 1961, when he was caught riding in stolen cars in Seattle, the police gave him two options - go to jail or join the Army, with the pop sensation choosing the latter. Following last week's missile launch by North Korea, South Korea's military responded with live-fire drills of its own missiles, underscoring a revival of tensions as diplomatic ties remains frozen. Budding music idol Jimi Hendrix was given the choice of jail time or joining the army in 1961 Washington also imposed fresh sanctions against five entities and individuals located in Russia and North Korea over transferring sensitive items to the North's missile program, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. This latest test was North Korea's 12th round of weapons launches this year and was thought to be the most provocative test since President Biden took office. Australian actress Jodi Gordon has been slapped with an apprehended domestic violence order against her banker ex-boyfriend 11 months after they separated. Police took out an AVO against the former neighbours and Home Away star on Sunday morning to protect her former Sebastian Blackler. Mr Blackler, a portfolio manager at a wealth management firm in Sydney, has also been issued with an AVO over the same incident. It is understood police are still investigating the matter, but have not laid any charges. The former couple broke up in May 2021, but are understood to have rekindled their relationship in February. Australian actress Jodi Gordon (pictured) and her ex-boyfriend Sebastian Blackler have each been reportedly issued with AVOs against each other In court documents obtained by The Australian, the orders state the pair must not must not assault or threaten stalk, harass or intimidate each other. They are also prohibited from intentionally or recklessly destroy or damage any property or harm an animal the other person owns. Ms Gordon's order also bars her from being in Mr Blackler's company for at least 12 hours after drinking alcohol or taking illicit drugs. Ms Gordon, 37, and Mr Blackler, 31, will both face Windsor Local Court on April 21. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Gordon and Mr Blackler for comment. It is not the first time police have taken out an AVO against Mr Blackler on Ms Gordon's behalf. Police were called to Ms Gordon's Double Bay apartment, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, on November 27, 2020, to reports of an alleged domestic violence incident. Officers subsequently took out an interim AVO to prevent Mr Blackler from assaulting, threatening, stalking, harassing or intimidating Ms Gordon Jodi Gordon (left) split with Mr Blackler (right) in May last year, but the pair reportedly rekindled their relationship in February The following month, a court order was issued banning Mr Blackler from assaulting or threatening, stalking, harassing or intimidating Ms Gordon. The order expired at the end of last year. The incident came just days after Gordon first confirmed her relationship with Mr Blackler, going Instagram official on November 21, 2020. Ms Gordon, who played Martha MacKenzie on Home and Away from 2005 to 2010, shares daughter Aleeia with her ex-husband, former NRL star Braith Anasta. The former couple married in 2012, welcomed their daughter in 2014, and separated a year later. Boris Johnson's plans for new domestic power production were in disarray today as ministers openly clashed over whether to build new windfarms in the countryside. Boris Johnson is expected to include a large expansion of wind and nuclear power when he unveils his much delayed energy strategy this week, designed to reduce dependence on foreign oil and gas. But the while the plans focus mainly on wind farms in the sea, the plans are expected to include measures to increase production on land. On Saturday, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng suggested capacity could double to 30GW by 2030. But the PM faces strong opposition to the plan from shire Tories, which could instead see the majority of turbines built in more remote areas like the Scottish Highlands. No 10 distanced itself from a massive expansion in onshore wind, saying any expansion would require 'community consent'. And Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today said he was opposed to them - suggesting he would rather have a new nuclear reactor in his Hertfordshire constituency. Asked if planning laws should be relaxed to allow for more onshore wind, he told Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: 'I don't favour a vast increase in onshore wind farms, for pretty obvious reasons - they sit on the hills there and can create something of an eyesore for communities as well as actual problems of noise as well. 'So I think for reasons of environmental protection, the way to go with this is largely, not entirely, but largely off-sea.' Mr Johnson joked about putting a new nuclear reactor 'in every Labour seat' to cut energy bills. The Prime Minister is expected to unveil his much-delayed energy strategy on Thursday, as millions of Britons feel the pinch from a surge in power prices. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng wants to double onshore wind production to 30GW by 2030. But Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today said he was opposed to more wind farms on land, claiming turbines were an 'eyesore' and often noisy. It comes as polling, but privately for the Tories and public surveys, show strong support for wind farms in greenfield sites - as long as the locals are given cut-price or free power from them. Robert Colvile, the director of the CPS think tank and Tory manifesto co-author, tweeted a YouGov poll from May 2021 showing all voters, including Tories, wanted them built Polling, both privately for the Tories and public surveys, show strong support for wind farms in greenfield sites - as long as the locals are given cut-price or free power from them. The Prime Minister is expected to unveil his much-delayed energy strategy on Thursday, as millions of Britons feel the pinch from a surge in power prices. He is expected to push a dramatic increase in the UK's nuclear power capabilities by 2050, while allowing more turbines to be build on-shire in the short term. He has also suggested a 'colossal' floating offshore windfarm could be build in the Irish sea (stock image) Labour's Reynolds says ministers should prepare to ration power Labour has suggested the Government consider plans to ration energy supplies in the UK, and avoid 'shopping from one authoritarian regime to the next' for new sources of fossil fuels. When asked whether the UK should be prepared to ration oil and gas, the shadow business and energy secretary told Clive Myrie on Sunday Morning: 'We should be making those plans and the Government should be preparing, not necessarily in public, for that situation. 'There's a lot of complacency in this country about the relative lower exposure to Russian gas that we have. 'But we should bear in mind that part of the supply that comes to this country from, for instance, Norway or from the liquefied natural gas that goes into the terminals and wells, that is partly because Russian gas is fulfilling the demands of central Europe. 'I think what the Government should announce is a plan which is not simply shopping from one authoritarian regime to the next for fossil fuels, but that long-term plan on renewables or nuclear and energy efficiency that would make the difference. 'But let's be clear, we're looking at the images coming out of Ukraine right now, I don't think we should be talking about going back to business as usual where we just buy large quantities of fossil fuels.' But Grant Shapps ruled out rationing, telling the same programme: 'It's not the route that we want to go down.' Advertisement He has also suggested a 'colossal' floating offshore windfarm could be built in the Irish sea, when he met industry leaders last week. It comes as polling, both privately for the Tories and public surveys, show strong support for wind farms in greenfield sites - as long as the locals are given cut-price or free power from them. And Robert Colvile, the director of the CPS think tank and Tory manifesto co-author, tweeted a separate YouGov poll from May 2021 showing all voters, including Tories, wanted them built. Pressed on whether that means the idea of a 'big increase in the number of onshore wind farms' is 'effectively off the table for now', Mr Shapps said: 'I'd urge you to wait for the energy strategy later in the week. But my thinking is what you really want to do is develop in other ways - nuclear, we will have offshore wind. I don't think you want a huge expansion of onshore wind. 'There may be cases where it makes sense, but I think by and large we've established... that offshore works very well. And by the way, it's providing quite a lot of our electricity already.' The Business Secretary has suggested six or seven new sites could be in operation by that point, with all but one of Britain's existing plants set to be decommissioned by 2030. While the number of stations is likely to remain similar to now - the plan is for each new site to be far more powerful than those they will replace, significantly pushing up the UK's capacity. The Sunday Telegraph reported that Boris Johnson is preparing to announce plans to expand the Government's commitment to move forward with new large-scale nuclear power stations this decade. The newspaper said the plan had been to back one by 2024, but it is thought the new ambition will be to support the construction of two by 2030. The move to scale up nuclear power production will reportedly form part of a major expansion of homegrown energy in the wake of the Ukraine crisis. It comes as the Government's energy security strategy is expected to be unveiled on Thursday. Asked about the scale of the its nuclear ambitions, Mr Kwarteng told The Sunday Telegraph: 'There is a realisation across Government that we could do more on nuclear. 'With energy, you're thinking maybe 30, even 40 years [ahead]. If we fast forward to 2050, there is a world where we have six or seven sites in the UK. 'That isn't going to happen in the next two years, but it's definitely something that we can aspire to. 'The Prime Minister said, in terms of the energy generation mix, we could see maybe a quarter of that being nuclear. I'd say 15 to 25 per cent. But obviously in the first three years you're not going to suddenly have six new nuclear stations in three years. It's physically impossible to do that.' Labour's Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary, told Times Radio: 'I really think the Government are really making a mistake if they believe that onshore wind, which is the cheapest form of new electricity generation, isn't going to be part of the solution to this. 'You need secure supplies that are renewable and that meet our net-zero objectives, but also which are delivered at a cost that means that the burden on consumers and households is as light as it can possibly be. 'Onshore wind and offshore wind are a huge part of that because they're not just renewable but at the cheapest price. 'I think onshore wind - the public supports the arguments around there and the Government is making a huge mistake if they still can't make their minds up about that.' Meanshile the head of Octopus Energy has warned energy prices could rise even further in the winter. Greg Jackson told LBC: 'Global energy prices is one of the most volatile markets and so it's a fool who will make a strong prediction. 'But what we do know is that the next energy price cap period is being set by the prices we're seeing now, because there's a sort of lag in the system. 'So unless there's a very rapid fall in the global prices, energy costs for people in the UK will stay high over the winter. They could even be higher. We just don't know. 'But of course we're now in a situation where there are two factors that really make a difference. 'First one is whether there are any more strategic moves related to Russia, whether the gas taps get turned down or not. And the second is what the weather does. 'Essentially, what matters now is Europe going to be filling its gas storage because we've got mild weather? Or is it going to be emptying it because we've got bad weather? 'So depending on the weather between now and the winter, there could be a very big difference in energy prices in the next few months.' Wild surf lashed the NSW coastline over the weekend with six-metre waves in Sydney, a 'mini tsunami' hitting the central coast, and a search for a capsized boat. Residents in Avoca woke up on Sunday morning to find the beach washed into their backyards with huge with piles of sand dumped on their doorsteps. Footage of the monster wave on Saturday shows the surging torrent dwarfing two dogwalkers on the beach as they are swept in the wave and deposited dozens of metres further inshore. 'There were these women they were coming towards us, and they were screaming,' Avoca resident Jack Leary said. Two people out walking on the sand were swept up in the 'mini tsunami' on Saturday with one suffering leg injuries (pictured) Huge swells mixed with a king tide to see the surf rush up the beach and into the backyards of nearby houses (pictured) One woman had to be rescued by lifeguards in a boat after she injured her leg. 'There've been a few other scary moments, like in 2016, but nowhere near as scary as this,' he told The Daily Telegraph. 'The waves busted over us, and I had to duck and run back to the deck.' Local Renee Emerson who posted the clip of huge wave rushing up the beach described it as the 'worst we have seen'. NSW SES said in a statement on Saturday they were on the scene at Avoca and added a warning for people to steer clear of beaches for the rest of the day. One local said he had 'never seen anything like' the monster wave (pictured) 'We are asking people to avoid low lying coastal areas and beaches with higher than normal tides and water inundation,' the statement said. 'Unexpected waves can easily knock you off your feet and driving through these waters can increase inundation into homes nearby. 'Please do not go sightseeing, many local roads are closed and it is not safe to enter these areas.' In nearby Terrigal, five people were pulled from the water after ambulances and the Toll Rescue Helicopter responded to reports a group of people had been swept up by the surf. Two were transported to Gosford Hospital in a stable condition, though one has possible spinal injuries. An air and water search was also launched on Saturday morning amid the gale force winds after reports a boat had capsized off the coast. There were fears a person aboard the boat had gone missing in the water but the vessel owner walked into Paddington Police Station about 11am. He told police the boat had been anchored at Gordons Bay with noone aboard when it was swept away and later found half-sunk near Bronte Beach. Swells up to six-metres hit Sydney beaches on the weekend (pictured: Bond on Saturday) Monday and Tuesday should be fine in Sydney but by Thursday the cloud and rain will be back again (pictured) Beachgoers shower at Bondi as massive waves crash in the background on the weekend (pictured) A number of other dinghies and boats were also reported as being swept away including some moored at Manly but they are also believed to have been unoccupied. Sydney beaches including Bondi, Bronte, Clovelly and Coggee were hammered by huge waves with the Bureau of Meteorology 'confident' the waves reached above six metres in some areas. The weather system is moving further south on Sunday night and Monday. Communities across eastern Victoria are being urged to seek higher ground and shelter after heavy rain flooded rivers in the region, with more severe weather on the way. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe wet weather warning across East Gippsland on Sunday morning. Authorities and residents in the East Gippsland area are on high alert on Sunday as severe wet weather batters the region Authorities have insisted that residents seek cover and prepare for flash flooding and winds of up to 100km per hour. The bureau says a rain bomb of up to 120mm is expected to batter the region as a low pressure system heads towards Victoria from the Tasman Sea. On Sunday, Sydneysiders had a brief glimpse of fine weather after experiencing the wettest March on record. The sun prompted hundreds of sun-seekers to rush to their local beach or park to soak up some much-needed rays as Sydney experienced temperatures of up to 27C. Residents finally awoke to blue skies and balmy temperatures on Sunday after suffering through the wettest March on record (pictured, beach-goers at St Kilda Beach) Jordan Notara from the Bureau of Meteorology told Daily Mail Australia the unexpected sunshine would disappear as early as Wednesday. The meteorologist said a low pressure system moving southwards across the Bass Strait towards Tasmania could be thanked for the warmer weather. He predicted temperatures would hit 27C along the coast and 29C in Sydney's west on Monday before a cool change set in on Tuesday. While most of Tuesday is expected to remain sunny, clouds will appear in the afternoon with predictions of a late shower, the forecaster said. He said temperatures would block to the low 20's with highs of 24C to 25C degrees on the coast and 27C in the city's west. Mr Notara said there was a high chance of showers across the city on Wednesday with wet conditions to linger for the rest of the week. Onlookers watch as large waves pound the ocean baths at Bronte Beach in Sydney on Saturday Across the rest of the country, Melbourne is in for a cloudy week with possible showers and temperatures in the low 20s. Brisbane will be warmer with the mercury reaching the high 20s but could also see scattered showers. Adelaide will see similar temperatures and be mostly sunny, while Perth will also be sunny and hot with the temperature hovering around the 30C mark for the week. Queensland MP George Christensen has turned to the unapproved anti-parasitic drug ivermectin after being diagnosed with Covid. The unvaccinated federal member for Dawson revealed in a Facebook post he is taking a prescribed course of vitamins and ivermectin after testing positive on Sunday. Christensen said his 'haters' would 'hope for something horrible to happen' but insisted he was recovering well. Member for Dawson George Christensen, 43, said he is taking a prescribed course of vitamins and ivermectin after testing positive on Sunday 'In reality, I've had worse cases of the man flu. And yes, I'm not vaccinated!,' he said. 'You can never be too careful though so I'm taking good ol' Lemsip, Panadol, aspirin, Betadine anaesthetic lozenges, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C as well as a couple of antivirals I can't mention on Facebook. 'Interestingly, as soon as I took the prescribed antiviral course I felt heaps better.' The Sydney Morning Herald reports Christensen later confirmed on a messaging app that the drugs he was prescribed were doxycycline and ivermectin. Doxycycline and ivermectin are both antiparasitic drugs that are not approved as Covid treatments in Australia. In September 2021 the Australian government banned ivermectin from being prescribed for Covid. A mid-2020 trial on ivermectin showed toxic levels of the drug had the potential to be a cure for Covid however major international studies since then have proven safe levels are not an effective treatment However Christensen said he was prescribed the drug before it was outlawed. 'Thankfully I was prescribed these antivirals by a GP for Covid treatment before one of them was banned for such usage in Australia. 'Not that I want to brag about that fact but just explain that I have gotten in lawfully and am using it in a manner prescribed by a physician.' A mid-2020 trial on ivermectin showed toxic levels of the drug had the potential to be a cure for Covid however major international studies since then have proven safe levels are not an effective treatment. Mr Christensen was the latest in a line of high-profile critics of the vaccine mandate to claim ivermectin was helping them beat the virus, including mining magnate Clive Palmer and high profile podcaster Joe Rogan. In his Sunday Facebook post he again questioned the September decision to ban the drug as treatment for Covid. 'For anyone that's read 'The Real Anthony Fauci' by Robert F. Kennedy, they will know the banning of antivirals for treating and preventing Covid has to have been the most stupid decision made by health authorities during the entire pandemic,' he wrote. United Australia Party chairman Clive Palmer, 68, also recently claimed to have used ivermectin to treat Covid Christensen resigned from his role on a parliamentary committee earlier this month after Prime Minister Scott Morrison held high-level discussions about the Dawson MP after he advised parents to not let their children receive the Covid vaccine. Christensen will be replaced in the upcoming federal election by the twice-elected Whitsunday mayor Andrew Willcox as the LNP's candidate for Dawson, who will run against Labor candidate Shane Hamilton. United Australia Party chairman Palmer, 68, also recently claimed to have used ivermectin to treat Covid. An American team of doctors instructed Australian doctors about the billionaire's treatment in March after Palmer refused to be admitted to the ICU. Palmer - who is also unvaccinated - suffered double pneumonia after contracting the Delta variant in Sydney. He credits ivermectin and other controversial antiviral drugs for saving his life. Brisbane Times revealed Christensen had emailed the head of the Therapeutic Goods Commission in January to ask ivermectin be considered a treatment for Covid. A SAFETY campaigner is calling for London e-scooter trials to be shut down after discovering a number of 'dangerous' defects on vehicles available to rent. Sarah Gayton from the UK's National Federation of the Blind, said she was 'shocked' to discover several scooters had serious flaws which would compromise safety. Three operators - Lime, Dott and Tier - are currently taking part in a pilot scheme in the capital, which ends in June. Safety campaigner Sarah Gayton is calling for London e-scooter trials to end after finding several 'dangerous' defects on vehicles available to rent in the capital But Ms Gayton, who travelled across London in March, says she found several Lime e-scooters with deflated tyres, a Dott e-scooter with splits in the sidewall and a Tier tyre which had come away from its wheel rim. Youtuber Emily Hartridge, 35, was tragically killed when she was thrown under a lorry on an e-scooter with an under-inflated tyre. Ms Gayton later posted film footage of the alleged flaws on Twitter, insisting: 'This is not safe.' She added: 'The tyres are not robust enough or they are not being maintained properly. They are not being checked. It's crazy. 'People who rent these e-scooters haven't got a clue what's underneath their feet. They are not looking and even if they were they don't what they are looking for. 'Yet they sign a waiver form saying when they get on it they have checked its safety. How the hell is someone supposed to know if there's something wrong with the tyre! 'The trial should be shut down.' In this photograph from Sarah Gayton, one e-scooter tyre has a huge crack running through it Several of the e-scooters seen by Sarah Gayton posed risk with under-inflated tyres The tyre of this e-scooter seen during Sarah's inspection had actually come away from the rim Ms Gayton said she also seen people riding double, riding on pavements, using pedestrian crossings and leaving e-scooters in dangerous positions. 'It's clear there are still significant safety concerns with the e-scooters which are a danger to both the rider and pedestrians.' Ms Hartridge, from Hambledon in Hampshire is thought to have been the first person killed in an e-scooter accident when she died in Battersea in July 2019. Emily Hartridge is thought to be the first person killed in an e-scooter crash in Britain A coroner later ruled that the scooter was being 'unsuitably driven, too fast', but said a lack of air in the tyre was a factor in the crash. Since the tragedy, figures from PACTS (The Parliamentary Advisory Committee for Transport Safety) show there have been hundreds more accidents and at least 16 fatalities linked to e-scooters. In the year ending June 2021 there were 882 accidents involving the devices across Britain, government figures show. This resulted in 931 casualties of whom 732 were e-scooter users. The latest person to die was a 14 year-old girl killed in Newham, east London on March 21. A coroner ruled a lack of air in the e-scooter's tyre contributed to Emily Hartridge's death At the time of Ms Hartridge's death, e-scooters were illegal in the UK - except on private land with the landowner's permission. But on 1 August 2020 rental e-scooters - which cost around 3.25 for a 15 minute journey - became legal and guidance for e-scooter-for-hire firms was published by the Department for Transport. They include a lower maximum speed of 12.5 mph, lights at the front and rear of the vehicles, first-ride policies' requiring new users to take an e-learning safety course and a ban on riding on pavements. Helen Sharp, Transport For London's e-scooter trial lead, said: 'We're determined to make sure safety is at the core of our trial, which is why we ask all operators to meet high standards of maintenance to ensure that e-scooters are safe to use. 'All e-scooters are required to undergo regular maintenance checks and to meet the standards for tyres set out by the Department for Transport. 'We take all concerns about safety very seriously and have raised this issue with the operators. 'The vehicles in question have been identified and are no longer available to hire. We will continue to work closely with operators to ensure all vehicles available to hire meet the required standards. 'We encourage members of the public to report any concerns to the operators so that safety can remain at the core of this trial.' In the year ending June 2021 there were 882 accidents involving the devices across Britain, government figures show (file photo) A spokesperson for Lime said: 'Safety is at the heart of the service Lime offers its customers. 'Lime has safely delivered over 300,000 rides in London since the start of the e-scooter trial, using our industry leading technology to protect riders at every stage of their journey. 'Every Lime e-scooter undergoes daily maintenance checks - including checking tyre pressure and condition - from trained Lime mechanics and our on-street patrol teams. 'Users are also encouraged to report any maintenance issue through the Lime app, and any vehicle reported is immediately made unavailable to members of the public.' A spokesperson for TIER said: 'The vehicle in question was quickly identified by our rangers and removed from the streets. No rides took place on it while it was damaged. 'TIER takes issues regarding the safety and durability of its vehicles very seriously. We have a robust process in place to maintain the quality of our fleet, including a team of street rangers with the specific role of regularly assessing the state of our e-scooters and deactivating those that are not fit for purpose, and a team working within our warehouse to repair any of those that are damaged. 'Alongside this rigorous assessment process, TIER is consistently scrutinising the safety of its operations through our UK Safety Board which comprises senior independent experts in road safety, accessibility and visual impairment. 'Our incident rate in the UK has been very low so far, and we strive to continue to keep it this way and operate to the highest of safety standards.' At the time of publication, Dott did not respond to a request for comment. Nearly 4.2 million Ukrainian refugees have fled their war-torn country since Russia invaded on February 24. Almost 40,000 have poured into neighboring countries in the past 24 hours alone, UN figures show, with women and children making up 90 per cent of those leaving as men aged 18 to 60 eligible for military duty are unable to get away. Some 4,176,401 Ukrainians fled the country devastated by the conflict - with saw horrific images of bodies strewn across the streets of commuter town Bucha emerging on Friday - in just over five weeks. A refugee from Ukraine holds her child after arriving by ferry at the Romanian-Ukrainian border point Isaccea-Orlivka on March 24 This is up 38,559 from the figure given a day earlier, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said today. Poland has taken in nearly six of 10 Ukrainian refugees, the UN tally shows, with 2,429,265 having crossed into the country so far. It's possible the figure is even higher as Polish border guards today said they have taken in some 2,461,000 people fleeing Ukraine since the invasion began. Przemysl, a small city on the Polish border, has taken in 800,000 alone, according to its mayor. At the peak, around 55,000 refugees were arriving in Przemysl - nearly equivalent to its population - daily. Romania, the border of which is close to the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi, has seen 635,816 enter from the war-torn nation. A large number of these crossed from Moldova, wedged between Romania and Ukraine. Refugees from Ukraine stand in line for free train tickets in the hall of the main railway station in Przemysl, near the Polish-Ukrainian border on April 1 The Moldovan border is the closest to the major port city of Odessa, which was hit by air strikes this morning. Some 392,933 Ukrainians have crossed into the non-EU state, one of the poorest in Europe; however most who entered the country have moved on. However around 93,000 have stayed, with the UN Development Programme saying that some 80 percent are being housed by private individuals. People have also fled to Hungary (385,783); Russia (350,632 as of last Tuesday); Slovakia (298,183) and Belarus (12,746 as of last Thursday). In addition, 113,000 people crossed into Russia from the separatist-held pro-Russian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine between February 21 and 23. Nearly 6.48 million are also thought to be internally displaced within Ukraine as of mid-March, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. An Ukrainian refugee holds her child and dog as she waits for a bus at the Palanca-Maiaky-Udobne border crossing point between Moldova and Ukraine, on March 30 Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine had a population of 37 million in the regions under government control, excluding Russia-annexed Crimea and the pro-Russian separatist regions in the east. Children have been disproportionately affected, with UNICEF recently saying more than half of the country's estimated 7.5 million children had been displaced; 2.5 million internally and two million abroad. As of March 31, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 3,257 civilian casualties in Ukraine, with 1,276 killed and 1,981 injured. Most casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons and the OHCHR believes the actual figure is considerably higher. It comes as the Russian military says it has struck an oil processing plant and fuel depots around the strategic Black Sea port of Odesa. Refugees receive blankets after fleeing the war from neighboring Ukraine at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, today Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said Russian ships and aircraft today fired missiles to strike the facilities, which he said were used to provide fuel to Ukrainian troops near Mykolaiv. Konashenkov also said Russian strikes destroyed ammunition depots in Kostiantynivka and Khresyshche. In an audio message posted by Italian news agency ANSA, Italian photographer Carlo Orlandi said Odessa woke to military sirens at 5.45am, followed immediately by the sounds of bombs falling on the port city from two aircraft. He described flames coming from the buildings, with 'a dense screen of dark smoke' and 'one explosion after the other'. Meanwhile local Ukrainian authorities said that Russian troops have continuied shelling in Kharkiv, northeast of the country, with the city's Governor Oleh Synyehubov saying tanks carried out over 20 strikes in the region over the past 24 hours. Refugees in Poland pictured today, after they fled the war from neighboring Ukraine, at the border crossing in Medyka Smoke rises after an airstrike attack by Russian army in Odessa early on Sunday morning as Russia refocuses on east Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky however said Ukrainian troops retaking areas around Kyiv and Chernihiv are not allowing Russians to retreat without a fight, but are 'shelling them' and 'destroying everyone they can'. In his Saturday night video address to the nation, the president said Ukraine knows Russia has the forces to put even more pressure on the east and south of Ukraine. 'What is the goal of the Russian troops? They want to seize the Donbas and the south of Ukraine,' he said. 'What is our goal? To defend ourselves, our freedom, our land and our people.' He said a significant portion of the Russian forces are tied up around Mariupol, where the city's defenders continue to fight. He added: 'Thanks to this resistance, thanks to the courage and resilience of our other cities, Ukraine has gained invaluable time, time that is allowing us to foil the enemy's tactics and weaken its capabilities.' Zelensky appealed again to the West for more modern weaponry, such as anti-missile systems and aircraft. Two in five maternity wards are potentially unsafe, the Care Quality Commission has reported, following concern that trusts are still promoting the idea of a 'normal' vaginal birth. The commission found that 80 of 193 NHS maternity wards were inadequate or requiring improvement in their most recent inspection. Only two were rated 'outstanding' for safety, 111 for 'good'. 72 'require improvement' and eight were found 'inadequate'. Failing to learn from mistakes was one of the key issues highlighted, as well as short staffing and bad working relationships, The Sun reported. Before the Ockenden review was published last week, the commission warned that maternity safety improvements were happening 'too slow'. It said that 'safe, high-quality care should be the minimum expectation for women and babies'. At least five hospital trusts are still promoting the idea of a 'normal' birth, days after the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust was criticised for not offering a caesarean to mothers who should have been. Above, file picture Yesterday, it was revealed that at least five hospital trusts are still promoting the idea of a 'normal' birth days after the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust was criticised for the practice. Formal job adverts for midwifes committed to 'normal' vaginal births have been spotted at numerous trusts. They ask for candidates to be a 'champion of normality'. The Ockenden review, published on Wednesday, said that mothers who should have been offered a caesarean were made to have natural births. The trust was found to be pushing a culture of 'natural births', and that more than 200 babies died as a result of its wider failings. Campaigners have described the job adverts as 'totally shocking'. James Titcombe, whose son Joshua died eight days after he was born as part of the Morecambe Bay scandal, told The Telegraph that the adverts are 'disgusting'. 'I'm hoping there will be some rapid leadership action in response,' he said. One advert at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust asked candidates: 'Are you a champion of normality? It is hiring for an 'enthusiastic team member to help us promote normality.' Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust asks candidates to 'keep birth normal' in a job advert The trust is hiring for an 'enthusiastic team member to help us promote normality' The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust had come 'to blame mothers even for their own deaths', Donna Ockenden found. Above, the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital Airedale NHS Foundation Trust wants its new employee to 'demonstrate their commitment and dedications to women-centred care, promoting the normal birth pathway and reducing interventions.' And a job advert at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said that it is 'proud' of its commitment to 'normal births'. It has now been removed. Mr Titcombe, a patient safety advocate, fears that some maternity units resist change. 'I don't believe its the majority,' he said. 'But there is a significant and very powerful evangelical or radical group withing midwifery that are ideologically committed to so-called natural birth.' A spokesperson for the NHS said they were aware of the job adverts and will remind 'the relevant trusts of the importance of ensuring language is consistent with our aim that all women have the necessary information and support to make informed decisions.' Airedale NHS Foundation Trust wants its new employee to 'demonstrate their commitment and dedications to women-centred care, promoting the normal birth pathway and reducing interventions' Donna Ockenden, chair of the Independent Review into Maternity Services at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, presented her devastating report on Wednesday Pictured above is the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital at the scandal-hit Shrewsbury and Telford hospital NHS Foundation Trust. An investigation pointed to cases where mothers were forced to have a vaginal birth despite needing a C-section Pictured above are the ten NHS Trusts with the lowest C-section rates over the year to March 2021, the latest available. There were five trusts that had lower C-section rates than Shrewsbury and Telford which is at the centre of the biggest maternity scandal in Britain. *Official NHS data reports the rate at Royal Cornwall at 15 per cent, but the trust disputes these statistics Donna Ockenden, author of a report into Britain's worst maternity scandal, said that an obsession with 'normal births' contributed to the biggest maternity scandal in NHS history. She warned that pregnant women will not be safe to give birth until her full raft of recommendations are implemented. Ms Ockenden said it was 'astounding' that 'systemic' failings at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust happened for so long. Her report uncovered 1,592 times that women and their babies died or were left disabled or traumatised by their experiences at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust between 2000 and 2019. This included babies suffering skull fractures, broken bones or developing cerebral palsy after traumatic forceps deliveries. Others were starved of oxygen and had life-changing brain injuries. She said the Trust had come 'to blame mothers even for their own deaths'. Ms Ockenden said last week that all 'maternity services cannot provide safe and effective care' without a new 'blueprint' for care for mothers and babies and proposed 15 'immediate and essential' steps for every NHS maternity ward to take, including better training and better communication with families. POSCO's flag hangs on the POSCO Center building in Seoul in this file photo. Courtesy of POSCO By Park Jae-hyuk POSCO Group became the first Korean conglomerate to scrap the work-from-home system amid the pandemic, prompting big businesses here to consider bringing their employees back to their offices. Last week, the group sent out emails asking its white-collar employees to return to their offices at the group's buildings in Seoul and Incheon on Monday, unless they are pregnant, have underlying diseases or are awaiting COVID-19 test results. POSCO Chemical, POSCO International and other affiliates are also set to bring back their workers. The steelmaking group cited the government's decision to ease social distancing measures and its announcement that the country has passed the peak of the Omicron wave. "Considering various conditions, our group's healthcare experts made the decision," the group said. Since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, POSCO Group has had its office workers take turns working from home, although its blue-collar employees have continued working at its steel mills in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, and Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province. It had temporarily reduced the number of employees working remotely following the beginning of vaccinations here in mid-2021, but the Omicron wave which started hitting Korea late last year led the company to eventually tighten its quarantine measures once again. There exists speculation that Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG and other conglomerates will also follow POSCO Group's return-to-office policy, in order to enhance communications and prevent the possible leakage of important data. Under the remote working system, some businesses have complained about the inefficiency of communicating online. In addition, a Samsung Electronics employee waiting for retirement was found to have allegedly tried to steal the company's confidential data on semiconductors, by accessing electronic documents at home and photographing them on his screen with a smartphone. However, Samsung Electronics appears to have no plan to end the remote working system. "By improving the labor conditions through work-from-home and co-working spaces, I will enable our employees to be more immersed in their work and make achievements," Samsung Electronics co-CEO Han Jong-hee told employees last Friday during an event at the company's Suwon headquarters in Gyeonggi Province. Other companies have also remained cautious about ending their work-from-home systems, saying it is too early to bring their employees back to their offices at this moment. A British plane owned by a City of London executive that crashed into the English Channel with two people onboard was on a day trip to France organised by the South Warwickshire Flying School, it emerged today. The 46-year-old Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II came down on Saturday morning just over an hour after leaving Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield, near Stratford-upon-Avon. As the search for survivors resumed on Sunday, it emerged that the single-engine plane was owned by Flying Instructor Guy Wakeley, 51, who is also a well-known financial services boss. Mr Wakeley is part of the instructing and examining team at the South Warwickshire Flying School, which is based at Wellesbourne. Guy Wakeley is Chief Executive of Equinity plc. He owns the 46-year-old Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II that came down in the English Channel on Saturday morning The Piper PA-28 was in a group of aircraft which was heading to the northern France resort of Le Touquet on Saturday morning (file image, Piper PA-28) He is a former Chief Executive of Morrison Facilities Services, and financial services company Equiniti. Mr Wakeley is a Cambridge graduate with a PhD in engineering. He is currently listed as a non-executive director at City of London equity investment company HgCapital Trust plc. Mr Wakeley's plane was in a group of six planes linked to the South Warwickshire Flying School. Pilots and passengers on the other planes were on Sunday assisting the authorities with enquiries, said an emergency services source in France. The Flying School had publicised Saturday's trip to France as a 'Club Fly-Out to Le Touquet'. By 3pm on Sunday, there was still no sign of the plane, or any related debris or survivors. Ray Stock, head of training at the Flying School, on Sunday refused to discuss who was on board the plane at the time of the crash. No comment, said Mr Stock. An emergency air-and-sea rescue operation was launched in the Channel minutes after the crash on Saturday. The Piper PA-28 was in a group of aircraft which was heading to the northern France resort of Le Touquet. 'It crashed into British waters for an unknown reason,' said a spokesman for the French emergency services. 'British Coastguard launched an operation supported by French aircraft and boats including the Abeille-Languedoc (Languedoc Bee) tug, which has been chartered by the French Navy,' he added. A spokesman for the Maritime Prefecture in France said the wide-ranging search was suspended overnight Saturday, as rescuers said it would resume at first light on Sunday. 'The plane was travelling from Wellesbourne to Le Touquet, with two people on board, before it disappeared off radars,' said the Prefecture spokesman. Flight records show that that the Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II, registration number G-EGVA left Wellesbourne at 7.56am on Saturday and appeared to go off radar over the Channel at 09.02am. It has been due to land at Le Touquet, France, but failed to arrive. The plane was built in 1976 and has four seats. As well as the Abeille Languedoc, the major search involved a French Navy Falcon 50 jet and a Dauphin helicopter. Ships in the Channel were also alerted to the disappearance, but by nightfall there was no sign of the plane, or any debris. 'The search continued all afternoon, without being able to locate any debris or aircraft wreckage,' said the Prefecture spokesman. He added: 'At the beginning of Saturday evening, without additional elements and the probable sector of disappearance having been fully investigated, the searches were suspended. 'They will resume on Sunday morning morning with a flight by the Dauphin helicopter'. Those travelling in small planes such as the Piper PA-28 are usually equipped with lifejackets and a life raft. While the plane may have sunk in the Channel, rescuers are accordingly hoping to find the pilot and passenger on the surface. The PA-28 is a two or four-seat aircraft built by the U.S. firm, Piper, as a trainer, air taxi, or for personal transport. It has been in production since 1960 and various models have been involved in a number of high-profile accidents in that time. In August 1972, Prince William of Gloucester, the Queen's cousin, was killed along with his co-pilot in a Piper Cherokee Arrow after crashing on take-off from Halfpenny Green, near Wolverhampton, during an air race. Advertisement Ukrainian troops have been pictured with a flag at the recaptured Chernobyl nuclear power plant after Russian troops continued to retreat from northern parts of the country. A grinning Ukrainian troop was shown holding a large flag with the destroyed nuclear plant in the background in a startling show of strength and tenacity by the nation. The Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces tweeted that their soldiers have today taken control the city of Pripyat, which was abandoned after the 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl. A grinning Ukrainian troop was shown holding a large flag with the destroyed nuclear plant in the background in a startling show of strength and tenacity by the nation The Ukrainian account tweeted: 'Today, April 3, units of the Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took control of the area of the city of Pripyat and the area of the State Border of Ukraine with the Republic of Belarus'. Russian forces had occupied the area since the early days of the invasion but have allegedly retreated due to soldiers coming down with radiation sickness. It comes as part of a wider withdrawal of Russian troops from northern areas of Ukraine due to their inability to capture the capital city of Kyiv. The Russian capture of the plant sparked fears that Putin may weaponise it and unleash the deadly radiation contained in the area across Europe. Russian troops who were stationed at Chernobyl were treated for radiation sickness in Belarus, an employee at the Ukrainian state agency overseeing the exclusion zone has claimed. The Ukrainian Atomic Energy Ministry declared on Friday that there are no longer any 'outsiders' on the land surrounding the power station, according to workers from the plant. Despite the Russian occupation, Ukrainian staff continued to oversee the safe storage of spent nuclear fuel and supervise the concrete-encased remains of the reactor that exploded in 1986, causing the world's worst nuclear accident. The confirmation of the control of the border with Belarus indicates a different stage of the war focussed on the eastern regions of the war-torn nation. The withdrawal has been coupled with attacks on Odessa in the south today as Russia weighs up an amphibious assault on the vital Black Sea port city. Ukraine has taken back the 'whole Kyiv region' from Russian troops, the country's deputy defence minister said as the fightback against the invaders continues. The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is now encased in concrete to prevent radiation from the destroyed reactor from leaking In a statement posted on social media, Hanna Maliar said: 'Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region were liberated from the invader.' Irpin and Bucha, commuters towns outside Kyiv, were retaken by the Ukrainian army this week. Both towns have suffered vast destruction and high civilian death tolls. Bucha's mayor said 280 people had been buried in a mass grave in the town and that corpses littered the streets. At least 200 people have been killed in Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv, since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, while Gostomel, near Kyiv, was the setting of heavy fighting to take control of the airfield there. Ukraine has said Russia is withdrawing from northern areas and appears to be focusing on the east and south of the country. Downing Street said that Boris Johnson had called to congratulate Ukrainian President Zelensky's 'brave armed forces' for successfully pushing back Russia's invading forces and agreed to continue increasing the economic pressure on Vladimir Putin. It came as once-bustling highways on the outskirts of Kyiv have now become a graveyard for scores of Vladimir Putin's tanks as the Ukrainians continue their successful counterattacks around the capital. Columns of Russian armoured vehicles have been reduced to rubble as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's troops continue to repel Russian forces, and in some instances recapture roads and settlements near Kyiv. Chernobyl nuclear power plant a few weeks after the disaster in May 1986 As Ukrainian units advance, they're met with burned-out tanks and heavily-armoured personnel transport vehicles that line the roads once populated by commuters that would have been heading in or out of the capital. But far more grisly finds are being discovered in the villages and towns in Kyiv's urban sprawl. After recapturing Bucha from the Russian forces, Ukrainian troops found the bodies of 20 men in civilian clothes on a single street. In what could be further evidence of Russian war crimes, eyewitnesses said one of the corpses had his hands tied, with the dead bodies strewn all over residential roads in the suburban town that was once home to 28,000 people. President Zelensky warned Moscow's retreating forces are leaving behind 'catastrophic' situations by mining the areas outside their homes, abandoning their ruined equipment and the 'bodies of those killed'. Zelensky also said Sunday that Russia is engaging in 'genocide' after the mass graves were found. The Ukrainian leader said that for de-occupation to be successful, he will accept nothing less than Putin's full withdrawal from all of Ukraine including resource-rich areas in the east. Zelensky said that he will be willing to sit down with Putin again once there is a ceasefire in place and Russian troops leave Ukraine, adding that the world cannot expect him to have further discussions with the authoritarian leader while there is still an active attack. 'The guns of the cannons of the tanks cannot dictate us or what the future will be for Ukraine,' Zelensky told CBS News' Face the Nation in a live virtual interview on Sunday. 'This is what Russia started with when they started the war.' 'The guns of the cannons of the tanks cannot dictate us or what the future will be for Ukraine,' Zelensky told CBS News' Face the Nation in a live virtual interview on Sunda 'Will you settle for anything less than a full withdrawal of Russian troops from every inch of Ukrainian soil?' host Margaret Brennan asked Zelensky. 'This is the bare minimum that we have to start the de-occupation with,' he replied. 'It should be 100 percent withdrawal of troops to their borders that existed prior to the 24 of February, at least.' He said that withdrawal would allow for discussions, but did not seem to signal that he is open to more talks before that point. 'First the ceasefire, then we can have a meeting with [the] Russian President if they have an approach,' he added. 'Why do we need this bloodshed?' 'Let's simply sit down together the two of us,' Zelensky said in a public plea to Putin. Brennan asked Zelesnky of the now month-long war: 'Is this genocide?' 'Indeed. This is genocide,' Zelensky said, claiming that Russian forces are 'destroying and exterminating' Ukrainians. He said he will not budge on Ukraine maintaining its sovereignty and army. 'We need to have the ability to defend ourselves,' he said. 'After we discuss this, than all of the troops need to be withdrawn.' Is this proof of Putin execution squads? By Mark Hookham, Senior Reporter for the Mail on Sunday Mass graves have been discovered on the outskirts of Ukraines capital Kyiv, it was claimed yesterday, amid fears that brutal Russian troops are executing civilians as they retreat. Horrific images emerged of bodies strewn across the streets of commuter town Bucha, which was retaken by Ukrainian forces on Friday. The towns mayor, Anatoly Fedoruk, last night told AFP news agency: We have already buried 280 people in mass graves. The corpses of at least 20 men in civilian clothes were found lying along a single residential street. One had his hands tied behind his back with white cloth. A Ukrainian passport lay on the ground nearby. All these people were shot, killed, in the back of the head, Mr Fedoruk said. He added that many of the bodies had white bandages on them to show that they were unarmed and that a 14-year-old boy was among the dead. He claimed some of the victims had tried to cross the Buchanka river to Ukrainian-controlled territory and that entire families had perished, including children, women, grandmothers. These are the consequences of Russian occupation, he added. Kira Rudik, an MP and leader of Ukrainian Golos Zmin political party, posted a video of the horrifying scene on Twitter and wrote: Russians were killing people with their hands tied behind their backs and left the bodies near the road. I am shaking. Bucha, a suburban town of 28,000 people, has been left devastated by the fighting. Shell explosions have blown gaping holes in apartment blocks and crushed cars litter the streets, according to the first journalists to reach the town. Sixteen of the 20 corpses found on one street were lying either on the pavement or by the verge. Three were sprawled in the middle of the road and another was lying in the courtyard of a house. One appeared to have been killed as he rode his bicycle. All were wearing civilian clothes, including jackets or tracksuit tops, jeans or jogging bottoms, and trainers or boots. Six people were killed and ten injured in a mass shooting in California's capital city early Sunday morning as a gunman with an automatic rifle opened fired on a group of revelers fighting outside a bar. Sacramento police said shots rang out near 10th and J Streets, about two blocks from the capitol building, around 2am, prompting officers to rush to the scene. When police arrived to the area, known for its strip of nightclubs and bars, they found a large group gathered and six dead in the street. Ten other victims were transported to area hospitals by ambulance and private vehicles. Their conditions remain unknown. Police Chief Kathy Lester, noting the investigation is still 'very preliminary,' said it is unclear if the victims were deliberately targeted, The Sacramento Bee reported. Lester, calling the shooting 'a really tragic, unfortunate situation,' said the 'complex is now secure' but the gunman remains at large. She has asked for the public's help in identifying the suspect or suspects responsible for the tragedy. 'We are asking for the public's help,' she said. 'If anyone saw anything, has video or can provide any information to the police department, we are asking for their assistance.' At least six people were killed and ten injured after shots rang out in California's capital city early Sunday morning, Sacramento police confirmed Sacramento police said shots rang out near 10th and J Streets, about two blocks from the capitol building, around 2am. A gunman with an automatic rifle opened fired on a group of revelers fighting outside a bar Police said the investigation is still 'very preliminary' and it is unclear if the victims were deliberately targeted Police work the scene on the corner of 10th and L street of a shooting that occurred in the early morning hours on April 3, 2022 in Sacramento Public Safety News, an independent media agency that responded to the scene, reported that shots were fired around 2am, shortly after last call for bars in the area. There are 'victims all over the corner,' a PSN journalist said in a Facebook live report. Witnesses reported seeing a person in a car pull out an automatic weapon and begin shooting into a crowd gathered outside the El Santo Restaurant & Ultralounge. Multiple ambulances responded to the scene as paramedics provided CPR and other treatment to victims on the sidewalks while authorities ushered crowds of people to safety. Leticia Fields-Harris, who believes her husband Sergio Harris, 38, died in the mass shooting is seen crying near at the crime scene on Sunday morning Family members of victims are seen embracing each other at the scene of Sunday's mass shooting The shooting took place in the area of 10th and J Streets, not far from the state capitol building At least two videos circulating on social media captured sounds of shots fired. Bystanders told California-based reporter Malik Earnest they heard more than fifty shots ring out before the gunman's vehicle screeched away from the chaotic scene. One of the videos shows multiple people fighting on the sidewalk as rapid gunfire strikes, prompting people to run through the streets. Berry Accius, of Sacramento's Voice of the Youth, told KXTV he arrived to the 'chaotic' scene around 2.30am. Police officials investigate the scene dotted with bullet casings after a mass shooting in downtown Sacramento Witnesses reported seeing a person in a car pull out an automatic weapon and begin shooting into a crowd gathered outside the El Santo Restaurant & Ultralounge A gunman with an automatic rifle opened fired on a group of revelers fighting outside a bar A police vehicle is seen after an early-morning shooting in a stretch of the downtown near the Golden 1 Center arena in Sacramento 'A lot of victims with blood, just watching some of the families that didn't know if their loved one was alive, running, trying to figure out what was happening, people distraught, people discombobulated,' Accius said. 'It was just horrific.' 'I saw a young girl with a whole bunch of blood in her body, a girl taking off glass from her, a young girl screaming saying, 'They killed my sister.'' The community activist also recalled a mother running up to the scene, asking: 'Where's my son, has my son been shot?' Accius said the area, which is known for its nightlife, should've been a safe space. 'I'm just shocked that somebody would come here to a place where it should be safe and do something as heinous as this with multiple victims, not only just shot but dead in our city,' he added. 'Right here in downtown, in a safe space.' Police have asked members of the public to share any information and photos or video footage captured at the scene A police officer ties barricade tape at the crime scene after an early-morning shooting in a stretch of downtown near the Golden 1 Center arena in Sacramento Police are seen after an early-morning shooting in a stretch of the downtown near the Golden 1 Center arena in Sacramento Authorities search area of the scene of a mass shooting with multiple deaths in Sacramento early Sunday morning Paramedics provided CPR and other treatment to victims on the sidewalks while authorities ushered crowds of people to safety Kay Harris, a Sacramento resident, said she was asleep when one of her family members called to say they thought her brother had been killed. He had reportedly gone out to London, a nightclub located on 10th Street. 'Very much so a senseless violent act,' she told the Associated Press. Harris, 32, said she has been to the club a few times and described it as a place for 'the younger crowd.' California Governor Gavin Newsom, in a statement Sunday, described the shooting as 'yet another horrendous act of gun violence' in the state. His administration is working with law enforcement 'as we monitor the situation.' Bystanders comfort each other at the scene after a mass shooting in downtown Sacramento A sheet is used to block the view as the body of one of victims killed in a mass shooting is loaded into a coroner's van Members of the Coroner's Office prepare to move one of the victims from the scene after a mass shooting in downtown Sacramento 'What we do know at this point is that another mass casualty shooting has occurred, leaving families with lost loved ones, multiple individuals injured and a community in grief,' Newsom said. 'The scourge of gun violence continues to be a crisis in our country, and we must resolve to bring an end to this carnage.' Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg offered his thoughts to the community, while also promising that Lester has made battling gun violence a 'top priority'. 'Words cant express my shock & sadness this morning. The numbers of dead and wounded are difficult to comprehend. We await more information about exactly what transpired in this tragic incident,' he tweeted. 'Rising gun violence is the scourge of our city, state and nation, and I support all actions to reduce it. Our new Police Chief, Kathy Lester, has made it a top priority, and I stand firmly behind her.' California leaders have spoken out against gun violence in wake of the shooting Sacramento City Council member Katie Valenzuela took to Twitter early Sunday morning to issue her support for the community amid the tragedy. 'Around 2.30am, I got the call no elected official wants to get. Another shooting. More lives lost,' she wrote. 'The national gun violence epidemic has hit our community - again. I won't release any specifics until @SacPolicedoes. Until then, please take care of each other.' 'Horrified and deeply saddened by the gun violence we witnessed this morning in Sacramento,' echoed U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, of California. 'My prayers are with the victims and their families and the entire Sacramento community. Our team is continuing to monitor the situation closely as we await further updates.' Authorities did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment. Officers are investigator after 16 were struck by gunfire in downtown Sacramento around 2am Sunday Emergency vehicles line the street near the scene of a mass shooting with multiple deaths in Sacramento on Sunday morning The Taliban announced a ban on opium today as they said anyone caught harvesting poppies today will be subjected to Sharia law. The Taliban warned farmers in Afghanistan their crops will be burned and they can face jail if they proceed with the harvest. However, Taliban sources said they were anticipating tough resistance from some elements within the group against the ban on poppy and that there had been a surge in the number of farmers cultivating poppy in recent months. A farmer in Helmand who spoke on condition of anonymity said that in recent weeks prices of poppy had already more than doubled on rumours the Taliban would ban its cultivation. But he added that he needed to grow poppy to support his family. 'Other crops are just not profitable,' he said. The harvest and planting seasons vary across the country. In the Taliban heartland of southern Kandahar the harvesting has begun but in the east of the country some farmers are just beginning to plant their crop. In desperately poor Afghanistan the ban seems certain to further impoverish its poorest citizens at a time when the country is in an economic free fall. The decree was announced by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid at a news conference in the capital of Kabul. Afghan farmers harvest poppy in Nad Ali district, Helmand province, Afghanistan (File image) An Afghan farmer extracts raw opium from poppy buds at his farm on the outskirts of Kandahar, Afghanistan (File image) The order also outlawed the manufacturing of narcotics and the transportation, trade, export and import of heroin, hashish and alcohol. The ban is reminiscent of the previous Taliban rule in the late 1990s when the movement espousing a harsh interpretation of Islam outlawed poppy production. At that time, the ban was implemented countrywide within two years, and according to the UN largely helped eradicate poppy production. However, after the ouster of the Taliban in 2001, farmers in many parts of the country returned to poppy production. Poppies are the main source of income for millions of small farmers and day labourers who can earn upwards of $300 (228) a month harvesting them and extracting the opium. Today, Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium, despite billions of dollars spent by the international community during its 20 years in Afghanistan to eradicate the drug. In 2021, before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan produced more than 6,000 tons of opium, which the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said could potentially yield 320 tons of pure heroin. Afghanistan produces more opium than all opium-producing countries combined and last year was the sixth straight year of record opium harvests. During the years-long Taliban insurgency, the movement reportedly made millions of dollars taxing farmers and middle men to move their drugs outside Afghanistan. Senior officials of the US-backed government also reportedly made millions on the flourishing drug trade. Afghanistan's ruling Taliban have announced a ban on poppy production, even as farmers across many parts of the country began harvesting the bright red flower that produces the lucrative opium which is used to make heroin (File image) Washington spent more than $8billion (6.1billion) trying to eradicate poppy production in Afghanistan during its nearly 20-year war, which ended with the Taliban takeover of the country in August. Nearly 80 per cent of heroin produced from Afghan opium reaches Europe through Central Asia and Pakistan. According to a UN report in 2021, income from opiates in Afghanistan was between $1.8billion and $2.7billion, more than 7 per cent of the country's GDP. The same report said 'illicit drug supply chains outside Afghanistan' make much more. The Taliban's ban comes as the country faces a humanitarian crisis that spurred the UN to ask for $4.4billion last month as 95 per cent of Afghans do not have enough to eat. The ban, while hitting drug production houses hard, will likely devastate small farmers who rely on opium production to survive. It's difficult to know how the Taliban will be able to create substitute crops and financing for farmers, at a time when international development money has stopped. Afghanistan's poorest often use the promise of the next year's poppy harvest to buy staples such as flour, sugar, cooking oil and heating oil. When the Taliban last ruled, they employed village elders and mosque clerics to enforce the ban. In villages that ignored the ban, the Taliban arrested the elders, clerics and offending farmers. Up to 40 cars and vans have been damaged in a huge spate of arson attacks near Bristol early this morning. Police said they were first called to a car fire in Stoke Gifford very early today, before several more calls came in for other attacks, including one by a Rolls Royce facility. So far there have been no reports of injuries or damage to buildings, but some vehicles are so damaged police are struggling to work out who owns them. The Avon and Somerset Police force is also appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage. A Rolls-Royce car park was among the targets as up to 40 cars were set on fire in a single night of chaos in south Gloucestershire Vans were damaged in Bradley Stoke (pictured), exploding fuel tanks are reported to have woken up residents Around 20 cars are thought to have been damaged in a fire that was started in a car park at a Rolls Royce facility near Bristol (pictured: Rolls Royce in Flinton) The first call came in at around 1.30am on Sunday April 3, reporting a vehicle fire in New Road, Stoke Gifford. By 5.30am there were further reports, with up to 20 vehicles set alight in locations across Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Gifford. At about 3.45am more vehicles were on fire in a car park at Rolls Royce, Filton. Around 20 vehicles there were damaged as the fire spread. Residents were awoken to the sound of the vehicles' fuel tanks exploding. Police officers will be carrying out house-to-house enquiries as they try and establish who is responsible for the arson attacks Police said they were first called to a car fire in Stoke Gifford in the early hours, with others later attacked in Bradley Stoke (pictured), Little Stoke and Patchway Bradley Stoke mayor and town council spokesman Tom Aditya said the 'appalling and shameful' attacks were 'unheard' of in Bradley Stoke. Speaking to the BBC, he called on police to 'deploy a special dedicated team to identify the culprit'. He said that two of the vehicles belonged to the council and it was waiting for technicians to evaluate the extent of the damage. Avon and Somerset Police is currently appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after the 'appalling' spate of arson attacks In a statement, Avon and Somerset Police said: 'Were working closely with the fire and rescue service to respond to these incidents. Officers will be carrying out house-to-house enquiries and making a thorough investigation alongside Avon Fire & Rescue Service. 'At this early stage the damage is making it difficult to identify vehicles in order to notify the owners. Wed like to hear from anyone who finds their own vehicle has been damaged, as well as anyone with information or dashcam, CCTV or other footage which could help our enquiries.' Support for Labor has slipped after the Federal Government promised big cash handouts to families, tax cuts and cheaper fuel under the 2022 budget. The Morrison government on Tuesday announced a major Commonwealth cash splash as the Liberal Party gears up for the election, expected to be held in May. After trailing behind in the polls, it seems the latest fiscal policies have worked to put Liberals slightly back in favour - closing the gap on Labor's lead as the prime minister prepares to call the election within days. A recent YouGov Newspoll, commissioned by The Australian, found Labor's primary vote had fallen by three points to 38 per cent, while the Coalition grew by one point to 36 per cent - shrinking ALP's margin to two from its six-point edge last month. However, when preferences are allocated, Labor has maintained an election-winning two-party preferred result of 54:46, according to the data. A new poll has found the Coalition has narrowed the gap of the ALP's lead heading into the federal election after announcing a major cash splash in the 2022 Budget The ALP has slipped by two points to 38 per cent - making Labor only two points ahead of the Coalition leading into the election The Coalition's two-party preferred result rose by a point to 46 per cent, while Labor fell by one point to 54 per cent. Compared to the last election, the variations represent a national swing of 5.5 per cent and could lead to a landslide victory for the ALP if the LNP's decline in popularity was reflected equally across all seats. YouGov's latest Newspoll Primary vote: Labor - fell from 35 per cent to 38 percent Coalition - Rose from 35 per cent to 36 per cent Two-party preferred: Labor - 54 per cent Coalition - 46 per cent Who would make a better PM? APPROVAL: Anthony Albanese - One point fall to 43 per cent Scott Morrison - One point up to 42 per cent DISSATISFACTION: Anthony Albanese - two point increase to 44 per cent Scott Morrison - One point decrease to 54 per cent Advertisement The results, yielded from 1,531 voters through an online survey, took into consideration Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese's reply speech, in which he pledged more aged care support. They also covered major fallouts for both parties in recent weeks as each side of the political divide has faced bombshell in-house accusations. Over the past few weeks, Labor has come under fire for refusing to launch an inquiry into allegations late Senator Kimberley Kitching had been bullied by female colleagues before her death. Meanwhile, Scott Morrison has come under attack from Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells who described him as unfit to be the PM. Under parliamentary privilege, she last week claimed Mr Morrison was a 'bully' and 'autocrat' who had made racist comment against his opponent during his preselection for the seat of Cook in 2007. Mr Morrison has repeatedly denied the accusations, telling reporters on Sunday: 'These are quite malicious and bitter slurs, which are deeply offensive, and I reject them absolutely.' Despite the recent scandals, the approval levels for Mr Morrison and Mr Albanese remained stable, with the PM's approval rising a point to 42 per cent and the opposition leader's falling by one to 43 per cent. Those dissatisfied with Mr Morrison's leadership dropped a point to 54 per cent, while the same rating for Mr Albanese increased by two points to 44 per cent. The LNP's poll rise comes amid predictions Scott Morrison will call the election on Sunday April 10 for May 21 after NSW preselection delays due to factional infighting made an earlier date harder to execute. Some Liberal frontbenchers believe the prime minister will now push the election - which had been tipped to be held on May 14 - back a week, News.com.au reports. The federal government on Tuesday announced tax cuts and one-off cash handouts to address the rising cost of living and soaring petrol prices. The government on Tuesday announced a one-off $420 cost of living tax offset, costing a total of $4.1 billion Australians earning less than $126,000 will get up to $1,500 when they submit their tax returns from July 1 under a new cost of living boost announced in the Budget. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg also introduced a one-off $420 cost of living tax offset, costing a total of $4.1 billion. When combined with the already existing Low and Middle Income Tax Offset (LMITO) worth up to $1,080, Aussies will get back up to $1,500 after submitting tax returns. Due to spiralling petrol prices, fuel duty will be cut in half for the next six months from 44.2 cents a litres to 22.1 cents a litre saving an average household with at least one car $300. 'Tonight the Morrison Government announces a new temporary, targeted and responsible cost of living package to ease these pressures,' Mr Frydenberg said in his speech. 'This measure comes on top of the $40 billion in tax relief already provided by our Government since the start of the pandemic. 'Under the Coalition taxes for hard-working Australians will always be lower.' In response, Labor promised more funding for NDIS, Medicare, aged care, childcare, and renewable energy. Fuel duty will be cut in half for the next six months from 44.2 cents a litres to 22.1 cents a litre 'Every dollar spent on childcare, every economic analysis shows it produces more than two dollars return to the national economy,' Mr Albanese said. 'It's not just money out, it increases the money in by increasing the workforce, by increasing productivity, by increasing growth of... businesses and companies.' As an election show-down looms, the PM and Opposition Leader have remained hot on their campaign trails, on Sunday each visiting opposite ends of the country. Mr Morrison was in Tasmania to announce further funding for the Marinus Link electricity interconnector, while Mr Albanese was in Queensland for a rally of the party faithful, a state he must win to secure the election. 'Somewhere as great as Queensland deserves great representatives,' Mr Albanese said in his speech. Mr Morrison announced $75 million for the Marinus Link project, which will export hydro-electricity from Tasmania into the other regions of the National Electricity Market, delivering an expected $4.6 billion in benefits across the market. 'This will have enormous benefits for Tasmanians and Victorians, strengthening the economy, creating thousands of jobs, driving down power bills and easing cost of living pressures,' he said. A German man got himself vaccinated against Covid 90 times so he could sell forged jab passes. The passes, which had real vaccine batch numbers, were being sold to those who did not want to get jabbed themselves. It is said that the man, 60, from the city of Magdeburg, received up to 90 vaccinations against COVID-19 at centres in Saxony. The 60-year-old, whose name has not been released in line with German privacy laws, got the jabs for months until police caught him. He was discovered after he had a COVID-19 jab two days in a row at a vaccination centre in Eilenburg, Saxony. The passes, which had real vaccine batch numbers, were being sold to those who did not want to get jabbed themselves (stock image) Several blank cards were confiscated from the 60-year-old by police. He was not detained but German news agency dpa reported that the man is under investigation for issuing the vaccination cards without authorisation and document forgery. It is unclear what impact the 90 doses of the vaccine from different brands had on the man's personal health. In recent months, German police have completed many vaccine passport forgery raids. Many people have refused to get jabbed in Germany but also want COVID-19 passports. The passports make access to public life and venues such as restaurants, theatres, swimming pools or workplaces much easier. High infection numbers have been reported in Germany for weeks but many Covid measures ended on Friday. Wearing masks in grocery stores and most theatres is no longer compulsory but they are still mandatory on public transport. Most schools in Germany also no longer require students to wear masks. Teachers associations have warned that this measure could cause possible conflicts in class. It is unclear what impact the 90 doses of the vaccine from different brands had on the man's personal health (stock image) Heinz-Peter Meidinger, the president of the German Teachers Association said: 'There is now a danger that, on the one hand, children who wear masks will be teased by classmates as wimps and overprotective or, on the other hand, pressure will be exerted on non-mask wearers,' Mr Meidinger advocated a voluntary commitment by teachers and students to continue wearing masks in class and on school grounds at least until the country has a two-week Easter holiday. The most recent surge of infections in Germany, triggered by the BA.2 omicron subvariant, may have peaked, according to health experts. There were 74,053 reported cases today, according to the country's disease control agency. Less than a week ago the disease control agency reported 111,224 daily infections. Overall, Germany has registered 130,029 COVID-19 deaths. An Arkansas man who miraculously awoke after being in a coma for 19 years following a near-fatal car crash in 1984 that left him paralyzed has died. Terry Wayne Wallis, 57 - who gained fame as 'the man who slept 19 years' - passed away on Tuesday surrounded by friends and family at Advanced Care Hospital in Searcy, just a week before his 58th birthday. The cause of death was not immediately available. Wallis, of Big Flat, was involved in a horrific car accident just six weeks after the birth of his daughter, Amber, in July 1984. At the time, he was driving in Stone County before his pickup truck skid off a bridge and plunged into a creek, killing a passenger. He had later been found unresponsive and his truck, which had flipped upside down in a dry riverbed, had been smashed into a railing fence after plunging nearly 25 feet. The accident left father-of-one a comatose quadriplegic. After surviving a nearly fatal car crash in July 1984, Terry Wayne Wallis woke up 19 years later in 2003, before passing away on Tuesday. Pictured: Family photo of Terry Wallis, 57, and his wife Sandra in March 1984. When Wallis woke up 19 years after being involved in a horrific car accident, he asked for his mother and for his favorite drink - milk Within a year of the accident, Wallis' comatose state had stabilized, a condition which doctors believed to be permanent. Defying all medical expectations, Wallis awoke in 2003 and asked his mother for his favorite beverage. What started off as simple words like 'milk' and 'Mom' evolved into full sentences, until eventually Wallis regained his ability to speak completely after his brain had rewired itself from the near deadly crash. He even regained the ability to move certain parts of his body, although he remained permanently disabled as a result of the injuries from the accident. Wallis' family described his awakening as a 'miracle' at the time and were overcome with emotion by Wallis' recovery against all odds. Wallis is shown in a 1979 file photo supplied by the Wallis Family in Marshall, Arkansas. Wallis, who had been in a coma since a 1984 automobile accident, began to talk and communicate in June, 2003 Wallis, left, speaks with his mother, Angilee Wallis, right. The father-of-one regained speech and movement three years after waking up due to his brain 'spontaneously rewiring itself' The subject of intense media coverage, Wallis was referred to as 'The Man Who Slept for 19 Years' by news outlets It was believed that the unwavering support and care of his loved ones contributed to Wallis emerging from the coma. He became the subject of significant media coverage and was referred to as 'The Man Who Slept for 19 Years' by newspapers and medical articles. Upon having his brain scanned at Weil Cornell Medical Center in New York City, the hypothesis was developed that his 'brain reconnected neurons that remained intact and formed new connections to circumvent damaged areas.' According to his obituary, Wallis '... enjoyed eating anything at anytime...enjoyed listening to live music... [and] was a great teaser'. He also 'loved drinking Pepsi' and had a 'wonderful sense of humor'. Wallis is survived by his Wife Sandi, daughter Amber and grandparents. His devoted mother, Angilee, passed away in 2018. President Joe Biden is privately concerned that Attorney General Merrick Garland is not moving 'decisively' enough in the Justice Department's ongoing investigation into last year's attack on the US Capitol, a new report suggested on Saturday. Biden reportedly complained about the fact that Donald Trump in particular has not been prosecuted, people close to the president told the New York Times. They said he denounced his Republican predecessor as a 'threat to democracy' in comments made as recently as late last year. Biden had 'said privately that he wanted Mr. Garland to act less like a ponderous judge and more like a prosecutor who is willing to take decisive action over the events of Jan. 6,' the report stated. However it notes that he never expressed that specific sentiment to Garland himself, and has also frequently praised the top Cabinet official for his impartiality. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said on Sunday that he's never heard Biden 'advocate the prosecution of any person' when asked about the explosive report. 'Look, one reason why Joe Biden got elected is he promised to take the decision of who got prosecuted and why away from the White House and put it in the Justice Department,' Klain told ABC's This Week. The president's apparent impatience with his Justice Department's slow and meticulous approach is a vastly different picture to the hands-off role he's sought to portray in the ongoing investigation. But he's not the only one frustrated by Garland's painstaking caution. More than 750 of the former president's supporters already face charges for storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021 in a bid to overturn Biden's 2020 electoral victory. Attorney General Merrick Garland (left) has reportedly frustrated elected Democrats including the president himself with the slow pace of the Justice Department's January 6 investigation, the New York Times suggested on Saturday But when it comes to more high-profile indictments, particularly members of Trump's orbit, lawmakers on the committee investigating the insurrection are growing impatient. The panel -- which could face a massive shakeup and even dissolution if Republicans take back the majority in Congress at the end of this year -- has ramped-up its release of information to the public in an apparent bid to pressure Garland to pick up his pace. They've warned that a failure to fully punish people responsible for the insurrection could set a dangerous standard and cause irreparable harm to American democracy. The attorney general has almost religiously tried to avoid any appearance of political motivations in the case, now the largest in DOJ history. 'Attorney General Garland, do your job so we can do ours,' Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) said during a hearing where the committee voted to advance contempt charges for Trump social media manager Dan Scavino and economic adviser Peter Navarro -- both of whom have resisted Congressional subpoenas. At the same hearing, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said: 'Without enforcement of congressional subpoenas, there is no oversight, and without oversight, no accountability -- for the former president, or any other president, past, present, or future. Without enforcement of its lawful process, Congress ceases to be a co-equal branch of government.' Early last week a federal judge said Trump 'corruptly attempted to obstruct' Congress last year According to Saturday's report, Biden is 'aghast' at the level of defiance of Trump's allies in fighting subpoenas from Congress. After an initial burst of momentum that saw former Trump aide Steve Bannon charged with one count of contempt of Congress, the DOJ has seemingly paused on its enforcement of the Jan. 6 committee's subpoenas. The House voted to hold ex-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in contempt late last year for refusing to cooperate with his subpoena, but to date no action has been taken by Garland's prosecutors. Since then, a bombshell report revealed that Meadows had been on the receiving end of a pressure campaign by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' wife Virginia, who had been trying to convince him to overturn Biden's presidential win by pushing baseless QAnon conspiracy theories. The Jan. 6 committee also sat down with Trump's son-in-law and ex-White House adviser Jared Kushner on Friday. That same day, Garland held a press conference in which he rebuffed the public pressure campaign -- and would not say whether prosecuting Trump himself was on the table. 'The only pressure I feel, and the only pressure that our line prosecutors feel, is to do the right thing,' Garland defiantly told reporters on Friday. Earlier last week, a federal judge who ordered pro-Trump lawyer John Eastman to hand a vast number of documents to the House committee also claimed the ex-president 'corruptly attempted to obstruct' Congress on January 6. Biden, speaking to reporters around the same time, dismissed the notion he would get involved in the investigation in any way. 'I told you, I would not tell the Justice Department what position to take or not take, and Im not going to instruct the Congress,' the president said on Monday. A Massachusetts couple seeking to get pregnant discovered the woman was carrying a stranger's embryo and is suing their fertility clinic and its staff, including a specialist who was responsible for a similar mix-up in the 1990s. The woman, known only as Jane Doe, became pregnant in July 2021 after three painful egg retrievals at the New York Fertility Institute, where an entire IVF cycle costs $12,730. But staff at the Manhattan clinic repeatedly denied any wrongdoing - even as independent, third-party tests showed that there was no DNA match between the couple and the baby, according to a lawsuit filed on March 25 in Manhattan federal court. The doctor who performed the in-vitro fertilization even suggested the mother may have a rare condition called 'mosaicism,' in which two DNAs are present in one body. He allegedly told the couple, 'This will be an interesting research paper to write.' The couple terminated the pregnancy on December 1 after suffering from 'sleepless nights, nightmares, fatigue, stress headaches and uncontrollable crying' and the prospect that the child's real parents would kick off a drawn-out court battle to get their child back. The clinic is now under investigation by the New York State Department of Health. The clinic's embryologist, Michael Obasaju, previously admitted that he gave the wrong embryos to a New Jersey couple in 1998, according to the New York Times. The white mother in that case eventually gave birth to two babies, one white and one black, and was ordered to give the black child to his biological parents by a state Supreme Court judge. Had they known about that, the couple says they would've never sought out the clinic's services. A Massachusetts couple is suing a New York fertility clinic, Michael Obasaju (above) and two other staff members after she discovered she had been implanted with the wrong embryo The unidentified couple sought the fertility clinic's services in 2020. Above, the clinic's exterior in Manhattan The Massachusetts woman allegedly underwent various tests that showed there was no match between her and the baby, all the while the clinic and staff insisted the baby was theirs The Massachusetts couple in the latest case were trying for their fourth child. The woman underwent three invasive and painful egg retrievals in October 2020, January 2021 and April 2021, according to the lawsuit. They are suing the NYFI and three of its staff members, including Obasaju, for malpractice, breach of contract, fraudulent concealment, emotional distress and battery, among other claims. They are asking for unspecified damages. Dr. Khalid Sultan performed an embryo transfer procedure on the couple, which involves taking a fertilized egg and placing it in a woman's uterus, on July 2, 2021. 'As the Does later learned, however, their embryo was not actually transferred to Ms. Doe that day. Unbeknownst to them at the time, the embryo that Sultan transferred into Ms. Does uterus belonged to a stranger,' the lawsuit states. 'To this day, the Does neither know whose embryo was transferred into Ms. Doe's uterus, nor the location of the embryo that NYFI was supposed to transfer to Ms. Doe on July 7, 2021.' The woman's OBGYN in Massachusetts recommended that she have her blood drawn and sent to a lab for a 'panorama' screening in order to determine the chance of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. The woman underwent three painful egg retrievals costing at least $13,000 at the Upper East side clinic (above). She and her husband were trying for their fourth child While the couple agonized about the fact that they were carrying someone else's child, Dr. Khalid Sultan, who performed the fertilization, told them, 'This will be an interesting research paper to write,' according to a lawsuit filed by the couple last month On September 9, the result came back: 'No results due to uninformative (suspect nonmatching) maternal/fetal DNA patterns. Possible reasons for uninformative DNA patterns include but are not limited to; egg donor, surrogate pregnancy, bone marrow transplantation.' She called the New York Fertility Institute and Dr. Sultan, who assured her that it was a 'lab error' and that she 'shouldn't be concerned.' The second 'panorama' screening came back with the same results on October 13. She finally got a hold of Dr. Sultan after multiple calls and text messages. He told her that they 'could not have transferred the wrong embryo because [Ms. Doe] was the only implant that entire week.' He directed them to contact a genetic counselor at Invitae. 'Sultan failed to disclose that there was no way to know from the documents provided to Ms. Doe and Mr. Doe whether NYFI's embryologist mixed up the samples sent to Invitae for testing with those from another couple,' he said. 'Nor did he disclose at this time that there might be other explanations involving a mistake at NYFI.' At one point, as the couple continued to share their horror and anguish that they might be carrying a stranger's child, Sultan told them that 'all that matters is that you have a healthy baby' and 'this will be an interesting research paper to write,' according to the lawsuit. Sultan also ordered tests on the rare condition mosaicism, hoping that would answer the discrepancy, but they came back negative. The woman underwent an amniocentesis procedure on October 25 to confirm the paternity. Before the results came back, Dr. Majid Fateh of the clinic continued to reassure the couple that the baby was theirs. The results proved that Mr. and Mrs. Doe were not the biological parents in late November. The lawsuit states: 'Ms. Doe and Mr. Doe did not know what to do. They had grown to love this baby, who had already begun kicking. On the one hand, they did not want to lose her even if she was not genetically related to them. 'On the other hand, they could not imagine carrying a strangers baby to term, only to potentially lose her in later legal battles to her biological parents, which would be devastating to the entire family. Additionally, the Does were also haunted by the idea that the Defendants lost one or more of their embryos.' They eventually decided to terminate the pregnancy on December 1, as the woman was nearing the end of the second trimester and coming up against the legal deadline for abortions. The lawsuit claims the clinic and its staff are all defendants in a different pending lawsuit alleging that the clinic mistakenly transferred a 'special circumstances' embryo into a woman' s uterus instead of the healthy embryo that was selected for transfer. The clinic allegedly 'lost' the healthy embryo for 18 months. The clinic is now under investigation. 'The New York State Department of Health views these most recent allegations about Dr. Obasaju and the New York Fertility Institute with the utmost concern,' the department said in a statement. The couple names embryologist Michael Obasaju in their lawsuit against the clinic and its staff. Obasaju has been the director of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and andrology and hormones laboratories at the clinic since 1997, according to the clinic's website. He has a Ph.D in comparative pathology and a master's in veterinary medicine, but is not a medical doctor. Obasaju was fired from a different clinic, NY IVF, after New Jersey couple Donna and Richard Fasano gave birth to a child that wasn't theirs in 1998. Donna and Richard Fasano (center and right) were given the wrong embryo by Michael Obasaju, who is now being sued by a Massachusetts couple, in 1998 The couple eventually had to give up the baby that wasn't theirs to his biological parents. They were also denied visitation rights by a judge Donna Fasano, a white woman, was implanted with the wrong embryos and gave birth to a white baby boy and a black baby boy, who was eventually returned to parents Deborah Perry-Rogers and Robert Rogers after a court battle for custody. Obasaju told investigators that he mixed up the two couple's embryos as he was testing them for viability. He reportedly placed four of Rogers' 'lower grade embryos' into a catheter used by Dr. Lillian D. Nash, the physician who performed the procedures, 'by accident,' according to the New York Times. He confessed the mistake after learning that Mrs. Fasano was pregnant. Mrs. Perry-Rogers did not become pregnant. Eventually, she won custody to her child, which was birthed by Mrs. Fasano, who was later denied visitation rights, the Times reported at the time. 'The Department of Health previously cited IVF New York and Lillian D. Nash, M.D. in 1999 for multiple violations of state regulations pertaining to Dr. Obasajus involvement in an embryo transfer,' the department said Sunday. 'At that time, the Department required the IVF New York to develop and implement corrective actions.' Ukrainian servicemen attach a cable to the body of a civilian while checking for booby traps in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha, April 2. As Russian forces pull back from Ukraine's capital region, retreating troops are creating a "catastrophic" situation for civilians by leaving mines around homes, abandoned equipment and "even the bodies of those killed," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday. AP-Yonhap Ukrainian troops moved cautiously to retake territory north of the country's capital Saturday, using cables to pull the bodies of civilians off streets of one town out of fear that Russian forces may have left them booby-trapped. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that departing Russian troops were creating a ''catastrophic'' situation for civilians by leaving mines around homes, abandoned equipment and ''even the bodies of those killed.'' His claims could not be independently verified. Associated Press journalists in Bucha, a suburb northwest of Kyiv, watched as Ukrainian soldiers backed by a column of tanks and other armored vehicles used cables to drag bodies off of a street from a distance. Locals said the dead the AP counted at least six were civilians killed without provocation by departing Russian soldiers. ''Those people were just walking and they shot them without any reason. Bang,'' said a Bucha resident who declined to give his name citing safety reasons. ''In the next neighborhood, Stekolka, it was even worse. They would shoot without asking any question.'' Ukraine and its Western allies reported mounting evidence of Russia withdrawing its forces from around Kyiv and building its troop strength in eastern Ukraine. The visible shift did not mean the country faced a reprieve from more than five weeks of war or that the more than 4 million refugees who have fled Ukraine will return soon. Zelenskyy said he expects departed towns to endure missile and rocket strikes from afar and for the battle in the east to be intense. In his nightly video address Saturday, the Ukrainian leader said the country's troops were not allowing the Russians to retreat without a fight: ''They are shelling them. They are destroying everyone they can.'' Russia, Zelenskyy said, has ample forces to put more pressure on Ukraine's east and south. ''What is the goal of the Russian troops? They want to seize the Donbas and the south of Ukraine,'' he said. ''What is our goal? To defend ourselves, our freedom, our land and our people.'' People who fled Mariupol and Melitopol are seen inside an evacuee cargo truck at a collecting point in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, April 1, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues. Reuters-Yonhap Moscow's focus on eastern Ukraine also kept the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol in the crosshairs. The port city on the Sea of Azov is located in the mostly Russian-speaking Donbas region, where Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian troops for eight years. Military analysts think Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to capture the region after his forces failed to secure Kyiv and other major cities. The International Committee of the Red Cross had hoped to evacuate Mariupol residents Saturday but had not yet reached the city. A day earlier, local authorities said the Red Cross was being blocked by Russian forces. An adviser to Zelenskyy, Oleksiy Arestovych, said in an interview with Russian lawyer and activist Mark Feygin that Russia and Ukraine had reached an agreement to allow 45 buses to drive to Mariupol to evacuate residents ''in the coming days.'' The Mariupol City Council said early Saturday that 10 empty buses were headed to Berdyansk, a city 84 kilometers (52.2 miles) west of Mariupol, to pick up people who managed to get there on their own. About 2,000 made it out of Mariupol, Friday, some on buses and some in their own vehicles, city officials said. A prominent Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) biology professor and researcher who was accused of sexually harassing a student has resigned after the university threatened to revoke his tenure following an investigation. Dr. David Sabatini, 54, stepped down on Friday after an MIT investigation concluded that his resignation would be the best course of action. Last year, Sabatini was placed on administrative leave at MIT and fired from The Whitehead institute after a scientist in her early 30s raised sexual harassment claims to the institute's director, Dr. Ruth Lehmann. The graduate student - whom DailyMail.com is not naming because she claims to be a victim of sexual misconduct - said she was coerced into having sex with Sabatini. She also claimed that conversations in his lab were '85 percent sexual and 15 percent science,' and he harvested a work environment in which graduate students who agreed to flirt with him were rewarded, The Boston Globe reported. Following the claims, Sabatini sued The Whitehead, Dr. Lehmann, and his accuser, arguing he was unjustly ousted over false sexual harassment claims concocted by a vengeful jilted lover. MIT President Rafael Rief announced Sabatini's resignation from MIT on Friday in a statement directed to students and faculty, saying he had violated the university's consensual sexual or romantic relationships in the workplace policy. 'The reviewers found that Professor Sabatini behaved in ways incompatible with the responsibilities of faculty membership,' Rief's said. 'Specifically, the reviewers found Professor Sabatini engaged in a sexual relationship with a person over whom he held a career-influencing role, he did not disclose the relationship at any time to his supervisors, and he failed to take any steps to relinquish his mentoring and career-influencing roles, as the policy requires.' Dr. David Sabatini, 53, stepped down on Friday after MIT's provost, dean of science and Biology department head concluded that his resignation would be the best course of action Until August, Sabatini ran a research lab at the prestigious Whitehead Institute at MIT. He obtained tenure at MIT in 2006 but was placed on administrative leave after claims of sexual harassment emerged MIT President Rafael Rief announced Sabatini's resignation from MIT on Friday in a statement directed to students and faculty, saying he had violated the university's consensual sexual or romantic relationships in the workplace policy Sabatini's resignation follows his firing in August from The Whitehead and his lawsuit against the institute, its director and the woman who claimed sexual harassment. The lawsuit alleged defamation, wrongful interference with employment, and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. According to the complaint, Sabatini had a 16-month-long consensual sexual relationship with his accuser, who worked with him at the institute. Sabatini was separated from his wife and heading for a divorce at the time, and his lab lover allegedly made it clear to him that she was not interested in an exclusive relationship and had other sexual partners. After Sabatini pulled the plug on the relationship in July 2019, his lover and colleague 'continued to attempt to engage with him sexually and emotionally despite his repeated requests that she stop,' according to the documents. According to his lawsuit, Sabatini had a 16-month-long consensual sexual relationship with his accuser, who worked with him at the institute Sabatini's accuser claimed that conversations in his lab were '85percent sexual and 15percent science,' and he harvested a work environment in which graduate students who agreed to flirt with him were rewarded Sabatini said he made it clear that he was pursuing a romantic relationship with another woman in Europe, but his accuser 'became determined to destroy his reputation and get him fired.' Sabatini accused his ex-lover of 'fabricating claims that [he] had sexually harassed her and had subsequently threatened to retaliate against her if she reported him.' The female researcher went to Dr. Lehmann, the head of the institute, and claimed to have experienced harassment at Sabatini's lab, which allegedly prompted the director to conduct an anonymous diversity and equity survey. The institute launched an investigation into the 'culture' in Sabatini's laboratory, which involved interviews with 40 post-doctoral fellows, PhD students and researchers. Sabatini claims he was not allowed to have a lawyer present when he was interviewed by lawyers hired by the institute, but his accuser retained an experienced employment attorney. Ultimately, Sabatini was forced to resign from the institute in August. Over the course of his 25-year career, Sabatini has obtained dozens of grants and tens of millions of dollars of funding for his research. He resigned from MIT Friday over sexual harassment claims The authors of the report further conceded that they found no evidence 'that Sabatini actually retaliated against or punished any person for speaking out against him or raising concerns outside the lab.' Sabatini was also fired from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which funded his lucrative position at the institute. The scientist had been on administrative leave at MIT since August, until his resignation Friday. Sabatini earned his Bachelor's degree from Brown University in 1990 and went on to obtain his medical degree and PhD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1997. He became a faculty member at The Whitehead in 2002 and established his own lab there to conduct groundbreaking research into mechanisms that regulate cell growth. He obtained tenure at MIT in 2006. Over the course of his 25-year career, Sabatini has obtained dozens of grants and tens of millions of dollars of funding for his research. A family's home has been destroyed and their cat has died after a fire ripped through the property. Emergency crews were called to the home in Prestons, southwest Sydney, on Sunday night. The fire is understood to have been started by a Tesla, which was charging in the family's garage. Scroll down for the video A house fire in Prestons, southwest Sydney, on Sunday night has left the family home severely damaged and killed a cat NSW Police and Fire and Rescue teams attended the southwest Sydney fire on Sunday night A video of the scene shows the garage smoking as firefighters hose it down. 'The fire has destroyed the garage and two vehicles inside,' a firefighter at the scene said. 'The fire has travelled through to the house and destroyed the kitchen. 'Firefighters managed to cut off the fire and save the rest of the building. 'Unfortunately one cat was lost in the fire and the rest of the house suffered smoke damage.' Teslas, a popular electric car brand founded by Elon Musk, can cost anywhere between $63,000 to $192,000. A firefighter at the scene said the fire had 'destroyed' the garage and kitchen and caused smoke damage to the rest of the home The southwest Sydney family's cat was killed in the fire which was allegedly caused by a charging Tesla car They are advertised as top-of-the-range, luxury vehicles that are a greener alternative to petrol cars. In a 2020 report, Tesla claimed its car were 11 times less likely to catch fire than petrol cars. Police have set up a crime scene and are continuing their investigation. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in Milton Keynes, following the fatal stabbing of Joseph Tayaye. Mr Tayaye, 21, is the fourth stabbing victim to die in attacks across the town in just 13 weeks. The 'repeated stabbing' took place at The Hide, Netherfield, at about 11.35pm on Monday, March 28. Mr Tayaye was treated at the scene, as well as at Milton Keynes University Hospital, but died the next day. On Friday night, a 20-year-old man from Milton Keynes was arrested in Northern Ireland on suspicion of the murder of Joseph Tayaye. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after 21-year-old Joseph Tayaye was 'repeatedly' stabbed to death outside a house in Milton Keynes He was transferred back to England and was brought into the custody of Thames Valley Police this morning. A spokesperson for the force thanked the Police Service of Northern Ireland for its assistance in the investigation. Two other men were arrested in Northern Ireland on suspicion of assisting an offender. The Police Service of Northern Ireland will investigate these alleged offences. A post-mortem examination on Friday concluded a stab wound to the chest killed Mr Tayaye's, police said. Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Andy Howard, of the Major Crime Unit, said: 'Our thoughts remain with the family of Joseph at what must be an extremely difficult time for them.' They are being supported by specially trained officers. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds was forced to backtrack today after suggesting that UK power supplies be rationed. The Labour frontbencher used a round of interviews today to suggest ministers make private plans to limit distribution if competition for scant resources increases. He told the BBC's Sunday Morning today that increased competition from other European nations if they are forced to give up Russian oil and gas could cause problems. But minutes later he was forced to row back on his comments, telling Times Radio rationing 'would be a disaster for households and for businesses'. It came after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps had ruled out any form of rationing, amid surging energy prices hitting UK families, saying: 'It's not the route that we want to go down.' The Labour frontbencher used a round of interviews today to suggest ministers make private plans to limit distribution if competition for scant resources increases. It came after Transport secretary Grant Shapps had ruled out any form of rationing, amid surging energy prices hitting UK families, saying: 'It's not the route that we want to go down.' It came as Boris Johnson's plans for new domestic power production were in disarray today as ministers openly clashed over whether to build new windfarms in the countryside. Boris Johnson is expected to include a large expansion of wind and nuclear power when he unveils his much delayed energy strategy this week, designed to reduce dependence on foreign oil and gas. But the while the plans focus mainly on wind farms in the sea, the plans are expected to include measures to increase production on land. On Saturday, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng suggested capacity could double to 30GW by 2030. But the PM faces strong opposition to the plan from shire Tories, which could instead see the majority of turbines built in more remote areas like the Scottish Highlands. No 10 distanced itself from a massive expansion in onshore wind, saying any expansion would require 'community consent'. And Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today said he was opposed to them - suggesting he would rather have a new nuclear reactor in his Hertfordshire constituency. Asked about rationing energy on the BBC, Mr Reynolds said: 'We should be making those plans and the Government should be preparing, not necessarily in public, for that situation. 'There's a lot of complacency in this country about the relative lower exposure to Russian gas that we have. 'But we should bear in mind that part of the supply that comes to this country from, for instance, Norway or from the liquefied natural gas that goes into the terminals and wells, that is partly because Russian gas is fulfilling the demands of central Europe. 'I think what the Government should announce is a plan which is not simply shopping from one authoritarian regime to the next for fossil fuels, but that long-term plan on renewables or nuclear and energy efficiency that would make the difference.' But speaking on Times Radio an hour later, Mr Reynolds appeared to U-turn on his position. Asked again whether the UK should be rationing energy, he said: 'No, that would be a disaster for households and for businesses. 'But the fact you're even asking the question is an indictment of Conservative energy policy for the last decade. 'We still haven't had a plan from the Government, even though they said it was to them a priority and an emergency.' On LBC minutes later, he clarified that Labour believes 'a successful plan would absolutely mean we did not have to consider' rationing energy. President Joe Biden is 'confident' that his son Hunter Biden 'didn't break the law' even as a federal probe into the 52-year-old recovering drug addict's foreign business dealings heats up, Chief of Staff Ron Klain said on Sunday. The senior White House official appeared on ABC's This Week two days after it was reported that a federal grand jury has been hearing testimony in recent months about Hunter Biden's cash flow while serving on the board of Ukraine energy company Burisma. During his television interview Klain vehemently denied that the White House has reached out to the Justice Department about the probe, which is being conducted out of the president's home state of Delaware. 'Of course the president's confident that his son didn't break the law,' Klain said. 'But most importantly, as I said, that's a matter that's to be decided by the Justice Department, by the legal process. It's something that no one at the White House has involvement in.' Klain was also asked about a recent Washington Post report that revealed entities controlled by Hunter and his uncle James Biden were paid nearly $5 million over the course of 14 months by a Chinese energy firm. The payments allegedly began in 2017 and were made by CEFC China Energy, a company with strong ties to Beijing's communist government. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain was forced to defend his boss President Joe Biden amid an onslaught of ethical questions prompted by the New York Times authenticating a laptop allegedly belonging to his son Hunter In its report the Post cited newly revealed government records, bank statements and emails obtained from a hard drive supposedly belonging to Hunter -- which had until very recently been discredited by most media outlets as 'Russian disinformation.' 'Is the president confident his family didn't cross any ethical lines?' host George Stephanopoulos asked on Sunday. Klain replied, 'George, the president is confident that his family did the right thing.' 'But, again, I want to just be really clear, these are actions by Hunter and his brother. They're private matters. They don't involve the president,' he added. 'And they certainly are something that no one at the White House is involved in.' The contents of the laptop allegedly belonging to Hunter were first reported on by the New York Post in October 2020, and was authenticated by DailyMail.com early the next year. It contains a vast tranche of email correspondences shedding light on Hunter's business dealings in Ukraine and China -- many while his father was vice president -- as well as lewd images of sex acts, prostitution and drug use. However, what Republicans hoped would be a massive roadblock in Biden's 2020 presidential campaign was quickly dismissed and ignored by most mainstream media outlets until the New York Times claimed to have authenticated it last month. The Washington Post's subsequent report using evidence recovered from the laptop has forced a reckoning within the news media and prompted an onslaught of scrutiny for the White House over what exactly Biden knew and when. An ongoing federal probe into Hunter Biden's business dealings has heated up in recent months. That combined with the newly-granted legitimacy of the laptop hard drive that was first reported upon by the New York Post in October 2020 have posed new ethics headaches for the White House To date, however, the president has not been implicated in any wrongdoing whatsoever. And despite maintaining very public distance from the federal investigation, Biden's aides have been forced to defend Hunter when questioned about the matter. At the daily press briefing on Friday, NBC reporter Kristin Welker asked Communications Director Kate Bedingfield about the president's last 2020 debate against Donald Trump, where he declared 'My son has not made money in terms of this thing about, talking about China.' 'We absolutely stand by the presidents comment,' Bedingfield replied. 'And I would point you to the reporting on this, which referenced statements that we made at the time, that we gave to the Washington Post, who worked on this story. But as you know, I dont speak for Hunter Biden so theres not more I can say on that.' In its story revealing the $4.8 million in payments to the Bidens, the Post said the White House 'declined to respond on the record but pointed to previous statements that Joe Biden "has never even considered being involved in business with his family, nor in any overseas business whatsoever'." However, at least one email unearthed from the hard drive appears to show a prospective agreement breaking down ownership stakes in the Chinese energy deal with 10 percent of profits allocated to someone only known as 'the big guy.' The monicker is found in an email on the hard drive to Hunter Biden from his business partner James Gilliar. It's not confirmed who the 'big guy' is, but some Republican lawmakers have speculated it to mean the president. The breakdown of the stake in the business, including the 10% to the 'Big Guy', were revealed in an email last year. Stefanik said finding out who that is could be 'the most critical question' that Republicans have for Hunter Biden Extracts from one email published show how Hunter Biden was to be paid $850,000 in part of his arrangement with the Chinese firm Tony Bobulinski, another former business partner of Hunter Biden's, also previously pointed the finger at Joe Biden. House GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, the third-most powerful Republican in the lower chamber of Congress, told the New York Post last week that her party would subpoena Hunter Biden if they took back control fo Congress in the midterms. It remains unclear whether Hunter might be charged in the ongoing federal probe. But the grand jury activity underscores that a federal tax investigation that began in 2018 remains active as prosecutors continue to examine foreign payments and other aspects of his finances. A lawyer for Hunter Biden did not return a phone message and email seeking comment on Friday. A Justice Department spokesman deferred a request for comment to the US attorney's office in Delaware, which is handling the investigation. A spokesperson for the office did not return a phone message seeking comment. The people familiar with the investigation and shed light on the grand jury activity could not discuss details of the ongoing probe publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. The laptop, which the New York Times recently authenticated long after right-wing media outlets were blasted for reporting about it, contains compromising and embarrassing images of Hunter Biden In some of the pictures, Hunter Biden is seen with a crack pipe hanging out of his mouth. His past struggles with drug addiction have been well documented Attorney General Merrick Garland has not shed any light publicly on the investigation. But the Justice Department did leave in place the top federal prosecutor in Delaware - -David Weiss, a Trump administration holdover -- presumably as a way to ensure continuity. Hunter Biden confirmed the existence of an investigation into his taxes in December 2020, one month after the presidential election. He said in a statement at the time that he was 'confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.' The Associated Press reported later that month that a subpoena served on the younger Biden sought information related to more than two dozen entities. One was Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company whose board he had joined when his father was vice president. That move sparked concerns about a potential conflict of interest given that elder Biden was deeply involved in US policy toward Ukraine during the Obama administration. The breadth of the subpoena highlighted the wide-ranging scope of the investigation into Hunter Biden, though there is no indication that the probe includes any scrutiny of the president himself. Biden has said he did not discuss his son's international business dealings with him and has denied having ever taken money from a foreign country. Witnesses in recent months have been questioned about payments Hunter Biden received while serving on the Burisma board, the people familiar with the probe said. The future of the police could see more officers working from home and choosing their own hours in a bid to improve diversity, according to a leading force official. Paul Fotheringham, the newly-elected President of the Police Superintendents' Association (PSA), suggested such arrangements would especially help women with young children to reach senior ranks, rather than making them feel they had to bow out of the force due to unworkable shift patterns around family life. Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, he said: 'There's no escaping the fact that we can't compete in many ways with the private sector when it comes to employee packages and benefits, but we have so much else to offer that's [unique] to policing. Police officers should be allowed to work from home in a bid to boost diversity and help more mothers with young children rise through the ranks, a leading police official has said (file pic) 'The only way we will continue to be attractive as a career choice, whilst also bringing in people representing our communities, is to become more flexible and forward thinking when it comes to working patterns.' He added that the pandemic had hastened the adoption of new technology, with remote working now becoming the norm. Flexible working would benefit non-emergency response officers, who make up more than half of the police workforce, he said. There would however continue to be frontline officers working around the clock to respond to emergencies. A third of 1,000 office employees surveyed recently said they have not been in the workplace since March 2020. Pictured: Commuters at London Bridge station last month Mr Fotheringham, who spent 28 years with the Kent Force, rising to detective chief superintendent, explained: 'Obviously in terms of uniformed officers you are always going to need people available to deal with emergencies but policing is about many different roles so the challenge for us in the future is to be much more flexible.' His comments come as businesses continue to announce flexible working arrangements for their staff, despite Boris Johnson ending the directive to work from home in England back in January. Last month, tech giant Twitter told all its employees that they could work from home 'forever' if they wished to do so. In a message sent to all staff and posted on Twitter, CEO Parag Agrawal said: 'As we open back up our approach remains the same. 'Wherever you feel most productive and creative is where you will work and that includes working from home full-time forever.' Elsewhere, hybrid working has been embraced more fully in some parts of the country than others. Staff in London are working from home more than anywhere else in Britain with half of employees still at their kitchen table or hybrid working. In other areas of the country they are much more likely to have gone back to the workplace full-time, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has told his employees they can work from home 'forever' if wanted Staff can work 'wherever you feel most productive and creative', be that the office or home In Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the North East, just 18 to 20 per cent of people are still shunning the office all or part of the time. The data lays bare the divide between London and the rest of the nation. The capital has a high concentration of wealthy white-collar workers, able to do desk-based jobs from home. And employers at City firms, desperate to attract the best talent, are forced to offer as many perks as they can. Latest research for insurance brokerage Gallagher backs this up with a third of employees who previously worked in offices saying they had not returned in almost two years following the March 2020 lockdown. A quarter of business leaders said their employees' contracts do not stipulate that they need to work from a specific location, the study suggests. The research found that most businesses are suggesting workers should be in the office full-time now or in the near future, or a minimum of part-time, as they implement a hybrid model. But a third of the 1,000 business leaders surveyed said they are meeting resistance from their employees towards returning to the workplace even part-time. In the starkest endorsement of working from home, civil servants have continued to shun Whitehall offices, despite the Government urging them to return. In February, MailOnline reported that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is said to have made 400 desks available for its 900 employees as it adopts 'department-wide hybrid working'. One civil servant working in the department told The Times: 'There's not enough momentum on going back in. It's nice for a change of scene, but you go in and just end up sitting on video calls in an open-plan office.' Sources also told the newspaper that the Department for Education 'expects people to be in the office for 40 to 60 per cent of their working week', despite Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi wanting them at their desks more. Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged his colleagues to 'show a lead and make sure that we get back to work'. Whitehall is however only expected to have office space for half of the civil servants based there from 2030, because of a strategy to rationalise the government estate in London which currently costs 621million a year to run. Gwent Police is facing cover-up claims as three senior officers face a gross misconduct hearing in private after a 'sex attack on a female colleague' during a 'boozy' retirement bash. Chief Superintendents Mark Warrender and Marc Budden, long-serving officers of Gwent Police, face allegations of gross misconduct alongside Chief Inspector Paul Staniforth. CS Warrender, head of the force's criminal investigation department, was initially suspended following a complaint from a female officer following the retirement bash in Cardiff on June 28, 2019. His temporary assistant CS Budden was also suspended for alleged misconduct as a probe into the allegations was launched. The offences are alleged to have taken place during the leaving do of former Chief Constable Julian Williams as he left the 138,500-a-year role after two years in the position. But a misconduct hearing, due to begin on Thursday, will take place in private amid allegations the force is trying to protect the reputations of its senior officers. All three are charged with having an 'inappropriate conversation with a more junior member of police staff at a police social event'. CS Warrender, who joined Gwent Police in 1996, is also charged with 'inappropriate touching'. Chief Superintendent Mark Warrender, pictured left, head of CID, and his temporary assistant chief constable Marc Budden, pictured right, were suspended after a complaint from a woman officer after the bash Chief Inspector Paul Staniforth will also stand charged with gross misconduct when the hearing begins on Thursday CS Budden faces additional misconduct charges of 'failing to challenge or report the conduct of CS Warrender', attempting to 'improperly influence the misconduct and criminal investigation' and inappropriately 'disclosing information in relation to the investigation'. He is also accused of 'providing various dishonest accounts' and 'engaging in inappropriate behaviour while on duty'. Gwent Police has faced accusations of covering up and trying to protect the reputations of the senior officers following its decision for the hearing to take place in private. Laura Anne Jones, MS for South Wales East, said: 'Gwent Police risk alienating thousands of women in the area. Public expectations around standards of behaviour are quite rightly very high. 'There should be no place for inappropriate behaviour or the abuse of an individual's position to exploit others.' Fellow MS Natasha Asghar added: 'It is absolutely vital that the public has confidence in our police and gives them their full support in the tough job they do in keeping our streets safe. 'Anything which undermines public confidence is therefore a matter of great concern.' The force said it had taken the decision 'by reason of the law relating to anonymity of complainants following allegations of a sexual offence'. It also claims it to be 'in furtherance of the public interest in encouraging reporting of wrongdoing' and 'to protect the Article 8 rights of witnesses at the hearing and their families, including those of the officers concerned'. Gwent Police HQ in Cwmbran, Gwent, pictured, where the senior officers were based Following the allegations, an investigation was undertaken by an outside police force, believed to be Avon and Somerset Police, and was overseen by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The champagne and beer farewell party is understood to have started at the force HQ in Cwmbran, Gwent, before moving onto a nightspot in the Welsh capital of Cardiff. All the high-ranking officers from the 1,300-strong Gwent force were invited to the leaving party for Chief Constable Williams - along with another chief constable from the neighbouring South Wales force. Warrender joined the force in 1996 and is the head of the criminal investigation department. Budden, meanwhile, joined the force in 1993 and was in charge of neighbourhood policing, partnerships and uniform operations before becoming temporary assistant chief constable. A former Taliban torturer has won the right to stay in the UK over fears he would be tortured himself if he was sent back to Afghanistan. The Home Office accepted that deporting him to his home country would place him at 'real risk' of torture and could breach his human rights. The ex-intelligence commander had been recruited to the Taliban as a child soldier in the 1990s, reports the Sun. The unnamed man, who says he is 42, ordered waterboarding, sleep deprivation and whipping to extract information from prisoners while in charge of 300 men. He climbed the ranks after volunteering for the front lines of the brutal Battle of Kabul in 1995, during Afghanistan's civil war. He first came to Britain in 2006 and tried to claim asylum, but was rejected and deported within months. The unnamed former Taliban torturer (pictured), who says he is 42, ordered waterboarding, sleep deprivation and whipping to extract information from prisoners while in charge of 300 men The ex-intelligence commander had been recruited to the group as a child soldier in the 1990s (Pictured: A Taliban fighter stands guard at the venue for a flag hoisting ceremony of the Taliban flag on the Wazir Akbar Khan hill in Kabul on March 31, 2022) He lodged another claim in 2010, but this too was rejected. But in his latest appeal, he told the British government how he had been captured and tortured by a rival group to the Taliban, called the Northern Alliance. He claimed the ordeal left him with 'complex mental health problems.' The Home Office decided to grant him limited leave to remain under the European Convention on Human Rights. It said there is currently 'no question' of him returning. MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for comment. It comes after the UK agreed to take in up to 20,000 Afghan refugees since it fell to the Taliban last year. According to figures from the UNHCR, as of mid-2021 there were 135,912 refugees in Britain, plus 83,489 pending asylum cases and 3,968 stateless persons. The West's rapid withdrawal from Afghanistan was widely criticised for failing to prepare the country for the subsequent Taliban take over. The head of MI5 warned in February that the country is again becoming a breeding ground for terror, with British extremists already trying to travel there. Ken McCallum said he was concerned about 'terrorist infrastructure and networks reconstituting' in the troubled country just months after the West's catastrophic withdrawal. In September, he warned that MI5 was braced for an 'increase in inspired terrorism' and the 'potential regrowth of Al Qaeda-style directed plots' as the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan had 'heartened and emboldened' extremists. The director general of the domestic spy agency revealed that it had detected the 'beginnings of some travel attempts' by aspiring jihadis in the UK. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Mr McCallum warned that terror groups may be able to reform in Afghanistan and plan sophisticated operations targeting Britain. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Ken McCallum (pictured) warned that terror groups may be able to reform in Afghanistan and plan sophisticated operations targeting the UK He said that in September, he had 'flagged two risks', one of which was the 'immediate morale boost that Afghanistan would give to extremists here'. The second was 'the slower burn risk of terrorist groups reconstituting themselves within Afghanistan and projecting the threat back at the West including the UK'. Mr McCallum continued: 'We have seen versions of both of those risks beginning to materialise.' He suggested that the region could become a magnet for British extremists in a similar way to Syria, where hundreds flocked to join the Islamic State terror group. The spy chief said: 'Clearly we have seen some people interested in travelling to Afghanistan in pursuit of some of those goals. 'We have seen the beginnings of some travel attempts and so with our partners we remain very vigilant.' Until the West's chaotic abandonment of Afghanistan last August, efforts to combat the terrorist threat there had been largely successful over the last decade. The spy chief said: 'Clearly we have seen some people interested in travelling to Afghanistan in pursuit of some of those goals.' But Mr McCallum said there is a risk of the return of sophisticated large-scale plots intended to cause mass casualties, such as the thwarted 2006 plan to detonate liquid explosives on seven transatlantic aircraft taking off from Heathrow. He revealed that MI5 is facing tough decisions because the threat from hostile states such as Russia and China now rivals terrorism, and said outdated laws made it impossible to prosecute foreign spies in this country. In a wide-ranging interview, Mr McCallum also spoke about the enduring threat of a biological attack on Britain. He said: 'Al Qaeda, for example, determinedly engaged in research and development. This is never something which has gone away as a risk.' Mr McCallum added that the global impact of the Covid pandemic may also have inspired potential terrorists. 'It will have occurred to many people that biological or viral or their agents can be tools of significant game-changing events,' he said. 'It does not automatically follow that anyone having that thought has the wherewithal to do something intelligent about it. 'But this has always been one of the risks that we are mindful of and seek to manage.' One man was killed and 11 others were injured - including three children - after a shooting at a Dallas rap festival sparked chaos early Sunday morning. Officers responded to an open field in southeast Oak Cliff at around 12.13 am, where around 2,000 people had been attending the Second Annual Epic Easter Bike Out & Field Party. The event, hosted by 'Bossman Bubba,' was supposed to be a 'trail ride' featuring rapper Big Boogie, who did not end up making it to the stage. Police say a preliminary investigation found that one person fired a gun into the air, then another unknown individual fired a gun in the crowd's direction. No one has been arrested as of Sunday afternoon. Some festivalgoers said the gunfire was triggered by a fight and that there were multiple shooters, WFAA reports. The gunshots sent the packed crowd fleeing in various directions, sparking a minor stampede that echoed November's deadly Astroworld crowd surge in Houston. Kealon Dejuane Gilmore, 26, was found lying on the ground near the concert stage with a gunshot wound to the head. He died at the scene. Organizers had advertised that Dallas officers would be on site to provide security, a claim that the Dallas Police Department is now looking into. The event's organizer hung up the phone when he was reached by DailyMail.com. One man was killed and 11 others were shot - including three children - during a shooting at an outdoor concert in Dallas early Sunday morning Police responded to the shooting at about 12.13am in southeast Dallas. Organizers had advertised that Dallas police would be on site for security Police say a preliminary investigation has found that one person fired a gun into the air, then another unknown individual fired a gun in the crowd's direction The event, billed as a 'bike out and field party,' drew as many as 2,000 people. Organizers said Dallas police would be on site to provide security. Police say they're investigating the claim Kealon Dejuane Gilmore, 26, was found with a gunshot wound to the head near the stage. He was pronounced dead at the scene We're live this morning for an update on the shooting at the Epic Easter Bike-Out and Field Party in Dallas. 10 people shot and one person is dead says @DallasPD. At 8:30am you'll hear from witnesses. @wfaa pic.twitter.com/rH4kSEtDcq Jobin Panicker (@jobinpnews) April 3, 2022 Gilmore, who died at the scene, was a TikTok creator with about 20,000 followers on his page. In a Facebook tribute, a friend from high school remembered him as a 'great kid.' 'I never thought it would be one of my friends. Its so sad, man it's so sad. I wouldn't even expect for nothing to happen to you like that. Seems like the good ones always go first,' said Facebook user Tspeed. 'I actually knew this dude, actually went to school with this dude. This is a great kid, man.' Michelle White, 43, showed up to the event with an ATV and was near the side of the stage when she heard loud bangs that sounded like 'fireworks,' according to the Dallas Morning News. She said she helped two people, a man who was shot in the leg and a woman who was grazed by a bullet, onto the vehicle and tried to push through the crowd rushing down Cleveland Road. She said that police and EMS had a hard time getting through the panicked crowd and that she was towing paramedics. She added that her ATV was stalled for an hour. 'I've never felt more helpless in my life,' she said. An abandoned ATV was seen past a train track near the field, the Dallas Morning News reports. One woman said that even though the event was billed as a 'trail ride' featuring ATVs and other vehicles driving around the property, it was more of an open field party. 'Please don't get a bad taste in your mouth from trail rides because they arent all bad! I've gone to a lot of them and had a great night! No fighting or shooting,' said Amber Brown in a Facebook post. A witness told WFAA that the Saturday night concert was 'jam-packed.' 'Everybody was running,' said Lulu Smith, who went with her daughter. 'It was so jam-packed right here, you couldn't get in or out. When I got to my car, somebody was shooting. I rolled down my window and I heard [shots].' Officers were seen walking around the empty lot early Sunday morning. The grass appeared to be littered with bottles, cans, wrappers and outdoor chairs that were left behind. A flier for the event promoted the appearance of other rappers and DJs. It said tickets were $20 in advance and $30 at the door. Children under 10 were allowed in for free, according to the flier, which also said Dallas police would be on site to provide security. Gilmore was remembered as a 'great kid.' He was a TikTok creator with about 20,000 followers 'I never thought it would be one of my friends. Its so sad, man it's so sad. I wouldn't even expect for nothing to happen to you like that,' one Facebook user said 'We are looking into that as part of the ongoing investigation,' police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman told DailyMail.com. Police say that one man died and 11 other individuals were shot during the concert. All the people who were hurt were taken to hospitals either by ambulance or by private vehicles. One person was in critical condition and the others were in stable condition. Three of the people hurt are juveniles, police said. Other attendees sustained minor trampling injuries as they fled the scene, according to USA Today. No arrests have been made as police continue to investigate what prompted the shooting. Saturday night's shooting happened two weeks after 10 people were shot on March 19 during a spring break party at a Dallas event venue. Yale University has surrendered 13 artifacts worth upwards of $1million to the Manhattan District Attorney's office after an investigation found they were looted from temples in India and Burma. Some of the seized artifacts are linked to former art dealer Subhash Kapoor, who is accused of running a multinational antique smuggling ring from the late 70s until 2011, and is currently jailed in India. 'Yale University, having been presented with information indicating that works of art in its collections were stolen from their countries of origin, delivered the works to the New York District Attorney's Office, which will coordinate the objects' repatriation later this year,' the museum said in a statement on Wednesday. The artifacts are worth $1.29million, the DA's office said. Twelve antiques were looted from India and one of them was stolen from a temple in Burma, The New York Times reported. Among those seized are the Parikara - a marble arch from the twelfth or thirteenth century valued at $85,000 - and a tenth-century statue of God of wealth Kubera - valued at $550,000. The recovery stems from a sprawling probe by the Manhattan district attorney's office and the Homeland Security Investigations arm of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Among the artifacts seized are the Parikara (left) - a marble arch from the twelfth or thirteenth century valued at $85,000 - and a tenth-century statue of God of wealth Kubera (right) - valued at $550,000 The Yale Art Gallery surrendered 13 artifacts worth upwards of $1million to the Manhattan District Attorney's office after an investigation found they were looted from temples in India and Burma Subhash Kapoor, who has been jailed in India since 2011 pending a US extradition request, allegedly used his Arts of the Past gallery in New York to traffic looted treasures Chief of the district attorney's Antiquities Trafficking Unit, Matthew Bogdanos, said nine of the 13 antiquities at Yale were donated to Yale by the Rubin-Ladd Foundation after being illegally trafficked by Kapoor. The larger investigation has focused on tens of thousands of antiquities allegedly smuggled into the United States by Kapoor, who has denied the allegations. Some of the seized artifacts are linked to former art dealer Subhash Kapoor, who is accused of running a multinational antique smuggling ring from the late 70s until 2011 Authorities say the 73-year-old Kapoor - jailed in India since 2011 and facing charges there pending a US extradition request - used his Arts of the Past gallery in New York's Madison Avenue to traffic looted treasures from India and various countries in Southeast Asia. Kapoor has been described as one of the 'most prolific antiquities smugglers in the world.' His network is believed to be the largest antiquities smuggling networks authorities have uncovered since the 1990s. The investigation has resulted in the recovery of 2,500 artifacts valued at $143 million and convictions of six Kapoor co-conspirators. According to the Los Angeles Times, r ecords seized from his gallery show that Kapoor would provide his clients with false ownership histories, which claimed that the items he sold or donated had been in private collections for decades. The Yale Art Gallery issued a statement said on Wednesday addressing the incident US prosecutors say Kapoor used his Arts of the Past gallery (pictured) in New York's Madison Avenue to traffic looted treasures from India and various countries in Southeast Asia The DA's office said Kapoor went to extraordinary lengths to acquire the artifacts, many of them statues of Hindu deities, and then falsified their provenance with forged documents. They say Kapoor traveled the world seeking out antiquities that had been looted from temples, homes and archaeological sites. Kapoor had the items cleansed and repaired to remove any damage from illegal excavation, and then illegally exported them to the United States from their countries of origin, according to US prosecutors. Some of the US galleries to which Kapoor has either sold or donated ancient works of art include the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Norton Simon Museum, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Toledo Museum in Ohio and others. Kapoor's network is believed to be the largest antiquities smuggling networks authorities have uncovered since the 1990s Some of his overseas clients include the Musee des Arts Asiatiques-Guimes in Paris; the Museum of Indische Kunst in Berlin; the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto; the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore; and the National Gallery of Australia. The National Gallery of Australia, the Toledo Museum of Art and the Honolulu Museum of Art have surrendered items looted by Kapoor. Last year, the Manhattan DA's office returned about 250 antiquities looted by Kapoor to India, which were worth an estimated $15 million. Vijay Kumar, the founder of the India Pride Project, an organization that tracks stolen artifacts, said Yale should have gone the extra mile to ensure the artifacts had a legitimate provenance. 'How can you buy or keep Indian art this long without full provenance and when you know about Kapoor and the history of theft from India,' Kumar told The New York Times. Police officers detain a woman during a protest against the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, in central Moscow, April 2. AFP-Yonhap Russian police detained 211 people at protests against Moscow's military invasion of Ukraine, Saturday, according to an NGO. OVD-Info, which monitors arrests during protests, said police had detained at least 211 during demonstrations in 17 cities in Russia. An AFP journalist in Moscow witnessed more than 20 people detained by riot police under heavy snowfall in the capital's central Zaryadye Park, a short distance from the Kremlin. Police escorted away people sitting on park benches or just standing around without explaining the reasons for the detention, the reporter said. One of the detained women held a bouquet of white tulips, while another several times exclaimed "No to war in Ukraine!" as she was being taken away. Advertisement Moscow was accused of genocide last night after retreating Russian forces left behind horrific evidence of rapes, civilian executions and mass graves. The barbarity of Vladimir Putin's soldiers was compared to the atrocities of the Nazis and Stalin's Great Terror as the horrors of Second World War returned to Europe. Ukrainian prosecutors said they had found 410 bodies in towns near the capital Kyiv. They said some witnesses were too traumatised to speak. Two mass graves were discovered in Bucha, one of more than 30 towns and suburbs liberated in recent days. Bodies of civilians, their hands bound and bullet wounds in the back of their heads, littered the streets of the small commuter town north of Kyiv. Survivors emerging from basements after weeks underground told of summary executions, sexual violence and terror not seen since Joseph Stalin's Soviet rule of terror in the 1930s. Bucha was dubbed the 'New Srebrenica' in reference to the 1995 slaughter of 8,000 Muslims during the Bosnian War. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko accused the Russian state of 'genocide'. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned Russia's actions and accused Vladimir Putin and his army of committing war crimes in Ukraine by carrying out 'despicable attacks against innocent civilians'. The UK, France and Germany, along with the NATO Secretary General, on Sunday night called for an international probe to be opened into allegations of Russian 'war crimes'. Meanwhile, Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas declared: 'It's not a battlefield, it's a crime scene' in reference to the horrific images. Meanwhile, Ukraine's defence ministry tweeted footage of the scenes, also comparing the harrowing images to the 1995 murders of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Bosnia. It said: 'New Srebrenica. The city of Bucha was in the hands of animals for several weeks. 'Civilians were being executed arbitrarily, some with hands tied behind their backs, their bodies scattered in the streets of the city.' WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT The body of a man, with his wrists tied behind his back, lies on a street in Bucha, just northwest of the capital Kyiv. The bodies of civilians were found in Bucha and Irpin as Russian troops left the areas Boris Johnson has condemned Russia's despicable attacks' on Ukrainians living in the besieged cities of Bucha and Irpin after a van with 'children' written on it was found riddled with bullet holes What happened at the Srebrenica massacre? The Srebrenica massacre refers to a genocidal atrocity which saw more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys killed. The slaughter took place in the town of Srebrenica, a town in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The massacre took place during the Bosnian War in July 1995 and was perpetuated by the Bosnian Serb Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) under the command of Ratko Mladic. It has widely been condemned as the worst episode of mass murder within Europe since the Second World War and helped galvanize the West to press for a ceasefire that ended three years of warfare. On July 11, thousands of Bosniak men left Srebrenica in an attempt to reach safety but the following morning Bosnian Serb forces made false promises to encourage them to surrender. Thousands gave themselves up or were captured and many were subsequently executed. The women, children and elderly were placed aboard buses and driven to Bosniak-held territory. Mass executions of men and boys began on the evening of July 13. The executions continued at least through July 16, when hundreds of people were reportedly shot at a state farm in the village of Branjevo. Advertisement The chilling discoveries came as: Russia shaved the heads of female prisoners of war in chilling echoes of the Nazis' treatment of women in concentration camps; The Russian defence ministry shamelessly suggested photos of civilians their troops had slaughtered were 'fake' and part of a 'planned media campaign'; More war crimes were reported across the country, including the rape of minors and use of children as human shields; Fears grew for 11 community leaders kidnapped by retreating Russians after one of them was reportedly 'killed in captivity', and; Human Rights Watch recorded a list of war crimes including repeated rape, summary executions and serious violence against Ukrainian civilians. Taras Kuzio, research fellow at human rights group the Henry Jackson Society, said: 'The Soviet looting of eastern Europe and Germany during World War Two is repeated in Ukraine. Reminiscent of Stalin's Great Terror, 300 men and boys as young as 14 were murdered by Russian soldiers in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. 'Soviet soldiers raped upwards of two million German women of all ages during World War Two. Russian soldiers are raping Ukrainian women and girls as young as ten. It is time for the West to stop Putin.' Mr Zelensky said: 'This is genocide. The elimination of the whole nation and the people.' Mr Klitschko said pictures of the devastation were 'painful to see'. He added: 'They are killing civilians, they kill children, women.' Fears of a genocidal plot grew as it was claimed Russia adopted a 'state technical standard for digging and maintaining mass graves' weeks before the invasion. Troops were taught how to build the huge burial grounds for 1,000 corpses in just three days in a policy that came into effect on February 1 three weeks before they marched on Ukraine. Observers fear it could suggest Putin had 'planned genocide' in Ukraine on a scale 'unseen since World War Two'. Russia pulled out of the cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv on Friday, retreating up to 25 miles in places and losing more than 30 towns in a significant victory for Ukraine. But as the survivors emerged from their hiding places underground, their stories and the untold destruction surrounding them laid bare the horrors of the Russian occupation. Between mangled tanks and ruined houses, bodies lined the streets of Bucha, a suburban town of 28,000 residents before the war. Pictures too distressing to publish showed the body of one man bound and discarded in a sewer. Communal workers were seen carrying bodies of civilians killed by shelling from Russian troops in Bucha into a van Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko (right) talks with people in the town of Bucha alongside his brother Wladimir Klitschko (left) Ukrainian Soldiers inspect destroyed Russian military machinery in Bucha after recapturing the town from Russian forces Pictured: Ukrainian refugees look out a bus window as they leave their homes in the commuter town of Bucha on April 3 Others were strewn in front of a railway station and by the side of the road. On one street alone 20 bodies, all in civilian clothes, had their hands bound behind their back. A 14-year-old boy was among them. PM condemns Russia's 'despicable attacks' Boris Johnson has condemned Russia's 'despicable attacks' against Ukrainian civilians in Irpin and Bucha, adding that 'we will not rest until justice is served'. The Prime Minister said 'no denial or disinformation from the Kremlin' can conceal that Putin is 'desperate' and 'his invasion is failing'. In a statement, Mr Johnson said the UK is 'stepping up' its sanctions and military support, and 'bolstering' humanitarian help for those on the ground. He added: 'The UK has been at the forefront of supporting the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into atrocities committed in Ukraine. 'The Justice Secretary has authorised additional financial support and the deployment of specialist investigators - we will not rest until justice is served.' The PA news agency understands this refers to support for the ICC's investigation announced last week. Russia's defence ministry has denied accusations of Russian troops killing civilians in Bucha. The Daily Telegraph has reported that the UK is also leading a drive within the 'Five Eyes' alliance to consider sharing classified intelligence on war crimes with Ukrainian prosecutors. Advertisement Another photo showed three men, arms tied, sprawled on a roadside next to a pile of wooden pallets. Others who appeared to have been fleeing were beheaded, according to the Telegraph. Bucha's mayor, Anatoly Fedoruk, said: 'All these people were shot, killed, in the back of the head.' He claimed 'entire families... children, women, grandmothers, men' were murdered trying to escape. In nearby Irpin, another commuter town vacated by Russia last week, more bodies littered the parks. 'They shot girls and women, and then ran over them in a tank,' said its mayor Alexander Markushyn. The historical echoes have not been lost on Ukraine and other post-Soviet nations. Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas said: 'Photos of murdered civilians in Irpin and Bucha by Russian troops recall the mass killing by Soviet and Nazi regimes. This is not a battlefield, it's a crime scene.' Military experts said the mass killings were consistent with Russian practices during the second Chechen war in 1999-2000. Jack Watling, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said: 'This was the plan, it was premeditated. 'If the Russian military had been more successful there would have been more towns like it.' But Russia dismissed the pictures of atrocities as 'fake'. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described evidence of Russian war crimes as 'a punch to the gut'. The atrocities are likely to stiffen Western resolve to ensure Ukraine defeats Russia on the battlefield as the war enters a new phase. Conservative MP and former Army officer Johnny Mercer said the war crimes were 'the end of the line' for those opposed to increasing military support. For the first time, Ukraine is set to receive tanks, which it will need to displace Russian forces in Donbas, the eastern area occupied by pro-Russian separatists. Poland wants to provide T-72 tanks, which the Ukrainians already know how to use. Other Nato members are expected to 'backfill' tanks to Poland. A Ukrainian soldier waves the country's flag at a checkpoint in Bucha, not far from the capital city of Kyiv, on Saturday, April 2 A man looks over a mass grave in Bucha. Western nations, including the UK, have accused Vladimir Putin and the Russian forces of carrying out 'despicable attacks' there Tanya Nedashkivska reacts as she mourns her husband Vasyl Ivanovych, who served in the navy, and was killed by Russian soldiers, next to his grave at the garden of their residential building in Bucha A Ukrainian soldier carries a gun salvaged from a Russian military machinery in the areas recaptured by the Ukrainian army A woman carrying two shopping bags walks past a destroyed Russian army tank, not far from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv Ukrainian refugees on a bus as they are taken away from the areas surrounding Kyiv following a Russian troop withdrawal Ukrainian soldiers inspect destroyed Russian military machinery in the areas recaptured by the Ukrainian army on Sunday Associated Press journalists in Bucha saw the bodies of at least nine people in civilian clothes who appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two had their hands tied behind their backs Evidence of the atrocities in Ukraine may also lead to stiffer economic sanctions on Russia. The Kremlin is yet to comment publicly on the claims of genocide. Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: 'This is the most barbaric example yet of Russia taking full advantage of the West's timidity to step up. 'We condemn from afar, but fail to act as these war crimes in this horrendous war clock up. Until we offer Ukraine far greater direct support, Putin's war machine will continue with impunity.' In another chilling echo of the Second World War, 15 female prisoners of war were returned in a prisoner swap with their heads shaved. Ukraine's foreign ministry compared the treatment to that of the Nazis in concentration camps. Human Rights Watch has compiled details of war crimes based on survivors' testimonies. In one incident in Bucha, Russian soldiers forced five men on to their knees, pulled shirts over their heads and shot them in the back of the head. Another woman in the town said Russian soldiers took her and 40 others to a square to witness a similar scene with four men although this time just one of them was shot. A commander then shouted: 'We are here to cleanse you from the dirt.' In Staryi Bykiv, east of Kyiv, a woman watched Russians round up her son and five other men and murder them in front of her. Hugh Williamson, of Human Rights Watch, said: 'The cases we documented amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians. A woman hugs a Ukrainian serviceman after a convoy of military and aid vehicles arrived in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha An elderly woman cries near her house in Bucha where the mayor said 280 people had been buried in a mass grave and that the area is littered with corpses Workers were seen clearing a number of bodies that had been lining the streets of Bucha on Sunday morning Four people, all thought to be civilians, were found dead under a blanket on the side of a highway close to Bucha, Ukraine A man walks with bags of food gave for the Ukranian army in Bucha. Former heavyweight champion boxer Wladimir Klitschko visited Bucha to accuse Putin of 'genocide' after mass graves filled with civilian corpses were found after Russian troops left the Kyiv suburb A member of a civilian defence force looks underneath a blanket where four people, all thought to be civilians, were found dead near Bucha A Ukrainian serviceman uses a piece of wood to check if the body of a man dressed in civilian clothing is booby-trapped with explosive devices Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko (R) talks with people in the town of Bucha, near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv A Ukrainian soldier passes by destroyed Russian tanks in the village of Dmytrivka close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Apr. 2, 2022. As Russian forces pull back from Ukraine's capital region, retreating troops are creating a 'catastrophic' situation for civilians by leaving mines around homes, abandoned equipment and 'even the bodies of those killed,' Zelensky warned Saturday 'Rape, murder, and other violent acts against people in the Russian forces' custody should be investigated as war crimes.' Elsewhere in the country, a woman said a Russian soldier repeatedly raped her at knife point in the Kharkiv region. And medical staff in Zaporizhzhia have said they have treated young girls from Mariupol with injuries suggesting they have been sexually assaulted. The UK's ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, said: 'Rape is a weapon of war. Though we don't yet know the full extent of its use in Ukraine it's already clear it was part of Russia's arsenal.' Russia has also been accused by Ukraine of using children as 'human shields' in the village of Novyi Bykiv, close to Chernihiv. A terror reborn: Mass graves, bodies booby-trapped and left on the streets, captured women soldiers with shaved heads... IAN BIRRELL witnesses scenes in Ukraine that echo the horrors of WWII By Ian Birrell for the Daily Mail The images that have emerged after Russia's retreat from the outskirts of Kyiv are haunting, harrowing and a hideous reminder of the darkest chapters from Europe's history. One shows a solitary woman walking past burnt-out Russian tanks amid the flattened buildings of Bucha, near Kyiv, the suburban town now almost unrecognisable from a few short weeks ago. Another picture reveals a soldier nervously prodding a body with a stick to see if it is booby-trapped. A third portrays female soldiers returned to Ukraine in a prisoner swap. Their heads have been shaved in humiliation by captors trying to strip them of dignity. One shows a solitary woman walking past burnt-out Russian tanks amid the flattened buildings of Bucha, near Kyiv, the suburban town now almost unrecognisable from a few short weeks ago These are just a handful of the grotesque images of streets liberated by Ukrainian troops after they forced back Vladimir Putin's forces. Many pictures from the capital's outskirts are too distressing to publish. There are claims of mass graves. Corpses of men with hands tied behind backs, shot through the mouth or with a bullet to the brain. Bodies of cyclists and children slaughtered on the streets of a European city once filled with busy cafes, schools and shops. Some lie face-down on the pavement. Some died in flames, trapped in their cars. Others stare up at the skies with mouths wide open as if screaming in anguish at the horrors of Russian occupation, from an invasion that began only 40 days ago. Often, these people were not soldiers. They are innocent victims of the most ghastly atrocities. They were human beings whose lives ended in terror at the behest of a blood-stained monster bidding to revive his nation's imperial past. Many were found lying on the streets of Bucha among the sinister litter of war destroyed tanks, spent bullet casings, shattered glass, shards of artillery shells. This suburb was a place for professionals seeking more space than they might find in the city centre. A haven for families on the fringe of a bustling capital city. But now the name of Bucha is testament to Putin's barbarity another unwanted reminder of man's potential for evil in a conflict that has already thrown up too many uncomfortable parallels with the Second World War. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, said the scenes emerging from towns in the Kyiv region exposed a 'post-apocalyptic picture' of life under Russian occupation that he likened to a horror film. Putin believed he would rapidly crush Ukraine. One mayor told me their battlefield souvenirs include bottles of vodka with a special label for airborne forces 'to drink for their victory' along with ceremonial uniforms and orchestral instruments for a planned triumphant parade in Kyiv. Another picture reveals a soldier nervously prodding a body with a stick to see if it is booby-trapped Plans are also circulating of Russian preparations for mass graves containing up to 1,000 bodies, covered in chemicals and then driven down into the earth by bulldozers. Instead Russia's military machine was forced back, leaving the Kremlin to bleat pathetically that Ukraine is spreading fake images for the Western media relying on actors pretending to be dead. Moscow claims that during the time Bucha was under its control, no civilians suffered and no civilian buildings were destroyed just as they deny targeting innocent people in the hell of explosions raining down in the port of Mariupol. But only the most deluded fellow travellers in the free world will be fooled. Human Rights Watch said yesterday that it has documented allegations of Russian war crimes that include 'repeated rape' and 'summary executions'. In Bucha, it says, a man was seen being shot in the back of his head by the side of a road. In a town close to Chernihiv, six men were rounded up and executed by Putin's goons. A third image (pictured above) portrays female soldiers returned to Ukraine in a prisoner swap. Their heads have been shaved by Russian military troops in humiliation by captors trying to strip them of dignity In a village near Kharkiv, there is evidence that a woman was repeatedly raped in the school where she sought shelter. 'The cases we documented amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians,' said Hugh Williamson, Human Rights Watch's Europe and Central Asia director. 'Rape, murder and other violent acts against people in the Russian forces' custody should be investigated as war crimes.' He is right, of course. These are crimes against humanity and war crimes of the highest magnitude. Yet so was the very act of invasion when Putin sent his troops over the border of a sovereign nation on the basis of risible claims about 'denazification'. Never forget he unleashed this war supposedly to liberate his brothers and sisters in the Russky Mir ('Russian World') that he claimed were victims of a fascist coup although in reality, he was terrified of a vibrant democracy emerging on his doorstep in case it fuelled dissent among his own repressed citizens. These pictures demonstrate again how Putin has turned his nation into a pariah state and deserves to be in the dock facing charges of war crimes before swapping his 10,000 puffer jacket for a set of prison fatigues. Clearly Russia's troops are carrying out atrocities yet ultimately, all the deaths, destroyed cities, raped women and slaughtered children can be blamed on one man: the killer in the Kremlin who launched this unwanted war. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, a Republican, called Donald Trump 'f***ing crazy' at the white-tie Gridiron Dinner in Washington D.C. on Saturday. Sununu was the GOP rep for the evening, giving remarks where he railed against the former president even as some within the party say Trump is the best hope for congressional Republicans winning back a majority in 2022 and back the White House in 2024. 'You know, he's probably going to be the next president,' Sununu said of Trump, before going on to sarcastically comment on the ex-president's 'experience' and 'sense of integrity.' 'Nah, I'm just kidding!' Sununu broke out and was met with laughter before saying' 'He's f***ing crazy!' 'Are you kidding?! Come on. You guys are buying that? I love it,' he continued. 'He just stresses me out so much. 'I'm going to deny I ever said it,' Sununu said of his comments about Trump. He also clarified: 'I don't think he's so crazy he should be in a mental asylum. But if he's in one, he's not getting out.' New Hampshire Republican Governor Chris Sununu said during the Gridiron Dinner in D.C. on Saturday that Donald Trump is 'f***ing crazy'. Pictured: Sununu at a NASCAR Cup series race on Sunday, July 18, 2021 The Gridiron Dinner returned to D.C. on Sunday after a two-year hiatus with the coronavirus pandemic, despite the dinner being held in the past during wartime and 'amidst all kinds of upheaval and turmoil.' D.C.'s oldest journalist association held their 135th anniversary dinner Saturday, which was not attended by President Joe Biden. Historically, president's attended the dinner that kicks off the nation's capital 'awards season.' Biden did, however, deliver a pre-recorded video address to the dinner. Some describe the Gridiron Dinner as a smaller, more exclusive white-tie version of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. WHCA will hold their first dinner since 2019 later in April. While Sununu spoke for Republicans, Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin spoke for Democrats and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo took stage on behalf of the administration. Trump has often questioned President Joe Biden's mentally stability as president. Pictured: Donald Trump at a rally in Michigan on Saturday, April 2, 2022 Also at the dinner, Sununu told a story about a time Trump visited his state of New Hampshire and invited him for a ride in The Beast. During their discussion, Trump stopped talking and pointed out the window at people lining the road holding American flags. He said: 'They love me,' according to the GOP governor. Sununu said the only problem was that the man the then-president was pointed at was holding a sign that read, 'F*** TRUMP.' Republicans and Democrats have flung back and forth accusations over the last several years that respective candidates and presidents were not mentally fit for office. During Trump's presidency, Democrats demanded that his mental stability be tested. Trump said he took cognitive ability tests that he claimed he 'aced.' Now Republicans are using the same lines of attack against Biden, claiming his frequent gaffes and mix ups during public remarks show that his mental fitness is on the decline. Swastikas were seen graffitied on trees near a Quaker cemetery in southern New Jersey, another vile sign of soaring hate crimes in the state. The symbols of hatred were first observed on Thursday outside the Haddonfield Friends Meeting Cemetery by employees before being reported to local police on Friday. Two trees on both side of the cemetery's entry can be seen with spray-painted pink swastikas and bigoted language while facing the local Quakers meetinghouse near North Haddon Avenue and Lake Street in the town located about 15 miles from Philadelphia. Thursday's discovery came just a day before acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced a record number of hate crimes in the state last year. Swastikas were found spray-painted outside Quaker cemetery at Haddonfield Friends Cemetery in Haddonfield, New Jersey, on Thursday as hate crimes in the state continue to rise Preliminary data indicated that an estimated 1,900 bias incidents were documented in New Jersey last year the highest number since the state started individually recording hate crimes in 1994. 'Even though we are Quakers, there are times when we cannot and should not be silent,' said Dave Austin, clerk for the Haddonfield Friends Meeting, in a statement in reaction to the discovery. 'It is a sad fact that hate crimes of all kinds, especially incidents involving anti-Semitic hate, have been on the rise in recent years across our state and our country, including locally.' Hate crimes have spiked 29 percent from the 1,447 bias incidents recorded in 2020. Anti-Jewish bias was mentioned as the reason behind 347 incidents reported in 2021. 'Our commitment to protecting New Jersey residents from acts of hate and bias remains unshakable,' Platkin said in a statement. Bigoted language was also found on another tree at the other side of the cemetery, which is home to a local community of Quakers He added that the hate crime came on the 300th anniversary of Haddonfield Friends this year, and that the religious group 'will have to reflect on this as a community.' Quakerism is a Christian religious denomination, known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Followers of the movement are generally united by a belief in each human's ability to experience the light within or see 'that of God in every one.' 'We've done work on anti-racism; we'll take care of each other,' he told NJ Pen. 'I want the local community, the wider community, to be aware that this has happened, and to give folks something to think about. 'This isn't right,' he added. 'It seems like we're in this place right now as a country where this stuff is everywhere. There are a lot of people pushing agendas that are just plain wrong. They're anti-American, anti-human, as much as they're anti-Semitic.' Haddonfield Police Department is currently leading the investigation into the hateful graffiti, according to its Chief Jason Cutler. City officials were sent to the cemetery to remove the spray-paint on Friday morning. Haddonfield Friends Cemetery in Haddonfield, New Jersey, has become the latest location in the state where a hate crime was carried out Haddonfield mayor Colleen Bianco Bezich said she was 'disgusted' by Thursday's findings and said it was 'important to stand in solidarity with our Jewish community members and denounce the symbols' in the wake of Passover, which is less than two weeks away from today Haddonfield Mayor Colleen Bianco Bezich expressed her 'disgust' by the findings of the hate symbols in the borough, and thanked members of the cemetery and police for 'responding, reporting, and working to clean up these signs. 'Hate and bigotry have no home in Haddonfield, whether anti-Semitism or any other type,' Bianco Bezich said. 'As Passover is only two weeks away, it's important to stand in solidarity with our Jewish community members and denounce these symbols.' The former secretary of state also complained of a 'disconnect' among Dems However she also conceded that the political tides had turned against President Joe Biden after the US military's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan She said Democrats have 'good accomplishments to be putting up on the board' The 2016 presidential contender said 'the average American' does not want Republicans to win back control of Congress Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday that Democrats need to do a 'better job' in selling voters on their accomplishments ahead of November's midterm elections. Everyday American voters do not want a Republican-led government, Clinton suggested, despite polls indicating increasingly favorable odds for the GOP to take back the majority in Congress. Later the same day the ex-2016 presidential contender was spotted out and about in downtown Manhattan. Dressed casually in a muted navy blue jacket, a lighter blue shirt and gray pants, the former first lady carried only a black handbag while being photographed on the New York City streets. Someone accompanying her was holding a large black umbrella, after the city saw a modest downpour for much of Sunday morning. 'There is a lot of good accomplishments to be putting up on the board. And the Democrats in office and out need to be doing a better job of making the case -- and frankly, standing up to the other side with their craziness and their calls for impunity and nuttiness that we hear coming from them,' Clinton said on NBC News' Meet the Press. 'I don't think the average American, frankly, wants to be governed by people who live in a totally different reality.' Shortly after her NBC interview, the former first lady was spotted in lower Manhattan She was dressed casually in a navy blue jacket, lighter blue top and dark-colored pants Clinton still appeared to have her hair and makeup in tact from the earlier NBC News appearance Someone accompanying the ex-Secretary of State was carrying an umbrella after much of the city saw a downpour on Sunday morning The failed White House candidate said there appears to be a 'disconnect' in messaging between Democrats in the White House and Democrats in Congress. 'I think that his handling of Ukraine, passing the American rescue package, the huge infrastructure package,' she said, listing off Biden's accomplishments. 'I'm not quite sure what the disconnect is between the accomplishments of the administration, and this Congress, and the understanding of what's been done, and the impact it will have on the American public, and some of the polling and the ongoing hand wringing.' That penchant for expressing outrage and fear for a situation is part-and-parcel of Democrat politics, Clinton appears to concede. Election watchers and liberal operatives have expressed concern that infighting between progressives and moderates over the future of the party could serve to further diminish Democrats' chances of winning in November. Hillary Clinton joined NBC News on Sunday to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the state of the Democratic Party ahead of November's midterm elections WATCH: "I don't think [Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan] helped" his numbers ahead of midterms, @hillaryclinton says. "Democrats, in office and out, need to do a better job of making the case" to voters. pic.twitter.com/G9XCTBrLiq Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) April 3, 2022 'I do think hand wringing is part of the Democratic DNA. That seems to be in style whether we're in or out of power. We're in power and there still is hand wringing going on,' Clinton said bluntly. She added, 'From my perspective, President Biden is doing a very good job.' However she admitted that there would always be a 'chorus' of disgruntled Democrats, and advised them to not let that take away from their accomplishments. And the 'disconnect' Clinton claimed was prevalent among Democrats is even more apparent within the GOP, she said. 'I've always thought that the best politics is doing the best job that you can do. And there's a lot that Democrats can talk about in this upcoming midterms. I'm well aware that midterms are obviously always difficult for the party in power,' Clinton claimed. 'But we've got a great story to tell. And we need to get out there and do a better job of telling it. And for those who say it hasn't gone far enough -- that's always the chorus in Democratic Party politics -- but I would add that in Republican Party politics, you have an even greater disconnect.' She dismissed Democrats' growing alarm over the upcoming elections by saying that 'hand wringing is part of the Democratic DNA' Invoking the growing rift between pro-Trump Republicans and the more traditional wing of the party, Clinton went on: 'Unfortunately, most of that party has now gone to the extreme and are saying and doing things that have no basis in reality.' 'So we've got a good case to make if we get our focus in the right place to do it,' she said. As Clinton mentioned in her Sunday interview, a growing number of polls indicate that Democrats are increasingly likely to lose their razor-thin margin of power in Congress. FiveThirtyEight, which regularly tracks a generic Congressional ballot based on the most recent nationwide surveys, shows Republicans with a modest lead. However, the 44.7 percent to 42.6 percent margin suggests that voters are not totally happy with either party's direction. Biden himself had been suffering from low approval ratings through much of his first term, hitting 40 percent approval and 55 percent disapproval for the first time in an NBC poll released last week. Asked whether she thought the US's chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal last August played a part in the president's descent, Clinton conceded it 'obviously' did. 'I don't think it helped, I think that is obviously the case,' she said. Meanwhile multiple polls suggest it's increasingly likely that Republicans will win control of Congress in November The former Secretary of State also weighed in on Biden's handling of Russia's war in Ukraine, praising the president's leadership as 'excellent.' She went a step further and called on the US and global community as a whole to 'not allow Russia back into the organizations that it has been a part of' before Vladimir Putin ordered the brutal attack in late February. 'I think there is an upcoming G20 event later in the year. I would not permit Russia to attend,' Clinton said, likely referring to the leadership summit in Bali, Indonesia in November. 'And if they insisted on literally showing up, I would hope there would be a significant, if not total, boycott. 'The only way that we're going to end the bloodshed and the terror that we're seeing unleashed in Ukraine and protect Europe and democracy, is to do everything we can to impose even greater costs on Putin.' Clinton was named among a list of US officials and relatives who had been sanctioned by Russia after multiple rounds of economic blockades targeting Kremlin elites including Putin himself. A five-year-old Florida girl died after her mother kidnapped her and led police on a high-speed chase that ended with her vehicle crashing into a retention pond. Pamela Tereza Cabrera, 32, led police on a 30-mile pursuit through North Jacksonville on Thursday night, reaching speeds of 90 mph, before she crashed her vehicle into the pond as she tried to exit the interstate. Officers pulled Cabrera out of the water, but were unable locate her daughter, Vanity, WJAX reported. A dive team eventually found the five-year-old dead at the bottom of the pond. Cabrera was arrested on several charges, including fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, vehicular homicide and multiple counts of battery. She lost custody of Vanity in 2020 as she battled schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She was expected in court on Friday but did not show up due to 'disruptive behavior.' Officials say she is currently undergoing a mental health evaluation at the Jacksonville Jail and is expected in court for arraignment on April 21. Cabrera (pictured in mug shot) was expected in court on Friday but did not show up due to 'disruptive behavior.' Officials say she is currently undergoing a mental health evaluation at the Jacksonville Jail and is expected in court for arraignment on April 21 Pamela Cabrera (right) was arrested Thursday night after leading police on a 30-mile chase, reaching speeds of 90mph, through North Jacksonville. Her daughter, Vanity (left), was killed after Cabrera crashed her vehicle into a retention pond Jacksonville Sheriff's officers began pursuing Cabrera after receiving a call about an in-progress kidnapping. The chase began after an officer attempted to approach Cabrera's vehicle at a traffic light, prompting her to flee. Police followed Cabrera, who was allegedly armed with a knife, along Interstate 95 for approximately 30 miles until she drove off the exit ramp and into the pond. Officers exited their vehicles and rushed into the water, where Cabrera was apprehended. Despite their efforts, police were unable to locate Vanity until it was too late. The little girl's cause of death has not been released. Officers pulled Cabrera, who suffers from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, out of the water but were unable locate Vanity A dive team eventually found the five-year-old dead at the bottom of the pond Cabrera's family told police there had been an altercation at their Shore Rush Trail home before the abduction. Her cousin, who has served as Vanity's guardian for the last two years, said that Cabrera has suffered from mental health issues for quite some time. 'Pamela wasn't a bad person. She just needs help and she didn't get the help she needed from the government. She wasn't a bad person,' Solange Slaquer told the news outlet. 'We tried to look for help plenty times and we called police plenty times to help her, we took her to psychologist and Pamela just needed help.' Slaquer claims that despite Cabrera's efforts, her cousin's mental health battle was like a rollercoaster with many ups and downs. She claimed that Cabrera's struggles recently worsened after she got pregnant and ceased taking her dedication. 'Even when she was admitted to a mental health hospital and she was taking medications, everything got worse now when she got pregnant again and she wasn't taking the medication,' she said. Cabrera was arrested on several charges including including fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, vehicular homicide, and multiple counts of battery Cabrera's family told police there had been an altercation at their Shore Rush Trail home before the abduction. Her cousin, who has served as Vanity's guardian for the last two years, said that Cabrera has suffered from mental health issues for quite some time According to an affidavit obtained by First Coast News, when Cabrera would take her medication she was 'normal and functioning,' with relatives alleging she would act like herself and was 'able to think clearly'. However, when she was off her meds she would often lose track of time and go without sleep. She lost custody of Vanity after Slaquer took care of the child, then 4, for an entire month while Cabrera was unwell. DCFS had required Cabrera to complete behavioral classes to receive custody of her child. It is unclear if she ever enrolled in or completed the course. The 32-year-old's mother, Maria Ortiz, claims Cabrera was 'lost' without Vanity. Ortiz actively tried to seek help for her daughter and was in the process of obtaining power of attorney over her so she could help Cabrera make decisions when she was 'not in the right state of mind'. The family has asked the public withhold their judgement and and, according to Slaquer, can instead 'pray for us'. The former archbishop of York has said that Vladimir Putin will 'have one day to answer to God' for the 'absolute viciousness' he is unleashing on the Ukrainian people. John Sentamu, 72, questioned how the president, who identifies as a Russian Orthodox Christian, can say his prayers at night after inflicting acts of 'evil' in Ukraine. The Russian Orthodox Church has backed Putin's invasion of Ukraine that has seen the Russian President accused of war crimes. Mass graves were found yesterday on the outskirts of Ukraine's capital Kyiv, as Ukrainians claimed Russian forces 'booby-trap corpses and execute civilians while retreating from recaptured Kyiv area'. John Sentamu, 72, (centre), questioned how Putin, who identifies as a Russian Orthodox Christian, can say his prayers at night after inflicting acts of 'evil' in Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin presents flowers during a ceremony to Russian Orthodox Christian leader Patriarch Kirill last year Members of the public joined church leaders leading a crowd in an act of witness outside the Ukrainian embassy in Holland Park, west London They spontaneously sang the national anthem of Ukraine in a show of solidarity It comes after reports of mass graves and civilian execution as Russian forces retreated from the Kyiv region Territorial defence fighters told The Times they found the mutilated bodies of 18 people, including women and children as young as 14, in a cellar. Horrific images emerged of bodies strewn across the streets of commuter town Bucha, which was retaken by Ukrainian forces on Friday. Ukraine's foreign minister on Sunday accused Russian forces of carrying out a 'massacre' in the town of Bucha, while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described images of dead bodies there as 'a punch in the gut'. Russia's defence ministry denied the Ukrainian allegations, saying footage and photographs showing dead bodies in Bucha were 'yet another provocation' by Kyiv. After Ukraine said on Saturday its forces had reclaimed control of the whole Kyiv region, images of corpses in civilian clothes left behind by departing Russian troops prompted calls from officials in Ukraine and Europe for tougher sanctions on Russia. The outrage in Ukraine and abroad added to pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin because it increased the likelihood of further Western sanctions. However, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church held a service for Russian soldiers on Sunday in which he called on them to defend their country 'as only Russians can' as Moscow continues its military campaign in Ukraine. At the lavishly decorated Main Cathedral of the Armed Forces opened two years ago in Kubinka outside Moscow, Patriarch Kirill told a group of servicemen and servicewomen that Russia was a 'peace-loving' country that had suffered greatly from war. Ukrainian policemen check the wreckage of Russian tanks and armoured personnel carriers (APC) in Dmytrivka village, west of Kyiv, on April 2 Ukrainian servicemen walk next to destroyed Russian tanks and armoured personnel carriers (APC) in Dmytrivka Burned Russian armoured vehicles are seen on the outskirts of Kyiv. Since the conflict began in late February, Russia has lost an estimated 143 planes, 131 helicopters, 625 tanks and 316 artillery pieces 'We absolutely do not strive for war or to do anything that could harm others,' said the patriarch, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. 'But we have been raised throughout our history to love our fatherland. And we will be ready to protect it, as only Russians can defend their country.' Kirill, 75, has previously made statements defending Moscow's actions in Ukraine and sees the war as a bulwark against a Western liberal culture that he considers decadent, particularly over the acceptance of homosexuality. His support for the military intervention, in which thousands of soldiers and Ukrainian civilians have been killed, has angered some within the Orthodox church at home as well as in churches abroad linked to the Moscow Patriarchate. Mr Sentamu joined other church leaders today in saying prayers outside the Ukrainian Embassy in Holland Park, west London. Around a hundred Christians, including some from Ukraine, held a minute's silence for the war-torn country while holding blue and yellow hearts in the air. Mr Sentamu described Ukraine as a 'very, very strong Christian country' and condemned the violence seen over the weekend in Bucha, near Kyiv, as 'brutality, absolute viciousness'. When asked whether Mr Putin can ever be forgiven for his actions in the eyes of the church, Mr Sentamu said: 'First of all, the people who are going to forgive him are the Ukrainians, and the rest of us can try to remind him that the Cross of Jesus is the end of violence. 'If you really wear a cross like I do, you must be non-violent. Ukrainian servicemen ride on a fighting vehicle outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 2, 2022. As Russian forces pull back from Ukraine's capital region, retreating troops are creating a 'catastrophic' situation for civilians by leaving mines around homes, abandoned equipment and 'even the bodies of those killed,' President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Saturday. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Destroyed cars are seen on a highway 20km from Kyiv, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Kyiv region, Ukraine, April 2, 2022. REUTERS/Mikhail Palinchak A Ukrainian soldier passes by destroyed Russian tanks in the village of Dmytrivka close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 2, 2022. At least ten Russian tanks were destroyed in the fighting two days ago in Dmytrivka. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) 'To unleash such brutality is just beyond me. 'If I was a Russian Orthodox Bishop, actually, I would be going and telling Putin that what he's doing is contrary to the love of God, contrary to humanity as we know it, contrary really to anything else. 'To invade another free country in the way he is doing is just not on. 'He will have one day to answer to God.' When asked whether he held any hope in the ability of Christian leaders to appeal to Mr Putin through religious reasoning, he said: 'What I would say to him, is whenever you see the poor, the vulnerable, looking at you - that's Jesus looking at you. 'Because he [Jesus] is among the poor, the weak, the vulnerable, the unloved. 'So Putin, if he is saying he is doing all this - how can he say his prayers at night, particularly that phrase in the Lord's Prayer: "Deliver us from evil?" Destroyed cars are seen on a highway 20km from Kyiv, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Kyiv region, Ukraine, April 2, 2022. REUTERS/Mikhail Palinchak Local residents in the village of Dmitrivka, near Kyiv, emerge from their homes and begin clearing away the burned remains of Russian tanks after a string of successful Ukrainian counterattacks 'How can he do evil acts and then say: "I'm on God's side" - never, never, never.' Mr Sentamu said he visited Odesa in 1983 and was overcome with the 'remarkable' hospitality of the residents there, so he was saddened to see the city had heard explosions this weekend. Reverend Dyfrig Rees, 62, general secretary of the Union of Welsh Independents, which represents 350 congregational churches in the nation, also attended the act of witness with his wife, Mandy Rees, 62. He said he hoped Ukrainians would find people around the world saying prayers for them 'inspiring and encouraging'. Mr Rees said: 'I'm sure that if someone tells someone now in Ukraine there were 100 people in London thinking about you praying for you and standing with you, I'm sure that's going to keep them going. 'I felt pride and I felt inspired and I felt filled with hope and joy.' Ukrainians have shared pictures of a burning Russian fighter jet they say was shot out of the sky in the Kharkiv region as Putin's forces continue to take heavy damages. Photos from the scene remains of Russian fighting aircraft Su-35 believed to have been hit by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It is understood the plane was shot down by the anti-aircraft missile troops of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who shared footage of the incident online. The Su-35, a hi-tech fighter jet worth an estimated 30million, was reduced to rubble. It is understood the plane was shot down in the Kharkiv region of the country. Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko confirmed the Su-35 was shot down by Ukrainian forces, reportedly writing: '50 million dollars worth of damage for the ogres!' Gerashchenko reported that the pilot ejected and tried to escape, but was subsequently detained. A view shows remains of Russian fighting aircraft Su-35 hit by the Ukrainian Armed Forces The 30million plane was shot out of the sky by Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kharkiv region So far, 19 Russian planes are confirmed downed by Ukrainian forces since the outbreak of the war. A video widely shared online reportedly shows the moment the jet was shot down. In the footage, an aircraft can be seen falling from the sky while on fire before it hits the ground and bursts into flames with a thick black cloud of smoke. A man can be heard saying: 'Something is falling on the village. F**k! F**k! Here, here... Oh just right on the house.' It comes as Putin's forces continue to withdraw from northern parts of the country as Ukrainian forces recapture regions that had previously been held by Russian troops, including the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Russian forces have now moved into a different stage of the conflict and are focussed on the eastern regions of the war-torn nation. The withdrawal has been coupled with attacks on Odessa in the south today as Russia weighs up an amphibious assault on the vital Black Sea port city. Ukraine has taken back the 'whole Kyiv region' from Russian troops, the country's deputy defence minister said as the fightback against the invaders continues. Britain is supplying and training Ukrainian troops in the use of the high-velocity anti-air missiles as well as providing body armour, helmets and combat boots. It comes after British Starstreak missiles made their first impact in the war, bringing down a Russian helicopter on Friday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly insisted the UK will provide further defensive support to Ukraine, including a new package of 6,000 more missiles. And UK defence sources revealed on Friday that Kremlin forces have run out of vital weapons and cannot now replenish their stocks. The MoD also gave a further update saying a fire has destroyed several oil tanks at a depot in the Russian city of Belgorod, which is close to the Ukrainian border. Pictured: Footage shared online purports to show the moment the jet was shot out of the sky A view shows remains of Russian fighting aircraft Su-35 hit by the Ukrainian Armed Forces The SU-35s is Russia's single-seat multi-role attack jet. It is well suited to air superiority missions due to its excellent manoeuvrability and thrust vectoring engines to allow it to turn far tighter than a traditional jet aircraft. Unlike the F-22 and F-35, the Su-35s is not a stealth fighter and relies far more on dog fighting skills like older aircraft such as the F-16. The aircraft has a maximum speed of Mach 2.25 at 36,000 feet - approximately 1,500mph - and carry 8,000kg in weapons with a range of around 1,000 miles. Russia claims the aircraft is better than the west's fourth generation aircraft, such as the US F-16 and French Rafaele and even the RAF's Typhoon interceptor. The Su-35s is fitted with a 30mm cannon for air-to-air dog fighting as well as the capability of carrying rockets, missiles and bombs. The photos were shared by Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff on April 3. Pictured: The SU-35s is Russia's single-seat multi-role attack jet It comes as Ukrainian forces drove Russia out of dozens of towns around Kyiv and the north in one of the most extraordinary days since the start of the invasion. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace previously said the Starstreak system a shoulder-mounted missile that travels at more than three times the speed of sound to take down low-flying enemy jets was ready to be used imminently. Mr Wallace said the first Ukrainian troops had been trained and were now deployed with Starstreak, adding that the UK was 'doing more than pretty much anyone else' to help the war-torn country. 'One of the biggest challenges is that the more you go up in sophistication of weapons systems, the more training you require to use them, which is why the real focus of effort has to be helping the Ukrainians either refurbish or locate Russian or Soviet equipment that is already in their inventory,' he told the Mail on Sunday. 'Just providing British tanks wouldn't really work.' The missile detaches into three darts mid-air, which are guided to the target by a laser operator on the ground. The use of lasers rather than being attracted to infrared energy means flares cannot counteract the three-pronged missile. Britain has already sent thousands of anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, although Nato nations have continued to rebuff pleas from Zelensky for tanks and fighter aircraft. More than 30 settlements have been reclaimed with Vladimir Putin's forces retreating up to 25 miles in places. But officials urged caution, saying the movement is part of Russia's 'tactics' to encircle Ukrainian troops in Donbas and split the country in two. Ron Klain on Sunday morning blamed the ongoing migrant crisis on Congress, claiming they have not approved requested aid to secure the southern border as the administration prepares for a massive influx of migrants once its pandemic-era protections are dropped next month. 'Look, we need to do more work at the border,' President Joe Biden's chief of staff told ABC's This Week host George Stephanopoulos. 'The president sent an immigration plan to Congress on his first day in office,' he explained. 'We've asked consistently for more resources.' The comment comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday that on May 23 it will end Title 42, which allowed for the instant deportation of asylum-seekers without hearing their claims in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even some Democrats are coming out against the move, claiming that there is not a good alternative in place to quell the crisis at the southern border once Title 42 is no longer in play. Klain assured on Sunday that the administration has put in place safeguards that will help Border Patrol and other immigration agencies 'process asylum claims more clearly' once the policy ends. But the chief of staff said while there are warnings that border crossings could tripling come late May, Biden's team is also concerned with making sure legit asylum claims are being heard. 'We also have to be honest about what's happening at the border,' he said. 'We have people showing up with asylum claims from places like Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Brazil. People fleeing regimes where they are feeling persecution, coming here to make asylum claims.' White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain seemed to suggest Sunday that Congress is to blame for the southern border crisis Since Biden took office in January 2021, CBP has encountered more than 2.2 million migrants and the border and that number could as much as triple with the end of Title 42 We need to do more work at the border...We've asked consistently for more resources, White House chief of staff Ron Klain tells @GStephanopoulos when asked about possible surge at border when Title 42 is lifted. https://t.co/zaM0Oytpjf pic.twitter.com/8QGpmVkxA0 This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 3, 2022 'I think the goal for everyone should be to make sure those asylum claims, those claims of people fleeing persecution, are heard in a prompt way. Those who deserve protection from prosecution get that protection.' 'Those who don't are promptly sent back to where they came from.' Some reports last month show estimates where at least 170,000 migrants are waiting on the Mexico side of the border ready to claim asylum on the U.S. side once Title 42 is lifted. Since Title 42 was put in place, more than a million migrants apprehended at the border have been rapidly expelled to Mexico or other countries, often within hours of being caught. Also starting from the time Biden took office, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has encountered more than 2.2 million migrants illegally crossing or claiming asylum at the southern border. From February 2021 the first full month of Biden's presidency to the end of last Fiscal Year on the last day of September 2021, at least 1.44 million migrants were apprehended or encountered. So far in Fiscal Year 2022, which started on October 1, 2021, encounters have reached 838,635. Experts warn that the migration influx at the southern border could triple once Title 42 ends on May 23. Pictured: Migrants in Mexico take part in a caravan towards the U.S. from in Tapachula, on Friday April 1 And now, CBP officials are warning that in the first six months of FY2022, the U.S. will see a minimum of 1 million encounters. Numbers for March will likely be released some time in mid-April. Some Democrats broke last week with the party after news broke of the end of the policy. They claimed the administration doesn't have any alternatives in place to quell the impending mass migration influx. Moderate Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema said that she and fellow Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, also a Democrat, spoke with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about not ending Title 42 until there are other safeguards in place at the border. 'We spoke with the @DHSgov Secretary about the administration's Title 42 contingency plans following our letter to the President urging him not to end Title 42 without a comprehensive plan to support border communities,' Sinema tweeted Wednesday of her and Kelly's meeting. She said in a statement following the meeting of her border state constituents and illegal border crossers: 'Ending Title 42 without a comprehensive plan in place puts at risk the health and safety of migrants and Arizona communities.' Sinema is chairwoman of the Senate Subcommittee on Border Management. 'There is still not an adequate plan or sufficient coordination to end Title 42 without further straining our law enforcement, border communities, and nonprofits providing humanitarian assistance to migrants,' junior Arizona Senator Kelly said in a statement on the meeting with DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to discuss the Administration's Title 42 contingency plan. 'We'll continue to push the Biden administration for the resources and support Arizona needs amid this crisis at our southern border,' Kelly added. Compounding the migration crisis are Ukrainians fleeing Europe after Russia invaded on February 24. Pictured: Aerial view of Ukrainians seeking asylum in the U.S. in a makeshift camp at the San Ysidro Crossing port in Tijuana, Baja California State of Mexico on Saturday, April 2 Senator Joe Manchin who completes the moderate Democratic trifecta with Kelly and Sinema also told reporters on Thursday that the administration should drop plans to scrap the Trump-era policy. New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassen also tweeted Wednesday: 'I am concerned that there is not a sufficient plan in place to address the steep increase in border crossings that could result from this reported decision.' 'This preemptive repeal threatens border security at a time when the administration should be focused on strengthening it,' she added. The CDC is giving the administration two months to prepare for a possible tripling of migration at the southern border. Title 42 was enacted under former President Donald Trump and allows for the instant expulsion of migrants and the ability to withhold hearing their asylum claims in the midst of the public health emergency. Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas warned Wednesday of a human 'tsunami' at the border with the end of Title 42. President Joe Biden suffered another brain cramp during a ceremony to commission the Navy's newest nuclear submarine, saying the first lady previously held the office of Vice President during the Obama administration. Biden, 79, was praising his wife Jill Biden, 70, for her work and commitment to military families after she was named the USS Delaware's sponsor during its commissioning in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday. 'I'm deeply proud of the work she is doing as First Lady with Joining Forces initiative she started with Michelle Obama when she was Vice President and now carries on,' the president mistakenly said. It was the latest blunder for the president, leading the White House to send out an updated transcript which said changed the reference from she to I. 'And I'm deeply proud of the work she is doing as First Lady with Joining Forces initiative she started with Michelle Obama when she [I] was Vice President and now carries on,' the White House official transcript reads. President Joe Biden said the first lady previously held office as Vice President during the Obama administration in his latest blunder on Saturday The White House corrected the president's remark, noting in an official transcript that he meant to reference the first lady's work with then-first-lady Michelle Obama while he was vice president from 2008 to 2016 Biden, 79, was praising his wife Jill Biden, 70, for her work and commitment to military families after she was named the USSS Delaware's sponsor during its commissioning in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday Republicans have cited Biden's cognitive decline as the main reason for the current administration's backtracking over the president's other recent verbal blunders: first telling US troops in Warsaw, Poland, that they were about to go to Ukraine, before suggesting that the US might engage in using chemical weapons on Russia. Biden also called for regime change in Moscow, saying in late March that 'for God's sake, this man [Putin] cannot remain in power.' On Saturday, Biden commissioned the USS Delaware, a nuclear attack submarine, saying it would enhance national security though he made no reference to the global turmoil from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The First lady was chosen as the submarine's sponsor, a role meant to bring a vessel luck. During her remarks, she exclaimed: 'Officers and crew of the USS Delaware, man our ship and bring her to life.' The crew responded, 'Aye aye, ma'am' and, as she applauded, sailors in dress uniforms ran behind the crowd, then down onto the submarine and lined up on the deck. The President also praised his wife's role during the ceremony. Biden said: 'The daughter of a Navy signalman during World War Two, the mother of a member of the Delaware National Guard, the grandmother of children who experienced having their father deployed away from home for a year at a time.' 'She always holds our military and their families in her heart. And that is not hyperbole; that's real.' The President then went on to say in error that his wife was vice president, when talking about her accomplishments while she was the second lady of the US. In late March, President said in Warsaw, Poland, that 'for God's sake, this man cannot remain in power,' referring to Putin The President was then asked by reporters if he 'wants Putin removed,' to which he yelled 'No!' before getting into his motorcade. 'The president's point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region,' an administration official said as Biden's motorcade headed for the Warsaw airport en route back to Washington. 'He was not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change.' The White House, which has recently released statements clarifying No 46's comments while he was touring Eastern Europe, also stressed that Biden did not menace Putin's status as Russia's leader. In response to Biden's comment, which received little coverage on Russian state television, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: 'This is a statement that is certainly alarming.' After the Putin blunder, Biden said he had not been publicly calling for regime change in Russia, which is the world's largest country by area and has more nuclear warheads than any other. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a news conference in Jerusalem that Biden was making the point that Putin couldn't be empowered to wage war, adding that decisions on Russia's future leadership were 'up to the Russian people'. 'It's more an aspiration than anything. He shouldn't be in power. There's no I mean, people like this shouldn't be ruling countries, but they do. The fact is they do, but it doesn't mean I can't express my outrage about it,' the president later said, noting that he was addressing his remarks to the Russian people when he made the comments in Poland. The president was criticized for holding and showing cue cards in his left hand as he addressed reporters on March 28 over his blunders made on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) questioned which country actually needed the 'regime change' - a dig questioning Biden's ability to lead the country due to his elderly age and mental apprehension Biden's off-script gaffes about Putin's removal and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have prompted critics to suggest Americans need to 'invoke the 25th amendment' to remove the commander in chief from office. The 25th Amendment, which outlines presidential succession, gives the vice president and Cabinet power to remove the commander in chief from office via a majority vote in the event it's determined he or she is no longer fit for office. It has never been invoked in US history. On March 28, Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul took issue with Biden's use of cue cards to answer reporters' questions regarding his off-the-cuff remarks about Putin. Paul questioned Biden's acuity, saying the aging president's remarks were a threat to national security. 'A lot of times when you're around somebody who's in cognitive decline, you find yourself trying to help them with a sentence, trying to help them complete it - but we shouldn't have to do that for the commander-in-chief,' he told Fox News. 'And, it is actually a national security risk because he's sending signals that no one in their right mind would want to send to Russia at this point. 'We aren't trying to replace Putin in Russia. We aren't trying to have regime change. 'We're not sending troops into Ukraine, and we're not going to respond in kind with chemical weapons.' Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of Biden's most vocal critics, said that the US should look from within for regime change instead of calling for other countries to remove their leaders from power. 'The most needed regime change right now is the one in the United States for ruining our country,' she tweeted last week. A major energy supplier is giving away electric blankets to customers in a bid to help with soaring heating bills as the cost of living crisis continues to hit homes across the UK. Octopus Energy has sent out the heated blankets to thousands of its customers as it says it will will those who are struggling with rising gas and energy costs. Many households' energy bills are skyrocketing due to an increase in the price cap to almost 2,000 which went up at the start of April. The uplift in the price cap equates to an estimated 700 increase on the average annual energy bill in Britain. The added expense forms part of Britain's cost of living crisis which has seen the price of food and clothes soar. But Octopus Energy has tried to soften the blow by handing out electric blankets to customers in need which can provide a cheaper alternative to central heating. Octopus Energy is giving away electric blankets to customers in a bid to help soften the blow of soaring heating bills as the cost of living crisis continues to hit households across the UK Depending on your tariff, electric blankets can cost as little as 28p an hour, according to Uswitch. People took to social media to thank Octopus for what the company called 'dedicated support for customers in financial hardship'. The Bauer Professional heated throw is currently on sale on Amazon for around 40. One customer wrote: 'A Big thank you for the electric blanket. Being in a Power wheelchair 24/7 - I feel the cold more with little room for exercise to warm up, and this useful gift will warm me up. 'Thank you. Not all energy companies are the same it seems. I am a normal customer.' Another added: 'Just wanted to say a big thank you !! Our free heated blanket arrived today and the kids nicked it straight away, they love it !!! Thank you so much.' Pictured: The Bauer Professional heated throw is currently available on Amazon for 40 The company said it had 5,000 blankets but has since said 'stocks are very low'. Customers can fill out an online assistance tool to apply for an electric blanket and other help. Octopus has said it will hand out blankets to those in the most financial need, depending on how many it has left. Chief executive Greg Jackson said there is 'no hiding' the fact that energy costs have risen 'dramatically', as he acknowledged the cost-of-living crisis is 'very real'. He said the 'sad reality' is that many people lost their jobs during the pandemic and went from being able to pay their bills to finding them unaffordable. He told LBC: 'Where people do their very best, companies like ours will work with them to get payment plans in place, to provide some assistance, to work with them on their whole income and expenditure.' Mr Jackson said there are also people who can pay but choose not to, adding that a 'different approach' has to be taken in that scenario. Warning that energy prices could rise even further in the winter, he said: 'Global energy prices is one of the most volatile markets and so it's a fool who will make a strong prediction. 'But what we do know is that the next energy price cap period is being set by the prices we're seeing now, because there's a sort of lag in the system. 'So, unless there's a very rapid fall in the global prices, energy costs for people in the UK will stay high over the winter. They could even be higher. We just don't know. 'But of course we're now in a situation where there are two factors that really make a difference. '(The) First one is whether there are any more strategic moves related to Russia, whether the gas taps get turned down or not. And the second is what the weather does. Pictured: Octopus Energy Chief executive Greg Jackson said there is 'no hiding' the fact energy costs have risen 'dramatically', and acknowledged the cost-of-living crisis is 'very real' 'Essentially what matters now is, is Europe going to be filling its gas storage because we've got mild weather? Or is it going to be emptying it because we've got bad weather? 'So, depending on the weather between now and the winter, there could be a very big difference in energy prices in the next few months.' Mr Jackson was asked if he can promise that his company will not send the 'heavies' round if people cannot pay and instead be 'generous'. Mr Jackson told LBC the challenge is that all those who do not pay add to the costs for everyone else. But he added: 'We don't send the heavies. We work with people to try and get them through times like this listening, helping where we can. 'Our company has never sent the heavies round and we're not going to.' Around 22million homes saw a 54 per cent increase on Friday in energy bills, as experts predict an average home will cost a massive 400 to heat and power in January 2023 Around 22million homes saw their gas and electricity bills increase by 54 per cent as the new price cap came into force on Friday. The rise, which came as temperatures fell below freezing this week, will add nearly 700 to the average annual bill as the nation battles a cost of living crisis. But many customers say suppliers have hiked their direct debit payments by even more than this with some demands doubling. Government economists have forecast that the Ukraine crisis and soaring cost of wholesale energy means the price cap will have to rise another 42 per cent in October to reach 2,800 for the average household. It means those living solely off the state pension could see their income obliterated by heating costs. Comparison site The Energy Shop said heating and powering the average home will cost 1,859 between October and March peaking at 395 in January when temperatures hit their lowest. Chief executive officer Scott Byrom said: 'Families need to be aware that the worst is very much still to come. 'It is like looking at a tsunami approaching and we know it is going to hit us soon.' The price cap limits the price suppliers can charge households on standard variable tariffs for gas and electricity. Energy regulator Ofgem has been urged to investigate suppliers hiking direct debit demands above the price cap rise. Ukrainian soldiers are pictured in their tanks, amid Russia's invasion on Ukraine in Bucha, in Kyiv, April 2. Reuters-Yonhap After Ukraine said its forces had retaken all areas around Kyiv, the mayor of a liberated town said 300 residents had been killed during a month-long occupation by the Russian army, and victims were seen in a mass grave and still lying on the streets. Ukrainian troops have retaken more than 30 towns and villages around Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday, claiming complete control of the capital region for the first time since Russia launched its invasion, Feb 24 At Bucha, a town neighboring Irpin just 37 km northwest of the capital, Reuters journalists saw bodies lying in the streets and the hands and feet of multiple corpses poking out of a still-open grave at a church ground. After more than five weeks of fighting, Russia has pulled back forces that had threatened Kyiv from the north to regroup for battles in eastern Ukraine. "The whole Kyiv region is liberated from the invader," Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar wrote on Facebook on Saturday. There was no Russian comment on the claim, which Reuters could not immediately verify. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned in a video address: "They are mining all this territory. Houses are mined, equipment is mined, even the bodies of dead people." He did not cite evidence. Ukraine's emergencies service said more than 1,500 explosives had been found in one day during a search of the village of Dmytrivka, west of the capital. Russia's defense ministry did not reply to a request for comment on the allegations about mines. Reuters could not independently verify them. Moscow denies targeting civilians and rejects war crimes allegations. In Bucha, Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk said more than 300 residents had been killed. Many residents tearfully recalled brushes with death. "The bastards!" Vasily, a 66-year-old man said, weeping with rage as he looked at more than a dozen bodies lying in the road outside his house. "I'm sorry. The tank behind me was shooting. Dogs!" British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she was appalled by atrocities in Bucha and voiced support for the International Criminal Court's inquiry into potential war crimes. BBC political correspondent Chris Mason has been named as the frontrunner to replace editor Laura Kuenssberg after the corporation re-advertised the job role. Bosses at the British Broadcasting Corporation are said to be unhappy with the final two candidates, and instead, Mason, the presenter of Radio 4's Any Questions? has been tipped to be a favourite after previously ruling himself out of the running. The 41-year-old, who has worked at the BBC since 2002, has only applied in recent days, it is understood, after the job was quietly put up for grabs again, after he was 'courted by rival broadcasters'. The recruitment page for the job role has been reopened until Tuesday - but the BBC has not made any formal announcement that they are 'encouraging fresh applications'. BBC political correspondent and presenter of Any Questions? on Radio 4, Chris Mason (pictured) has been named as the frontrunner to replace editor Laura Kuenssberg after the corporation re-advertised the job role As reported by The Sunday Times, applicants were whittled down to ITV News's Anushka Asthana, 42, the deputy political editor, and Sophy Ridge, 37, from Sky. But bosses are understood to have decided against the all-female line-up, in a role which is to replace the current BBC political editor, Laura Kuenssberg. Regarded as an 'adept broadcaster', with 'sound judgement' and 'a flair for political analysis' by his colleagues, Mason, who now earns less than 150,000, would see his pay rise shoot up - as Kuenssberg earned at least 260,000 last year. Kuenssberg revealed she was stepping down as political editor five months ago, with her final assignment at the BBC set to be the local elections coverage next month. Bosses have previously told candidates that a replacement was expected to be appointed by February. Kuenssberg (pictured in 2017) revealed she was stepping down as political editor five months ago, with her final assignment at the BBC set to be the local elections coverage next month Initially the corporation appealed for internal candidates, but then the three BBC front-runners the deputy political editor, Vicki Young, 51, Mason and the former North America editor Jon Sopel made it clear that they did not want the job. Mason, who studied geography at Cambridge, took over Radio 4's Any Questions? show, a topical discussion with a panel of people from politics and media who are posed questions by the public, in October 2019. After spending two decades at the BBC, Mason, who is from Grassington in north Yorkshire, has spent most of his career covering Westminster. Speaking with a Yorkshire accent, his appointment could combat criticisms of the broadcaster for being London-centric and not having enough regional voices. Mason, who studied geography at Cambridge, took over Radio 4's Any Questions? show, a topical discussion with a panel of people from politics and media who are posed questions by the public, in October 2019. After spending two decades at the BBC, Mason, who is from Grassington in north Yorkshire, has spent most of his career covering Westminster (pictured amidst an anti-Brexit pro-Europe demonstration) Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries previously instructed the BBC to present plans to improve regional and class diversity in the corporation before agreeing the new licence fee settlement. Mason would likely have to stop presenting Any Questions?, it is understood, but it could later put him in good stead to take over Fiona Bruce, 57, on Question Time, The Sunday Times reported. The 'all-female shortlist of brilliant women', Asthana and Ridge, may be rejected in favour of a man, said one media industry executive, according to The Guardian. Sky has offered Ridge a new weekly evening show, The Take, in attempt to hold onto her, as she currently presents its Sunday morning political show. Applicants were whittled down to ITV News's Anushka Asthana, 42, left, the deputy political editor, and Sophy Ridge, 37, right, from Sky. But bosses are understood to have decided against the all-female line-up They reported that in recent days, there had been speculation from BBC executives that they were unhappy with the hiring process and existing range of candidates. Other candidates who applied for the job are said to include BBC's Alex Forsyth, Daily Mirror's Pippa Crerar, and Newsnight's Lewis Goodall and ITV's Paul Brand were also linked to the role at an earlier stage. The BBC declined to comment on an 'ongoing recruitment process'. Speaking to The Sunday Times, a senior journalist revealed that senior executives Jonathan Munro, interim head of news at the BBC, and Katy Searle, its executive editor for politics, emphasised during interviews that they 'wanted a journalist who will produce exclusives' - but Mason is not known for big scoops. The source said: 'They said they wanted someone who breaks stories but I think they've realised they actually need a wise statesman who is good at analysing events, and Chris will do brilliantly at that. 'This feels like a moment of self-realisation for the BBC, that they can't be that bold. Another journalist who was ruled out of the top BBC role said the application process was a 'farce' worthy of sitcom W1A, about the public service broadcaster. The nation's oldest active park ranger is hanging up her Smokey hat at the age of 100 after only starting to work for the National Park Service at 84-years-old to tell the untold stories of Black peoples efforts during World War Two. Betty Reid Soskin retired Thursday after more than 15 years at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California, the National Park Service announced. Soskin 'spent her last day providing an interpretive program to the public and visiting with coworkers,' a Park Service statement said. She led tours at the park and museum honoring the women who worked in factories during wartime and shared her own experience as a Black woman during the conflict. She worked for the U.S. Air Force in a segregated union auxiliary in 1942, called the Boilermakers Union A-36 and was responsible for filing change of address cards for the workers, who moved frequently. 'Being a primary source in the sharing of that history my history and giving shape to a new national park has been exciting and fulfilling,' Soskin said in the Park Service statement. 'It has proven to bring meaning to my final years.' Betty Reid Soskin, the National Park Service's (NPS) oldest active ranger ever, retired on March 31 after a decade and a half of sharing her personal experiences and the efforts of women from diverse backgrounds who worked on the World War II President Barack Obama greeted Betty Reid Soskin and awarded her with a presidential coin for her civil rights and National Parks service at a Christmas tree lighting in Washington in 2015 Soskin won a temporary Park Service position at the age of 84 in 2007 and became a permanent Park Service employee in 2011. She celebrated her 100th birthday last September. 'Betty has made a profound impact on the National Park Service and the way we carry out our mission,' Director Chuck Sams said. 'Her efforts remind us that we must seek out and give space for all perspectives so that we can tell a more full and inclusive history of our nation.' Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, whose role includes responsibilities such as managing use of public lands and maintaining national parks among many others, paid tribute to the ranger after more than 15 years as a member of the National Park Service. 'Park Ranger Betty Reid Soskin has been a trailblazer for women and the Park Service,' she tweeted. 'After countless tours at @RosieRiveterNPS and millions of smiles, today she is retiring. On behalf of @Interior, thank you, Betty, for your service. You will be missed' Secretary Deb Haaland, who oversees the National Park Service and its natural parks, thanked Soskin for her 15 years as a ranger, saying she contributed to 'millions smiles' Soskin was born Betty Charbonnet in Detroit in 1921 but recalled surviving the devastating Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 while living with her Creole family in New Orleans, according to the Park Service biography. Her family then moved to Oakland, California, and Soskin remained in the San Francisco Bay Area, where in 1945 she and her first husband founded one of the first Black-owned record stores in the area, the biography said. The couple and their children encountered considerable racism, and she was the subject to death threats after they built a home in a white suburb. She also was a civil rights activist and took part in meetings to develop a general management plan for the Home Front park. She has received several honors. She was named California Woman of the Year in 1995. Prior to becoming a park ranger at the age of 84, Soskin worked as a file clerk during World War II and also founded a record record in Berkeley, California, specializing in Gospel music Soskin worked in a segregated unit of the Boilmakers union (pictured), during World War II with other black women who were responsible for filing workers' documentation In 2015, Soskin received a presidential coin from President Barack Obama after she lit the National Christmas tree at the White House. Upon learning the veteran ranger's retirement on Thursday, the former President tweeted: 'I heard Betty Reid Soskin is retiring at 100, and want to congratulate her for more than a decade of service as a National Park Ranger.' 'Betty, I hope you realize just how many people appreciate everything youve donemyself included,' he added. In June 2016, she was awakened in her home by a robber who punched her repeatedly in the face, dragged her out of her bedroom and beat her before making off with the coin and other items. Soskin, then 94, recovered and returned to work just weeks after the attack. The coin was replaced. Soskin also was honored with entry into the Congressional Record. Glamour Magazine named her woman of the year in 2018. President Obama congratulated Soskin for her public service after learning about her decision to retire on March 31, noting that After learning about her retirement, Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has previously represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Brianna Taylor, said on Twitter: 'The oldest active National Park Service ranger, Betty Soskin, has retired at the age of 100! She's been a source of inspiration for many Black girls and has done an outstanding job at the Rosie the Riveter Park! We wish her a joyous & peaceful retirement!' The National Park Service also paid tribute to its highly-regarded employee and congratulated her after a 'remarkable career.' The governmental agency announced that it will host an event to celebrate Soskin's retirement on April 16 in Richmond, California, at the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Pak. Prosecutors in Oklahoma are seeking the death penalty against a former criminal defense attorney who fell in love with her client and then allegedly helped him murder his ex-girlfriend and her parents. Keegan Kelley Harroz, 38, and her former client-turned-lover, Barry Roland Titus II, 40, are accused of breaking into the victims' house in rural Beggs, Oklahoma, in September 2019 and fatally shooting Titus' ex-girlfriend and her parents. The bodies of Tiffany Eichor, 43, and her parents - Jack Chandler, 65, and Evelynn Kaye Chandler, 69 - were found riddled with bullets. They had been shot multiple times by two different caliber weapons. Harroz and Titus are in federal custody and are each charged with three counts of deliberate and intentional first-degree murder and one count of first-degree burglary, according to the documents. Now, the state wants to execute the former attorney who allegedly helped her client and lover commit the triple murder. New documents filed on March 28 by the New Okmulgee County District Attorney's Office details reasons why prosecutors believe Harroz 'should be punished by Death' for the murders. Keegan Kelley Harroz, 38, and Barry Roland Titus II, 40, in current mugshots (Okmulgee County Detention Center). The are each charged with multiple counts of murder and burglary The documents state that Eichor's 69-year-old mother's murder was 'especially heinous' because she 'suffered mental anguish' before she was shot to death, as the suspects 'began firing gunshots striking and killing her husband, Jack Randall Chandler, as she attempted to hide from the intruders, seeking refuge in her closet.' Eichor also 'suffered serious physical abuse, torture and pain prior to and during the course of her death,' according to the new documents, because she 'heard intruders enter the home she shared with her parents and began firing gunshots striking and killing her parents, Jack Randall Chandler and Evelynn Kaye Chandler.' The documents also allege that the murders of Eichor and her parents were attempts for Titus to avoid prosecution for domestic abuse claims made by Eichor before her death. Eichor had reported that Titus had assaulted her, and she had an active protective order against him. Harroz was representing him in the domestic assault and battery case. Jack Chandler, 65, and Evelynn Kaye Chandler, 69, and their daughter, Titus' ex-girlfriend Tiffany Eichor, 43, were shot to death at their home in Beggs, Oklahoma in September 2019 Harroz and Titus were considered suspects in the triple homicide early on due to Titus' connection to Eichor and several discoveries that pointed to the couple. Video surveillance at the house captured the moments leading up to the September 2019 murders, including a vehicle belonging to Harroz pulling up to the scene. The video revealed two individuals exiting the vehicle including one individual who was 'obviously male and very tall' while the other was 'much shorter and smaller.' The video stops after the perpetrators approached the house on foot, and it was later determined that they 'pulled the electric meter prior to forcing entry into the residence.' When investigators restored power to the house, the clock on the stove read 3:04am, leading authorities to believe the murders occurred in close proximity to that time. Investigators discovered a ball cap near the area where the vehicle was parked, and DNA on the hat matched DNA samples taken from Titus while he was incarcerated. Keegan Kelley Harroz (left) and her boyfriend Barry Titus (right) in 2019 when they were booked on charges related to the murders of his ex-girlfriend and her parents The bodies of Titus's ex-girlfriend and her parents were found in their Oklahoma home after Harroz and Titus allegedly kicked in the door and fatally shot them Harroz and Titus allegedly planned their first 'act of revenge' in January 2019 after one of the deceased had 'testified against one of her clients.' One of Harroz's defendants in an unrelated drug trafficking case in Oklahoma City, Jose Uribe, admitted to planting a suspicious package outside of the home where Eichor and her parents were killed, eight months ahead of the murders. Harroz planned the 'act of revenge' after one of the deceased testified against her boyfriend in a protective order case Uribe told investigators that Harroz had asked him to plant what he believed to be methamphetamine outside the house and advise his handler at the Drug Task Force that there were drugs there. Harroz was arrested and charged on September 13, 2019 with witness intimidation after Uribe came forward that he had followed her instructions in an attempt to obtain a lighter sentence. On the same day as Harroz's 2019 arrest, her brother turned over an AR15 rifle he believed was used in the triple homicide to law enforcement. The rifle was traced to its original owner, who has a shooting range on their property. The witness was interviewed and they revealed that the rifles were sold to Barry Titus and a female, who was later confirmed to be Harroz. Titus and Harroz had fired the rifle during the sale negotiation, leading investigators to find shell casings from that rifle on the shooting range. Those shell casings matched the shell casings found at the crime scene, leading the District Attorney to file the murder charges. Harroz was previously sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm while subject to victim protective order in relation to an August 4, 2019 violation. Titus was previously sentenced to serve 36 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm while using illegal substances. He admitted to illegally possessing a firearm on or around November 25, 2015, while he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance. According to jail records, both Harroz and Titus are still in custody at the Okmulgee County Detention Center. A vicious bar brawl has left a man in hospital in a 'serious' condition as police were forced to seal off a street for investigations. Police sealed off Edmund Street in Birmingham city centre after the brawl in the early hours of this morning. Officers guarded a cordon around the area as forensics police surveyed the road. A vicious bar brawl has left a man in hospital in a 'serious' condition as police were forced to seal off a street for investigations Two people were taken to hospital, including a 29-year-old man who has serious injuries. West Midlands Police have appealed for anyone who may have seen the brawl to get in contact. A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: 'We are investigating a fight which took place in a bar in Edmund Street, Birmingham at 5.30am, April 3.' Police sealed off Edmund Street in Birmingham city centre after the brawl in the early hours of this morning They added: 'Two men were taken to hospital. 'One suffered minor injuries and has since been discharged from hospital. However, a second man, aged 29, remains in hospital in a serious condition. 'There is a scene being held while we investigate and review CCTV. 'We encourage anyone who witnessed this disorder, who has not yet spoken to us, to contact us via Live Chat on our website quoting log number 549 of 3.04.' Five Democrats who were ousted from their elected positions on a Pennsylvania school board after voting to make face masks mandatory for students have been reinstated. Their return to the West Chester School Board comes just three days after Chester County Judge William Mahon ordered they be immediately removed after a parent-led petition argued they acted illegally by requiring a coronavirus-era restriction that the state's Supreme Court had previously declared unconstitutional. 'Removal of school board members cripples the school district,' Mahon told a courtroom packed with hundreds of parents, teachers and other community members on Friday, Patch reported. Mahon claimed he removed Sue Tiernan, Joyce Chester, Kate Shaw, Karen Herrmann, and Daryl Durnell from their board positions on March 29 because their attorney failed to respond to the February petition in a timely manner. The petition, brought forth by parent and former English teacher Beth Ann Rosica, alleged the board had no right to force students to wear masks. The judge reiterated Friday that the board members' removal had been a 'procedural result' and was unrelated to the allegations made in the complaint. Five Democrats who were ousted from their elected positions on a Pennsylvania school board after voting to make face masks mandatory for students have been reinstated (pictured L-R: Laura Detre, Karen Herrmann, Sue Tiernan, Kate Shaw, Daryl Durnell, Joyce Chester, Karen Fleming, Bob Sokolowski, Stacey Whomsley, Kalia Reynolds and Gary Bevilacqua) Attorney Kenneth Roos, who represents the school board, told Mahon during Friday's hearing that he did not purposely meet the deadline for filing a response to the petition. 'It was not our intent to disrespect the court,' Roos said, noting that he thought the deadline to file a response was April 5. Mahon, grilling the attorney in front of the 300 people in attendance, said the deadline had been March 15, noting that Rosica - who is representing herself - had been aware of it. Roos apologized for not knowing the time frame, to which Mahon reportedly replied: 'Everyone is entitled to due process of the law. The judge, however, said the deadline was March 15 in accordance with an updated schedule for filing a petition. Roos apologized for not knowing the time frame. But, the judge pointed out that Rosica, who is representing herself, was aware of the deadline. 'Everyone is entitled to due process of the law,' the judge said. President Sue Tiernan (left) and Kate Shaw (right) were reinstated to the school board on Friday. The two board members, along with three others, were removed from their board positions on March 29 because their attorney failed to respond to the parent-led petition in a timely manner Daryl Durnell (left), Joyce Chester (right), and Karen Herrmann were also reinstated. The judge reiterated Friday that the board members' removal had been a 'procedural result' and was unrelated to the allegations made in the complaint School mask mandates have been a flashpoint of parental ire in recent months. A group of parents and community members are pictured protesting COVID mandates on the steps of the Pennsylvania State Capitol last August Rosica, who described herself as a concerned parent, expressed gratitude that her case will proceed, alleging she would rather the petition be evaluated by the strength of its argument. 'I would rather win this petition on its merits rather than on a technicality,' she told WHYY. She said that although the school mask mandate was lifted due to lower COVID outbreak levels, her petition will continue because the board has safety standards in place that could result in another mandate if cases increase. Rosica is the executive director of Back to School PA, which is backed by a Buck County donor that has reportedly funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars into school board races across the state since November. She has also openly opposed district pandemic measures. District Superintendent Robert Sokolowski issued a letter to parents Friday afternoon providing an update on the situation thanking the West Chester community for its patience. 'As more information regarding the ongoing legal proceedings becomes available to share, I will be sure to keep everyone up to date,' Sokolowski said. Judge William Mahon signed the petition (pictured) calling for their removal last Tuesday after the five board members did not respond within their 20 day limit of Rosica filing the petition The West Chester School Board (pictured during last Monday's board meeting) opted to make masks mandatory at the beginning of the school year, but the members did vote to reimplement the masking policy if transmission rates rise The West Chester School Board opted to make masks mandatory at the beginning of the school year, but the members did vote to reimplement the masking policy if transmission rates rise. However, Pennsylvania's state of emergency ended in June and the state's Supreme Court declared the mask mandate unconstitutional in December. Rosica said parents moved forward with the petition after repeatedly asking the school board to reconsider its ruling on mask mandates. 'Once the Supreme Court declared that was unconstitutional we implored our school board, we asked and asked and begged and pleaded and made comments to lift the mask mandate, and they refused,' Rosica said after the members were ousted. Parent and former English teacher Beth Ann Rosica (pictured on March 28), who brought on the petition, said she is pleased the case will proceed. She said: 'I would rather win this petition on its merits rather than on a technicality' 'When they refused, that is when we made the decision to file the petition. 'I did not believe they had the legal authority to mask our children. I want to ensure they will never be forcibly masked again,' Rosica cited in her petition - which was written with fellow parent Shannon Grady - according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. She referred to masks as 'unapproved medical devices' and said schools shouldn't be able to exclude children who test positive for the virus. She also cited that masks 'suffocate' and 'abuse' children. Grady found a 'loophole' where she could petition for the members' removal while researching what she could do to remove the mask policy. She found a code that stated she could petition to remove members for 'for failure to organize or neglect of duty.' The rule states that 'any ten [or less] resident taxpayers' can file a petition for removal and the members would have 20 days to respond. Democrats Tiernan, Chester, Shaw, Herrmann, and Durnell were removed from the board after Roos failed to respond within the given time frame. There are other mask mandate-related petitions pending in the district - Downingtown, Great Valley, Tredyffrin/Easttown, and Coatesville - according to Rosica. The same judge will also be ruling over the Downingtown petition, which Grady also filed. Pennsylvania's state of emergency ended in June and the state's Supreme Court declared the mask mandate unconstitutional in December. A demonstrator is pictured at an anti-pandemic measures protest on the steps of Pennsylvania State Capitol last year Rosica claims there are other mask mandate-related petitions pending in the district. A group of striking healthcare workers are pictured protesting in front of Tyler Memorial Hospital in April 2021 News of the board members' reinstatement comes as New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Friday he would be going back on his promise to lift his mask mandate for children under the age of five because of an uptick in COVID-19 cases, despite a recent ruling by a Staten Island judge that it can't be enforced. The mayor's decision is a complete reversal from just 10 days ago, when Adams promised he would unmask the city's toddlers on April 4. Adams and new New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan made the announcement at a press briefing Friday, where they said the rising levels of the virus would make it irresponsible to go forward with the plan. 'That's why we are recommending to wait a little bit longer to make masks optional for this age group,' Vasan said. Adams and Vasan would not give a new date for the city to consider lifting the mandate. Staten Island Supreme Court judge Ralph Porzio ruled Friday that the mask mandate was unenforceable because it's 'arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.' Adams said that his administration will file an appeal, leaving parents and children in the balance over what the rules are when they return to school Monday. Parents and officials were outraged by the announcement. Tommy Robinson was filmed being detained by police at Manchester Airport just hours after he claimed he was deported from Mexico. Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, featured in video footage which showed a heated confrontation with two police officers at the airport this afternoon who say they were believed he had 'breached security'. In a Telegram message to his followers shared later today, the 39-year-old accuses one Greater Manchester Police Officer of trying to 'bait' him into a reaction so they could 'arrest him legitimately'. It is not clear if Robinson was arrested but the series of videos shared on Telegram appear to suggest he was detained before witnesses confirmed police had the wrong person, apologised and let him go. Greater Manchester Police have been contacted for comment. It comes the day after he claims he was detained at Cancun airport in Mexico in front of his three children before being deported at the request of the British Government. It is understood he landed at Manchester Airport from Cancun on a flight which landed this morning. In the new video, Robinson appears to be stood in the baggage claim area of Manchester Airport waiting for his luggage when he is confronted by an officer armed with a Taser. Pictured: Tommy Robinson was filmed being detained by police who accused him of breaching security at Manchester Airport just hours after he claimed he was deported from Mexico The officer has hold of Robinson by the shirt and detains him against the wall of the airport next to the baggage carousel. Tommy can be heard asking 'what are you going on about' as the officer asks 'do you understand that?' He then appears to reach for his handcuffs but Robinson moves his hand away and repeatedly asks 'what have I done?' In another 41-second clip, the officer, still with his cuffs in hand, can be heard telling Robinson to listen before they share an inaudible exchange in front of a second officer. Robinson can be heard saying 'I haven't come from anywhere. Well you're not speaking to me, you're screaming at me like you've done through there. What are you on about?' The 39-year-old can then be seen pointing at someone off camera and asking them to 'be his witness' who then tells officers 'it wasn't him'. During the heated confrontation, the officer attempted to cuff Robinson multiple times The officer then ushers Robinson into a staff-only part of the baggage claim while bystanders slam the police as 'out of order'. In a third clip, the officer's cuffs can be seen back in the holder and Robinson can be heard criticising the handling of the situation, asking who is going to pay for his top which he says was ripped. The officer responds: 'If you want to make a complaint regarding that, that's entirely up to you.' When Robinson asks why the incident took place, the officer says: 'Because I was convinced you had breached security - that's why.' He then clarifies that he has since spoken with witnesses and when accused of assaulting Robinson, he replies: 'I've not assaulted you. I've acted within the law because I believed at the time that you committed a crime.' Robinson brands him 'the most aggressive police officer I've ever witnessed' before telling him he was unreasonable and shouldn't be carrying a Taser. The English Defence Leader founder then tells the officer he does not accept his apology before walking away. Robinson can be heard repeatedly shouting 'what are you on about' during the confrontation Robinson was taken into a private area through the white doors (pictured) during the exchange It comes as Robinson claimed he was deported from Mexico for 'national security reasons' after he says he was arrested while on an Easter getaway with his family. Robinson shared footage of him allegedly being arrested at Cancun Airport while on a half term holiday with his three children. In clips shared to Telegram the 39-year-old filmed an interaction between himself and a man purported to be an immigration officer, while also showing off the 'holding cell' he was said to be held in. 'I have been arrested, separated from my kids and now I'm being deported as a matter of national security', he explained. In an interaction with Cancun Airport staff, Robinson is told the information about his arrest is 'confidential' but has come directly from the capital, Mexico City. After saying he is a journalist and pleading his case, he adds: 'I've never broken a law here. All I do at home is talk about Islam'. Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has shared footage of him allegedly being arrested at Cancun Airport while on a half term holiday with his three children In an interaction with Cancun Airport staff, Robinson is told the information about his arrest is 'confidential' but has come directly from the capital, Mexico City Robinson, who claims he was separated from his three children, is reportedly being held in Cancun Airport (pictured) Robinson, who told his 157,000 followers he has travelled to Mexico three times and never committed a crime, questions the charges he is allegedly being deported on. 'I've never caused a problem, landed for what is clearly a family holiday, and I've been arrested, detained and separated from my kids. Several reports suggest Robinson will be sent back to England on Saturday, while he himself has said that his children's mother is having to fly out to collect the kids. MailOnline approached Robinson for comment. It's not the first time the EDL co-founder has run into issues while abroad. In 2020, it was widely reported that he had fled to Spain following an arson attack on his wife Jenna Vowles' home. Robinson said they had got places at local schools for his three children but was still 'in the process' of finding a permanent place for them to live. He added: 'I need my family to be away because they are not safe basically.' But in a stunning u-turn, he later announced he would not be permanently moving to Spain because England 'is my home'. While he claims he has never committed a crime in Mexico, the far-right campaigner has faced prior convictions for violence, fraud and stalking in the UK. In November 2013, Robinson pleaded guilty to fraud and was jailed for 18 months. He also has convictions for stalking, assault, using someone elses passport, using threatening behaviour, and contempt of court. Robinson, who tells his 157,000 followers he has travelled to Mexico three times and never committed a crime, questions the charges he is allegedly being deported on. Pictured outside Westminster Magistrates' Court in August, 2021 Robinson is currently being pursued by creditors for an estimated 2million after he was ordered to compensate a Syrian schoolboy he wrongly accused of attacking a girl. He declared bankruptcy during a High Court libel battle brought against him last year by teenage refugee Jamal Hijazi. However, anti-racism campaigners have accused the convicted fraudster of hiding millions to avoid paying the teenager. Campaign group Hope Not Hate allege that Robinson has access to assets worth up to about 3million through property acquisitions, investments, donations and book sales. Hope Not Hates chief executive Nick Lowles said: Jamal Hijazi is a victim of Tommy Robinsons vitriol, and it is important that Robinson is held to account. It is wholly unjust that while his victims life has been turned upside down, Tommy Robinson carries on his life as before. Tommy Robinson has to understand that there are real consequences to his hate. It is time to make him pay up and ensure that his victims get proper justice. Baby P's mother has asked guards for extra protection in jail ahead of her release next month after fears she will be killed in a 'prison knife attack' plot by fellow inmates. Tracey Connelly, 40, was jailed in 2008 for the death of her son Peter Connelly, the 17-month-old better known as Baby P, was found dead in his home in north London in August 2007 after having sustained 50 injuries over the course of eight months. Also found guilty at the hands of his death were Connelly's lover, Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen. Connelly had been imprisoned indefinitely with a minimum term of five years in 2009 for causing or allowing her son's death. Baby P suffered more than 50 injuries, including a snapped spine and eight broken ribs, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers in Haringey Council, police and health professionals over the final eight months of his life. But now, the 40-year-old, more than seven years after she was recalled to jail, the board found she does not pose a risk to the public, and could therefore be free within weeks. Ahead of her release, 40-year-old Connelly has been complaining that her life is 'at risk' at HMP Low Newton, Durham, and is said to be 'terrified' that other prisoners are looking to strike before she gets out, it has been reported. Baby P's mother Tracey Connelly, 40, pictured, has asked guards for extra protection in jail ahead of her release next month after fears she will be killed in a 'prison knife attack' plot by fellow inmates According to The Mirror, a source said: 'Tracey Connelly is paranoid that she will be attacked in the wake of the Parole Boards decision. 'The publicity around her parole has provoked renewed anger towards her in the prison. 'She is a marked woman again after keeping her head down for years. 'Tracey believes she will be knifed and is almost afraid to venture out of her cell.' The Parole Board's approval of the release of Connelly was met with public fury. The hearing report, which took place on March 15 and 16 via video call, read: 'At the time of her offending, risk factors had included Ms Connelly not managing certain aspects of her personality, entering into relationships quickly, prioritising those relationships above anything else, thinking about sex a lot and using sex to help her feel better about herself. 'The panel also considered risk factors to include Ms Connellys inability to control extreme emotions, her way of life, her decision making, her low self-esteem, manipulative behaviour, dishonesty, a lack of victim empathy and her difficulties in coping with feelings of anger. Baby P (pictured) suffered more than 50 injuries, including a snapped spine and eight broken ribs, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers in Haringey Council, police and health professionals over the final eight months of his life The report concluded: 'After considering the circumstances of her offending and time on licence, progress made in custody, evidence presented at the hearing and the recommendations of witnesses, the panel was satisfied Ms Connelly was suitable for release.' A post-mortem of Baby P also revealed that he had swallowed a tooth after being punched, with other injuries including mutilated fingertips and missing fingernails. Connelly was released in 2013 on a lifelong licence, which meant she could be recalled at any point for a breach. She was put back in jail in 2015 after she breached its terms by cashing in on her crimes and selling naked photographs of herself online. She was subject to a specific length of term in prison, but had to wait until the Parole Board - which considers cases roughly every two years - deemed her fit for release. She had bids for freedom turned down in 2015, 2017, and 2019, when the board refused to release or move her to an open prison. In 2020, she lost another appeal. After the news of Connelly's imminent release, Dominic Raab vowed to seek to block the release of Baby P's mother Tracey Connelly, after a Parole Board decided she was fit to be freed from prison. Describing the case as 'harrowing', the Justice Secretary told the Commons he plans to appeal against the Parole Board decision. Mr Raab was backed by Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed, who described the news as 'disturbing' and said he 'fully supports' efforts to seek a review. Since being recalled to prison, Connelly has taken part in a 'very intensive' treatment programme from the Ministry of Justice and the NHS over three years. She is 'now able to work openly and honestly with professionals', a report added. Connelly (pictured) was released in 2013 on a lifelong licence, which meant she could be recalled at any point for a breach. She was put back in jail in 2015 after she breached its terms by cashing in on her crimes and selling naked photographs of herself online The Parole Board said it was satisfied Connelly is suitable for release after hearing she is now considered to be at 'low risk of committing a further offence' and that her probation officers and prison officials support the plan. Mr Raab was represented throughout the review and his representative 'confirmed that this recommendation was accepted', the report said. Connelly will be subject to restrictions on her movements, activities and who she contacts, and faces 20 extra licence conditions. They include living at a specified address, being supervised by probation, wearing an electronic tag, adhering to a curfew and having to disclose her relationships. Her use of the internet and a phone will be monitored and she has been told she cannot go to certain places to 'avoid contact with victims and to protect children'. A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Tracey Connelly following an oral hearing. 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. 'Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.' The case was so 'emotive' that parole bosses demanded more information on her psychological assessments before a decision was reached, a source told The Sun. She would have faced another two years behind bars if the board rejected her bid. Advertisement A Ukrainian couple have celebrated their wedding by posing for photos surrounded by rubble in war-shattered Kharkiv. Newlyweds Nastya Gracheva and Anton Sokolov were pictured shortly after they tied the knot on Sunday amongst the rubble of a shopping and office complex in Ukraine's second biggest city. The couple were medics before the outbreak of the war but have since become volunteers, providing free medical care to those in need. Newlyweds Nastya Gracheva and Anton Sokolov were pictured shortly after they tied the knot on Sunday amongst the rubble of a shopping and office complex in Ukraine's second biggest city The couple were medics before the outbreak of the war but have since become volunteers, providing free medical care to those in need Anastasia Grachova and Anton Sokolov share a moment with each other as they get married in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 3 A Ukrainian couple celebrated their wedding surrounded by rubble in war-shattered Kharkiv Nastya Gracheva and Anton Sokolov were pictured shortly after they tied the knot on Sunday Nastya worked as a nurse in an oncology clinic while Anton Sokolov worked as a doctor before the Russian invasion of Ukraine - and they didn't let the war ruin their special day, instead using it as a backdrop to their wedding snaps Nastya worked as a nurse in an oncology clinic while Anton Sokolov worked as a doctor before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is reported that when they ran out of medical supplies, they began to collect money and purchase medicines for the city's residents who were in need of treatment. It comes as the regional governor in Kharkiv said today that Russian artillery and tanks launched over 20 strikes on the city and its outskirts in the country's northeast over the past 24 hours. In a town southeast of the city, Oleh Synyehubov said Russian troops fired on a convoy of buses that was trying to evacuate patients from a hospital that had been heavily damaged in shelling a day earlier. People celebrated along with the couple in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on their special day while surrounded by ongoing war outside Several proposals have also taken place, including one soldier who staged a military search so he could surprise his girlfriend as she was driven through a checkpoint in the city of Fastiv, near Kyiv. Anastasia and Anton pictured after tying the knot The bride, who wore a black leather jacket and flower crown for the day, and groom, who donned a black jacket and white shirt, celebrated in the street where they had photos taken amongst the rubble The couple were medical volunteers, a nurse and a doctor before the Russian invasion Ukrainian couples who were due to tie the knot before the invasion have been sharing how they've refused to let the conflict change their plans since it started five weeks ago Synyehubov said about 70 patients needed to be taken away from the damaged hospital in Balakliya, but that the buses were not able to enter the town. Kharkiv has yet to experience the withdrawal of Russian forces, as has happened around the capital, Kyiv. But that failed to prevent Nastya and Anton celebrating their nuptials, just the latest couple to tie the knot despite the onslaught from Russian forces. Ukrainian couples who were due to tie the knot before the invasion have been sharing how they've refused to let the conflict change their plans since it started five weeks ago. National Guard of Ukraine members Oleksandr and Olena, kiss at their wedding last month A woman named Yaroslava Fedorash is seen kissing her uniformed new husband after she decided to bring forward her wedding, saying: 'During the war, you only have today' Several proposals have also taken place, including one soldier who staged a military search so he could surprise his girlfriend as she was driven through a checkpoint in the city of Fastiv, near Kyiv. For some, there is an urgency to cement relationships. Last month, Ukraine's head of the Center for Civil Liberties, Oleksandra Matviichuk, shared a touching photo on Twitter of a woman named Yaroslava Fedorash kissing her uniformed new husband. Explaining the wedding had been brought forward, the post read: 'We applied on April 29, I always wanted to get married on this day. 'But on February 24, Putin went completely insane. The groom joined the territorial defence, I became a volunteer. It didn't make sense to wait any longer.' She finished the message with the poignant words: 'During the war you have only today.' Millions of us love listening to all kinds of music. But for those in their sixties and seventies, taking the next step of learning to play could help keep dementia at bay. Scientists have found that it strengthened white matter brain tissue which degrades when memory and concentration problems set in. The benefits came with six months of weekly lessons learning to tinkle the ivories, they said. Britain faces a dementia epidemic because of an ageing population with the number affected forecast to rise from 800,000 to 1.2million in England by 2040. Researchers at Hanover Medical School, Germany, and the University of Geneva, Switzerland, found benefits of piano practice for people aged sixty and above Numerous studies have found playing a musical instrument can protect against the incurable condition. But most have looked at professionals or those who have been playing since childhood. For the latest research, scientists analysed if learning the piano later in life also helps the brain. They recruited 121 men and women in their sixties and seventies who had never played a musical instrument. Each had a brain scan before and after the experiment to measure changes in an area called the fornix. This is made of white matter which plays an important role in cognition and memory but naturally declines with age. Half the recruits were assigned to weekly one-hour piano lessons for six months, with instructions to practise at home for at least half-an-hour every day. The rest attended weekly presentations on different types of music and were encouraged to listen to a range of genres. This group was barred from playing, singing or even clapping in the research by Hanover Medical School, Germany, and the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Scans revealed the piano students lost little or none of the density of their white matter, suggesting no decline in brain function. Scientists cautioned that late-life students would only enjoy the cognitive benefits of their tinkling if they were 'full committed' But those who did not take lessons had a significant decline in white matter density, increasing their chances of developing dementia and memory problems. A report in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience said taking up music later in life could work wonders but only if students were fully committed. 'These changes in the brain do appear to be related to piano training intensity,' wrote the researchers. A 'super cold' is breaking out in Australia after two years of Covid isolation as health experts warn of more respiratory illnesses as the country re-opens. The super cold first appeared in the UK in November, with victims suffering flu-like or Coronavirus-like symptoms, but repeatedly tested negative to Covid. Now a similar outbreak is happening in Australia, with thousands reportedly being struck down. One Sydney woman had just recovered from Covid two weeks ago before contracting the new super-cold on the weekend. 'I really believed I'd caught Covid again, but all the tests have come back negative,' the Northern Beaches yoga instructor old Daily Mail Australia. 'At first I thought it was just tonsillitis, but then it got worse and worse. I started taking the rapid antigen tests to make sure it wasn't Covid. 'I just feel awful - it might even be worse than Covid.' The super-cold symptoms are similar to flu and Covid, and can be difficult to tell apart. 'We are seeing more of these upper respiratory tract infections,' Sydney GP Dr Charlotte Hespe told Daily Mail Australia. 'A cold is a classic viral upper respiratory tract infection - irritable sneezing nose, lots of fluid from your nose, cough, sore throat, runny, sticky eyes. 'You may also get a sort of raspy cough but that's it by and large. You should recover within five to seven days.' But she warned Australia was ripe for a flu outbreak - and it is much harder to tell the difference between flu and the Omicron Covid strain with its milder symptoms. 'We will see the flu emerging more,' she said. ' 'The flu is very unpleasant. 'It's similar to the symptoms of Covid; you get headache, aches, pains and a fever. 'To diagnose flu, you need a fever and headache as well as some respiratory symptoms such as the sore throat or nose and cough - but you might not get those. 'It's predominantly often those more systemic symptoms of being unwell with fever, headache, aches and pains and feeling miserable. Recovery is 10-14 days.' Tell-tale signs such as a loss of taste and smell are often Covid-only symptoms which can differentiate it from flu. Rapid antigen or PCR test results still remain the best way of identifying Covid. But GPs are now warning that Australia has never been more susceptible to colds and flus than it is right now after being cut off from the rest of the world for so long. Travel bans during the pandemic combined with lockdown measures and mask mandates have dramatically reduced our immunity to normal flus and colds. 'People who we've been protected against from for the last two years are travelling again,' Dr Hespe added. 'They're bringing with them viruses that are rampant in the winter countries that aren't rampant here.' There are even fears the flu may kill more people than Covid this year. 'We have less immunity against the flu now because we've skipped two flu seasons,' epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett warned. 'You might see fewer coronavirus deaths in winter because vulnerable people are actually more vulnerable to flu.' Health chiefs have a flu shot campaign set to rollout within weeks but medics are worried vaccine fatigue will stop many from getting the jabs. 'We do have a vaccine and it is highly effective,' Dr Hespe said. 'But I'm hearing a lot of people saying, 'For goodness sake, I've had enough of this...' Please don't think that - it really does provide you with really good protection.' 'I am sure we going to have a particularly bad cold and flu season this year. 'I recommend everybody continues to wear face masks when you're in crowded situations - and particularly when you're around anybody who may not be well. 'And if you've got symptoms, stay at home and don't go and spread it to somebody else.' gettyimagesbank Britain could build up to seven new nuclear power plants by 2050, as well as boost offshore wind to diversify energy sources, a senior minister said Sunday. "If we fast forward to 2050, there is a world where we have six or seven (nuclear) sites in the U.K.," Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told The Sunday Telegraph. "That isn't going to happen in the next two years. But it's definitely something that we can aspire to." Britain has set itself a target of carbon neutrality by 2050 and the government is expected to publish a delayed new energy security strategy next week. This comes as many British people are struggling to pay energy bills amid a cost of living crisis. Kwarteng said the strategy "looks at offshore wind, and particularly nuclear, as ways in which we can actually have electricity-generating capacity here in the U.K." About 21 per cent of Britain's electricity comes from 15 nuclear reactors today, according to Energy U.K. trade association. Kwarteng and transport minister Grant Shapps downplayed prospects of building more onshore wind turbines, however, citing public opposition, "In relation to onshore wind and fracking, we can only do those with a large measure of community consent," Kwarteng said. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News: "I don't favor the vast increase in onshore wind farms, for pretty obvious reasons." "They sit on the hills there and can create something of an eyesore for communities as well as actual problems of noise as well." While the U.K. is less dependent on Russian energy than other European countries such as Germany, Kwarteng cited the need to avoid such imports. "The idea is that, given what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is doing, we don't want to live in a world where we're dependent on Russian hydrocarbons," he said. "The fact is we're not, but we want to have more independence of supply." "None of our petrol is from Russia, about 18 percent of our diesel is," Shapps said. Britain plans to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of the year. (AFP) The images that have emerged after Russias retreat from the outskirts of Kyiv are haunting, harrowing and a hideous reminder of the darkest chapters from Europes history. One shows a solitary woman walking past burnt-out Russian tanks amid the flattened buildings of Bucha, near Kyiv, the suburban town now almost unrecognisable from a few short weeks ago. Another picture reveals a soldier nervously prodding a body with a stick to see if it is booby-trapped. A third portrays female soldiers returned to Ukraine in a prisoner swap. Their heads have been shaved in humiliation by captors trying to strip them of dignity. One shows a solitary woman walking past burnt-out Russian tanks amid the flattened buildings of Bucha, near Kyiv, the suburban town now almost unrecognisable from a few short weeks ago These are just a handful of the grotesque images of streets liberated by Ukrainian troops after they forced back Vladimir Putins forces. Many pictures from the capitals outskirts are too distressing to publish. There are claims of mass graves. Corpses of men with hands tied behind backs, shot through the mouth or with a bullet to the brain. Bodies of cyclists and children slaughtered on the streets of a European city once filled with busy cafes, schools and shops. Some lie face-down on the pavement. Some died in flames, trapped in their cars. Others stare up at the skies with mouths wide open as if screaming in anguish at the horrors of Russian occupation, from an invasion that began only 40 days ago. Often, these people were not soldiers. They are innocent victims of the most ghastly atrocities. They were human beings whose lives ended in terror at the behest of a blood-stained monster bidding to revive his nations imperial past. Many were found lying on the streets of Bucha among the sinister litter of war destroyed tanks, spent bullet casings, shattered glass, shards of artillery shells. This suburb was a place for professionals seeking more space than they might find in the city centre. A haven for families on the fringe of a bustling capital city. But now the name of Bucha is testament to Putins barbarity another unwanted reminder of mans potential for evil in a conflict that has already thrown up too many uncomfortable parallels with the Second World War. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, said the scenes emerging from towns in the Kyiv region exposed a post-apocalyptic picture of life under Russian occupation that he likened to a horror film. Putin believed he would rapidly crush Ukraine. One mayor told me their battlefield souvenirs include bottles of vodka with a special label for airborne forces to drink for their victory along with ceremonial uniforms and orchestral instruments for a planned triumphant parade in Kyiv. Another picture reveals a soldier nervously prodding a body with a stick to see if it is booby-trapped Plans are also circulating of Russian preparations for mass graves containing up to 1,000 bodies, covered in chemicals and then driven down into the earth by bulldozers. Instead Russias military machine was forced back, leaving the Kremlin to bleat pathetically that Ukraine is spreading fake images for the Western media relying on actors pretending to be dead. Moscow claims that during the time Bucha was under its control, no civilians suffered and no civilian buildings were destroyed just as they deny targeting innocent people in the hell of explosions raining down in the port of Mariupol. But only the most deluded fellow travellers in the free world will be fooled. Human Rights Watch said yesterday that it has documented allegations of Russian war crimes that include repeated rape and summary executions. In Bucha, it says, a man was seen being shot in the back of his head by the side of a road. In a town close to Chernihiv, six men were rounded up and executed by Putins goons. A third image (above) portrays female soldiers returned to Ukraine in a prisoner swap. Their heads have been shaved in humiliation by captors trying to strip them of dignity In a village near Kharkiv, there is evidence that a woman was repeatedly raped in the school where she sought shelter. The cases we documented amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians, said Hugh Williamson, Human Rights Watchs Europe and Central Asia director. Rape, murder and other violent acts against people in the Russian forces custody should be investigated as war crimes. He is right, of course. These are crimes against humanity and war crimes of the highest magnitude. Yet so was the very act of invasion when Putin sent his troops over the border of a sovereign nation on the basis of risible claims about denazification. Never forget he unleashed this war supposedly to liberate his brothers and sisters in the Russky Mir (Russian World) that he claimed were victims of a fascist coup although in reality, he was terrified of a vibrant democracy emerging on his doorstep in case it fuelled dissent among his own repressed citizens. These pictures demonstrate again how Putin has turned his nation into a pariah state and deserves to be in the dock facing charges of war crimes before swapping his 10,000 puffer jacket for a set of prison fatigues. Clearly Russias troops are carrying out atrocities yet ultimately, all the deaths, destroyed cities, raped women and slaughtered children can be blamed on one man: the killer in the Kremlin who launched this unwanted war. Scores of single, middle-aged British men are sponsoring young Ukrainian women to live with them in the UK leading to fears that vulnerable refugees could be exploited. A senior council worker responsible for her local refugee scheme is concerned there will be 'a massive abuse case' due to a lack of safeguarding measures to protect evacuees. The whistleblower said more than one in four of the 40 matches passed from the Home Office to her local authority are between men aged over 50 and women in their twenties or early thirties. Experts have warned the British government visa scheme in which would-be hosts are matched with Ukrainians seeking refuge could become 'Tinder for sex traffickers'. One housing charity claimed the scheme was being exploited before it opened, with young women offered 'arrangements' in exchange for accommodation. It comes as female Ukrainian refugees described being harassed by men online after posting on Facebook groups in search of a sponsor. It comes as female Ukrainian refugees described being harassed by men online after posting on Facebook groups in search of a sponsor. Pictured: Ukrainian refugee Julia Skubenko was offered a room in exchange for marriage Last night politicians and charities urged the Government to close 'dangerous loopholes' and put proper safeguarding measures in place to prevent vulnerable refugees being exploited. On Friday the Government launched a matching scheme linking UK sponsors with Ukrainian refugees despite warnings that predators could exploit the initiative. But it comes two weeks after the Homes for Ukraine scheme first opened for applications, meaning thousands of refugees have already been driven to use unregulated social media groups to find a sponsor. Once Ukrainians find a British host, they can apply for a visa. This is initially processed by the Home Office and then passed to the relevant local authority, which is responsible for ensuring the accommodation is fit for purpose. Last night politicians and charities urged the Government to close 'dangerous loopholes' and put proper safeguarding measures in place to prevent vulnerable refugees being exploited. But the whistleblower, who works for a council in the Midlands, said she fears the scheme could become 'a completely assisted exploitation exercise'. While she is sure the majority of people offering their homes are doing so out of kindness, she is worried a minority may have ill intentions. The worker is concerned the results of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks carried out on hosts will not come back before the Ukrainian refugees arrive, although Home Office sources said they would be 'expedited'. When an evacuee arrives in this country they will probably go straight to their host's home regardless of the status of the host's official approval, meaning it is possible that safeguarding issues will not be picked up in time, the whistleblower warned. The host, however, will not be able to claim the 350-per-month compensation until they have been vetted. The worker is concerned the results of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks carried out on hosts will not come back before the Ukrainian refugees arrive, although Home Office sources said they would be 'expedited' I was offered a room... in exchange for marriage Julia Skubenko didn't know what to expect when she posted on a Facebook group in the desperate hope of finding a host in the UK. Sharing a picture of herself smiling, she told the group's 18,000 members she never imagined she would 'be forced to move to England.... [but] I have to start over'. The 30-year-old shared links to her social media profiles and her mobile number. Miss Skubenko, who moved to Kyiv from a poor village and started her own cleaning business, said she loves horse riding, dancing and reading, and would 'get on her feet' as quickly as possible if she found a sponsor to help her set up in the UK. But along with an outpouring of generosity, Miss Skubenko who has now found a host was bombarded with messages from single men offering her a room, with some asking for 'marriage'. When she told one man she was only interested in homes with women living there, he wrote: 'Too bad, we could have started a family.' Another claimed to own an oil company and a bank and offered to employ her as her 'assistant'. She said she did not believe these men were 'writing out of compassion', adding: 'I'm worried about the girls from my country.' But along with an outpouring of generosity, Miss Skubenko who has now found a host was bombarded with messages from single men offering her a room, with some asking for 'marriage' Advertisement The council worker said: 'All of this has been put on local authorities to make decisions without the right frameworks. And without that safety net, I can imagine that somehow this will go wrong. 'I worry there'll be a massive abuse case that happens within my local authority and it will be us who come under fire for failing safeguarding duties, when actually we did everything we possibly could.' The council staffer said there are an 'awful lot of very young, very beautiful girls' looking for a sponsor on platforms such as Facebook, and they are flooded with responses. 'It doesn't inspire confidence that these people are in it for the right reasons,' she added. Positive Action in Housing, a homelessness charity, said men had been targeting young Ukrainian women who posted on Facebook looking for information about the scheme. One 'host' claimed to be a doctor with a 'big empty house', and offered accommodation, food, expenses and a monthly allowance as part of an 'arrangement' a term often used to imply sexual activity. Ukrainian evacuee, Olena, 25, found her sponsor through Facebook after posting a picture of herself along with some brief details. While she was overwhelmed by how many generous responses she received, she was also alarmed to receive messages from single men wanting to host her. One man wrote: 'I have a small space in my apartment... I am single and live alone. I hope it's not a problem. My apartment is small but I can help you or someone alone.' Another said: 'I live alone in a three-bedroom, three-floor house in central London and would be happy to help you with accommodation and anything else that you will need.' Some continued to message her even after she announced she had found a host, pressing for details of the address she would be moving to. A search on one Facebook group showed one man, who was single and offering a room in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, had liked three posts in the group all by women aged 23, 30 and 33. Labour peer Baroness Kennedy of Cradley said it is 'desperately worrying' that some women have been targeted online by men who have tried to 'coerce' information from them about their location. 'It is also worrying that councils are receiving matches via the Home Office between single men over 50 and single women in their 20s,' she added. 'The Government needs to ensure there are proper safeguards in place for all the women and girls fleeing war and seeking sanctuary here.' Robina Qureshi, director of Positive Action in Housing, said: 'So-called 'sponsors' registered with Homes for Ukraine have gone on to social media to offer shelter for sex to war refugees. We expect to see much worse in the coming weeks and months.' Louise Calvey, from Refugee Action, said: 'We are concerned that issues with the scheme mean that it risks being a Tinder for sex traffickers.' A government spokesman said: 'We have designed our Homes for Ukraine scheme specifically to have safeguards in place including robust security and background checks on all sponsors. No visa will be issued until the Home Office has completed checks on all adults in a sponsor's household as well as on the applicants from Ukraine. 'At the time of application, local authorities are notified to begin DBS checks, which will be expedited by the Home Office, so they can arrange in-person visits.' The wife of a Tory MP embroiled in a sex and drugs scandal is standing by him, her brother has said. David Warburton, 56, told friends he had been through 'sheer hell' as he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital suffering from severe shock and stress. The Conservative Party suspended him at the weekend after a picture of him sitting alongside what is claimed to be lines of cocaine emerged. The MP for Somerton and Frome in Somerset faces a parliamentary investigation after being accused of abusing the drug and inappropriately touching three women. Mr Warburton's wife of 20 years, Harriet, 52, was said to be fully backing her husband, who denies all wrongdoing. David Warburton's wife of 20 years, Harriet, 52, was said to be fully backing her husband, who denies accusations of abusing the cocaine and inappropriately touching three women The Conservative Party suspended David Warburton at the weekend after a picture of him sitting alongside what is claimed to be lines of cocaine emerged Her brother Jonathan Baker-Bates said: 'Absolutely, they're standing by each other at the moment ... They've always been a very happy couple for as long as I've known them. Harriet is obviously affected herself ... I think she is obviously finding it hard. 'I got a call from my sister last night. That's the first time I've heard of it. She seems to be surprised by it as much as anyone else. Her line is as his he's not done anything wrong and these things have explanations.' Mr Warburton's father-in-law was equally shocked. Merrick Baker-Bates, 82, the former deputy high commissioner to Malaysia and British consul general in Los Angeles, said: 'When I saw the paper this morning I thought it was an April Fool joke.' Mr Warburton and his wife live with their two teenage children in a six-bedroom detached house in the village of Baltonsborough, near Glastonbury, which they bought last year for 1.3million. PR professional Mrs Warburton, the cousin of former Cabinet secretary Lord Butler, confirmed her husband's hospital admission, said to be a private facility, but refused to comment herself. She is also her husband's publicly funded personal assistant and communications officer. Her brother, 55, from north London, said he saw Mr Warburton only a few weeks ago and he 'seemed to be normal David'. 'David's a nice guy. It came as a shock to all of us. I would imagine he has good reasons for why he is saying he is denying it,' he added. Mr Warburton, who has had the Tory whip withdrawn, has said he plans to launch a robust defence to counter the allegations. When asked about the photograph supposedly showing the MP posing next to white powder, Mr Baker-Bates said: 'As far as I know, that behaviour is out of character and the wider allegations appear out of character. 'He was always very conscious that he is an MP so it is surprising in that context,' he said. Mr Warburton with then Prime Minister Theresa May at the Bath and West Show in 2017 He also questioned whether the allegations could be part of a 'fix-up' following claims that the MP might have been the victim of a sting by a foreign power. He said: 'It does seem to have a lot of ingredients of something.' MI5 chiefs warned this year that hostile countries could target MPs. But Whitehall sources suggested there was no malign state involvement in this instance. Nevertheless, officials have referred the case to MI6 out of an abundance of caution, The Daily Telegraph reported. Mr Warburton is now being investigated by Parliament's new '#MeToo' harassment watchdog, the Independent Complaints Grievance Scheme. He also allegedly failed to declare a 100,000 loan in 2017 from a Russian businessman. London-based Roman Joukovski, 52, whom the MP has since repaid, was named in High Court papers last year as a defendant in an alleged cryptocurrency fraud. The case appears to have been settled and was closed in January. Unsavoury mid-life crisis... or something even more sinister? RICHARD KAY and ANDREW PIERCE examine how Tory MP's 'cocaine' scandal represents the unacceptable face of the political class One day, perhaps, we will know everything about the David Warburton affair. We may come to understand what private pressures drove this apparently happily married Tory MP and father of two to risk his reputation by allegedly clambering naked into another woman's bed and fondling her breasts after snorting 'line after line' of cocaine. Above all, we may learn what possessed him to be photographed for an extraordinary and incriminating-looking picture, with eyes dazed, a tumbler of whisky at his elbow and what appears to be four lines of the Class A drug all neatly arranged on an upturned baking tray. Last night, Westminster was abuzz with rumours about the significance of the damning photograph and of his curiously cryptic response to the claims of drug abuse and sexual misconduct, for which he said he had an 'enormous amount of defence'. Although regarded as something of a loner in the House of Commons he hadn't spoken in a debate since January recent sightings of Warburton had provoked comment. He had taken to appearing on the Commons terrace in a leather bomber jacket and jeans, working out in the gym and posting selfies proudly showing off an athletic figure after losing eight stone. One day, perhaps, we will know everything about the David Warburton affair. We may come to understand what private pressures drove this apparently happily married Tory MP and father of two to risk his reputation by allegedly clambering naked into another woman's bed and fondling her breasts after snorting 'line after line' of cocaine On the surface, the accusations against the MP, who secured one of the country's biggest swings to the Conservatives when he entered Parliament for the Somerset constituency of Somerton and Frome in 2015, seemed to represent a depressing return to the sleaze that engulfed the John Major government of the 1990s. Two women who worked in Warburton's office submitted formal complaints about his inappropriate behaviour. One said he had coerced her into returning to his central London flat where he kissed, caressed and groped her, touching her bottom and thigh on separate occasions. The second claimed he had caressed her and physically prevented her from leaving the flat, propelling her towards his bedroom. In many ways, his actions represent the entitled and unacceptable face of the political class voters find this repellent and of the power that MPs can wield over the opposite sex. So far, so tawdry. But it is the unanswered questions surrounding the emergence of the photograph and audio recordings in which he is heard asking a woman to order cocaine on his behalf telling her he would pay for it and WhatsApp messages that threatened to recast this sordid saga from that of an unsavoury mid-life crisis to something altogether more sinister. Yesterday, the Mail on Sunday reported that Tory party managers were investigating a potential link between the allegations coming to light and the activities of a foreign Communist party. Last night, however, Whitehall sources were playing down such speculation. Nonetheless, the security services have been warning MPs to be alert to hostile intelligence agencies attempting to entrap them. The war in Ukraine, which has seen relations between Britain and Russia plunge to a new low, has heightened such concerns. Only two months ago, Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, warned that both Russia and China were desperate to get a foothold at Westminster by targeting MPs and their staff. A senior figure in the Tory party told the Mail that Warburton appeared to have been the victim of some kind of stitch-up. 'We are working on the view that the Russians, indirectly, may have a hand in it,' this individual told us. One possibly significant detail being pored over last night was that of the bank card, visible on the edge of the photograph and which had presumably been used to 'cut' the cocaine into lines. It appeared to be from the DBS bank of Singapore. Who took the photograph and why remains crucial. In it, the MP does not stare directly into the lens. Investigators will want to know if he was even aware the picture was being taken, because by any stretch of the imagination the snap could have huge consequences. Posing alongside a quantity of Class A drugs if that is what they are could not only wreck his career but also see him arrested by police. In the fallout from the scandal, what emerged yesterday was a family in turmoil and a once-promising political career in ruins. The MP, whose children are teenagers, was admitted to a psychiatric hospital with 'severe shock and stress'. If there was any consolation, Warburton's wife of 20 years, Harriet, was standing by him. A diplomat's daughter, she runs her husband's office, In many ways his actions represent the entitled and unacceptable face of the political class voters find this repellent and of the power that MPs can wield over the opposite sex Her brother Jonathan Baker-Bates said his sister and her husband were 'absolutely standing by each other'. Somehow, if any politician was going to end up in a mess like this, it was David Warburton. A self-made millionaire, he ended his maiden speech in the Commons quoting the Victorian constitutionalist Walter Bagehot, saying: 'The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.' Even if this was an indication of trouble to come, the fact is that grammar school-educated Warburton's behaviour had evaded the intelligence of the Whips' office intelligence network. 'The Whips usually know about the peccadilloes of their errant MPs,' said a source. 'I'm pretty sure Warburton never flashed up on the internal intelligence system.' To add to the Whips' discomfort were reports of a second misconduct probe into a mysterious 100,000 loan from a billionaire Russian businessman. It was not known what the sum was for but the man who lent him the money, Roman Joukovski, is a specialist in off-shore tax advice and an expert in helping the super-rich secure tier-one 'golden' investor visas to the UK. Who would have predicted this when Warburton was first elected an MP seven years ago, with a majority of more than 20,000? He was seen as an ideal ambassador for David Cameron's Conservatives: Moderate, a family man and a former teacher who made his money with a company providing downloadable music to mobile phones before moving into property. In his constituency, he joined litter-picking appeals and volunteered as an organist in his local parish church. On drugs he had also set out his views when he condemned the 'appalling' exploitation of young people caught up in the so-called county lines gangs and calling for international action in 'tackling the drugs trade.' Whatever the moral ambiguities of his story, those words now reek of hypocrisy. According to the Sunday Times, a third woman, who did not work at Westminster but met Warburton through politics, said he had asked her to order cocaine and snorted 'line after line'. The MP reportedly said the sum was not expensive using the slang 'spenny' and was 'quite good actually'. He said he would repay her 160 for buying two grams. Warburton and the woman had met through work and, according to her, he invited himself to her flat despite there being evidence that she had had too much to drink. As she sobered up, she grew uncomfortable that the two were alone together and she went into her bedroom to change into her pyjamas, hoping it would encourage him to leave. She thought this would give him the hint and show she was not interested in him. Instead, she claims, he then stripped naked and climbed into her bed explaining that he always slept without clothes on. The reports into his conduct have coincided with Britain's security services warning MPs to beware of foreign intelligence agencies attempting to entrap them. Fears of spies launching such operations have been heightened by the brutal war in Ukraine, which has plunged relations between the UK and Russia to their lowest ebb since the Cold War The newspaper said that despite repeated and explicit warning that she did not want to have sex with him, Warburton allegedly ground his body against hers and groped her breasts. She said she lay 'frozen to the spot' until he fell asleep. The following morning, she claims he asked if she was 'proud' that an MP had slept at her home. After he had gone she had a long shower having felt ashamed and violated. Later that day he is alleged to have sent her a WhatsApp message asking if she was available and stating: 'Promise I won't remove all my clothes again'. The pair have not met since the incident on February 1. The woman is yet to make a complaint to the police or any other investigating authority. She said Warburton was a powerful man and she would not have known what course of action to take. She was also reported to have said that she wanted to forget the episode. But two female aides to the MP have decided to take action against him through the Independent Complaints and Grievances Scheme. They say they could not make a complaint through his parliamentary office as HR issues are handled by his wife. Both women accuse Warburton of unwanted sexual comments and sexual touching and say that he boasted about his consumption of cocaine, which he kept at his taxpayer-funded flat across the river from the Houses of Parliament. They claim he started behaving inappropriately both in parliament at late night events in and around Westminster. He is said to have told one of the young women that he would have slept with her had they been the same age, calling her 'baby'. At the British Kebab Awards, an alcohol-fuelled event attended by 150 MPs and members of the House of Lords, he allegedly groped her thigh, an incident witnessed by a third party. Some senior figures in Westminster are quietly saying that something does not add up. 'The whole thing stinks,' one said last night. 'Why is there an audio recording?' Both women claim he pressured them to drink more alcohol than they were comfortable with and coerced them into returning to his flat. One said he kissed her forehead, stroked her hair, placed his hand on her thigh and repeatedly rubbed it. The other woman said he had caressed her and refused to let her leave his home when she wanted to leave. Political friends say they noticed changes to Warburton during the Covid pandemic when he spent time away from the family home at his flat in the old County Hall building. In January last year, he posted a photograph revealing he had lost eight stone by lifting weights and cutting out carbohydrates. Some say this was the trigger for his more reckless behaviour. He is reported to have started sending suggestive texts last year to the younger woman who did not work for him. He references his cocaine use, too. 'Yep have some cheeky coke obvs,' he wrote in one message last November. Last month he texted her saying: 'Does your dealer do Westminster Bridge area?', adding: 'Have just been put on a one line whip' meaning he did not need to vote that day. 'So your happy Monday has made me want to call my dealer.but he takes aeons.' With just a month before local elections, party managers despaired. A Cabinet source said: 'He's been naive, stupid and reckless. What MP agrees to a photo next to four lines of cocaine? Unless he was set up. But even that doesn't excuse such crass behaviour.' It may however suggest there is more to this murky business than mere stupidity. Ben Fordham has slammed 'dole bludgers' for deliberately handing in bogus resumes so they can continue to receive Centrelink payments. The 2GB host unloaded on welfare recipients who were not putting in enough effort to find work and intentionally handing in rubbish CVs to potential employers, including those who even tell prospective employers they have 'no skills'. He accused the 'dole bludgers' of deliberately remaining unemployed so they could continue to receive Centrelink payments and take taxpayers 'for a ride'. Examples included recipients admitting they were handing in false resumes to meet their quota, using incorrect contact details so employers could not call them and deliberately applying for jobs they were under-qualified for. Fordham read out one resume written by a man called Jack who acknowledged he had no skills - and no intention to learn any. 'I have absolutely no skills whatsoever. I made it to 10th grade,' Fordham read. 'Does that sound like someone who is keen to land a job, or is Jack only applying for one so he can keep the dole?' Ben Fordham has slammed 'dole bludgers' for deliberately handing in bogus resumes to jobs so they can continue to receive Centrelink payments (pictured, a queue for Centrelink in Melbourne) 'I've been a dole bludger for 20 years - I know all the loopholes' Ben Hoy, 42, (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia he has been a 'dole bludger' for the last two decades Ben Hoy is 42, but for the best part of the last two decades he admits he's been a 'dole bludger'. The father-of-two, who is estranged from his children, has worked occasionally since he was in his late teens, usually doing the odd 'cash job' as a labourer. In 2017, Mr Hoy told Daily Mail Australia about 'knowing the loopholes' to keep his welfare payment despite him not actively looking for work. 'Well put it this way, I've been on the dole since I was 17 and I know all the loopholes,' he said of his 20 years on welfare. 'Every time they want me to work for the dole I change job agencies and it all starts again. 'They don't follow it up, they don't do nothing.' Advertisement The 2GB host (pictured) unloaded on welfare recipients who were not putting in enough effort to find work and intentionally handing in rubbish CVs to potential employers Fordham read out another resume written by a woman called Alannah. 'I'm currently employed with two cash jobs,' he read. 'I'm only applying for this position to complete my job plan with Centrelink. Apologies for any time wasted.' Fordham said he had spoken to an employer who complained welfare recipients who had applied for a role five years ago, were sending in the same resume today. She said 'curiosity' got the better of her and she attempted to call the applicants. 'Most didn't return my call. Some had incorrect mobile numbers and email addresses on their resumes. One said, "You actually want me to come in for an interview?"' Superior People Recruitment Director Graham Wynn revealed one in five applications submitted to his recruitment agency came from dole bludgers. 'That's 20 per cent of all the resumes people on benefits who really shouldn't be on benefits,' he told 2GB on Monday. Mr Wynn said his agency has dobbed in 2,000 welfare cheats in the past two months. 'I've been getting these [resumes] for many, many years. And it's increased dramatically since Covid kicked in,' he said. 'Since the 8th of February, nearly 2,000 people we've reported to Centrelink, in our opinion, is not a serious attempt to find work, 'It's just to fulfil my obligation, I've applied for a job, I get my money'.' A recruitment agency has dobbed in 2,000 'dole bludgers' in two months (stock image) Fordham said in March new data had revealed there were up to 900,000 Australians currently receiving JobSeeker payments (pictured, lines for a Sydney Centrelink) 'The ones I do like the best are the ones that say, 'I really don't want a job, but I have to apply for a job. Sorry for wasting your time.' 'Now I like their honesty. But seriously, that's what they send me. Nobody checks this.' Mr Wynn said one welfare recipient deliberately applied for a job they were under-qualified for. 'I had one the other day, for a senior sheet metal worker, and all they'd done is worked in a retail store. It's not a genuine attempt to find work.' The comments made by Fordham marks his latest spray against dole bludgers with the radio host partly blaming them for a massive shortage in workers. Fordham said in March new data had revealed there were up to 900,000 Australians currently receiving JobSeeker payments. He said to be eligible for the scheme, recipients had to be actively seeking employment and be physically able to work. Superior People Recruitment Director Graham Wynn revealed one in five applications submitted to his recruitment agency came from dole bludgers (pictured, a Centrelink queue in Melbourne) The comments made by Fordham marks his latest spray against dole bludgers with the radio host partly blaming them for a massive shortage in workers 'But let's be real here - not everyone is looking for a job,' Fordham said. 'Not everyone wants a job and the measures in place are not working. Every day we hear another story about staff shortages.' The radio host said despite moves to bolster the workforce with 175,000 foreign workers, backpackers and international students, it wouldn't fix the issue. 'The truth is, there are Australians who should be working but won't. They've become accustomed to welfare, they've become addicted to it,' he said. 'We've made it too easy for people to sit around while others do the heavy lifting and the workers are paying for it.' Fordham in February urged Australians to rat on 'dole bludgers' refusing to work by calling the Employer Reporting Line. '[The number is] 1300 361 241,' Fordham said. 'This is for if you know about people who refuse to get off their backside.' Disposable barbecues could be banned nationwide to slash the risk of wildfires, a minister has suggested. The single-use grills are responsible for 4 per cent of serious accidental fires, Home Office data suggests. Waitrose and Aldi announced last month that they would stop selling disposable barbecues due to their impact on the environment and wildlife. They have also been banned from beaches, parks and council-owned spaces in Brighton and Hove. Environment minister Victoria Prentis has now revealed that research is being commissioned into the barbecues' role in wildfires which could lead to a government crackdown. Environment minister Victoria Prentis has revealed that research is being commissioned into the barbecues' role in wildfires, which could lead to an outright ban or restrictions 'Disposable barbecues, if used correctly, do not, in themselves, pose a wildfire risk. 'It is when they are left unattended, or used recklessly, that the risk occurs,' the minister said. 'It is clear to me that we do not have enough data on the role that disposable barbecues play in wildfire incidents. 'However, anecdotal evidence...suggests that they have been responsible for a number of serious incidents.' Labour MP Holly Lynch, who led a Commons debate on the issue last week, said firefighters in West Yorkshire had already attended 75 wildfires this year with 'a significant number caused by careless and reckless use of disposable barbecues'. While an outright ban 'sounds like a big step', she added that the 'scale of the problem and the devastation it causes' must be highlighted. Local authorities can enforce Public Space Protection Orders to prevent barbecues from taking place but Miss Lynch, the MP for Halifax, said councils should not be 'expected to pick up the bill'. Other MPs have also called for stricter regulation ahead of the summer months, when the use of disposable barbecues is likely to surge. Tory MP Robbie Moore, a member of the Commons environment, food and rural affairs committee, said: 'The use of disposable barbecues in areas with a high fire risk should be banned. 'The Government should be looking at the implications of their use in places where there have been higher instances of these sorts of fires, particularly on moors.' Waitrose and Aldi announced last month that they would stop selling disposable barbecues due to their impact on the environment and wildlife He added that Miss Prentis' response was a 'good start' and a 'recognition that the Government want to do something about it'. Mike Amesbury, Labour's local government spokesman, said: 'Now it's time for Defra [the Department for Environment] to step up and become more proactive in tackling this growing problem. 'That should include consideration of whether disposable barbecues should be banned from sale entirely.' He added: 'The Government certainly needs to encourage the small minority using barbecues in appropriate locations to be more responsible and think of the potential consequences for people, the environment and livestock.' The partial retail ban on disposable barbecues comes almost a year after the Co-op announced it would stop selling them within a one-mile radius of a national park. Aldi also said its ban would lead to the removal of 35 tons of single-use waste packaging. Blinds and ripped curtains hang from blown-out windows, fluttering in the spring breeze like bunting. A crane swings slowly back and forth, removing debris loaded by firemen searching for bodies. In the vast, normally bustling square below there is silence, save for the hum of the cranes motor. It has been five days since a Russian cruise missile tore a gaping hole in the nine-storey regional government headquarters in Mykolaiv, the city at the front line of the battle for southern Ukraine, and the gap between life and death has all but closed. It is highly unlikely that there will be any more survivors, says Lieutenant Dmytriy Pletenchu, guarding the scene. He confirms the death toll has risen to 36. But there are still bodies in there, he says. Olga Maliarchux, 36, and Tanya Vyaznikova, 25, explain that they are special advisers to Mykolaivs governor Vitaliy Kim, the early morning rockets intended target who escaped the attack because he overslept And so the firemen, bent over, framed by jagged masonry, continue to work. Not with the same frantic urgency as before but methodically and with great purpose, as if on the site of an archaeological excavation. Intense bombardment has left Mykolaiv nervy but unbowed. The Russians want to take the city because it blocks the route to the port of Odessa, the cultural and economic prize eluding Vladimir Putin. Over the weekend all eyes in Mykolaiv were on Kyiv. The Russian retreat from the capital would, the people argued, focus minds elsewhere and sharpen Moscows desire to control the Black Sea coast. And so it proved. Early yesterday Russian missiles launched from sea and air destroyed an oil refinery in Odessa, sending black smoke drifting over the citys Franco-Italian central streets. Whether the attack heralds a long-feared amphibious assault remains to be seen. But Odessa is ready to repel invaders just as its neighbour is already doing further east along the coast. We travelled to Mykolaiv along the M14, the road scarred at the halfway point between the two cities by shelling, the result of an unsuccessful attempt by Russian marines to come ashore in the early days of the war. It has been five days since a Russian cruise missile tore a gaping hole in the nine-storey regional government headquarters in Mykolaiv, the city at the front line of the battle for southern Ukraine, and the gap between life and death has all but closed If Odessa is well guarded, then Mykolaiv is more fortified still, and for good reason. Awaiting permission to visit the administrative HQ we hear thudding artillery from the north-eastern suburbs. Apart from Lieutenant Pletenchu, the only witnesses to the firemens labours are two women, clinging to each other on a low wall. Olga Maliarchux, 36, and Tanya Vyaznikova, 25, explain that they are special advisers to Mykolaivs governor Vitaliy Kim, the early morning rockets intended target who escaped the attack because he overslept. We missed it too because we werent due in until 9am, says Olga. But we have come here every day since it happened because we feel we need to honour the dead and show we are not scared. We know them all, every single person who died. And we know also the ones buried in the rubble. We understand that the time for survivors has passed. We just want those missing to be found. It is highly unlikely that there will be any more survivors, says Lieutenant Dmytriy Pletenchu, guarding the scene. He confirms the death toll has risen to 36. But there are still bodies in there, he says Both look dead-eyed, shattered. Attempts to console them are waved away. There will be a time for tears, but not until victory, when we have torn Russia to pieces, says Olga. So for now we are keeping it all in. Nearby, Lieutenant Pletenchu is feeling similarly defiant. This was done to try to frighten people into pressurising our leaders into capitulating, he says. The Russians think this will weaken our resolve. But I can tell you that the opposite is true. This has only made the city more determined. As he talks he gestures towards a monument commemorating Mykolaivs liberation from the Nazis in 1944. My grandfather was one of the heroes who saved this city, he says. He would be sickened to know that the country he fought for is turning its guns on its own and on this city. Across the road stands a childrens arts centre, a grand piano dominating its foyer. Mercifully, the building was empty when the missile struck. Its windows are shattered and shards of glass, masonry and mangled door frames litter every room. All the centres activities were cancelled at the start of the war. In the normal way there might have been a ballet class when the rocket hit, explains a staff member who has come to help clear up. In a 1940s-built apartment block next door, few of the mainly elderly residents remain. On the fourth floor, though, we find Victor and Olena Makukha, a charming couple whose tiny flat looks out over the wrecked government building. Down the years, a rich tapestry of protest and pageantry has passed their window. But Victor says there has been little to compete with the sight of a cruise missile whizzing across the square last Tuesday. As the 83-year-old retired engineer crossed from the bathroom to the living room, he was knocked off his feet and covered in glass and splinters. I wasnt frightened though, he insists. Yes, he was, says his playful wife. Olena, 73, was at the shops at the time buying bread. I leave him for five minutes and this happens. Seriously, he could have been killed. Not a chance, shoots back Victor. Olena then disappears, plunders a display cabinet and returns with a bundle of family photographs. These include one of a handsome, moustachioed soldier her great-grandfather Konstantin who was honoured for his marksmanship while fighting with the Russian army in the First World War. Echoing the words of Lieutenant Pletenchu, Olena says: Now the Russians are trying to kill us all. My great-grandfather would be horrified. What a crazy world we live in. Then she sticks up her fists and adds: If I was 15 years younger, Id fight those Russians myself, wouldnt I, Victor? Yes, darling, he replies. After we say our goodbyes, our army escort notes: If only everyone was as plucky as those two. The truth is that Mykolaivs citizens all seem blessed with a rare fortitude, though few are as plucky as Arthur Akopyan whose five-storey, 47-room Hotel Ingul, a three-minute drive from the square was destroyed a fortnight ago. He closed for business after the invasion but was in his office when a bomb fell. There was me and a security guard in the building at the time. I was at my desk and was thrown from my chair. I think I must have hit my head on a wall. There was dust and smoke and glass everywhere. I found the security guard who had been catapulted along a corridor and had also banged his head. Both of us had concussion and scratches but were fine. Nobody who has seen this wreckage can believe that we got out alive. Asked why he thinks he was targeted, he says: The Russians mistakenly thought we were about to house some Ukrainian military. In fact, we were due to open to international journalists. A few days later, Mr Akopyans was caught up in the cruise missile attack. Our apartment is near the building that was hit, he says. I was left with glass wounds when it shattered our windows and blew a door off. Again, I escaped. Ive patched up our apartment and now Im going to build a new hotel from scratch. People tell me Im the luckiest man in Mykolaiv. Like everyone else, Im just trying to get by in this war the best way I can. Mumsnet readers have praised the three women behind a fantastic campaign to pile pressure on local election candidates about their stance on gender politics. Activists Maya Forstater, Caroline Ffiske and Heather Binning urged voters to question politicians over their stance on issues such as the definition of a woman. Launching the campaign in the Daily Mail last Friday, Miss Forstater, executive director of Sex Matters, said it represents the most significant womens movement since the Suffragettes. On Saturday, it received the backing of Rosie Duffield, a Labour MP who has faced accusations of transphobia for saying only women have a cervix. Now readers of the parenting site Mumsnet have pledged their support for the campaign, which uses the slogan: Respect my Sex if you want my X. Campaigners for 'Respect my sex if you want my X', left to right, Caroline Ffiske (Women Uniting), Heather Binning (Women's Rights Network), and Maya Forstater (Sex Matters) A user called EmpressaurusWitchDoesntBurn started a discussion thread on the website about Miss Forstaters article, writing: This is fantastic! The replies to the comment were overwhelmingly in favour. Bellinisurge wrote: This issue needs as much sunlight and mainstream coverage as possible. I fear [for] trans people who deserve support and healthcare. Just not undermining womens support and healthcare in order to get it. Slothtoes wrote: Oh my god. This really is the tide turning... Call to action from voters. Brilliant, brilliant campaigning by Maya and colleagues. Thank you. Please let this not fall apart by becoming a left v right issue with voters. The campaign, which urges prospective councillors to reveal their stance on transgender issues before ballots are cast, comes after a number of senior Labour figures struggled to answer questions on the topic. This includes party leader Sir Keir Starmer who refused to say if women could have a penis and women and equalities spokesman Anneliese Dodds who struggled to define what a woman is. Miss Forstater, who co-founded the group Sex Matters, said the campaign represents the most significant womens movement since the Suffragettes It has received the backing of Rosie Duffield, a Labour MP who has faced accusations of transphobia for saying only women have a cervix Another user BettyFilous said: This is a great campaign and very straightforward to understand... It spells out the reality of the situation, that we are talking about intact males here and the loss of single sex provisions for women and girls. Masterfully done. Noisyprat wrote: I am going to write to my MP on this, we need to keep this in the news and keep putting pressure on until we get proper actions and commitments from parties. Miss Forstater, a tax expert whose employment tribunal battle led to a landmark ruling last year that gender-critical beliefs are protected by equality law, said Mumsnet users had supported her case from the very beginning. She added: There has been a groundswell of support from ordinary women all over the country. The comments on Mumsnet are very encouraging. Two people were taken to the hospital after an explosion aboard a docked U.S. Navy vessel in Washington state Saturday. The incident occurred on the Navy's USS Louisiana ballistic-missile submarine while it was stationed at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard near Seattle, and saw two people taken to the hospital for non life-threatening injuries. Military authorities said the explosion was the result of rapid depressurization in one of the ship's cabins during a 'routine' test of the vessel's air system. Five other sailors were ultimately seen by Navy medics, but did not require medical attention. Two people were injured after an explosion on the USS Louisiana at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on Saturday Several people from Bremerton said they heard a loud boom The USS Louisiana has been based in Washington state since 2005 and is capable of carrying up to 20 ballistic missiles with thermonuclear warheads Residents in the area said they heard a blast just after noon in the Bremerton area. Shipyard officials have since explained the problem as a malfunction occurring during a routine compartment air test on the Ohio-class sub. The vessel 'experienced a problem' in the forward logistics escape trunk, according to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard spokeswoman Anna Taylor. It led to a rapid depressurization on the 560-foot sub, which caused a loud noise. The incident caused a dislodged a scaffolding enclosure and "other equipment" inside the submarine, a spokesperson for the shipyard said. The explosion happened at midday just as a routine compartment air test was being conducted. The Louisiana is currently stationed at Pier 3 at the Bremerton shipyard, pictured above, in order for midlife nuclear refueling to take place It remains unclear the extent of the injuries sustained by the two sailors who were taken to a local hospital. The Louisiana is currently stationed at Pier 3 at the Bremerton shipyard for midlife nuclear refueling to take place. It has been based in Washington state since 2005 and is capable of carrying up to 20 ballistic missiles with thermonuclear warheads. The remains of a Malaysian national have been found on a rural property in central west NSW, five days after three men were arrested over his 'particularly gruesome' death. NSW Police were investigating criminal syndicates in the state in June 2021 when they uncovered the disappearance and suspected murder of Malaysian national, 'Jacky' Chong Kai Wong. The 24-year-old, who moved to Sydney in 2016, last spoke to his family overseas on December 28, 2020. Police believe he was murdered more than a year ago after becoming involved with a drug cartel. A search for his remains at a rural property at Killongbutta, about 40 kilometres north-west of Bathurst was launched by Strike Force Heighway detectives and other specialist resources last Tuesday. Human remains believed to be of Mr Wong were found on the property on Sunday afternoon. 'Jacky' Chong Kai Wong (pictured) is believed to have been murdered in December 2020 Officers found human remains at a remote property in Killongbutta, about 40 kilometres north-west of Bathurst in central west NSW on Sunday afternoon 'The remains will be subject to forensic examination and further analysis, including DNA testing,' a police statement said. 'While the remains are yet to be formally identified, they are believed to be that of Jacky Chong Kai Wong.' A report will be prepared for the coroner. Mr Wong was in Australia on a holiday visa, but was in reality working as a 'crop sitter' for a south-east Asian crime group growing commercial amounts of marijuana, police said. 'We know Jacky was working for a criminal enterprise involved in the cultivation of cannabis in regional NSW around the time of his alleged murder,' Drug and Firearms Squad Commander Detective Superintendent John Watson said last week. 'The circumstances of his death are particularly gruesome.' Police say Mr Wong was looking after up to 1,000 plants at the site. Police raided properties across Sydney last week and arrested three men who were allegedly involved in the murder. A 33-year-old man was arrested at a Berala home in Sydney's south-west, where officers seized cash, electronic devices and documentation. The man was charged with murder, concealing a serious indictable offence, knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group, deception, cultivating a prohibited plant and other offences. He was appeared in Parramatta Bail Court where he was refused bail to face Bathurst Local Court on May 23. There were two further arrests across Sydney- a 22-year-old man from Auburn and a 28-year-old from Marsden. A 33-year-old man was arrested last week at a property in Berala in Sydney's west, where officers seized cash, electronic devices and documentation A remote property where drugs were allegedly being cultivated in Killongbutta The 22-year-old was charged with murder, cultivating and supplying a prohibited drug and other offences. The 28-year-old man was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence, participating in a criminal group, cultivating and supplying a prohibited drug and other offences. Both were refused bail to appear at Hornsby Local Court at a later date. Police will allege in court all three men were involved in the murder of Mr Wong between December 25, 2020, and January 8, 2021. Part of a property where drugs were allegedly being cultivated in Killongbutta, about 40 kilometres north-west of Bathurst in central west NSW 'These criminal groups are known for targeting young individuals with the promise of easy money, which often leads to them working in illegal grow houses on remote properties,' Det Supt Watson said. 'This is a sad reminder of the reality of these operations. 'They are run by dangerous criminals who care only about a quick profit and have no dignity or regard for human life.' Surgeon Oleksandr Yatsyna is a force of nature. Our meeting begins as he simultaneously attempts to water a plant on his office window sill, drink an Americano and read the latest war time clinical updates on his mobile phone. He trained in London and Sheffield, has travelled widely in the UK and is a passionate Anglophile, citing the understanding and open-mindedness of the people. He loves the nightlife of Englands northern cities, enjoys afternoon tea at Cliveden House (a five-star hotel in Buckinghamshire) and pints in The Cavendish pub in Marylebone, London. He also misses West End theatre his favourite production is the long-running farce The Play That Goes Wrong. But right now Dr Yatsyna, a urologist, has matters other than plays and pints to think about. The 39-year-old is one of the leading co-ordinators of Ukraines medical response to the Russian invasion. We cannot say exactly where he is based because hospitals have become military targets you have seen what the Russians did to the maternity facility in the port city of Mariupol. Daily Mail's Richard Pendlebury meets Ukrainian surgeon Dr Oleksandr Yatsyna, 39, (pictured) is one of the leading co-ordinators of Ukraine's medical response to the Russian invasion The day we meet hed started his ward round at 7am and was expecting to work until very late given the surge of patients since hostilities began. He has vacated his home on the edge of Kyiv and now sleeps at the hospital. [We] have 20 beautiful operating theatres with modern equipment from the UK and other Western countries, he tells me. But our problem is to do with the volume of operations we are now having to conduct. There is barely time to sterilise the instruments between procedures. At the start of the war patients were moved from the upper floors of the hospital to what had been storage rooms in the basement to protect them from potential missile strikes. The electricity supply became erratic and prone to failure but Dr Yatsyna says he and his colleagues have been touched by the support they are receiving from colleagues abroad, particularly in Britain. I was lucky enough to travel quite a lot before the war to attend and speak at international conferences and symposiums where I made contacts with foreign colleagues, he explains. A doctors friendships are not always based on shared scientific interests but personal understanding. And those people with open hearts have reconnected with me. Kyiv Surgeon Dr Olexandr Yatsyna who has personally been travelling to the Ukrainian border to bring much needed ambulances and medical supplies back to Kyiv for his staff to use on the front lines There is a term in Ukraine, liudyna a person who has empathy. Essentially someone who cares about others. One of these people with liudyna is Dr Sara McNeillis, a consultant at University College London Hospital (UCLH). He met her courtesy of a scholarship programme which enabled him to study for three months in Sheffield under consultant urologist Professor Christopher Chapple and then another three months at UCLH. Dr McNeillis visited Ukraine half a year ago and became passionate about the culture and people, he says. When the war began she contacted me and asked, What can we do to help? He asked for a generator to combat the problem of the unreliable electricity supply. Funding was raised by medical staff at UCLH and the generator reached Kyiv via Poland. He is now expecting the arrival of a portable ultrasound machine that can be used on the front line again paid for by colleagues at UCLH. Dr Yatsyna showed me a copy of a letter of thanks he had sent to London. We are very grateful for your help in such hard and terrible times because of our suffering from the Russian army and the war, the surgeon wrote. Our country, our people, our hospitals and doctors were not ready for this. We are very appreciating [sic] your support so we can do our duty helping our patients and saving their lives. Volunteers help evacuate the stricken and elderly from the town of Irpin using what little resources they have available. Here (pictured 9 March) they use a wheelbarrow to bring people to from the destroyed bridge leading to the town to a waiting ambulance This generator, which you donated to us, provides uninterrupted electricity in our surgical and intensive therapy blocks. It is difficult to describe our gratitude to you, because it is not only about help, it is about humanity and support from people of another country, who havent suffered such a terrible thing like war. 'Now we can use this generator we will never forget your kindness. Last night I spoke to Dr McNeillis about my encounter with Dr Yatsyna. Hes a wonderful person with a great sense of humour, she told me. We were desperate to help him in any way we can. You need the equipment to do the job. Its all about the understanding doctors have about what other doctors need, wherever they are in the world. The generator and the portable ultrasound we are sending next week is just the start. Two trucks with volunteers [and medical equipment] are about to set off from Primrose Hill. Professor Chapple, Dr Yatsnyas Sheffield mentor told the Daily Mail: I remember him as a very bright, very capable young man. I realise all qualified surgeons, whatever their speciality, are working as trauma surgeons in Ukraine currently because they are at war. We are desperately sorry for the situation in which the country, its people and medics such as Oleksandr find themselves through no fault of their own. Dr Yatsyna says he needs more ambulances and portable ultrasound machines. Dr Yatsyna cannot say exactly where he is based because hospitals have become military targets you have seen what the Russians did to the maternity facility in the port city of Mariupol', he said In the absence of sufficient ambulances over the last six weeks, Jamie and I have indeed witnessed a variety of ad hoc casualty recovery vehicles ranging from wheelbarrows, armoured bank security trucks and refrigerated water container delivery vans (for the dead). The surgeon adds: We also have problems getting bullet-proof vehicles with basic medical equipment that can operate in the red zone. I have been speaking to people in the UK about buying Land Rovers that are so equipped. A new one costs around 80,000, second hand maybe 50,000. In western Europe, people have been living a good life for a long time. For those people it would be a huge shock if their country came under attack. But wars are no longer happening in Africa or the Middle East. It is now happening in Europe, on your doorsteps. Police officers in protective gear guide residents lining up for COVID tests in the Jingan district of western Shanghai, China, April 1. As residents of western Shanghai start a four day lockdown for mass testing, some in eastern Shanghai about to end their lockdown are being told they will be confined to their homes for at least 10 more days. AP-Yonhap COVID-19 cases in China's largest city of Shanghai are still rising as millions remain isolated at home under a sweeping lockdown. Health officials on Sunday reported 438 confirmed cases detected over the previous 24 hours, along with 7,788 asymptomatic cases. Both figures were up slightly from the day before. While small by the standards of some countries, the daily case numbers are some of the largest since the virus was first detected in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019. Shanghai with its 26 million people last week began a two-stage lockdown, with residents of the eastern Pudong section supposed to be allowed to leave their homes Friday, while their neighbors in the western Puxi section underwent their own four-day isolation period. Visas for Ukrainian refugees will be processed within 48 hours, the minister in charge of the scheme vowed yesterday. After widespread criticism of bureaucracy surrounding the UK's response, Lord Harrington said the Government's emergency routes will soon bring in 15,000 evacuees a week. The minister also confirmed that so far only hundreds of Ukrainians have arrived in Britain under the Homes for Ukraine programme. Some visa applicants fleeing the Russian invasion have been waiting weeks for a response. 'I want to get this process down to a reasonable amount of time,' said Lord Harrington. 'I am happy to say publicly that my target is 48 hours from when they download the application form to when they are given permission to travel.' Visa applicants hoping to flee the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the UK have had to wait weeks to hear back, but the government has now set a target response time of just 48 hours Last week he told MPs that 'two or three days' would be a 'reasonable' ambition, but did not offer an official target at that stage. Lord Harrington told The Sunday Times how he has applied to be a sponsor himself, offering a London flat he owns with his fiancee, former Tory MP Jessica Lee. A government-backed scheme to match Ukrainian refugees with British families who have offered to open up their homes was finally launched on Friday. A charity oversees the pairing of evacuees with 'suitable' hosts, three weeks after Britons were first asked to volunteer their help. Lord Harrington (pictured), the minister in charge of the Ukrainian refugee scheme, said the Government's emergency routes will soon bring in 15,000 evacuees a week to the UK - although so far only hundreds have entered It means UK residents who have not managed to link up with Ukrainians by informal means such as social media can now apply to an officially-endorsed programme. Figures published on Friday showed only 4,700 visas have been granted under Homes for Ukraine, with a backlog of 27,500. A separate scheme for Ukrainians with relatives in the UK has awarded 24,400 visas. The body of a missing Florida mom has been discovered six days after she vanished while going to collect her four year-old daughter from her ex. Cassie Carli's remains were found buried in a shallow grave close to a barn in St Clair County, Alabama, on Saturday night, Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said. Sheriff Johnson told a press conference Sunday that Carli, 37, had been identified thanks to a tattoo on her remains, Fox13 reported. The grim discovery came hours after her ex Marcus Spanevelo was arrested in connection with the March 27 disappearance from a restaurant parking lot in Navarre, Florida, close to where Carli lived. Carli had traveled there to pick up the couple's daughter, Saylor, who was found safe on Wednesday It remains unclear how Carli died, with an autopsy scheduled for Monday. Johnson told journalists: 'Cassie Carli whos been missing now for about a week, we discovered her body while executing a search warrant out in Alabama. 'It was in a barn, in a shallow grave, so its not the ending that we wanted, obviously. But we're hoping to provide a little closure for the family.' Cassie Carli, 37, was found dead in a shallow grave Saturday night. The Florida mom vanished on March 27 after going to collect daughter Saylor, 4, from her ex Marcus Spanevelo Johnson said Spanevelo had 'absolutely not' been cooperative following his arrest over Carli's disappearance Saturday. He tore into the suspect, with Johnson saying he hopes Spanevelo is executed for the crime. The cop said: 'He was totally uncooperative with us and that goes a long way. 'Its your babys mother whos missing and youre not going to cooperate with authorities, its kind of telltale. 'We hated that Cassie has passed away, but its good to get closure for the family. Johnson said. Its good to keep this dirtbag in jail, where he belongs. 'I think we have a great case and I think hes either going to spend the rest of his life in jail or get the needle. Hopefully the needle.' Spanevelo has been arrested in connection to his ex's death, with upgraded charges expected within days The sheriff refused to say how they'd learned where Carli had been buried, but added that the barn had a peripheral connection to Spanevelo. Spanevelo was arrested in Tennessee, and is currently being held there on charges of evidence tampering and giving false information pending an extradition hearing. Sheriff Johnson says he expects those charges to be upgraded following Monday's autopsy. Concerned family members raised the alarm after they could not get in touch with Carli last week, with cops further disturbed on discovering Carli's car in the restaurant lot, with her purse still inside. Saylor was found safe and well with her dad in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday. Spanevelo, 34, was arrested in Lebanon, Tennessee, around 10 a.m. on Saturday and has been charged with tampering with evidence, giving false information concerning a missing person investigation and destruction of evidence. 'Spanevelo was arrested based on a Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office Major Crimes warrant which was signed by a judge,' the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office wrote in a press release. 'We are cautious as to the information being released due to the sensitivity of this case.' Carli's sister Raeann posted a video on Facebook reacting to the arrest, saying: 'We are a little relieved to know that Marcus is in custody, and we're hoping that can bring us some more answers and closer to finding Cassie. 'Like I said, now that he's in custody, hopefully we can get a few more answers on her disappearance. We're going to bring Cassie home.' Carli with her daughter Saylor. The youngster was discovered with her dad earlier this week, and is safe Carli's sister Raeann posted a video on Facebook reacting to the arrest, saying: 'We are a little relieved to know that Marcus is in custody, and we're hoping that can bring us some more answers and closer to finding Cassie' We are so thankful for Sgt. Aloy & all of the law enforcement involved in helping get justice for Cassie. The search continues tomorrow!!! 10am on Navarre Beach under the water tower!! Will make a post after this with more detailed info! Lets BEING CASSIE HOME!! Posted by Raeann Carli on Saturday, April 2, 2022 She also said the 'search is on tomorrow' as the family continues to look for the mother-of-one. Detectives from Santa Rosa County traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday and located Marcus Spanevelo and his daughter, Saylor, four, three days after the girl's mother, Cassie Carli, vanished in Navarre, Florida, located more than 260 miles away. The Maury County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee said the father has been booked into jail. Carli was last seen on Sunday and days after Spanevelo was found in Alabama, hundreds of miles away, before being arrested on Saturday The community has shown up on the beach every day to help search for Carli Spanevelo, the ex-boyfriend of missing Florida mother Cassie Carli, was located in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, with his four-year-old daughter Saylor, but he has not been arrested or charged Carli's car was located on Tuesday in Navarre with her purse inside, raising concerns for her well-being, Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said during a press conference on Thursday, adding that there has been no activity on the missing woman's phone or credit card since Sunday. Carli had arranged to meet up with Spanevelo to exchange custody of their daughter at around 7 p.m. in the parking lot of Juanita's Grill at Navarre Beach. Every day the family and community members have met in the parking lot of Juanita's Grill at Navarre Beach - where her car was found - to search for her, according to WEAR-TV. Her father, Andrew Carli, told DailyMail.com that before going, she told him, '"I'll be right back." She never came back.' He was booked into jail, according to the Maury County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee Andrew said Spanevelo, whom he described as a 'narcissist,' had a turbulent relationship with his daughter after their split. He claimed that prior to her disappearance, Carli had obtained a court order compelling her ex-boyfriend to pay her $6,000 in child support. Carli's dad also said that Spanevelo would not take his calls or answer his text messaging asking about Carli. Carli's young sister Raeann told Fox News her sister felt 'extremely unsafe' around Spanevelo and had warned her family about him. 'Just in general, with her relationship with him, it has always been, she has had some fear of him,' her sister said. 'Hes always controlling, and tried to be manipulative, and she had some fear of him in the past. And what hes capable of, or planning maliciously towards her.' Raeann, who lives in North Carolina, told NBC's Dateline that Cassie and her ex typically met at a Walmart located in Destin, halfway between Navarre and Panama City, where Spanevelo lives. The custody exchange was set to take place at this parking lot at Navarre Beach Carli never returned home and was reported missing by her father on Monday evening But for an unknown reason, they decided at the last minute to change their meeting place Sunday. Nearly four hours after Carli went out to pick up Saylor, her father, with whom she lives in Navarre, received text messages from his daughter's phone, telling him that she was having problems with her phone and her car. Speaking to DailyMail.com on Thursday, Andrew Carli said he does not believe Cassie sent those texts. Carli never made it home that night, and she was still missing the following day when her father came home from work and discovered that his daughter has not returned. That evening, nearly 24 hours after her last sighting, Carli's father contacted the authorities and reported her missing. Santa Rosa Sheriff's deputies located Carli's vehicle on Tuesday morning at Navarre Beach, but she was nowhere to be found. Her purse was discovered inside. Saylor has been found safe with her dad, but her mother never made it home, sparking a massive search involving law enforcement officials and volunteers Sheriff's deputies located Carli's car at the Navarre Beach parking lot on Tuesday Carli's friend Sam Graves, who organized a search party in Navarre on Tuesday, told WEAR-TV that Saylor's father, whom she identified as Spanevelo, falsely claimed that he had brought Cassie to Graves' house after she 'freaked out' on Sunday. Andrew Carli, Cassie's dad, called those claims 'bulls***,' arguing that Spanevelo never even met Graves. Graves said that Spenevelo is a Brazilian national and that he previously threatened to take Saylor out of the country. She also alleged that the man was an 'abuser,' although Spenevelo has not been charged with any crime related to Carli. Graves grimly remarked said that all indicators are pointing to a 'worst-scenario ending,' with that prediction since sadly coming to pass. Carli had just started a new job at the nearby Eglin Air Force base the day before. Her sister said Carli told her that her first shift went well. Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit features on a coloured 5 coin to mark 120 years since the children's favourite first hit the shelves. The fluffy-tailed mischief-maker is depicted in his trademark blue coat hopping through a wildflower meadow. Launched today, it is available on the Royal Mint's website together with a gold and silver edition. The coin will not enter circulation. Ffion Gwillim, who designed the piece, said: 'I knew from the beginning that I wanted the coin to be cheerful and have a celebratory feel. I took inspiration from the colourful floral illustrations seen throughout the book.' The fluffy-tailed mischief-maker is depicted in his trademark blue coat hopping through a wildflower meadow Ffion Gwillim (pictured), who designed the piece, said: 'I knew from the beginning that I wanted the coin to be cheerful and have a celebratory feel. I took inspiration from the colourful floral illustrations seen throughout the book' Clare Maclennan, from the Royal Mint, said: 'The coin is itself a beautiful work of art for collectors of all ages.' She added: 'Coins remain Britain's favourite collectable item. 'Their appeal continues to reach new collectors with the increasing popularity of our childhood character coins, which celebrate some of the greatest childhood stories and characters we know and love on official UK coin. Launched today, it is available on the Royal Mint's website together with a gold and silver edition. The coin will not enter circulation. 'The collectable Peter Rabbit 5 crown is the latest release in the series, marking the 120th anniversary of the mischievous, loveable rabbit.' The release marks 120 years since the first publication of The Tale Of Peter Rabbit, which has been celebrated on coins by the Royal Mint since 2016. Ms Gwillim said she used the original storybook illustrations as her reference to create the 'cheerful and celebratory' scene. Speaking about the design, she said: 'Taking the different floral elements from pages in the book to create a new scene on a round coin was a welcomed design challenge - applying colour to such a detailed coin also took a lot of care and precision.' Young children are speaking in different accents after watching lots of films and cartoons during the pandemic, it has emerged. They are mimicking the voices of characters in movies and TV programmes due to the long hours spent on screens amid Covid lockdowns, Ofsted reveals in a report today. The education watchdog said youngsters are suffering delays in speech and language as they have missed out on 'stories, singing and having conversations'. Young children are speaking in different accents after watching lots of films and cartoons during the pandemic, it has emerged (File image) Fewer have learned to use the toilet independently, which means more children may not be ready for school by age four, while others find it hard to put on coats and blow their noses. Meanwhile, some babies are struggling to 'respond to basic facial expressions'. They are 'particularly anxious and not used to seeing different faces'. The findings will renew fears about the damage caused to children's development following repeated lockdowns. Ofsted has today published reports into the pandemic's impact on different education settings, using evidence from 280 inspections and multiple focus groups. Amanda Spielman, chief inspector of schools, said there has been 'lots of really good work' across early years, schools and further education this term, but 'lingering challenges' remain. She said: 'I'm particularly worried about younger children's development, which, if left unaddressed, could potentially cause problems for primary schools down the line.' In the early years, the watchdog analysed inspections of 70 childminders and nurseries between January and February. The briefing document says many providers reported continuing delays in babies' and children's speech and language progress. The report says: 'For example, some have noticed that children have limited vocabulary or lack the confidence to speak. 'Also, some babies have struggled to respond to basic facial expressions, which may be due to reduced contact and interaction with others during the pandemic. The findings will renew fears about the damage caused to children's development following repeated lockdowns (File image) 'Children have missed out on hearing stories, singing and having conversations. 'One provider commented that children appear to have spent more time on screens and have started to speak in accents and voices that resemble the material they have watched.' Staff felt that wearing face coverings continued to have a 'negative impact' on youngsters' language skills. 'Children turning two years old will have been surrounded by adults wearing masks for their whole lives and have therefore been unable to see lip movements or mouth shapes as regularly,' the report says. The early years document highlights a 'regression in children's independence and self-care skills'. It says: 'For example, more children needed help putting on their coat and blowing their nose. 'An increasing number of providers were concerned that fewer children have learned to use the toilet independently. This means that more children may not be ready for school by age four.' Nursery workers and childminders also reported delays in babies' physical development in terms of learning to crawl and walk. Those starting in settings since the pandemic 'have high levels of anxiety and are having to get used to seeing different people'. Last July, it was revealed that US children were watching so much of the British cartoon, Peppa Pig, they were developing English accents. Advertisement How much holiday fun can you crowbar into one half-term getaway? Actually, bucketsful if your boarding pass lands you on Americas sun-drenched West Coast. Ten hours in the sky from the UK to Los Angeles promises cool beach towns, major movie studios, thrilling theme parks and some world-beating wildlife. And whichever term school break you plump for February, June or October the sky will almost certainly be blue. Our multi-generational gang of six (comprising one granny, one uncle, two kids Belle, eight, and Cleo, six and my partner and me) are wooed way out west by flights on the right side of 300 each. LA is often cheaper to get to than the Canaries in school holidays, and any jet-lag we fear melts away quickly, ushered out by Los Angeless immediate, dazzling sunshine, towering palms and endless honey sands. We forgo the wham-bam of Hollywoods headline tourist sights (they can wait a while) and make for those cool beach towns instead. Pitching up at Newport Beach, a well-heeled harbour enclave thats 40 minutes drive south of the airport, proves just the ticket. Exhilarating: Joanna Tweedy visits Dana Point (pictured), aka the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World, during her trip to America's West Coast Delicious: Joanna's family loves the famous frozen bananas served at Sugar N Spice in Newport Beach (pictured) A local recommends hiring a duffy, a plush little electric boat that costs about 25pp for a day and moves at a blissfully glacial five knots. Its sage advice, and we spend an afternoon in Newport Bay weaving around paddle-boarders, dodging buffleheads (cute sea ducks that bob along next to us) and lusting after palatial waterfront houses. So eclectic in style are these homes, planning officials clearly follow the anything but boring mantra. The girls love the 3.5 million Jaws House, a futuristic pad that looks like the gaping mouth of a great white shark; and we seek out the lavish former homes of Hollywood royalty including Cyndi Lauper, John Wayne and Shirley Temple. Back on terra firma, a stroll down chintzy Marine Drive on Balboa Island sees us join a queue to sample Newport Beachs snack of choice: the chocolate-dipped frozen banana. The shop with the longest line is the delightfully retro Sugar N Spice, which lays claim to inventing the 4.50 treat back in 1945. The kids eyes widen at the prospect of Oreo crumbles or pecan crunch toppings cemented into the melted chocolate. Cleo plumps for the everything topping and emerges with a dizzying layer of sprinkles, which she scoffs before ditching the actual banana. We want to keep the driving to a minimum, but freedom and freeways go hand-in-hand in California, so we eventually take our place on the ever-so-slightly-terrifying ten-lane I-5 South for the half-hour hop to our next stop Dana Point, aka the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World. This low-key Orange County town sits exactly halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego on southern Californias gloriously craggy coastline. It was anointed a Whale Heritage Site in 2021, thanks to the grey, blue, humpback, minke and finbacks that frequently glide into this warm bay, plus the 450,000 common dolphins that call these waters home. Based in the towns harbour since 1971, the Dana Wharf Whale Watching Company takes out tourist boats (40 for adults, 30 for children and half price on Tuesdays) three times a day with marine naturalists on board for quizzing. 'LA is often cheaper to get to than the Canaries in school holidays,' writes Joanna. Pictured is the family, with Joanna in the centre, on bikes at Venice Beach Pretty bufflehead ducks (pictured) bob alongside Joanna as she cruises down Newport Bay on a 'duffy' boat - 'plush little electric boat' Theres no sign of any humpback immediately, so we just look, breathing in the salty air and watching light ricochet off the water. And that, of course, is when the magic happens. First come the dolphins. Like a jaunty circus troupe, they dip and dive around our tourist boat. Then, just beyond them, the kids spy a more sizeable monochrome mass. Stretching 40ft, it gently breaks the waters and we suddenly have the best seats in the house as a humpback launches itself skywards again and again. When we pootle back to shore exhilarated, an hour later, the marine life theatricals dont abate. A gang of tubby sea lions flop and bark on sun-bleached boardwalks as we anchor up. Eventually, Tinseltowns cinematic heritage lures us inland to LA. The Tangerine, a 1960s motel in an electric shade of orange on Burbanks West Riverside Drive, offers a change from the beachy vibes. In the shadow of movie-making goliaths such as Warner Brothers, Universal and Disney, this bolthole serves up free Cuban pastries for breakfast and lets tourists whove spent long days delving into Hollywoods movie vault cool off in its tiny butter-bean-shaped pool. Our trip coincides with Belles peak Harry Potter adoration, so the prospect of a day at Universal Studios, where the young wizard has a quarter of a theme park dedicated to him, is joyous. What tours of Universal and nearby Warner Brothers offer is permission to peel back the curtain on Hollywoods film alchemy. Joanna and her brood spend a day at Universal Studios Hollywood, where a quarter of the theme park is dedicated to Harry Potter. Pictured is the Hogwarts Castle from the fantasy series At Warner Brothers, our guide, Joshua, is a man whose movie trivia cup runneth over. Want to know how tall Aquaman is? (6ft 4in.) Or what inspired the Batmobile in the Dark Knight Trilogy? (Its essentially the lovechild of a Lamborghini and a tank.) Hes your guy. We even squeeze in some culture spending the hours before our flight home perusing the mind-bending exhibits at the Getty Museum in glitzy Bel Air. This is wonderful, says Granny. This is boring, say the kids. They finalised their divorce in 2021 after a tumultuous relationship. And Katie Price's former husband Kieran Hayler appears to have taken a swipe at his ex by asking her former friend to be his baby son's godmother. Dad-of-three Kieran and his fiancee Michelle Penticost revealed Kirsty Shaw-Rayner as one of Apollo's godparents at The Rankin Family Foundation launch on Saturday. Swipe: Katie Price's former husband Kieran Hayler appears to have taken a swipe at his ex by asking her former friend PR expert Kirsty Shaw-Rayner to be his baby son's godmother The former stripper, 34, welcomed son Apollo Phoenix with fiancee Michelle Penticost in August 2021. The couple first got together in July 2018, with their sons attending the same primary school together. PR guru Kirsty, who worked as a representative for Katie, fell out with the star last year. The publicist spent two years successfully overhauling Katie's image landing her several high profile gigs following her personal troubles before they parted ways. New career: The publicist spent two years successfully overhauling Katie's image landing her several high profile gigs Kirsty was responsible for Katie's TV roles including BBC documentary Harvey & Me, MasterChef, Steph's Packed Lunch, her Mucky Mansion show on Channel 4. The media powerhouse is an old friend of Kieran's, having met him before he got involved with former glamour model Katie. Speaking ahead of Apollo's Christening at the star studded event, she said: 'I am thrilled to have been asked by Kieran and Michelle to be Apollos Godmother, both myself and Alex will dutifully fill our roles as such.' The blonde beauty's husband Alex is also the toddlers godparent. Last month, Katie has been charged with harassing the fiancee of her former husband Kieran Hayler and will appear in court when she returns home from Thailand. MailOnline has learned Katie will appear before magistrates in Crawley next month for allegedly breaching a restraining order against Michelle Penticost. Dad: The former stripperwelcomed son Apollo Phoenix with fiancee Michelle in August 2021 The troubled model was arrested on January 21 over claims she sent an abusive text to Michelle. She spent the night in a cell after being quizzed by officers at Worthing Police station who had earlier picked Katie up from her home in Horsham after a report was made. Better times: Katie and her ex-Kieran hit the headlines when they tied the knot in 2013 (pictured: 2014) Katie allegedly branded flight attendant Michelle a 'c***ing w***e piece of s***' and a 'gutter s**g. MailOnline understand s that 43-year-old Price may have breached the order a second time when she sent an anonymous letter attacking Michelle to a relative just before flying out to Thailand. A source said: 'Katie is playing a dangerous game and her actions have led her into deep trouble. 'Kieran and Michelle were deeply concerned after a relative received a letter, believing Katie is ignoring the rules of the restraining order as this is the second time it's happened in three months. 'It was sent anonymously from Heathrow on the day she left for Thailand. Loved-up: The couple first got together in July 2018, with their sons attending the same primary school together 'They know it's her and are concerned by her unpredictable behaviour.' A police source told MailOnline: 'Katie Price was arrested a few weeks ago for breaching a restraining order placed against her following an argument with the fiancee of her former partner, Kieran Hayler. 'Now she is believed to have written an anonymous note attacking Michelle Penticost via one of her family members. 'As such Katie has been charged with harassment and will appear before Crawley magistrates next month.' Exes: The couples tumultuous relationship was dogged with cheating scandals (pictured 2014) Court: Troubled model Katie was arrested on January 21 over claims she sent an abusive text to Michelle (Michelle and Kieran pictured in January 2021) Mother of five Katie was banned from contacting Michelle, 39, 'directly or indirectly' after swearing at her in a school playground in 2019. Breaking the terms of the restraining order carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. Katie also risks jail time for being arrested while still on licence for her drink-drive shame. Michelle has grown close to Katie's two children she shares with Kieran, son Jett, eight, and daughter Bunny, seven. She also has her own child with the ex-stripper, seven-month-old son Apollo, and a ten-year old son Valentino from a previous relationship. Happy families: Michelle has grown close to Katie's two children she shares with Kieran, son Jett, eight, and daughter Bunny, seven (Kieran pictured with his two children in February 2021) Woes: Katie also risks jail time for being arrested while still on licence for her drink-drive shame Despite her difficult woes, Katie was in high spirits on Saturday as she couldn't help but gush over her 'insanely stunning' daughter Princess as they enjoyed a pamper day in a beauty salon together. The teen, 14, looked just like her famous mother in her younger years as the teen wore her hair in its natural curls in a close up Instagram snap. Uploading the image of her oldest daughter to her 2.7 million followers, Katie, 43, shared: 'Who agrees that princess is insanely stunning? Pretty: Katie couldn't help but gush over her 'insanely stunning' daughter Princess on Saturday as they enjoyed a pamper day in a beauty salon together 'I know she my daughter but genuinely think she is.' Princess looked a dead ringer for her mother as she wore her long blonde hair in long corkscrew curls and looked very like her famous mum as a teenager. The teen also appeared to be wearing a full palette of makeup and false eyelashes as she kicked back in the salon. Doppelganger: Princess looked a dead ringer for her mother as she wore her long blonde hair in long corkscrew curls and looked very like her famous mum as a teenager The close family members kept it casual on the day donning some relaxed leisurewear. Katie also went on to upload a boomerang of the pair to her grid, captioning the video: 'Me and my mini me @officialprincess_andre. Mum daughter time.' Family: The teen also appeared to be wearing a full palette of makeup and false eyelashes as she kicked back in the salon Kaia Gerber was focused on her fitness on Saturday as she headed out for a solo jog in Los Angeles. The 20-year-old supermodel donned skintight black Nike leggings and a bright blue hooded sweatshirt. Kaia wore white Beats Fit Pro wireless earphones as she hit the pavement to work up a sweat. Fit chick: Kaia Gerber was focused on her fitness on Saturday as she headed out for a solo jog in Los Angeles Kaia pulled her chocolate-colored tresses back in a low ponytail with a center part. Despite exerting her physical strength the runway regular looked typically gorgeous while getting her heart rate up. Gerber pulled the sleeves of her sweatshirt up slightly and teamed the look with black sneakers. The outfit was made complete with a pair of black tube socks that had the Nike swoop logo on them. Workout gear: The 20-year-old supermodel donned skintight black Nike leggings and a bright blue hooded sweatshirt The rising superstar has regularly made headlines lately for not only her professional achievements, but for her high-profile relationship. Kaia has been steadily dating Austin Butler for the past several months, following her split from Euphoria star Jacob Elordi. Butler was previously in a long-term relationship with Vanessa Hudgens, which lasted from 2011 until 2020. Focused: Kaia had white earphones in as she hit the pavement to work up a sweat The twosome recently made their red carpet debut at an event in Los Angeles. The happy couple stayed in each other's company at W Magazine's pre-Oscars party, which occurred last week. The pair were also spotted holding hands as they made their way towards the event's main area. The model and the actor, 30, were first seen in each other's company during a shared stroll in West Hollywood this past December. Fuss-free: Kaia pulled her chocolate-colored tresses back in a low ponytail with a center part Full look: Gerber pulled the sleeves of her sweatshirt up slightly and teamed the look with black sneakers Gerber's career has taken off in the last two years, with the leggy stunner nabbing deals with Celine, YSL, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, and others. She's also graced the covers of Elle, Vogue, and Perfect magazines. The multitalented star made her acting debut when she took on a role on the popular series American Horror Stories in 2021. Of her daughter's recent achievements, Cindy Crawford recently remarked, 'I'm proud of her because I guess in that way she is more confident than I was at that age. There were certainly things like even in high school I sort of wanted to go out for, [like] the school play.' She continued, 'None of my friends were and I didn't know if I'd be good at it, so I didn't do it. Whereas [Kaia] did all that in elementary school and middle school and high school.' James Marsden looked every inch the doting dad at the Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Family Day event, which was held at the Paramount Pictures Studio Lot in Los Angeles on Saturday. The 48-year-old performer was joined by all three of his children, as well as two family members, during the event, which was attended by his Sonic The Hedgehog co-stars Ben Schwartz and Jim Carrey. Marsden is reprising his role as Tom Wachowski in the soon-to-be released sequel, which will hit theaters on April 8. Family man: James Marsden looked every inch the doting dad at the Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Family Day event, which was held at the Paramount Pictures Studio Lot in Los Angeles on Saturday Marsden kept it casual in a striped polo shirt as he hit the red carpet with his family. The X-Men franchise star tucked his top into a pair of slim-fitting navy blue pants and he also rocked a set of leather shoes. He beamed while posing for pictures with sons Jack, 21, William, nine, and daughter Mary, 16. Marsden and his brood were also accompanied by two other young family members at the family-friendly event. Marsden shares Jack and Mary with ex-wife Lisa Linde, 49. He welcomed his third child William with model Rose Costa, 34, in 2012. The new Sonic The Hedgehog movie served as a follow-up to the original feature, which was released in 2020. The film was centered on the video game character of the same name as he teams up with local sheriff Wachowski in an effort to defeat Dr. Ivo Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey. Taking it easy: Marsden kept it casual in a striped polo shirt during his time at the star-studded event Hanging out The 48-year-old performer appeared to be enjoying his time with his loved ones, and he posed for a picture with castmate Ben Schwartz, who voiced the film's titular character Other live-action cast members include Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell and Adam Pally. Sonic The Hedgehog received generally positive reviews, with many critics praising the performance of the Ace Ventura franchise star. Development on a sequel began in May of 2020, and much of the cast, including Marsden, confirmed that they would return to reprise their original roles the following year. Heading to work: Development on a sequel began in May of 2020, and much of the cast, including Marsden, confirmed that they would return to reprise their original roles the following year Idris Elba signed on to voice Knuckles the Echidna last August, and Colleen O'Shaughnessey confirmed that she would be reprising her longtime role as Tails that December. The film was centered on the titular character teaming up with Tails in order to stop Knuckles and Dr. Robotnik from finding a Master Emerald. Physical production on the feature took place from March to June of last year, with Vancouver and Hawaii serving as primary filming locations. Reprising role: Marsden is reprising his role as Tom Wachowski in the soon-to-be released sequel, which will hit theaters on April 8 Sonic The Hedgehog 2 was released in France and The Netherlands on March 30, and it is scheduled to make its debut in the United States on April 8. The movie has received mixed to positive reviews from critics, and it currently holds a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A third film in the series, as well as a show centered on Knuckles, are both currently in development. Eiza Gonzalez was back to her natural brunette locks a little over a week after debuting her dramatic blonde transformation. The Baby Driver actress, 32, looked cool in a biker jacket with white trim while visiting the San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood ahead of her upcoming movie premiere for Ambulance. The star also donned black jeans and a pair of sturdy black boots for the Saturday outing. Back to brunette: Eiza Gonzalez was back to her natural brunette locks a little over a week after debuting her dramatic blonde transformation She accessorized the look with a pair of black sunglasses and a black and white Louis Vuitton purse. Earlier in the day the star hopped on Instagram to share three stunning new portraits of herself, sporting brown hair. 'Here we go US press,' she captioned the snaps, as she prepared to promote her new film. Blonde no more: On March 23 the star debuted her bleach blonde tresses at the UK special screening of her upcoming movie Ambulance Cool: The Baby Driver actress, 32, looked cool in a biker jacket with white trim while visiting the San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood In the photos, shared with her 7.5M followers, Gonzalez has her strands parted in the middle and worn in a straight style, flowing down her back. The star is pictured looking slightly off camera as she shows off her incredible profile, and glam for the day, including a bit of blush and black eyeliner. She accessorized the look with delicate diamond earrings and wore a lace white top and a black apron. Rocker chic: The star also donned black jeans and a pair of sturdy black boots for the Saturday outing Fancy accessories: She accessorized the look with a pair of black sunglasses and a black and white Louis Vuitton purse The Mexican stunner had previously debuted her bleach blonde tresses at the UK special screening of Ambulance on March 23. The beauty smouldered as she wore her newly-dyed locks swept back in a wet hair look. Later in the day Eiza also took to her Instagram Stories to share her dewy complexion. 'Glassed skin,' she wrote on the clip showing off her flawless skin, which she attributed to her makeup artist Mary Phillips. Stunner: Earlier in the day the star hopped on Instagram to share three stunning new portraits of herself, sporting brown hair Profile: In the photos, shared with her 7.5M followers, Gonzalez has her strands parted in the middle and worn in a straight style, flowing down her back (Left pictured in March) The star also made an appearance in a photo posted to her Ambulance co-star Jake Gyllenhaal's Instagram page, where she's seen doing an interview next to the actor and their other co-star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. 'Lucky to be hanging with these two lovely people. One week til #AmbulanceMovie is out!' the Donnie Darko star captioned the post. Eiza - who plays EMT Cam Thompson in the film - looked incredible in a form-fitting short black dress and matching black leather boots. Beauty: The actress showcased her stunning profile and delicate makeup Flawless: Later in the day Eiza also took to her Instagram Stories to share her dewy complexion. 'Glassed skin,' she wrote on the clip showing off her flawless skin The movie is set to hit US theaters on April 8 and is a remake of Laurits Munch-Petersen's 2005 movie Ambulance. The plot of the Michael Bay directed flick centers around William Sharp (Yahya) - a war veteran who desperately needs $231,000 for his wife's surgery. He reaches out to Danny (Jake), his adoptive brother and a life-long criminal, who talks him into taking part in a $32 million bank heist. The robbery goes wrong when they shoot an LAPD officer. The two brothers are soon on the run in an ambulance with an EMT and a dying police officer as their hostages. Sophie Monk has treated fans to a glimpse of the second dress she wore at her wedding, after marrying Joshua Gross, 41, at their Central Coast home in March. The TV personality, 42, took to Instagram to share photos of her glitzy frock which she slipped into at the reception, after initially tying the knot in a beautiful white satin gown and matching gloves. The semi-sheer beaded dress was designed by Melbourne celebrity bridal designers J'Aton Couture - the team who also created her first gown. Blushing bride: Sophie Monk, 42, (pictured) has flaunted her stunning second wedding dress after surprising fans by tying the knot with long-time boyfriend Joshua Gross The body-hugging frock included a corset-like bodice with beaded spaghetti straps, and also featured a thigh-high split. Custom gowns from the Melbourne label, which is a hot favourite with celebrities, can cost as much as $40,000. Sophie completed the dress with earrings from Cerrone Jewellers and heels from Aquazzura. The blushing bride wore her signature blonde tresses down, and opted for a glossy makeup palette for the big day. Curves: The body-hugging frock included a corset-like bodice with beaded spaghetti straps and featured a thigh-high split Sophie had married her partner in a second J'Aton Couture fitted ivory gown with a sweetheart neckline, and corseted boning through the midriff. She added long gloves to the look for an operatic flair, and wore a romantic veil atop her flowing golden locks. The bride and groom appeared on the cover of this week's Stellar magazine to announce the big news. Accessories: The star wore a pair of stunning heels by Aquazzura and earrings by Cerrone. Sophie tagged celebrity stylish, Natalia De Martin-Crevani, in the post Stunning: Sophie had married her partner in a second J'Aton Couture fitted ivory gown (pictured) with a sweetheart neckline, and corseted boning through the midriff The Love Island Australia host and her neurosurgical robotics consultant beau exchanged vows at their Central Coast, NSW home in March, after eloping together. They invited no guests, as they held a wedding just for themselves. Speaking to Stellar Magazine on Saturday, Sophie called the small wedding, 'so beautiful and relaxed.' Joshua agreed: 'We woke up together and it's been a dream. When I'm with her, it's just smooth. I couldn't be happier.' Shapely: The blushing bride wore her signature blonde tresses down and opted for a glossy makeup palette for the big day Playful and sexy: The beautiful beaded dress was made from semi-sheer fabric Sophie says she chose to have a wedding at home to keep things 'stress-free' while Joshua calls their private home 'our sanctuary' and he was glad to make wedding memories that will last a lifetime there. Another reason they chose to have a wedding on their own - Sophie was happy to keep the guest list to a bare minimum. 'We figured, if you don't invite one person, then no-one could get upset,' she told Stellar. Imagination: Sophie showcased the sketch from the designer for the second dress Despite the relaxed energy of the day, Sophie says the couple's vows were 'quite serious'. Josh admits that the moment Sophie walked down the aisle was extremely emotional. 'I started crying as soon as I saw her, which I didn't plan on at all. But yeah, it hit me hard. It really did,' he told the publication. Who is protracting the Russia-Ukraine conflict? 13:19, April 03, 2022 By Zhong Sheng ( People's Daily The Ukraine crisis is putting even bigger pressure on the already-sluggish world economy. However, a former official of the U.S. Department of Defense disclosed that many in the lobbying firms, the defense industry, and the Capitol are opening champagne bottles for celebration. Statistics indicated that the stock price of Lockheed Martin rose more than 13 percent between Feb. 24 and March 28, and the figures were respectively 13.4 percent and nine percent for Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics. Such a big rise came just after Russia and Ukraine started the war. Who is making a fortune out of it and who is willing to see the war protracted? The answers are clear. Philip Zimbardo, a retired professor of Stanford University, says in his book The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil that wars are prepared and "cooked" by some people, without whom wars cannot be launched. There happens to be a "beast" in U.S. politics that is obsessed with "cooking" wars - the military-industrial complex. It is a huge interest group consisting of military departments, weapon manufacturers, legislators, defense research institutes and think tanks. It is constantly attempting to destabilize American diplomacy to reap gigantic profits from the wars, conflicts, and arms races it provokes. According to an article recently published by Spanish news site Rebelion, it is critical for the U.S. and its media, as well as the military-industrial complex that to a large extent dominates the country, to have some fabricated enemies that are able to be manipulated. Provoking a conflict between Russia and Ukraine and seeking private gains from it, the U.S. military-industrial complex is just counting its chickens before they are hatched. It forces U.S. foreign polices to challenge Russia through interest groups, and sells security anxiety by exaggerating Russia's "military threat," so as to exacerbate the necessity for European countries to increase defense expenditure and enhance military deterrence. According to a report by the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. has provided more than $2.7 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since 2014. It also agreed to offer lethal weapons for Ukraine in 2017. Statistics recently released by the U.S. Department of State showed that in just the past year, the U.S. provided more than $1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began, the U.S. military-industrial complex has been taking the war as a huge market and advertising place. As a result, Germany, Finland, Poland and some other European countries all declared to raise their defense budgets, and to acquire enormous weaponry from the U.S. The U.S. defense industry benefits the most from these purchases. More than 60 years ago, former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower had warned the U.S. public to be vigilant about the military-industrial complex's detrimental effects on the U.S. However, this "beast" remains uncontrollable by these days. It is manipulating U.S. domestic politics, diplomacy and military policies even more unscrupulously. Over the last two decades, defense contractors spent $2.5 billion on lobbying according to U.S.-based nonprofit organization OpenSecrets. The "revolving door" is also contributing to the development of the defense industry. From 2014 to 2019, over 1,000 senior officials and purchasers from the U.S. Department of Defense, including former U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, had jumped to military enterprises that benefited enormously from these individuals' relationships. The military-industrial complex reveals why the U.S. is addicted to wars and why the country always ranks first in the world in terms of military spending. In the fiscal year 2022, the U.S. is expected to spend $782 billion on defense-related projects, $42 billion more from a year ago, and $52 billion higher than non-defense projects. Recently, the U.S. proposed a $813 billion budget for 2023. Statistics showed that at least 1/3 of the U.S. military spending flows to arms dealers. According to a recent report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the global transfers of major arms saw a slight drop of 4.6 percent between 2012-16 and 2017-21, while the United States boosted its exports by 14 percent, increasing its global share from 32 percent to 39 percent. It is reasonable to say that wherever there is a war, there are U.S. weapons and traces of the U.S. military-industrial complex. Massive revenues would keep on flowing to military enterprises as long as wars continue. The U.S. has long taken itself as a "beacon of democracy" and been hyping the false narratives of democracy versus authoritarianism in recent years. However, the stark contrast between the insufficient COVID-19 response fund in the country and the bloody wealth amassed by U.S. military enterprises, as well as the misdeeds done by the U.S. provoking wars and conflicts all over the world, have long tarnished the image of the U.S. as a democratic and pro-human rights country. Blackmailed by the military-industrial complex and other interest groups, the U.S. has already been corroded by the thirst for money. It is bringing only turbulences to and jeopardizing the world and its own citizens. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.) (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara looked like the ultimate fashionistas as they arrived to day two of auditions for the upcoming season of America's Got Talent on Saturday. The lovely ladies was joined at the show's audition space in Pasadena by their co-judges Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel. Heidi, 48, highlighted her killer legs in a pair of light wash denim jeans and some mirrored silver heels. Fashion rivals: Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara looked like the ultimate fashionistas as they arrived to day two of auditions for the upcoming season of America's Got Talent on Saturday The German beauty layered a matching oversized silver jacket with black buttons and a gathered hem over a plain bodysuit. Her long blonde hair was worn down and flowed down her back and chest in straightened strands. Heidi covered up her sultry gaze with a pair of sunglasses and accessorized with a pair of hoop earrings. Before heading inside to perform her judging duties, the catwalk queen twirled for shutterbugs and flashed a beaming smile. Sofia, 49, showed off her wild side by slipping her curves into a tiger-print jumpsuit. Futuristic vibes: Heidi, 48, highlighted her killer legs in a pair of light wash denim jeans and some mirrored silver heels Blonde beauty: Her long blonde hair was worn down and flowed down her back and chest in straightened strands The Modern Family star paired her eye-catching garment with a pair of black platform slip-on heels. Her honey-toned tresses were parted down the middle and styled in loose curls. Sofia's pout was painted a gorgeous berry shade and she rocked a pair of cateye sunglasses. The Colombian beauty carried her essentials for the day in a black leather YSL handbag with gold hardware. Like her fellow AGT judge, Sofia also made the sidewalk her catwalk before heading inside to join Heidi, Simon and Howie. Wild side: Sofia, 49, showed off her wild side by slipping her curves into a tiger-print jumpsuit Perfect pairing: The Modern Family star paired her eye-catching garment with a pair of black platform slip-on heels She became a part of the long-running talent search show's judges panel in 2020 during its 15th season. Following closely behind the two ladies was Simon, who appeared in a jovial mood as he arrived to the day's auditions. The 62-year-old media mogul kept comfy in a grey long-sleeve shirt and matching pants. With the coronavirus pandemic still at large, Simon made sure to don a face mask while in close proximity to the public. He also had on a pair of shades. Upon his arrival, Simon flashed a thumbs up in the direction of eager passersby as a clear hint that he was excited to see what this year's batch of contestants have to offer. Jovial: Following closely behind the two ladies was Simon, who appeared in a jovial mood as he arrived to the day's auditions Comfy: The 62-year-old media mogul kept comfy in a grey long-sleeve shirt and matching pants Optimistic: Upon his arrival, Simon flashed a thumbs up in the direction of eager passersby as a clear hint that he was excited to see what this year's batch of contestants have to offer Last but not least, Howie was dropped off just steps away from the filming location by a black SUV. The comedian offered a friendly wave while rocking a black button-up shirt and a pair of black sweatpants covered in vibrant words and graphics. He completed the ensemble with a pair of wacky tie-dye Crocs. America's Got Talent is set to return to NBC this summer for its 17th season. Neighbours star Daniel MacPherson has reportedly splashed $1.65million on an apartment in the prestigious Acqua complex in Cronulla. As reported by The Sunday Telegraph this week, the 41-year-old is said to be expanding his property portfolio and already owns two apartments in the suburb. The spacious home sits on the second level of the boutique block of 17 apartments, and is just 100 metres away from the beach. Property: Actor Dan MacPherson, 41, (pictured) has splashed $1.65 million for an off-the-plan apartment in Cronulla's prestigious Acqua complex, as reported by The Daily Telegraph The publication reports that the actor was one of the final residents to snap up a home in the multimillion-dollar complex, which has sold out before it's even been completed. This is the third property that MacPherson has purchased in the Sutherland Shire, after he first bought an apartment on Gerrale St in 2002. He paid $295,000 for a one-bedroom unit. MacPherson later splashed out $585,000 for an apartment on Prince Street back in 2005. Glamorous: The apartment sits on the second level of the boutique block of 17 apartments, and is just minutes away from the beach Stunning: The publication reports that the actor was one of the final residents in the multimillion-dollar complex - which has already sold out before it was completed Dan co-parents his son Austin, two, with ex-wife Zoe Ventoura who he split from in December, 2020. Speaking to The Herald Sun in January, Daniel said he was ready to date again. 'I'm dipping my toe in and taking it very slowly,' he said. Daniel is now based back in his hometown of Cronulla and had been focusing on fatherhood amid the pandemic. Popular: This is the third property that MacPherson has purchased in the Sutherland Shire Airy: The stunning complex has a number of balconies connected to the apartment 'I'm just loving fatherhood,' he said of raising son Austin, two. 'Zoe and I are co-parenting and we're really good, she's a fantastic mother,' he added. Back in December 2020, the pair shared almost identically worded posts to Instagram, revealing they had mutually decided to separate. Moving on: The actor announced his shock split from Zoe Ventoura back in December 2020, after five years of marriage Alongside a photo of the pair with their backs turned to the camera at sunset, Daniel wrote: 'With the greatest respect for each other, Zoe and I have separated. 'Together, we will continue wholeheartedly to raise our beautiful boy Austin. He is, and will forever be, our greatest priority. 'We ask for your respect and will be making no further comment.' 'Zoe and I are co-parenting and we're really good, she's a fantastic mother,' he added They have proven to be notoriously private about their only child, keeping him out of the public eye, as well as keeping the pregnancy and birth a secret. Dan married Zoe in an intimate ceremony in Noosa, Queensland in 2015. In 2017, Daniel admitted the first year of his marriage with Zoe was 'challenging' as the pair of actors were so often travelling for work. Jim Carrey attended the Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Family Day event, which was held at the Paramount Pictures Studio Lot in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon. The 60-year-old performer appeared to be making the most of his time at the function, during which he posed for numerous photos with several of his castmates from the soon-to-be-released feature. Carrey wore a black overcoat on top of a graphic print t-shirt while attending the event. Leading man: Jim Carrey attended the Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Family Day event, which was held at the Paramount Pictures Studio Lot in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon The How the Grinch Stole Christmas star also wore a pair of black pants and matching boots. The actor was pictured while posing with his friend, Cary Elwes, as they spent time with performers dressed up as Sonic, Knuckles the Echidna and Tails. He was also seen getting close with Ben Schwartz, who voiced the first of the three video game characters. Showing up: The actor was pictured while posing with his friend, Cary Elwes, as they spent time with performers dressed up as Sonic, Knuckles the Echidna and Tails Layers: Carrey wore a black overcoat on top of a graphic-printed t-shirt while attending the event The 40-year-old actor wore a patterned button-up shirt underneath a navy blue zip-up jacket at the event. The Parks and Recreation cast member also rocked a slim-fitting pair of gray pants and stark white sneakers. The actor also posed for several photos with Colleen O'Shaughnessey, who voiced Tails in both the movie and the original video game series. The 50-year-old voice actress wore a bright yellow shirt underneath a light blue button-up jacket at the function. Dressed for the occasion: The 40-year-old actor wore a patterned button-up shirt underneath a navy blue zip-up jacket at the event Good friends: The actor also posed for several photos with Colleen O'Shaughnessey, who voiced Tails in both the movie and the original video game series Taking it easy: The 50-year-old voice actress wore a bright yellow shirt underneath a light blue button-up jacket at the function The performer also rocked a set of multipocketed blue jeans as she mingled with her costars. Natasha Rothwell wore a lovely black-and-pink short-sleeve dress and accessorized with several articles of jewelry. Lee Majdoub kept it relatively casual in a white long-sleeve shirt and a pair of striped black pants. Tika Sumpter rocked a stylish navy blue jumpsuit-esque outfit while posing for the cameras. Extra storage: The performer also rocked a set of multipocketed blue jeans as she mingled with her costars Fashionable: Natasha Rothwell wore a lovely black-and-pink short-sleeve dress and accessorized with several articles of jewelry Staying comfortable: Lee Majdoub kept it relatively casual in a white long-sleeve shirt and a pair of striped black pants One and done: Tika Sumpter rocked a stylish navy blue jumpsuit-esque outfit while posing for the cameras The performer also wore a matching wide-brimmed hat and carried a dual-tone purse with her during the event. James Marsden showed off his toned arms in a striped white polo shirt while enjoying the function. The 48-year-old actor tucked his top into a slim-fitting pair of trousers, and he added a bit more darkness to his outfit with a set of leather shoes. The Enchanted actor was also pictured with his children and younger family members at the event. Leading man: James Marsden showed off his toned arms in a striped white polo shirt while enjoying the function Coordinating his clothing: The 48-year-old actor tucked his top into a slim-fitting pair of trousers, and he added a bit more darkness to his outfit with a set of leather shoes Family man: The Enchanted actor was also pictured with his children and younger family members at the event Sonic The Hedgehog 2's cast members also posed for a group photo with the movie's main characters during the function. The feature entered the development stage began in May of 2020, shortly after the release of the first Sonic The Hedgehog movie. Much of the first project's cast signed on to reprise their original roles over the course of 2021. Idris Elba was cast as Knuckles last August, and O'Shaughnessey was confirmed to be voicing Tails in December. Moving fast: The feature entered the development stage began in May of 2020, shortly after the release of the first Sonic The Hedgehog movie Ready to go: Much of the first project's cast signed on to reprise their original roles over the course of 2021 Back on the list: Idris Elba was cast as Knuckles last August, and O'Shaughnessey was confirmed to be voicing Tails in December Filming for the project took place from March to June of last year, and Vancouver and Hawaii served as shooting locations. The project's first trailer was released last December, and it was met with praise from fans of the video game franchise. Sonic The Hedgehog 2 made its debut in France and The Netherlands last month, and it is scheduled to be released in the United States on April 8. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, and both a sequel and a Knuckles-centric spinoff series are in development. Going wide: Sonic The Hedgehog 2 made its debut in France and The Netherlands last month, and it is scheduled to be released in the United States on April 8 In the future: The film received generally positive reviews from critics, and both a sequel and a Knuckles-centric spinoff series are in development Carrey attracted controversy earlier this week when he commented that Chris Rock should sue Will Smith after being slapped at the most recent Academy Awards ceremony. During an interview with CBS' Gayle King on Monday morning, Carrey expressed that his response to the incident would have been much different had he been in the comedian's position. 'I'd have announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million because that video is going to be there forever, it's going to be ubiquitous, he said. He added: 'I have nothing against Will Smith. He's done great things, but that was not a good moment. It cast a shadow over everyone's shining moment last night It was a selfish moment.' Soon after his comments went public, a video of Carrey 'forcibly' kissing a 20-year-old Alicia Silverstone at the MTV Movie Awards in 1997 began circulating on Twitter. Another clip that showed the performer trying to kiss Smith himself was also shared on the social media site, sparking further outrage from staunch Smith supporters. Advertisement Winnie Harlow and Nina Agdal stepped out on Saturday afternoon to attend the grand opening of the 'reinvented' Tao Beach Dayclub at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. The hotspot spans is described as a '47,000 square foot Balinese-inspired tropical oasis' with 'luxurious private cabanas, plunge pools, and a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system.' Harlow and Agdal eagerly hit the event's red carpet photo op with the likes of Breaking Bad stars Brian Cranston and Aaron Paul. Pool party: Winnie Harlow and Nina Agdal stepped out on Saturday afternoon to attend the grand opening of the 'reinvented' Tao Beach Dayclub at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas Harlow put her long legs on full display in a vibrantly colored wrap dress with a dramatic thigh-slit. The 27-year-old catwalk queen's daring garment also had a criss-cross bodice and plunging neckline adorned with a gold 'W.' Her long raven hair was worn in waves that cascaded down her back and chest as she posed for shutterbugs. Harlow added height to her already statuesque frame in a pair of sexy red strappy heels. The supermodel toted her belongings in a bright pink Chanel purse with a gold chain strap. Red carpet-ready: Harlow and Agdal eagerly hit the event's red carpet photo op with the likes of Breaking Bad stars Brian Cranston and Aaron Paul Leggy: Harlow put her long legs on full display in a vibrantly colored wrap dress with a dramatic thigh-slit Golden girl: She accessorized with various pieces of glitzy gold jewelry, which sparkled in the sunlight as she posed outdoors near one of the club's pool She accessorized with various pieces of glitzy gold jewelry, which sparkled in the sunlight as she posed outdoors near one of the club's pool. While on the red carpet, which was decorated with tropical greenery, Harlow mingled with Euphoria star Angus Cloud. The actor looked pool party-ready in a beige bucket hat, a white polo shirt, and colorful swim trunks. Agdal slipped her enviably fit frame into a ruched white mini dress with straps that criss-crossed in the back. Mingling: While on the red carpet, which was decorated with tropical greenery, Harlow mingled with Euphoria star Angus Cloud Soaking up the sun: The actor looked pool party-ready in a beige bucket hat, a white polo shirt, and colorful swim trunks The model, who recently celebrated her 30th birthday, rocked a glowing tan that was further accentuated by the hue of her pastel pink purse. She struck poses in a pair of silver strappy heels that wound at the ankles and matched her dainty jewelry. The Danish beauty wore her golden tresses in a high ponytail and let her natural beauty shine by rocking minimal makeup. Cranston and Paul posed confidently beside one another in their best summer-approved outfits, with Cranston rocking sandals and Paul donning a red patterned shirt over a white tank top. Fit: Agdal slipped her enviably fit frame into a ruched white mini dress with straps that criss-crossed in the back Glowing: The model, who recently celebrated her 30th birthday, rocked a glowing tan that was further accentuated by the hue of her pastel pink purse Natural beauty: The Danish beauty wore her golden tresses in a high ponytail and let her natural beauty shine by rocking minimal makeup TV personality Scott Disick and his pal Jonathan Cheban posed up on the red carpet together before indulging in the festivities. Afrojack oozed confidence upon his arrival to the star-studded opening event in a black Louis Vuitton bomber jacket. The official Tao Beach Dayclub website says that 'from the moment you enter' the reinvented space,' guests are 'transported to another world.' The description continue: 'TAO Beach Dayclub draws on its rich culinary traditions mingling with an ultramodern DJ booth and giant LED Screens.' Reunited: Cranston and Paul posed confidently beside one another in their best summer-approved outfits, with Cranston rocking sandals and Paul donning a red patterned shirt over a white tank top Bro time: TV personality Scott Disick and his pal Jonathan Cheban posed up on the red carpet together before indulging in the festivities Laura Whitmore looked stunning as she attended the L.O.L Surprise! launch party in London on Saturday. The fashion icon took to the Dj decks dressed in a pink gingham dress and a pair of silver boots. She played a variety of chart-topping tunes as well as popular tracks from the L.O.L Surprise! Fierce album. Pretty in pink: Laura Whitmore, 36, looked stunning as she attended the L.O.L Surprise! launch party in London on Saturday She looked in high spirits as she performed on the Dj decks for other celebrity guests at the event. The Irish presenter also put on a leggy display as she took to the vibrant throne to snap up some pics. Her outfit matched the colour scheme of the event perfectly as she put on a pose for the cameras. Fashion icon: The Irish native put on a leggy display as she took to the vibrant throne to snap up some pics A Dj saved my life: The fashion icon took to the Dj decks on Saturday and played a variety of chart-topping tunes for the guests as well as popular tracks from the L.O.L Surprise! Fierce album Loose Women star, Katie Piper was also spotted at the glamorous event on Saturday. Katie is particularly known for inspiring and uplifting women throughout the world. And this event was no exception. The star looked glamorous and filled with confidence as she posed for snaps with the L.O.L doll. Chic in gingham: Loose Women star, Katie Piper, was also spotted at the event. The star looked glamorous and filled with confidence as she posed for snaps with the L.O.L doll To match with the vibrant theme the writer decided to keep it chic but casual wearing an all green gingham co-ord. She also took up the opportunity to get snapped on the throne whilst at the event with her two children. The inspiring event featured activities centred around children building their confidence and celebrating self expression. Queen on a throne: She also took up the opportunity to get snapped on the throne whilst at the event with her two children The guests were also treated to motivational workshops by 15-year-old award-winning speaker and mental health campaigner inspiring Vanessa. The event also featured an inspiration wall to encourage guests to share what inspires them, and an epic catwalk to make every child feel like royalty. The all new Mini L.O.L Surprise! series allows fans to unbox their favourite O.M.G characters in miniature size, as well as play sets including the epic L.O.L Suprise! Grill and Groove campervan. The Hey Hey It's Saturday 50th Anniversary Special drew massive ratings for Seven in 2021. And now according to the Sunday Herald Sun, more specials have been planned for later this year. Sources close to the publication have claimed that one special has already wrapped up filming, while two more specials are slated for the coming months. Back for more: Rumours have swirled that Hey Hey It's Saturday is set to return to Channel Seven with THREE more specials later this year, according to the Sunday Herald Sun, following the 50th anniversary tribute's ratings success. Pictured: host Daryl Somers An announcement regarding the first special will reportedly be made soon, while Seven are said to be on the lookout for talent to join the further two specials. Delta Goodrem is understood to feature in the first special, having reportedly sung her own version of the Hey Hey theme song. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Seven for comment. Sources close to the publication have claimed that one special has already wrapped up filming, while two more specials are slated for the coming months. Pictured: Somers on the original show which aired on Nine at the time Will she? Delta Goodrem, 37, is understood to feature in the first special, having reportedly sung her own version of the Hey Hey theme song. Delta is pictured in January in Sydney It comes after host Daryl Somers, 70, indicated to fans in a Facebook post in January that Hey Hey would return in 2022. The Dancing with the Stars host's post read: 'Greetings! Would you believe Hey Hey hasn't been on air for eleven years, yet the 50th Anniversary Special rated through the roof for Seven; so much so, I am excited to announce we'll be back on the network with more in 2022. 'We also successfully launched www.heyhey.tv, offering over 800 digitised Hey Hey episodes and much much more for you to enjoy at your leisure. 'I sincerely want to thank you for your ongoing and passionate support throughout the year for both Dancing with the Stars: All Stars 2021 and the Hey Hey 50th. Hey Hey it's a smash! The Hey Hey It's Saturday 50th Anniversary Special last year drew massive ratings for Seven 'I look forward to you telling us what youd like to see in the next Special. It could be anything from the 30 year run of the show the more "out there" ideas the better!' The special was a ratings coup for Seven, drawing 2.012 million sets of eyeballs around Australia when it aired in October. It drew 1.22 million metro viewers alone. Seven picked up the special after the show's original network, Channel Nine, opted not to air it. BBC bosses have released the first gripping trailer for new drama SAS: Rogue Heroes from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. The show is being adapted from Ben Macintyre's book of the same name and it tells the story of real-life Special Forces unit, the SAS, showing how they were formed in North Africa during the Second World War. In the trailer, released on Sunday, the likes of actor Alfie Allen, 35, Skins' Jack O'Connell, 31, Sex Education star Connor Swindells, 25, and The Affair actor Dominic West, 52, are all seen in character. Gripping: BBC bosses have released the first trailer for new drama SAS: Rogue Heroes from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight (actor Connor Swindells pictured as David Stirling) Set in 1941, the promo opens with scenes of the arid landscape around Cairo in Egypt, with the words 'inspired by true events' emblazoned across the screen. The soldiers are seen at a camp in the searing heat, with one army member telling the prospective members of the SAS: 'I understand you gentleman are very good at killing people.' Explosive scenes then unfold as a battle breaks out in the desert, with flames bursting into the sky as bombs detonate, while dust sprays upwards as bullets hit the ground. Telling the tale: The show is being adapted from Ben Macintyre's book of the same name and it tells the story of real-life Special Forces unit, the SAS Other members of the ensemble cast include Sofia Boutella, 40, Jason Watkins, 55, Tom Glynn-Carney, 27, Stuart Campbell, 23, Virgile Bramly, 41, Moritz Jahn, 26, Ralph Davis and Ian Davies. The six-part series is written and executive produced by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and will focus on how warfare was changed after one officer - David Stirling (Connor Swindells) - decided to form his own squad to infiltrate enemy lines in a bid to gain the British infantry an upper hand A synopsis for the show reads: 'Cairo, 1941. David Stirling (Connor Swindells) - an eccentric young officer, hospitalised after a training exercise went wrong - is bored. Looking back: The series shows how the SAS were formed in North Africa during the Second World War 'Convinced that traditional commando units don't work, he creates a radical plan that flies in the face of all accepted rules of modern warfare. 'He fights for permission to recruit the toughest, boldest and brightest soldiers for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines. 'More rebels than soldiers, Stirling's team are every bit as complicated, flawed and reckless as they are astonishingly brave and heroic.' Stars: In the trailer, the likes of actor Alfie Allen, 35, Skins' Jack O'Connell, 31 (left), Sex Education's Connor Swindells, 25 (right), and The Affair's Dominic West, 52, are seen In a statement, Steven said of the programme: 'It has been a privilege to work on a project which tells the story of a renegade band of soldiers who used wit and imagination as much as firepower to halt the march of Fascism across North Africa during the darkest days of World War Two. 'This is a war story like no other, told in a way that is at once inspired by the facts and true to the spirit of this legendary brigade of misfits and adventurers.' While producer Karen Wilson added: 'With filming now complete, we're incredibly excited to give the world a first look at our Rogue Heroes. History: Set in 1941, the promo opens with scenes of the arid landscape around Cairo in Egypt, with the words 'inspired by true events' emblazoned across the screen (L-R: Alfie Allen and Theo Barklem-Bigg) 'A huge thank you to the series' peerless cast and crew for bringing Steven Knight's ambitious, extraordinary scripts to life with such skill and style.' Connor Swindells' character, Colonel David Stirling, was a founding member of the SAS, a commando force that operated behind enemy lines during the North African campaign of the Second World War. The SAS began with five officers and 60 other ranks when it was first conceived, and their first mission was a parachute drop supporting Operation Crusader in 1941 which ended in disaster, and may well be what Jack and Connor were filming. Hitting screens: SAS: Rogue Heroes will on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2022 (Sofia Boutella seen as Eve in the show) During their first skirmish 22 men were killed or captured, however their second mission was a huge success after the SAS successfully destroyed 60 aircraft over three airfields. Stirling, who Connor plays, was captured by enemy combatants in 1943 and Paddy Mayne, played by Jack, replaced him as commanding officer of the SAS, which was split into two factions the Special Raiding Squadron (SRS) and the Special Boat Section. SAS: Rogue Heroes will on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2022. Acting out: Connor (pictured) plays founding SAS member Colonel David Stirling who was captured by enemy combatants in 1943 during the war Melissa Leong looked as chic as ever she stepped out in an black ensemble in Melbourne on Sunday. The MasterChef Australia judge, 40, dressed to impress in black sport tights, a T-shirt and jacket as she left a Pilates studio. The TV personality completed her look with a pair of black sandals, sunglasses and a white canvas bag. Chic: MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong (pictured) looked effortlessly chic in an all-black ensemble as she stepped out in Melbourne She left her short brunette locks out and appeared to be wearing a neutral palette of makeup for the outing. Melissa's outing comes after she revealed she feels 'content' after finding love with boyfriend Rob Mason, following her split from husband Joe Jones in December 2020. Speaking to the Emsolation with Em Rusciano podcast in December last year, the MasterChef judge admitted her newfound happiness had been 'very hard-earned'. Style: The MasterChef Australia judge dressed to impress in black sport tights, a T-shirt and jacket as she left a Pilates studio in Melbourne 'I think every adult that reaches a certain age, if you put in the work, you will get there. But the other thing to remember with happiness is that it is fleeting,' the 39-year-old food writer explained. 'So, if you just work on being content... Contentment is far more sustainable. That can take into account being really happy and being less happy, but being okay with who you are. That's with you for life,' she added. 'The best investment I've ever made in myself is getting good with who I am. Ugly bits, weird bits, funny bits, you know, all of it.' New love: Melissa's outing comes after she revealed she feels 'content' after finding love with boyfriend Rob Mason (right), following her split from husband Joe Jones in December 2020 Melissa also said she tries 'not to share... the private life stuff', but admitted it can be difficult when you're in the public eye. 'Sometimes that gets forced out into the public. I don't know how I feel about that yet. Actually, I highly detest it. I highly detest it. I don't like being forced into having to talk about things,' she said. Melissa announced her split from bar owner Joe Jones in December in 2020, after almost four years of marriage. 'It has brought us such happiness to walk together, but the time has come for Joe and I to part ways and walk on, apart,' she wrote on Instagram at the time. Grant Denyer has won Dancing with the Stars after a stunning finale episode. The television host, who first won the series in 2006, walked home with the mirrorball trophy alongside his professional dance partner, Lily Cornish. The 44-year-old said after his win: 'This show means the world to me, I absolutely love it.' He did it! Grant Denyer (left) has won Dancing with the Stars after a stunning finale episode. The television host walked home with the mirrorball trophy alongside his professional dance partner, Lily Cornish (right) 'If I wasn't dancing or hosting it, I would be changing the light bulbs in the roof,' he added. Grant went on: 'I vowed 15 years ago to never dance again because it was the best memory of my life, I thought I could never top that so why would you even bother. 'I'm so glad I changed my mind and did this because it's been the best sensation' he concluded. The 44-year-old said after his win: 'This show means the world to me, I absolutely love it. 'If I wasn't dancing or hosting it, I would be changing the light bulbs in the roof' A delighted Grant went on: 'I vowed 15 years ago to never dance again because it was the best memory of my life, I thought I could never top that so why would you even bother. I'm so glad I changed my mind' As well as a shiny trophy, Grant wins $20,000 for his chosen charity, The Smith Family. The six grand finalists were Courtney Act, David Rodan, Deni Hines, Grant Denyer, Kris Smith and Ricki-Lee Coulter. They danced their hearts out in the ultimate ballroom showdown. With all the couples performing a freestyle dance, Grant, Courtney and David topped the leader board each collecting a perfect score. Runner up: Courtney Act (left) came in second alongside dance partner Joshua Keefe For a good cause: As well as a shiny trophy, Grant wins $20,000 for his chosen charity, The Smith Family However, it wasn't the judges who would determine the winner on the night, but the audience - and Grant came up trumps. Drag superstar Courtney Act came in second alongside her professional dance partner Joshua Keefe. It is Grant's second time at the podium - in 2006, he and his dance partner Amanda Garner won the fourth series of Dancing with the Stars. Advertisement Jamie Dornan set pulses racing as he whipped off his shirt on the beach in Los Angeles for a dip in the Pacific Ocean this week. The actor, 39, spent time with his wife Amelia Warner, 39, and their friends Carey Mulligan, 36, and Marcus Mumford, 35, in the Californian sunshine. Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie showed off his chiselled physique as he larked about on the sand, wearing a pair of salmon pink swimming shorts. Buff on the beach: Jamie Dornan, 39, set pulses racing as he whipped off his shirt on the beach in Los Angeles for a dip in the Pacific Ocean this week He sheltered his eyes behind a dark pair of sunglasses and went for an unshaven look by sporting a full face of stubble. The star wore his hair in a messy style and free from any product before going for a dip in the water to leave it soaked. Jamie, who stars in the critically-acclaimed film Belfast, looked relaxed after attending the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood last Sunday. Out with pals: The actor, 39, spent time with his wife Amelia Warner, 39, and their friends Carey Mulligan, 36, and Marcus Mumford, 35, in the Californian sunshine Summer ready: Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie showed off his chiselled physique as he larked about on the sand, wearing a pair of salmon pink swimming shorts Casual look: The star wore his hair in a messy style and free from any product before going for a dip in the water to leave it soaked Water baby: The actor was seen taking a dip in the azure blue water of the Pacific Ocean as the waves crashed on to the expansive beach Time off: Jamie, who stars in the critically-acclaimed film Belfast, looked relaxed after attending the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood last Sunday He was seen munching on pizza and enjoying an ice cream cone with his famous pals while enjoying his downtime. At one point, the Northern Irish star was seen demonstrating his strength has he performed pull-ups on the side of a wooden lifeguard tower. The foursome looked happy to be in one another's company as they sat together on a beach on low-rise deck chairs, with a table covered in refreshments. Family affair: Jamie has been married to wife Amelia since 2013 and the couple share three daughters - Dulcie, eight, Elva, six, and Alberta, two Keeping fit: At one point, the Northern Irish star was seen demonstrating his strength has he performed pull-ups on the side of a wooden lifeguard tower Fame game: Jamie missed out on a Best Actor nod for his performance in Belfast at this year's Oscars but he joined his co-stars at the awards as the film remained a hot contender for Best Picture Jamie has been married to wife Amelia since 2013 and the couple share three daughters - Dulcie, eight, Elva, six, and Alberta, two. Their pals, actress Carey and Mumford & Sons star Marcus, wed in 2012 and they share children Evelyn, six, and Wilfred, four. Carey and Marcus put on a loved-up display as they embraced one another during the trip to the beach. In style: He sheltered his eyes behind a dark pair of sunglasses and went for an unshaven look by sporting a full face of stubble this week Replenishing his energy: Jamie snacked on a slice of pizza while chatting to the group on their day out together The couple appeared in good spirits as they were seen hugging while soaking up the sun on their outing. Marcus lifted Carey in his arms before the pair held hands as they went for a stroll along the beach. The Promising Young Woman star cut a casual figure for the day as she sported a white T-shirt along with a pair of blue jeans. Hanging out: The foursome looked happy to be in one another's company as they sat together on a beach on low-rise deck chairs, with a table covered in refreshments Fashion focus: Jamie's musician wife Amelia wore a navy blue dress with a plunging neckline and laughed as she looked at her phone Drying out: The group hung their swimwear up on the string of the gazebo they were sitting under after going swimming Colourful: A bunch of flowers was placed in the middle of the wooden table that the group were sitting at Covering up: Jamie put a navy blue T-shirt on at the end of the day as the temperature dropped Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, the actress added to her look with a pair of sunglasses. Marcus also opted for a laid back look as he wore a grey T-shirt and a pair of navy jeans. Previously, the pair were childhood pen pals and despite losing touch they rekindled their romance after both featuring in black comedy Inside Llewyn Davis. Couple: Meanwhile, Carey Mulligan and her husband Marcus Mumford put on a loved-up display as they embraced during the trip to the beach in Los Angeles Cosy: The actress, 36, and her musician partner, 35, appeared in good spirits as they were seen embracing while soaking up the sun on their recent outing Relaxed: The Promising Young Woman star cut a casual figure for the day as she sported a white T-shirt along with a pair of blue jeans The actress previously told how the couple write each other love letters whenever they are apart due to their careers. She told The Telegraph: 'I think they're becoming a lost art form, which is very sad. To have a love letter from someone, to hold it in your hand and know that you can keep it for your whole life well that's an amazing thing.' Carey was nominated for an Academy Award last year for her portrayal of vengeful medical student, Cassie, in Promising Young Woman. Outfit: Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, the actress added to her look with a pair of sunglasses Stroll: Later, Carrie wrapped up in a brown and white striped jumper as she went for a stroll on the beach Casual: Marcus also opted for a laid back look as he wore a grey T-shirt and a pair of navy jeans The actress said she always leaves her character at the door when she returns home as nothing gets in the way of time spent with her children. She told The Mirror: 'I feel very strongly about my job and I love my job and it's the best job in the world, but also, it is a job. 'It can't be more important than when I have to get home and have to do bathtime. Someone said the other day, 'Did you bring Cassie home with you?' Relationship: Carey and Marcus tied the knot in 2012 after nine months of dating and are parents to Evelyn, siz, and Wilifred, four Childhood: Previously, the pair were childhood pen pals and despite losing touch they rekindled their romance after both featuring in black comedy Inside Llewyn Davis Romance: The actress previously told how the couple write each other love letters whenever they are apart due to their careers 'And I was like, 'The nails I brought home, the hair extensions I brought home, but everything else, you can't bring that into a house with two kids. You've got to leave all of that stuff at work. So I think it's a system that works for me for now.'' The star also revealed that acclaimed actress Nicole Kidman inspired her recent work as she called the Oscar winner, 53, 'extraordinary, charming, enticing, and terrifying'. Carey received her first nomination from the prestigious awards ceremony in 2009 for her performance in An Education. She never fails to turn heads with her incredible style. And Sydney Sweeney looked sesnational as ever as she took part in a photo shoot at the Cannesseries festival in France on Saturday. The Euphoria star, 24, who won a Best Newcomer award on Friday, sported a figure hugging floral tea dress, with puff sleeves and a plunging neck. Gorgeous: Sydney Sweeney looked sesnational as ever as she took part in a photo shoot at the Cannesseries festival in France on Saturday The daffodil yellow outfit hung to the actress' toned physique with added flower detail at the bust and sleeve. The blonde beauty wore her long hair ties back in a relaxed ponytail, as strands framed her gorgeous face. Opting for simple make-up, the HBO actress opted for a rose lip and striking cat eye liner. Flower power: The blonde beauty wore her long hair ties back in a relaxed ponytail, as strands framed her gorgeous face Sydney accessorised the vintage inspired look with simple earrings and three rings on one finger. The White Lotus star flashed french tripped manicure to the camera. Posing for the haunting shoot, the actress gazed into the camera, her hands clasped before a plain grey back drop. Golden girl: Sydney accessories the vintage inspired look with simple earrings and three earrings on one finger Canneseries, Cannes' International Series Festival, aims to represent and highlight series from all over the world and runs for six days. On the opening night of the 5th festival, Sydney scooped the award recognised as the Madame Figaro Rising Star. The star looked phenomenal in a tiered dress, which spotlighted her assets and was bound to leave her turning heads. Winner: On the opening night of the 5th festival, Sydney scooped the award recognised as the Madame Figaro Rising Star WOW: The star looked phenomenal in a tiered dress, which spotlighted her assets and was bound to leave her turning heads The gorgeous ensemble cinched in at her waist and boasted a complementary neck appendage, while she added a generous amount of height to her svelte frame with Louboutins. Gracing the pink carpet before the ceremony the American born actress blew a kiss to screaming fans. Later she graciously took to the stage to thank the judges as she proudly held her pink award. Speech Speech! Gracing the pink carpet before the ceremony the American born actress blew a kiss to screaming fans Waleed Aly and Lisa Wilkinson were noticeably absent from The Project this week. The hosts disappeared from the Channel Ten show as Carrie Bickmore stepped away ahead of her move to the UK with her family. The pair last hosted the show together from Western Australia on March, 25. Absent: The Project hosts Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) and Waleed Aly disappeared from the Channel Ten show The network told The Advertiser, Lisa is currently on annual leave and will return to the desk on Sunday 10 April, while Waleed is due to return Monday April 4. Rachel Corbett, Jan Fran, Hugh Riminton, Michael Hing, Chris Bath and Jamila Rizvi replaced Lisa and Waleed as panellists on the show. It comes as the pair's co-host Carrie Bickmore and her partner Chris Walker prepare to move to the UK with her family. On break: The network told The Advertiser, Lisa is currently on annual leave and will return to the desk on Sunday 10 April, while Waleed (pictured) is due to return Monday April 4 'In April I'm going to be taking a few months off The Project desk. Chris and I and the kids are heading off on a family adventure together,' she revealed last month. 'We've been wanting to do it for a while but for lots of reasons the timing hasn't been right, but we figure it's never going to be the perfect time to go. 'It's something we really want to do before my son starts his final years at school so we're doing term two in the UK. So I will be off for a couple of months.' Carrie also said she had been inspired by The Project panellist Kate Langbroek, 56, who spent two years living in Bologna, Italy, with her family. Making a move! It comes as the pair's co-host Carrie Bickmore (pictured) and her partner Chris Walker prepare to move to the UK with her family 'You are a big inspiration for heading overseas with a family and we had some big conversations after living through the world's longest lockdown,' Carrie said. 'One of the things that my son Ollie said was how much he was going to miss the family time when we were coming out of lockdown, which kind of surprised us because we had a lot of family time!' she added. 'But we thought, "Gosh, he still wants to spend time with us." And while he does, he only has a few years left and then he will fly away, so we thought we would seize the moment and do it.' Chloe Madeley paid a gushing tribute to her husband James Maskell on Saturday as he celebrated his 37th birthday. Former rugby player James has been criticised of late after calling pregnant Chloe, 34, a 'huge sea cow' during their sunny getaway in Soneva Fushi, Maldives. But Chloe, who is expecting their first child, has clearly not let the comment under her skin, as she branded him, 'committed and tenacious, intelligent and funny,' in a PDA-packed post, where the couple locked lips for a swimwear snap. 'I can't wait to watch you hold our baby girl': Pregnant Chloe Madeley paid tribute to her 'intelligent and funny' husband James Maskell on his 37th birthday on Saturday - after he was criticised for branding her a 'huge sea cow' The birthday message read in full: 'Happy birthday @jameshaskell [yellow heart] Thank you for making me laugh every day. 'For always taking me with you on all your weird, random, (sometimes truly wonderful) adventures. For always trying to be better at everything you do, including husbanding. 'Youre committed and tenacious, intelligent and funny, and I cant wait to watch you hold our baby girl. I love you [sic]'. Holidaying: Former rugby player James has been criticised of late after calling Chloe, 34, a 'huge sea cow' during their sunny getaway in Soneva Fushi, Maldives Unfazed: But Chloe has clearly not let the comment under her skin, as she shared a PDA-packed post, where the couple locked lips for a swimwear snap On Thursday, James Haskell made another joke about his pregnant wife's body on Instagram, after being criticised for calling her a 'huge sea cow.' He shared a snap of her hiding behind a wooden pole on holiday and wrote: 'Hide and seek is not Chloe Madeley's game' - although she clearly saw the funny side as she happily posed for the snap. James also shared a screenshot of the MailOnline article about his 'sea cow' joke, jokingly called himself 'a big deal' as he hit out at 'stupid' comments. The sportsman, who will become a dad this summer, then shared another quip about his wife's size in a new post from their luxury babymoon in the Maldives. 'I'm kind of a big deal': On Thursday, James Haskell made another joke about his pregnant wife's body on Instagram, after being criticised for calling her a 'huge sea cow' His say: James also hit back after being criticised for branding his pregnant wife 'a huge sea cow' in an Instagram post 'Stupid': Sharing a screenshot of the MailOnline article about his comment, James the former rugby player jokingly called himself 'a big deal' as he hit out at 'stupid' comments On Wednesday James risked the wrath of his pregnant wife, 34, as he branded her a 'huge sea cow' in a snap of the star swimming underwater while clad in a bikini. Showing off her blossoming baby bump, the daughter of daytime TV legends Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, smiled for the snap while throwing her hands up in double peace signs. While Chloe looked radiant in the snap, James couldn't help but poke fun at her appearance, writing: 'Bloody hell you go snorkelling and the first thing you see is a huge sea cow doing a mating display! 'She appears to think I'm her partner. I didn't know whether to harpoon it or feed it.' Naughty: On Wednesday James risked the wrath of his pregnant wife, 34,as he branded her a 'huge sea cow' in a snap of the star swimming underwater while clad in a bikini Chloe didn't respond to the comment, but shared the snap on her own page with the caption: 'I wanted to try it, too.' 'I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me. I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany,' James, 36, wrote in the new post on Thursday - a quote from the comedy movie Anchorman. 'The comments are the best bit about it all,' he continued in reference to the MailOnline reader comments. Quip: James later shared a new photo from the Maldives, showing his wife attempting to hide behind a deck post as her baby bump peeked out 'The best thing about stupid people is they don't know they're stupid, so they say things out loud and sign up for accounts to comment on papers and articles.' Doubling down on his style of humour, James later shared a new photo from the Maldives, showing his wife attempting to hide behind a deck post as her baby bump peeked out. 'Hide and seek is not @madeleychloe game @discoversoneva #sonevafushi,' James quipped. The couple are staying at luxury resort Soneva Jani, which focuses on holistic wellbeing. Baby joy: Chloe is 21 weeks pregnant, announcing the news to Instagram last month as they are set to welcome their new addition in the summer Chloe is 21 weeks pregnant, announcing the news to Instagram last month, and they are set to welcome their new addition in the summer. The couple are expecting a baby girl, and Chloe recently revealed the couple were on the verge of considering IVF and adoption before unexpectedly falling pregnant at the end of last year. Speaking to OK! Magazine, she explained that she hadn't felt the desperate urge to have children until she began to experience fertility problems. 'I find it quite amusing when people assume that all women, everywhere, want to be a mother, because it's really complicated,' she said. The couple decided to start trying for a baby after James' stint on I'm A Celebrity in 2019 but after months of trying she began to feel nervous. 'We picked up the pace in terms of trying and that nervousness turned into utter fear,' she said. 'Like, 'Hang on, I don't want this option taken away from me.' I woke up in the middle of the night and it hit me like a ton of bricks. And that pushed me into making a decision and that I absolutely wanted to have a family.' After a series of tests it was determined that there were no issues with the couple's fertility, but they started to consider IVF. Chloe admitted she felt 'very lucky' they didn't have to undergo IVF but said it was 'a really sad few months where I was scared it wouldn't happen for me'. The couples' getaway comes just days after the pair revealed that they had bought their first marital home. She shared the good news in an Instagram post, writing: 'We have our first marital home! '6 years after moving to the midlands for the Wasps relocation, James' subsequent Saints 'finisher' and a few lockdowns later I'm finally going home to my city, my friends and my family. '6 years. I genuinely can't put into words this feeling. FINALLY going home,' she concluded. Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Shannon is pregnant with twins less than one year after she gave birth to her son, Bentley Jameson, with husband Joshua Efird by her side. The 22-year-old reality star is reportedly in her third trimester, and due to give birth to a boy and a girl in June, according to TMZ. Lauryn and Joshua also have a four-year-old daughter named Ella Grace, and Bentley Jameson will celebrate his first birthday in July. Baby on board! Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Shannon is pregnant with twins less than one year after she gave birth to son Bentley Jameson with husband Joshua Efird by her side; seen on Instagram Joshua looked into his son's eyes in one snap as he cradled the newborn close to his chest with a hospital wristband on his arm to announce their baby's birth in July. 'After being admitted into the hospital last night at 2-3 centimeters with heavy contractions our baby boy has finally made his debut,' she captioned the series announcing Bentley's birth in July. 'Everyone meet Bentley Jameson Efird weighing 7 pounds 10 ounces.' Pumpkin and Joshua will celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary this year, and tied the knot in Las Vegas during a wedding televised for the family's show, Mama June: From Not to Hot. The Shannon family found fame from the spin-off from her daughter's TLC reality series, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, which was a spin-off from the famed pageant show Toddlers and Tiaras. Family forever: Lauryn and Joshua also have a four-year-old daughter named Ella Grace, and Bentley Jameson will celebrate his first birthday in July; seen on Instagram Proud mama: Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Shannon gave birth to her second child in July and shared a series of snaps from the delivery room Family: Joshua looked into his son's eyes in one snap as he cradled the newborn close to his chest with a hospital wristband on his arm But the fame came at a price for the matriarch of the brood as she only recently reconnected with her daughters amid a devastating addiction and legal issues. Mama June revealed she spent nearly $1 million on drugs during the height of her addiction to crack cocaine with boyfriend Geno Doak. While Shannon found her own name and a new body on Mama June: From Not to Hot while losing 300 pounds via weight-loss surgery and going from a size 18 to a size 4, she also spiraled into a world of drugs and gambling. 'I would say the last year of our addiction, probably a good $900,000,' she told Access Hollywood. 'So much money was sent to our dope man. One dealer was close to almost $80,000.' The 42-year-old reality star was arrested in 2019 for cocaine possession and, at one point, was on the open road with boyfriend Geno Doak, after reportedly selling her home in Georgia for $100,000 in cash. All grown up: Lauryn and Alana grew up in front of the cameras and most recently starred on Mama June: Road to Redemption Where it all began: Shannon received the spin-off from her daughter's TLC reality series, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, which was a spin-off from the famed pageant show Toddlers and Tiaras Trouble: The 42-year-old reality star was arrested in 2019 for cocaine possession and, at one point, was on the open road with boyfriend Geno Doak, after reportedly selling her home in Georgia for $100,000 in cash In October 2019, Shannon and Doak pleaded not guilty to crack cocaine possession but are still both facing charges of felony drug possession stemming from a March arrest in Alabama. She was sentenced to 100 hours of community service per a plea agreement, and at one point, was on the open road with Geno after reportedly selling her home in Georgia for $100,000 in cash. Her daughter Alana, aka Honey Boo Boo, has been living with Pumpkin throughout the turmoil and it was reported at the time that June and Geno were living in an Alabama casino, but the couple have since broken up and gone their separate ways. The We TV network has been the home of Shannon's makeover show From Not to Hot since 2017 and producers have scrambled to get her the help she needs following her crack cocaine arrest. Shannon's new boyfriend, Justin Stroud, was arrested on in Boca Raton, Florida, for 'drug charges' stemming from an outstanding warrant in February. Stroud, 34, had reportedly been 'evading authorities for months' when authorities finally caught up with the couple at a gas station in Palm Beach County, according to The Sun. Shannon's beau who's full name is Thomas Justin Stroud was seen handcuffed with a slew of officers surrounding his vehicle, and was allegedly arrested following a warrant issued in October for failure to meet with his Alabama probation officer on drug and burglary charges. Tom Felton cut a dapper figure as he attended the 31st Annual Critics' Circle Theatre Awards on Sunday night. The Harry Potter star, 34, looked suave in a checked blazer as he posed up a storm at the ceremony held at the Ham Yard Hotel in London. The actor completed his night out ensemble with a crisp white shirt, matching trousers and a pair of polished shoes. Suave: Tom Felton cut a dapper figure as he attended the 31st Annual Critics' Circle Theatre Awards on Sunday night At the event, Jessie Buckley was named the winner of the best actress category for her role in Cabaret. The musical revival, directed by Rebecca Frecknall, and billed as Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, emerged as the frontrunner. The West End show, which has been running at London's Playhouse Theatre since December 2021, won three awards in total, the highest tally of the evening, also picking up the best director gong for Frecknall and the best designer award for Tom Scutt. Oscar nominee Jessie played Sally Bowles in the production alongside Eddie Redmayne as The Emcee, with their roles having now been taken over by Amy Lennox and Hawkeye star Fra Fee. Dapper: The Harry Potter star, 34, looked suave in a checked blazer as he posed up a storm at the ceremony held at the Ham Yard Hotel in London Stylish: The actor completed his night out ensemble with a crisp white shirt, matching trousers and a pair of polished shoes Winner: At the event, Jessie Buckley was named the winner of the best actress category for her role in Cabaret (pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party) Rupert Goold's Spring Awakening won the best musical category, and cast member Stuart Thompson was named joint winner in the most promising newcomer category for his role as Moritz. He shared the award with Samuel Creasey, who played Malcolm Polstead in the theatre adaptation of Sir Philip Pullman's novel The Book of Dust - La Belle Sauvage. The best actor award went to The Crown star Ben Daniels for his role as writer and activist Ned Weeks in Dominic Cooke's new staging of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart. Kramer's largely autobiographical play is set during the 1980s Aids crisis, and the UK cast for the production also included Silent Witness star Liz Carr and Poldark's Luke Norris. Fashionable: The musical revival, directed by Rebecca Frecknall, and billed as Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, emerged as the frontrunner Night out: The West End show, which has been running at London's Playhouse Theatre since December 2021, won three awards in total, the highest tally of the evening All smiles: The best actor award went to The Crown star Ben Daniels (pictured) for his role as writer and activist Ned Weeks in Dominic Cooke's new staging of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart Handsome: Kramer's largely autobiographical play is set during the 1980s Aids crisis, and the UK cast for the production also included Silent Witness star Liz Carr and Poldark's Luke Norris Theatre: The Critics' Circle Theatre awards were founded in 1989 and are run by the drama section of The Critics' Circle (Tom pictured with Lizzie Annis) Best-selling novelist Zadie Smith was named joint winner of the most promising playwright award alongside Igor Memic. Smith was honoured for her debut play, The Wife Of Willesden, which was adapted from Chaucer's The Wife Of Bath's Tale, with Memic honoured for debut drama Old Bridge, which draws upon "personal history in its depiction of war-torn Bosnia". The Good Wife star Cush Jumbo won the award for best Shakespearean performance for Hamlet. The ceremony comes ahead of 2022 Olivier Theatre Awards, being held on April 10 at the Royal Albert Hall, where stars like Jumbo, Buckley and Daniels are also nominated. The Critics' Circle Theatre awards were founded in 1989 and are run by the drama section of The Critics' Circle. Fans were left outraged as John Barrowman returned to television on Sunday night for ITV's All Star Musicals despite Doctor Who flashing claims. Barrowman issued an apology in May after responding to historical claims of 'inappropriate behaviour' on the set of BBC drama Torchwood, an admission that led to him being dropped from popular mainstream show Dancing On Ice. But the West End star, 55, returned to ITV for the all-singing all-dancing extravaganza prompting a mixed response from viewers. Back in the spotlight: Fans were left outraged on Sunday night as John Barrowman returned to television on All Star Musicals despite Doctor Who flashing claims Taking to Twitter, one outraged license payer wrote: 'Why is John Barrowman still getting work?! Absolutely will not be watching.' Another quipped: 'Hopefully Barrowman will be keeping his boys in the barracks tonight.' A third said: 'Youre seriously telling me they couldnt find a new host. Disgusted.' Controversy: Barrowman issued an apology in May after responding to historical claims of 'inappropriate behaviour' on the set of BBC drama Torchwood Reaction: But the West End star, 55, returned to ITV for the all-singing all-dancing extravaganza prompting a mixed response from viewers In November, Barrowman - who has been replaced by Oti Mabuse on Dancing On Ice - insisted the controversy surrounding his past antics was 'exaggerated' as he gave his first interview since being sacked. Speaking in an interview with Lorraine, he said: 'All the people that are making the fuss about it, they werent there, they dont know the context of things that were done.' Barrowman described his past actions as 'silly behaviour' and insisted that he would 'never do it now' after previously admitting to 'tomfoolery' on the sets of Doctor Who, where he began playing Captain Jack Harkness in 2005 and spin-off series Torchwood a year later. Speaking out: In November, Barrowman insisted the controversy surrounding his past antics was 'exaggerated' as he gave his first interview since being sacked He explained: 'I think that if it was now, it would be crossing the line. I think that something that happened 15 years ago, it was bawdy behaviour, silly behaviour, it was being done in the confines of the set, and we were like a family, working together. 'The fact that it was stories that Ive already told. Ive been telling them for years. I havent hidden anything, theyve been exaggerated, and theyve tried to turn them into sexual harassment which it absolutely is not.' He added: 'The one thing for me, all the people that are making the fuss about it, they werent there, they dont know the context of things that were done. The continued bashing is not good. We've moved on. 'Like I said, I would never do it now but what were not allowing people and myself to do were not allowing people to learn to adapt and to change, and thats the most important thing.' Alex Beresford was crowned the winner of ITV's All Star Musicals 2022 on Sunday night. The Good Morning Britain weather presenter, 41, beat EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa with a number from the hit Broadway show Hamilton. He also overcame competition from wildlife presenter Michaela Strachan, Coronation Street's Lisa George, James Bond actor Colin Salmon and rugby star Danny Care. Winner: Alex Beresford was crowned the winner of ITV's All Star Musicals 2022 on Sunday night Discussing his win after the show, Alex said: 'It felt absolutely amazing. It was surreal. We were all standing there on stage and waiting for them to call a name and when I heard Al.. I was like 'oh my God, its me' and it was just the best feeling in the world. Ive never won anything like that before. 'After my performance when I was listening to the judge's comments, they were saying such lovely things and it just really touched me and my eyes welled up. I was holding my tears back - I didn't want to blub on national television! He added: 'The whole experience was amazing. Although, I thought we were going to rehearse more. The best thing that I did was I just rehearsed at home all the time. I think thats the difference. 'When I did Dancing On Ice you can only rehearse on the ice really, whereas this was something that I can do in my own time. I would run through my performance all the time, I even did it in the shower!' Hamilton: The Good Morning Britain weather presenter, 41, beat EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa with a number from the hit Broadway show Hamilton Champion: He also overcame competition from wildlife presenter Michaela Strachan, Coronation Street 's Lisa George, James Bond actor Colin Salmon and rugby star Danny Care Screen star: Discussing his win after the show, Alex said: 'It felt absolutely amazing. It was surreal' (pictured on Good Morning Britain in May 2021) It comes after fans were left outraged as John Barrowman returned to television on Sunday night for ITV's All Star Musicals despite Doctor Who flashing claims. Barrowman issued an apology in May after responding to historical claims of 'inappropriate behaviour' on the set of BBC drama Torchwood, an admission that led to him being dropped from popular mainstream show Dancing On Ice. But the West End star, 55, returned to ITV for the all-singing all-dancing extravaganza prompting a mixed response from viewers. Back in the spotlight: Fans were left outraged on Sunday night as John Barrowman returned to television on All Star Musicals despite Doctor Who flashing claims Taking to Twitter, one outraged license payer wrote: 'Why is John Barrowman still getting work?! Absolutely will not be watching.' Another quipped: 'Hopefully Barrowman will be keeping his boys in the barracks tonight.' A third said: 'Youre seriously telling me they couldnt find a new host. Disgusted.' Controversy: Barrowman issued an apology in May after responding to historical claims of 'inappropriate behaviour' on the set of BBC drama Torchwood Reaction: But the West End star, 55, returned to ITV for the all-singing all-dancing extravaganza prompting a mixed response from viewers In November, Barrowman - who has been replaced by Oti Mabuse on Dancing On Ice - insisted the controversy surrounding his past antics was 'exaggerated' as he gave his first interview since being sacked. Speaking in an interview with Lorraine, he said: 'All the people that are making the fuss about it, they werent there, they dont know the context of things that were done.' Barrowman described his past actions as 'silly behaviour' and insisted that he would 'never do it now' after previously admitting to 'tomfoolery' on the sets of Doctor Who, where he began playing Captain Jack Harkness in 2005 and spin-off series Torchwood a year later. Speaking out: In November, Barrowman insisted the controversy surrounding his past antics was 'exaggerated' as he gave his first interview since being sacked He explained: 'I think that if it was now, it would be crossing the line. I think that something that happened 15 years ago, it was bawdy behaviour, silly behaviour, it was being done in the confines of the set, and we were like a family, working together. 'The fact that it was stories that Ive already told. Ive been telling them for years. I havent hidden anything, theyve been exaggerated, and theyve tried to turn them into sexual harassment which it absolutely is not.' He added: 'The one thing for me, all the people that are making the fuss about it, they werent there, they dont know the context of things that were done. The continued bashing is not good. We've moved on. 'Like I said, I would never do it now but what were not allowing people and myself to do were not allowing people to learn to adapt and to change, and thats the most important thing.' Justin Hartley and his wife, Sofia Parnas were all kisses and smiles as they attended a This Is Us screening in Los Angeles. The newlyweds made a splash on the red carpet where photographers encouraged the pair to share a smooch for the cameras. Justin and Sofia have been married for just over a year, and the passion is strong between the two television stars who started out as friends. Happy together: Justin Hartley and his wife, Sofia Parnas were all kisses and smiles as they attended a This Is Us screening in Los Angeles. Justin and Sofia have been married for just over a year, and the passion is strong between the two television stars who started out as friends Kiss me: The newlyweds made a splash on the red carpet where photographers encouraged the pair to share a smooch for the cameras The lovebirds initially met on the set of The Young and the Restless back in 2015, but say they didn't work closely together at the time. The This Is Us heart throb was dating his former wife, Chrishell Stause, who was also working for the daytime drama. Justin and the Selling Sunset star married in 2017, but they separated two years later. The marriage was officially dissolved in 2021. Sofia was stunning in a muted gray slip dress with a matching bolero jacket and black lace up boots. Wish a flawless complexion, the Blood and Treasure actress kept her makeup looking natural and she pulled her dark hair into a half pony tail to complete the camera ready look. Work friends: The lovebirds initially met on the set of The Young and the Restless back in 2015, but say they didn't work closely together at the time. The This Is Us heart throb was dating his former wife, Chrishell Stause, who was also working for the daytime drama. Justin and the Selling Sunset star married in 2017, but they separated two years later Justin chose a light weight navy blue chambray suit, paired with a dark navy collared sweater and a white t-shirt and pocket square for his red carpet appearance. The 45-year-old actor said it's difficult for him to believe the end of the Emmy winning series is just around the corner. 'It's hard to wrap your brain around, at least for me, until it actually happens. We're still doing it, we're still in the middle of it.' End of an era: The 45-year-old actor said it's difficult for him to believe the end of the Emmy winning series is just around the corner. 'It's hard to wrap your brain around, at least for me, until it actually happens. We're still doing it, we're still in the middle of it' The script for the final episode was just written and so none of the actors knows how the series will end, but Sterling K Brown seemed to speak for everyone when he said he hopes it's been 'scheduled in such a way that most of us get a chance to wrap together.' 'I hope there's like a group scene that finishes it off so that we can all say goodbye together.' Fans will find out when the This Is Us season finale airs May 24 after six emotional seasons. Married At First Sight's Ella Ding has revealed why she gave husband Mitch Eynaud another chance after he broke her heart at their final vows. The beautician, 28, burst into tears on the show last week when financial planner Mitch, 27, told her he couldn't make a decision about their future. But the pair surprised everyone at Sunday's reunion dinner party when they arrived together and announced they had reconciled. A changed man? Married At First Sight's Ella Ding (left) has revealed why she gave husband Mitch Eynaud (right) another chance after he broke her heart at their final vows While they joked on camera they'd got back together because the sex was just too good, Ella told Woman's Day there was another important reason. She explained they'd decided to meet up on the Gold Coast, where Mitch lives, after filming their final vows in early December, and this ended up being a game changer. 'Going there was the last chance,' she said. Reunion: Ella and Mitch met up on the Gold Coast after filming their final vows in early December. She said spending time together as a couple without producers around was exactly what their relationship needed, as Mitch had struggled having cameras on him 24/7 Ella said spending time together as a couple without producers around was exactly what their relationship needed, as Mitch had struggled having cameras on him 24/7. But it took them catching Covid-19 together to form a lasting bond, in part because Ella was able to show Mitch her caring and humourous side for the first time. 'He was pretty unwell, so I was just trying to lighten the mood and make him feel better,' she told the magazine. 'He was pretty unwell': It took them catching Covid-19 together to form a lasting bond, in part because Ella was able to show Mitch her caring and humourous side for the first time The genetically blessed pair shocked viewers on Sunday's episode of MAFS when they returned to the reunion dinner party as a couple. Hinting that sexual chemistry played a role in their decision to get back together, Ella said: 'We had some time to get back to our roots, his roots... root.' 'You're really playing up that horny bride card, aren't ya?' Mitch laughed. Ella also said her husband opened up to her more once the experiment was over. 'Mitchell and I are together. We are just starting fresh. Nothing could have prepared me for the way Mitchell was after the experiment ended,' she revealed. Sad: Ella said during last week's final vows she wanted to continue her relationship with Mitch, despite their various issues - but he told her he couldn't make a commitment It comes after Ella declared during last week's final vows she wanted to continue her relationship with Mitch, despite their various issues. Mitch, however, said he wouldn't be rushed into making an on-the-spot decision about their future, effectively ending things. 'How can we walk out of here together as partners when at the moment, I don't see this as a substantial relationship?' he said. 'What I need now is to go back to my life, to my family, to my friends. Divided: Mitch said he wouldn't be rushed into making an on-the-spot decision about their future, effectively ending things 'It's only then that I'll be able to make a decision that could affect both of our lives. What I can't [do], what I can do and what I won't do. 'To stand here and be forced to make a decision that I'm not yet ready to make. I'm sorry, Ella, but right now I just can't give you the commitment I know that you want.' A tearful Ella replied: 'Wow. Throwing your own little spanner in the works. I'm not surprised. Making no decision.' Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine and 9Now Eva Longoria flaunted her incredible physique in a clinging one-piece as she went for a swim during her trip to Mexico on Saturday. The actress, 47, looked sensational as she posed in a figure-hugging white zip-up swimsuit for the sizzling snap. She styled her damp brunette tresses in a straight fashion and showed off her natural good looks as she went for a dip in the crystal clear waters. Stunning: Eva Longoria flaunted her incredible physique in a clinging white one-piece as she went for a dip during her trip to Mexico on Saturday Alongside the snap, the Desperate Housewives star quoted TLC's hit track Waterfalls as she wrote: 'Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls.' On her Instagram stories, Eva shared a stunning picture of herself in coral floral wide leg trousers and a white vest top as she enjoyed her sun-filled trip. She wrote 'I swear I'm working' alongside the snap, after she touched down in Mexico last week to film with CNN. It comes after Eva revealed she is 'co-ordinating outfits' with her pal Victoria Beckham for the Spice Girl's eldest son Brooklyn's star-studded wedding on April 9. Elegant: On her Instagram stories, Eva also shared a stunning picture of herself in coral floral wide leg trousers and a white vest top as she enjoyed her sun-filled trip She revealed that they've already planned to their dresses for the lavish nuptials, which will see Brooklyn exchange vows with longtime girlfriend Nicola Peltz. Speaking in an interview with People, Eva was asked whether Victoria would 'outfit her' for the wedding, as she jested that the designer does the opposite of what she asks for. The two household names have been friends for years, and Eva is godmother to Victoria's daughter Harper Seven, 10, who is the youngest of the Beckham brood. Eva shared: 'I just go into her closet normally, and go, 'I need a dress' she's like,''Do you like the black or the green?' and I say, 'Black' she goes, 'Great. Green' Matching: It comes after Eva revealed she is 'co-ordinating outfits' with her pal Victoria Beckham (both pictured in November 2015) for Brooklyn's star-studded wedding on April 9 The move is no surprise as Victoria has often styled Eva before, even designing her wedding gown for her nuptials to Jose Baston in 2016. Eva will be one of the many famous faces at Brooklyn and Nicola's wedding, which is set to be a lavish affair, taking place next month at Nicola's family estate in Florida. It is also expected to feature in Vogue magazine, with the pair reportedly wanting 'the entire day to be perfect'. The bride-to-be, 27, is set to wear two 'fairytale' dresses by Valentino for the wedding, and may also wear one of her new mother-in-law's creations for their evening celebrations. Flying the nest: Brooklyn is David and Victoria's eldest child, with his and Nicola's wedding set to be a lavish affair, taking place on April 9 at Nicola's family estate in Florida Victoria designed Nicola's engagement dress, which she donned as she posed for a loved-up snap in a field with Brooklyn to announce the good news. Brooklyn proposed in June 2020, less than a year after the pair were first spotted together in October 2019. Last month, the pair shared a rare insight into their lavish wedding, revealing their ceremony will be Jewish in accordance with Nicola's heritage. Brooklyn explained he'd be wearing a Yarmulke, or kippah, which is a traditional skull cap worn by Jewish men during prayer, while those in the Ultra-Orthodox communities also wear them during their public life. According to Jewish law, it is required that a man is covers his head during prayer, but the customs for when they should be worn can vary, with some men also wearing them eating or studying Jewish texts. Kippah's are not traditionally worn by women, who usually cover their heads with a scarf or hat, with the covering typically a sign of respect and fear of God. On the day, Nicola will reportedly wear two Valentino gowns during the day - despite previous claims Brooklyn's designer mother Victoria had been drawing up dress designs for her. Family affair: Victoria designed Nicola's engagement dress, which she donned as she posed for a loved-up snap in a field with Brooklyn The Sun has also claimed that Brooklyn's younger brothers Romeo, 19, and Cruz, 16, have been asked to be Best Men, while Nicola's brother Brad will be her bridesmaid. The couple won't be short of space for guests, as the ceremony is said to be being held on Nicola's billionaire father Nelson's 2-bed Florida estate. The star-studded guest list is believed to include the likes of Gigi Hadid, Nicole Richie and Beckham family friends Gordon and Tana Ramsay. While Brooklyn's parents' wedding was covered by OK! magazine back in 1999, Brooklyn's nuptials will reflect the family's rise to style royalty as fashion bible Vogue has reportedly requested exclusive rights to their big day. Energy experts say the growing oil crisis across the globe is a wake-up call for the African continent to be become less dependent on foreign oil supplies. The cost of fuel has risen sharply, with Brent crude oil hitting a 14-year high in recent weeks. It remains firmly above $100 per barrel at the time of publication. With the military conflict in Ukraine, concerns have arisen around the worlds ability to meet its energy needs. The United States and the United Kingdom have banned Russian oil imports, with the European Union under pressure to follow suit. Nobody really anticipated needing to grow significantly, Vicki Hollub, chief executive of Occidental Petroleum said during a recent conference in Texas (https://nyti.ms/3NCxrG3). Thats the challenge now. If you didnt plan for growth, youre not going to be able to achieve growth today. Regardless of the outcome, the squeeze is being felt across the globe. Some governments have decided to subsidise their citizens energy bills, or to reduce the cost of public transport, as has been the case in New Zealand (https://bit.ly/3NDe5QQ). What about Africa? African countries are re-evaluating their energy mix options, says Paul Sinclair, vice president of energy for Africa Oil Week (Africa-OilWeek.com/Home), the continents leading energy conference. There are untapped oil and gas reserves in Africa which we believe should be developed with good carbon management strategies. Oil and gas offer solutions to regional and international energy demand says Sinclair. Whilst the world transitions to low carbon it is imperative that Africa develop its upstream capabilities alongside renewable energy solutions which will result in a win-win for all Sinclair says African countries are re-thinking their approach to energy. I expect we will see a major shift in policies in many countries to address their energy needs, amidst this crisis, when heads of state, ministers, business leaders and stakeholders gather at Africa Oil Week 2022 in Cape Town, October 3rd 7th. Sinclair says Africas energy requirements need to factor in the economic imperatives of the continent. According to the United Nations (https://bit.ly/3IUviBN), an estimated 490 million people live below the poverty line and less than half of African countries have experienced inclusive growth in over twenty years, says Sinclair. By adding an energy crisis to the mix, I have little doubt that we will see a strategic review in this sector. However, oil and gas are not the only options for Africa. The Green Energy Africa Summit, also in Cape Town October 3rd 7th, will be delivered alongside Africa Oil Week to ensure the overall energy mix is addressed from nation to nation. The events together will allow delegates to get a 360-degree view of the sector during a time of disruption. Only 18 (https://bit.ly/3DslCgE) of Africas 55 nations currently produce oil, led by Nigeria, Angola, Algeria and Egypt. Together, they produce less than 10% (https://bit.ly/36YlcCH) of the worlds output. When you study the numbers, you can see that Africa has no choice in the current circumstances to increase its energy security, says Sinclair. This is already happening. South Africa has been exploring potential gas deposits off its coastline, while the Gambia is looking to license two oil-exploration sites in coming months. Mozambique and Tanzania have reportedly discovered crude oil, while exploration (https://bit.ly/373AWEk) has been undertaken in some other African countries, such as Chad, Sudan, and Namibia. Approximately 2 400 hydrocarbon deposits (https://bit.ly/3tUuNUj) have been discovered in Africa, 700 of them large enough for significant exploration. 2022 will be a significant year in the African energy sector predicts Sinclair. The continent knows it needs to expand its production of hydrocarbons and renewable energy production if its economies are to remain competitive. We expect this will be an area of high investment, he says. About Africa Oil Week and the Green Energy Africa Summit The Africa Oil Week offers 4 days of pioneering insights, from ministerial panels to strategic outlooks designed to drive investment into the African upstream for the benefit of the continent. At the heart of the event are some of the most compelling insights into the upstream strategies of governments from across the continent. These extensive and varied networking opportunities have resulted in an unprecedented return of delegates year after year. AOW is globally renowned for bringing the most senior delegates together each year. In 2021, AOW welcomed 30+ Ministers and Government Leaders, 2,000+ C-level delegates, representatives, and hundreds of SVPs and VPs of Africa, Exploration and New Ventures making the event the most influential energy conference in Africa. Whilst Africa Oil Week will retain its own identity as a pure-play Hydrocarbons event to advocate upstream development. The Green Energy Africa Summit will also play its role in driving enabling environments to ensure foreign direct investment is deployed into game-changing projects that will reduce the energy deficit and provide energy access for all across the continent. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Forces loyal to Yemen's Huthi rebels take part in a military parade marking the seventh anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in their country, in the capital Sanaa, on March 31, 2022 A UN-brokered two-month truce took effect in Yemen Saturday, the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and analysts hope for a rare respite in the impoverished country's seven-year war. The Iran-backed Huthi rebels and the Saudi-led military coalition, which intervened in 2015 to shore up Yemen's government against the insurgents a year after they seized the capital Sanaa, have both agreed to observe the ceasefire. But will it hold when previous truces have fallen apart? Here are some key questions about the ceasefire agreed in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country. - Why now? - Yemenis shop at a market in the old city of the Yemeni capital Sanaa on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on April 2, 2022 Mohammed Al-Basha, a Yemen expert for the US-based Navanti research group, says Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the disruption of global food and energy supplies were a trigger. "The prolonged hostilities in Ukraine are creating urgency to end the war in Yemen," he said. Yemen's war has killed hundreds of thousands directly or indirectly and displaced millions, triggering the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations. At least 80 percent of the country's 30 million people are dependent on foreign aid. With fighting on the ground at a stalemate, the truce has become necessary, said Ahmed Nagi, of the Malcom H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Centre in Beirut. "The Huthis feel they can no longer progress after the battles of Shabwa and Marib, and the financial losses they incurred," he said. Pro-government forces seized control of the oil-rich governorate of Shabwa in southern Yemen earlier this year. Meanwhile the Huthis have tried for months to advance on the neighbouring region of Marib, whose capital city of the same name is the government's last northern stronghold. In this file photo from January 27, 2022, Yemeni supporters of the Iran-backed Huthi movement brandish their weapons as they rally in the capital Sanaa According to Nagi, the Saudi-led coalition believes that "pushing ahead with the war will only serve to expand its impact on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates" -- the two key players in the coalition. Over the past year, the Huthis have launched a series of drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE, hitting key infrastructure. Last month, they attacked 16 targets in Saudi Arabia, turning an oil plant near a Formula One track in Jeddah into a blazing inferno. Saudi Arabia has warned that such attacks on its oil facilities could derail the kingdom's ability to meet global crude demand following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "The global fuel crisis heightened the value of Saudi fuel supply as it is threatened by... (Huthi) cross-border attacks," said Basha. - Will the truce hold? - The Huthis and the coalition have not reported any major violations since the truce started Saturday at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT). United Nations special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg takes part in a conference on Yemen's war hosted by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council in the Saudi capital Riyadh on March 30, 2022 Under the UN-brokered agreement, all ground, air and naval military operations, including cross-border attacks, should cease. In addition, 18 fuel ships are to be allowed into rebel-held Hodeida port, a lifeline for Yemen, and two commercial flights a week can resume in and out of Huthi-held Sanaa airport. "The success of this initiative will depend on the warring parties' continued commitment to implementing the truce agreement with its accompanying humanitarian measures," said UN special envoy Hans Grundberg. But analysts say the truce remains vulnerable. It "tests the fragile trust between all the warring parties," said Basha, who however welcomed an initiative that coincided with the start of Ramadan. Yemen Maged al-Madhaji, director of the Sanaa Centre for Strategic Studies, agreed. "The truce is a rare chance for humanitarian relief and to ease the impact of the war on citizens," he said. "I think it will hold during Ramadan because the Huthis need it. Extending it, however, will depend on political decisions that are not on the horizon." - Can it lead to peace? - The truce -- welcomed by world powers -- can be extended beyond two months if both sides agree. It came after intense diplomacy, including talks underway in Saudi Arabia which the rebels snubbed because they were being hosted by an "enemy". Yemenis displaced by the conflict receive food aid and supplies at a camp in Hays district in the war-ravaged western province of Hodeidah on March 29, 2022 UN chief Antonio Guterres said he hoped the truce would lead to a "political process" to bring peace to Yemen. US President Joe Biden stressed "it is imperative that we end this war". The researcher Nagi said the truce could serve as a basis "for a solution... leading to a political settlement". Madhaji was more cautious, citing previous failed bids in 2016 and 2018 to halt hostilities. "The previous attempts indicate that truces in Yemen hold only if needed and do not provide a platform for real peace," he said. India's merchandise exports had breached the targeted USD 400 billion mark on March 23 this year. (PTI Photo) New Delhi: India's merchandise exports spurted to a record high of USD 418 billion in the 2021-22 fiscal on higher shipments of petroleum products, engineering goods, gem and jewellery and chemicals, according to official data released on Sunday. Outbound shipments touched an all-time high of USD 40 billion in a month in March 2022, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters here. Exports stood at USD 34 billion in March 2021. Merchandise exports were worth USD 292 billion in FY2020-21. India's merchandise exports had breached the targeted USD 400 billion mark on March 23 this year. The key export sectors, which contributed to record healthy growth, include petroleum products, engineering, gems and jewellery, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The top five export destinations are the US, UAE, China, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Hailing the country's success in achieving the goods export target, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that this is a key milestone in India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' journey. Intelligence officials said the detention of the youth, identified as Suleiman from Hyderabad, was a precaution as he allegedly appeared to be trying to get the attention of the ISIS. (Representational Image/DC) HYDERABAD: An 18-year-old student from Falaknuma was detained by the intelligence wing of Telangana police after he was reportedly found browsing terrorist websites in an attempt to get in touch with them. Intelligence officials said the detention of the youth, identified as Suleiman from Hyderabad, was a precaution as he allegedly appeared to be trying to get the attention of the ISIS among other banned terror groups and might be inclined to join terror outfits through cyberspace. Though the Intelligence officials confirmed that the youngster was detained and booked, the city police denied it said that no such thing has happened. Intelligence wing commissioner Chaitanya Kumar confirmed the investigation against the student. However, DCP, South Zone, S. Sai Chaitanya, said, No one was picked up by the police for questioning or detention. Even the station house officers and assistant commissioners of police said that they had received multiple calls and that nothing of this sort had taken place. Officials are investigating and questioning him about his motives behind the searches and the usage of social media applications to draw their attention to him. His call data record is being accessed and the cybercrime officials are tracking his online activities by seizing his mobile phone. Further links are yet to be established. It will be done in due course of time. The cybercrime police, with the help of the Internet Protocol (IP) address, had tracked him down and took him into custody, the officials added. Senior officials from the state police department, requesting anonymity, said, He is very young and we are figuring out his excitement behind this online radicalism. Usually, browsing and contacting terror groups is the basic step for the enthusiastic lot, which is followed by mobilisation of funds and third stage is forming groups and lobbying, shared the official. Earlier, in 2018, National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested eight youths from Hyderabad for planning terror attacks on the instructions of ISIS. The same year, NIA sleuths arrested two more from the city in a separate case for planning terror attacks in the country and for their links to ISIS. Hyderabad: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday called for fast-tracking the design and development of the 10-tonne Indian multirole helicopter. He was speaking at an event at the Air Force Station, Hakimpet, on Saturday, to mark 60 years of service of the Chetak helicopter with the Indian Air Force. "According to an estimate, there is a demand for more than 1,000 civilian helicopters in the country and an equal number of helicopters in the defence sector. We need to exploit this huge potential, Rajnath Singh said. We need to make efforts to strengthen India's claim in the rotary wing domain. He noted that the era was changing. I am sure that in the times to come we will be strong and completely self-reliant. Earlier, the country was dependent on imports. This government believes in strengthening our own shoulders to protect ourselves. We are making sure that India is not dependent on anyone," he said. Earlier this week, the defence forces purchased 15 India-made Dhruv, the Advanced Light Helicopters. The defence minister called them examples of the country's strength and capability to manufacture light helicopters for combat operations. Singh said that by being strong, India does not mean to establish dominance in the world. India has always followed the path of truth, non-violence and peace and does not support aggression of any kind, he said. The Chetak (Alouette III), manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from 1962, is a two-tonne helicopter that can seat seven persons. It is stated to be a versatile, multi-role, multi-purpose helicopter. The helicopter is suitable for commuting, cargo and material transport, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, aerial rurvey and patrolling and emergency medical services. Rajnath Singh compared the helicopter to the horse of the legendary Rana Pratap. Rajnath Singh said the Chetak, through adaptation, modification and upgradation, remained a frontline platform even after six decades of its creation. He noted that nearly 700 Chetaks had been manufactured so far. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhuri, senior serving and retired officers of the helicopter stream from the three services and officials of ministry of defence, Indian Coast Guard and HAL were present on the occasion. Rajnath Singh said the Chetak had proved its mettle in the battlefield by targeting enemies with accuracy and successfully landing troops. "It has also helped in delivering essential logistics and also saved precious lives through its evacuation efforts in case of emergency. To mark the occasion, the Indian Air Force had a flypast of the Chetaks and other aircraft, including one over prominent landmarks of the city by the Suryakiran aerobatics team. Stating that the department has received complaints from the public that the rules are not being followed, it asked BBMP to direct all slaughterhouses and chicken shops in the city to make sure that animals are stunned mandatorily and are unconscious, before they are slaughtered. (Photo: AFP) Bengaluru: Karnataka Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department have asked the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to direct all slaughterhouses and chicken shops in the city to ensure that animals are "stunned" mandatorily, before they are slaughtered for meat. It has asked the civic body to check the stunning facility, while issuing licences for slaughterhouses and chicken shops. Though such a communication is said to be a routine affair, it has come amidst controversy around right-wing groups giving a call to boycott 'halal' meat amidst Ugadi festivities. Citing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, in a letter dated April 1, the Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Bengaluru Urban district, has written a letter to BBMP for ensuring stunning of animals before they are slaughtered for meat. Stating that the department has received complaints from the public that the rules are not being followed, it asked BBMP to direct all slaughterhouses and chicken shops in the city to make sure that animals are stunned mandatorily and are unconscious, before they are slaughtered. Further, asking the civic body to check about the stunning facility while issuing licences for slaughterhouses and chicken shops, it has asked the BBMP to report to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Bengaluru Urban, about the action taken. Recently some right-wing groups had given a call to boycott 'halal' meat, ahead of 'varshadodaku', the day after Ugadi (today), when many communities in the state have a non-vegetarian feast. BJP national general secretary C T Ravi had even called halal food "economic jihad". TRIPOLI, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Saturday announced an initiative to develop life-skills clubs in six schools in Libya. The life-skills clubs to be developed in six schools in the municipalities of Sebha, Zintan, and Janzour will benefit a total of 48,000 adolescents, UNICEF said in a statement. "We believe that young people in Libya are strong actors in the environmental and social movement and their bright ideas deserve a chance to be developed into reality that helps their country," the statement said. With the support of the European Union, UNICEF expressed willingness to "harness the power of significant new trends in order to enable young women and men to thrive in the workplace." Bengaluru: Amid the call for a boycott of 'Halal' meat, the Muslim vendors from the state claimed that the controversy hasn't affected their business. The vendors said that the business is as usual with no dip in the footfalls of customers, with 90 per cent of them being Hindus and Christians. In the 'Frasor Town' market in the city, a large number of people can be seen around the meat shops. The vendors and shop owners also maintained that the controversy hasn't affected their business which is running smoothly. Mohammed Samaruddin, a local shop owner, said that he has a large number of Hindu and Christian customers, and the row over 'Halal' meat hasn't yet affected his business. He sounded confident that his loyal customers will continue coming to his shop. "We have been running the same business since the independence of the country. As of now, we have never faced any problems. Almost 90 per cent of customers are Hindus and Christians and only 10 per cent are Muslims. This propaganda over 'Halal' meat will not affect my business," said the shop owner. As Muslims across Karnataka are celebrating the Ramzan festival, another shop owner Saleem said that the footfalls of customers have been intact with more people now coming. "All my regular customers are coming to the shop. There is no such problem. In fact, more customers are approaching with ongoing festivals," said Saleem, another shop owner. 'Hindu Jana Jagruthi Samiti' along with Bajrang Dal and some right-wing activists recently claimed that Muslims perform rituals according to their faith before killing animals for 'Halal' meat, which is then consumed by Hindus. They organised a campaign to boycott 'Halal' meat and urged people to buy meat only from Hindu meat sellers. The controversy came ahead of 'Varshadodaku' festival, which is celebrated a day after the Kannada New Year of Ugadi, when the meat is in much demand as several communities across the state, including Hindus, organise a non-vegetarian feast. Meanwhile, many shop-owners have also changed their signboards from 'Halal' to 'Jhatka'. The crowd around Hindu meat shops is also seen going up amid the controversy. The Opposition has condemning the Basavaraj Bommai government over the 'Halal' meat row, calling it election propaganda of the BJP. Bommai had earlier said that the state government will look into 'Halal' meat issue as "serious objections" have now been raised about it. Asked about the call for the boycott of 'Halal' meat by some right-wing organizations, Bommai had said, "As far as my government is concerned, we are not right-wing or left-wing, only growth wing." Almanac writer Ponnaluri Srinivasa Gargeya said the combination of Saturn and Mars also indicated losses in Bitcoin and other speculative businesses. (Representational image: Pixabay) KAKINADA: Astrologers warned the people against investing in Bitcoin and stock markets during the current year as the configuration of Saturn and Mars was not suitable for such activities. Many astrologers made several predictions in their almanacs based on the movement of planets in various rasis. The Kala Yogam almanac writer Ponnaluri Srinivasa Gargeya said Saturn was staying in Dhanishta star for 347 days out of 354 days of the new Telugu Year namely Shubhakruth and as per Bruh Samhitha, such sign of Saturn was not suitable for speculation. He also said the combination of Saturn and Mars also indicated losses in Bitcoin and other speculative businesses and also he also cautioned the people not to go to rice pulling magics. He said two cyclones in May and June and earthquakes might occur in the country. The Lalitha Parasara Astrological Group admin and astrological researcher Dr N. Poorna Mohan said as the Telugu New Year started with the combination of Saturn and Mars and nine planets will change their places in the present Chaitra Masa, war situations and gripping of fears in national as well as in the world would happen. He said there would be danger of more accidents occurring in the country due to the movement of planets. The Drikh Siddhanta Almanac Writers Association honorary president (DSAWA)Gorthi Machara Pattabhi Sastry said the crops, in particular paddy and black colour crops could give good yielding, but the people would suffer from hike in essential commodities. He also said religious disputes might increase and there would be a danger to communal harmony. The Kanchi Kamakoti Asthana Siddanti and also DSAWA president L. Subrahmanyam said that this year would give good fortunes to working class people and though there would be some disturbances with the government decisions, the judicial system would rectify it. Bhuvaneswari Peetham chief Chinta Gopi Sarma said political uncertainty would disturb the people and the development of the state. Meanwhile, Ugadi was celebrated grandly in East and West Godavari districts. East Godavari district collector C. Hari Kiran felicitated Telugu Poets and astrologer Vakkalanka Ramakrishnamma Siddanti in Kakinada. Agriculture minister Kurasala Kannababu, Kakinada MLA D. Chandrasekhara Reddy, joint collector Sumit Kumar Gandhi, Keerthi Chekuri and others were present. In West Godavari, district collector V. Prasanna Venkatesh wished that the people would lead their life in a happy and peaceful manner. He felicitated Vedic pandits in the celebrations. Challenging it, Prabhakar Rao filed another petition before the High Court stating that the police had borne a grudge against him and implicated him in a false case for lodging a complaint of misuse of police power. DC file photo HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Saturday expressed anger over the way the police handled a couple of money-related cases and warned that it would direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the pattern of inquiry adopted by the police in those cases. Stating that the police were bearing a grudge against a few people and implicating them in false cases for highlighting the abuse of police power, Justice K. Lakshman said the police could not implicate a person in a crime based on a confession statement by the co-accused. Justice Lakshman was dealing with a case in which the police had registered an FIR against a person, T. Prabhakar Rao of Kukatpally, on the ground that he was providing financial aid to the outlawed Maoists. Before the case was registered on March 4, 2022, Prabhakar had approached the High Court in 2021 complaining about power abuse by the Cyberabad police and a Special Operations Team (SOT) and how the police were harassing him and his family in a money-related issue. An FIR was registered under Sections 420 and 406 of IPC at Bachupally police station against Prabhakar Rao. Cyberabad police commissioner Stephen Ravindra appeared twice before the court to explain the contention of the police. The court also asked how the money matter case was transferred to the SOT and enquired about the police interest in the case. Ravindra was also directed by the court to submit a report on the action taken against the police officers who abused power by April 12. Meanwhile a case was registered against Prabhakar Rao at the Dummugudem police station of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, on charges that he had provided Rs 3.34 lakh to Maoists. The police registered this case based on a confession statement of a person, who was named as co-accused in that case. Prabhakar was made as accused number four and total 30 members were made as accused. As part of the investigation of this case, the police called Prabhakar to the police station. Challenging it, Prabhakar Rao filed another petition before the High Court stating that the police had borne a grudge against him and implicated him in a false case for lodging a complaint of misuse of police power. Acknowledging the contentions of the petitioner, Justice Lakshman said the court would direct a CBI inquiry into two cases and the pattern of the probe conducted by the police. Meanwhile, the court directed the Director General of Police to supervise the investigation in the two cases. The Judge observed that the matters required to be examined. Headmaster of the Malakpet school said there were additional admissions and there were cleaners for 75 students. These cleaners are appointed by NGOs and not the government. Study materials in Braille are given to students and no Braille kits are provided in those schools, he said. Representational image/DC HYDERABAD: The only two government schools for the visually impaired in Hyderabad - one in the Old City for boys and another in Malakpet for girls - are allegedly not maintained well. The schools do not have even one government-appointed teacher, students do not have caretakers, and food is not served to them properly. toilets are located 300 metres away from school and hostel premises. The authorities demolished a hostel three years ago and are yet to complete the construction of a new one. Students are allegedly forced to study, eat and sleep in classrooms. These factors are resulting in increasing dropouts every passing year. The Old City hostel block was demolished three years ago and a new one is still being constructed, said a music teacher, at the Government High School for the Blind. There are only 40 students in the Old City school, down from 60. A total of 30 students are packed in two to three classrooms which can only accommodate five students in each class, said the teacher. Also, as the school is not in English medium, the teacher said. Earlier, the government used to make several announcements about admissions in the city and villages which stopped ever since the outbreak of Covid-19. We do not have any new admissions, the teacher said. Headmaster of the Malakpet school said there were additional admissions and there were cleaners for 75 students. These cleaners are appointed by NGOs and not the government. Study materials in Braille are given to students and no Braille kits are provided in those schools, he said. The universal Braille kit has a Braille cube, an alphabet plate, a Braille slate and stylus, a standard abacus and instruction manuals. Whereas, Braille script consists of arrangements of dots which make up letters of the alphabet, numbers, and punctuation marks. The students in both the schools are malnourished. Out of them 10 per cent from each school require immediate care. There is no proper drinking water facility. The study material is not up to the mark and hardly any classes are taken, said an NGO who provides aid to these students. No Braille teachers have been appointed in these schools. We appointed two helpers from our end, said a member from the NGO. As per the disability welfare department, Malakpet, cellphones were provided to 75 students in the Malakpet block through which they can listen to classes. As the Braille script was not used for two years, students are using the same sheets. The entire study material is provided and they are not having any difficulty in hostels as well, claimed Sailaja, warden, Malakpet school, who works in the disability welfare department. HYDERABAD: Coming down heavily on the BJP government at the Centre for enhancing petrol and diesel prices after elections to the five states, TPCC president and MP A. Revanth Reddy said the Congress would organise protest programmes in the state demanding procurement of paddy from farmers. Revanth Reddy participated in the Ugadi festival celebrations held at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday. Later, he said the state and the Central governments were looting people's money by increasing fuel prices. He demanded that the governments reduce their tax share in fuel prices to help the common man. "When the Congress was in power, the domestic gas cylinder price was Rs 414, petrol was Rs 71 and diesel Rs 55. Even when barrel price was increased, the UPA government did not increase the fuel prices keeping in view the financial issues of the common man. During the NDA period, the BJP cheated the people by increasing fuel prices after five state general elections were held," Revanth Reddy said. The TPCC president alleged that the Central and state governments looted Rs 36 lakh crore public money in the name of increasing fuel prices for seven years. Even as the crude oil prices came down, the state government obtained Rs 10 lakh crore and the NDA government received Rs 26 lakh crore by collecting taxes from vehicle riders, Revanth Reddy alleged. He announced that the Congress would stage protests in front of Ambedkar statues at mandal headquarters on April 4, dharnas at collectorates on April 6 and protests in front of Vidyut Soudha, demanding rollback of fuel prices and procurement of paddy from farmers. Mozilla, the firm behind the popular web browser Firefox, said that Microsoft took a step in the right direction regarding default browser choice but that there is more to be done. Earlier this month, Microsoft rolled out an optional cumulative update for Windows 11 that made it easier to change the default browser on PCs, reports Windows Central. Previously, people had to manually change the default setting for every file and link type, which could require dozens of steps to accomplish. Following the recent update to Windows 11, people can set their preferences for more than one link and file type with a single click. Mozilla said that the move is a "step in the right direction" by Microsoft but that more can be done to "respect default browser choice on Windows". The company calls on improvements for both end-users and developers when it comes to setting a default browser. "People should have the ability to simply and easily set defaults and all operating systems should offer official developer support for default status," a Mozilla spokesperson was quoted as saying. "In practice, we would like to also see progress on reducing the number of steps required to set a new browser as default, and on opening and making APIs available for apps to set a default that other Microsoft applications use." Check out the latest videos from DH: As the build-up to the no-confidence vote against the Imran Khan-led government in Pakistan reaches a high point, the Pakistan media has been highlighting the likely scenarios that may emerge in the coming days. Prominent social media handles have also joined in, reporting on the developments. In these times of cross reporting and intense rhetoric-driven messaging by all sides, it is best to take a look at some of the prominent and credible reporters and their views on the evolving situation. Prominent journalist Talat Hussain mentions that the Prime Minister's desperate situation is evident from the fact that he has been trying to take shelter behind storylines that are his own creation, but eventually, gets exposed by the other side. According to Hussain, Khan's plans got exposed when reliable military sources revealed to the media that the Army had never approached the premier seeking his help and assistance in resolving the present political impasse, instead it was the Prime Minister who had sought to meet the Army. Khan, however, made it seem as if the Army had wanted to meet him at the behest of the opposition. Also Read Even if no-trust motion succeeds, Imran will hold office until new leader is sworn-in Behind the scenes of the no-confidence and Khan's accusations of US conspiracy, Hussain claims that a quiet but "bruising, bloody battle" rages on. He further mentions that the situation is extremely tense and fluid, with the Prime Minister trying to create a mass appeal-based approach seeking the public to bail him out. In the given circumstances, his intention is to create chaos and generate sympathy through the public so as to change the rhetoric in his favour portraying himself as the poor innocent victim of the Army's decision to sideline him. Hussain further said that Khan's policy is clear, in that he wants to "incite violence in the name of a fictional conspiracy, use chaos to build friction and tension in the system, create circumstances that could paralyse the country, target the Army with threats and go down by burning everything down." The journalist went on to mention that while Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa delivered a speech on Pakistan's strategic ties with the US and the importance of the CPEC and China besides discussing the likely implications of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Khan, on the other hand, has been behaving in an "immature manner" blaming Washington for trying to overthrow him and has been busy creating and peddling fictions of internal and foreign conspiracies, thus aiming towards creating a chaotic situation. Also Read Explained: Imran Khan faces no-confidence vote on Sunday - a look at the numbers Another prominent journalist, Hamid Mir mentioned that the government has unfortunately created a vicious atmosphere and has been working towards creating chaos and bloodshed outside Parliament on Sunday. He mentions that while Khan's party has been calling on the Army to be neutral and expects them to stay away from political interference, at the same time a large group of the premier's supporters have already gathered outside the Islamabad Press Club shouting slogans demanding "Imran Khan or martial law." Mir said that in the event of any chaos and uncertainty created by PTI workers, the government has made provisions to identify the culprits and take strict action against them. Veteran journalist Mariana Baabar said that the military feels deceived, with Khan dragging the Army into a controversy that only further increase the rift between the two sides. In the given circumstances, she said that considering the mood of Khan to play spoilsport, he could come up with a destructive plan that he has up his sleeve. She mentions that the top brass has been meeting behind the scenes to take stock of the situation thereby indicating the likelihood of a serious situation emerging. Journalist Salman Masood claimed in a live TV address that the Prime Minister urged his supporters to start peaceful protests against what he alleges is a foreign conspiracy against his government. He said that the government has been cautious in assessing the situation as it could take a turn in any direction. Murtaza Ali Shah, a reporter for Geo News and The News International, said that according to the opposition PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Khan has planned violence to stop the no-confidence vote against him and is also prepared to cause bloodshed if things move against him. Also Read Pakistan PM Imran Khan calls for street protests ahead of no-confidence vote Shah said that Khan has been confidently projecting the fact that the US has been conspiring against him even after the White House and the State Department have issued a denial of having played any role in this respect. The Prime Minister realises the relevance of the media in the given situation when he mentions that any media house not supporting him is a sell-out and has been paid by the opposition. Shah also mentions that Khan has rewarded his favourite media houses with significant financial incentives and is expecting them to deliver. Kamran Khan, Editor-in-Chief of the Dunya Media Group, mentions that the premier's fall began since his trip to Moscow and subsequent criticism. He said that while Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine, Khan met Russian President Vladimir Putin for three hours and paid tributes to the Russian army. However, in his speech on security issues, Gen Bajwa condemned the Russian action by stating that it had destroyed "half of Ukraine." The dichotomy within the government on the issue is clearly evident. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Ukraine has regained control of "the whole Kyiv region" after invading Russian forces retreated from some key towns near the Ukrainian capital. Over 300 people have been buried in mass graves in Bucha, a commuter town outside Kyiv. The Red Cross heads to the besieged southern port of Mariupol for a fresh evacuation effort after it was forced to turn back Friday. Sri Lankan soldiers with assault rifles and police manned checkpoints in Colombo on Sunday as the government blocked social media platforms after imposing a curfew to contain public unrest triggered by the country's economic crisis. The latest restrictions come after the government on Saturday implemented a countrywide curfew as protests against the government's handling of the economic crisis turned violent. The curfew will run till 6 am (0030 GMT) on Monday. "The social media block is temporary and imposed due to special instructions given by the Defence Ministry. It was imposed in the interests of the country and people to maintain calm," Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Chairman Jayantha de Silva told Reuters. Internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks said real-time network data showed that Sri Lanka had imposed a nationwide social media blackout, restricting access to platforms including Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram as a state of emergency was declared amid widespread protests. The country's Minister for Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa who is also the nephew of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in a tweet he would "never condone the blocking of social media". "The availability of VPN, just like I'm using now, makes such bans completely useless. I urge the authorities to think more progressively and reconsider this decision." President Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency on Friday, raising fears of a crackdown on protests as the country grapples with rising prices, shortages of essentials and rolling power cuts. Also Read Lanka denies arrival of Indian troops amid crisis Emergency powers in the past have allowed the military to arrest and detain suspects without warrants, but the terms of the current powers are not yet clear. It has also marked a sharp turnaround in political support for President Rajapaksa, who swept to power in 2019 promising stability. Around two dozen opposition leaders stopped at police barricades on the way to Independence Square, some shouting "Gota (Gotabaya) Go Home". "This is unacceptable," said opposition leader Eran Wickramaratne leaning over the barricades. "This is a democracy." Nihal Thalduwa, a senior superintendent of police, said 664 people who broke curfew rules were arrested by the police in the Western Province, the country's most populous administrative division which includes Colombo. Critics say the roots of the crisis, the worst in several decades, lie in economic mismanagement by successive governments that created and sustained a twin deficit - a budget shortfall alongside a current account deficit. But the current crisis was accelerated by deep tax cuts promised by Rajapaksa during a 2019 election campaign that were enacted months before the Covid-19 pandemic, which wiped out parts of Sri Lanka's economy. At Colombo's Pettah government bus stand, Issuru Saparamadu, a painter, said he was desperately looking for a way to go home to Chilaw, around 70 km away. With public transport stalled since the curfew, Saparamadu said he spent the night sleeping on the street after working the entire week in Colombo. "Now I cannot go back. I'm stuck," he said. "Im very frustrated." Western and Asian diplomats based in Sri Lanka said they were monitoring the situation and expected the government to allow citizens to hold peaceful demonstrations. Watch the latest DH Videos here: The Deputy Speaker has disallowed the no-confidence vote against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Nation Assembly on Sunday. The no-trust vote, if passed with enough votes, could have Khan out of office. Opponents have accused him of economic mismanagement and foreign-policy bungling. Stay tuned for updates. Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Chinese-invested Siem Reap Angkor International Airport will play an important role in boosting the kingdom's economy and tourism when it becomes operational in late 2023. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Several dozen opposition lawmakers in Sri Lanka defied a weekend curfew Sunday to stage a public protest against the island nation's worsening economic crisis, an AFP photographer at the scene witnessed. Sri Lanka protesters defy curfew after social media shutdown The group gathered at opposition leader Sajith Premadasa's official residence in the capital Colombo and began a march to the nearby Independence Square, despite a nationwide curfew in effect until Monday morning. Check out the latest DH videos here: The Taliban announced on Sunday a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer. "As per the decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," according to an order from the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada. "If anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be treated according to the Sharia law," the order, announced at a news conference by the Ministry of Interior in Kabul, said. Also Read | Taliban hoist giant flag in Afghan capital, eight months after return The order said the production, use or transportation of other narcotics was also banned. Drug control has been one major demand of the international community of the Islamist group, which took over the country in August and is seeking formal international recognition in order to wind back sanctions that are severely hampering banking, business and development. The Taliban banned poppy growing towards the end of their last rule in 2000 as they sought international legitimacy, but faced a popular backlash and later mostly changed their stance, according to experts. Afghanistan's opium production - which the United Nations estimated was worth $1.4 billion at its height in 2017 - has increased in recent months, farmers and Taliban members told Reuters. The country's dire economic situation has prompted residents of south-eastern provinces to grow the illicit crop that could bring them faster and higher returns than legal crops such as wheat. Taliban sources told Reuters they were anticipating tough resistance from some elements within the group against the ban on poppy and that there had been a surge in the number of farmers cultivating poppy in recent months. A farmer in Helmand who spoke on condition of anonymity said that in recent weeks prices of poppy had already more than doubled on rumours the Taliban would ban its cultivation. But he added that he needed to grow poppy to support his family. "Other crops are just not profitable," he said. Check out latest DH videos here The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry on Saturday rejected social media speculation that Indian Armed troops had arrived in the island nation to help maintain law and order, amidst growing public protests on rising prices and scarcity of essential commodities. Secretary, Defense Ministry, Kamal Gunaratne told news personnel that local troops were capable of handling any national security emergency and no such aid from outside was required. Gunaratne said the photographs which have started to trend on social media are from a year ago when Indian troops conducted a joint security exercise with Sri Lanka. Separately, the Indian High Commission also issued a statement categorically dismissing the reports. "High Commission (of India) strongly denies blatantly false and completely baseless reports in a section of media that India is dispatching its soldiers to Sri Lanka. The High Commission also condemns such irresponsible reporting and expects the concerned to desist from spreading rumours," the Indian commission said. Also Read Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa bans appearance at public places during curfew hours President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued a special gazette notification late on Friday night, declaring a public emergency in Sri Lanka with immediate effect from April 1. The move also came as the island nation braced for country-wide protests on Sunday against the government's poor handling of the ongoing economic crisis where people currently endure long hours of power outages and scarcity of essentials. Sri Lanka is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in history, with long lines for fuel, cooking gas, and a rapidly depreciating Sri Lankan rupee. Rajapaksa has defended his government's actions, saying the foreign exchange crisis was not his making and the economic downturn was largely pandemic driven where the island's tourism revenue and inward remittances waned. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Three more people were arrested by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Rajasthan Police on Sunday in connection with a terror module busted on March 30, an official release said. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been set up for further probe in the case, it said. The ATS had arrested three suspected terrorists associated with extremist organisation Al Soofa of Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh and recovered 12 kg of explosive material from their car in Nimbaheda, Chittorgarh on Wednesday. Also Read | Heavy police deployment, internet ban continue in Rajasthan's Karauli It was revealed that they had to deliver the consignment to a location near Jaipur, according to officials. During the investigation, it was learned that more suspects associated with this terror module reside in Ratlam and they have detailed information about the entire module following which ATS, Madhya Pradesh was alerted, the release said. The MP ATS caught the three suspects. They were thoroughly interrogated by officers of Rajasthan and MP ATS. They have now been handed over to the Rajasthan ATS, it said. "On the basis of the detailed investigation, the three accused were arrested by the Rajasthan ATS on Sunday," the release said. An SIT has been constituted for further investigation in the case. Two officers of additional superintendent of police (ASP) rank have been appointed as co-investigation officers. An ASP and a deputy SP have also been included in the SIT for technical analysis, it said. "The SIT will work under the close supervision of the deputy inspector general of police, ATS, Rajasthan," it said. Check out latest DH videos here A recent call for dialogue and diplomacy to settle his nations disputes with India from Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa is unlikely to evoke any positive response from New Delhi, which is also opposed to his proposal for involving China. Officials say that while New Delhi is monitoring the political instability in Islamabad, the government is of the view that whatever way the current crisis ends, the Pakistan Army will continue to have the final word when it comes to the countrys troubled relations with India. Gen Bajwas proposal for a Pakistan-China-India trilateral is likely to get a cold shoulder from Prime Minister Narendra Modis government in New Delhi, which has maintained that its disputes with Pakistan must be resolved bilaterally, without any interference by any third party. Also Read | Pakistan ready to move forward on Kashmir if India agrees, says General Bajwa New Delhi has not yet officially reacted to the Pakistan Army chiefs latest call for talks or the proposal he tacitly put forward for setting up an India-Pakistan-China trilateral mechanism to resolve issues, including the boundary disputes. Amid attempts to oust the government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad, Gen Bajwa on Saturday said that all disputes between Pakistan and India should be settled peacefully through dialogue. He said that Pakistan continued to believe in using diplomacy to resolve all outstanding issues with India, including Kashmir, in order to keep the flames of fire away from the region. He also tacitly proposed a trilateral dialogue involving India, Pakistan and China and said that the India-China border dispute was a matter of great concern for Pakistan. We want it (India-China) to be settled quickly through dialogue and diplomacy. A source in New Delhi, however, said that the onus was on Pakistan to create a conducive atmosphere for talks by taking effective action to stop the export of terror to India. India desired normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan and committed to addressing outstanding issues, if any, bilaterally and peacefully in accordance with the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, said the source, who is aware of the Modi Governments policy approach to the neighbouring country. However, any meaningful dialogue can be held only in an atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence. The onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive atmosphere, added the source. New Delhi is unlikely to accept the proposal for any India-Pakistan-China trilateral talks. China and Pakistan had opposed the August 5, 2019 move by Prime Minister Narendra Modis government to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and to reorganise the state into two Union Territories. New Delhi has been steadfastly resisting moves by Pakistan and China to bring the issue of J&K back to the UN Security Councils agenda. It has been maintaining that the 1972 Shimla Agreement between India and Pakistan and the 1999 Lahore Declaration by the two sides had left no scope for the UN or any third party to play any role in resolving the outstanding issues between the two South Asian neighbours. New Delhi, however, claims that Pakistan illegally ceded about 5,180 sq km of Indias territory to China in 1963. Check out latest DH videos here Days after the Tamil Nadu government increased property taxes up to 150 per cent for all local bodies, the principal Opposition party AIADMK has decided to hold protest meetings across the state on April 5 condemning the arbitrary increase. When the AIADMK government increased property taxes in 2018, the DMK not only opposed it but also protested against the increase leading to its rollback. The opposition accused the DMK of stopping the welfare measures launched by the erstwhile AIADMK government. The DMK dispensation had on April 1 effected a 75 per cent to 150 per cent increase in property taxes claiming that it is the first time that such an exercise is being undertaken after 24 years. Also Read | Tamil Nadu government effects property tax revision after 24 years, AIADMK sees red While party coordinator O Panneerselvam will lead the agitation in Chennai, his deputy and joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami will preside over the protest in Tiruchirappalli. In a statement, the party said the protest is to demand immediate rollback of the steep hike in property taxes by the DMK government and to remind Chief Minister M K Stalin of tall promises that he made during the 2021 assembly election campaign. The steep increase in property tax will only increase the burden of the people who have already been hit by Covid-19 impact, price rise, and loss of income. This will have deeper consequences, Panneerselvam and Palaniswami said in a joint statement. The protest will also be held in all district headquarters in the state where former ministers and district secretaries will lead the agitation. The government said the property tax slab for core areas with a built-up area of less than 600 sq. ft will see a 50 per cent increase, while it is 25 per cent to the areas added to the corporation in 2011. The changes in houses of 600-1,200 square feet will witness an increase of 75 per cent while it is 100 per cent for houses of 1,201 to 1,800 square feet. For those above 1,800 square feet, the increase is 150 per cent. Check out DH's latest videos: The Russia-Ukraine conflict, now in its sixth week, has impacted the geopolitical order or the global disorder, as some would say as never before in the last many decades. Analysts the world over are divided in their prognosis of the causes and effects of this devastating war that has brought death, destruction and disruption in the lives of thousands of innocent Ukrainians. Millions of them have fled their nation to escape the massive onslaught from the invading Russian army, which is equipped with overwhelmingly superior firepower. The Ukrainian army, not as well-equipped but strengthened by many of its citizen-volunteers has taken on the Russians displaying rare grit and matchless valour to defend their motherland. Many border towns in Ukraine, such as Mariupol, Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkiv, and the Luhansk and Donbass regions have been razed to the ground. But that the Russians have not exactly had a cakewalk into Ukraine and that they have suffered so many casualties to their manpower, superior weaponry and equipment has surprised not only them but military analysts the world over. Governments, professional militaries and strategic analysts do analyse the lessons and shortcomings emerging out of such conflicts to effect course corrections and prepare for the future. Wars, which in todays world can cause unimaginable havoc and humongous casualties on both sides, are launched with a clear-cut strategic objective in mind. What was in Russian President Vladimir Putins mind when he did so does baffle many analysts. Did he go to war to prevent Ukraine from formally joining NATO, thus discouraging NATO deployments and other influences close to Russian borders? Or, was his larger, unstated ambition to resurrect the erstwhile Soviet Union, which collapsed in December 1991, and which he described as the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century? Was Ukraine about to develop a nuclear capability in the near future that would have threatened Russian security? Did the Russians, after capturing Crimea in 2014, now desire to annex Ukraines Mariupol to obtain unhindered access into the Sea of Azov? Was his motive to effect regime change in Ukraine and install a pro-Russian government in Kyiv? The jury is out on the question, with differing opinions on Putins end objective some have also proffered the opinion that Putin has perhaps fallen into the US trap of getting himself into this needless military confrontation! Thus, the first lesson for any nation and its leaders is to have a clear-cut and achievable politico-military aim before it launches itself into any armed conflict the costs of which can be staggering to all sides, with severe economic repercussions for a nations well-being in the future. The economic sanctions imposed by the West now will surely impact Russia and its people over a long period. The second lesson that clearly emerges is that a nation must be fully prepared to ensure its security on its own. Notwithstanding any alliances or any other friendly grouping, no nation will put its boots on the ground to assist its allies. It may give financial or military assistance to a friendly or allied nation, but nothing more than that. The Ukrainian plight is a good example of a nations imperative to be prepared to singly fight for its security. Thus, for India, as its strengthens the Quad or any South-East Asian grouping, it will be appropriate to remember that in humanitarian operations or in distress situations, these alliances may come in handy, but they will most likely not in a war. In the event of a conflict, nations supplying arms and equipment may resort to imposing sanctions and thus a nation can be in jeopardy as regards its war-fighting capabilities if the supply or import of critical ammunition/spares is denied for whatever reason. Thus, self-reliance in essential military requirements must be ensured in peacetime by both the public and private defence industry of the nation. Ordinarily, it takes inordinately long to reach satisfactory levels of self-reliance in indigenisation of equipment. To overcome this, the Indian government must push for self-reliance programmes on a war footing. The Indian military is heavily dependent on Russia for the supply and sustenance of over 65% of its weapons and weapon platforms like aircraft, ships, tanks, artillery, air defence weaponry, missiles, etc. Thus, it will only be prudent for India to diversify its sources for these in the immediate term while vigorously striving for indigenous development and production of these. Importantly, the performance of critical Russian equipment, which the Indian military possesses in its arsenals such as the T-90 tanks, BMP 2/3 mechanised infantry combat vehicles, Su-30 and MiG-29 fighters, the S-400 air defence systems being bought now, the GRAD and SMERCH rocket batteries, various types of drones and helicopters should be carefully evaluated, keeping in view their performance in the current conflict. Restoration of the military supply chains with both Russia and Ukraine will have to be adequately streamlined. In addition, the lessons emerging from this conflict at the strategic, and operational art and tactics levels must be studied as relevant to the Indian context and our own geographical terrain. Prima facie, the Russians appear to have faltered in their deployments and actions at all these levels. This conflict has once again highlighted the significance of hybrid warfare. Information warfare appears, unexpectedly, to have been the weakness of the Russians in this conflict and Putin personally has been successfully painted as a war criminal, the Hitler of the present day, etc., to global audiences. Nevertheless, he could also have avoided causing far too much collateral damage on innocent Ukranians. As the current sole superpower in the world, the Americans too have to take their share of the blame for not being able to prevent this conflict. India, of course, in keeping with its national interests, has been walking a diplomatic tight rope between Russia and the West. Even six weeks into Putins invasion, it remains difficult to predict how this conflict will end. But the hard lessons that emerge from this conflict must be sought and analysed, and suitable measures taken for Indias benefit and overall security. (The writer was the first chief of the Defence Intelligence Agency and Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff) Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa on Sunday alleged that a few forces plotted halal and jhatka meat controversies to divide society. "A few persons and forces masterminded halal and jhatka meat controversies. Let people following certain practices be allowed to continue the same," he said after inaugurating a comprehensive solid waste management unit at Nitte in Karkala taluk in the district. "It is not good to appease Muslims. The BJP favours Hindutva but is not opposed to Muslims. We respect patriotic Muslims, but won't leave those raising slogans in favour of Pakistan," he said. Check out latest DH videos here KIEV, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine spends about 10 billion U.S. dollars per month on the conflict with Russia, the presidential press service said Saturday. "The Ukrainian state spends about 10 billion dollars a month on hostilities," said a statement on the Ukrainian presidential website, citing data from the Ministry of Finance. Among Ukraine's sources of expenditure financing, the statement named the country's own tax revenues and assistance from Ukraine's international partners. The military conflict between Ukraine and Russia started on Feb. 24. Two women are set to appear in court after items totalling 10,000 were seized in Magherafelt. Both will face charges of theft and criminal damage after they were arrested at Victoria Square shopping centre in Belfast on Saturday. A police spokesperson praised the 'swift actions' of the security staff at the shopping centre. "Officers from the Magherafelt Neighbourhood Team accompanied by a local Response crew attended an address in Magherafelt to carry out a search," they said. "This was in connection with an arrest in Belfast, where the suspects had been arrested in Victoria Square for shoplifting. "From the address in Magherafelt the officers seized a substantial number of items with price tags on thought to be in excess of 10,000. "Swift actions from security staff and good communication between officers in different districts now means these suspects will be interviewed later on this morning in relation to all these items. "Just another reminder to report anything suspicious on 999 in an emergency or 101 in a non-emergency as this is an example of how a simple shoplifting can be the tip of the iceberg." The pair are due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court later this month, with one defendant going before the Youth Court. One female was charged with two counts of theft and criminal damage and is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court on 29th April, said a spokesperson. A second female was also charged with two counts of theft and criminal damage and is due to appear before Belfast Youth Court on 29th April. As is usual procedure all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS). Barnardos childrens charity was joined by Paul OConnell to launch a brand-new local and national school campaign The Barnardos Big Active supported by Aldi. This school-focused campaign is designed to help students of all ages and abilities in County Louth to be resilient in dealing with stress and anxiety, and to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing. Barnardos wants schools across Louth to register at www.thebigactive.ie and get active to raise funds for vulnerable children across Ireland. Participating schools in Louth can choose from a range of activities based on the Body, Mind and Heart. Body - Physical challenges that take care of your body Mind - Mindfulness exercises to support positive mental health and wellbeing Heart promoting the importance of charity by helping others Teachers will receive all materials to support activities including personal journals for each student to track their progress. Paul OConnell said: The best thing for me about this campaign is that is gives children the opportunity to take part in activities that will benefit them in a holistic way Barnardos has always focused on every part of the child and as an ambassador of theirs for more than 10 years I can hand on heart say how beneficial the Big Active will be for children across Ireland. "Being physically active is so good for them, and the added areas of mental health and mindfulness techniques and doing something good for vulnerable children completes the package. I urge teachers and schools to think of how much this new initiative could benefit their students, and sign up today at www.thebigactive.ie Barnardos CEO Suzanne Connolly said: We know the past two years has impacted on the general wellbeing of children across the country. This is why Barnardos, with the support of Paul and Aldi, have created a campaign with childrens wellbeing at its core. By taking part in The Barnardos Big Active, students will learn to observe the affect that exercise has on their mental and physical health. "They will learn how to incorporate age appropriate anxiety reducing exercises into their daily lives and that giving back to your community can be rewarding for themselves as much as others. All funds raised will go towards Barnardos work with vulnerable children and their families. Register your local school or class, start your own big active, and set up your own online fundraiser here. TAIPEI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan reported 280 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, including 183 locally transmitted infections and 97 imported cases, the island's disease monitoring agency said. The number of locally transmitted cases on Sunday set a new daily high for the year, although 90 of the new local cases were asymptomatic, the agency said. The new local cases covered 12 counties and cities in Taiwan, with New Taipei having the highest number at 71. To date, Taiwan has reported 24,312 confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 16,316 were local infections. Answers to last week's questions: Who was the last British Monarch to visit Dundalk? In 1903/4 King Edward VII visited several Irish cites as part of his post coronation celebrations over a period of two years. In July 1903 his royal yacht had sailed into Lough Swilly, Co. Donegal. The King disembarked at the small port of Buncrana before travelling to Dublin by train. He may have come through Dundalk but did not stop. In late April 1904 he returned to Ireland when the yacht sailed into Dunlaoghaire (then Kingstown) Harbour and one of his first journeys by train was through Dundalk. On this occasion the royal train stopped at Dundalk Station and local dignitaries were invited to welcome the King. The Dundalk Democrat, however, was rather 'unwelcoming' and there was not much reported in the newspaper about the visit. It is not clear whether or not the King alighted from the train but it does seem to have been stopped here for about an hour. Which Dundalk street was known as 'Chapel Lane' until about 100 years ago? This was the the name by which Chapel Street was known for over 100 years. Several streets in the area called by this name, the first being the one we now know as Yorke Street which was re-named by the Dundalk Urban Council about the beginning of the last century in honour of the first Superior of the Irish Christian Brothers. Wrightson's Lane was also marked as 'Chapel Lane' on some old maps, apparently because of the first Catholic Chapel, was established after the Reformation at the Chapel Street end, on a plot donated by a rich merchant called Wrightson in about 1750. Where was 'Shop Street' in medieval Dundalk? This was the area in front of St. Nicholas 'Green Church' which, roughly, was on the line of the present Church Street. It was an area within the original walled town where fairs and markets were held between the 'Town Cross' and 'Cam Street' (meaning 'Crooked') which ran from west to east, across the middle. Where in Dundalk were the 'Sunburst Mills'? This was the large mill and grain store at the Quay Street end of Mill Street which was demolished at the end of the last century. It was established in the 19th century by Stephen Brown, coal merchant and miller. The business was purchased by the O'Rourke family of Inniskeen at the beginning of the last century and they named it after one of their products. Originally it had been powered by furnaces vented by two large brick chimneys, local landmarks. One chimney was demolished and the other reduced in height. The premises were gutted by at least two spectacular fire in the 1940s. QUESTIONS for next week When was Earl Street in Dundalk pedestrianised? What does the bronze monument at the Square end of Earl Street commemorate? Who was 'Louthiana' and how is he remember in Dundalk? Where and when was the first supermarket opened in Dundalk? A bench warrant has been issued at Dundalk district court for the arrest of a man who failed to appear for a prosecution for a public order offence on the grounds of the Louth County Hospital. John Donovan (19) who at the time gave an address at Glengat B & B, Stapleton Place, Dundalk was charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour on June 23rd last. A garda told the court last Wednesday that he had received a report of an incident at the hospital at 5.40pm and on arrival saw the accused acting in an irate manner. A separate witness gave evidence of seeing a young man acting aggressively and shouting at a young woman who was standing back. The defence solicitor argued that while the garda in his evidence had said he had attended the Louth County Hospital, he never said it was a public place. However, Judge Eirinn McKiernan said she had noted that it had been said.After hearing Mr Donovan had 10 previous convictions, Judge McKiernan issued a bench warrant for sentencing. Afghanistans ruling Taliban has announced a ban on poppy production, even as farmers across the country begin harvesting the flower that produces the opium used to make heroin. The order warns farmers that their crops will be burned and they can be jailed if they proceed with the harvest. The ban is reminiscent of the Talibans previous rule in the late 1990s when they outlawed poppy production. Afghan farmers harvest poppy in Nad Ali district in Helmand province At that time, the ban was staggered and implemented countrywide within two years. The UN verified that production had been eradicated in most of the country. But after their removal in 2001, farmers in many parts of the country reportedly ploughed over their wheat fields which had been almost impossible to bring to market because of the lack of roads and infrastructure and returned to poppy production. During the last years of the Taliban rule, wheat was rotting in fields because the farmers were unable to bring it to market to be sold and ground into flour. Poppies are the main source of income for millions of small farmers and day labourers who can earn upwards of 300 US dollars (229) a month harvesting them and extracting the opium. Today, Afghanistan is the worlds largest producer of opium and in 2021, before the Taliban takeover, produced more than 6,000 tons of opium, which a report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said could potentially yield 320 tons of pure heroin. Afghanistan produces more opium than all opium-producing countries combined and last year was the sixth straight year of record opium harvests. The ban on poppy production will further impoverish the countrys poorest citizens This is the case even as the US and international community spends billions of dollars to eradicate poppy production. The Taliban reportedly made millions of dollars charging taxes on farmers and middlemen to move their drugs outside Afghanistan and senior officials of the US-backed government were implicated in the flourishing drug trade. Washington spent more than eight billion US dollars (6 billion) trying to eradicate poppy production in Afghanistan during its nearly 20-year war, which ended with the return of the Taliban in August. Nearly 80% of heroin produced from Afghan opium production reaches Europe through Central Asia and Pakistan. In Afghanistan the ban on poppy production will further impoverish its poorest citizens. According to a UN report in 2021, income from opiates in Afghanistan was 1.8 to 2.7 billion US dollars (1.4 to 2 billion), more than 7% of the countrys GDP. The same report said illicit drug supply chains outside Afghanistan made much more. The Talibans ban comes as the country faces a humanitarian crisis that prompted the UN to ask for 4.4 billion US dollars (3.6 billion) last month as 95% of Afghans do not have enough to eat. The ban, while hitting drug production houses hard, will be likely to devastate the small farmer who relies on opium production to survive. It is difficult to know how the Taliban rulers will be able to create substitute crops and financing for Afghanistans farmers as their economy is in free fall and international development money has stopped. Poppy production and income are often used as a form of banking among Afghanistans poorest who use the promise of the next years harvest to buy staples such as flour, sugar, cooking oil and heating oil. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced the ban at a news conference in the capital. The COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over global economic recovery have impacted businesses worldwide. But in Shanghai, where over 60,000 foreign-invested enterprises contribute a quarter of the city's GDP, foreign entities are still confident in the Chinese consuming market. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Farmers prepare tree seedlings for planting in Aberdare Forest under the Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) program in Nyandarua County, Kenya, March 15, 2022. (Photo by Robert Manyara/Xinhua) Chief executives of 230 private sector firms surveyed by the Central Bank of Kenya say they remain optimistic that the economic growth would be sustained in the subsequent quarters of the year due to the easing of the COVID-19 containment measures, continued government spending on infrastructure, anticipated favorable weather conditions and continued recovery from the effects of the pandemic. NAIROBI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Business activities across various sectors in Kenya are gradually returning to pre-COVID levels following the lifting of most restrictions, the Central Bank of Kenya said in a survey of chief executives released Saturday. Most of the businesses experienced growth in the first quarter of 2022 as compared to the previous quarter as demand rises, said the apex bank. "There has been increased demand due to seasonal factors, especially for professional services, and diaspora activities supporting the real estate sector," said the bank. The chief executives remain optimistic that the growth would be sustained in the subsequent quarters due to the easing of the COVID-19 containment measures, continued government spending on infrastructure, anticipated favorable weather conditions and continued recovery from the effects of the pandemic, according to the regulator. Workers go about their business at a section of the Eastern bypass highway in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, March 7, 2022. (Photo by Chrispinus Omar/Xinhua) Among the risks factors that worry the chief executives, however, are the rising geopolitical tensions, increased political activity ahead of Kenya's August polls and elevated purchase prices due to continued global supply chain disruptions. "Higher input prices are expected to persist especially for imports where supply chain constraints continue to be experienced. These constraints are likely to be compounded by the Russia-Ukraine conflict," said the bank. In the survey conducted in March, the Central Bank interviewed chief executives of 230 private sector firms in manufacturing, professional services, agriculture, financial services, information technology, media and telecommunications, wholesale and retail trade, real estate and tourism, hotel and restaurant sectors. Tourists go sightseeing at the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, Aug. 30, 2021. (Xinhua/Long Lei) Each of the interviewed firms has a turnover of more than 1 billion shillings (about 8.68 million U.S. dollars) employing about 100 people. Smart agricultural technologies make vegetables greener 13:21, April 03, 2022 By Qiu Haifeng, Zhao Tingting ( People's Daily These low-carbon cherry tomatoes sell well and taste nice, said Sun Liming, a resident of Xiaoxinmatou village, Baodi district, north Chinas Tianjin municipality, while handing a plate of scrambled eggs and tomatoes to his parents. The low-carbon tomatoes Sun talked about from smart greenhouses of a local company engaged in the production and sale of agricultural and sideline products. We have grown vegetables for decades, and never thought that vegetables can be related to low-carbon one day. A few years ago, electrical devices were introduced to all the greenhouses in our village, and we thought thats the most advanced technological products we would ever use to grow vegetables. As it turns out, we were wrong. We have even better ones now, said Wang Yishun, who is in charge of the smart greenhouses of the company. Staff members of the State Grid Tianjin Electric Power Companys branch in Baodi district, north Chinas Tianjin municipality, examine the power supply facility of a smart greenhouse. (Photo/cpnn.com.cn) The better ones mentioned by Wang are actually the equipment and devices installed by the State Grid Tianjin Electric Power Companys branch in Baodi district for local greenhouses in a bid to save energy and reduce carbon emissions through intelligent transformation. The smart nitrogen fixation devices installed in the greenhouses can ionize nitrogen and oxygen in air through artificial simulation of the process of nitrogen fixation during natural lightning activities, and dissolve them in water to directly create nitrate nitrogen that crops need. Besides, the soil-based solar energy storage system can effectively increase the earth temperature in the greenhouses, thus enabling efficient production throughout the year. For instance, if we grow one more crop of cucumbers and tomatoes every winter, their annual output can be increased by around 20 percent. In addition, the solar energy storage system has cut our costs significantly, Wang added. Wang introduced to Peoples Daily the secret weapon for reducing carbon emissions in the production of vegetables: a small device that looks like a double door refrigerator in the corner of the greenhouses. The production and transportation of nitrogen fertilizers can produce a great amount of carbon dioxide. Now that we have this device, we buy more than 60 percent less nitrogen fertilizers for each mu (about 666.67 square meters) of tomatoes, for instance, than before. The device not only reduces our production costs, but is helpful in cutting carbon emissions, Wang told Peoples Daily. According to Wang, the company lately designed a special label to distinguish its low-carbon vegetables from the other agricultural products in the market. By scanning the QR code on the label, consumers can get clear information about how the production of these vegetables achieved carbon emission reduction. Staff members of the State Grid Tianjin Electric Power Companys branch in Baodi district, north Chinas Tianjin municipality, install a smart agricultural device in a greenhouse. (Photo/cpnn.com.cn) As greenhouse vegetable growers have made continuous progress in reducing carbon emissions, increasing output, and launching a traceability system to reassure consumers about the quality of their products, their low-carbon vegetables have gradually become popular choices in the local market. So far, the State Grid Tianjin Electric Power Companys branch in Baodi district has installed eight sets of nitrogen fixation devices for local greenhouse vegetable growers, helping realize low-carbon production of vegetables in greenhouses covering an area of 5,500 square meters. Moreover, the company also provides customized smart agricultural equipment for local vegetable producers according to their needs. Many innovative equipment and devices introduced for intelligent transformation, such as ultrasonic algae removal device, intelligent multispectral insect killer lamp, and water-saving micro-jet irrigation device, have helped local greenhouse vegetable producing companies save energy, increase efficiency, and realize eco-friendly production. Although a lot of new devices have been added to their greenhouses, the electrical loads and power consumption of these companies havent risen much. The benefits they have reaped from the intelligent transformation are far more valuable than their input into the endeavor. Vegetable greenhouses in Xiaoxinmatou village, which relied on manual labor for irrigation, are now watered automatically and on time by an automated irrigation system. Featuring low energy consumption, the new irrigation system has truly realized the purpose of saving energy and improving efficiency in production. The ultrasonic algae removal device, which can effectively remove green algae from water, reduces the cost of manual work required for clearing green algae in water while helping improve the environment of the industrial park where local vegetable greenhouses are located. As facts have shown, intelligent transformation has not only enabled greenhouse vegetable producing companies in Baodi district to maintain good control over costs and increase profits, but helped them reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides and generate good results for environmental protection and social benefits. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhua) -- European experts have spoken highly of the 23rd China-European Union (EU) leaders' meeting held on Friday, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping met via video link with President Charles Michel of the European Council and President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission. Experts and scholars applauded Xi's remarks on China-EU relations and the Ukraine crisis, saying that the meeting has provided strategic guidance for sustained and sound development of the China-EU relationship, while adding stability and positive energy to a turbulent world. Frederic Baldan, CEO of Belgian consulting company CEBiz, said he appreciates Xi's remarks on the development of China-EU relations. China's proposal "meets the interests of the European people" and would benefit the world, Baldan told Xinhua on Saturday. Leon Laulusa, executive vice president of the Paris-based ESCP Business School, said China and the EU are "two key players" on the international stage, and that their roles "are therefore essential to ensure world peace and security." China and the EU have cooperated for many years, especially in the areas of peace, security, prosperity, sustainable development and people-to-people exchanges, said Laulusa. Bernard Accoyer, former president of the French National Assembly, called himself "a defender of friendship" between the EU and China, noting that the "friendship is essential for progress in any field" regarding China-EU cooperation. Timo Vuori, director of International Trade and Trade Policy, the Confederation of Finnish Industries, said "it is important that leaders of the EU and China have regular high-level political dialogue," as China and Europe are "close trading partners." The virtual meeting on Friday "is just one but important milestone in our dialogue which must continue in the future at all levels," Vuori said, adding that the two sides can overcome various challenges they face via "open dialogue and committed common action." Uros Lipuscek, a Slovenian political scientist, told Xinhua that "neither the EU nor China as two leading economic partners can progress without increased cooperation on all levels," adding that China and the EU "need a new pragmatic approach" to promote cooperation. Horst Loechel, a professor at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, said the EU and China, being each other's important trading partners, should develop their trade ties further "in the benefit of the people and the companies." "A closer relationship between the EU and China will maintain and perhaps even leverage the economic benefits for Europe and China as well ... it will make a significant contribution to global political and economic stability in difficult times," said Loechel. Xulio Rios, director of the Observatory of Chinese Politics in Spain, said both Europe and China hope the Ukraine crisis can "cease as soon as possible," and they should work together with other members of the international community for a diplomatic solution to the crisis and lay the foundation for a European security architecture. By Xin Ping Alyse and Ava Williams, 6 and 9, had been used to their parents fighting with each other over their tight daily budget. Their father had been laid off in a warehouse since the breakout of the Covid-19 pandemic two years ago. On the first day of 2021, their mother ran out of their house after a big quarrel with their father who had prior domestic violence charges. Hours later, the two girls were shot dead by their father before taking his own life. They became the first children to die of gun violence in 2021. The tragedy of Alyse and Ava is just one of the many harrowing stories of children suffering from poverty, maltreatment and gun violence across the U.S., shedding some light on the darkest chapter of human rights abuses in the U.S. It is almost unimaginable that the U.S., the worlds largest economy, has the highest rate of child poverty among developed nations. Studies from Child Trends, an American non-profit research center concluded that child poverty rate in the U.S. stood at 17.5% in 2020, or roughly 12.5 million children living in poverty, almost the same rate as three decades ago. According to the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University, in April 2020, nearly 22% of American children had at least one unemployed parent, the highest rate observed since 1967. Although the U.S. is equipped with the most advanced medical facilities and expertise, 45 countries maintained lower infant mortality rates than the U.S. as of 2019. While poverty might affect the living standard of American children, family abuse and gun violence pose a deadly threat to their life. Over 3 million cases of child abuse are annually reported in the U.S, among which almost 10% suffered from sexual assault. It is estimated that 1,000 children per year die as a result of violence or negligence in the U.S., most of whom are younger than 4 years old. The gun violence or gundemic ravaging across the country also takes a heavy toll. According to a 2019 study by the Center for Violence Prevention, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, gun injuries were the second-leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens, and the leading cause of death of among high school students. In 2021, a child was shot every hour, according to calculation from the Washington Post. Data from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that the rate of gun deaths of children under 14 and younger rose by roughly 50 percent from the end of 2019 to the end of 2020. The report from the Childrens Defense Fund indicated that since 1963, almost 190,000 teens had been killed by guns on the American soil, four times the number of U.S. soldiers killed in the Vietnam, the Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq wars combined. Most of the cases were only met with brief headline news. Surprisingly enough, the U.S. is the only country in the world that has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), enshrining childrens right to education, health care, expression, etc. In absence of child care aligning with the international standards or domestic political agenda designated for kids protection, American children rights have been deteriorating over the years. A 2020 report from the medical journal The Lancet found that the U.S. ranked 39th worldwide on measurements of childrens survival, health, education and nutrition. However, some U.S. politicians contend that American children and families are better served by constitutional democracy than international law and U.S. sovereignty should not be compromised. Thus their hypocrisy and double standard have been fully exposed. There can be no keener revelation of a societys soul than the way in which it treats its children, as put Nelson Mandela. Childrens rights and well-being have never been among the top priorities on the agenda of the U.S. government who is still obsessed with its hegemonic ambition and lecturing others over human rights issues. That undoubtedly is one of the blindest spots of the so-called beacon for human rights. (Xin Ping is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for Global Times, China Daily, etc. He can be reached at xinping604@gmail.com.) Bakery Closure Takes Government By Surprise The Chief Minister has reacted to the news that Ramsey Bakery is to close this month, after 50 years in business. Alf Cannan MHK tweeted that Government had not been informed of the decision and is asking for a meeting with the firms Directors. Energy FM exclusively broke the news this afternoon that the Bakery was to close and the news sent shock waves through the local food and farming sectors. It is not yet known what the closure means for the Government run Laxey Flour Mills which is already subsidised by the taxpayer Ramsey Bakery were the mills biggest customer. The Bakery has been in business since 1972. March 31, 2022 FIABCI-USA President Eugenia Foxworth Signs Memorandum of Understanding with AREAA Global FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation, for 70 years provides access and opportunity for real estate professionals interested in gaining knowledge, sharing information and conducting international business with each other. Created in 1951 in Paris, France as a non-for-profit organization, FIABCI is represented in about 70 countries through about 50 national and multinational chapters with their direct members. FIABCI holds a special consultative status at ECOSOC of United Nations and has strong commitment to UN's SDGs and to the world sustainable urban development. Founded in 2003, the Asian American Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) is a national nonprofit trade organization dedicated to improving the lives of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community through homeownership. AREAA is dedicated to promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities by creating a powerful national voice for housing and real estate professionals that serve this dynamic market. III. AREAA Global is a for-profit corporation, wholly owned by the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA). AREAA Global was established to support its members and their clients' appetite for real estate investment opportunities throughout the United States, Canada, and around the world. FIABCI-USA is a national chapter of FIABCI covering the territory of the United States of America. FIABCI-USA offers a variety of programs and events throughout the year to help its members grow their international business and global network. Through this non-binding Memorandum, the parties affirm the value of national and international collaboration and agree to endeavor to exchange information in the general field of real estate, promote professionalism in the real estate industry, provide benefits to the parties' members, and other mutual benefits. For more information about FIABC-USA visit www.fiabci-usa.com. A police officer was injured late Saturday night while attempting to stop suspected catalytic converter thieves at a movie theater in northeast Harris County, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. The confrontation turned violent when the suspects attempted to run over two off-duty New Caney Independent School District officers, leading police to open fire, the sheriff said. One of the officers sustained a minor leg injury, possibly from a ricochet of one of his bullets. Bombed-out apartment buildings. Mothers, newborn babies and nurses sheltering in a hospital basement. Innocent civilians killed while waiting in a bread line. The devastation caused by Russias war on Ukraine has brought equal measures of shock and heartbreak to the American people, with a heavy dose of fear for whats still to come. Russia is attempting to destroy a sovereign country while rattling its nuclear saber at the heart of Europe. Since Ukraine is not a member of NATO, the United States has no legal obligation to join this fight, but we do have a moral obligation to provide support in every way possible. As the worlds leading democracy, we have a responsibility to stand up for freedom and push back strongly against Russian aggression. Last month, I traveled to Poland and Germany with a bipartisan group of senators led by Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa to gain a clearer picture of the challenges our partners are facing so I can advocate for the right resources and policies in the U.S. Senate. So far, the United States has provided billions of dollars in military, humanitarian and economic aid. These resources have been critical to the fight thus far, but more is desperately needed. The primary message my colleagues and I heard was, We need more, and we need it faster. More stingers. More javelins. More air defenses. And more aircraft, like the MiGs Poland has offered to send. Statements of support are important, but they do nothing to help the Ukrainian forces and civilians who are fighting for their lives. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, Ukraine cant shoot down Russian missiles with shotguns and machine guns. One critical way Congress can supply Ukrainian forces with the resources they need, when they need them, is by passing the bipartisan Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, which I introduced. This legislation would enable the U.S. to supply Ukrainian forces with the necessary resources to not just sustain but ultimately win this fight. This bill would eliminate bureaucratic delays and allow us to answer Ukraines call for more aid, faster. We know war is not won only on the battlefield; diplomacy is also vitally important. The unified global response to this war has not only strengthened Ukraines defenses, it has also thrown Russias economy into a tailspin. My colleagues and I had the opportunity to speak with members of the Bundestag, Germanys federal parliament, and a number of our partners about the ongoing need for a united European-American front. By standing shoulder to shoulder with our allies, we can impose punishing costs on Russia for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin can have as many military resources as money can buy, but theres one invaluable asset he will always lack: friends. While no American service members are in Ukraine a status I hope to maintain many of our soldiers have deployed to Europe to support our NATO allies. I had an opportunity to thank some of the Texans serving at the U.S. Army garrison in Grafenwohr, Germany. Their presence reaffirms to our allies that America is a reliable partner, and I was honored to express my gratitude to them on behalf of all Texans. The devastating reality of war is that civilians often bear the most brutal costs. More than 3.8 million Ukrainians have left the country, and an estimated 6.7 million are displaced within its borders. Nongovernmental organizations have partnered with the Polish military to establish a refugee processing center near the Ukrainian-Polish border, and we saw how they are caring for Ukrainians in search of safety. My colleagues and I also heard from members of the Ukrainian Civil Society, a passionate group of women advocating for the future of their country. Their stories were marked with immense grief and fear, as well as an unwavering resolve to ensure the world does not forget the atrocities committed by Putin. I will never forget the faces and stories of the brave Ukrainians I met whose lives and homeland have been destroyed by a power-hungry dictator. At one point, a woman lifted up a piece of metal shrapnel that came from a missile that killed innocent children, and her message was clear: Ukraine needs the support of the world to overcome Putins war machine. As the largest and longest-standing democracy in the world, America can help Ukraine do more than continue the fight we can help them win this war. John Cornyn is the senior senator from Texas. On March 30, 2022, Israeli soldiers were seen during a raid in Yabed village near the West Bank city of Jenin to hunt down Palestinian militant Diaa Hamarshah, the suspect of a deadly shooting in Israel, according to eyewitnesses. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua) In Israel, this year's Ramadan is prone to another episode of heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions as the just-ended March witnessed sporadic deadly attacks by Arabs against Israelis in various locations. As the bruise of the last holy month remains fresh, preventing skirmishes from escalating into uncontrolled conflicts has become a top priority for Bennett's government. by Xinhua writer Wang Zhuolun JERUSALEM, April 3 (Xinhua) -- On Tuesday, people in Jerusalem got an alert notice from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) saying sirens would be heard across the city "as part of a drill for incoming rockets." The city is a rare but occasional target of rocket fire. The most recent siren of such kind sounded in May 2021 at the beginning of what soon escalated into an 11-day fighting between Israel and Gaza's ruler Hamas, causing thousands of civilian casualties from both sides. Saturday marked the start of Ramadan, a holy month of dawn-to-dusk fasting for Muslims around the world, yet often a period of increased confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians. This year seems no exception as the just-ended March has witnessed sporadic deadly attacks by Arabs against Israelis in various locations. Photo taken on March 29, 2022 shows the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua) A total of 11 people died in a week of attacks, which equals the death toll of the 2006 suicide bus bombing in Tel Aviv, the Times of Israel reported, summing up the five victims of a shooting attack in the central city of Bnei Brak on Tuesday, two fatalities in a Sunday shooting in the northern coastal city of Hadera, and four in a stabbing attack in the southern city of Beersheba on March 22. "I'm frightened of the frequent fatal attacks and you never know when you might be targeted. In spite of this, we still need to work and live as usual," Hillel Lahav, a citizen of Tel Aviv near Bnei Brak, told Xinhua. In the wake of the attack in Bnei Brak, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett held a consultation with top security officials and told the public that the security forces "will fight terrorism with persistence, diligence and an iron fist." Mourners attend the funeral of a victim killed in a ramming and stabbing attack at a cemetery in Beersheba, Israel, on March 23, 2022. (JINI via Xinhua) "After a period of calm, violence is breaking out, and some people want to hurt us at all costs. So we can't live in peace," he said in a televised statement. On Wednesday, Bennett announced a string of tightened security measures, including speedier preventive actions from the intelligence, a broader public presence of security personnel, and reinforcing the police's "emergency capacity" with 15 IDF companies. He also said the Border Police has deployed three companies in areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip, adding a new "Border Police Brigade" would be formed, without detailing its mission or structure. In response to growing security concerns at home, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has postponed his trip to India. "We are taking the defensive and offensive measures necessary to prevent further attacks," he said. On March 27, members of Israeli security forces work at the scene of a deadly shooting attack in Hadera, Israel. (JINI via Xinhua) As the bruise of last year's Ramadan remains fresh, preventing skirmishes from escalating into uncontrolled conflicts has become a top priority for Bennett's government. In mid-May 2021, Israel and Palestine experienced their heaviest fighting since 2014, with Gazan militants firing barrages of rockets at Israel in protest of the latter's restrictive measures against Palestinians before and during Ramadan. Armed security personnel is becoming increasingly visible in populous areas of Jerusalem, such as the Old city, religious sites and commercial complexes. In Safra Square, where the Jerusalem municipality complex is located, an exhibition ran from Tuesday to Wednesday showcasing a wide range of technological means and emergency rescue equipment and providing on-site first aid training. "We are preparing for something that might happen, so we don't start to get organized only when something happened. We are preparing ourselves for any situation that would come up," said Deputy Major of Jerusalem Elisha Peleg, who is in charge of emergency and security affairs. Enditem Photo taken on March 30, 2022 showing ambulances of the Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency service organization, during a two-day emergency service exhibition held in Safra Square of Jerusalem. (Wang Zhuolun/Xinhua) The city of San Antonio is unrolling a pilot program limiting evening vehicle access around the St. Marys Strip to those with proof of residence (Access to streets along Strip to be curbed, Metro, Thursday). This poor public policy is an intrusive surveillance of local residents. It places an undue burden on renters who dont own homes and lack updated IDs. It poses serious risks for our undocumented neighbors. It infringes on the rights of local residents to have guests visit them. Proponents argue this program tackles traffic, parking and crime spurred by visitors to the Strip. Unfortunately, proponents ignore the Fourth Amendment. This program, even if temporary, unduly infringes on our rights to be free from unlawful searches, seizures and stops. Public support for the pilot program, if any, is irrelevant. Rights are not subject to popular opinion. Thats the whole point. City officials should retract this awful attempt at public policy. Huey Rey Fischer, attorney Roy votes no again After decades of effort, Congress finally passed an anti-lynching bill. There was a near-unanimous vote. Does it surprise anyone that Rep. Chip Roy, the Republican who represents Congressional District 21, voted against the bill? A number of studies have been done to determine, to the extent records are available, how many lynchings occurred in the U.S. between 1885 and 1968; according to the Texas State Historical Society Handbook there were 468 in Texas. That put Texas with the third-highest behind only Mississippi and Georgia. Of that total, close to 10 percent were of Hispanics. Later studies, including ones conducted at Sam Houston State University and by the NAACP, have concluded there were significantly more lynchings in Texas than 468, and many more of Hispanics. So, although the majority of lynchings involved the murder of African Americans, Hispanics suffered from this vile practice as well. The need for federal legislation was because many states refused or failed to prosecute people who perpetrated these crimes. Yet, Roy is one of only four members of Congress to vote against this legislation. When will the voters of Congressional District 21 get tired of apologizing for their representative and send him into retirement? John Watson, Johnson City Standards fall Re: Ask tough questions, Your Turn, Tuesday: The letter writer, in defending, loud, rude and boorish comments about Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, asks: Did these same people miss how Brett Kavanaugh was questioned and treated by opposing senators? The writer then adds that Supreme Court nominees must accept tough questions. As an American family, our social norms, including how we treat each other, are too often forgotten and forgiven when the political aims of one or two take precedence over their responsibilities to demonstrate the highest standards of leadership and respect. Ruben Zamora Poise under fire Re: Like the trailblazers before her, Jackson making history with grace, Other Views, March 27: Kudos to Cary Clack for his column on the confirmation hearings of Ketanji Brown Jackson. I, too, was sickened by the questions from Sens. Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley. I was particularly mortified by Cruz, because he represents the state of Texas and, as far as Im concerned, does not represent me and a lot of others I know. The senators have the right to question Jackson, but keep the questions intelligent. As embarrassing as Cruzs interview was, I believe Grahams religion fiasco was the worst series of questions presented to Jackson. To his inappropriate question, What faith are you, by the way? Jackson answered she was Protestant. In my eyes, Graham degraded himself rather than his target. Jackson exercised restraint and dignity in the face of inappropriate questions. She candidly answered questions that were asked, including those from the four senators named above. Her poise under fire impressed me greatly. Welcome to the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Jackson. Cherryl A. Sagan Revolting display What a revolting display of toxic masculinity by actor Will Smith at the Academy Awards. As bad as the assault on comedian Chris Rock was, it wasnt as disturbing as the immediate reaction to it. Smith wasnt escorted out of the auditorium by security; he wasnt booed and shunned. No, he was comforted, and not only was he allowed to give a ridiculous speech excusing his violence, he then got a standing ovation. Rock showed complete class in holding his composure. He is the one who needed comforting after being assaulted, not Smith, who should have been arrested. Smith should have his award rescinded and be thrown out of the Academy. Anything less shows that their rules and guidelines for conduct are meaningless. They cancel everyone for so little, and they let Smith get away with violent assault. Shannon Deason Only subscribers with PAID Print or E-Edition subscriptions please enter here to gain access. If you are not already a Paid subscriber do not go through this portal. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Thank you! Malaika Arora met with an unfortunate accident on Saturday while returning home from Pune. The actress sustained minor injuries and was discharged from the hospital today. She returned home with Arjun Kapoor and is now recovering. A statement from the hospital, released yesterday read that Actor Malaika has minor injuries on her forehead; CT scan has turned out fine & she is currently okay. The actor will be kept under observation for the night and will be discharged in the morning tomorrow." In a statement, Malaikas sister Amrita Arora confirmed to ETimes that, She is fine and recovering at home now. The accident took place on Saturday Night on the expressway at Khopoli in Maharashtra. On her way back home from the Pune Times Fashion Week, a bus and two cars collided and one of them hit Malaikas SUV. The incident took place at around 4:45 pm. The actress was rushed to the hospital and given medical treatment. The Assistant police inspector from Khopoli police station, Haresh Kalsekar told the media that they have received the registration number of all the three cars involved in the incident. He also said that an FIR will be registered once a thorough investigation is done about how the accident took place and who was at fault. critic's rating: 2.5/5 Trailer : Attack: Part 1 The best part of Attack: Part 1 happens in its first ten minutes. A special unit of the Indian army enters the enemy territory, much like the famous Seal Team 6, which raided Osama Bin Ladens compound in Pakistan and capture a terrorist cell leader. The action is set to first person mode and we get to hear and feel what the soldiers are going through. You say bravo in your heart and someone is getting the action right. Later, the commanding officer of the special unit, Arjun Shergill (John Abraham), gets paralysed from neck down when terrorists attack an airport. His girlfriend Ayesha (Jacqueline Fernandez) gets killed in the attack. Arjun gets a second shot at playing patriot when a scientist Dr. Sabaha Qureshi (Rakul Preet Singh) takes him on as a guinea pig for her super soldier program. A chip is implanted in his brain and through that a parallel nervous system is introduced in his body, bypassing the bodys own system. He slowly connects with the system, which grants him metahuman strength, agility and intelligence. The super processor also acts as his eyes and ears, seamlessly feeding him information from its exhaustive database and through direct satellite connection.The connection isnt totally secure, however. And before he could gain total command over his extra abilities, the Indian parliament, with the Prime Minister inside, becomes the target of the terrorists. Theyre armed with the latest guns and gadgets and soon assume control of the situation. Its left to Arjun to right the wrongs. He successfully infiltrates the compound and starts killing the hostiles one by one. Meanwhile, the governments efforts to negotiate with the terrorists prove unsuccessful. Arjuns connection with the computer shuts down at this juncture. The situation spirals out of control and all would be lost if he doesnt get online soonThe plot is heavily borrowed from such diverse sources as RoboCop (1987), Die Hard (1988), Universal Soldier (1992) and Olympus Has Fallen (2013). Basically its a mix of super soldier movies and lone wolf dramas. The metahuman arrives like Deus ex machina to save the day and everyone lives happily ever after.We could have done with more scenes where Arjun is coming to grips with his new reality. Songs too werent needed in such a film. If non-stop action was the agenda, then why take pot shots at Indias political reality. Yes, its true that the media gives its own spin to every situation and so does the political machinery but doling this bit of reality in a film which idolises a super soldier comes across as jarring. Somehow, the situation has been made too easy for our hero. The director could have shown that hes sent to handle the situation when traditional methods have failed. Its highly unlikely that the army will try to do nothing and just rely on a single individual.All that being said, the action sequences are world class indeed. The final battle, where Arjun single-handedly takes apart an entire battalion of terrorists is slickly choreographed. The high speed chase sequence which follows is even better. Its the best weve seen in Bollywood so far. Take the fact that John looks good on a bike and we have a winner on our hands.Its not a film where John mouths mealy dialogue about patriotism. The jingoism is kept to the minimum. The technical finesse is impressive but the story and the screenplay needed to be worked on more.Jacqueline Fernandez was strictly taken to up the oomph quotient and looks gorgeous indeed. Rakul Preet Singh plays a scientist with a conscience and looks the part. Both the girls have not much to do really in the film. We see Prakash Raj in a film after a long time. He plays a security adviser who is all for investing in the super soldier programme. Ratna Pathak Shah too makes a brief appearance as Arjuns distraught mother. Elham Ehsas makes his presence felt as the terrorist leader.The film rests squarely on John Abrahams shoulders and plays to his strengths. He totally looks like a pumped-up super soldier who is willing to do anything for the sake of his country. Its a role tailor-made for him and he delivers on all fronts. Hes totally involved in the stylised action and deserves all the seetis. Now that his credentials have been developed in part 1, lets hope the second part sees him in a bigger, more enhanced avatar. Jakarta, Indonesia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 2, 2022) - Sekuya Multiverse ($SKUY) is now being supported by 11 crypto communities and partnering with crypto influencer, Eunice Wong. Eunice D Wong, Dubai 2022 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8690/119057_3596e4c174bab95d_001full.jpg Sekuya Multiverse, the first multiverse project in crypto space, aims to connect the real world and multi virtual world. Sekuya is now 2 months old since their launch, and they got the attention of 11 crypto communities in Asia. The communities are GGWP CLAN, INDOCUKONG, TOMKET LOVERS, RARE COIN, Mamak Crypto, Kriptonesia, Pahlawan Crypto, HQ COMMUNITY, Wall Street. "Communities are important part of metaverse ecosystem. They will be the foundation of Sekuyans (citizen of Sekuya Multiverse) that will live and do a lot of things inside Sekuya Multiverse," said NN93, CMO of Sekuya Multiverse. Sekuya is also partnering with Eunice Wong, Director of Unicorn Venture Capital, a womenpreneur, crypto investor, and pioneer in the crypto-led revolution with over 197,000 followers on Instagram and over 70,000 on Twitter. This is what Eunice Wong said about Sekuya, "This is not hype project only. It's a rare project with high use-case in real life and I personally really like SEKUYA and the project. I spoke to the dev and it gave me even more conviction of where the project will be in near future." Eunice Wong will also release her own NFT in collaboration with Sekuya Ultra Rare NFT, and Sekuya Rare NFT series. Sekuya Multiverse is a metaverse with 4 worlds inside of it. Sekuya begins with 4 different worlds, which consist of earth domain, water domain, sky domain and fire domain. Inside Sekuya there will be different worlds with different ambiance, governance, activities, and experience. Sekuya will launch their Ultra Rare NFT series in mid-April 2022. This NFT collection, called 100 Legends of Sekuya, will have ultimate use case inside Sekuya Multiverse. All 100 NFTs will be a useable skin and landmark inside Sekuya. For those who owned it until Sekuya Multiverse release the land will get exclusive Land NFT. More than 1900 holders of Sekuya are waiting for this NFT series and 10,000 Rare NFT series that will be release in mid of 2022. Sekuya has a tagline, New Earth Multiverse, which means they aim to create a new world where it can redefine the way we see the real world and virtual world. Experience is the main goal of Sekuya, with an Epic Fantasy Adventure theme inside of it. You will find mystical creatures, new vehicles, floating islands, living inside an Atlantis world, and more. The team inside Sekuya is comes from expert backgrounds. A brand consultant handled 100+ brands in 4 years, a blockchain expert, a young start-up leader with 5 years experience, and an architect with lots of creativity to build the multiverse. Sekuya already announced 10 partnerships with crypto communities around the world and will announce more collaborations in the near future. Sekuya Multiverse will release their first domain by the end of 2022. Official Website: sekuya.io Global Group: t.me/sekuyaofficial Contact Information: Adhi - GGWP CLAN +62 812 96865246 t.me/Dskyzrggwp www.ggwpclan.world To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/119057 MIAMI, April 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- House of Kibaa ("HoK"), a leading digital studio specializing in creating exclusive non-fungible token ("NFT") assets for Xtended Reality (AR/VR/MR), is pleased to sponsor "Miami NFT Week 2022", one of the biggest non-fungible token (NFT) events of the year for industry leaders. Positioned at an impressive activation space in the event, HoK is engaging thousands of people gathering in Miami right now. The crowd is all pumped by HoK's project, its first-time land demo in virtual reality (VR) via Oculus Quest 2. Held from April 1st to April 3rd, 2022, at Mana Wynwood Convention Center in Miami, Florida. Miami NFT Week is an NFT conference created to bring NFT lovers together to engage in workshops, panels, pitch competitions, creative installations, immersive art performances, and conversations that encompass Blockchain technology. In addition to gathering business titans Mark Cuban, Angela Antony, and Grant Cardone, the event also hosts Miami Mayor Francis Suarez as his city looks to become the tech epicenter. Most recently, Mayor Suarez championed the development of Miami's tech economy through Venture Miami and other initiatives that connect education and job training to the city's emerging tech-driven economic sectors, including Fintech, Medtech, and Greentech. Under the leadership of Mayor Suarez, Miami, a world-famous beach city, is now becoming the largest Blockchain hub in the U.S. On the first day of the event, HoK's CCO, Jason Nguyen, gave one of the most forward-looking presentation sessions of the event. Jason's presentation on "The Secret to NFT to Utility" conveys how HoK is gearing up for Utility NFTs, which are expected to be utilized in Competition Based NFTs, Reward and Governance Systems, Authenticity Verification, and Valuation Updates. "The energy has been amazing at this year's event with a lot of people looking forward to the incoming web3 movement and the technological benefits that NFTs bring to the table," said Mr. Nguyen. About presenting at Miami NFT Week 2022, Mr. Nguyen explained, "It was an absolute honor to present at Miami NFT Week and represent House of Kibaa as a leader in the NFT space, and collaborate with like-minded businesses and individuals in the NFT, metaverse, and play-to-earn gaming sectors." HoK is the flagship studio of Looking Glass Labs (LGL), a publicly-traded company on the NEO Exchange (stock ticker: NFTX). Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, LGL is a digital platform specializing in NFT architecture, immersive extended reality (XR), metaverse design, and virtual asset royalty streams. HoK enables users to express their own individual styles within blockchain via an array of utilities throughout the metaverse. Recently, Dorian Banks, the CEO of LGL, presented at "NFT LA," an event that took place from March 28th to 31st, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. This event aims to provide an epic NFT experience highlighting product innovation and Metaverse integrations. This month, HoK was pleased to announce its limited NFT land sale "Pocket Dimension" which is the first of its kind, ultra-realistic world for the future of social and creator economies. A part of HoK's fully immersive Project Origin (code name) metaverse, Pocket Dimension represents a truly private space for landowners to host events, rent out space, mine resources, integrate custom structures, and add digital assets, among other uses. The public sale is set to launch on April 17th, with a private sale taking place on April 16th. The private sale will sell up to 5,000 land parcels at the special price of 1 ETH per land parcel via exclusive spot allocations to communities and partners. About Looking Glass Labs Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Looking Glass Labs ("LGL") is a Web3 platform specializing in non-fungible token ("NFT") architecture, immersive metaverse environments, play-to-earn tokenization, and virtual asset royalty streams. Its leading brand, House of Kibaa ("HoK"), designs and curates a next-generation metaverse for 3D assets, which allows functional art and collectibles to exist simultaneously across different NFT blockchain environments. About House of Kibaa House of Kibaa ("HoK"), designs and curates a next-generation metaverse for 3D assets, allowing functional art and collectibles to exist simultaneously across different NFT blockchain environments. HoK has successfully released digital assets to include GenZeroes, which sold out in just 37 minutes for total proceeds to LGL of CAD 6.2 million and a perpetual 5% royalty stream on secondary market sales. Media contact: media@houseofkibaa.com https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/48bb4b5b-17f2-45a8-8be7-4661f4be9f4a https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/681f6450-9c90-4686-b7e2-8a54b5429547 Beijing, China--(Newsfile Corp. - April 3, 2022) - On 1st April 2022, DMALL, Asia's leading retail SaaS provider, announced that today marks its 7th anniversary. DMALL was founded in April 2015 by a group of retail industry professionals and passionate young innovators. It helps retailers and brand owners to achieve digital transformation and online-offline integration, enables them the omnichannel operation capabilities, and provides various value-added services. Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8404/119076_5fc5625d441f3a50_001full.jpg As a one-stop omnichannel digital retail solution provider, DMALL deconstructs and reconstructs the retail industry by digitalization, and provides end-to-end business SaaS solutions. In the past seven years, its DMALL OS, a back-end system, has been deployed by over 130 retailers in their 15000 stores and widely adopted by more than 850 brand owners. DMALL's customers include world-renowned retailers like Metro, 7-Eleven, and global brands P&G, Unilever, Coke Cola, Pepsi, and local brands and retailers in Asia and Europe. "From the establishment of DMALL, we are committed to retail digitalization and redefining 'people, product and place' with digitalization," says Zhang Feng, CEO of DMALL. "We have expanded the business from the supermarket, convenience store to DTC (Direct-to-consumer, refers to selling products directly to customers), discount store, and other diversified retail formats. " DMALL's business model and strong R&D capability have attracted Tencent, IDG Capital, Lenovo Capital, and other world-renowned investors, making this Beijing-based company named on the Global Unicorn Index by Hurun Research Institutes last year. Having announced the first customer outside Mainland China in 2020, DMALL has incorporated a subsidiary and built a professional team in Hong Kong for Southeast Asia market expansion, as well as an office in Ireland to develop European, Middle Eastern, and African markets. By partnering with DFI Retail Group, DMALL provides digital retail solutions in Hong Kong and Cambodia, and E-commerce solutions in Hong Kong and Singapore. In August 2021, DMALL signed a Letter of Intent with Metro AG to jointly explore Eastern European market. "DMALL SaaS solutions have different systems and sub-systems, which meet the multiple needs of retailers. Each system can be deployed separately to be compatible with existing systems," introduces James Peng, VP of International Business. "Data-driven decision-making of DMALL OS improves the end-to-end efficiency of retailers and brand owners. Data, streamlined processes, and new technology work together to drive business growth. DMALL's omnichannel digital retail solutions, combined with industry-leading practices, could copy from China to overseas markets." In the future, DMALL will continue to explore and improve business SaaS solutions to help more retailers and brand owners to achieve digital transformation, and become the world's leading omnichannel digital retail platform. To find out more about DMALL please email: wuyang.liu@dmall.com or follow our website https://www.dmall.com/en. Company: Dmall Inc. Contact Person: Thomas Liu Email: wuyang.liu@dmall.com Company address: 11th Floor, Haidian Culture and Art Building, Haidian District, Beijing To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/119076 Streem brand, platform, and local service continue in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) market and (ANZ) market Management team retained with long-term growth mandate Streem joins PR Newswire, Brandwatch, and Falcon.io brands to activate full-service offering for Cision across ANZ SYDNEY and CHICAGO, April 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global communications intelligence company Cision announced today that it has completed the acquisition of realtime media monitoring company Streem. Since announcing the deal in December 2021, Streem has continued its high-growth trajectory, winning major new customers, including Amazon, HSBC, Crown Resorts, and several government departments. Cision's Chief Revenue Officer Stephen Boyes noted, "Streem has established itself as the customer-preferred media intelligence platform in the ANZ market. We are excited that they are now part of the Cision family and that our ANZ customers can benefit from a full suite of monitoring, distribution, insights, and social media solutions." Streem customers will benefit from the global reach of Cision, while continuing to receive the same local support and expertise they have relied on since the company's launch in 2017. Streem's customers will also continue to access the company's existing media monitoring and insights platform, supported by its local product and engineering teams. "The closing of this deal gives us the opportunity to create the ANZ region's leading media intelligence offering. Streem is best positioned to deliver on every customer's need through a single platform and local team," Elgar Welch, CEO of Streem said. The completion of the acquisition follows approval by Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) and the United States' Department of Justice (DoJ), and results in a sale of 100% of Streem shares to Cision. Streem will continue to operate as an independent brand, with operations and people, including key management and founders Elgar Welch (CEO) and Antoine Sabourin (CTO), to remain in place. Cision is a portfolio company of Platinum Equity, which acquired the business in 2020. The Streem transaction marks the second add-on acquisition Cision has completed this year. "We are delivering on our promise to invest in Cision's growth, expand its product offering and extend its geographic reach," said Platinum Equity Partner Jacob Kotzubei and Platinum Equity Managing Director Matthew Louie in a joint statement. "We will continue working with the team to pursue more opportunities to drive growth organically and through acquisitions." About Streem Streem is one of the ANZ market's fastest growing media intelligence companies, delivering comprehensive and realtime Print, Online, TV, Radio, & Social media monitoring, insights, and reporting to leading corporate and government organisations including Telstra, Amazon, Qantas, Commonwealth Bank, and the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet. Through Desktop, Tablet and Mobile, Streem's customers can see, stream and analyse millions of news items in realtime, helping PR and Corporate Affairs teams to do their jobs. About Cision As a global leader in PR, IR, marketing and social media management technology and intelligence, Cision helps brands and organisations to identify, connect and engage with customers and stakeholders to drive business results. Through a suite of IR services, PR Newswire helps companies meet their communications and disclosure needs. A network of over 1.1 billion influencers, in-depth monitoring, analytics and its Brandwatch and Falcon.io social media platforms headline a premier suite of solutions. Cision has offices in 24 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA and APAC. For more information about Cision's award-winning solutions, including its next-gen Cision Communications Cloud, visit www.cision.com and follow @Cision on Twitter. Media Contacts: Streem Jack McLintock Media Relations Manager Streem jack.mclintock@streem.com.au Cision cisionpr@cision.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1778413/Streem_Cision_Logo.jpg JERUSALEM, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Jordanian King Abdullah II talked Sunday over phone on the bilateral ties and the recent deadly attacks in Israel. Bennett congratulated Abdullah II on the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, and thanked the king for his "clear statement against the terrorist attacks that have taken place in Israel in recent days," the prime minister's office said in a statement. The two discussed the "importance of the cooperation between the two countries and the continuous ties and dialogues," the statement said without further elaboration. The talk came three days after Israel's President Isaac Herzog traveled to Amman to meet the Jordanian king, asking him to help calm the tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty in 1994. On March 30, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, who came to China to attend the Third Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Afghan Issue Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, in Tunxi, Anhui Province. Wang Yi conveyed President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings to former President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and President Serdar Berdymukhamedov. He said that no matter how the international situation may change, China will always be Turkmenistan's reliable brother and reliable partner. China is full of confidence in China-Turkmenistan relations and stands ready to work with Turkmenistan to promote sustained, smooth and stable development of cooperation in various fields and open up brighter prospects. Meredov conveyed cordial greetings and best wishes from former President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and President Serdar Berdymukhamedov to President Xi Jinping, saying that under the leadership of the two heads of state, Turkmenistan-China relations have developed rapidly and cooperation in various fields has gained momentum. Natural gas cooperation is a priority set by the two heads of state and is of great strategic significance. Turkmenistan regards China as its main energy partner and will not change its established position. Turkmenistan is ready to enhance the synergy between the revival of the ancient Silk Road and the Belt and Road Initiative so as to push bilateral relations to a new level. Wang Yi said China will unswervingly advance energy cooperation with Turkmenistan and always be Turkmenistan's most reliable partner and stable export market. China is ready to enhance the synergy between the development strategies of both sides, expand cooperation across the energy industry chain, and increase the volume and scale of energy cooperation. China is also ready to tap cooperation potential in green energy, natural gas utilization, technology and equipment, and expand cooperation in new areas such as transportation, vocational education, medical treatment and health care and people-to-people exchanges. The two sides exchanged views on cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries, expressed support for Kazakhstan in hosting the "China+Central Asia" Foreign Ministers' Meeting this year, and expressed respective willingness to explore the establishment of a summit mechanism to jointly safeguard regional security, peace and stability. The two sides exchanged views on the Afghan issue. Wang Yi briefed Meredov on his visit to Afghanistan. Meredov expressed support for Afghanistan to draw a clear line with terrorist organizations and resolutely fight against all terrorist forces including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement. The two sides agreed to strengthen mutual support and coordination in multilateral affairs. A developer wants Corvallis City Councils support and $400,000 to help with a $20 million, 60-unit low-income housing project. City documents say staff is recommending the council approve an award of $400,000 in Affordable Housing Construction Excise Tax funding to build the proposed Rivergreen Apartments in Willamette Landing. The money comes from other developers doing business in the city, who pay a tax to help future affordable housing projects. Applicant Green Light Development is also requesting a letter of support from the mayor and City Council for its state application. The project site, which is zoned for both residential and commercial purposes, is on the northwest corner of Southeast Rivergreen Avenue and Southeast Midvale Drive. The development would include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for people at or below 60% of the area median income, according to city documents. Qualifying individuals typically make less than $17 per hour and work jobs in the local community, which include restaurants, grocery stores, and various entry-level and service industry jobs, a funding application states. Our development seeks to blend into the surrounding neighborhood and become part of the larger community of Corvallis. The Corvallis City Council is slated to decide on the $400,000 funding award and the letter of support at its meeting Monday, April 4. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. The developer plans on working with community partners to feature resident services that may include health and wellness, budgeting, credit and finance, energy assistance, legal protection, mediation, eviction prevention, and employment and career advancement, according to the funding application. The application also mentions a shortage of affordable housing options in Oregon, particularly for historically underserved and low-income communities. The applicant cites an Oregon Housing and Community Services report that Corvallis is the states most rent-burdened community. New developments like the Rivergreen Apartments are essential to providing individuals and families with affordable housing options at a time when a lack of safe and stable housing options has led to an increase in homeless individuals and families as well as severe rent burdens, the applicant wrote. The applicant also cites an Oregon Housing Alliance report stating Benton County faces a deficit of more than 4,500 affordable units available to individuals and families. The organization reports that close to 40% of renters are paying more than 50% of their income in Benton County. The Rivergreen Apartments directly respond to the critical need for affordable housing in Corvallis and Benton County, the applicant states. In April, Green Light Development plans to apply for state resources, including Local Innovation Fast Track funds, 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and construction and permanent debt, according to city documents, which say the local funding would demonstrate support which would be helpful in leveraging state and federal resources. The developer plans to reach slightly more than $20 million for the project by combining the $400,000 from Corvallis with $6.4 million in Local Innovation Fast Track loan funds, $6.8 million in permanent loan financing, and $6.06 million in 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits equity, as well as $512,162 from a deferred development fee. The council passed the Affordable Housing Construction Excise Tax ordinance on new residential, commercial and industrial development in 2016. The ordinance requires that the revenue be applied to projects and programs that expand the supply of affordable housing in Corvallis. The funding is available on a rolling basis. The Affordable Housing Construction Excise Tax budget for fiscal year 2021-2022 is $1.3 million. City documents say the only other major expenditure for the budget year was $520,000 for a homeownership project in December. The Affordable Housing Construction Excise Tax policy requires 60 years of affordability, and if awarded, the funding terms would be a zero-interest loan. Oregon Senate Bill 8, passed in 2021, makes it easier to site affordable housing. Under the legislation, local government is prohibited from requiring a zone change or conditional use permit for affordable housing on property zoned for commercial uses. Cody Mann covers Benton County and the cities of Corvallis and Philomath. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter via @News_Mann_. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 3 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, April 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) HEFEI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks on Sunday with visiting Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province. Wang said China always takes the Philippines as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, and China's good-neighborly and friendly policy toward the Philippines has maintained continuity and stability. The two sides should remove disturbances, calmly and properly manage differences and not let them affect the overall situation of China-Philippines relations, Wang said. China is ready to speed up the construction of key infrastructure projects with the Philippines, and continue to provide COVID-19 vaccine assistance and enhance public health cooperation according to the need of the Philippines, Wang said. Locsin said Philippine-China relations have become increasingly mature and bilateral practical cooperation has achieved historic results, bringing lasting benefits to both sides. As a responsible major country, China is committed to independence and peaceful development, setting a new example in a turbulent world, Locsin said, adding that China has long promoted the development of other countries in the region through its own development and played an irreplaceable role in global economic growth. The two sides exchanged views on the South China Sea issue and held that maritime issues should be placed in an appropriate position in bilateral relations. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, April 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) SHANGHAI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Around 10,000 medics nationwide have rushed to China's business hub Shanghai to aid the megacity to fight against the resurging COVID-19. On Sunday, thousands of medics arrived in Shanghai with a population of 25 million by high-speed trains departing from provincial-level regions such as Tianjin, Hubei, Shandong and Jiangxi. "Some of our 90-strong team had been to Wuhan, Hubei Province, or designated hospitals for COVID-19 control in Tianjin. They are also experienced," said Wang Zengguang, head of a medical team from Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. "We are determined to secure a victory in completing our task." Earlier medical teams coming from the nearby provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui have already arrived in Shanghai to join in the fight, according to the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission. On Saturday, Shanghai reported 438 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 7,788 asymptomatic carriers. RESOLUTE MOVES Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Saturday urged resolute and swift moves to stem the spread of COVID-19 in Shanghai in the shortest time possible, issuing her call during an inspection visit to the city. Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stressed unswerving adherence to the dynamic zero-COVID approach and mobilizing COVID-19 testing capacity, medical personnel, and COVID-19 prevention supplies to support Shanghai in the fight against the epidemic. The vice premier called for stepping up efforts to ensure that all those in need are tested, isolated, hospitalized or treated. She also stressed strict closed-loop management for key industries and institutions to ensure the normal operation of core functions and the stability of supply and industrial chains. Shanghai will conduct citywide nucleic acid testing on Monday after citywide antigen testing on Sunday. The measures were aimed at completely eliminating potential risks, cutting off the chain of transmission, curbing the spread of the virus, and achieving dynamic zero-COVID as soon as possible, Wu Qianyu, an official with the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, told a press conference on Sunday. RACING TO SECURE SUPPLIES Authorities and suppliers in Shanghai have been racing to secure daily supplies for residents under closed-off management. Shanghai has been working to increase sources of supplies and coordinate with suppliers to expand procurement channels to boost market supply, local authorities told a press conference. Temporary vegetable warehouses have been set up for extra storage in the city and existing warehouses are boosting their capacity to deliver goods. In Pudong District, a warehouse with the capacity to store up to 1,500 tonnes was set up, with around 200 tonnes of vegetables from across China entering the warehouse every day. In grocery delivery platform Dingdong's Chenta Warehouse, employees have been working around the clock since March to meet the surging customer needs. With an area of over 23,000 square meters, the warehouse is one of the largest sorting centers of fruit and vegetables in the Puxi area. Over 1 million fruit and vegetable items are sent to more than 100 distribution warehouses across western Shanghai. Xu Huacheng, who is in charge of the warehouse, said that the warehouse has almost doubled its employees from around 300 to nearly 600 since March. "Our supplies are overall stable, and the company has arranged more storage space for handling the surging needs," Xu said. SHANGHAI PORT The Shanghai Port is still operating normally and there is no congestion of container ships, the Shanghai International Port Group Co., Ltd. said in a statement on Sunday. A total of 52 ships are waiting for handling at the port, including nine container ships, while four of the nine are waiting for berthing, according to the statement. Faced with the impacts of the epidemic, Shanghai Port has rolled out a series of measures to protect the safety of the port, ensure its normal operation and guarantee the stability of the industrial chain and supply chain in the Yangtze River Delta and the globe, the statement said. English Spanish LUXEMBOURG, March 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tenaris S.A. (NYSE and Mexico: TS and EXM Italy: TEN) filed today its 2021 Annual Report and its 2021 Sustainability Report with the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and with the other securities regulators of the markets where its securities are listed. These two reports (which contain the financial and non-financial information required by applicable Luxembourg law for the year ended December 31, 2021, including Tenariss consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021, Tenariss annual accounts as at December 31, 2021, and their related external auditors reports and consolidated management report and certifications) may be downloaded from the Luxembourg Stock Exchanges website at www.bourse.lu/regulated-information-oam and are available on Tenariss website at ir.tenaris.com. Tenaris has also filed today its annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2021, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The 20-F annual report can be downloaded from the SECs website at www.sec.gov and from Tenariss website at ir.tenaris.com. Holders of Tenariss shares and ADSs, and any other interested parties, may request a hard copy of any of these reports, free of charge, through our website at ir.tenaris.com/tools/printed-materials. Tomorrow, April 1, 2022, Tenaris will be convening its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 3, 2022, at 15:30 (Central European time). The convening notice (which includes the meeting agenda and the procedures for voting at the meeting) can be downloaded from the Luxembourg Stock Exchanges website at www.bourse.lu/regulated-information-oam. The following documents will be available on Tenariss website at ir.tenaris.com as of the date of the convening notice: information on Tenariss total number of shares and voting rights as of the date of the convening notice; the Shareholder Meeting Brochure and Proxy Statement (which contains reports on each item of the meeting agenda and draft resolutions proposed to be adopted at the meeting); the 2021 Annual Report; the 2021 Sustainability Report; the 2021 Compensation Report; and the forms required for purposes of voting at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Copies of these documents are also available, free of charge, at Tenariss registered office in Luxembourg, between 10:00 and 17:00 CET, subject to restrictions imposed from time to time by Luxembourg authorities due to Covid-19. In addition, shareholders registered in the Companys share register may obtain electronic copies of such documents, free of charge, by sending an e-mail request to investors@tenaris.com. Tenaris is a leading global supplier of steel tubes and related services for the worlds energy industry and certain other industrial applications. Giovanni Sardagna Tenaris 1-888-300-5432 www.tenaris.com NEW YORK, April 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE: AI): (i) pursuant and/or traceable to the Offering Documents issued in connection with the Companys initial public offering conducted on or about December 9, 2020 (the IPO or Offering); and/or (ii) between December 9, 2020 and February 15, 2022, inclusive (the Class Period), of the important May 3, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased C3.ai 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 C3.ai class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3839 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com 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 May 3, 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 handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. 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 firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the Offering Documents were negligently prepared and, as a result, contained untrue statements of material fact or omitted to state other facts necessary to make the statements made not misleading and were not prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations governing their preparation. Additionally, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding C3.ais business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, the Offering Documents and defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) C3.ais partnership with Baker Hughes was deteriorating; (2) C3.ais was employing a flawed accounting methodology to conceal the deterioration of its Baker Hughes partnership; (3) C3.ai faced challenges in product adoption and significant salesforce turnover; (4) C3.ai overstated, inter alia, the extent of its investment in technology, description of its customers, its total addressable market, the pace of its market growth, and the scale of alliances with its major business partners; and (5) as a result, defendants public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the C3.ai class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3839 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com 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 investors 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 lrosen@rosenlegal.com pkim@rosenlegal.com cases@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com Washington, DC, April 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Larry Moffitt media@us.upf.org 202-669-0387 Israeli and Arab Leaders Seek Wider Alliance for Abraham Accords 'We should have the courage to take the lead' The Abraham Accords should be expanded and promoted to more Arab countries despite regional enemies of peace, leaders from Israel and Arab nations said in the Middle East Peace Initiative, a project of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF). We have to understand that in our region there are enemies of peace and those who will try to undermine what we are doing, but we should have the courage to take the lead, United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Council Member Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi said at the forum. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, former Israeli Knesset Deputy Speaker Hilik Bar, former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich also addressed the March 31, 2022 forums online event, which can be viewed at https://youtu.be/2hlG859q3Kk Mr. Olmert and Mr. Bar said they saw signs of unity and respect growing in the Middle East since the Abraham Accords were signed in 2020 under the Trump Administration. Mr. Gingrich praised the accords for their potential to secure stability in the entire region. Mr. Harper described the Abraham Accords as, by far, the most positive news that humanity received during the entire period of the COVID-19 pandemic. This positive move in the Middle East stands out against what is otherwise a terrible degeneration in the global geopolitical landscape, Mr. Harper said, citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Dr. Michael Jenkins, president of UPF International, said UAE and Bahrain are to be commended for developing the Abraham Accords with Israel and support from the US. This vital step is increasing trade and friendly cooperation between these nations, which brings hope to the region. We also commend Morocco and Sudan for normalizing relations with Israel; we see the likelihood of many more nations in the Middle East and Africa following their example. The Middle East Peace Initiative promotes peace through dialogue, people-to-people diplomacy, fact-finding trips, interfaith pilgrimages and conferences. UPF, founded in 2005 by the late Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and his wife Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, is a respected NGO in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC). It has chapters in 159 countries. Article on the online Middle East Peace Initiative webinar by The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/mar/31/arab-israeli-leaders-say-abraham-accords-show-regi/ MELBOURNE, Australia, April 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Economies around the world were undeniably doing it tough in 2020 through the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia being no exception. However, Australia's economy has bounced back quickly and performed very well throughout 2021. Hejaz Financial Services, the leading Australian provider of Islamic finance, gives a review of 2021's economy and explains how it managed to stand strong throughout the pandemic. According to Hejaz Financial Services, 2021 saw the Australian government pouring stimuli into the economy in an attempt to protect businesses and households around the country from a prolonged recession. JobKeeper was extended to help businesses retain their employees, financing rates were lowered and credit was boosted, explains the Halal home loan expert. This attempt to revive the economy was successful, seeing a 9.6% expansion in the second fiscal quarter due to increased consumer spending and an unexpectedly strong resurgence in the employment market. According to Hejaz Financial Services, 2021 saw the Australian government pouring stimuli into the economy in an attempt to protect businesses and households around the country from a prolonged recession. JobKeeper was extended to help businesses retain their employees, financing rates were lowered and credit was boosted, explains the Halal home loan expert. This attempt to revive the economy was successful, seeing a 9.6% expansion in the second fiscal quarter due to increased consumer spending and an unexpectedly strong resurgence in the employment market. As awareness of the Islamic finance industry has grown over the last couple of years, Hejaz Financial Services has seen significant growth in the Islam finance sector in particular. They explain that 2020 and 2021 enjoyed a rise in Halal loans and the industry has been seeing an increasing number of competitors pop up during that time. The next step, according to Hejaz Financial Services, is to establish the industry's first Islamic bank in order to provide Australians with a full suite of financial and banking services that align with their beliefs and values. Looking ahead to the remainder of 2022, the expert Sharia loans provider predicts continued economic growth, especially as eased restrictions mean Australians return to offices, shopping centres and restaurants and opened international borders allow tourists and international students to return. Notably, tourism and education are two of the biggest contributors to the Australian economy. Already in the process of applying to become Australia's first 100% digital Islamic bank, Hejaz Financial Services is confident that they are the leading provider of Islamic financial services in Australia and will continue to serve Australians ethically, in as many ways as possible, for a long time to come. Contact us - Level 11, 2 Queen Street Melbourne 3000 PO BOX 96 Flinders Lane VIC 8009 1300 043 529 Related Images Image 1: halal home loan halal home loan This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Romain Grosjean, despite his horror crash in Bahrain 2020, was not done with racing. After leaving Formula 1, he switched to the IndyCar series, where he is still active today. In a video on his own YouTube-channel he explained the differences between the two racing classes. His experience with both disciplines allows the driver to compare them well. He explained that while the cars look somewhat the same on the surface, they are actually very different. For example, in the IndyCars there are only two engine manufacturers: Honda and Chevrolet. Grosjean explains differences F1 and Indycar The engines used also differ significantly between the two racing classes. Whereas Formula 1 uses hybrid technology, IndyCar does not as yet. The fuel is also very different: F1 cars switched to E10 fuel with ten percent ethanol in 2022, while IndyCar cars use a compound with as much as 85 percent ethanol (E85). In addition, all IndyCar drivers drive the same car, unlike in Formula 1. "The only parts that are allowed to be freely developed are the dampers," Grosjean explained. "Because of that, you also see a difference between the bigger and smaller teams, because they spend a big budget on it." Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic speaks at the ceremony of the Remembrance Day for the Victims of the NATO Aggression, in Kraljevo, Serbia, March 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu) Vucic said that his results were based on the counted votes from 85 percent of polling stations. Serbian Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) announced that it will publish preliminary results on Monday. BELGRADE, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic declared his convincing victory on Sunday in the first round of the presidential elections, securing another five-year term. According to preliminary results of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) revealed by Vucic, he won between 59-and 61 percent in the elections, while the ruling SNS won 44 percent of parliamentary elections. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic casts his ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) Vucic said that his results were based on the counted votes from 85 percent of polling stations. Serbian Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) announced that it will publish preliminary results on Monday. Around 6.5 million registered voters casted ballots on Sunday to choose between eight presidential candidates, and 19 parties or coalitions for the parliament. A voter casts ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) Germanys Bundesministerium fur Digitales und Verkehr (BMDV) has awarded around 160 million to support the electrification of public transport in Hamburg and the surrounding area. The recipients of the funding are Hamburger Hochbahn AG and Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein GmbH (VHH). These are the first funding notices to be awarded to transport companies under the directive on the promotion of alternative drives for buses in passenger transport. Hamburger Hochbahn AG has set itself the goal of converting its entire bus fleetcurrently around 1,000 vehiclesto alternative drives by 2030. The company is receiving approximately 97 million for the procurement of 289 electric buses and 486 charging infrastructure units. The BMDV has already supported the operator with 12 million for the purchase of 60 electric buses and 20 charging infrastructure units and with 6.4 million for the new construction of the Gleisdreieck depot. Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein GmbH plans to convert its entire fleetaround 670 vehiclesto electric drives by 2030. The Elexity2022 project of the VHH is funded with around 59 million for the purchase of 183 electric buses and 216 charging infrastructure units. So far, VHH has received 15 million for the purchase of 64 battery-electric buses and 1.8 million for the upgrading of the Bergedorf depot. ISLAMABAD, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Three terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an army statement said Saturday night. The security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation on reported presence of terrorists in Dera Ismail Khan district of the province, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in the statement. "During intense exchange of fire, three terrorists got killed. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists," the statement added. The killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces, the ISPR said. "Locals of the area appreciated the operation and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the area," the statement added. File photo / Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media GREENWICH The Greenwich Public Schools is inviting the public to weigh in on shaping the future of Central Middle Schools new building during a community forum at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the CMS auditorium. The school district is in the process of preparing educational specifications with its consultant, Construction Solutions Group, for the new middle school building set to for completion in January 2026. Educational specifications, or ed specs, determine the needs of the space but not the architectural design of the building. After the Google Play Edition program failed, Google worked with makers to create a new line of pure Android devices Android One. Removing bloatware was only one of the goals, One phones differed from Play Edition models in several other ways. As you can tell by the headline, we want to focus on one particular branch the four models released by Xiaomi and what their ultimate fate was. The One program is still around, mostly kept alive by Nokia, but Google has moved on to other ways of trying to achieve the original goals. Those goals, if you who dont remember, were to build a line of affordable devices for emerging markets. Android One was designed to work on systems with little RAM and to spare the battery as much as possible. The first One phones were built on a common platform and came out in 2014. Later models offered diversified hardware. Xiaomi was relatively late to the party its first offering, the Xiaomi Mi A1, came out in late 2017. However, it was the first Android One device to be available globally (in 37 markets). The same hardware was also available as the Mi 5X in China, running Xiaomis usual MIUI software. The Mi A1 version arrived with Android 7.1 Nougat. It was mostly pure Android, though Google did permit some maker apps to be pre-loaded, unlike the stricter Play Edition phones. Also, Android One phones could be sold through the makers usual retail channels, while the others were restricted to the Google Play Store (a major part of why they failed). Well, the high prices didnt help either. Despite what its alternative name might suggest, the Mi A1 didnt actually have much in common with its comtemporaries from the Mi 5 series, which had flagship hardware. It had a decently large 5.5 1080p display, an IPS LCD panel (the Mi 5 had a 5.15 display). It was a good display with great contrast and not so great color rendering. The display was protected by Gorilla Glass 3, while the chassis was made out of aluminum. The phone was powered by the Snapdragon 625, a 14nm chip known for its efficiency. It wasnt particularly fast with eight Cortex-A53 CPU cores (2.0 GHz) and an Adreno 506, but it got the job done. It was paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of storage (eMMC 5.1), plus a microSD slot. As we mentioned, one of the design goals for Android One was to run on cheap, low-RAM devices, though the Mi A1 was not one of them. Instead, it tried to lure in buyers who liked Xiaomi hardware and prices, but werent fans of MIUI. The phone even had a dual camera with a 12MP main module (1/2.9 sensor, 1.25m pixels) and a 12MP telephoto module (2x magnification, 50mm). The main camera could record 4K video at 30 fps, something that eludes some mid-rangers even today. Here are some camera samples for a demonstration of what the Mi A1 was capable of: Xiaomi Mi A1 12MP main camera samples Xiaomi Mi A1 12MP telephoto camera samples Also, some low-light photos (those will become relevant later): Xiaomi Mi A1 low-light samples with HHT enabled There was also a fingerprint reader on the back. The battery sealed inside had 3,080 mAh capacity. While it didnt support fast charging, the bundled 10W charger got from zero to 30% in half an hour, which was solid for the time. The efficient Snapdragon managed to stretch the battery to a very respectable 87 hour endurance rating. The Xiaomi Mi A1 was priced at 15,000 (just under 200 at the time), though prices in Europe were significantly higher, 230-300, depending on where you got it. Still, the A1 release was a big deal it was one of the first Xiaomi models to launch in Europe. Xiaomi believed the phone had broader appeal than its usual MIUI devices, which gave it the confidence to expand to new markets. One of the promises of Android One was fast updates. The phones were slated to receive two OS updates (indeed, the Mi A1 got up to Android 9 Pie in late 2018) as well as three years of security patches. This was Googles way of trying to promote longer software support for Android phones and the reduction of bloat helped keep updates simple. The Xiaomi Mi A2 arrived in mid-2018. It had a larger 5.99 1080p display and a more powerful Snapdragon 660 chipset with four Cortex-A73 derived cores and an Adreno 512 providing some extra oomph. The base configuration had 4GB of RAM again and offered a 6GB upgrade. Storage started at 32GB again, though Xiaomi had removed the microSD slot. There were 64GB and 128GB options, but the expandability boosted A1s value-for-money image. Fans were also irked by the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack. The Mi A2 changed the dual camera setup as well. The 2x telephoto module was gone, replaced by a 20MP camera with a 1/2.8 sensor (1.0 m pixels) and a brighter f/1.8 aperture, which was meant to help with low-light photography. The results were actually pretty good, though we still missed the tele module. On the plus side, the lowly 5MP selfie camera of the original was replaced by a more capable 20MP shooter. It performed really well in good light, for low-light situations it had a dedicated LED flash. Here is what the main 12MP camera could do on its own: Xiaomi Mi A2 camera samples, HDR on The 20MP secondary camera did help take better photos in the dark: Xiaomi Mi A2 low-light camera samples: Auto Manual, regular lens Manual, low-light lens Despite the larger body, the A2 didnt increase battery size and brought a 3,000 mAh power cell. It did introduce support for 18W Quick Charge, however (v3 globally, v4 for India). The Xiaomi Mi A2 launched with Android 8 Oreo and received its second major OS update to Android 10 in early 2020. The base price went up and the 4/32GB model now started at 250 with the top 6/128GB option going up to 350. Xiaomi also offered a lower cost version, the Mi A2 Lite. It split the difference in screen size and came with a 5.84 IPS LCD (1080p) and it introduced a notched design to the series (a controversial move, as you can imagine). The Lite used the same Snapdragon 625 as the original. This one cut the base configuration to 3/32GB (with a 4/64GB option), but at least it restored the microSD slot (and 3.5mm headphone jack too). The phone had kept the 12MP main camera and dropped the low-light camera, replacing it with a 5MP depth sensor. This one did have a larger 4,000mAh battery, though, which was a welcome upgrade. The Mi A2 Lite was cheaper than even the original model with a 180 base price (3/32GB) and a 230 upgrade (4/64GB). Still, given the camera situation (which lost its 4K recording capabilities), the Mi A1 looked a little better than the Lite. Note that both the Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite were also available with MIUI in China. This brings us to the Xiaomi Mi A3, which arrived in mid-2019. This was the last model in the series (no Lite model this time around) and also the point where the cracks were really starting to show. The hardware showed some impressive upgrades with a 48MP main camera (1/2, 0.8m, f/1.8). There was no dedicated telephoto lens, but this sensor had native 2x lossless zoom. For the first time an ultrawide camera was available with a 13mm lens and an 8MP sensor. There was also a 2MP depth sensor on board. The selfie camera was further upgraded to a 32MP sensor. Check out camera samples from the Mi A3 below (these use the 2-to-1 pixel binning): Xiaomi Mi A3 12MP photos And a few full-resolution 48MP shots for those interested: Xiaomi Mi A3 48MP photos As we said, the Mi A3 lacked a dedicated telephoto camera, but the high-resolution sensor offered an alternative way to zoom in: Xiaomi Mi A3 12MP 2x zoomed photos Unlike previous models, the A3 had an ultrawide camera: Xiaomi Mi A3 8MP ultra-wide photos The battery combined the best out of the A2 generation the 4,000 mAh capacity of the Lite and the 18W fast charging of the regular model. The Mi A3 switched to the Snapdragon 665, though performance was the same as the 660 (despite using a smaller 11nm node instead of 12nm). The phone still felt faster overall, helped by the upgrade to UFS 2.1 (faster storage than the eMMC used in previous models). Xiaomi also heard fans and brought back the microSD slot and the 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone still lacked NFC, which wasnt ideal, but previous models didnt have it either. A couple of downgrades were even more disappointing. The display grew to 6.09 and switched to a Super AMOLED. That sound great until you notice the 720 x 1,560 px resolution, too low for a mid-ranger in 2019. Also, while the front and back were shielded by Gorilla Glass 5, the all-metal body of previous releases gave way to a plastic frame. The Xiaomi Mi A3 arrived with a base price of 250, same as the A2. The low resolution display and the plastic build rubbed some fans the wrong way, but there were still those who believed in the Android One dream. The dream turned to nightmare for Mi A3 owners, however. The phone made its debut with Android 9 Pie and looked forward to the traditional two OS updates. You can probably tell where this is going. The Android 10 update first started seeding in March 2020, but it was quickly pulled after some users reported that their phones became unresponsive. The rollout resumed a couple of weeks later with the issue seemingly resolved. Another issue was discovered, so the update to Android 10 had to be attempted for a third time. That still had a few bugs in it, which were corrected a few weeks later. Unfortunately, things didnt go better when it came to update to Android 11. The original release at the end of December 2020 was bricking phones. It was pulled a few days later, but that was too late for some. With no easy fix, people had to mail in their bricked phones to get them fixed. It took until the end of January before Xiaomi could work out the issue and finally release a brick-free Android 11 update. At this point fans had lost any trust they had in Xiaomis A-series Android Ones purity was supposed to make updates quick and easy. The Mi A3 experience was anything but. This wasnt an Android One issue, not as far as we can tell, something was seriously wrong with how Xiaomi was developing its One software. Plus, the stock UI and limited pre-installed apps didnt prove to be the draw that Xiaomi and Google hoped they would be. In the end, none of the Mi A series were best sellers. The marriage of Xiaomi hardware and Android One held so much promise, however, questionable hardware choices and the disastrous Mi A3 updates gave the A-series a bad reputation. Ultimately, Android Go edition rose to fill the niche of cheap smartphones, focusing on some of Ones original goals. But by targeting only entry-level hardware, the Go edition phones just lack the appeal of a pure Android mid-ranger. Huawei had a big event at MWC 2022 in Barcelona, where we saw multiple devices introduced. One of them was the Huawei Matebook E - an all-new 2-in-1 laptop with Windows 11. The company wants to prove itself as a premium brand with its own rich ecosystem, and that's the next type of device it has added to it. The tablet comes with a snap-on keyboard, and there is support for Huawei M Pencil, all of which we got for review. The Huawei Matebook E has a 12.6 OLED panel with a 16:10 ratio and a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. The screen-to-body ratio is 90% with tiny bezels, which is not ideal when the tablet is held in hand. It is also cumbersome due to the CPU and GPU and cooling - the weight of 710 grams quickly makes holding the device in one hand hard. We appreciate the 400 nits brightness (600 nits peak) and the lively colors on the panel itself, and the fact that it looks lovely from every angle. It is also factory calibrated to a dE<1 color accuracy. The screen might be 10-point touch, but the OS isnt perfectly adapted for touching so only certain parts work well in tablet mode. There is also a slight lag between the M Pencil input and the reaction of screen, which limits its usability in some apps. In reality, Huawei never claims this is a graphics designer tablet - this is a device for the work-from-home type of situation, where you might need to sketch up something quickly, like a mark up presentation or an image. Lets talk about performance. Huawei launched the Matebook E with 11th gen Intel chipsets - thats right, the one before the current genration. When asked about this, Huawei revealed the company wanted to launch the device immediately on the market and going with the 12th gen Intel would delay it by several months. Perhaps we'll see a refreshed model down the line if the Matebook E gains enough traction. Our unit is with an Intel Core i5-1130G7 processor. The CPU has four cores and eight threads with a max frequency of 4.00 GHz, but when not stressed they run at 1.8 GHz. It is a tad less impressive than the Core i7 variant, with Geekbench 5 yielding 1,113 results for a single core and 1,868 for multiple cores. The performance is uninspiring, and a game such as Civilization V is struggling to run at settings that arent Low. There is active cooling, with the vents being on the top side. Still throttling will occur rather quickly if you stress the Matebook E. We also ran Cinebench R23, which yielded solid single-core, but somewhat poor multi-core results. Cinebench performance Huawei offers the Matebook E with two RAM options - 8GB and 16GB, both times of the LPDDR4x type. SSD storage comes in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. Our 512GB version had impressive sequential read speed of 3500 MB/s and 2300 MB/s write speeds. The random read speeds were also very solid, while random write could be better, but won't cause issues for the intended use. The 42Wh battery charges over PC and you get a 65W charger in the retail box. Charging from 0 to 100% takes 1.5 hours. Depleting the battery by streaming Netflix took us very respectable 8 hours. In other test cases, the Huawei Matebook E gave us 2 hours of performance to the max, and about four hours of video watching and light browsing, sketching presentations and preparing notes. The Matebook E is really lacking when it comes to I/O. There's a single USB-C is on the right side, while the 3.5mm combo audio jack is on the left and that's that. On the upside four speakers are sitting on the sides in a 2x2 formation. There is one 8MP selfie camera for video calls and a 13MP shooter on the back. The latter can't be used when the magnetic cover is attached, though, unless you bend the top part. The cover lets you adjust from 110 to 160-degree angle and snaps easily with the magnets on the bottom. The accessory itself weighs 440 grams. Huawei Matebook E The Huawei Matebook E comes with three magnets on the top for the M Pencil. Once the stylus is connected, the user interface will notify if the pencil is facing the right way so that it can charge wirelessly. Double tap on the side can take a screenshot or wake the voice assistant, or do whatever Windows Ink is set up to do with a double click. Huawei does provide a transparent tip and a rubbery one for different feel. The Huawei Matebook E starts from 649, but thats for the Intel i3 variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Going for the top 16/512GB version will also get you the magnetic keyboard and the M Pencil in the package. It will also push the price to 1,199 for the Core i5 version and 1,399 for the i7 one. Obviously at those prices it's certainly not the best performing laptop around by a long distance, so if sheer processing power is what you are after you might as well keep looking. However, the hybrid device provides unrivaled flexibility for those only looking to do light office work, social media browsing and video watching. The OLED screen and properly light weight body are very hard to find at those prices if you need a device that runs Windows. The excellent build quality doesn't hurt either. Last week we looked into how fast charging affects battery capacity and asked you about your preferred charge rate. Fast charging clearly emerged as the preferred method, while slow overnight charging has clearly fallen out of fashion. It was already on its way out a couple of years ago, but it was still the preferred method for a quarter of voters. Now that number is down from 25% to 15%. The thing about slow charging is that its always an option just use one of the low-power chargers you have in your drawer. We wish Android exposed better controls for charge speed, but even without on-screen controls it is easy enough to keep a 5W/10W charger at your night stand. Most voters will go for a phone in the 25-33W range. These charge fast enough with no downsides. And they dont come with an upcharge as phones at the cutting edge of charge technology do. Speaking of, the phones that support 100+ Watt charging were the second most popular category, narrowly beating the 50-67W devices, which came in third. Charging is a chore and we can understand why people would want to get it over with quickly. Doesnt it damage the battery, though? Not so much, say manufacturers, who claim that it will retain 80% of its original capacity after several hundred cycles some promise to match the 800 cycles industry standard, others even promise to exceed it twice and go as high as 1,600 cycles. Keep in mind that 800 cycles is over 2 years of daily charging from 0 to 100%. Its also worth noting that many of the phones that boast super fast charging capabilities are marketed as gaming phones. At two years old a mobile GPU will be noticeably lacking in capabilities compared to new models. So, even if the battery is as fresh as the day it came out of the factory, the device will not be a great gaming phone anymore. One worry that cant be overlooked is that this creates e-waste. These days a phone with a dead battery may not be worth the price of the repair, if you can even find someone to do the repair. A dead battery used to be a 60-second, no-tools-required kind of fix when batteries were user-accessible. The EU has been working on a way to bring that back. Legislation will mandate that all consumer electronics have user replaceable batteries with basic and commonly available tools. The EU is also considering setting requirements for how long phones should be supported it might demand 7 years of updates and availability of spare parts. Those two things combined can make worrying about battery longevity a thing of the past. We will keep an eye on how manufacturers respond to this, of course. There were eight patients admitted to island hospitals for COVID-19, according to the latest news release from the Joint Information Center. Of these, three were admitted to Guam Memorial Hospital, none of whom were in the intensive care unit. The remaining five hospitalizations were admitted to Guam Regional Medical City where only one patient was in the intensive care unit, according to the Joint Information Center. Of the eight patients admitted due to COVID-19, six were vaccinated and two were unvaccinated. There were no children hospitalized with COVID-19 and no patients required the use of a ventilator. New cases The Department of Public Health and Social Services reported a preliminary case count of seven new cases of COVID-19 taken from 131 specimens analyzed Saturday. To date, Guam has recorded 349 COVID-related fatalities. There currently are 839 cases in active isolation. COVID testing Free community testing continues from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Old Carnival Grounds in Tiyan. The testing site also is open from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. on Saturday. Register for an appointment ahead of time at tinyurl.com/covidstopswithme. Residents also can visit Public Healths Southern Region Community Health Center in Inalahan from 9a.m.-noon Monday-Friday; in addition to the Northern Region Community Health Center from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Vaccination clinics COVID-19 vaccinations are available from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday on the second floor of the Agana Shopping Center. Walk-ins are welcome but those who register at tinyurl.com/vaxguam will be expedited. As of April 1, total of 135,992 of Guams eligible population has been vaccinated against COVID-19. The Guam Power Authority recently had to use the diesel backup generators at Guam Waterworks Authority pump stations and ask the Navy for help in order to avoid power rationing, according to the power agency. The explosion-damaged Cabras 1 generator will be out of commission for at least another month, leaving Guam vulnerable to power outages if another large generator breaks down. Generator repairs That worst-case scenario happened recently, according to GPA, when the Piti 9 generator started to overheat and had to be shut down for a day for repairs. Guams power reserve, without Cabras 1, is only about 32 megawatts, and the temporary loss of Piti 9 cut about 44 megawatts of power from the system. We turned on all the water system diesels, and that produced about 5 megawatts, and the Navy was able to supply 6 megawatts. Thats it, GPA legal counsel Graham Botha told the Public Utilities Commission during its meeting last week. We did that to avoid any (power rationing). Absolute emergency We only do that if its an absolute emergency, Botha said. The water system diesel (generators), those are portable units. If you run them non-stop, the next typhoon they wont work because theyre not designed to be a prime unit." I think its pretty obvious we have a system thats barely holding together at this point, said PUC Chairman Dr. Jeff Johnson. Until we get the new (Ukkudu) power plant running, were probably at risk of seeing load-shedding at almost any point. Load shedding is forced power rationing, when GPA cuts power to some areas if the demand is greater than the power supply. The new Ukkudu power plant, which is being built by Korea Electric Power Company, is not scheduled to start operating until April 2024. Until the 198-megawatt power plant is completed, GPA needs both Piti 8 and 9 and Cabras 1 and 2 to meet Guams peak load demand for energy, said PUC legal counsel Anthony Camacho. Peak demand According to GPA, Guams peak power demand, which happens daily between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., is expected to be about 248 megawatts, and total generating capacity is about 281 megawatts until Cabras 1 is repaired. None of the islands solar farms have battery storage, which means solar power is unavailable at night, when demand is highest. The 55-megawatt Cabras 1 generators boiler exploded at 6:10 a.m. Feb. 4, blowing out wall panels and insulation. No one was injured. According to Botha, workers are preparing to work round-the-clock to get the generator running by the end of April. $4.9M overhaul The PUC during last Thursdays meeting voted to approve GPAs request to spend $4.9 million to overhaul the Cabras 2 generator later this year, after Cabras 1 is working again. The Cabras 2 overhaul, which includes identifying and repairing any cracked turbine blades, is about two years overdue. Botha said the Cabras generators are so old there is no guarantee they wont break down, even after extensive maintenance. Parts no longer are available for the generators and have to be custom manufactured. Even after we do a $5 million or $6 million overhaul, what seems to happen, because the units are almost 50 years old three months later, four months later, the boiler is leaking. Its just never going to get better, he said. If we dont do it and theres a failure in one of the turbine blades, then it would be a very long period to repair. When Cabras 1 comes back up, we will work on Piti 8 and Piti 9, Botha said, in order to meet a court-ordered July 31 deadline to convert those generators to burn ultra-low-sulfur diesel. Once those are done, weve scheduled September for the Cabras 2 overhaul, which will take about 50 days, he said. ISLAMABAD, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said on Saturday that the United States attempted to topple the Pakistani government by sending threatening words and is now making false denial. "Has the U.S. government ever spoken the truth? It has always been telling lies to the world. It even lied to the UN about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but later the lies were exposed, showing that the U.S. spoke blatant lies to very prestigious senior officials of the UN," Mazari said in a video message. The official said that the Pakistani nation should know that all denials coming from the United States are a pack of lies. "The U.S. threatened regime change in Pakistan, targeted Prime Minister Imran Khan, and said that the United States will forgive Pakistan if it removed Khan as prime minister," the minister added. The minister said that the Pakistani prime minister was targeted because he took a stand against the United States and tried to make decisions on his own. Earlier on Friday, Khan said while addressing an event that the United States showed displeasure when he visited Russia, adding that as a sovereign country, Pakistan has the right to have an independent foreign policy without influence from anyone. The prime minister also mentioned that an official demarche has been made through official channels to the U.S. embassy in Pakistan. Haiti - 252nd of Alexandre Petion : Message from Nicolas Maduro President of Venezuela As part of the celebration of the 252nd birthday of Alexandre Sabes alias Alexandre Petion (born April 2, 1770 in Port-au-Prince), one of the Fathers of the Haitian Nation, the Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro Moros declared on his Twitter account : "I greet the people of Haiti, with great affection and gratitude, as we commemorate 252 years since the birth of Alexandre Petion, revolutionary leader and ally who collaborated with Father Bolivar in the struggle for independence. Petion's solidarity is present in America." Let's Recall that Alexandre Petion, was a soldier and politician who was President of Haiti between 1806 and 1818. In 1798, he joined the campaign for the liberation of the nascent Nation against England and Spain, which was completed in 1815. At this time he came into contact with the liberator Simon Bolivar, who had taken refuge in Jamaica during the most difficult moments of his libertarian action. Petion offered him arms, ships and soldiers to resume his struggles in Venezuela, under the promise of the future liberator to decree the abolition of slavery in America. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-36324-icihaiti-history-tribute-to-alexandre-petion-one-of-the-fathers-of-the-fatherland.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - La Gonave : Accelerated degradation of the environment of the island Ulrick Bain, the Departmental Director of West 2 of the Ministry of the Environment, at the head of a delegation, recently made aware the local authorities, community leaders and notables of the island of La Gonave around the accelerated degradation of the island environment. He insisted on the need to carry out reforestation activities and to prioritize environmental education in order to better address the environmental problems of Gonave. In his speech Ulrick Bain urged the participants not to give in to the whims of the environmental predators present on the island. Recalling that the destruction of mangroves on the coast and deforestation makes Gonaviens more vulnerable to natural hazards and especially to the adverse effects of climate change. Bain, called on the Gonavienne community to collaborate to facilitate the actions of the Ministry and invited the new local representative of the Ministry : Frltzner Eliassaint, to get to work quickly to meet the expectations of the community as desired by the Minister of the Environment. James Cadet HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Diaspora Covid-19 : Daily Bulletin #744 GLOBAL SITUATION 2019-2022: Epidemiological situation: Saturday April 2, 2022 the number of people infected worldwide with the Covid-19 coronavirus and its variants since the start of the pandemic (March 11, 2020) amounts to 491,123,271 cases (+970,401 in 24 hours ), the day before (+1,462,944) Number of infected countries: 225 *Healings: 425,894,273 people have been cured of Covid-19 worldwide (+1,048,218), the day before (+1,143,189) *Deaths: 6,174,819 people have died of Covid-19 worldwide since the start of the pandemic (+2,973 in 24 hours), the day before (+4,599) *Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries) in the world is currently 59,054,179 cases (+80,790 in 24 hours), the day before (+315,156) Average cure rate in the world: 86.71% (+) Average mortality rate in the world: 1.25% (=) World: Number of daily confirmed cases (Day-1) Vaccination: 11.37 billion doses of vaccine injected (+20 million doses injected in 24 hours. Update April 2, 2022 (latest data available). HAITI: Warning: The Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) did not make available after March 26, 2022 daily data on the Covid-19 situation in Haiti. Accordingly, the data below on the situation in Haiti is the latest available. According to the Ministry of Public Health, +16 new cases of Covid-19 and its variants have been confirmed in Haiti as of March 26, 2022 (latest partial data available ) for a total of 30,545 confirmed cases throughout the national territory (48.7% women and 51.3% men), since the first case (March 19, 2020 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html ). Previous update (+7 cases as of March 24, 2022). Healings: 28,431 (+162) Cure rate: 93.07% (+) Deaths: 833 deaths (+0) () Death rate: 2.72% (=) 5th Wave (Omicron Dominant): Total of the 5th wave (starting December 27, 2021) 4,551 confirmed cases and 67 deaths Screening since the start of the pandemic: 188,012 tests (+690 in 2 days) since March 19, 2020, latest data available. Note that the very small number of people screened every day at the national level out of a population estimated at 11.6 million citizens, does not statistically allow us to make a representative estimate of the situation in Haiti, which translates into a < B>number of daily confirmed cases largely underestimated. TOP 5 of the most affected municipalities in the West (2022): Delmas: 740 (+1); Petion-ville 624 (+3); Port-au-Prince 406 (+0); Tabarre 287 (+0); Cross-Bouquets 239 (+1) Confirmed cases by department (2022 / 2021 / 2020): West: 2022: 2,552 cases; (2021: 9.890); (2020: 6,945 cases) North: 2022: 267 cases; (2021: 664); (2020: 677 cases) Center: 2022: 226 cases; (2021: 1.001); (2020: 508 cases) Artibonitis: 2022: 184 cases; (2021: 855); (2020: 593 cases) Northeast: 2022: 148 cases; (2021: 404); (2020: 314 cases) Southeast: 2022: 262 cases; (2021: 768); (2020: 274 cases) South: 2022: 214 cases; (2021: 891); (2020: 262 cases) North West: 2022: 255 cases; (2021: 383); (2020: 229 cases) Grand'Anse: 2022: 173 cases; (2021: 861); (2020: 176 cases) Nippes: 2022: 39 cases; (2021: 249) (2020: 149 cases) Cumulative deaths by department (2022-2021): West: 295 deaths (2020: 104 deaths) North: 54 deaths (2020: 34 deaths) Center: 79 deaths (2020: 13 deaths) Artibonite: 42 deaths (2020: 39 deaths) North East: 7 deaths (2020: 6 deaths) South: 51 deaths (2020: 6 deaths) Southeast: 15 deaths (2020: 9 deaths) North West: 15 deaths (2020: 12 deaths) Grand'Anse: 7 deaths (2020: 13 deaths) Nippes: 27 deaths (2020: 5 deaths) Distribution of deaths by age (since the start of the epidemic): 0-9 years: 15 deaths 10-19 years: 10 deaths 20-29 years: 31 deaths 30-39 years: 56 deaths 40-49 years: 80 deaths 50-59 years: 134 deaths 60-69 years: 187 deaths 70-79 years: 183 deaths 80 years and over: 137 deaths Vaccination: 163,369 Haitians (1.4% of the population) +2,205 in 6 days have received a 1st dose of vaccine since July 16, 2021, date of the first injection through 149 open vaccination centers and 111,914 Haitians are fully vaccinated (2 doses, 0.96% of the population) +1.585 in 6 days. Update March 22, 2022 latest information available (source MSPP). List of the 149 Vaccination Centers open in Haiti (and hours) by department: (updated October 20, 2021, latest information available) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35051-haiti-covid-19-list-of-149-vaccination-centers-open-in-the-country.html DIASPORA: Epidemiological situation : USA: *Cases since the first case (February 29, 2020): 81,826,371 cases (+12,856 in 24 hours), the day before (+33,012) *Healings: 65,525,974 healings (+142,983), the day before (+146,151) National Cure Rate: 80.07% (+) *Deaths: 1,008,159 deaths (+170), the day before (+669) National death rate: 1.23% (=) *Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries): 15,292,238 (-130,297), yesterday (-113,808) USA: Number of daily confirmed cases: (Day-1) Vaccination: 561.21 million doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, the date of the first injection in the United States (+120,000 doses in 24 hours). Update April 2 (latest data available). DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Confirmed cases since March 1, 2020: 578,130 cases (+92 in 24 hours) the day before (+18 in 24 hours). First case (March 1, 2020) Healings: 573,590 healings (+66 in 24h), the day before (+79) National Cure Rate: 99.21% (=) Deaths: 4,375 deaths (+0), previous (+0) Death rate: 0.75% (=) Positivity rate over 4 epidemiological weeks: 0.88% (-) Active cases: (excluding deaths and recoveries) 165 cases (+26 in 24 hours) the day before (-61) Dominican Republic: Trend of active cases: (minus recoveries and deaths) (Day-1) TOP 5 Provinces with the most new cases in the last 24 hours: La Altagracia: +5 new cases in 24 hours () Santiago: +20 new cases in 24 hours (+) Santo Domingo: +8 new cases in 24 hours (+) Distrito Nacional: +6 new cases in 24 hours (+) Valverde: +1 new cases in 24 hours () Vaccination: 15.52 million doses of vaccine injected since February 16 2021, date of the first injection in the Dominican Republic (+10,000 doses injected in 24 hours). Update April 2, 2022 (latest data available). QUEBEC: Warning: Quebec health authorities no longer update data on the Covid situation on weekends. The figures below are therefore the latest available. Confirmed cases since the first case (February 27, 2020): 970,951 (+3,182 in 24 hours), previous (+3,319) Healings: 931,800 people (+2,084 in 24 hours) previous (+1,206) Cure rate: 95.96% (-) Deaths: 14,382 (+17 in 24h) previous (+12) Death rate: 1.48% (=) Active cases: (excluding death and recovery) 24,769 cases (+1,081 in 24 hours), previous (+2,101) Quebec: Trend of daily confirmed cases (average weekly trend) Vaccination: 18,669,587 doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, date of the first injection (+20,898 doses in 24 hours), latest data available - MSSS as of March 31, 2022) FRANCE: *Confirmed cases since the first case (January 24, 2020): 25,895,586 cases (+132,114 cases in 24 hours), previous (+148,629) *Healings: 23,371,669 healings (+60,354), previous (+72,170) National Cure Rate: 90.25% (-) Deaths: 142,475 (+68 in 24h), previous (+134) Death rate: 0.55% (=) Active Cases: 2,381,442 (+71,692), previous (+76,325) France: Number of daily confirmed cases (Day-1) Vaccination: 141.87 million doses of vaccine injected since December 27, 2020, date of the first injection in France (+30,000 doses injected in 24 hours. Update April 2, 2022 (latest data available) Previous bulletin: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36329-haiti-diaspora-covid-19-daily-bulletin-743.html See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30165-haiti-flash-first-case-of-covid-19-in-the-dominican-republic.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... New shop at Toussaint Louverture airport Association Touristique d'Haiti (ATH) congratulates Pascale Theard Creations (member of the ATH) for the opening of its shop at Toussaint Louverture airport. Jeremie without electricity for 2 months Jeremie has been without electricity for almost 2 months, the 3 new generators of 1.3 Mw each, are silent for lack of fuel. End of strike at the General Hospital, the union warns Although the strike is lifted at Hopital General https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36322-haiti-news-zapping.html Evelyne Fremont, President of the union warns "A consensus has been found in the short term, however the duration of the resumption of activities depends on the ability of the health authorities to respect the promises made during the various negotiations." Ten-Year Education and Training Plan 2020-2030 In the Ten-Year Education and Training Plan (PDEF) 2020-2030, it is planned to ensure an adequate sanitary and ecological environment and a quality school canteen in public schools. Ensuring support for the education of children outside school as well as that of adults is one of the objectives set out in the PDEF 2020-2030. Words of sympathy "Emmelie Prophete Milce Minister of Communication Haiti expresses her solidarity and sympathy with Mr. Camy J. Depas, Director General of the Institution, whose wife, Edith Depas, was murdered in their residence on Saturday April 2, 2022. The presumed assassin is a young man who worked for the DEPAS couple. He was apprehended by the police within an hour of the incident. May the Almighty comfort the family and help them through this difficult time." Combite for Peace Association The Association Combite for Peace ended its activities through a major Slam contest last week. For several months, this association trained 100 young people living in lower Delmas in community leadership, human rights, the culture of peace, civics, etc... Combite for Peace is one of 16 organizations that were selected to implement the Youth Empowerment and Accountability Activities/YEEA project. HL/ HaitiLibre BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhua) -- For anyone with a sense of humanity and some knowledge of history, it is sad to witness Russia and Ukraine, two independent countries boasting the same Slavic origin, drawn into a military conflict -- but not for politicians in Washington. As an ancient Chinese saying goes, for every injustice, there is a perpetrator; for every debt, there is a debtor. In the case of the Ukraine crisis, it is Washington who played the dual role as both the perpetrator who fomented the conflict, and the debtor who owed the victims justice and compensation. Deliberately sowing discord between Russia and Ukraine and maliciously driving the two countries into a corner of confrontation, some Washington elites are popping the champagne for skillfully maneuvering the calamity despite shelling and gunfire are ravaging the land of Ukraine. That is the reason as U.S. politicians fly back and forth across the Atlantic to rally allies and reinforce hostilities against Russia, they reveal little interest in acknowledging the root cause of or brokering a political solution to the tragedy in Ukraine. Containing Russia as a potential challenger to U.S. hegemony has never fallen off Washington's agenda. Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. has continuously pushed forward its military deployment eastward in disregard of Russia's legitimate security concerns and deployed offensive strategic weapons in Eastern Europe, repeatedly treading on Russia's red line. As a bid to kill with a borrowed knife, the United States went to all lengths to fool the Ukrainians into acting as a "bridgehead" for suppressing its neighbor in exchange for the acceptance of the West, which eventually turned out to be an empty promise, while refusing to provide security guarantees, planting the seeds of military conflict in Ukraine. Alas, has anyone ever imagined that the blind trust in Washington could cost the blood of tens of thousands? Behind the Ukraine crisis lies Washington's unspoken calculations on its own self-interests. The first, of course, is to maintain its decaying global hegemony. During the Cold War, the United States bent over backward to exaggerate the security threat of the Soviet Union to Western Europe, only to stoke the fear of Western European countries and corral them within Washington's orbit. With the end of the Cold War, the United States is desperate to find a new imaginary enemy to stitch together its increasingly fractured alliance and justify the existence of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a relic of the Cold War, all serving as guardrails for U.S. hegemony. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine fits well into such an agenda. The U.S. military complex is also poised to rake in enormous profits from the conflict. "There's not very much money to be made in diplomacy, usually," Erik Sperling, executive director of the anti-war group Just Foreign Policy, told Xinhua. Following the outbreak of the conflict, the White House unveiled a budget plan for the fiscal year 2023, calling for a boost in military spending. The plan totaling 5.8 trillion U.S. dollars includes 813.3 billion dollars for "national defense," with 773 billion allocated for the Defense Department. Since the start of the year, U.S. defense firms like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies have already seen their stock prices rocketing. With soaring energy prices and turbulence in the financial markets, people worldwide have more or less borne the brunt of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, except for the Washington elites who are actually cashing in. As most people mourn and grieve for the victims, the blood-shedding conflict stands as another testament to the fact that Washington is the world's main fuse of wars and the biggest source of turbulence. Only when the United States abandons its myth of hegemony and obsession with geopolitical competition, can the world see a glimmer of hope for lasting peace. Smart courts in China provide efficient, convenient judicial services online 13:25, April 03, 2022 By Li Jiabao ( People's Daily The construction of smart courts in China has picked up speed with the deep integration of blockchain, big data, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies into courts functions, giving people easier access to judicial services while enabling cases to be handled in a paperless manner. A judge with the peoples court of Nanxun district, Huzhou city, east Chinas Zhejiang province, conducts mediation online, March 2, 2022. (Photo by Zhang Bin/Peoples Daily Online) As smart court construction advances, online handling of cases becomes increasingly common in China. More and more people in the country can now have their disputes resolved through a computer, a mobile phone and a couple of apps without leaving their homes. They can file a lawsuit by logging in certain platforms on their mobile phones, attend court hearings remotely via videoconferencing, and receive electronic judgment documents. Recently, the court of Tuanlin township under the peoples court of Poyang county, east Chinas Jiangxi province, resolved a labor dispute over wage arrears efficiently online. Because the plaintiff and defendant were in two different provinces, the judges presiding over the case moved the court online with both parties consent. After entering information about the case into the online mediation platform of the peoples court, the judges mediated their dispute remotely and helped them reach agreement, and later uploaded the mediation agreement on to the diversified dispute resolution platform of the peoples court for the plaintiffs and defendants signature. Then they sent the signed electronic agreement to the two parties. The entire mediation process was completed in less than one day. Throughout the process, the plaintiff and defendant completed relevant procedures through their mobile phones, which, according to them, was really convenient and fast. At present, courts in a large part of China allow online case filing, submission of materials, application for reading case files and court hearings, which greatly benefits judges, lawyers and litigants. In offline trials, digital technologies are also of great help. For example, courts in Shanghai and other places have adopted blockchain technology to record or videotape court hearings and thus no longer need to print paper court records. In addition, apps, online platforms and other forms of mobile court functions are also improving. As COVID-19 infections continue to rise around the world, the importance of smart courts has become more prominent. Online case filing and handling has not only effectively safeguarded peoples safety amid the pandemic, but demonstrated humanistic care in judicial services. Last year, more than 11.4 million cases were filed online and nearly 1.28 million hearings were held online in China, according to a report on the work of the Supreme Peoples Court of China (SPC). A total of 1.71 billion pieces of evidence were stored on the judicial blockchain, with notable effects on verification and tamper-proofing during the service and storage of electronic evidence; 220 big data reports on economic and social development were formed in Chinese courtrooms, which proved that data-assisted decision-making in the courts can help with social governance; knowledge-as-a-service platforms covering business scenarios such as similar case push notification, credit evaluation and trial supervision provided services for Chinese courts for 140 million times, the report said. In recent years, the construction of relevant systems and platforms for smart courts has gathered pace in China. After registering and logging on a WeChat mini-program launched by the SPC, people can find the lawsuits they are involved in and choose a court for online mediation and litigation. The platform integrates Chinas general litigation services and functions including mediation, case filing, case file access, service of legal papers, attachment and authentication with the characteristic services and functions of local peoples courts and is able to meet peoples needs for one-stop online judicial services. A judge with the peoples court of Weidu district, Xuchang city, central Chinas Henan province, hears a civil case via a video conference with agents and litigants, January 2022. (Photo/Official Weibo account of Henan High Peoples Court) Since 2021, three sets of rules released by the SPC on online litigation, mediation and functioning of the peoples courts, respectively, have been officially implemented. The three sets of rules, which focus on different aspects and coordinate with and complement each other, have formed a trinity system of rules, and are expected to help gradually establish a system of rules on Internet-based judicial services to provide judicial guarantee for digital transformation in the economy and society. Chinas Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives through the Year 2035 noted that the country will strengthen smart court construction. A national meeting attended by presidents of the high peoples courts held in January made arrangements for the work of the peoples courts in 2022, requiring the peoples courts to apply the online trial mechanism reasonably and accurately to protect the parties rights to choose and to know. It called on the peoples courts to resolutely abandon the wrong idea that online trial equals simplified trial and ensured that online litigation reduces costs without compromising on quality and improves efficiency without undermining litigants rights. A staff member with the peoples court of Tonghua county, northeast Chinas Jilin province, helps a citizen use litigation service multi-purpose terminal, March 2022. (Photo/chinapeace.gov.cn/) The peoples courts in China will promote the application of emerging technologies such as 5G, blockchain, and AI to provide intelligent, integrated, and collaborative services for judges and the people. They will also strictly delineate boundaries for technologies and ensure data security so that judicial impartiality and neutrality will not be impaired because of excessive intervention of technologies. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) KIEV, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The draft agreements that were discussed during the meeting in Istanbul this week are now ready for discussion by the presidents of Ukraine and Russia, head of the Ukrainian delegation David Arakhamia said Saturday. The draft has been "developed enough to conduct direct consultations between the two leaders of the countries," Arakhamia was quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency as saying. "Our task is to prepare the final stage not of the document itself, but of those issues that we touched upon, and to prepare the future meeting of the presidents," he said. Ukraine's government-run Ukrinform news agency confirmed on Friday that the two sides have started the next round of peace talks via video, citing a member of the Ukrainian delegation Mykhailo Podolyak. Russia and Ukraine held their latest round of face-to-face peace talks in Turkey's Istanbul on Tuesday, which lasted for about three hours. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic casts his ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0500-1800 GMT) on Sunday, some 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 8,255 polling stations in Serbia and abroad, choosing from eight presidential candidates and 19 political parties or coalitions for the parliament. Additionally, people are voting to choose the leadership of the capital of Belgrade, the City of Bor, and 12 more municipalities. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) BELGRADE, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Voters cast ballots in polling stations in Serbia for presidential, parliamentary and local elections on Sunday, which could give current President Aleksandar Vucic a second term. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0500-1800 GMT) on Sunday, some 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 8,255 polling stations in Serbia and abroad, choosing from eight presidential candidates and 19 political parties or coalitions for the parliament. Additionally, people are voting to choose the leadership of the capital of Belgrade, the City of Bor, and 12 more municipalities. The winner of the presidential elections needs to gather more than 50 percent of the votes, or otherwise defeat the second-ranked candidate in the second round of voting. The threshold for political parties and coalitions to enter the parliament is 3 percent. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic casts his ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0500-1800 GMT) on Sunday, some 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 8,255 polling stations in Serbia and abroad, choosing from eight presidential candidates and 19 political parties or coalitions for the parliament. Additionally, people are voting to choose the leadership of the capital of Belgrade, the City of Bor, and 12 more municipalities. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) Voters wait to cast ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0500-1800 GMT) on Sunday, some 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 8,255 polling stations in Serbia and abroad, choosing from eight presidential candidates and 19 political parties or coalitions for the parliament. Additionally, people are voting to choose the leadership of the capital of Belgrade, the City of Bor, and 12 more municipalities. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) A voter casts ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0500-1800 GMT) on Sunday, some 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 8,255 polling stations in Serbia and abroad, choosing from eight presidential candidates and 19 political parties or coalitions for the parliament. Additionally, people are voting to choose the leadership of the capital of Belgrade, the City of Bor, and 12 more municipalities. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic casts his ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0500-1800 GMT) on Sunday, some 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 8,255 polling stations in Serbia and abroad, choosing from eight presidential candidates and 19 political parties or coalitions for the parliament. Additionally, people are voting to choose the leadership of the capital of Belgrade, the City of Bor, and 12 more municipalities. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) A voter casts ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0500-1800 GMT) on Sunday, some 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 8,255 polling stations in Serbia and abroad, choosing from eight presidential candidates and 19 political parties or coalitions for the parliament. Additionally, people are voting to choose the leadership of the capital of Belgrade, the City of Bor, and 12 more municipalities. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic casts his ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0500-1800 GMT) on Sunday, some 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 8,255 polling stations in Serbia and abroad, choosing from eight presidential candidates and 19 political parties or coalitions for the parliament. Additionally, people are voting to choose the leadership of the capital of Belgrade, the City of Bor, and 12 more municipalities. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) A voter casts ballots at a polling station for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, April 3, 2022. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0500-1800 GMT) on Sunday, some 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 8,255 polling stations in Serbia and abroad, choosing from eight presidential candidates and 19 political parties or coalitions for the parliament. Additionally, people are voting to choose the leadership of the capital of Belgrade, the City of Bor, and 12 more municipalities. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) Weekend leisure pricing power, a strong uptick in transient demand, and the gradual rebound of business travel these are some of the trends that hospitalitys ownership group leaders have been taking note of. HSMAI recently gathered insights from leaders at Apple Hospitality REIT, Ashford, BRE Hotels and Resorts, Noble, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, Summit Hotel Properties, and Abu Dhabi National Hotels during its Ownership Group Commercial Executive Roundtable. One key area the group discussed was the gradual return of business travel. Source: HSMAI The business travel were seeing is still small- to mid-sized businesses, one roundtable participant shared. Its not necessarily the larger businesses, which may have more restrictions in place than the smaller companies. Were also seeing that corporate business isnt just booking through the GDS, it isnt just booking into the negotiated segment, another group member added. Its booking retail, discount, OTA. We are always asked about commercial versus leisure travel, and its hard to make assumptions on where that business is booking. The combination of business and leisure (aka bleisure) travel, the group agreed, has also made an impact. As one leader states, There is definitely a bleisure bleed, and I think thats whats boosting the performance of those shoulder nights. Historically, those Sundays and Thursdays were the weakest, but fortunately, were seeing a bit more demand. When it comes to monitoring the return of the corporate segments, the group said theyre watching the following: Kastle reporting GDS volume against historical averages A360 and D360 trends Brand pace information Press releases and Google keyword search volume by market Another key area the ownership group leaders talked about was talent. Availability of qualified candidates in the industry and company culture were rated the top two challenges facing commercial talent in hospitality. Compensation and benefits as well as a lack of clear career path and growth options followed closely behind. Despite these challenges, everyone is working to create opportunities to build (or rebuild) their teams and continue to strive toward growth. They identified various best practices related to developing, retaining, and attracting commercial talent in their portfolio. Developing Talent Ensuring participation in calls and attendance at property visits Dedicating time to work with team members who show an aptitude and desire to learn more about the discipline Training, cross-training, and providing additional exposure to commercial Engaging with and bringing strong supervisory-level associates into owner revenue/sales-focused meetings Getting to know team members and their goals, and identifying what drives them Retaining Talent Making sure team members have all the support they need, specifically those who have been doing more with less over the past two years Fostering a strong company culture and ensuring full staffing to reduce overworking Leveraging technology where new employees cant be added Providing a flexible work environment and ensuring fair compensation Spending more time listening to commercial leaders challenges and desires, and helping them prioritize their tasks Attracting Talent Proving value to attract the rockstars weve worked with in the past Maximizing on trust to re-attract talent. We are finding that the character and reputation prior to the pandemic is paying dividends. Pitching company culture and benefits Promoting from within across the portfolio, even if it crosses management companies Maintaining good relationships with past DORMs View source This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate For six years, Hope Farms has shown that the words urban and farm are not mutually exclusive. Located in the Sunnyside neighborhood, 10 miles south of Houston City Hall, the seven-acre farm embraces the ethos of acting locally, growing fresh, affordable, organically grown produce that is otherwise hard to obtain in an area known as food desert. It serves thousands of customers at its weekly market, dozens of families receiving weekly deliveries, and several Houston-area restaurants featuring farm-to-table fare Now, Hope Farms is taking another step in lightening its environmental footprint, and it hopes, setting an example for others to do the same. The farm has developed a rainwater collection system that will capture, treat and store up to 95,000 gallons a year to irrigate crops, wash produce and even help attract local wildlife. The farm relies on a well for its water, and the rainwater-collection system will reduce the stress on the groundwater. In addition, the farm will soon install a solar energy and storage system to help power operations as it works to cut the greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing and transporting food. The system should supply enough power to provide all the farms electricity. We feel we have an opportunity here at Hope Farms to demonstrate best practices in not only having a zero-carbon footprint, but maybe even turning the dial back the other way and maybe even being ecologically positive, said Gracie Cavnar, founder and CEO of Recipe for Success Foundation, the nonprofit that operates Hope Farms. Promoting sustainable agriculture Cavnar founded the Recipe for Success Foundation 17 years ago as a vehicle for promoting healthy eating habits and combatting childhood obesity through programs such as the VegOut! Challenge, Farmers MarKIDS and Eat It! Food Adventures. In 2016, the foundation broke ground on Hope Farms at the former site of Houston ISDs Carnegie Vanguard School. Hope Farms goal is to demonstrate that sustainable urban farming is an economically viable alternative to the modern food-distribution system, which transports food over long distances, often thousands of miles. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought home to the consumer the fragility of these long, global supply chains, Cavnar said. The farm has more than two acres of ground under cultivation. A large barn-like building provides the space for participants in the farms various programs, as well vegetable processing operations and storage. On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston company that delivers fresh greens, grown in a warehouse, to Whole Foods scores $50M investment In addition to its weekly markets and subscription food deliveries, Hope Farms programs include cooking classes, educational programs and a small business incubator to launch urban agriculture entrepreneurs. Were sitting in Sunnyside, which is one of the citys largest food deserts, Cavnar said. Were growing healthy food and were putting it in peoples hands. Water collection system The water-collection system was born of the farms philosophy of mitigating the adverse environmental impacts of development, while relying on local resources. Cavnar said the construction of the gathering barn presented a dilemma for the farm on how to handle the runoff water from the buildings roof. After every rain we were dealing with thousands of gallons of water on our site that was an impediment to a smooth operation and really needed to go somewhere, she said. We felt that it would be most productive if we could redirect it into serving our actual water needs. The rainwater-collection project was funded with part of a $128,000 grant the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club, a nonprofit program that funds sustainable projects. The Sun Club is an affiliate of retail electricity provider Green Mountain Energy, whose parent company is the Houston power company NRG. Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox Hope Farms applied $55,000 of those funds to build the rainwater collection system. The rest of the money will go to a rooftop solar system and Tesla battery installation that can generate and store enough electricity to meet all the farms power needs, said Stacy Mehlhoff, executive director of Green Mountain Sun Club. The water-collection system was designed and built by Stirling Electric & Irrigation, a Houston company that worked on the farms irrigation system. Designing the system began with estimating how much water the farm would use for hygiene, cooking and irrigation. Bryan Daniel, Stirling Electrics director, figured the farms water consumption at between 1,000 and 1,250 gallons a week. From there, he determined that the best place to collect that volume of rainwater was on the roof of the barn, which has a surface area of 3,600 square feet, about the size of a medium-size commercial business roof. Stirling designed a system of gutters, protected by leaf guards, on both sides of the barn. For the piping, Stirling used schedule-40 PVC pipe, designed for low water-pressure systems. With the two, 2,500 storage tanks about 70 feet away from the barn, Stirling designed a system that employed underground piping and a pump to bring the water up to the level of the storage tanks. For exposed segments of the pipeline, the company used a dark-colored material since exposure to sunlight could encourage the growth of algae in the water. As the water is drawn from the storage tanks, it goes through a three-stage filter system, including a carbon filter, which removes contaminants. The water then is passed through an ultraviolet light that kills mold, viruses and bacteria, and leaves the system as 100 percent potable. The water will then be used by the farms kitchens, bathrooms, processing areas and irrigation system. Based on the Houstons average annual rainfall of about of 50 inches per year, and the storage capacity of 5,000 gallons, the water-collection system is capable of capturing about 95,000 gallon per year, or enough to fill about 20 tanker trucks. Any overflow will be collected in a catchment pond on the south side of the farm, helping to simulate the conditions of a wetland and attract wildlife. Crowdsourcing sustainability Backers of the water-collection system hope that by showcasing the project to the public, the farm will encourage individuals to take action to increase the level of sustainability in their own homes. On HoustonChronicle.com: Chance for farm living draws residents to community Daniel said the type of water-collection system used by Hope Farms is similar to systems used by many homes and small businesses. But since it involves transporting water away from the collection point, the farms system is more sophisticated and expensive than what a homeowner or business owner would need. A typical home system would comprise a gutter, downspout and collection tank, Daniel said. Our favorite part of this is that people can get inspired by seeing something on a larger scale, and they can take small actions at home, said Mehlhoff, of the Green Mountain Sun Club. All these little things can add up to big things. Cavnar said the installation of the water-collection system, along with the proposed solar energy and battery storage system, are all part of the Recipe for Success Foundations mission of promoting healthy eating habits and using renewable resource. Part of that mission includes training people to pursue urban farming as a career to shorten the distance that food travels from field to plate, not only providing fresher food, but also cutting the greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation. Cavnar said to date the farm has graduated 19 people in its urban agriculture program and by August will have graduated 30 people. About half of the programs graduates have taken up urban agriculture as full- or part-time careers. One graduate, Stephan Cooke, runs the city of San Antonios urban farm. Another, Steven Devault, is using what he learned to grow vegetables that he uses for a line of artisan pickles called Jessicas Pickles. A third, Larry Hardman, uses the expertise he acquired at the farm to grow food for his farm-to-table restaurant, Hardman Family Farm in Houston. The farms programs, Cavnar said, are teaching our next generation of professional farmers to harness the power of nature to do what they do. April 7 Ribbon cutting: Anchor Bend Church The Central Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 7, at Anchor Bend Church, 1400 FM 2218 in Richmond. All Central Fort Bend Chamber Ribbon Cuttings are free and open to the public. Light bites will be provided at each event. For more information on the Central Fort Bend Chamber, membership information or to view our calendar of events, visit www.cfbca.org or call the office at 281-342-5464. April 8 Ribbon cutting: RE/MAX Traditions The Central Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. Friday, April 8, at RE/MAX Traditions, 306 Morton St. in Richmond. All Central Fort Bend Chamber Ribbon Cuttings are free and open to the public. Light bites will be provided at each event. For more information on the Central Fort Bend Chamber, membership information or to view our calendar of events, visit www.cfbca.org or call the office at 281-342-5464. Ribbon cutting: Mighty Moose The Central Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting at 3 p.m. Friday, April 8, at Mighty Moose, 6007 FM 2218 in Richmond. All Central Fort Bend Chamber Ribbon Cuttings are free and open to the public. Light bites will be provided at each event. For more information on the Central Fort Bend Chamber, membership information or to view our calendar of events, visit www.cfbca.org or call the office at 281-342-5464. April 8-11 Kids in Charge WonderWeek What happens when kids run the show? Almost anything is possible at the Fort Bend Children Discovery Center at 198 Kempner St. in Sugar Land. Ongoing activities include Painting with Toys from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. through April 9; Car of the Future: Design the 3D paper car of your dreams from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through April 9; Build a clothespin car from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 9; and Magical Molecules: Explore the vacuum of outer space using a vacuum chamber from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 5-16. For more information go to www.childrensdiscoveryfb.org. April 9 Rosenbergs Easter Egg Hunt Hop on over to Seabourne Creek Nature Park on Saturday, April 9, for a chance to meet the Easter Bunny during the City of Rosenbergs Annual Easter Egg Hunt. The event is free and open to the public and will start promptly at 10 a.m. The park is located at 3831 Hwy 36 S, Rosenberg, TX 77471. Children ages 12 and younger should arrive in plenty of time for the not-so-traditional egg scramble where kids try to quickly collect as many of the 10,000 eggs as possible. The scramble is organized by age groups of 3 and under, 4 to 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12. To participate, children should be at the scramble area for their age group by 9:55 a.m. For more information about the Easter Egg Hunt, visit https://tinyurl.com/yrxbemtv, call at 832-595-3520 or email civiccenter@rosenbergtx.gov. Indian Music Society of Houston The Indian Music Society of Houston presents a unique Tabla drumming concert by students of Guru Pandit Shantilal Shah at the Fort Bend Children Discovery Center at 198 Kempner St. in Sugar Land. Youre invited to watch an exhilarating performance and move to the beat of the drums. The event is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9. For more information go to www.childrensdiscoveryfb.org. April 12 Rosenberg Candidate Forum The Central Fort Bend Chamber is set to host a city of Rosenberg Candidate Forum on Tuesday, April 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Rosenberg Civic Center at 3825 Highway 36 in Rosenberg. This is a free event and open to the public. During the forum, Mayoral and City Council candidates will be asked to introduce themselves, discuss their credentials for office, reasons for running and their platform. This moderator run forum will consist of prepared questions followed by questions from the audience, if time permits. For more information on the Central Fort Bend Chamber upcoming events, membership information or to view our calendar, visit www.cfbca.org or call the office at 281-342-5464. April 16 Some Bunny to Love Hop on out to the Fort Bend Children Discovery Center to meet the famous Easter Bunny from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 16, at 198 Kempner St. in Sugar Land. Date and times are subject to change. For more information go to www.childrensdiscoveryfb.org. April 18 Richmond City Commission The city of Richmond will hold its regular commission meeting on Monday, April 18, at 4:30 p.m. at the City Hall Annex located at 600 Morton St. in Richmond. For questions, contact City Manager Terri Vela at tvela@richmondtx.gov or 281-342-5456. Missouri City City Council The regular meeting of the Missouri City City Council is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, April 18, in the City Hall, Council Chamber at 1522 Texas Parkway. For more information go to www.missouricitytx.gov. Livestock Coalition Meeting If you enjoy livestock and livestock related events then Fort Bend County 4-H would love for you to join our Livestock Coalition. If interested or for more information contact the Fort Bend Extension Office at (281) 342-3034 or email at fortbend4h@ag.tamu.edu. Meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Fort Bend County Extension Office 1402 Band Road, Rosenberg, TX 77471. April 19 Sugar Land City Council The Sugar Land City Council is scheduled to meet for its regular session at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, at Sugar Land City Hall, 2700 Town Center Blvd. N. For more information go to www.sugarlandtx.gov. Rosenberg City Council The Rosenberg City Council is scheduled to meet for its regular session at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, at Rosenberg City Hall, 2110 4th St. Council meetings may be viewed live on YouTube, the city of Rosenberg website, or by Rosenberg Comcast customers on channel 16. For more information go to www.rosenbergtx.gov. April 19 April Vet Science Meeting Come join Fort Bend County 4-H for their monthly Vet Science Club Meeting. This meeting is open to youth of all ages. Register to attend at https://tinyurl.com/4yrd2nuh. Meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the Fort Bend County Extension Office at 1402 Band Road, Rosenberg, TX 77471. Ribbon cutting: Holiday Inn Express The Central Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting at at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 19, at Holiday Inn Express, 1720 Spacek Road in Rosenberg. All Central Fort Bend Chamber Ribbon Cuttings are free and open to the public. Light bites will be provided at each event. For more information on the Central Fort Bend Chamber, membership information or to view our calendar of events, visit www.cfbca.org or call the office at 281-342-5464. April 21 4-H Youth Leadership Team The Fort Bend County 4-H Youth Leadership Team invite you to its monthly meeting virtually at 6:30 p.m. This meeting is open to youth of all ages. Register to attend at https://tinyurl.com/2e8fuf5s. May 1 Carbon Fee & Dividend: Whats Justice Got to Do with It? Members of Citizens Climate Lobby explain the ins and outs of carbon fee and dividend as an economic policy tool to address climate change at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 1, in this online event. Learn about the positive impact not only on the environment, but also on jobs, the economy, and human health. And, carbon fee & dividend has been deemed by economists as the fastest way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of any economic policy approach. But, best of all, carbon fee & dividend is designed to ensure equity and justice, a key concern of people of all faith/spiritual traditions. Register at https://tinyurl.com/4wrayura. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com for more details. May 14 May 14 Outdoor Skills Day Program is open to all youth in grades 3rd thru 12th from 7:45 AM 4:00 PM, with activates including first aid, fishing, wildlife id and much more. Cost is $25.00 per family of two with an additional $5.00 for each additional youth, and is limited to 30 youth participants. Adults/volunteers are encouraged to stay and assist. Registration closes May 6 at 11:59 PM can be found at https://agrilife.org/ftbend4h/beyond-the-project/workshops-clinics-camps/ June 14th, June 30th, July 12th, and July 28th Maker Station Summer Camps - The Maker Station Camps will focus on creating something from nothing. Campers will create, plan, and build and so much more. The camp is open to 3rd -8th grade students from 8:30am -3:30pm at the Fort Bend County Education Center. The cost $75.00 per camp which includes daily snacks. Campers should bring a packed lunch daily. For more information and to register visit https://agrilife.org/ftbend4h/beyond-the-project/workshops-clinics-camps/ July 18th-July 22nd - Come join us for Earth Kids Kind Kamp! We will be exploring entomology, wildlife, nature and much more. The camp is open to 3rd -5th grade students from 9:00am -2:00pm at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds. The cost $80 which includes daily snacks and camp t-shirt. Campers should bring a packed lunch daily. For more information contact Angela Romans (angela.bosier@ag.tamu.edu or (281)342-3034. BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Russia-Ukraine conflict continued on Sunday, as draft documents discussed during the meeting in Istanbul this week are now ready for discussion by the presidents of Ukraine and Russia. Following are the latest developments of the situation: The draft has been "developed enough to conduct direct consultations between the two leaders of the countries," said head of the Ukrainian delegation David Arakhamia, as quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Ukraine's government-run Ukrinform news agency confirmed on Friday that the two sides have started the next round of peace talks via video, citing a member of the Ukrainian delegation Mykhailo Podolyak. - - - - Ukraine has regained control of the "whole Kiev region," Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Maliar said on Facebook on Saturday. Ukraine has retaken "Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kiev region," said Maliar. The Russian military continues to carry out systematic missile and airstrikes on targets in Ukraine, but the intensity has decreased, said the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Additional units of the Russian military are preparing to participate in combat in Ukraine, it added. - - - - Explosions rocked Ukraine's southern Black Sea port city of Odesa early Sunday as the city came under an airstrike, the Operation Command South, a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in southern Ukraine, said on Facebook. The attacks hit the city's infrastructure. Some of the missiles were intercepted by the air defense. According to preliminary data, there were no reports of casualties from the strikes. Smoke has been rising in various districts of the city. - - - - Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed an oil refinery and three storage facilities for fuel and lubricants near Ukraine's Odessa with high-precision sea- and air-based missiles. The facilities supply fuel to a group of Ukrainian troops in the Mykolaiv direction, Konashenkov said Sunday during a briefing. A Precinct 7 constable deputy died Saturday when a suspected drunken driver in an F-550 that she was waiting on slammed into the back of her patrol SUV in southwest Houston, trapping her in fiery wreckage, authorities said. The deputy had been parked around 6 p.m. on the side of the Sam Houston Parkway, waiting for that specific driver whom dispatch had been alerted was approaching following a separate crash when the vehicle hit her, officials said. Her patrol SUV veered down the road from the impact and burst into flames. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Margarita Torres held her chin high and gaze solemn through a three-hour ceremony to honor her son, but when the rifles saluted and Silver Taps notes played Saturday, her face began to soft. The 87-year-old's eyes couldnt hold back tears anymore as she watched the unveiling of a tall marker in memory of her son, Jose Joe Campos Torres, just days shy of the 45th anniversary of his brutal death at the hands of Houston Police officers. Long the advocate for justice in her only sons case, Torres didnt need to speak during the dedication ceremony. During an emotional moment, the crowd of roughly 1,000 stood and chanted I am Campos Torres. On HoustonChronicle.com: 'I can hate no more': Mother of Joe Campos Torres breaks decades of silence This memorial does not undo the pain; it does not take away what happened, said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. This place is a reminder that an injustice done to one is an injustice done to all. Forty five years is too late to offer an acknowledgment and an apology. But until it is done not only cant the Torres family heal, not only cant the Hispanic community move forward, but the city itself cannot heal until all of the parts that make this family together move forward. The memorial area includes a small downtown park named Joe Campos Torres Plaza at the foot of Austin Street, and the surrounding Joe Campos Torres Trail along a segment of the Buffalo Bayou trail extension. The Texas A&M Mariachi Aggie Land and the Houston Police Department Honor Guard performed. Relatives were overwhelmed to finally have a bit of closure and justice, said Richard Molina, a nephew of Campos Torres who has worked for about a decade with his mother Janie Torres to keep the memory of the veteran alive with marches and events. We saw and experienced the negative effects that my mother and my grandmother and my family had to live through the injustice and pain, he said. We grew up feeling like we had to do something and fight back against police brutality. Related: Houston commemorates historic case of police brutality Turner announced the plan to dedicate the plaza in December, after he and Houston Police Chief Troy Finner finally issued an official apology to the family for the murder of the 23-year-old Latino. Finner received an effusive ovation when he talked to Margarita from the podium Saturday, calling her Mama Torres. Today is about you and this entire family, because how many sleepless nights, how many crying nights have you experienced in 45 years?, he told her. More than 20 politicians and leaders were at the event, including U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia and Sheila Jackson Lee, Sen. Carol Alvarado, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, and Houston councilmembers Karla Cisneros and Robert Gallegos. Ruben Bonilla, retired president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest national Latino organization, said the Torres case happened at a time in history when racial tensions were rampant in the city. They called Torres wet back, demeaning him even though he was a Mexican American, a citizen, he said. Joe Torres never had a chance for survival once police officers labeled him as a non-entity as a non-person; they resented his very human being existence. Torres went out drinking on the night of May 5, 1977, at Club 21, a now-closed neighborhood bar on Canal and North Burr streets near his home in a poor East End barrio. Police were called to the bar for a public disturbance, where Campos Torres was reportedly involved in a quarrel with two customers and then a scuffle with the bar manager. Six police patrol cars arrived and Torres was arrested. Instead of driving him to jail, six officers took him to a hidden platform on the Buffalo Bayou south shore, known as The Hole, in downtown Houston near Commerce and Austin streets Court documents and reports say that five of the six officers congregated at The Hole and brutally beat Torres while he was handcuffed and intoxicated, dressed in his veterans fatigue pants and combat boots. Only one of them didnt partake in the beating, 20-year-old rookie Carless Elliott, who reported the abuse to the police command and later served as a key witness in court. He testified that the beating lasted about five minutes. They drove Campos Torres then to the jail around 1:15 a.m. on May 6, where the sergeant in charge refused to book him and ordered the officer to take the prisoner to Ben Taub Hospital for treatment. Instead, one of the officers, custodial Stephen Orlando, arranged a regrouping at The Hole, where they continued to beat the detainee. Lets see if the wetback can swim, Officer Terry Denson reportedly said, before pushing Torres off the platform and into the bayous swirling waters 20 feet below. Torres was found floating on the Bayou three days later, on Mothers Day. A Harris County grand jury indicted Denson and Orlando on felony murder charges. The defendants were successful in their request to move the trial to Walker County in Huntsville, around 70 miles north of Houston. They were ultimately convicted in state court of a misdemeanor, negligent homicide, and received one-year probation and a $1 fine. The Justice Department then brought civil rights charges against Denson, Orlando and a third officer, Joseph Janish. They were all convicted and sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ross Sterling to a year and a day in prison for civil rights violations. Torres' case led to civil rights protests in Houston that eventually sparked reform inside the police department. On HoustonChronicle.com: Renowned architecture firm designs $6M memorial for Joe Campos Torres, killed by Houston police in 1977 Torress case triggered numerous protests in Houston, where the police department had a reputation for brutality and racism against Hispanic and Black people. People at the Saturdays ceremony called the memorial designation a significant step toward justice. Its somehow a closure for people like me who grew in this city, upset about the abuse they did to Torres and other people who look like me, Houston resident Ernest Hernandez said. Other people thought the memorial has an importance beyond the Torres case. It really is a rallying cry for the Latino community, said Gilbert Garcia, managing partner of Garcia Hamilton and Associates. We don't really have enough events in history that have gotten attention. Garcia and Gracie Saenz, a LULAC member and former City Council member, presented the first Joe Campos Torres Scholarship, a check of $15,000 given to one of Torres nephew, 17-year-old Shawn Carrion, who is finishing high school and says he wants to study geology. The scholarship is funded by Garcia. I really think this is going to do wonders to be a place for people to reflect on the Latino community history and social justice as they walk along this beautiful area, said Garcia. No matter how dark it may have been, we want to shine sunlight on it now and bring some type of closure for the family. This will hopefully be a bridge for all communities. The event closed with Grammy winner Little Joe singing America the Beautiful. olivia.tallet@chron.com Twitter.com/oliviaptallet The most powerful people on the planet havent brought Cristina Vadells dad back. Shes tried two U.S. presidents, the Vatican, the United Nations and one of the worlds largest energy companies. Yet her father, Tomeu, remains behind bars in Venezuela with other high-ranking Citgo employees-turned-hostages, more than four years after they were arrested by the Maduro government. Their best hope came last month, when one of the so-called Citgo 6 was allowed to return home to Katy as the U.S. renewed talks with the oil-rich country after years of sanctions and tension. The negotiations resumed as American officials sought new fuel sources after Russias invasion of Ukraine tightened global supplies and sent energy prices soaring. Vadell says it shouldnt take a distant war and the threat of pricier fuel to bring home Americans held captive. After 1,600 days without her dad, she and other Citgo 6 relatives want the U.S. to reconsider its hardline policies for hostage negotiations, and for everyday Americans to mind their roles in our increasingly divisive politics, which they say has created gridlock thats left their loved ones and countless more innocent Americans in cells overseas. If it was their father, son or loved one, they would not have let this happen, she said. On HoustonChronicle.com: 'Citgo 6' member from Katy released after years in Venezuelan prison Tomeu Vadell was one of six executives of Houston-based Citgo lured to Caracas in 2017 for what they were told was a routine business meeting for PDVSA, the state-owned Venezuelan oil company of which Citgo is a subsidiary. The country was at the time facing an economic collapse, political violence and state crackdowns at the direction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who has violently maintained power since the death of Hugo Chavez in 2013. Alexandra Zambrano Forseth said she was among many who voiced concerns about her father, Alirio Zambrano, suddenly being summoned, but he just said, What can I do? I have to go. Her uncle, Jose Luis Zambrano, also was requested at the meeting. Her dad expected to be back in Corpus Christi for Thanksgiving and his fathers birthday party. But a few days after landing in Caracas, the group nearly all Texas residents and dual citizens were taken to a meeting room, where they were arrested by masked men with rifles and accused of conspiring to sell off $4 billion in Citgo bonds for their own personal gain. On HoustonChronicle.com: Racial justice donations soared after George Floyds murder so why can't many groups find funding? The men pleaded innocent, but were sentenced to prison terms of at least eight years, stints that have all but cut them off from their families as they survive on food and water their loved ones arrange to have delivered. Its felt like being in purgatory forever, Forseth said. You have to know somebody Since then, the mens families and friends have spent countless hours trying to prove their innocence. They say the Venezuelan government captured the men to use as bargaining chips in future negotiations with the U.S. When she heard of her fathers arrest in 2017, Forseth tapped her vast, well-connected network of Rice University professors and alumni to raise alarm. Shes pressured officials in Washington and courted the United Nations and the Roman Catholic Church for help. Shes written op-eds, had an indirect line to the Trump and Biden administrations and has connected with other leaders, spending immeasurable hours and energy cultivating relationships with them just to see her dad again. Its absolutely necessary, because that's how things get done in this country you have to know somebody or be wealthy, she said. And it's just like, wow, this is not the illusion of democracy were taught in school. She is not alone in her despair. Families of American hostages have for decades said the U.S. government has left them in the dark about the status of their loved ones, many of whom are unknown to the public. Deepening political divisions in the U.S. have only added to the problem, deterring politicians from making deals with groups or nations that could be weaponized against them during their next campaign, experts say. There used to be a day when we, as Americans, said we never leave anybody behind, said Mickey Bergman, vice president and executive director of the Richardson Center for Global Engagement. But we are no longer doing everything possible to bring them back home. And part of it is a political calculation. Bergman is among experts who say its time for the U.S. to rethink its longstanding no concessions policy in negotiations for American hostages, a policy that was thought to deter kidnapping. On HoustonChronicle.com: Strong energy sector keeps job growth in Texas, Houston strong through February Research, however, indicates thats not true. In two studies conducted 40 years apart, the Rand Corp. found that kidnappings are rarely part of a calculated plan and occur simply because opportunity presents itself. In 2015, after a spate of hostage deaths, including ISIS high-profile execution of American journalist James Foley, President Barack Obama announced a reboot of American policy to make U.S. agencies more responsive to hostages and their families. The directive also created a Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, or SPEHA, that now leads diplomatic efforts. SPEHA was bolstered last year with the passage of the Levinson Act named for American Bob Levinson, who died in 2020 after 13 years in Iranian custody which mandated that a coordinator work to keep the families of hostages connected with federal agencies, among other things. The act also allows the State Department to determine when an American is being held overseas unlawfully or wrongfully by considering the legal and political dynamics of their situation, and to refer such cases to SPEHA. Officials hope the changes make the U.S. more nimble in a world in which a growing number of hostages are taken by groups with political goals. So-called hostage diplomacy has been on the rise in recent years, as American foreign policy has shifted from a war on terror to strategic competition with global powers, said Dani Gilbert, assistant professor of Military & Strategic Studies at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Former President Donald Trumps embrace of autocratic rulers who also had American prisoners at the time likely worsened the problem by signaling that bad actors could get the attention of the Oval Office by arresting Americans on bogus charges, Gilbert said. A clear case Thats precisely what happened with the Citgo 6, she said. Citgo is controlled by a board appointed by Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who challenged Maduro in a 2018 election, the results of which remain contested. Reuters later reported that Venezuelan authorities had signed off on the deal for which the men were arrested, and a 2021 United Nations report found that the warrants for their arrests were not issued until after they were detained. On numerous occasions since then, the men have been moved between prison and house arrest in response to American political developments including after Trump hosted Guaido at the White House in 2019. In my personal opinion, its a clear case of hostage diplomacy, Gilbert said. I think it's as simple as looking at the way that the Citgo 6s treatment has changed over time. And specifically, what appears to happen to them in response to actions by the United States. Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The latest such example came last month, when Katy resident and Citgo 6 detainee Gustavo Cardenas was released. State Department officials have said little about what led to his surprise return home, but it came days after a secret U.S. visit to the country and a televised speech in which Maduro signaled a willingness to negotiate with American officials as they mulled a ban on Russian oil imports. Forseth was happy to see Cardenas return, and like others said she appreciates SPEHA Roger Carstens efforts to help them. Still, she said it was gutting to think that a far-away military conflict in Ukraine and the threat of an energy shortage gave her father his best chance yet at freedom. The highly politicized responses and critiques from Congress members only added to the exhaustion and dismay shes felt about American politics since her father was seized nearly a half-decade ago. If this is how we handle hostages, she wondered, what does that say about our values? robert.downen@chron.com Two pedestrians died Sunday morning in separate car crashes in Houston, police said. The first wreck occurred around midnight in north Houston, when a homeless man suddenly crossed the North Freeway feeder at Greens Road, a witness told authorities. One driver, who had a green light, could not stop in time and hit the man, police said. She was not intoxicated and is not expected to face charges, according to Metro Video. Paramedics took the man to the hospital in serious condition, and he died. The second crash happened around 1:25 p.m. in the 10100 block of Telephone at Swiftwater, in southeast Houston. An unknown driver sped their black Honda CR-V north on Telephone and struck a pedestrian, continuing to drive four blocks before abandoning the car, Houston police Sgt. David Rose said. The victim, who lived at a nearby apartment, died on the scene. He was in his mid 20s. Police are investigating the vehicle. The threat of indictments looming over County Judge Lina Hidalgos office centers on this allegation: Some of the judges top aides communicated with the owner of a company that was awarded a controversial $11 million vaccine outreach contract about the effort weeks before it was put out to bid. Lawyers for Hidalgo and her aides, however, say records show one document was sent to the owner by mistake, another was sent as part of an unrelated project, and that Hidalgos staff did not view the company as a potential vendor for the vaccine work. Texas Rangers three weeks ago obtained search warrants to seize phones and computers from the homes or offices of three Hidalgo staffers as part of the investigation. The contract was canceled in September at Hidalgos request after accusations that her office steered it to Elevate Strategies founder Felicity Pereyra, a Democratic political consultant. The warrants, made public two weeks ago, show the investigation has focused on possible misuse of information, a felony, after the Hidalgo employees allegedly gave an advantage to a competitor in a bidding process by corresponding with Pereyra weeks before the county sought proposals for the contract Elevate ultimately won. Investigators also are probing possible false statements the aides chief of staff Alex Triantaphyllis, policy director Wallis Nader and former senior adviser Aaron Dunn allegedly made attesting that they complied with county policies in awarding the contract. The three staffers served on the five-person panel that evaluated vaccine outreach proposals from Elevate and three other vendors. No charges have been filed in the matter. On HoustonChronicle.com: Hidalgo declines to fully address criminal inquiry into COVID contract: 'I followed the law' Numerous emails, text messages and other files shared with the Houston Chronicle add context to the communications cited in the search warrants. Those broader records, like the warrants, focus on the frenzied chatter within the judges office in the early weeks of 2021, as another wave of COVID-19 hospitalizations crested and public officials urged Americans to get newly available vaccines. Staff in the judges office, records show, discussed two distinct COVID-19 projects in the first weeks of the year: Seeking Pereyras help distilling COVID data for the judges review, and launching an effort aimed at boosting vaccine use in low-participation communities the contract that Pereyra would later win. As a model for the latter effort, Hidalgo pointed to work Pereyra had done for the county on the 2020 Census. Do we want to dump this on Felicity as well, or is that too much on ones plate? Triantaphyllis texted his colleagues the evening of Jan. 7. Maybe we can add it as a data-driven part of her work. Triantaphyllis quickly typed up a summary of the community outreach for the equitable distribution of vaccines and added it to the bottom of a description of the COVID data project proposed for Pereyra. When Hidalgo signed off on the data project days later, the file excluded that outreach language, but that verbiage still was in the text Nader then sent to Pereyra. Triantaphyllis, who later told Nader he must have communicated incorrectly about which one to send, spoke with Pereyra two days later, then emailed her the correct scope of work for the data project, without the outreach language. He also sent Pereyra a COVID data update and an email with two attachments describing Hidalgos vaccine outreach plans. One of the attachments, court records show, was substantially the same as the request for proposals that was published for the vaccine outreach procurement five weeks later. Non-public information Investigators appear to view that as an example of non-public information Pereyra received, which could form the basis for possible charges of misuse of official information. Triantaphyllis attorney, Marla Poirot, said her client sent Pereyra the vaccine outreach information because she would be expected to analyze that efforts progress along with the rest of her data work. On HoustonChronicle.com: Hidalgo to cancel controversial $11 million vaccine outreach contract, saying it has become politicized For a criminal violation, you need intent, said former federal prosecutor Philip Hilder, who has reviewed the search warrants but has no involvement in the case. It's not straight liability like the Rangers would have you believe. That is the issue. A lot more investigation needs to go into this. Text messages indicate Hidalgos staff had not yet decided whether to bid out the vaccine project or handpick a vendor using the judges COVID-19 emergency powers. The texts, Poirot stressed, show the aides did not view Pereyra as a vendor for the vaccine work. Records show Triantaphyllis, in discussing the vaccine project with colleagues, mused about asking Felicity to go find one or more vendors, and asking Felicity (if we close her on the data stuff) for ideas on who can do this. As the county prepared to put the vaccine contract out to bid, Triantaphyllis suggested purchasing staff send the paperwork to Pereyra and two other Houstonians familiar with community outreach. And when the procurement had been online for nearly a week with no responses, Dunn on Feb. 25 emailed it to 16 entities, including Pereyra, Baylor, UT Health and progressive groups. Poirot said these efforts were aimed at getting Pereyra and others help generating more responses to the procurement. The day Dunn sent his email, however, records show Pereyra downloaded the procurement documents, then emailed a colleague, saying she had been invited to bid on the contract. I feel really good about my chances in landing the project (they asked me to design the program beforehand but then were told to go to RFP), she wrote, according to the search warrants. The Hidalgo camps attorneys dispute Pereyras characterization. The lawyers stressed the search warrants themselves state that the procurement documents were substantially the same as the vaccine document Pereyra received on Jan. 15, suggesting she did not contribute to it. Attorneys for Pereyra, Dunn and Nader declined comment or did not respond by deadline. Pereyra, who on Feb. 24 had declined the data job, citing her limited availability, submitted a bid for the vaccine outreach work March 8, the day proposals were due. UT Health Science Center at Houston and two other firms also submitted proposals. Triantaphyllis, Nader, Dunn and two public health staff reviewed the proposals, scoring each using a rubric that evaluated such factors as a firms experience, management capacity and plans to canvass neighborhoods. UTs $7.5 million bid placed first, with an average score of 48; Pereyra came in second at 40.8 with a bid of $19.3 million. The panel invited Pereyra, UT and a third firm back for interviews March 31, but UT did not show up and did not respond to inquiries for six days, emails show. UT Health representatives declined comment Friday. Triantaphyllis repeatedly texted colleagues in April inquiring about the status of the procurement. This vaccine outreach thing is getting ridiculous, he texted Nader on April 20. We need to slam the door shut on UT and move on. UT representatives did not attend their interview until April 28, a September memo circulated by purchasing staff stated. The review panel also noted UTs performance on a separate COVID project had caused the county to cancel that contract earlier in the year. Pereyra ultimately revised her proposal down to $11 million, and her contract was approved by Commissioners Court that June. The court canceled the contract in September at Hidalgos request; the county now is working to recover about $1 million paid to Elevate. Political theater? Lawyers for Hidalgo have characterized the probe as political theater on the part of Democratic district attorney Kim Ogg, who repeatedly has sought more prosecutors from Hidalgo and her Democratic colleagues on Commissioners Court and repeatedly been rejected. Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University, said the case appears to have merit, but that Oggs decision to pursue this probe rather than others of similar merit could be seen as political. Politics probably does play a role, Jones said. Ogg has some conflict with Commissioners Court, particularly with Hidalgo. University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghous suggested the scandal is escalating because it is one of the few Hidalgo has faced, and because she is considered a rising star in the Democratic party whose ascent opponents would like to slow. Search warrants are important steps in a legal journey in search of the truth. Our prosecutors will follow the evidence wherever it leads and apply the law equally to all, said Oggs spokesman, Dane Schiller. Hilder, the former federal prosecutor, said he does not buy the argument that Ogg is pursuing the case to punish Hidalgo for spurning her funding requests. He expressed concerns with the evidence outlined in court documents, however. Whereas the allegations are quite concerning, they do not tell the full story and I would caution against a rush to judgment, Hilder said. The Rangers appear to draw conclusions that may not be supported when all the facts are known. mike.morris@chron.com nicole.hensley@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Houstons two-day chalk art festival is back after a more than two-year hiatus, offering artists of all ages a laid-back, interactive canvas in a downtown parking lot. Being able to talk to people, its fantastic, said Brenda Chapa, 27, a Houston-area artist participating in the Via Colori street painting festival downtown. Shed received several compliments already on the meticulously shaded pair of hands she was working on Saturday for a piece on spirituality. She has enjoyed the interactive aspect of the event, which has allowed others to appreciate her work - and her to meet other artists as well. You have this bond with others, said Chapa, who specializes in canvas and mural work. For a suggested donation of $10, art lovers, families and curious passers-by can marvel Saturday and Sunday at the dozens of artists decorating nearly 90 designated concrete squares in the parking lot of POST Houston, the 550,000 square-foot building on Franklin, formerly Barbara Jordan Post Office. The family-friendly event offers face paint, a coloring station with the Art Bus and Via Bambini where children can decorate an art square of their own. It also features live performances, a DJ, yoga and artist talks, as well as booths by community partners, including Houston Audubon. Since its last event in fall 2019, Via Colori has returned to Houston in 2022 through a new partnership with the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center, which will benefit from the proceeds of the festival. VIA COLORI: Houstonians experience a world of color at street painting festival Our definition for spirituality really hinges on connection, said Stuart Nelson, the institutes vice president, What's more connective than the arts and creativity and the ability for people to express themselves? Nelson said the festival fits well with the institutes mission of celebrating the human spirit. Being in an inspiring space, on a beautiful day, in a city that you love, with people who are also showing up to celebrate creativity, Nelson said, There's something really powerful and magic in that. The event has previously raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for its former host organization, the Texas Hearing Institute (formerly the Center for Hearing and Speech). They stopped hosting the event after an organizational shift, which included a merger with Texas Childrens Hospital. Artists of all ages and skill levels have participated, including a crafty group of Houston-area physicians - psychiatrists, pediatricians, gastroenterologists and others - who joined forces to paint a square. It's also a powerful way for us to all connect, because we're from different parts of the city, we're all different specialties, but this is a commonality that we share and it's really brought us together, said Vy Mui, 49. Ophthalmologist Marlene Morales Tollett, 42, has directed the groups artistic vision: a large eye with a reflection of the American continents. This has been a crazy time in the world and something uplifting, something to give people a positive message, something to bring their spirits up, because it's just been a challenging time, said Tollett. Its the groups first year participating in the festival - they said theyre eager to return again next year. Nearby, Via Colori veteran Lily Alonso said she first participated in Via Colori Houston in 2007, when she was a junior at Sam Rayburn High School in Pasadena. She has been attending as an artist on and off ever since. Her painting this year features the iconic moon face from the 1902 French film, A Trip to the Moon. Its the same image she used during her first year she participated in the event as a solo artist. I figured because it (the festival) was starting fresh with this new organization and I've been itching to draw this again anyways, I felt it was time to bring it back, said Alonso. Kelly Copley, 22, brought out her 2- and 3-year-olds on Saturday afternoon, who used chalk to draw on construction paper at a childrens booth. I just wanted them to see the art and get some ideas for when they go home and use their chalk and just expose them to the art out here, said Copley, a first-time attendee who found out about the event on Facebook. Art students from local schools also participated in the event. Priscilla Contreras, 11, joined her fellow fifth grade students from Felix Cook Jr. Elementary to create an abstract chalk mural of an artist with a painting palette. Contreras said shes having a fun day, because she gets to paint with her friends. You get to relax and you don't have to stress about anything, she said. Chalk art by Contreras and other artists will be on display through 5 p.m. Sunday. Could the whole allegation about County Judge Lina Hidalgos staff awarding a sweetheart deal to a Democratic ally stem from a big misunderstanding? That seems far-fetched, especially after a recent Texas Rangers search warrant affidavit revealed what appeared to be damning evidence against Hidalgos staff. But perhaps the explanation being offered at long last by Hidalgos lawyers is no more far-fetched than the original accusation: that Hidalgo, who has portrayed herself as the sunny antidote to decades of Harris County cronyism and backroom-dealing, had some part in steering an $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract to a tiny, inexperienced business run out of a Montrose apartment by one woman who just happens to have worked as a Democratic operative and whose bid for the project initially scored lower than a reputable, much larger competitor: UT Health. Far-fetched or not, the evidence initially available seemed to support this narrative and Hidalgos clipped responses blaming politics didnt help, either. Given the severity of the accusations of public corruption, they were anything but reassuring. To Republicans hungering to regain control of county government, the alleged scandal is their best hope for unseating the popular Hidalgo, who won the recent Democratic primary with 75 percent of the vote. While the breathless conviction with which theyve espoused Hidalgos guilt over the past year was certainly politically motivated, they appeared to have the facts on their side. Until now. In interviews with media outlets including this editorial board, Hidalgos lawyers have unveiled some key facts that werent acknowledged in the recently released Texas Rangers affidavit detailing evidence for search warrants. The newly emerged facts cast doubt on the bid-rigging allegations against the county judge, but, for reasons well explain, they dont clear her. What made the 18-page search warrant affidavit by Texas Ranger Daron Parker seem so damaging for Hidalgo is that it detailed internal communications that seemed to show her staff conferring with Elevate Strategies founder Felicity Pereyra about the $11 million vaccine outreach project weeks before it went out for bid, giving her an unfair advantage. Whats worse, messages from Hidalgos staff angling to exclude Pereyras closest competitor, UT Health, seemed to confirm that the fix was in: We need to slam the door shut on UT and move on, Hidalgos chief of staff Alex Triantaphyllis texted policy director Wallis Nader on April 20. In May, Triantaphyllis said he couldnt attend the selection meeting, but added, dont let UT get it. In his affidavit, Parker sought the search warrant for evidence he believes will show three Hidalgo staffers committed misuse of official information, a third-degree felony, by providing an advantage to a competitor in a formal bid process. He also argued the trio gave false statements on a government document attesting to following county ethical policies in awarding of the contract. To date, no criminal charges have been filed and the matter remains under grand jury investigation. Now come Hidalgos lawyers with a simple explanation that the Rangers didnt mention: There were two COVID-related jobs, not one, being discussed in those messages. One job was the multimillion-dollar outreach project, the kind of contract that, due to its size and expense, is typically bid out. The other job, which Hidalgos staff pitched to Pereyra before the outreach project even existed, was a part-time contractor position analyzing COVID data, a job later posted at a salary of $38,000 a year. So, Hidalgos lawyers argue, in most instances where it looks like Hidalgos staff is improperly consulting Pereyra about the scope and nature of the outreach project, theyre really talking about the smaller job that didnt have to be competitively bid. Hidalgo had been impressed with Pereyras work on 2020 census drives which had helped Harris and Fort Bend counties raise their response rates, according to correspondence. Staff thought Pereyra would be a good fit for the data job but after weeks of back-and-forth, Pereyra eventually informed them on Feb. 24 she didnt have time for the data position, saying her availability has changed since we started the conversation and shed like to keep a line open in case there are opportunities to assist in the future. That future came quickly the next day, in fact, when county officials sent an invitation to bid on the outreach project to a handful of potential vendors, including Pereyra. Hidalgos lawyers say the county judges staff didnt know Pereyra might be interested in running the $11 million project until she submitted her bid in March. They say she got the invitation email because staff hoped shed share it with other vendors, a contention thats backed up by a previous staff message. The search warrant allegations arent an accurate reflection of the documents they cite, let alone the facts as they occurred, Hidalgo lawyer Eric Gerard told us. It gives us grave concern that prosecutors are pursuing this case based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the evidence. Our review of correspondence seems to line up with this explanation, except for two things. First: Early on in January 2021, during discussions about the small data job, Pereyra was indeed sent a document indicating the scope of her data duties would include vaccine outreach. Hidalgos attorneys say this was an error and messages show it was corrected and clarified subsequently that her duties would not include outreach. Still, a short time later, Pereyra was sent an outline of an initial equity strategy for vaccines that described the outreach project. Attorneys say it was sent with the idea that Pereyras data work might include reporting on the progress of the separate outreach effort. Even so, seeing the information would have given her an idea of what was being planned. Second: On Feb. 25, the very same day that the county sent out the request for proposals for the $11 million outreach project, Pereyra emailed someone saying she had really solid relationships in-house and I feel really good about my chances in landing the project (they asked me to design the program beforehand but then were told to go to RFP, so Im just starting to build out a team). Attempts to hear from Pereyra last week were unsuccessful. Hidalgos attorneys cant speak for her but Gerard speculated that confusion created when she was sent the wrong document may have left her believing she had been asked to design the project. Gerard points out that there isnt any documentation showing that she actually did help develop the outreach plan. That answer doesnt relieve our concerns. If Pereyra had any significant role in designing the outreach project, she never should have been allowed to bid on it. Hidalgos lawyers did satisfy our curiosity on another question about why UT Health, which declined comment, hadnt gotten the contract after initially scoring highest. Its size and reputation apparently led to the early lead but after deeper review, it lost support when the county committee reviewing bids learned that failure to deliver on another COVID-related program, Harris Saves, had led to its cancellation, Hidalgos lawyers say. That fact is what prompted Hidalgos staff to criticize UT in messages, her lawyers claim, and not any desire to tip the scales for a partisan acquaintance. In the end, the RFP selection committee unanimously recommended Pereyras Elevate Strategies for the outreach contract, a vote that was attended by two people from public health and only one of the three members from Hidalgos office, which made us think: if you were so desperate to tip the scales for a vendor, wouldnt you have as many of your people as possible weigh in? As for the notion that Pereyras firm was an inferior outfit run by one woman, our own review of her bid left us impressed, in terms of its detail and the 26-person organizational chart she had proposed to complete the outreach project, along with more than 50 canvassers. The outreach, of course, never happened. In September, Hidalgo canceled the contract awarded to Elevate Strategies, saying the controversy was distracting from the vaccination goal. The evidence from Hidalgos attorneys casts serious doubt on allegations of bid-rigging, although significant questions remain. We understand theres still much we dont know. Ultimately, whether Hidalgos staffers committed a crime is for grand jurors and law enforcement to decide, and we hope they are guided in that decision only by the facts All the facts. Every. Single. One. and not by partisan politics, or even petty intraparty disagreements among Democrats. However it ends up, Harris County residents have already lost. People who needed education on COVID vaccination safety and effectiveness never got it through this project. Well never know how many lives could have been saved. Soon, though, we hope to find out what exactly scuttled the good intentions of this pandemic project corruption and patronage, a political smear campaign, or just maybe, just maybe, one big misunderstanding. MADRID, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people demonstrated in Madrid on Sunday to show their rejection of the conflict in Ukraine and NATO's intervention. Demonstrators, organized by the popular assembly which was made up of independent organizations and associations, gathered in front of the Puerta de Atocha railway station and marched in the direction of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Spain should not give in to NATO pressure anymore," because the effects of contributing to the conflict "are already harming various sectors with very serious effects," according to Lorena Cabrera, representative of Anti-Capitalist Associations, and several leaders of the organizations. "We want peace for Ukraine and all countries," said Luis Arevalo, a protester from Madrid. "We also reject Europe's growing involvement in Ukraine's military struggle, because they do so under the interests of the United States," he added. According to the barometer of the ElCano Royal Institute presented on Friday, 48 percent of Spaniards are in favor of an intervention, compared to 52 percent against. "The European Union (EU) should not join the confrontational strategies that are being promoted today from Washington in order to preserve its hegemony," said Xulio Rios, director of the Spanish Observatory of China Policy. "Its commitment must be the democratization of international relations and not segmentation with increasingly warmongering overtones. (There should be) more social welfare and less military spending," said Rios. Regarding Opinion: Texas heartbeat law has been durable and effective, (March 30): Cynthia Allen is quite correct that the Texas heartbeat law is effective but not whether it is durable. The courts, voters and womens rights groups will ultimately decide whether the law lasts or not. In her column she mistakenly uses the term pre-born children. Of course, there is no such thing. Children are either born or not born. It is disheartening that she seems to not understand the difference between a fetus and a newborn child. This is a common problem with those on the right on this issue. They see the fetus as a living organism while ignoring the rights of the mother who is carrying it. In their minds, it seems, the rights of the mother dont exist at all. The fundamental question here is not whether the law is effective it certainly is. It is effective at taking away life-changing health care choices for many women. The question is whether the law promotes the good of the people or whether it harms them. Government needs to get out of the business of trying to regulate womens health care choices. As former president Ronald Reagan said, lets get the government off peoples backs. Texas law puts government on the backs of women in the state. Its so wrong. Robert L. Fischer, Houston I found Cynthia Allen's column regarding the heartbeat law somewhat disturbing. Her tone presupposes that the U.S. is a Protestant, Calvinist theocracy. It seems to imply that lawyer militias should be mobilized for any cause that is not addressed by legislative action. Specifically, she applauds the effectiveness of the Texas law, which allows for private individuals to collect a reward for turning in scofflaws. Worse, the law permits tyranny of the sanctimonious gossips, and Ms. Allen seems to be quite comfortable with this concept. Overall, the tone of this column implies that Ms. Allen would be quite happy in a community where judgmental sanctimony trumps (pun intended) U.S. constitutional law. James A. Babb, Friendswood Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Veteran Spotlight: Senior Airman Chris Clarkson PITTSFIELD, Mass. My Veteran Spotlight guest this week served his country in the New Hampshire National Guard from 2013 to 2019, leaving as a senior airman. Growing up in Nashua, N.H., Chris Clarkson had always wanted to be a pilot and had big shoes to fill. Both his grandfathers had military careers one as an Army Air Forces instructor pilot at the end of World War II and the other as an Air National Guard pilot in the late '50s and early '60s. Clarkson did his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. "I celebrated by 21st birthday there, well, let's say I turned 21 there. I didn't enjoy my birthday too much. My drill instructor grew up two towns over from me. Once he found that out, I didn't get any special treatment. He was extremely hard on me," he said. His first assignment brought him to Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Miss., where he did five months of Air Traffic Controller School. It was challenging, he said, "It was difficult adjusting to the military style up at 5 a.m., school, study time, afternoon PT, more study time plus all the other stuff that was rolled into your day." After completing Air Traffic Controller School, he was assigned to Pease AFB in his home state for more extensive training. "There were three positions in the facility that you went through assist, arrival and finals [approach]. These were the building blocks of air traffic control," he continued, "you had to pass a checklist, written test and an 'over the shoulder' with a supervisor. Then, you're cleared to be a fully certified air traffic controller in the Air Force." Clarkson volunteered to deploy to Iraq in 2017, and from March to November of that year was part of Operation Resolve in the fight against Isis. He spoke about his mindset prior to being assigned overseas. "I was excited ... nervous excitement. I had friends deployed before I went and they prepared me pretty good. I was ready to tackle a new adventure!" he recalled. Upon his arrival, he had to be ready to hit the ground running. "When we first landed, I was like 'holy (expletive) it's hot!' But we had to get right to work as there was a lot of stuff to adapt to." While in Iraq, he worked in a radar air traffic facility, which he said came with a great deal of pressure. "If there was an air strike called, you had to keep other military aircraft away from the initial strike to avoid friendly fire. The pressure gets up there. Keeping air planes separated from each other, it can get busy and hectic pretty fast, especially with this being a 24-7 operation," Clarkson said. He said air traffic controllers are required to only work eight hours. When asked about a mentor he responded without hesitation, "Joe Yahnian. Really good guy ... was my supervisor. Our personalities really clicked and he helped me get into a workout routine to keep in shape. Very important. He was very dedicated and kept things running smoothly." Thoughts on service? "I made lifelong friends. So grateful to have that opportunity. Getting to be deployed with other members of different nations was really cool. It's a very proud feeling for me to continue the tradition of serving in my family," he said. He is currently a pilot for Lyon Aviation of Pittsfield. Airman Chris Clarkson, thank you for your service to our great country. KIEV, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's imports and exports decreased significantly in March, the country's Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Sunday. Ukraine's imports dropped from 5.9 billion U.S. dollars in February to 1.8 billion dollars in March, Svyrydenko wrote on Facebook. Meanwhile, exports were down to 2.7 billion dollars in March from 5.3 billion dollars in February. Due to the blockade of ports, Ukraine's agricultural exports were particularly affected, according to the minister. "The start of sowing and the work of the state to restore logistics are the basis of stabilization of the economy," the minister said. The grisly murder of Mboneni Ncube, the Citizens for Coalition for Change (CCC) Kwekwe activist who was killed at a rally in the Midlands town in February has taken a new twist with the suspected killers allegedly going on the rampage, threatening witnesses against testifying. Judith Ncube, the slain activists sister was allegedly kidnapped on Thursday evening by suspected Zanu PF thugs who threatened to kill her if she continued demanding answers into her brothers murder. Judith told The Standard yesterday that she now feared for her life amid reports that other witnesses to the killing of Ncube have also been intimidated to step away from the matter. Ncube died on admission to Kwekwe Central Hospital after he was stabbed with a spear by suspected Zanu PF activists who disrupted a rally held at Mbizo shopping centre and addressed by CCC leader Nelson Chamisa in the Midlands mining town in February. The Zanu PF activists were armed with machetes, spears and other weapons. Police arrested 16 Zanu PF youths for Ncubes murder but later released 11 of them. Prosecutors say Ncube was stabbed at least twice with a sharp object. Ncubes sister, Judith, said unmarked vehicles have been following her for days culminating in the incident on Thursday when she was grabbed and bundled into a car where she was threatened with death for pursuing answers to the death of her brother. It was around 4pm when the incident happened. They grabbed and bundled me into their vehicle. They took me to a Zanu PF base in Kwekwe where they threatened to make me disappear if I kept on pressing for answers into the killing of my brother. His killers are known and all I want is closure and justice, Ncube said yesterday. The incident was reported to the police and the case number is CRO/04/22. Judiths lawyer Darlington Marange of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum told The Standard that Judith has been facing threats to stop her from demanding justice. She identified some of the culprits that were implicated in the murder, including some known ruling party bigwigs. She has been saying that police are refusing to take the names of the perpetrators, Marange said. We are now considering visiting the police to iron this out because it falls under their duties to take the report as is and to investigate. It appears there is some resistance but this is something that we have to iron out. We are also considering getting a peace order against the people who have been harassing her. She now lives in fear and we have to now take that route of a peace order to ensure her safety. The issue of her safety is now of paramount importance outside other legal routes that we want to take. Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said he was attending a memorial service when reached for comment. During Ncubes funeral, Zanu PF activists reportedly hijacked his corpse from Kwekwe hospital and sought to claim that he was, in fact, a Zanu PF supporter. Mbizo MP elect Settlement Chikwinya said Judith and other people willing to take the witness stand against Ncubes killers were being harassed constantly. Friends of the suspects for the Mbizo 4 CCC rally murder are harassing witnesses in a bid to get them to chicken out from making statements to police. Ncubes sister was abducted on Thursday and spent hours locked up at Zanu PF party office in Kwekwe where she was interrogated, Chikwinya said. Many witnesses are now withdrawing from the case as they are threatened. We suspect that Zanu PF is planning to intimidate all witnesses so that the States case becomes weak. Zanu PF provincial chairperson Paul Mavhima was not reachable yesterday. The late Ncube had recently remarried following the death of his first wife, with whom he had an eight-year-old daughter. Analysts have warned of a violent 2023 election campaign. Standard This is a story about McDonald's, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Peppa Pig, and your business -- especially if you have aspirations to do business overseas. We'll start with the Peppa Pig part. Perhaps you're familiar? It's a British cartoon that launched in 2004 and then grew to the point that its parent company was acquired by Hasbro for $4 billion in 2019. It's also a multi-layered intellectual property, with books, movies, theme parks, and video games. It's so popular that parents of some American preschoolers say their kids pick up British slang and even accents from watching it. With a property that valuable, it's probably no surprise to learn that enterprising people around the world sometimes try to create knock-offs. But what was a surprise -- and alarming to a lot of trademark holders doing business in Russia -- is that a court about 600 miles outside of Moscow held last month that due to "unfriendly actions of the United States of America and affiliated foreign countries," the trademark for Peppa Pig was now basically unenforceable in Russia. The ruling would mean that a Russian company could simply use the Peppa Pig character on anything it wanted to in Russia, and the decision came after the Russian government threatened to "suspend" trademark and patent rights. Of course, that came in the wake of sanctions and an exodus of Western companies from Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. Most Western companies have little choice but to go, as so many of their customers are legitimately horrified at the brutality of the invasion. Now, there's reason to be skeptical that the Peppa Pig ruling will stand, since, as Josh Gerben, an intellectual property lawyer in Washington, D.C., pointed out in an interview, the judge who made the ruling sits in a low-ranking court, and the case will certainly be appealed. But, Gerben added: "It gives you another one of these tea leaves that trademark rights are under assault in Russia, for sure. How far is this going to go? ...There's some legitimate concern." The Peppa Pig infringement is severe, but a more noted example came almost immediately after McDonald's announced last month that it was suspending its operations in Russia. "They announced they are closing," said Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the lower house of parliament, known as the State Duma, announced. "Well, OK, close. But tomorrow in those locations we should have not McDonald's but Uncle Vanya's." Sure enough, a Moscow company almost immediately filed for a trademark for "Uncle Vanya," which is the name of a 19th-century play by Anton Chekhov, along with a Cyrillic character-logo that sure looks a heck of a lot like the McDonald's Golden Arches. The Uncle Vanya trademark application was apparently withdrawn after a few days (and a few hundred media articles). It's also not clear that this actually was a chain or an aspiring chain of actual restaurants. At least we know that even if McDonald's is no longer operating in Russia, its attorneys still must be. But McDonald's is only one of dozens or even hundreds of Western companies that have seen Russian companies, entrepreneurs, and squatters try to grab their trademarks since the invasion. Among the Western companies affected: Coca-Cola, Mercedes, Nike, Starbucks, and many other iconic brands. Meanwhile, there is now so little Western journalism coming out of Russia, after Russia threatened journalists with prison if they do things like refer to the Russian invasion of Ukraine truthfully as "an invasion," that it's really hard to know what's going on within the country. But combine the factors above -- the frenzy of trademark applications, the Peppa Pig case, the Russian saber-rattling on intellectual property -- and it's all a chilling reminder of how important, and sometimes vulnerable, protection of your intellectual property can be in other countries. I asked McDonald's a couple of times for comment about squatters trying to seize its trademarks, and also about a separate report than 100 or more McDonald's franchisees in Russia have simply refused to close, regardless of what McDonald's in the United States wants them to do. A teenage girl who was placed in a secret safe centre by the police after her illegal Zimbabwean mother was caught and deported is lost. 13-year-old Natalie Gurumani went missing from police custody on the 15th of March and has not been seen since. Besides herself with grief, Natalies mother, Charity Gurumani, who re-entered the country legally on the 13th of March to look for her child, has appealed to the public to help her find the missing girl. The teenager was taken away by the police from Gurumanis aunt, Janet Kabelo, where she was left when her mother went job-hunting but never returned. It later turned out Gurumani was arrested by the police and deported back to her home country, Zimbabwe, for unlawfully remaining in Botswana. While Gurumani was still sorting out her passport in Zimbabwe, social workers and the police took her daughter from Kabelo to place her in a secret safe shelter. A month later, Gurumani arrived back in Botswana and Kabelo took her to the police station so they could get the daughter back but, to their surprise and horror, the girl was missing and the mother was charged with Child Negligence and detained. Speaking to The Voice, Kabelo said when social workers took the child, they had brought a court order and told her they were taking the girl to a secret and safe place for security reasons. When I took Charity to the police to fetch the child, the investigating officers told me they were taking her for a DNA test to prove that she was indeed the mother of the child, but instead they detained her. I was surprised when she appeared in court and I heard the investigating officer saying the child had gone missing from their secret place. The social worker called me to her office last week Friday to tell me officially that the child was lost. Now I blame myself for all this because had I not mentioned that Charity had left a minor child behind, police would not have taken her away from me. Charity had told me she lost her phone when she was deported and she did not have my number. She took long to return because she was still fixing her passport issues in Zimbabwe, said the distraught aunt. When reached for comment, Officer Commanding N03, Theriso Thatayotlhe, confirmed that Natalie was missing and went further to reveal that she was not the only child to disappear from the safe centre. He said another child, also aged 13, also went missing around 9pm on the 15th of March and the case was reported the following day around 2pm at Tlokweng Police Station. I can confirm that through the help of the Zimbabwean police, we received a call that the other girl was seen at Plumtree border post and her father has since identified her. We will be relying on them to assist with the investigations. For now, we do not know where the other child is, said Thatayotlhe. The Voice In a further hit to meat shops in Karnataka, the state government's animal husbandry department has asked Bengaluru municipal body to enforce compulsory stunning of animals at slaughter houses and chicken shops in Bengaluru. In the order, the department has also asked authorities to ensure stunning facilities are in place before giving license to meat shops. We have received complaints from people about the stunning procedure not being followed at slaughter houses and chicken stalls, the department said. It also sought a report on action taken by the Bengaluru municipal body. Karnataka govt asks BBMP to enforce compulsory stunning of animals If an animal is killed by stunning it is not 'halal' meat, and the government is making it difficult to follow Halal slaughtering, said an Islamic slaughter. The decision comes on April 1, just ahead of the auspicious month of Ramzan. This comes after animal lovers pointed towards the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rules, which were drafted in 2001. The stunning process ensures the animal is unconscious and insensible to pain before being bled out at the slaughter house. As per Section 6 in The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, rule number 4, 'every slaughter house as soon as possible shall provide a separate space for stunning of animals prior to slaughter, bleeding and dressing of the carcasses.' However, Prabhu Chauhan, the Minister of State for Animal Husbandry Department told TV9 that his department has not issued the mandatory stunning order. "No orders have been issued by our department. Stunning is not mandatory. There was only a letter written that Halal cut should not be practiced. There was no order issued. I will review the letter," he said. Boycott halal meat controversy The controversy began when some right-wing groups gave a call to boycott 'Halal' meat, with the Hindu Janajagrithi Samithi, a pro-Hindutva organisation in Karnataka, starting a campaign against the purchase of Halal meat. Representational Image Recently, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary CT Ravi said that the halal meat business is a kind of 'economic jihad'. "The halal meat business is a kind of 'economic jihad'. The concept of Halal meat means that they can do business among themselves and consume Halal meat only among their people. What is wrong in pointing it as wrong," he said. Opposition leaders in Karnataka accused the BJP government of deliberately bringing up such issues to come up in view of assembly polls next year. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Can't decide where to go on holiday this year? Leafing through the pages of classic and new novels and travelogues could point you in some interesting directions. Whether you want the warm, sunny climes of Peter Mayle's A Year In Provence, the classic architecture of Florence and Rome in Henry James' The Portrait Of A Lady or to explore different cultures and climates, a handful of good reads could provide the inspiration for a bucket load of travel. Get ready to map out your wish list of locations with these top reads... Greece History buffs with a penchant for island-hopping will be glued to Victoria Hislop's stories, transporting you to a Greece full of colour, which began with her 2005 debut novel The Island (Headline Review) - which gives a vivid description of Cretan life, weaving in the story of Greece's leper colony on Spinalonga. It has sold more than two million copies worldwide to date and was made into a hit Greek TV series (both Victoria and her husband, Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, had walk-on parts). The sequel, One August Night (Headline Review) reveals what happened when the leper colony closed and how its inhabitants fared when they returned to the mainland. For some sun-soaked escapism, bag Mandy Baggot's light-hearted romcom Staying Out For Summer (Head Of Zeus), which sees a young nurse's holiday in Corfu throw up some romantic possibilities with the village doctor. France Fancy a city break to Paris? Debut Amanda Bestor-Siegal's The Caretakers (Little, Brown, out Apr 12) focuses on several dynamic women in a wealthy suburb of Paris and an event that changes their lives, told through six women who are living very different city existences. Film rights have been snapped up by Emma Stone's production company. Peter Mayle's witty classic memoir A Year In Provence (Penguin), in which he charts his funny and sometimes fraught experiences of moving into a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in Southern France, will bring a huge ray of sunshine to travellers and non-travellers alike. Italy As a former travel guide in Rome who lived in Italy for many years, Donna Leon has an insider's eye for detail. Her new novel Give Unto Others (Hutchinson Heinemann, out March 3), in which she examines the corruption within an Italian charitable organisation, weaves in the magnificent architecture of Venice, the constant, mouth-watering presence of food, the loving and loyal Brunetti family, and the sense of menace which lurks around the corner. Timeless classic novels which will have you salivating over Italy include A Room With A View by E M Forster (Penguin Classics), where a young woman's repressed, rigid upbringing is thrown off balance when she visits Florence, a city which offers a wealth of romantic opportunities; and The Portrait Of A Lady by Henry James (William Collins), featuring beautiful descriptions of both Florence and Rome. Norway Even though Dune (Hodder Paperbacks) is a sci-fi book, Stadlandet in Norway comes into the frame in the latest film adaptation to let the imagination take readers to 'Caladan', the stark, inhospitable, windswept planet 20 light years from Earth, first created by author Frank Herbert in 1965. The film has boosted tourism to the region, but as well as reimagining the book's dramatic setting, visitors may also want to follow the winding road of the Atlantic Ocean Road, as another film icon James Bond does in No Time To Die. A small taxi boat in Kerala, India, which was the setting of Arundhati Roys The God of Small Things. Britain From the Shetlands to Cornwall, no literary stone will be left unturned, whether you want to investigate Brighton with top crime writer Peter James, through his famous Det Supt Roy Grace, or Edinburgh with Rebus creator Ian Rankin, or disappear into romance and relationships in Cornwall with Fern Britton, Judy Finnigan and a raft of other novelists. If you're keen on exploring Britain's lost cities, Matthew Green's factual book Shadowlands: A Journey Through Britain (Faber & Faber, Mar 17) takes you on an atmospheric tour of ghost towns and disappeared villages, from a Neolithic settlement in Orkney buried in sand, to a medieval city swept from a shingle island. The Island Home by Libby Page (Orion) is set on a remote Scottish island in the Hebrides, based on the Isle of Eigg, in which a woman returns with her daughter to the island where she grew up and where her family might mend itself. Her descriptions of the dramatic landscapes, the black lochs, coves and jagged hills will make you feel like you've been there - or certainly make you want to visit. Those considering visiting the east of England should look out for writer Elly Griffiths, whose Norfolk is a huge part of the storyline of each novel in her bestselling Dr Ruth Galloway crime series, the latest of which, The Locked Room (Quercus), sees her archaeologist sleuth helping solve a series of mysterious deaths. Meanwhile, award-winning crime writer Ann Cleeves, already well known for her Northumberland detective Vera and Shetland Island mystery series, has her sights set on North Devon for her latest book, The Heron's Cry (Pan Macmillan). It's set in a glorious summer packed with tourists, where Detective Matthew Venn investigates an elaborately staged murder among a group of artists. Ireland The setting of so many inspiring reads - from Sally Rooney's emotionally charged Normal People (Faber & Faber), about the complex relationship between two teenagers Connell and Marianne and set in and around Dublin, to bestselling author Marian Keyes' latest exploration of families, friendships and relationships in Again, Rachel (Michael Joseph), her sequel to Rachel's Holiday. Caribbean It's not all fly and flop in the Caribbean, as readers discover in What A Mother's Love Don't Teach You by Sharma Taylor (Virago, out Jul 7). It's a novel set in Kingston, Jamaica, about a woman who is reunited with her son, 18 years after giving him as a baby to the rich couple she worked for before they left. A story of belonging and identity, it brings together a chorus of voices to evoke Jamaica's dance halls and criminal underworld, at the heart of which is a mother's love for her son. Africa Anyone planning a safari should pick up a copy of The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony (Pan), a South African conservationist who accepted a herd of 'rogue' elephants to his Thula Thula game reserve. Risking his life to bond with the elephants, he assumes a hugely special relationship with the herd, the wise matriarch Nana and her warrior sister Frankie. This ultimately heart-warming recollection sheds great light on the emotional intelligence of these majestic animals. India A land full of colour, culture and fascinating history, many writers have been drawn to the storyboard of India. Arundhati Roy won the prestigious Booker Prize in 1997 for her first novel The God Of Small Things (Harper Perennial), a story about Rahel and Estha, twins growing up among the banana vats and peppercorns of their blind grandmother's factory, amid scenes of political turbulence in Kerala. And who can resist Salman Rushdie's acclaimed Booker Prize-winning second novel, Midnight's Children (Vintage Classics)? This much-loved historical fantasy reflects on the issues India faced post-independence, including culture, language and religion. Census Night has arrived, the first in six years. But what is the purpose of the census, do I need to fill it out, and how do I do it? Why do we have to fill out the census? The census is a count and an account of Irelands population on Census Night, which takes place today, Sunday, April 3. By law, everyone in the country on that night must be included on a census form. The data collected through the census provides vital information to help plan for homes, schools, hospitals, transport, age-related services, and other services that are needed in our communities and country. One of the great strengths of the census is that it shows the number of people living in each region, county, town, and local area and provides detailed population figures at each level. This helps identify the demand for services both locally and nationally. The legal basis for the data collection is provided by the Statistics Act 1993, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Statistics (Census of Population) Order, 2020. Read More Census results could see 10 more TDs in the Dail Who is collecting my data? The census is organised by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) which employ a temporary field force of 5,600 people to help carry out the census at local and regional level. Census forms are distributed to every household and communal establishment (for examples, hotels, hospitals) by census enumerators, who also collect the completed forms. The CSO says it takes all possible security measures to make sure that census information is private. Your information is secured and protected by law. Your census form will be collected and processed by officers of statistics employed directly by the CSO. No one else will have access to your census form. Under the Statistics Act 1993, the census returns must be treated as strictly private and may be used only for statistical purposes. All Census 2022 forms will be processed in the CSOs census headquarters in Swords, Co Dublin, where all information is stored on a closed CSO network. This network is fully owned by the CSO. The detailed census information will not be copied or removed from this network. I will be away from my home on Census night what do I do? If you or your household are staying at a different location within Ireland tonight, make sure you complete your census form in the location you are present in. If you are in a hotel, guesthouse, hospital, or other communal establishments, ensure that you have been provided with a census form and complete it there. If a member of the household is away from home, they should be included in the absent persons section at the back of the form, regardless of whether they are in the country or abroad. If an entire household is abroad, they will not complete a census form but the enumerator will take a few details on the doorstep when they call. If you are working shift work tonight, you complete your census form when you return home the following morning. Eileen Murphy, head of census administration at the CSO. Picture Jason Clarke When will my form be collected? An enumerator will return to collect your completed census form between April 4 and May 6. If your form has not yet been collected by May 6, return it in a large envelope to: Central Statistics Office, PO Box 2021, Freepost 4726, Swords, Co. Dublin. K67 D2X4 Are there any new questions/topics on the census form? Yes. The new and changed questions proposed in these submissions were discussed by an advisory group, which selected those to be trialled in the census pilot forms. The form itself features eight new questions on renewable energy sources, internet access, smoking, volunteering, and working from home, as well as 25 questions that have been reworked. These topics were selected after the public consultation and pilot survey described above. Many other questions for example those on religion and long-lasting conditions have also been changed to varying degrees. Read More Colm O'Connor: New census religion question offers scope for change What is the time capsule? In a new addition, people will be asked to fill in anonymous messages which will be held by the CSO for 70 years before being transferred to the National Archives to be unsealed in 2122. On the census website, it says: The time capsule is completely voluntary, and it is entirely up to you whether you wish to write anything here or not. The only thing we ask is that you do not add any paper, documents, photos, or anything attachable as we will not be able to preserve them or return them to you. The head of the Irish Immigrant Council says that refugees fleeing Ukraine are just as likely to be exploited after arriving in Ireland as they are by traffickers at the Polish border. Brian Killoran, the councils chief executive, said: The situation as it stands with the chaotic movement and the desperation of those involved make it rife for exploitation and that exploitation can happen at the starting point in Ukraine and Poland and it can happen at the end point in Ireland as well. Unfortunately, the motives and the approaches and the exploitation is of a very similar nature at both ends. In recent weeks, a number of advertisements have appeared online targeting Ukrainian women with offers of accommodation in Ireland in return for sex. The most recent advertisement relating to a property in Cavan was titled Seeking a Ukraine woman and was explicit in nature, offering a free bed in exchange for sexual pleasure for me. The advertiser added: I can pick you up in Cavan if you cant drive need this asap please??? The advertisement was removed on Thursday morning after the advertiser was contacted by the Irish Examiner. Mr Killoran said: It is imperative that we ensure that not only in Ireland that we respond appropriately in terms of providing safeguards, identifying victims of trafficking, training to any frontline professional out there who may come across gender-based violence or exploitation or trafficking. These incidents are only going to increase. Beyond exploitation He was speaking as correspondence was sent to Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, through the Beyond Exploitation campaign spearheaded by the National Womens Council in association with the Immigrant Council of Ireland and Ruhama. The correspondence voices growing concern at the very significant threat of commercial sexual exploitation to the safety of women and children who are fleeing from Ukraine. Orla OConnor, director of the National Womens Council said: International research has clearly established that where there is war there will also be criminals willing to exploit the vulnerable and in particular women and girls. We are increasingly concerned about the situation at the Ukrainian borders where traffickers and criminals are targeting exhausted women and children for commercial sexual exploitation. She said: We are calling on Minister Simon Coveney and the Irish Government to use its influence at highest political level, particularly during Irelands Council of Europe Presidency from May-November 2022, to ensure a gender sensitive humanitarian response and decisive action to protect women and girls from trafficking and sexual exploitation. She said that at an EU level, there must be an inter-institutional task force set up to address and provide support to women and girls in Ukraine, as well as the provision of immediate financial and emergency humanitarian aid to womens organisations to help them support those at risk of exploitation. Human trafficking The campaign is also seeking the provision of clear information and resources on human trafficking and the risk of commercial sexual exploitation, specialist support services and emergency helplines in Ukrainian and other relevant languages at border points, including Irelands ports and airports. And the campaign says there needs to be vetting of all host families and adequate funding for humanitarian organisations tasked with the responsibility of supporting the women and children must be ensured. Barbara Condon, CEO of Ruhama, said: We are extremely concerned for the safety of women and children arriving in Ireland and the EU and we must do our utmost to ensure they are protected and receive the supports they need. Irish Water failed to meet a number of targets set for it by the regulator, with the amount of wastewater incidents reported in 2020 a "significant increase compared to previous years. From a total of 20 targets, Irish Water failed to meet 13 of them, including how soon it responded to all the complaints it received, internal sewer incidents, and wastewater incidents. The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) looks at the number of pollution incidents resulting from wastewater collection and treatment activities, as well as recurring incidents. Effluent discharge In 2020, from a target set of 665 or less, Irish Water reported 1,108 once-off incidents. Each incident is rated on a scale of 1-5, with 5 deemed a catastrophic incident. There was one in category three, where untreated effluent at Ringsend in Dublin discharged into the Naniken River for a total of five days. CRU had set a target of zero incidents in this category. CRU is targeting the elimination of incidents that occur due to the operation, management and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants by the end of 2024. In 2020, 40% of once-off incidents were as a result of this. It also monitors ongoing or likely to recur incidents. From a target of 191 or less in 2020, Irish Water reported 238 such incidents. In its report, CRU said that one of its major concerns related to Irish Waters ability to comply not only with CRU targets by the end of this period but to comply with relevant EU legislation. Most notably, the CRU does not consider Irish Water to be on track to meet its targets to provide wastewater treatment at all of its agglomerations nor to meet its target to be 100% compliant with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive by the end of 2024, it said. In addition, another of Irish Waters environmental performance metrics incidents relating to wastewater is trending in the wrong direction and is far from the targets set for 2024. On Irish Waters customer service, CRU said: The CRU welcomes Irish Waters improvement and stability under many of its customer service metrics. Customer satisfaction with contact with Irish Water improved, call abandonment rate was kept to a minimum, and the number of billing contacts answered and closed out withing five working days was high. While Irish Water may have missed some ease of telephone contact targets in 2020 (e.g. speed of telephone response, first call resolution), it was still close to the targets and is currently on track to improve its performance to the end of the period to meet these targets. CRU added that it will assess Irish Waters 2021 performance after Irish Water submits a report with its metrics in the third quarter of 2022. In response to the CRU report, an Irish Water spokesperson said that it recognised the strong progress the company was making. The spokesperson said: There is no doubt that challenges remain and that continued investment in wastewater will be required in the coming years. Much of the infrastructure for safely collecting and treating wastewater around the country has suffered from decades of under-investment and as a result incidents do sometimes occur related to wastewater collection and treatment activities. Irish Water has a plan in place to address these challenges and we are making real progress in upgrading wastewater treatment infrastructure in towns and villages throughout Ireland. In 2021, Dublin woman Fiona Byrne Ryan sold her home and business to live out of a tent full-time in Michigan, North America with her husband Brandon Garlow and their two-year-old son Dasan. In the mornings, they wake up to temperatures of -17C. Their why? Their values. But more specifically, the pandemic served the young family a wake-up call to live in alignment with their core beliefs, of which climate action is a major one. Fiona, 32, who was born and reared in Dublin and who studied landscape architecture in University College Dublin, always knew office life was not for her and upon graduation she travelled the world, visiting places like Cuba, Guatemala and the urban jungle of Portland, Oregon. She couch-surfed across North America, or Turtle Island as its called by indigenous people, with the aim of reaching Detroit - another city Fiona was fascinated by. It was here she met Brandon, 38, who is native American, and of the Mohawk tribe. Supporting indigenous people is another major part of their impetus to uproot themselves from urban life. Fiona was born and reared in Dublin and studied landscape architecture in University College Dublin. Up until October 2021, Detroit was their home, where they lived and ran their real estate business that served the elderly. But the pandemic and the various lockdowns gave them room to reflect and it turned out that their way of life was no longer morally sustainable for them. We spent a lot of time building our company, but we were ultimately left unfulfilled. We realised the life we were building wasn't aligned with who we are. "We collected the largest pay cheque we'd ever collected and we were left feeling empty. That was a wake-up call. So we asked ourselves: 'What do we really want on a deeper level?' The route we were taking wasn't doing that, and we knew it was time to change," says Brandon. In August 2019, Fiona gave birth to the couple's first child. Welcoming Dasan to the world also contributed to the wake-up, she says. "With Covid and that whole time, we spent a lot of time going inwards and doing a lot of healing. We have a young son and just seeing the world we were leaving behind. And we just asked: 'What do our souls want to do while we are on this earth?'" explains Fiona. These large existential questions led them down various paths - one of which was to return to Brandon's tribe's traditional lands in upstate New York, and another was looking up YouTube videos about how to live out of an RV (recreational vehicle). All of these options were going through their minds while they were trying to run a business that was almost shut down by the pandemic. And it was not like the family were not already living in a sustainable way. "We'd made so many conscious decisions, we were growing our own food, we had a share in a cowherd to get our own milk, we were refilling everything - doing all of these things but we couldn't really be in our values," says Fiona. "At the same time, we were just living in the city, and as conscious as we were, we were still out of alignment," adds Brandon. Two pivotal moments occurred, one was when they sold their family business in February 2021, still with no plan in place as to their future and the second came five months later. They attended an online summit in July 2021, where they heard former Green Party vice-presidential nominee and economist Winona LaDuke speaking. "She is on the frontline of the 'Stop Line 3' resistance in northern Minnesota, and she finished her talk with: 'Come to Minnesota the water is calling'. "We became very emotional, we were crying, and when you have that sort of emotion towards something like that you need to answer it," says Fiona. 'Line 3' is a pipeline that has the capacity to carry nearly one million barrels of crude oil every day from Alberta, Canada to Wisconsin. The route crosses 227 bodies of freshwater, including the Mississippi River twice, and many rivers that feed directly into Lake Superior - the largest lake in North America. Hearing about this pipeline and imagining the inevitable oil spills it will cause was enough for Fiona and Brandon to follow on from the sale of their business with the sale of their home. Fiona: "We wanted to strip ourselves down. We wanted to live in the woods." Fiona returned home to Ireland to spend time with her parents and by October 2021, three months after hearing Winona LaDuke speak, their house, and pretty much everything they owned, were sold. The next step? To get to Minnesota 900 miles away to join the resistance to the pipeline, and to live in a tent along the way. They knew this was not going to be practical with a toddler so they tailored their plan and called it 'Running into a New Earth'. "We asked ourselves: 'How are we going to get to northern Minnesota? Because it was not just about raising money for the resistance. We wanted to strip ourselves down. We wanted to live in the woods. "And what did that mean? We were going to have to live in a tent and we had no experience of living in a tent," says Fiona. They decided to cut the 900 miles down and run 227 miles of the North Country Trail - representing the 227 bodies of water the pipeline would cross over. The couple would each take turns running. "When we were running through the forest we were alone and you had to face yourself in a way you've never had to do before," says Brandon. When you're sitting on a couch you know the destruction that's going on and you're complacent, but when you're running through this forest that's been logged, you really see that we as a people and a planet are not well. The family reached Northern Minnesota in December 2021. However, they currently call Marquette in northern Michigan home, where they live out of a tent in a big forest. "The first tent that we were living in was very thin, especially when the cold came in," says Fiona. "We asked ourselves: 'Do we want to continue to do this?' If we wanted to stay here we would need to upgrade to a four-season tent and get a wood stove," she adds. Fiona and Brandon have started a community called Truthfully Living which provides articles about their experiences. But even with a stove, the nights, and mornings, are exceptionally cold. "We are cooking our dinners on the wood stove in our tent, and we have our fire that keeps us warm and heats our water bottles. The gratitude you feel for these simple things is overwhelming," says Fiona. "But there are mornings we have woken up and it has been -17 degrees Celsius. "When we wake up in the morning we have to have everything ready to go, so we can get in the car. Everything is frozen, we have to keep the electronics in a special bag," she adds. They joined the local YMCA non-profit gym where they can wash, exercise and where two year-old Dasan attends play groups, and has access to lots of children's activities. They make great use of the local library too, especially for the internet. "There are mornings we have woken up and it has been -17 degrees Celsius." Theyve started a community called Truthfully Living which provides articles about their experiences, teachings, workshops, talking circles, videos, and mentorships. But it is all in the name of their big why: living sustainably. Enbridge - a company that is responsible for one of the largest inland oil spills in US history in 2010, is the same company building Line 3. This company already has a track record in oil spilling, explains Fiona. Line 3 is a perfect example of what we are doing to the world, she adds. Fiona and Brandon document their life on truthfullyliving.com, while their instagram account can be found at @wearebrandonandfiona. It always seems impossible until its done - Nelson Mandela SATURDAY night and they flooded out of Semple Stadium, reflecting in red, how long more before the wait for silverware ends? Pre hurling's league final when I saw Liam Cahill refusing to even entertain the idea of appealing Austin Gleeson's red card I felt that it was an early and emphatic statement of intent. Its quite easy to sit here and put words to a screen about certain Cork failings but players and management will know better than anyone the key areas that let them down in Thurles. I was always intrigued by the player diaries published in the Examiner on the All-Ireland winning teams. Last year, Tyrones Niall Morgan and Limerick's Nickie Quaid offered revealing insights pre- and post-final. But how often does a losing effort get scrutinised to the same extent? The defeated want it erased from the memory as soon as possible when it's the final game of the campaign. No such scenario in April - Cork are left to revise and fix it asap. This league final loss will have hurt the group. Those feelings of hurt from last year's All-Ireland final will have consumed them as they sat in the changing rooms of Semple Stadium. Silence. That was always the hardest part, not knowing or wanting to say anything because whats there to say in that moment. Bodies being assessed for damage by the medical team who are keenly aware every hour is critical in having a full squad to pick from in two weeks' time. Management outside the changing room doors assessing where it went wrong and what positives to employ to lift the players' spirits. Usually post-game, players and management have a debrief or what is commonly known as a 'hot wash' to evaluate and ascertain if everyone is seeing the same system errors and mistakes. Pat Keane, the Cork kit man, tapping the heads of every man as he hands back the spare hurleys, smiling: Head up young man, were still in the fight. And that they are. This game is ruthless. There is no time for feeling sorry for yourself now. Its easy to sit down and go through the niceties. If Cork hadn't so many wides, if they'd taken goal chances. But first off, they must sit down and look hard at the biggest areas of concern - the goal-scoring chances Waterford created. Cork's defence came under a lot of criticism but certain positions should be selected on the basis of specific characteristics - not on ball-playing ability. We have excellent forwards who can do that. As a centre-back, you always want to be facing rather than chasing. The notion that moving Mark Coleman out of six at this stage of the year would be a knee-jerk reaction is rubbish. Regardless of where he plays, hes still Cork's leader. Its not that Mark isnt an excellent centre-back but I dont think Cork are utilising his hurling capabilities. His skill level, vision, striking and scoring are all top class and are wasted in a position where he basically doesn't have a chance to showcase those talents. If I could tear up the script, I would play Mark at 11, doing exactly what every 11 is doing to him. Dropping out to midfield, spreading the play and coming off the shoulder at full pace. This wouldnt be alien to Mark either as he plays a lot of his club hurling in the half-forward line. Imagine the headache for Declan Hannon and Limerick's midfield pairing with Coleman floating around that area? Who comes in at centre back? Ciaran Joyce. This young man has a long career ahead of him and understands the role with Ger Mellerick and Robert Downey either side of him. Three out and out defenders in your half-back line who genuinely like defending. Tim O'Mahonys running game is as strong as any of the Waterford contingent and when he breaks the line, positive things come from it. The issue, however, is that when the play breaks down, the structure is in chaos with the opposition hitting ball down that open channel. Tim O'Mahony and Darragh Fitzgibbon at midfield would be some engine room with Tim the sitting midfielder working back to cover the pocket in front of Joyce. Some of the above suggestions might seem extreme or reactionary but they're not - and teams in the past have taken the risk. Limericks move of Kyle Hayes from eleven to wing back freshened things when nobody was looking. John Conlon from full forward to centre-back. Brian Corcoran from six to full Forward. John Kiely and Paul Kinnerk will have noticed those gaps that you and I could see Saturday night. Ive felt it and lived it, that feeling of being exposed on the biggest stage last August and Limerick have the template to do just that if you let them. The definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Whats going to be different come April 17? A constant feature of Irish life in the past two years has been the Government preparing us for bad news. We had it before every Covid announcement, where whatever pain was coming in the form of stricter restrictions was flagged well in advance. And, when those decisions were made, the voices we heard were usually from the sectors affected and the impact it would have there. Indeed, throughout the pandemic, the public has been at the whim of factors largely outside their control as the virus raged. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Government has been at it again. But this time, its been on energy prices. Its another factor the public has no control over whatsoever but must deal with its consequences, nonetheless. The message on this from Government is a mixture of this is awful, well help and but theres only so far we can go. When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar told the Dail: The price of energy is going to rise and that will have a knock-on effect on the price of food and the price of other things. The Government has intervened to help and will continue to intervene to help, but we need to be realistic too. When Bord Gais hiked their prices with the average electricity and gas bill rising 27% and 39%, respectively, Minister Eamon Ryan said we were aware of that coming and that it would cause real difficulties. And, last week, the Taoiseach admitted that higher energy prices are here for the longer haul but said the Government couldnt react on a weekly basis to the cost-of-living crisis after Electric Ireland hiked the price of gas and electricity by almost a quarter. Up 670 a year And then SSE Airtricity hiked its prices, meaning an extra 670 per year for dual fuel customers. What it all means is that, whilst more pain is certainly on the way, the Government is scrambling to offer further supports to the millions of us facing much higher energy costs this year. But unlike Covid, the difference is that the writing has been on the wall in terms of energy costs for some time. Analysis from Bonkers.ie highlights 35 separate price hikes from energy providers in 2021. Since energy prices began to skyrocket in October 2020, so have our bills. And the price hikes in recent weeks are not the final chapter. There will be further rises before the year ends. As Daragh Cassidy, head of communications at Bonkers.ie, pointed out after SSE Airtricity hike on Friday: The small comfort is that the increase doesnt come into effect until May when hopefully itll be far warmer. But households will just be faced with astronomical bills next winter. Meanwhile, the number of requests to the Society of St Vincent De Paul for help with fuel was up almost 500% in February on the same month in 2021. SVPs Mary Waide said: In my 20 years as a volunteer with SVP I have not before witnessed the depth of poverty that such a diverse range of people are currently experiencing. The 200 electricity credit were all set to get in the coming weeks will be obliterated by the price hikes Full-blown crisis Its a full-blown crisis. And there seems to be little the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) can do to stop these hikes. CRU says on its website that its key focus is the effective monitoring and the development of policies and processes that will provide a high level of protection to customers and promote competition in both wholesale and retail markets. When Bord Gais Energy announced its hikes, for example, CRU said that vulnerable customers are entitled to additional protections and suppliers are required to have a vulnerable customer register in place and actively engage with customers who they think may be eligible to inclusion. And the advice from CRU, from the charities and from the companies themselves is for people in difficulty to engage with their supplier. Under the regulations, suppliers should not disconnect a customer who is engaging with them and must offer a range of payment options for customers in arrears. The Government is being urged to compel energy providers to provide the cheapest possible tariff to customers. Minister Eamon Ryan is to discuss it with CRU and said we are best off seeking their precise advice about any unintended consequences. The CRU told the Irish Examiner that any measures must be carefully designed to avoid damaging competition in the market. They also pointed to the benefits of switching which is frequently cited by CRU and the Government as a means of saving money on bills. And, even if its mostly bad news outside of our control, informing people what they can do to help reduce their bills or can expect in terms of support would give them at least some kind of hope to cling to, according to Dermott Jewell from the Consumers Association of Ireland. Two classic examples of informing the public of what they need to know were the introduction of the Euro, and then the ways and manners of dealing with Covid. Mr Jewell says that one size doesnt fit all, but a large-scale communications campaign from the Government or CRU on what customers facing high bills can do now would be of benefit. If its on citizens information [website], fine. If its in post offices, fine. Banks, newspapers, social media. It needs to go through every possible media. We need to start considering that now. Its about getting that information to the consumer. Right now, were being told theres a focus being put on smart meters. Id ask for a show of hands on how many average consumers who own one actually know how to use it. That communication has to happen, Mr Jewell added. People are either struggling already or realising that theyre going to struggle. This is something that isnt going away. European leaders and the US have responded to the horrifying evidence of atrocities against civilians by Russian soldiers that are littered across Kyiv's suburbs and towns. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister briefed Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney on the events that have unfolded in Bucha in a phone call tonight. During the call, Dmytro Kuleba thanked Ireland for insisting upon stronger EU sanctions on Russia. Mr Coveney took to Twitter to demand accountability for Russia's actions in Ukraine. "Shocking scenes of atrocities in Ukraine by Russian forces must be fully documented and pursued by an International Court," he wrote. "There can be no impunity for crimes like these. International Community has a duty to demand accountability." Germany's Foreign Minister said on Sunday Russia must pay for its "war crimes" in the Ukrainian town of Bucha just outside the capital in the form of more severe sanctions, denouncing Russian President Vladimir Putin's "uninhibited violence". The mayor of Bucha said on Saturday that 300 residents had been killed during a month-long occupation by the Russian army. Victims were seen by Reuters in a mass grave and still lying on the streets. "The images from Bucha are unbearable, Putin's uninhibited violence is extinguishing innocent families and knows no boundaries," Annalena Baerbock wrote on Twitter. Those responsible for these war crimes must be made accountable. We will tighten the sanctions against Russia and will assist Ukraine even more in defending itself." The Russian defence ministry in Moscow did not immediately reply to a request for comment when asked on Sunday about bodies found in Bucha. Russia has previously denied targeting civilians and rejected allegations of war crimes in what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine. In a statement on Sunday German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for international organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to be allowed access to the affected areas to independently document what he described as atrocities. The mayor of Bucha said on Saturday that 300 residents had been killed during a month-long occupation by the Russian army. Picture: AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd Scholz also called on Russia to finally agree to a ceasefire and put a stop to this "terrible, meaningless and unjustifiable war". Germany was preparing the sanctions in conjunction with partners in the European Union, Economy Minister Robert Habeck was quoted as saying by German newspaper Bild. Berlin has so far resisted growing calls to impose an embargo on Russian energy saying its economy and that of other European countries are too dependent still on Russian imports. France condemns 'massive abuses' committed by Russian forces in Ukraine A woman cries as residents listen to a Ukrainian serviceman speaking after a convoy of military and aid vehicles arrived in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha, Ukraine. Picture: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Sunday condemned what he called the "massive abuses" committed by Russian forces" in Ukraine in recent weeks. Le Drian highlighted the town of Bucha outside Kyiv and said that such abuses would constitute war crimes and that France will work with Ukrainian authorities and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to put on trial those responsible. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter that the images coming from Bucha were "unbearable". "The Russian authorities will have to answer for these crimes," Macron added, expressing his compassion for the victims and his solidarity with Ukrainians. The EU is working on further sanctions on Russia but any additional measures will not affect the energy sector, the bloc's Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Saturday. Images of dead in Ukrainian town of Bucha a 'punch in gut,' says Blinken Neighbours gather next to a mass grave in Bucha. Picture: AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said images of dead Ukrainian civilians found in the town of Bucha after Russian troops left were a "punch in the gut" and those responsible for any war crimes must be held accountable. In a CNN interview on Sunday, Blinken said: "We can't help but see these images as a punch in the gut," Blinken said, before noting that President Joe Biden's administration has said it believes Russian forces have committed war crimes and that it is helping collect evidence. "There needs to be accountability," he said. "But I think the most important thing is we can't become numb to this. We can't normalize this. This is the reality of what's going on every single day as long as Russia's brutality against Ukraine continues." Blinken side-stepped a question of whether the United States believes Russian troops have committed genocide. "We will look hard and document everything we see, put it together to make sure that the relevant institutions and organizations are looking at this, including the State Department," he said. People look at the gutted remains of Russian military vehicles on a road in the town of Bucha. Picture: AP Photo/Serhii Nuzhnenko Those institutions include Ukrainian legal authorities and the International Criminal Court, which is investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine. Blinken said it was "too early to say" whether Russian troops that have withdrawn from around Kyiv are "regrouping and restocking and replenishing and then coming back" or redeploying toward the east and south, as Russian officials have suggested. He declined to confirm reports that the United States is facilitating the transfers of Soviet-era tanks to Ukrainian forces from Eastern European allies. But he said members of the NATO alliance continue to provide arms "across the board." "There are or will soon be in Ukraine more than 10 anti-tank systems for every Russian tank," he said. Blinken will attend an April 5-7 NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels at which alliance support for Ukraine will be discussed, said State Department spokesperson Ned Price. The allies also will consider "joint efforts to hold President (Vladimir) Putin accountable and promote a swift end to his senseless and destructive war of choice against Ukraine," Price said. Blinken will attend a G7 foreign ministers meeting for additional discussions, he said. Enjoy a delicious meal from one of our participating #tasteofkeybiscayne restaurants this first Sunday in April and leave room for dessert! this April 3 Sake Room Complete your Sake meal with our delicious mini-donuts, we guarantee the plate will be empty! Free Crunchy Crab Salad with $50 purchase Special only good for orders called in to (305) 456-0488 We are open for Indoor & Outdoor Dining, Takeout or delivery daily from Noon to 10 p.m. Call (305) 456-0488 to place a takeout or delivery order directly Following all CDC safety protocols 328 Crandon Blvd Ste 108, Galleria Shopping Center Grub hub UberEats also available. Please if you can call us first Randazzo by Yesenia Open for Indoor & Outdoor dining, Takeout or delivery. Reservations recommended Today - Sunday - open at 2 p.m. for lunch! Make the ending of your Sunday Randazzos Italian meal special by creating your own dessert platter? Yesenias Chocolate Cake and #Cannolis with #Pistachio Dessert Platter is a popular one or tiramisu, ricotta cheesecake, and cannolis. Please call (305) 456-0480 to place an order or make a reservation Open Monday, Wednesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., open until 11 p.m. Friday. NEW! Now open for lunch at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays! Closed Tuesdays 328 Crandon Blvd Ste 112, Galleria Shopping Center Delivery service with Postmates or UberEats Tacopolis Any of our authentic Mexican desserts will complete your delicious Tacopolis meal Make it a great Sunday by trying something differentCaffee lechero and concha or churros. Tacopolis, where every day is Taco-Day!! Only eat tacos on days that end in a Y Tacopolis strives to serve Authentic Mexican food in a casual and relaxed family atmosphere Open 7-days a week from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Open for Outdoor dining, Takeout or delivery but our own service of find us on UberEats Located in the Square Shopping Center at 260 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne. To place a phone order, call (786) 703-5523. To order online, click here D'Lite Bistro & Bakery Who says eating healthy means sacrificing taste and flavor? Not at DLite! Any breakfast or brunch plans this Sunday? Come on over, our Bambis Egg Toast with extra Wild Cut Salmon is a must try We are a unique and healthy restaurant that serves salads, wraps, sandwiches, bowls, protein smoothies and cold press juices made fresh every morning including gluten-free, vegetarian and keto options. We open at 7 a.m. daily and close at 8 p.m. everyday except Sat and Sun when we close at 6 p.m. DLite is located in the Arcade Mall, 180 Crandon Blvd. To place an order, call (305) 882-9284 or visit us online by clicking here. Boaters Grill & Lighthouse Cafe / Bill Baggs The restaurants inside Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park the popular Boaters Grill, located at No Name Harbor and accessible by boat, and the beachside Lighthouse Cafe. Safe and friendly. Great service and great food. All you need to make Sunday special is a little love and a whole-lot-of-flan! Boaters Grill is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Lighthouse Cafe is open 7-days a week, from 9 a.m. to Sunset The restaurants are located inside Bill Baggs State Park, at 1200 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne. You can reach them at (305) 361-0080 32 Degrees by MG You deserve gourmet meal options that are fast and convenient. Sunday is a great day to meal plan for the week Fresh, fully cooked meals from 32 Degrees are a great mealtime option. We provide frozen, ready-prepared meals that are great for the busiest of lifestyles! We shop, prep, cook, and deliver to your doorstep, so you can experience the benefits of gourmet eating without the fuss or hassle. Our fully cooked meals are created with passion by our chefs using only the freshest ingredients. We never use additives or preservatives. Our meals are ready to eat in the microwave in 5 minutes. Place your order today by visiting 32-degrees.com Use code 32ISLANDER at checkout and receive 15% off* your first order. *Offer good on orders of $40 or more. Costa Med Bistro Enjoy Costa Med this evening either with it or at home this evening.. This Sunday, indulge in something sweet, you cant go wrong with our Key Lime dessert! Order online for take out, click here! Costa Med, a TripAdvisor Traverlers Choice nominated restaurant, is located in the Square Shopping Center. 260 Crandon Blvd. Reservations suggested. Call (305) 361-7575 to make a reservation Hours. Lunch Mon to Sat: Noon a.m. to 4 p.m. Dinner Mon to Sat: 6 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. / Sun 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The Golden Hog Your local independent grocer can deliver freshly prepared meals or all the groceries you need. Email us your order here. Be the star of the Sunday gathering with Golden Hogs French Macaroons! Assorted variety of twenty macarons in beautiful gift boxes Call (305) 361-1300 for Sunday Chef's Choice special menu. The Golden-Hog has a complete line of specialty groceries for delivery. Golden Hog puts safety first, shop with confidence. To place an order online, click here Brasas KB Have you tried our Peruvian Chicken Rotisserie for lunch or dinner that includes 2 sides and sauce of your choice: huancaina, aji amarillo, huacatay and olivas negras peruanas. Enjoy change of pace this Sunday with our Rotisserie chicken sandwich and sweet plantains We are open for Indoor & Outdoor Dining, Takeout or free delivery. Call (786) 615-2399 to place a takeout order. Open Noon to 8 p.m. for Dine-In, Takeout or delivery. 328 Crandon Blvd, Galleria Shopping Center La Scala Closed on Sundays The popular Italian Bistro now offers their delicious meals to enjoy at home and thanks your support during the last year To place a Monday takeout order call (786) 773-3633 or visit us online by clicking here. Open 5 to 9 p.m. 180 Crandon Blvd Arcade Shopping Center. Kazumi Closed Sunday. Our modern Japanese fusion restaurant offers creative treatments & creativity in our dishes To see our menu, click here Call us tomorrow at (305) 361-2675. Check back tomorrow for more specials as we add more restaurants to #tasteofkeybiscayne-To-Go And please remember to order from the restaurant directly before using one of the apps this way we support the local restaurants by saving them the commission they are charged, which at times is as much as 30% If youre fighting cancer right now or some other chronic disease, I owe you an apology for breaking the promise I made you in 2009. That was the year I served as the chaplain in the Air Force Field Hospital in Balad, Iraq. Every two weeks there, I took the morning to donate blood platelets. What are platelets? you ask. According to the Red Cross website, Platelets are the tiny cells in your blood that form clots to stop bleeding. If you can imagine how valuable platelets are to a combat hospital, youll understand my biweekly commitment to donate them. For nearly three hours, I would sit in the donor chair, adjacent to the ER, and watch the bloodied boots of our anguished heroes roll toward radiology for x-rays and MRIs. The sight inspired me to promise, Lord, if I ever get out of here Well, maybe not quite that dramatic. It was more like, When I get home, I promise Ill continue giving platelets. But upon my homecoming, I failed to keep my promise. Im very sorry. I overlooked how essential platelets are to millions of Americans hoping to survive cancer, chronic diseases and traumatic injuries. In fact, platelets are so important that every 15 seconds someone needs them. And platelets are so fragile that they must be used within a weeks time. That means new donors are constantly needed. Sadly, it took me another 10 years before I returned to my local blood bank to renew my battlefield contract. That was last year. These days, my kept promise begins with online scheduling of a 2.5-hour appointment twice a month with my local blood bank. On the morning of my appointment, I fill out a quick online questionnaire. A nurse takes my vitals and gives me a fingerstick to measure my hemoglobin, the most painful moment in the process for many. Soon, Im relaxing in a recliner, where my nurse comforts me with heating pads and pillows. Honestly, I think shed give me a cuddly stuffed bear if I asked for one. I point to the tiny scar on my left arm caused by my Iraq donations, and she inserts a needle, almost painlessly, in the same spot. She draws a relatively small amount of blood and sends it into a machine called a blood cell separator. The blood is rapidly spun, which forces the platelets to separate from the other blood components. These cells then flow into a sterile, single-use plastic bag. This process removes only platelets. Everything else is recycled back to me the plasma, red cells and white cells. This method is repeated many times until my single donation of platelets provides several transfusable platelet units. When the procedure is over, I rest in the break area, sipping a favorite beverage and eating popcorn while chatting with the nicest people youd want to meet the other donors. Why am I sharing this story in a spirituality column? Because Easter is coming and in my Baptist church well probably sing, Power in the Blood. The hymn recalls how Jesus spilled his blood and sacrificed his life on our behalf. For me, theres a connection between giving blood and demonstrating sacrifice, love and concern for Gods people. If you cant see yourself sacrificing that much time, please consider 90 minutes to donate plasma. If youve survived COVID, your plasma may be used to help COVID patients recover with something called convalescent plasma therapy. And if youre so busy you barely have time to read this column, consider the 30-minute procedure to give whole blood. Finally, the most rewarding moment is when I receive a text a few days later telling me that my donation has just been used to save a life. But personally, Im just materialistic enough to enjoy the other rewards given by most blood centers, such as gift cards, and T-shirts. I spent my Apple gift cards on an Apple watch. And that watch tells me that its probably time you should donate blood too. Visit us online or Facebook. Send comments to comment@thechaplain.net or via voicemail (843) 608-9715. Police in the UK have charged two of the seven teenagers they arrested on 25 March on the charge of being connected to the Lapsus$ group that has been in the news recently over attacks on Samsung, Microsoft and Okta. In a statement issued on 1 April, Detective Inspector Michael O'Sullivan of the City of London Police, said: The City of London Police has been conducting an investigation into members of a hacking group. "Two teenagers, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, have been charged in connection with this investigation and remain in police custody. Both teenagers have been charged with: three counts of unauthorised access to a computer with intent to impair the reliability of data; one count of fraud by false representation and one count of unauthorised access to a computer with intent to hinder access to data. "The 16-year-old has also been charged with one count of causing a computer to perform a function to secure unauthorised access to a program. They will both appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court this morning (1 April 2022). The two who appeared in court were later released on bail. They will next appear at a pre-trial hearing at London's Southwark Crown Court on 29 April. After the arrests, the group announced it had breached Globant, an IT and software consultancy company based in Luxembourg. Lapsus$ breached Microsoft, Samsung and identity services provider Okta, the last-named through an outsourced firm. The next hearing in the case of WikiLeaks founder and publisher Julian Assange will be on 20 April at the Westminster Magistrate's Court on which day the order for his extradition to the United States will be issued. The order will then go to the British Home Secretary Priti Patel for approval, according to a statement from WikiLeaks. Assange's lawyers will have time to make submissions against the extradition until 18 May. On 14 March, the UK Supreme Court turned down an appeal from Assange to hear arguments against his extradition. In January, the High Court had turned down a request from Assange's lawyers to appeal directly to the Supreme Court, leaving it to the higher court to decide on whether it would hear a challenge. On 10 December 2021, a two-bench High Court panel reversed a 4 January lower court verdict the same year to deny the US the right to extradite Assange to try him on criminal charges in Washington. British District Judge Vanessa Baraister hadin January that Assange should not be extradited, saying the risk he would commit suicide in a US jail was too high. Assange faces criminal charges in the US for publishing classified information that was leaked to WikiLeaks by an American soldier, then known as Bradley Manning, but now, after gender reassignment surgery, known as Chelsea Manning. The Australian was arrested on 11 April 2019 and removed from the Ecuador embassy where he had taken refuge for seven years. His asylum was withdrawn shortly before he was arrested and he appeared in court shortly thereafter. The US made a formal request for his extradition on 6 June 2019. Assange, 50, one of the better-known hackers Australia has produced, is being held at Belmarsh Prison 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. Johnson City, TN (37604) Today Variable clouds with strong thunderstorms. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High 69F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Thunder possible. Low 54F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Ukraine said it had regained control of the Kyiv region, with Russian troops retreating from around the capital and Chernigiv city, as evidence emerged of possible civilian killings in areas the invading forces have been occupying. AFP reporters saw at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single street in the town of Bucha near the capital and the body of a missing photographer was discovered in a nearby village. Three of them were tangled up in bicycles after taking their final ride, while others had fallen next to bullet-ridden and crushed cars. One had his hands tied behind his back with a white cloth, and his Ukrainian passport left open beside his corpse, said AFP journalists who accessed the ravaged town. All these people were shot, Buchas mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told AFP, adding that 280 other bodies had been buried in mass graves in the town. These are the consequences of Russian occupation, said Fedoruk. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she was appalled by atrocities in Bucha and other towns in Ukraine. Reports of Russian forces targeting innocent civilians are abhorrent. The UK is working with others to collect evidence and support @IntlCrimCourt war crimes investigation. Those responsible will be held to account, Truss tweeted late Saturday. The International Criminal Court has already opened a probe into possible war crimes committed in Ukraine, and several Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have accused Russias Vladimir Putin of being a war criminal. President Volodymyr Zelensky has also accused Russian soldiers of planting mines and other booby traps as they withdraw from northern Ukraine. They are leaving behind a complete disaster and many dangers. Firstly, the air strikes may continue. Secondly, they are mining the whole territory. Mining houses, equipment, even the bodies of people who were killed, he said in a video address Saturday, warning returning residents of tripwires and other dangers. We are moving forward. Moving carefully and everyone who returns to this area must also be very careful, he said. While Russian forces appeared to be withdrawing from the north, a series of explosions were heard Sunday morning in the historic Black Sea port of Odessa, with an AFP journalist reporting columns of black smoke and flames visible, apparently in an industrial part of the strategic city. Anton Herashchenko, adviser to the interior minister, said Odessa was attacked from the air. Fires were reported in some areas. Part of the missiles were shot down by air defence, he wrote on Telegram. Meanwhile, in an attempt to raise economic pressure on Russia, the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania announced Saturday that they had stopped all imports of Russian natural gas. Verbal agreement from Russia In a potential sign of progress to end the fighting, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia told local television channels that Russia had verbally accepted most of Kyivs proposals in peace talks except on the issue of Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Among the agreed-upon points was that a referendum on Ukraines neutral status will be the only way out of this situation, Arakhamia said. He said any meeting between Zelensky and Putin would with a high probability take place in Turkey, which has sought to mediate the conflict. As Russian forces withdraw from some northern areas, Moscow appears to be focusing on eastern and southern Ukraine, where it already holds vast swathes of territory. What is the aim of the Russian forces? They want to seize both Donbas and the south of Ukraine, Zelensky said in a video address late Saturday. What is our goal? To defend our freedom, our land and our people. But Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak warned on social media that without heavy weapons we wont be able to drive (Russia) out. Ukraine authorities nevertheless offered citizens elements of good news Saturday in claiming progress against the Russians more than five weeks after Moscows invasion triggered Europes worst conflict in decades. Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region were liberated from the invader, deputy defence minister Ganna Maliar said on Facebook, referring to towns that have been heavily damaged or destroyed by fighting. Putin ordered tanks into Russias pro-Western neighbour on February 24, and Ukraine estimates 20,000 people have been killed in the war so far. More than 10 million have had to flee their homes. Pope Francis spoke of icy winds of war again sweeping over Europe as he brought up the conflict Saturday at the outset of his trip to Malta and made what appeared to be a barely veiled reference to Putin. Once again, some potentate, sadly caught up in anachronistic claims of nationalist interests, is provoking and fomenting conflicts, the pope said, adding he was still considering a visit to Ukraines capital. Journalist killed with two shots Ukrainian authorities said Saturday the body of a well-known photographer, Maks Levin, had been found near a village in the region around Kyiv that had been caught up in the fighting. Levin became the sixth journalist killed in the war, according to Reporters Without Borders. Prosecutors said Levin, who was unarmed, was killed by servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces with two shots from small-fire arms. Levin, a 40-year-old father of four, had been reported missing on March 13; his body was found on April 1. In Russia, hundreds of people gathered across the country Saturday to protest against the war in Ukraine. Police detained 211 people in several cities, including more than 20 people in a Moscow park under heavy snowfall, according to OVD-Info, a group that monitors arrests. Russias efforts to consolidate its hold on southern and eastern areas of Ukraine have been hampered by the resistance of Mariupol despite devastating attacks lasting weeks. At least 5,000 residents have been killed in the besieged southern port city, according to local officials, while the estimated 160,000 who remain face shortages of food, water and electricity. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its team left for Mariupol on Saturday to make another attempt at conducting an evacuation, after being forced to turn back the day before. In another southern city, Enerhodar, which is under Russian control, a Ukrainian official said Russian forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrators, injuring four. In a video address, Zelensky thanked the residents of Enerhodar, the site of Europes largest nuclear power plant, which had been seized by Russian troops in early March, for their bravery. When people protest, and the more they protest, the harder it is for the occupiers to destroy us, to destroy our freedom, Zelensky said. burs-dt/mtp/leg ROSNEFT Eleven local community leaders in Ukraine have been kidnapped by Russian forces, deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Sunday. Up to today, 11 heads of local communities in the regions of Kyiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Donetsk are in captivity, she said in a video message posted on her Telegram account. We are informing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the UN, all possible organisations, just like for the other civilians who have disappeared. Vereshchuk urged everyone to do everything in their power to get them back. The deputy prime minister announced the that Olga Sukhenko, head of the village of Motyjin, west of Kyiv, and her husband had been killed in captivity by Russian soliders. Their abduction had been announced by prosecutors on March 26. The European Union has condemned the kidnapping of several mayors in Russian-occupied territory, including the mayor of the southern town of Melitopol, who was freed in an exchange for several captured Russians. Human Rights Watch on Sunday said it had documented several cases of Russian troops committing possible war crimes against civilians in occupied areas of the Chernigiv, Kharkiv, and Kyiv. These included a case of repeated rape, and two cases of summary execution one of six men, the other of one. Soldiers were also implicated in looting, including food, clothing, and firewood, the rights group added. ASEAN foreign ministers visit to China a continuation of longstanding ties and tradition to discuss hotspot issues: experts Global Times) 13:59, April 03, 2022 Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had met with at least three foreign ministers from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in recent days, as they exchanged views on China-ASEAN friendly relationship, regional and international topics including the Ukraine issue. Chinese experts said their visit to China is a continuation of longstanding China-ASEAN relations and the tradition of negotiation and coordination over current hotspot issues, such as the neutrality stance over the Ukraine crisis, dismissing US media reports' attempt to slander China-ASEAN ties amid aborted US-ASEAN Summit. News released by Ministry of Foreign Affairs showed Wang had respectively met with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai on Saturday, Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin on Friday and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday in Tunxi, East China's Anhui Province. Visiting foreign inister of the Philippines is also expected to meet Wang. In meeting with Don Pramudwinai, Wang said China is willing to advance all-round cooperation with Thailand, step up consultations on the "Belt and Road" cooperation outline and accelerate the construction of the China-Thailand Railway, connect it with the China-Laos Railway in the north, as well as the Thailand-Malaysia-New Railway in the south, so as to help the middle line of Trans-Asian railway to become fully connected. In a joint statement released following the meeting between Wang and Don Pramudwinai, China and Thailand called for continued peace talks between Russia and Ukraine until a peace agreement is reached and the avoid of large-scale humanitarian crisis and the curb of negative spillover effects on global economic recovery as well as valuing the hard-won peaceful development of the Asian region. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, April 1, 2022.Photo:Xinhua During a meeting with U Wunna Maung Lwin, Wang said China has always placed Myanmar in an important position in its neighborly diplomacy and is ready to work with Myanmar to deepen exchanges and cooperation in all areas to achieve the goal of building a China-Myanmar community with a shared future including the acceleration of the construction of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) and better carry out major landmark projects. Wang said Myanmar is a member of the ASEAN family and hopes ASEAN countries will adhere to the ASEAN approach, maintain unity, make a unified voice, and work with Myanmar to constructively implement the ASEAN "five-point consensus" based on the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of other countries. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, April 1, 2022. Photo: Xinhua U Wunna Maung Lwin expressed concerns about how international changes are affecting his country's economy. Wang said China is willing to coordinate and help Myanmar overcome difficulties, stressing a joint effort is needed to deal with the negative spillover effects of the Ukraine crisis and oppose unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction. China and Indonesia are both major developing countries and representatives of emerging economies, and the two sides share broad common interests and have deepened mutually beneficial cooperation, Wang said to Retno. Photo:Ministry of Foreign Affairs In a meeting between Wang and Retno, the two exchanged views on deepening the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and agreed to formulate an action plan as soon as possible to strengthen the coordination between the Belt and Road Initiative and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific in key fields. Wang said the aims and objectives of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific are quite different from the US Indo-Pacific strategy, which aims to provoke camp confrontation and tension in the region. All parties should be vigilant and prevent the resurgence of the Cold War mentality in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry had said the visit of ASEAN foreign ministers not only reflects China's intimate relations with its neighboring countries, but also the high expectation from all sides to promote China-ASEAN cooperation. However, US media tended to interpret ASEAN foreign ministers' China visit by linking it with the postponement of the US-ASEAN summit which was scheduled to take place from March 28-29. The Biden administration announced to postpone indefinitely the summit last week due to unspecified scheduling problems. A Politico report on Thursday claimed that the aborted US-ASEAN Summit has "handed China an unlikely propaganda victory." It said "US-ASEAN relationship is struggling because Southeast Asia is basically the backyard of China," and "ASEAN has been effectively divided by China." "This is nonsense and reflects US media's sour grape mentality," Li Kaisheng, research fellow and deputy director at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. Unwilling to see the development of friendly cooperation between China and ASEAN countries, some US media outlets are deliberately twisting and slandering China's ties with relevant ASEAN countries, Li noted. China's relationship with ASEAN countries has its own logic. The four ASEAN countries' foreign ministers' China visit is a continuation of longstanding China-ASEAN friendly changes and the tradition of negotiation and coordination over current hotspot issues inside and outside the region, said Li. China and ASEAN countries share similar stances on deepening regional economic cooperation as well as many other global issues. On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the majority of ASEAN countries have taken a neutral stance and hope the issue can be solved through diplomatic talks instead of taking sides to worsen the whole situation, said Li. The US and some other Western countries are calling to eject Russia from the G20, , putting Indonesia, this year's G20 chair, to walk on eggshells. Indonesia said it would hold the G-20 Summit neutrally and impartially, resisting calls from the West to exclude Russia from the annual meeting of the world's 20 largest economies over the Ukraine issue. Indonesia and China agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation in the G20. Wang said in a meeting with Retno that China firmly supports Indonesia in successfully hosting the G20 Bali Summit, stressing that the G20 should focus on macroeconomic policy coordination and should not be politicized. He added that all members are on an equal footing and no one has the right to divide the G20. Different from the US, which always regards itself as a boss and tends to dictate others over what to do, China respects Indonesia and other ASEAN countries' independence, Li said. The neutrality of China and the majority of ASEAN countries over the Ukraine crisis indicates China and ASEAN countries are the peaceful forces of the world, Li said. Zhang Tengjun, deputy director of the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times that ASEAN countries themselves know well who, between China and the US, is sincere in deepening cooperation and relations with them. He added that although since the Biden administration assumed office has increased diplomatic engagements with ASEAN countries, it offered less but demanded more. "No wonder ASEAN countries in the region have doubts over whether Washington truly wants to develop ties with them or just view them as chess pieces in competition with China," Zhang said. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) As evidence mounts of appalling acts in the Ukrainian towns of Irpin and Bucha, Russias attacks on civilians must be investigated as war crimes, Britains foreign minister said Sunday. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement that the government is seeing increasing evidence of appalling acts by the invading forces in towns such as Irpin and Bucha, close to Kyiv. AFP reporters saw at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single street in Bucha on Saturday. Truss said that Russian troops indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians during Russias illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine must be investigated as war crimes. We will not allow Russia to cover up their involvement in these atrocities through cynical disinformation, Truss said, adding that the UK will fully support any investigations by the International Criminal Court. She also called for harsher sanctions, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted late Saturday that the UK would continue to step up military, economic and diplomatic support, including further ramping up sanctions. Truss said it was essential that the international community continues to provide Ukraine with the humanitarian and military support it so dearly needs, and that we step up sanctions to cut off funding for Putins war machine at source. Fifty-seven people were buried in a mass grave in Bucha, a town outside Kyiv recently retaken by Ukrainian forces from Russian troops, a local official said Sunday, showing AFP a slit trench where the bodies lay. Here in this long grave, 57 people are buried, said Serhii Kaplychnyi, who identified himself as head of the rescue services in Bucha, organising the recovery of the bodies. The mass grave is behind a church in the town centre. Roughly ten bodies were visible, either unburied or partially covered by the earth. Some of the bodies were concealed in black zip-up body bags while others were in civilian clothing. Ukraine has accused Russian forces of a deliberate massacre in Bucha. Evidence of possible civilian killings around Kyiv has emerged as the Russian army has pulled back from the capital in the face of ferocious resistance from Ukrainian forces. AFP reporters saw at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single street in Bucha on Friday. One had his hands tied behind his back with a white cloth, and his Ukrainian passport left open beside his body. Germany on Sunday condemned the killings of civilians in Buch as a terrible war crime and called for fresh EU sanctions against Russia. The UK called for the appalling acts to be investigated as war crimes. President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of committing genocide and attempting to eliminate the whole nation of Ukraine, a day after the discovery of mass graves and apparently executed civilians near Kyiv. This is genocide. The elimination of the whole nation and the people, Zelensky told the CBS program Face the Nation, according to a transcript provided by the network on Sunday. We are the citizens of Ukraine. We have more than 100 nationalities. This is about the destruction and extermination of all these nationalities, Zelensky said amid a chorus of international outrage over the behavior of Russian troops in Ukraine. Three days after the invasion started on February 24, Ukraine filed a complaint at the International Court of Justice in The Hague accusing Russia of planning acts of genocide. In the interview aired on Sunday after footage aired around the world of civilian bodies littering the streets of the town of Bucha near Kyiv, and a Ukrainian official said 280 bodies were buried in a mass grave there Zelensky seemed to go further. We are citizens of Ukraine and we dont want to be subdued to the policy of Russian Federation. This is the reason we are being destroyed and exterminated, Zelensky said, according to the CBS transcript. And this is happening in the Europe of the 21st century. So this is the torture of the whole nation, he added. At the same time, Zelensky stressed he had no option but to put his personal feelings of anger and revulsion aside and pursue an eventual peace dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Its difficult to say how, after all what has been done, we can have any kind of negotiations with Russia. Thats on the personal level, but as a president I have to do it, he said However any negotiations would be conditional on a ceasefire. I cant even have a meeting when the shelling is going on. So first the ceasefire. Then we can have a meeting with the Russian president, said Zelensky. Call for dialogue At a point in time when the end of the war will come, and after we discuss the security guarantees together and the neutral non bloc status but preserving our sovereignty, a strong army, the president said. Ukraine has offered to accept becoming neutral if it receives adequate security guarantees from Western nations, abandoning aspirations to join NATO. On Sunday US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington will continue supporting Ukraine, but stopped short of offering security guarantees. Zelensky said his country was grateful for US support, but as for guarantees, we have not received them yet from anyone. Im not, as a president, satisfied with just assurance, he said. He said he could not fathom how to hold those responsible for the civilian killings accountable. I dont know what law or what imprisonment term would be adequate for this. As the father of two children and as a president, I think that these people, if they are put behind the bars, this is one too little for what they have done. Zelensky also called for a complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine to their borders that existed prior to the 24th of February, at least. This would make us to start discussing other questions about the de-occupation, about how do we live on after this, he added. Ukraine and Western nations on Sunday accused Russian troops of war crimes after the discovery of mass graves and executed civilians near Kyiv, prompting vows of action at the International Criminal Court. Britain, France, Germany, the US and NATO all voiced horror after Ukrainian officials said Saturday that nearly 300 bodies had been buried in mass graves. AFP saw at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single street. City mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told AFP that 280 bodies were buried in mass graves. One rescue official said 57 people were found in one hastily dug trench behind a church. About 10 were either unburied or only partially covered by earth. Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called it a deliberate massacre while President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces were committing genocide. His spokesman, Sergiy Nikiforov, said earlier the Bucha killing looks exactly like war crimes. We found mass graves. We found people with their hands and with their legs tied up and with shots, bullet holes, in the back of their head, he told the BBC. They were clearly civilians and they were executed. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the killings a punch to the gut while NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the violence, unseen in Europe for decades, was horrific and absolutely unacceptable. Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union all called for those responsible to be brought to book at the international tribunal in The Hague. Ukraines Kuleba called for G7 nations to impose immediate devastating sanctions against Russia as a result. But despite Western action targeting oligarchs and businesses and calls to go further the Kremlin said it was not possible to isolate Russia entirely. There can be no complete vacuum or isolation of Russia. It is technologically impossible in the modern world, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state television. The world is much larger than Europe, he said, adding: Sooner or later we will have to build a dialogue, whether some overseas want it or not. Tormented Ukraine Europes worst conflict in decades, sparked by Russias invasion on February 24, has already left some 20,000 people dead, according to Ukrainian estimates. Nearly 4.2 million Ukrainians have fled the country, with almost 40,000 pouring into neighbouring countries in the last 24 hours alone, the UN refugee agency said. Nearly 6.48 million were estimated to be displaced inside Ukraine, the International Organization for Migration has assessed. Pope Francis, on a visit to Malta on Sunday, made a plea for refugees fleeing the sacrilegious war in tormented Ukraine to be welcomed. Several Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have already accused Russias Vladimir Putin of being a war criminal. Human Rights Watch said Russian troops may have committed possible war crimes against civilians in occupied areas of Chernigiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv, including rape and summary execution. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky has also alleged Russian soldiers planted mines and other booby traps as they withdraw from northern Ukraine, warning returning residents to be wary of tripwires and other dangers. Odessa hit The war crimes claims came as the Black Sea port city of Odessa, which has largely been spared in the conflict, was hit by air strikes apparently targeting key infrastructure. Plumes of thick black smoke billowed over the strategic port city, after a series of blasts shook residents awake at about 6:00 am (0300 GMT). We were woken up by the first explosion then we saw a flash in the sky, then another, then another. I lost count, one local man, Mykola, 22, told AFP. Russias defence ministry said it had targeted an oil refinery and three fuel storage facilities with high-precision sea and air-based missiles. The depots were supplying fuel to Ukrainian troops, it added. Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to Ukraines interior minister, said: Some of the missiles were shot down by air defence. The strikes came as top UN humanitarian envoy Martin Griffiths was expected in Moscow then Kyiv to seek a halt to the fighting. Peace talks On peace talks, Russias chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said it was too early for a top-level meeting between Zelensky and Putin on ending the conflict. He said Kyiv had become more realistic in its approach to issues related to the neutral and non-nuclear status of Ukraine but a draft agreement for submission to a summit meeting was not yet ready. And he said he did not share the optimism of Ukraines negotiators on the possibility of talks between the two countries leaders in Turkey. His Ukrainian counterpart, David Arakhamia, had said on Saturday that Moscow had verbally agreed to key Ukrainian proposals, raising hopes that talks to end fighting were moving forward. Ukraine has proposed abandoning its aspirations to join NATO and declaring official neutrality, if it obtains security guarantees from Western countries. It would also pledge not to host any foreign military bases. It has proposed to temporarily put aside the question of Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, and two breakaway territories in the eastern Donbas region that Russia has recognised as independent. Medinsky said Russias position on Crimea and the Donbas remains unchanged and that talks would resume by video conference on Monday. Liberated As Russian forces withdraw from some northern areas, Moscow appears to be focusing on eastern and southern Ukraine, where it already holds swathes of territory. UK Defence Intelligence said early Sunday that Russian air activity in the last week had been concentrating on southeastern Ukraine, likely as a result of Russia focusing its military operations in this area. But it said Russia was struggling to find and destroy air systems, which has significantly affected their ability to support the advance of their ground forces. In his latest video message, Zelensky said Russian troops wanted to seize the disputed Donbas region and southern Ukraine, promising to defend our freedom, our land and our people. Ukraine on Saturday claimed progress against Russian forces, saying Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region had been liberated. NATOs Stoltenberg, however, cautioned that Russias claim to be pulling troops away from Kyiv was not a withdrawal but Russia repositioning its troops. Evacuation bid Russias efforts to consolidate its hold on southern and eastern areas of Ukraine have been hampered by the resistance of Mariupol despite devastating attacks lasting weeks. At least 5,000 residents have been killed in the besieged southern port city, according to officials, while the estimated 160,000 who remain face shortages of food, water and electricity. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its team left for Mariupol on Saturday to make another attempt at conducting an evacuation, after being forced to turn back the day before. A Lithuanian filmmaker, Mantas Kvedaravicius, 45, was killed as he tried to flee, the Ukrainian military said. burs-phz/imm/jm US and NATO leaders voiced shock and horror Sunday at new evidence of atrocities against civilians in Ukraine, and warned that Russian troop movements away from Kyiv did not signal a withdrawal or end to the violence. Evidence of possible civilian killings around Kyiv has emerged as the Russian army has pulled back from the capital in the face of ferocious resistance from Ukrainian forces. AFP reporters saw at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single street in the town of Bucha on Friday. One had his hands tied behind his back with a white cloth, and his Ukrainian passport left open beside his body. Buchas mayor Anatoly Fedoruk said 280 other bodies had been buried in mass graves in the town. You cant help but see these images as a punch to the gut, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN a day after horrific footage from Bucha, recently retaken from Russian forces, was widely aired. But, he said, such killings were the reality of whats going on every single day that Russia remains in Ukraine. He reaffirmed that the United States was helping to document possible war crimes, but did not say whether he considered them to be crimes against humanity or acts of genocide. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, said he was deeply shocked by images of the killings and called for an independent investigation. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the killings of civilians in Bucha were horrific and absolutely unacceptable. Stoltenberg also said he was not too optimistic about Russias claim to be pulling troops away from Kyiv. What we see is not a withdrawal, but we see that Russia is repositioning its troops, he told CNN, warning of the potential of increased attacks. Devastating setback Blinken echoed that warning in an interview on MSNBC Sunday, saying that Moscow still has the ability to wreak massive death and destruction, including in places like Kyiv, with air power and missiles. But he also noted that the shift appears to be evidence that Russias original plans to take over the whole country, including Kyiv, have been dealt a devastating setback. Russia had three goals going into this: To subjugate Ukraine to its will, to deny its sovereignty and its independence, to assert Russian power, and to divide the West, divide the alliance. And on all three fronts, its failed, Blinken said. He said it was urgent that the West and Kyiv keep the pressure on Russia. Were doing everything that we can to support Ukrainians All of that is going to strengthen Ukraines hand at the negotiating table, he told CNN. Ukraine has offered to accept becoming neutral if it receives adequate security guarantees from Western nations, abandoning aspirations to join NATO. Blinken said that if Ukraine negotiates an agreement that meets their needs we will support it. When it comes to the future, we and allies and partners are going to want to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure that this cant happen again, he told CNN. Ukraine must also have the means to defend itself So we will look at at anything that we can do to back up that kind of outcome. Blinken is due to travel to Brussels from April 5-7 to attend a NATO foreign ministers meeting, with a spokesman saying he would use the opportunity to promote a swift end to his senseless and destructive war of choice against Ukraine. Germany demanded Sunday that light be shed on crimes committed by the Russian army in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, where mass graves have been discovered, and urged tougher sanctions against Russia. We must shed light on these crimes committed by the Russian army, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement. The perpetrators must be held accountable and international organisations granted access to the region to document these atrocities, he added. A local official in Bucha said Sunday that 57 bodies had been found in one grave, showing the site to AFP. Ukrainian officials said Saturday that the bodies of nearly 300 civilians had been found in mass graves after Russian troops withdrew. The German leader condemned the terrible and horrible images in Bucha. Streets strewn with bodies. Bodies buried summarily. Were talking about women, children and elderly among the victims, he added. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also called the images unbearable and wrote on Twitter that Russian President Vladimir Putins frantic violence is wiping out innocent families and knows no bounds. We will strengthen the sanctions against Russia and further support the defence of Ukraine, the minister said. This terrible war crime cannot go unanswered, Robert Habeck, vice chancellor and economy minister, told German newspaper Bild. I think that a strengthening of sanctions is called for. Thats what we are preparing with our EU partners, Habeck added. Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called Bucha a deliberate massacre and urged G7 countries to impose devastating sanctions immediately. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Sunday the unbearable images of murdered civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha and said Russian authorities must answer for these crimes. On the streets, hundreds of civilians cowardly murdered, Macron wrote on Twitter, in reference to the town outside Kyiv from which Russian forces recently withdrew. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian condemned in the strongest possible terms the actions of the Russian army which could be, if confirmed, war crimes. I have received information indicating massive abuses by Russian forces in Ukrainian towns that they have been occupying these last few weeks, in particular in the area of Bucha, he said in a statement sent to AFP. France could come under greater pressure to accelerate weapons deliveries to Ukraine in the wake of the apparent execution of civilians and discovery of mass graves in Bucha, which has been taken back by Ukrainian troops. Macron has spoken repeatedly with Russian leader Vladimir Putin since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine and has been wary of provoking the Kremlin, calling deliveries of tanks or aircraft to Ukraine red lines. Polands deputy prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski accused France and Germany of being too close to Russia in an interview published Sunday. The United Nations said Sunday that the discovery of mass graves in Bucha, near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, raised serious questions about possible war crimes, and stressed the importance of preserving evidence. What is known to date clearly raises serious and disturbing questions about possible war crimes and grave violations of international humanitarian law, the UN rights office said. Ukrainian officials said Saturday that nearly 300 bodies had been buried in mass graves. AFP saw at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single street. The UN rights office said its staff on the ground had not yet been able to verify the numbers or details reported by Ukrainian officials. However, it said, we are highly concerned by the available photo and video footage, including footage of bodies with their hands tied behind their backs. At the same time, we cannot rule out that among the 300 or so bodies that town authorities reportedly collected on the streets and buried in recent days, there are bodies Ukrainian or Russian soldiers who were killed during hostilities, the rights office said. Civilians who died of natural causes, heart attacks or other health conditions triggered by stress and the lack of access to medication and medical help over the last month, could also be among those found dead on the streets of the town. But given the possibility that war crimes had been committed, it said it was important to exhume and identify all bodies. This was vital so that relatives can be informed, and that the exact cause of death be established to help ensure accountability and justice, it said. It is also important to take all measures to ensure the preservation of evidence. In what has been hailed as a major breakthrough, South Sudans rival leaders sealed an agreement Sunday on a key military provision in a stuttering peace deal and vowed to silence their guns. President Salva Kiir and his rival, Vice President Riek Machar, agreed on the creation of a unified armed forces command, one of several deadlocked issues holding up implementation of the 2018 pact to end the countrys bloody five-year civil war. Feuding between forces loyal to Kiir and former rebel leader Machar spiralled recently, triggering fears of a return to full-blown conflict in the worlds youngest nation. Peace is about security and today we have (achieved) a milestone, said Martin Abucha, who signed the agreement on behalf of Machars opposition SPLM/A-IO. The guns must go down. Minister of presidential affairs Barnaba Marial Benjamin hailed the deal hammered out following mediation by neighbouring Sudan as a necessary step that opens a route for the stable government of the Republic of South Sudan. The rivals also agreed to a cessation of hostilities, a halt to propaganda that stokes tensions, and called for the two sides to stop trying to encourage defections from the other party, according to Machars spokesman Puok Both Baluang. Nevertheless, the people of the troubled country will be watching warily to see if the deals are implemented, since other agreements have collapsed in the past, often leading to violence. Both Kiir and Machar were at the ceremony in the capital Juba for the signing of the accord, which stipulates a 60-40 distribution in favour of the presidents side of leadership posts in the army, police and national security forces. Under the deal, the appointments should be made in a week, with the graduation of the unified forces within two months. Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, the number two in Sudans post-coup ruling council, arrived in Juba on Friday in a bid to break the stalemate over the security arrangements. Sudan, a guarantor of the 2018 deal, drew up the proposal after Kiir on March 25 issued a presidential decree on the formation of the military command structure, an act rejected by Machar as unilateral. Chronic instability Landlocked South Sudan, one of the poorest countries on the planet despite large oil reserves, has suffered chronic instability since independence from Sudan in 2011, spending almost half of its life as a nation at war. It has struggled to draw a line under the 2013-2018 conflict that erupted after Kiir accused Machar of an attempted coup. Almost 400,000 people lost their lives and millions more were displaced by the fighting. Although the two men formed a unity government more than two years ago, South Sudan has continued to lurch from crisis to crisis, battling flooding, hunger, interethnic violence and political bickering. The fragile peace process was put under further pressure last month when Machars Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) pulled out of a monitoring body to protest at unprovoked attacks on its bases. Machars spokesman told AFP the party had now agreed to return to the mechanism. Peacekeeping mission renewed Last month, the UN Security Council voted to prolong its peacekeeping mission in South Sudan another year. The operation, with up to 17,000 soldiers and 2,100 police officers, is one of the UNs most expensive, with an annual budget topping $1 billion. In a briefing to the Security Council, the UN envoy for South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, issued a stark warning to the countrys leaders to do more to prepare for elections due to be held in less than a year. Elections have the potential to be a nation-building moment, or a catastrophe, he said. Although he highlighted progress in some areas including the operation of key government institutions and parliament, other issues are stalled, including the process of drafting a new constitution. The UN has repeatedly criticised South Sudans leadership for its role in stoking violence, cracking down on political freedoms and plundering public coffers and has accused the government of rights violations amounting to war crimes over deadly attacks in the southwest last year. South Sudan also faces grave humanitarian woes caused by conflict as well as climate-related disasters such as flooding and drought, prompting the UN on Thursday to launch a $1.6 billion aid plan. It said the funding will be used for urgent life-saving assistance and protection in a country where it is estimated more than two-thirds of the population, nearly nine million people, require aid relief. Global outrage at accusations of Russian war crimes in Ukraine mounted on Sunday as the discovery of mass graves and executed civilians near Kyiv prompted vows of action at the International Criminal Court. Britain, France, Germany, the United States, NATO and the United Nations all voiced horror at the reports of civilians being murdered in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv. Ukrainian prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova said 410 civilian bodies were recovered from areas around Kyiv recently retaken from Russian forces. Ukrainian officials on Saturday said nearly 300 bodies had been buried in mass graves in Bucha. AFP saw at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single street. Russia denied the accusations and said Ukraine staged footage of the corpses. Buchas mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told AFP that 280 bodies were buried in mass graves. One rescue official said 57 people were found in one hastily dug trench behind a church. About 10 were either unburied or only partially covered by earth. Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called it a deliberate massacre while President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces were committing genocide. His spokesman, Sergiy Nikiforov, said earlier the Bucha killing looks exactly like war crimes. We found people with their hands and with their legs tied up and with shots, bullet holes, in the back of their head, he told the BBC. They were clearly civilians and they were executed. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the killings a punch to the gut while NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the violence, unseen in Europe for decades, was horrific and absolutely unacceptable. Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union all called for those responsible to be brought to book at the international tribunal in The Hague. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russias despicable attacks against civilians in Irpin and Bucha were evidence that Putin and his army are committing war crimes in Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany would draw up new sanctions with allies over the alleged war crimes. UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was deeply shocked by images of mass graves in Bucha and called for an independent investigation. But Russias defence ministry on Sunday said not a single local resident in Bucha suffered violence, accusing Ukraine of bombarding its southern suburbs and falsifying images of corpses in another production for Western media. Despite Western action targeting oligarchs and businesses and calls to go further the Kremlin said it was not possible to isolate Russia entirely. The world is much larger than Europe, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state television, adding: Sooner or later we will have to build a dialogue, whether some overseas want it or not. Tormented Ukraine Europes worst conflict in decades, sparked by Russias invasion on February 24, has already left some 20,000 people dead, according to Ukrainian estimates. Nearly 4.2 million Ukrainians have fled the country, with almost 40,000 pouring into neighbouring countries in the last 24 hours alone, the UN refugee agency said, although Ukraines interior ministry on Sunday said more than 500,000 Ukrainians have returned. Nearly 6.48 million were estimated to be displaced inside Ukraine, the International Organization for Migration has assessed. AFP journalists saw women, children and elderly people boarding a train at the station to flee the eastern city of Kramatorsk in the Donbas region as Moscow refocuses its offensive on southern and eastern Ukraine. The rumour is that something terrible is coming, said Svetlana, a volunteer organising the crowd on the station platform. Pope Francis, on a visit to Malta on Sunday, made a plea for refugees fleeing the sacrilegious war in tormented Ukraine to be welcomed. Several Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have already accused Russias Vladimir Putin of being a war criminal. Human Rights Watch said Russian troops may have committed possible war crimes against civilians in occupied areas of Chernigiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv, including rape and summary execution. Zelensky has also alleged Russian soldiers planted mines and other booby traps as they withdraw from northern Ukraine, warning returning residents to be wary of tripwires and other dangers. Odessa hit The war crimes claims came as the strategic Black Sea port city of Odessa, which has largely been spared in the conflict, was hit by air strikes apparently targeting key infrastructure. Plumes of thick black smoke billowed over the strategic port city, after a series of blasts shook residents awake at about 6:00 am (0300 GMT). We were woken up by the first explosion then we saw a flash in the sky, then another, then another. I lost count, one local man, Mykola, 22, told AFP. Russias defence ministry said it had targeted an oil refinery and three fuel storage facilities with high-precision sea and air-based missiles. The depots were supplying fuel to Ukrainian troops, it added. Ukraine said its defences shot down some of the missiles. The strikes came as top UN humanitarian envoy Martin Griffiths arrived in Moscow on Sunday before an expected visit to Kyiv to seek a halt to the fighting. Peace talks On peace talks, Russias chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said it was too early for a top-level meeting between Zelensky and Putin on ending the conflict. He said Kyiv had become more realistic in its approach to issues related to the neutral and non-nuclear status of Ukraine but a draft agreement for submission to a summit meeting was not yet ready. Ukraine has proposed abandoning its aspirations to join NATO and declaring official neutrality, if it obtains security guarantees from Western countries. It would also pledge not to host any foreign military bases. It has proposed to temporarily put aside the question of Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, and two breakaway territories in the eastern Donbas region that Russia has recognised as independent. Medinsky said Russias position on Crimea and the Donbas remains unchanged and that talks would resume by video conference on Monday. Liberated As Russian forces withdraw from some northern areas, Moscow appears to be focusing on eastern and southern Ukraine, where it already holds swathes of territory. UK Defence Intelligence said early Sunday that Russian air activity in the last week had been concentrating on southeastern Ukraine, likely as a result of Russia focusing its military operations in this area. But it said Russia was struggling to find and destroy air systems, which has significantly affected their ability to support the advance of their ground forces. Ukraine on Saturday claimed progress against Russian forces, saying Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region had been liberated. NATOs Stoltenberg, however, cautioned that Russias claim to be pulling troops away from Kyiv was not a withdrawal but Russia repositioning its troops. Evacuation bid Russias efforts to consolidate its hold on southern and eastern areas of Ukraine have been hampered by the resistance of Mariupol despite devastating attacks lasting weeks. At least 5,000 residents have been killed in the besieged southern port city, according to officials, while the estimated 160,000 who remain face shortages of food, water and electricity. burs-phz/imm/jar Global outrage at accusations of Russian war crimes in Ukraine mounted Sunday with the discovery of mass graves and corpses in streets near Kyiv, as President Volodymyr Zelensky directly blamed leaders in Moscow for the torture and killings of civilians. Britain, France, Germany, the United States, NATO and the United Nations all voiced horror at the reports of civilians being murdered in Bucha, northwest of the capital, with the atrocities prompting vows of action at the International Criminal Court. With a grisly cleanup occurring near Kyiv and Ukraine accusing Russian forces of an onslaught, Moscow launched attacks Sunday on multiple cities as it shifts its war focus towards eastern and southern Ukraine. In the countrys second-largest city Kharkiv, in the east near the Russian border, seven people were killed and 34 wounded after Russian forces struck a residential area, a local prosecutors office said on Telegram. Six people were also killed in the eastern Donetsk region by Russian strikes, regional officials said on the social media platform. Ukrainian prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova said 410 civilian bodies were recovered from areas around Kyiv recently retaken from Russian forces, who have partially withdrawn from the region. AFP saw at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single Bucha street in a scene that has drawn global shock. Russia denied the accusations and said Ukraine staged footage of the corpses. But Zelensky pointed the finger squarely at Moscow and said he has created a special mechanism to investigate Russian crimes in Ukraine. I want all the leaders of the Russian Federation to see how their orders are being fulfilled, Zelensky said in a video address late Sunday. There is a common responsibility. For these killings, for this torture, for arms blown off by blasts For the shots in the back of the head, Zelensky added, switching from Ukrainian to Russian. What did the town of Bucha do to your Russia? Deliberate massacre Buchas mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told AFP that 280 bodies were placed in mass graves because it was impossible to bury them in cemeteries within firing range. One rescue official said 57 people were found in one hastily dug trench behind a church. About 10 were either unburied or only partially covered by earth. Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called it a deliberate massacre, while Zelensky said Russian forces were committing genocide. His spokesman, Sergiy Nikiforov, said earlier the Bucha killing looks exactly like war crimes. We found people with their hands and with their legs tied up and with shots, bullet holes, in the back of their head, he told the BBC. They were clearly civilians and they were executed. Workers in Bucha were seen Sunday using knives to cut free the bound wrists of dead victims, putting several corpses into body bags and loading them into a van. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the killings a punch to the gut, while NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the violence unseen in Europe for decades was horrific and absolutely unacceptable. Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union all called for those responsible to be brought to book at the international tribunal in The Hague, while the EU vowed further sanctions against Moscow. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russias despicable attacks against civilians in Irpin and Bucha were evidence that (President Vladimir) Putin and his army are committing war crimes in Ukraine. Russias defence ministry pushed back Sunday, saying not a single local resident in Bucha suffered violence, accusing Ukraine of bombarding its southern suburbs and falsifying images of corpses in another production for Western media. Tormented Ukraine Europes worst conflict in decades, sparked by Russias invasion on February 24, has already left some 20,000 people dead, according to Ukrainian estimates. Nearly 4.2 million Ukrainians have fled the country, with almost 40,000 pouring into neighbouring countries in the last 24 hours alone, the UN refugee agency said. AFP journalists saw women, children and elderly people boarding a train at the station to flee the eastern city of Kramatorsk in the Donbas region as Moscow refocuses its offensive on southern and eastern Ukraine. The rumour is that something terrible is coming, said Svetlana, a volunteer organising the crowd on the station platform. Pope Francis, on a visit to Malta Sunday, made a plea for refugees fleeing the sacrilegious war in tormented Ukraine to be welcomed. Several Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have already accused Putin of being a war criminal. Human Rights Watch said Russian troops may have committed possible war crimes against civilians in occupied areas of Chernigiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv, including rape and summary execution. Odessa hit As the barbarity near Kyiv drew global condemnation, Russias attacks continued, with the strategic Black Sea port of Odessa hit by several airstrikes apparently targeting key infrastructure. We were woken up by the first explosion, then we saw a flash in the sky, then another, then another. I lost count, local man Mykola, 22, told AFP. Russias defence ministry said it targeted an oil refinery and three fuel storage facilities with high-precision sea and air-based missiles. UK Defence Intelligence said Sunday recent Russian air activity had been concentrating on southeastern Ukraine, likely as a result of Russia focusing its military operations in this area. But it said Russia was struggling to find and destroy air systems, which has significantly affected their ability to support the advance of their ground forces. The governor of the east Ukrainian town of Rubizhne said Russian forces fired on a local hospital, leaving one person dead, while officials said a Russian strike on Mykolaiv killed one and injured 14. The attacks came as top UN humanitarian envoy Martin Griffiths arrived Sunday in Moscow before an expected visit to Kyiv to seek a halt to the fighting. Talks resume Monday On peace negotiations, Russias chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said it was too early for a top-level meeting between Zelensky and Putin. He said Kyiv had become more realistic in its approach to issues related to the neutral and non-nuclear status of Ukraine, but a draft agreement for submission to a summit meeting was not ready. Ukraine has proposed abandoning its aspirations to join NATO and declaring official neutrality, if it obtains security guarantees from Western countries. It has proposed temporarily shelving the question of Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, and two breakaway territories in the Donbas that Russia has recognised as independent. Medinsky said Russias position on Crimea and the Donbas remains unchanged and that talks resume by video Monday. burs-phz/mlm/des Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday condemned the egregious and appalling killings of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, saying Russia must be held to account. We strongly condemn the murder of civilians in Ukraine, remain committed to holding the Russian regime accountable, Trudeau tweeted. Those responsible for these egregious and appalling attacks will be brought to justice, he added. Ukraine and Western nations on Sunday accused Russian troops of war crimes after the discovery of a mass grave and executed civilians in Bucha, near Ukraines capital Kyiv. The buried corpses of 57 people were found behind a church in the towns centre, according to the chief of local rescue efforts, Serhiy Kaplychniy, who showed AFP the trench where the bodies lay. On Saturday, AFP saw the bodies of at least 22 people in civilian clothes on a single street in Bucha, one with his hands tied behind his back. Americas largest solar farm builder has accused Joe Biden of doing more harm to the industry than the Trump administrations dysfunctional climate policies. George Hershman, CEO of Solv Energy a probe The Commerce Department this week launched an investigation into whether solar groups are dodging import tariffs that could disrupt new projects and undermine the presidents climate agenda. The Biden administration, especially this business [departments] more damage to renewables than the previous administration, said Hershman, whose company is the largest installer of large-scale or utility-scale solar projects in the U.S. recommended At least we know where that government is [Trump] standing. This administration says every day how much they support renewable energy, and then actively decides against it. His comments came after the Commerce Department agreed on Tuesday to investigate whether solar component makers circumvented tariffs on Chinese imports by moving the final stages of the manufacturing process to Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Analysts estimate that about three-quarters of U.S. solar product imports come from these four countries. The probe was brought by California-based domestic panel maker Auxin Solar, which argued that Chinese suppliers were guilty of pervasive backdoor dumping that harmed U.S. manufacturers. If the investigation finds that these practices constitute circumvention, the decade-long tariffs on Chinese imports will be extended to those countries, increasing costs by 50% to 250%. A final decision is expected early next year, but the tariffs will apply retroactively from April. The launch of the investigation alone has cooled the market, with manufacturers reluctant to ship parts that could be hit by tariffs later, the solar group said. The case highlights the tension between the Biden administrations climate and industry priorities. On the one hand, the White House wants to promote the rapid construction of clean energy infrastructure, but on the other hand, it wants to protect domestic manufacturing and employment. Its a bit dysfunctional, a bit schizophrenic, Hershman said. His comments echo those of offshore wind developers, who have already express concern Forcing the industry to buy American until the domestic supply chain is fully developed will stop it. Biden campaigned for an ambitious climate agenda, but legislation that was supposed to implement much of the agenda failed to pass Congress. The bill includes unprecedented tax breaks for renewable energy developers and manufacturers. If we pass this bill, well build American manufacturing, no doubt about it. But were not going to launch major capacity in two years, Hershman said. Now we need to leverage the existing global supply chain and then start the transition to the U.S. supply chain. However, Auxin disagrees, arguing that it is feasible for the United States to increase the supply of domestic components. Companies who say there is insufficient domestic supply are not even trying to source domestically, said Mamun Rashid, chief executive of Auxin. We have capacity available and we have enough purchase orders that we can scale quickly. But we need a fair price that allows us to cover our costs and pay our employees a fair wage. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Kenosha County Democratic leaders and activists mobilized at the partys Downtown office before heading out to canvas for their candidates Saturday morning across the city and county. Organizers said they were inspired to get out the vote before Tuesdays spring election. They galvanized their supporters with speeches from State. Reps. Tip McGuire and Tod Ohnstad, County Executive candidate Rebecca Matoska-Mentink and Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler. Court of Appeals District II Court Judge candidate Lori Kornblum addressed attendees with a pre-filmed statement after doing door-to-door canvassing locally on Friday. Local candidates Ald. Anthony Kennedy, Supervisor Boyd Frederick and supervisor candidates LaVerne Jaros and Ruth Dyson were also in attendance. Lori Hawkins, chair of the Kenosha County Democratic Party, was also in attendance. I think were all here for one major reason: local elections matter, McGuire said. Its important who we elect to our School Board, its important who elect to our City Council, its important who represents us on the County Board, and certainly very important who our county executive is. Kornblum thanked the dozens of volunteers in attendance Saturday during her video presentation. We are at the closing line of this election, she said. We have built an incredible grassroots coalition. ... We all share the values of democracy and we all want to keep democracy safe. Matoska-Mentink said she is humbled to run for county executive and will do whats best for our community if elected. Were going to do it the Kenosha way, which is a positive way, she said. Thank you everyone for your support. Wikler said the nation is paying attention to Wisconsin politics because Wisconsin is at the center of American politics. Im so glad to be here, he said. Im so grateful that everyone here is on the front lines. This work is critical and youre making it happen. The spring election be Tuesday. Information on where residents can vote can be found at Kenoshacounty.org. Polls open at 7 a.m. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 295 Shares Share Ive come across several articles recently highlighting the Dr. Lorna Breen Healthcare Provider Protection Act. The primary stated intent of this is to improve mental health among health care workers. It is named in honor of an emergency physician who died by suicide during the height of the COVID pandemic. Although my very first thought was, oh, thank God they are finally listening, that was quickly replaced with a sick feeling in my gut. Why? Because I realized that, like almost every other resource available to promote mental well-being in health care workers, the word resilience would inevitably show up. I looked at the official wording of the law and yep, its there. Identify strategies to promote resiliency. Sucker punch to the gut. I can obviously only speak from the physicians perspective, but I feel the anger welling up inside me every time I see this word. If you want to find a group of resilient people. you dont need to look much further than a gaggle of doctors. We spend seemingly endless years studying, four years in one of the most academically grueling settings and then we do residencies which involve anywhere from 3 to 7 years switching rotations every 30 days, constantly adapting to new surroundings and expectations. We are simultaneously learning and making decisions (though with oversight during residency) that can single-handedly change the trajectories of our patients lives. We do this at the expense of our personal lives. Many of us delay dating, marriage and/or childbearing due to the demands that come with medical training. But we do this because we have been called to this profession. We sacrifice many things to be able to walk alongside patients as they navigate serious illnesses and the complicated health care system. We spend days continuing to fight for our patients with the storm cloud of insurance companies, regulations, ever-increasing administrative burdens hanging over our heads. Resilience? Id say we have that in spades. I recently spent some time doing practice questions for my hospice/palliative medicine board exam. I distinctly recall one question. The question stem presented a situation with a female physician who was suddenly becoming short with patients, angry with staff, and generally very cynical and jaded. I instantly recognized this physician. It was me. This was how I spent my last year in primary care, the most difficult year of my life thus far. I was enraged to find out that the correct answer was Approach her with your concerns and suggest that she take advantage of resiliency training. When I realized that this was the correct answer, the tears immediately began to flow. Tears of both sadness and anger. This is an absolute slap in the face for all physicians who are just barely getting by, digging deep for every ounce of empathy and compassion they can muster in the midst of severe mental angst from dealing with a ridiculous health care system. The same system which puts inhumane demands on its physicians and then has the nerve to suggest yoga, meditation or a pizza party to improve morale. I truly hope that this new law does make it easier for physicians to access mental health services without the repercussions of having to report this every time we renew our licenses. But, heres a thought. Perhaps Congress could also spend its time trying to actually address the root cause of the problem. Stop forcing physicians to see patients in 10 minutes. Stop incentivizing invasive procedures and testing and put more emphasis on giving physicians the time they need to properly address concerns. Force the insurance companies to stop practicing medicine. Allow us to actually put the patient first. Stop trying to fix the physician when the problem is the system. I have finally found a niche in medicine where I am allowed to spend time with my patients and to provide the care that I deem necessary. I am forever grateful for the convoluted journey that has led me to this place. I am so lucky, and beyond grateful, to work for a health care system that does very much value its clinicians. We have forward-thinking leadership who have gone far beyond the insulting suggestions of lunch-time yoga and meditation. But, I can promise you this. I will never stop speaking out for those who arent this lucky. Lauren Roth is a family physician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com There sits a little bit of Kilkenny on Long Island at a site now known as Hempstead House. The reasons behind this fact are fascinating. The story of those who built it even more so. INTRODUCING THE GOULDS Howard Gould was the third son of railroad tycoon Jay Gould, who was argued to be the the most infamous of all the robber barons. Robber baron is a derogatory term originally applied to certain wealthy and powerful 19th century American businessmen. Their practices often included exerting control over natural resources, influencing high levels of government, paying subsistence wages, squashing competition by acquiring their competitors to create monopolies and raise prices, and selling stock at inflated prices to unsuspecting investors. Born into the immense wealth of his father Howard Gould wanted for nothing and aimed for status amongst his peers. (Above: Howard Gould sitting at his desk on Niagara, a personal steam yacht, built in 1898) It is reported that in 1898, Howard Gould married Katherine Clemmons to at least in-part anger his father, who had reduced his inheritance by $5 million. Katherine Clemmons was also known by her stage name Katherine Dayan and was known for her off-stage antics and temperamental personality. She was even rumored to have had an affair with Buffalo Bill. In 1900, Howard and Katherine purchased a 300-acre estate at Sands Point, Long Island and began construction on what they envisioned as Americas finest stately home. To achieve this, it had to be striking, unique, something different, and in 1904 the Goulds employed Kilkenny native and well-known Irish architect James Francis Reade to draw a survey of Kilkenny Castle so that it could be replicated at Sands Point. Once they had their Kilkenny Castle survey in their hands they hired Abner Haydel of Philadelphia to draw up the plans for what they intended to be the largest mansion in America. That's when the trouble began... Haydel had submitted more than 19 designs to the Goulds by 1907 only to have each one rejected by Katherine and as a result he quit and successfully sued the Goulds for his time. With over $1.7million spent already, the Goulds still had no castle to show for it. This led to a huge falling out between Howard and Katherine. They parted ways in 1907 before engaging in one of the most boisterous separation trials in American history up to that point, citing misunderstanding over the construction of Castle Gould for their strife. Gould was ordered to pay $36,000 per year in alimony (over $1million today), the largest alimony settlement ordered up to that time. Needless to say, this was a huge blow for the construction of Castle Gould but Howard pressed once again with construction under architectural firm Hunt & Hunt. After two more years and a cost of $1million, Gould finally had his castle, less Kilkenny than was envisioned, but still striking nonetheless. He moved to Europe in 1917 and sold the Marble city-inspired estate to mining magnate Daniel Guggenheim and his family for only $600,000. The Guggenheims immediately renamed the estate to Hempstead House, as it is still known today, and it later underwent a huge $10million renovation. In 1971, Nassau County took over a 128acre portion of the estate from the Federal Government to be used as a nature preserve. It has also been the setting for many feature films, including Scent of a Woman, Malcolm X, Great Expectations and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Fans of hit television shows Gotham, Dare Devil, The Americans, Boardwalk Empire may also have got a glimpse of Hempstead. Remnants from Haydels designs (right side of main photo above), based on his survey of Kilkenny Castle, still remain and if you squint your eyes at certain parts of Hempstead House today, you will almost certainly feel a lot closer to the Nore than to the Gold Coast. Lithuania has become the first of the European Unions 27 nations using Russian gas to break its energy dependence on Moscow, cutting itself off entirely from gas imports from Russia. Seeking full energy independence from Russian gas, in response to Russias energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has completely abandoned Russian gas, Lithuanias energy ministry said in a statement late on Saturday. The ministry added that the measure took effect at the beginning of April. Lithuania managed to reduce imports of Russian gas to zero on Saturday, a move seen as a milestone in achieving energy independence in the former Soviet republic of 2.8 million, the ministry said. From this month on no more Russian gas in Lithuania . Years ago my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the agressor. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too! Gitanas Nauseda (@GitanasNauseda) April 2, 2022 We are the first EU country among Gazproms supply countries to gain independence from Russian gas supplies, and this is the result of a multi-year coherent energy policy and timely infrastructure decisions, minister of energy Dainius Kreivys said. Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda posted an upbeat tweet on his account about the development and urged other European nations to follow suit. He wrote: From this month on no more Russian gas in Lithuania. Years ago, my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the aggressor. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too! In 2015, nearly 100% of Lithuanias gas supplies derived from imports of Russian gas but the situation has changed drastically over the past years after the country built an off-shore LNG (liquefied natural gas) import terminal, launched in 2014, in the port city of Klaipeda. The energy ministry said that from now on all gas for Lithuanias domestic consumption would be imported via Klaipedas LNG terminal. From now and so on Lithuania won't be consuming a cubic cm of toxic russian gas. LT is the first EU country to refuse Russian gas import. Ingrida Simonyte (@IngridaSimonyte) April 3, 2022 Last year, some 26% of Lithuanias gas supplies derived from deliveries from a Russian gas pipeline while 62% came via Klaipedas LNG terminal and the remaining 12% were imported from gas storage in neighbouring Latvia. Baltic neighbours Latvia and Estonia are also heavily dependent on Russian gas but the operator of Latvias natural gas storage said none of the three Baltic states were importing Russian gas as of April 2. Uldis Bariss, the chief executive of Conexus Baltic Grid, told Latvian media on Saturday that the Baltic gas market was currently being served by gas reserves stored underground in Latvia. Last month, Lithuanian prime minister Ingrida Simonyte said Klaipedas LNG terminal would not have enough capacity to provide gas for all the three Baltic countries. As a solution, Estonias government has proposed building a LNG terminal jointly with Latvia and Nordic neighbour Finland in the Estonian port city of Paldiski, which is not far from the capital, Tallinn. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. National Tax Service (NTS) Commissioner Kim Dae-ji, left, shakes hands with Jim Harra, First Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive of the U.K. HM Revenue & Customs, after their meeting in London, March 22. Courtesy of NTS By Yoon Ja-young Korea's tax agency has shared its digitalization strategy in taxation with its counterparts in the U.K. and Bulgaria and also agreed to coordinate closely with them to tackle offshore tax evasion. The National Tax Service (NTS) said its commissioner Kim Dae-ji had a meeting with Jim Harra, First Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive of the U.K. HM Revenue & Customs, in London, March 22. At the meeting, the chiefs of the tax agencies of the two countries agreed that exactly grasping incomes and setting up an income data hub are essential in getting rid of blind spots in social welfare as well as enhancing efficiency in budget spending. National Tax Service (NTS) Commissioner Kim Dae-ji, right, shakes hands with Rumen Spetsov, the head of the National Revenue Agency of Bulgaria, after their meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, March 24. Courtesy of NTS President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol paid tribute to victims of a civilian massacre on the southern island of Jeju, Saturday, saying he will be committed to restoring dignity to them and their surviving families. Yoon attended the memorial commemorating the victims of a 1948 massacre in Jeju. The occasion marked the 74th anniversary of the April 3 uprising of Jeju residents against the U.S. military-led rule following Japan's 1910-45 occupation of Korea. The then government distorted the uprising as a communist riot and massacred an estimated 30,000 civilians, about 10 percent of the island's population at the time, in armed crackdowns over the subsequent years. "It is our responsibility to heal wounds and care for scars from April 3, as we move toward the future of reconciliation and coexistence," Yoon said in his address during the ceremony at the Jeju April 3 Peace Park. "The government will responsibly look after surviving family members who have endured so much pain." Yoon is the first president-elect to attend the annual ceremony in Jeju, due to the change in the political calendar following President Park Geun-hye's ouster in 2017. "Embracing innocent victims with the rest of the people and sharing their pain is an obligation for a free democratic state that pursues universal values of freedom and human rights," Yoon added. "We cannot change the past but the faith in our ability to build the future together shows the power of history of April 3 that saw tragedy evolve into peace." The president-elect promised during his presidential campaign to do his best to properly compensate the victims' families if elected. Yoon said Sunday he will not forget about his pledge and added, "The new government will try to spread and promote the values of peace and human rights that Jeju April 3 Peace Park represents." In January, the Cabinet endorsed a revised law on compensating Jeju victims and their families. President Moon Jae-in noted at the time that the revised law is the first legislative measure for civilian casualties before and after the 1950-53 Korean War The state compensation covers medical expenses, lost profits and mental distress. (Yonhap) A view of Masan in the early 20th century Robert Neff Collection By Robert Neff According to legend, up until a little over a century ago, residents along the western coast of the Japanese island of Kyushu would often hear the low mournful toll of a bell when storms struck the coast. The sound of the bell did not come from a temple or mountain retreat but, rather strangely, from the bottom of the sea. This bell soon became part of the fishermen's lives not merely as a curiosity but also as an early warning signal. Whenever earthquakes struck the region, the residents listened for the bell. If they heard it ringing wildly then they knew that the arrival of a tsunami was imminent and they would seek higher ground. Storms were an integral part of this bell's history. Taira Kiyomori (1118-81) was a great leader of the Heiki clan in the 12th century and, according to Wikipedia, "established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan." He has been described as a ruthless tyrant but a great warrior and judging from the little I read, he was a very interesting character. Perhaps this is what gained him the admiration or respect of his neighbors on the Korean Peninsula. Supposedly, one of the kings of Goryeo either Uijong (reign 1146-70) or Myeongjong (1170-97) felt it would be a fitting gesture of respect to send a great bronze bell to Kiyomori. He commanded his artisans to cast a bell 8.8 meters tall, 2.7 meters in diameter and with a circumference of 8.8 meters. It isn't clear why the king decided to send a bell especially one so large but once it was completed he was faced with the enormous task of transporting it to Japan. A view of Kyoto circa 1890-1907 Robert Neff Collection The bell was loaded carefully aboard a huge raft in Masan (now part of Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province) and then, on an auspicious day, began its journey to Japan. Unfortunately, the day wasn't as auspicious as thought initially, and about a kilometer off the coast of Kyushu, the raft encountered heavy seas and the bell toppled over and plunged into the water. For whatever reason, neither the Goryeo monarch nor the Japanese samurai prince attempted to recover the bell. A newspaper article would later explain that "within 100 years, the descendants of the prince were crossing over the sunken bell in war forays against the kings of Korea and the junks of the Koreans ravaged the coasts of [Kyushu]." The war forays were actually Kublai Khan's attempted invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1279. Hundreds of the invader's ships and thousands of soldiers were lost mainly due to storms. One can only wonder if the combatants on both sides heard the bell's awful toll as the "Divine Wind" raged the defenders emboldened by it and the invaders frightened and disheartened knowing that the bell tolled for them. For a little over seven centuries the existence of the bell remained relatively unknown except to the fishermen, but this all changed in the summer of 1908. According to a newspaper article: "Yamamoto Kikutaro, a man of wealth of the province and devoted to the province and devoted to the collection of ancient art objects, began to search for the ancient bell." Through the assistance of the fishermen, divers found the bell 36 meters beneath the surface, resting on the seabed. Except for being covered with masses of barnacles, it was complete and undamaged. The bell was recovered in the summer of 1909 and promptly put on display. Did a Korean bell once grace a temple in Kyoto? Circa 1910-20. Robert Neff Collection By Joseph S. Nye, Jr. CAMBRIDGE Russian President Vladimir Putin thought he could quickly capture Kyiv and replace Ukraine's government. Whether he was misled by poor intelligence or by his own fantasies about history, his "smash and grab" failed in the face of effective Ukrainian resistance. He then turned to a brutal bombardment of cities like Mariupol and Kharkiv to terrorize the civilian population into submission as he had previously done in Grozny and Aleppo. The tragic upshot is that Ukraine's heroic resistance has been accompanied by increasing civilian suffering. Is there any way to end this nightmare quickly? One possibility is for Chinese President Xi Jinping to see that he has a "Teddy Roosevelt Moment." After the brutal war between Russia and Japan in 1905, Roosevelt stepped in to mediate. He pressed hard for the parties to compromise and ultimately prevailed, thereby boosting America's global influence and winning himself a Nobel Peace Prize. Turkey, Israel, and France (among others) are attempting to mediate in Russia's current war, but they do not have nearly as much leverage with Putin as his ally Xi does. The question is whether Xi has the imagination and the courage to use it. The answer, thus far, is no. While China has long portrayed itself as a defender of the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, it has tolerated Putin's brazen violation of the United Nations Charter. When the U.N. Security Council voted on a resolution condemning Russia's invasion, China abstained. China has criticized Western sanctions against Russia and parroted Russian propaganda about the war being caused by America's own plans to pursue NATO enlargement, even though it had been clear for years that NATO members were not going to vote to admit Ukraine. China's unwillingness to criticize Russia has left it sitting on the diplomatic sidelines, unable to wield influence commensurate with its growing economic and military strength. Although Chinese censors limit most news about the war, some in Beijing have openly wondered whether China's current diplomatic stance best serves its national interests. For example, Wang Huiyao, the president of the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing, has suggested that China should mediate to give Putin an "offramp" from his disastrous Ukraine policy. Why might this be in China's interest? For one thing, China's current position undermines its claim to be a defender of sovereignty, which it uses to appeal to its neighbors in Southeast Asia. Equally important, the war is blunting China's soft power in Europe, which accounts for five times more of China's trade than Russia does. The war has also driven up the price of China's oil and grain imports. Grain prices will become even more salient if China experiences the same degree of severe flooding that it did last year. As the war drags on and Western sanctions increase, there is also a danger that secondary sanctions will spill over and harm China. Providing Putin with a face-saving offramp could address this and the other dangers the war poses. And it would deepen Russia's growing dependence on China and boost China's own global image and standing. Xi might even win a Nobel Peace Prize. Of course, there would be costs associated with such an initiative. Cautious Chinese diplomats see the war in Ukraine as a decidedly European conflict. If it saps the strength of older powers such as Europe, the United States, and Russia, China can benefit by standing back and letting the conflict burn itself out. Moreover, although the war is weakening an ally (a potential cost), it also has changed the global political agenda in ways that are advantageous to China. No longer can the U.S. talk about a pivot to Asia, where it would focus its attention on China. After the 2008 financial crisis, Chinese leaders concluded that the U.S. was in decline, and this led them to abandon Deng Xiaoping's patient and cautious foreign policy. Nationalism has since been rising in the country, and Xi has expressed the hope that China will decisively displace the U.S. geopolitically by 2049 the centennial of the People's Republic. The primary obstacle to Xi's dream is of course the U.S., followed by China's lack of allies other than Russia. Xi and Putin have forged a personal relationship that has reinforced what was previously an alliance of convenience. Even if the war in Ukraine has made that alliance somewhat less convenient, Xi may still feel that it is prudent to "dance with the one who brought you to the party." Besides, initiating a Rooseveltian move would probably require more imagination and flexibility than the Chinese leadership is capable of. One also must consider a domestic political element that a Chinese friend recently pointed out to me: With Xi seeking a third presidential term this year, what matters most to him is maintaining the Communist Party's control of the country and his own control of the party. As economic growth has slowed, the party has increasingly relied on nationalism to legitimize its rule. That is why Chinese official media and nationalistic websites have repeated Putin's claims that Ukraine is a puppet of the West, and that Russia is standing up to America's bullying of both Russia and China. Support for Putin's war is in keeping with China's nationalist "wolf warrior diplomacy." But while Putin's invasion has upended world politics, it has not changed the underlying balance of power. If anything, it has slightly strengthened the U.S. position. NATO and America's alliances have been reinforced, with Germany embracing a far more muscular defense posture than at any time in decades. At the same time, Russia's reputation as a formidable military power has suffered a serious blow. Its economy is weakened, and its soft power lies in tatters. China can no longer tout the alliance of autocracies as proof that the East wind is prevailing over the West. China could still change the dynamic by seizing its Teddy Roosevelt opportunity. But I doubt that it will. Joseph S. Nye, Jr. is a professor at Harvard University and the author, most recently, of "Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump" (Oxford University Press, 2020). His article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). Celebrate spring by bidding on 15 artist-rendered birdhouses in the Feathered Friends silent auction at the newly renovated Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 W. Main St., Lake Geneva. Join in the bidding fun beginning Tuesday, April 12, at 9 a.m. Bids may be placed in person at the librarys front desk and will close on Friday, April 29, at 5 p.m. Winners will be notified. The opening bid for all houses start at $25, with a minimum raise of $5. The distinctive hand-painted birdhouses, built by Badger High School Woods Class taught by Arnie Oswald, are offered in three different styles. Local artists from the Geneva Lake Art Association, Lake Geneva Schools and community members donated their time and talent to applying visually creative themes. It is truly a community collaboration, said project coordinator Nina Ruskey. The birdhouses feature beautiful flowers, birds, insects, trees, beach life, and stylized designs and architecture. They are works of art that would look wonderful inside your home or hanging on a porch. Avian themes will be infused into the librarys summer reading program as well as programming for adults and children. Bird crafts will be hatching for kids, followed by related programs and events throughout the year. The Feathered Friends fundraiser is sponsored by the Friends of the Lake Geneva Public Library. It coincides with the grand reopening of the library following a major renovation this past winter. For more, contact the library at 262-249-5299 or lglibrary.org. The Torcaso name goes back nearly 100 years in the shoe repair business in southeastern Wisconsin. Ray and his sister Paula (Torcaso) Spizzirri, co-owners, have been in the family business much of their adult lives. The Kenosha location has been open for nearly 100 years and the Lake Geneva location opened in 1980 and permanently closed on Monday, March 28. Ray has been in the shoe repair business for 52 years and Paula has been doing it for 42 years. My grandfather, my dad, me, my brother, my grandma, two aunts and one cousin have all worked here, Ray said. Ray always intended to carry on the family tradition and never imagined doing anything else. Before I started doing this, I was watching, he said. When you grow up in a family business with all your relatives working there, its fun. I would have never gotten into this had I not grown up in this business. But I fell in love with it because, for me, it was the whole package. It was my lineage. Thats what makes it enjoyable. I enjoy getting up every day and going to work because not many people get to do what they enjoy. So, when Ray and Paula, Kenosha residents, decided to close down their store in Lake Geneva for family, health and distance reasons, it was sad, especially for former Playboy bunny at the Grand Geneva, Sandra Farwell. Farwell, who is quick to point out that she was a glorified waitress, began going to them to get her heels repaired early on when she began as a Playboy bunny. I just think so highly of both Ray and Paula, Farwell said. Theyre family to me and Im going to miss them so, so much. Theyre both so sweet and I think the whole town will probably miss them, but no one more than me. Torcasos Shoe Repair will remain open in Kenosha. One of the gifts I gave him when I went to say goodbye was a high heel I had found at Hobby Lobby because he was always needing to fix my heels. I dont think I ever brought him anything other than high heels. Ray never bows out of a challenge when it comes to repairing shoes and still doesnt at the age of 63-years-old, but his favorite shoes are Allen Edmonds, which are made in Port Washington. Allen Edmonds shoes are easy to recraft for the most part, he said. Recrafting shoes is my bread and butter. But for Ray, while repairing shoes and pleasing customers is his career, it was the memories and friendships hes made along the way that matter most. Over the years, we have been blessed to have wonderful customers, he said. We have made a lot of friends, and out of those friends, we have met quite a handful of people that feel like our extended family. A couple specific memories stand out for Paula. There was a guy who came in one time with his leg in his hand because his strap broke, she said. One customer even brought in a big stuffed bear head that we had in our shop for over a month. People would sometimes bring in a some interesting stuff. Ray and Paula would hold a Christmas party every year and any customer who walked in could be part of the fun. Paula would bring all their homemade food, Farwell said. You couldnt get out of there without having some candy. Paula and I would exchange cookies every year too, which just shows you how loving and caring they are. Ray will miss Lake Geneva and the community, but hes appreciative for the 42 years that he had a business in the city, the people he met along the way, and being able to master his familys craft. You never rest on what you know today, he said. You always strive to improve and learn more because every year things change. I like the challenge. I was one of those guys who thrives at this craft and Im going to do it for as long as I can. After the Lake Geneva shop officially closed its doors, a sign was posted on the door letting customers know about the Kenosha location and thanking the customers. Thanks for 42 wonderful years ... God bless. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Two candidates are vying for a seat on the Geneva Joint No. 4 School District Board during the April 5 spring election. Incumbent Quan Le is being challenged by Frank Broz during the upcoming election. The Geneva Joint No. 4 School District includes Woods Elementary School in the Town of Geneva. Le is a retired elementary school teacher who worked in Chicago schools for about nine years. Broz is the co-owner of Clock Tower Pizza in Downtown Lake Geneva. He is seeking his first elected position. Both candidates submitted answers to questions presented to them by the Lake Geneva Regional News. Below is the responses to those questions, starting with the incumbent. Name: Quan Le (I) Occupation: Stay at home dad/retired elementary school teacher Address: W4079 Oakwood Drive Community involvement: Woods School Board Previous elected experience: None Why do you want to be a member of the Geneva Joint No. 4 School Board? As a parent and former teacher, I wanted to stay on top of my childrens education and get back into education on some level. What do you think are some of the issues that are currently affecting the school district? Enrollment is a big issue. Less than 50% of the student body lives in district. What do you think makes you a quality candidate for the school board? I was an elementary school teacher for nine years in Chicago so I have an idea of how school systems operate. As a current parent of two young daughters, I am also in touch with the upcoming generation of students and their parents. As a homeowner of a moderate home, I believe Im also tapped into the sentiments of the median taxpayers in this district. Name: Frank R. Broz Occupation: Owner, Clock Tower Pizza Address: W4132 Butternut Lane, Lake Geneva WI 53147 Community involvement: Business owner in Lake Geneva, active with Woods School and various other local missions, organizations and efforts to promote area businesses. Previous elected experience: This is my first rodeo. Why do you want to be a member of the Geneva Joint No. 4 School Board? My goal is to provide stability and leadership for the school in its entirety. To me, that includes the school administration, the teachers, and the students and families of every student that attends Woods School, even if theyre open-enrolled at Woods. What do you think are some of the issues that are currently affecting the school district? Recent turmoil has affected the school district and the world at large, in a mostly negative way. Woods School has been uniquely affected by that turmoil because we have such a small population. Losing or gaining one or two families every year has a tremendous impact on the future prospects for the school. Our school needs to focus on academic excellence. What do you think makes you a quality candidate for the school board? Im the beneficiary of a very strong educational background and understand how that foundation has enabled success in my own life. I want that for my own children, and I believe every child should have access to a similar school experience. I believe I understand Lake Geneva and the Woods School legacy. I envision a future that builds upon that legacy. Im a Lake Geneva lifer in that I have every intention of remaining in this community. I have a responsibility to make it as good as it can possibly be, and to inspire others to do the same. It starts in my house, extends to my kids, their schools, my familys business, and the community in general. We all have to do our part today if we want a better tomorrow. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Dear W.C., I was referred to you by a cousin who reads your column. She seemed confident The Time is Now to Help could possibly help me get back on my feet. I recently moved here from out of state with my 13-year-old daughter, who has special needs, after losing my mother to cancer. After spending the last two years caring for her full-time there was nothing left for us in the rural area we lived in. I sold the few belongings we had and moved here in hopes of finding a job and a new life. I used what funds we had to pay for gas, food and a motel room, so now I am unable to pay for first months rent and security deposit. My car payment is overdue, and I can no longer afford to stay at the motel we are in. I thought it would be easier to find an affordable rental but everything I saw available online is already taken or too expensive. I could really use some of your advice on how my daughter and I can move forward and overcome this difficult time in our lives. Dear Readers, Lori is one of three single mothers we are presently helping to find jobs, apartments and security. As the single mother of a special needs child, and having just suffered the loss of her mother, her plight touched my heart. I reached out to see how we could make this painful and stressful time easier. Lori answered her phone, and we had a good rapport immediately. She seemed to answer all my questions honestly and was candid with her struggle to care for a child with special needs, find a job, all while grieving immensely for her mother. We spoke about her role as her mothers caregiver for two years and how she had given up her job as her mothers condition worsened. She shared how that time together had been special but also made her miss her more. It was a tear-filled and painful conversation. I steered our conversation to their present living conditions. She shared some photos of a rental she was about to sign a lease for out of desperation. I did not know how it could even be considered a rental. There was a reason why the owner was not requiring a security deposit as I looked at the leaking roof covered with plastic tarps, broken windows and outdated furnace. I advised the woman to not even consider such living conditions as they were unsafe at best and possibly even life threatening due to the obvious mold and old gas appliances. She knew I was right, but it was her desperation that was causing her to make a wrong decision. I gave Lori some direction on rentals to search for and ideas on jobs to apply for. While she worked on that, I worked on finding some temporary shelter to prevent their becoming homeless. I also made plans to have a volunteer drop off grocery and gas gift cards to make sure they did not suffer from food insecurity. I promised to call back the following day to see how both searches went. When I called the next day, she was excited to inform me that she had already scheduled a job interview for the following day. The income from this job would be just what they need to get by each month. She also had been able to secure a rental from one of the resources I had provided. It would not be available until April but we both were happy she had been able to find something affordable. With this news we began to put together a budget based on the possible income from that job. With our assistance paying her overdue car payment, two months rent plus a security deposit, providing gift cards for gas, food and clothing, they would be given the assistance needed to begin their new life. We also found a motel room with a kitchenette that would get the mother and daughter through the coming weeks while waiting for the new rental to be available. Once the apartment is available, we will be providing new beds, sheets, bedding, dishes and other daily necessities they had sold or donated before moving here. Thank You and God Bless You for making this assistance possible. Good news! We have successfully matched the 2022 Family Foundation $40,000 Matching Grant. We are continuing to use 100% of these donated funds to provide poverty relief to our fellow creations in our communities. As soon as we have completed this matching grant we will be sharing with you how it was used to prevent the pains and suffering of poverty. Thank You and God Bless You for your support. Health & Happiness, Love & God Bless Everyone, Sal Please Help: There are many coming to us in desperation. Our good fellow creations need our compassion. Together we make a big difference. Make checks payable to: The Time Is Now to Help, P.O. Box 1, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. The Time Is Now to Help is a federally recognized 5013 charitable organization licensed in the states of Wisconsin and Illinois. You will receive a tax deductible, itemized thank you receipt showing how your donation provided assistance for the poverty stricken. A Very Special Thank You: Family Foundation, Mark and Natalie Reno, Darien Community Baptist Church, Jeff Martin, Paul Ziegler, Ziegler Charitable Foundation, Paper Dolls, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schuberth, Kunes Country Auto Group, Martin Group, John Stensland and family, The Chuck and Barb Taylor Charity Fund, George and Leah Rozhon, F. Robert Ball III, Jeanne Allen, Karin Slayton, Michael and Collette Coolidge, Daryl and Geri Braun, William and Beth Norton, William Davit, Jeff Zott, Denise Sifuentes, David Greenawalt, Sarah Wootton, Susan Toll, Mark and Suzette Bittmann, Paula Harris, Mac Corey, Greg Johns, Karin Collamore, Nancy Plzak, Gregory Swanson, Kelly Tomaske, Paypal Giving Fund, Kathleen Gallagher, Rita Popelka, Judith Caputo, Jeffrey and Helen Harold, Doris Wiechmann, Dennis and Carol Gilhooley, James Dyer, Duane and June DeYoung, all of our anonymous donors and ALL of you who support The Time Is Now to Help donation boxes. Anyone who would like a Time Is Now donation box in your business, please call (262) 249-7000. Memorials: Beth Pizzo in memory of her son Joel Pizzo. The following donations were made in memory of Don Ketchpaw: Joyce Reed, Susan and Robert Wolter, Gerald and Dionne Ketchpaw. Prayer Chain: The power of prayer and positive thoughts comes from the true healer, our Lord answering our prayers. Please pray for healing for the following people: Brian, Talyn, Mike, Sylvia, Richard, Jennifer, Jayden, Maria C., Alex, Lily, Kaitlyn, Sheila, Rhonda, Deda Lee, Betty, Marilyn, Helen, Dennis, Mary, Joseph, Jordan, Jean, Tom L., Dr. Peter, Alyce, Matthew, Pam E., Jenene B., John S., Patricia H., Darlene, Ron K., Marian K., Judy, Wendy, Eric, Anthony, Mary, Charlie, Tom P., Christina, Billy, Mike, Cheryl, and Ellie. Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 3 (ANI): As many as two non-locals have been shot at and injured by terrorists in the Litter area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district, the Jammu and Kashmir Police informed on Saturday evening. The police informed that a case has been registered against terrorists who had fired at two labourers, residents of Pathankot in Punjab. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Govt Panel Recommends Covovax Inclusion in Vaccination Drive for 12 and Above. At about 19:10 hours, Pulwama Police received information about a terror crime incident at the Nowpora Litter area of Pulwama where terrorists had fired upon two labourers. Senior police officers reached at the terror crime spot. Officers attending the terror crime spot learnt that terrorists had fired upon two labourers identified as Dheeraj Dutt and Surinder Singh, who were both residents of Pathankot in Punjab. Also Read | Mumbai Shocker: MBA Student Gets Honey Trapped on Dating App, Asked To Pay Rs 10,000 Ransom on Gpay. The two locals were shot at in the Nowpora Litter area of Pulwama. Both the labourers received gunshot injuries and were immediately shifted to the hospital for treatment, the police informed. The Police have registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law. The investigation is in progress and officers continue to work to establish the full circumstances of this terror crime. The area has been cordoned and the search to nab the accused in the area is going on. Further probe into the matter is underway. (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], April 3 (ANI): Top brass of the Indian Army and Air Force would be assessing their preparedness and infrastructure requirements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as the militaries of both India and China continue to remain in a standoff position in eastern Ladakh. The Indian Air Force brass would be meeting this week from April 6 to discuss the security situation including air operations along the northern borders. Also Read | Maharashtra: Three Arrested, One Booked From Pimpri Chinchwad for Betting on IPL Match. The Indian Army commanders led by Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane would be assessing the present deployments along the eastern Ladakh and northeastern sectors from April 18 onwards in the bi-annual commanders' conference. The top brass of the Indian Army had jointly discussed the infrastructure requirements and developments required by the Indian side from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh during a conference in Lucknow recently. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian Citizens Kill Russian Soldiers By Feeding Them Poisoned Cake and Alcohol, Says Report. India has made several changes in its deployments post aggression shown by Chinese troops in April-May 2020. India and China have been talking to each other at both military and diplomatic levels to address the issues but so far they have not been able to do so mainly because of Chinese reluctance. In recent talks to address the Patroling Point 15 friction, they proposed a solution that was not acceptable to the Indian side. Indian security establishment led by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has been of the view that the issue would be resolved only if the Chinese did complete disengagement and went back to pre April 2020 positions. The Indian side has strengthened its deployments manifold all along the LAC. The Indian Air Force has also started building advanced bases in the forward areas including infrastructure to operate fighter jets and attack helicopters from the forward fields such as Nyoma. (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, Apr 3 (PTI) Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane left for Singapore on Sunday on a three-day visit to explore ways to strengthen bilateral military cooperation. The Army said Gen. Naravane will hold talks with the senior military and civilian leadership of Singapore during his visit from April 4 to April 6. Also Read | Maharashtra: Three Arrested, One Booked From Pimpri Chinchwad for Betting on IPL Match. The Army chief will also visit a number of military installations in Singapore. "Gen MM Naravane, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), has proceeded on a three-day visit to Singapore from April 4 to 6. During the visit, he will be meeting senior military and civilian leadership of the country," the Army said in a statement. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian Citizens Kill Russian Soldiers By Feeding Them Poisoned Cake and Alcohol, Says Report. "The Army Chief is scheduled to call on the Minister of Defence, Chief of Singapore Army and other senior dignitaries where he will discuss avenues for enhancing India-Singapore defence relations," it added. Gen. Naravane is scheduled to lay a wreath at the Kranji war memorial. "The COAS will also visit the Infantry Gunnery Tactical Simulation and Wargame Centre, Regional HADR Coordination Centre, Info Fusion Centre and the Changi Naval Base," the Army said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhagwant Mann with representatives and dignitaries of the Sikh society of Gujarat (Photo/ANI) Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], April 3 (ANI): Representatives and dignitaries of the Sikh society of Gujarat called on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday, after the latter's visit to the Swaminarayan Temple in Gujarat's Shahibaug with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. According to the AAP's recent tweet, both the leaders visited the temple to offer prayers for the country's peace and prosperity. Also Read | #QasimKhanSuri, Deputy Speaker of the #Pakistan National Assembly , on Sunday Latest Tweet by IANS India. Earlier on Saturday, following the Tiranga Yatra, both the leaders had visited Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, where they spun Charkha. In the yatra, they urged the people of Gujarat to give one chance to his party in the forthcoming elections in the state. He further assured that his party will end the cycle of corruption in the state after coming to power. Also Read | Russia To Suspend International Space Station Cooperation If Sanctions Not Lifted, Says Report. "I don't know how to do politics but I do know how to end corruption. We have finished corruption in Delhi. Today, if you go to any office in Delhi, you don't have to pay a bribe," said Kejriwal during Tiranga Yatra in Ahmedabad. "Similarly, Bhagwant Mann ended corruption in Punjab in mere 10 days of his governance. If you don't believe me, ask any of your friends in Punjab. Today, all work gets done in Punjab be it license office, tehsildar office, within 10 minutes," he added. Speaking to people during the roadshow, Mann said, "Delhi and Punjab are sorted, now we are preparing for Gujarat." AAP's official Twitter handle termed this roadshow as 'AAP Gujarat Tiranga Yatra'. During the roadshow, a tableau of Delhi's world-famous Mohalla Clinic was displayed in the Ahmedabad roadshow. The Gujarat Assembly elections are slated to be held this year. AAP's Gujarat hope has been fuelled by its performance in the February 2021 Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls in which BJP won 93 seats, while Aam Aadmi Party bagged 27 seats in the Surat Municipal Corporation election and Congress drew a blank. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hubballi (Karnataka), Apr 3 (PTI) Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti on Sunday said he would join the BJP and likely be its candidate for the upcoming MLC polls from West Teachers' constituency. Also Read | Maharashtra: Three Arrested, One Booked From Pimpri Chinchwad for Betting on IPL Match. Horatti, elected as MLC seven successive times from 1980, has ended his association with the JD(S). Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian Citizens Kill Russian Soldiers By Feeding Them Poisoned Cake and Alcohol, Says Report. "...the time has come to join (BJP), not sure when...all (BJP) leaders have told me, I have also accepted it...they have not announced a candidate from this constituency for my sake," Horatti said. Speaking to reporters, he said JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy too said he has no objections to Horatti's decision. "I'm still the chairman, I will join the BJP ahead of filing nomination, once the elections are declared....all leaders, including Chief Minister (Basavaraj Bommai) and Yediyurappa (BJP leader), have agreed. Yediyurappa called me yesterday (Saturday) and said J P Nadda (BJP national president) has agreed, things are almost final," he added. Considered to be among the senior-most MLCs, Horatti was seen as JD(S)'s prominent face from north Karnataka. He had been State Education Minister, and been elected as the Chairman of the Legislative Council in February 2021. The MLC polls from graduates' and teachers' constituencies are expected in June or July. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 3 (ANI): Former chief minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje on Saturday condemned the stone-pelting on the Shobha Yatra being carried out on the occasion of Nav Samvatsar in Karauli and said that the incident could have been avoided if the administration had been vigilant. The former chief minister also demanded strict action against the culprits. Also Read | Raj Thackeray Demands Shutting Down of Loudspeakers of Mosques. "I strongly condemn the attack on the Shobha Yatra taken out on Nav Samvatsar in Karauli by the people of the opposite mindset. Hate mentality cannot be allowed to flourish in peace-loving Rajasthan. The administration should take strict action against the culprits," she said. "If the administration had been vigilant before the Yatra, such an incident could have been averted. The atmosphere of harmony also deteriorated due to the apathy of the administration. The state government should take immediate action," Raje added. Also Read | Ramzan 2022 Wishes: PM Narendra Modi Extends Ramadan Greetings, Says 'May This Holy Month Inspire People To Serve Poor'. The BJP leader also spoke to the people injured in the incident and enquired about their well-being. She also enquired about the health of the people admitted to the hospital. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday appealed to the people to maintain peace and asked them to stay away from the miscreants. Speaking to ANI, Gehlot said, "I have spoken to DG police. Police and administration are present there. I appeal to the public to maintain peace and stay away from miscreants who are present in every religion." Many people were injured in the incident, of which 27 were treated and sent home, 10 are undergoing treatment in the hospital and 3 seriously injured were referred to Jaipur. The injured were admitted to the District General Hospital. Among the injured people four were police officers. More than 600 policemen including 50 police officers deployed in Karauli. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru, Apr 3 (PTI) Senior IPS officer B Bhaskar Rao, who recently resigned from service, will be joining Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in New Delhi on Monday. Also Read | Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao to Arrive in Delhi Today, Likely to Meet Several Political Leaders. The Karnataka government has accepted the resignation of Rao, who until recently served as Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Railways. Also Read | Fire Breaks Out in Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan. He will join AAP in the presence of Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia, party sources said. Rao, who had previously served as Bengaluru city police commissioner, had submitted his resignation to the state government in September 2021. He is a native of Bengaluru, and his joining AAP comes as the party prepares to contest and make its presence felt in the state, during Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and 2023 assembly polls. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bandipora (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 3 (ANI): Police on Sunday busted two terror modules and arrested four terror associates of the banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba in Bandipora of Jammu and Kashmir. According to police, arrested people were providing logistics and transportation to terrorists in the districts. Also Read | Enforcement Directorate Files Charge Sheet Against Punjab Former CMs Nephew Bhupinder Singh Honey in Illegal Sand Mining Case. "On a specific input security forces recovered one Chinese Grenade in Ashtango area of Bandipora along with terror associates identified as Irfan Ahmad Bhat resident of Ashtango, Sajad Ahmad Mir resident of Arin and Irfan Ahmad Jan resident of Qazipora Bandipora and other incriminating material was also recovered from their possession," reads the statement. Meanwhile, at a check post (naka) in the Rakh Hajin area of Bandipora district security forces arrested one terror associate and recovered one Chinese grenade from his possession. Also Read | India Reports 1,096 New COVID-19 Cases, 81 Deaths in Past 24 Hours. "Irfan Aziz Bhat resident of Hajin was also in touch with Pakistan based terrorist Umer Lala and killed terrorist Saleem Parray of Hajin. The Said terror associate along with his Pakistan based terrorist were planning to create terror incident in Hajin area," said police. Bandipora and Hajin Police Stations have registered respective cases under relevant sections of law. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chhatarpur (MP), Apr 3 (PTI) A judge posted in a court in Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh was killed while his colleague was seriously injured when their car collided with a tractor-trolley, police said on Sunday. Also Read | Amid the Ongoing Unrest in #SriLanka and Ahead of a Massive Anti-government Protest Latest Tweet by IANS India. The incident occurred on Sagar-Kanpur Road, about 12 km away from the Chhatarpur district headquarters, around 8 pm on Saturday, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shashank Jain said. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Jeweller Accidentally Shoots Self With Pistol at His House in Lucknow. He said that Rishi Tiwari and Ashish Mathoria, both posted as Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Bada Malhera, were travelling to Chhatarpur when their car collided with a stationary tractor-trolley near Para Chowki under the Matguan police station area. Tiwari died on the spot while Mathoria and Ram Dinkar, who was driving the car, were seriously injured. Mathoria and Dinkar were referred to a private hospital in Gwalior after initial treatment at the Chhatarpur district hospital, Jain said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Karauli (Rajasthan) [India], April 3 (ANI): The police have identified some suspects in connection with the clashes in Rajasthan's Karauli. SS Indoliya, Superintendent of Police (SP), Karauli said that the situation is under control in the district where 30-35 people including six cops were injured in the Saturday incident. Also Read | Mumbai Shocker: MBA Student Gets Honey Trapped on Dating App, Asked To Pay Rs 10,000 Ransom on Gpay. "As many as 30-35 people were injured on Saturday. The overall situation is under control. Few suspected persons were identified. A case will be registered in this incident for a thorough probe," the SP "Six police personnel also received injuries and a survey is being conducted to access losses," he said. Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: 2 Labourers From Punjab Injured by Terrorist in Pulwama. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was imposed in the Karauli district of Rajasthan on Saturday and the internet was shut down after stones were pelted during a religious procession that day. Section 144 was imposed in Karauli from 6:30 pm on April 2 till 12 am on April 4. "Section 144 has been imposed in Karauli from 6:30 pm, April 2, till 12 am on April 4, in connection with a case of stone-pelting at a 'Shobha Yatra' (bike rally) in the city. Internet services have also been shut in the area on April 2 and 3 (till midnight)," said Karauli DM Rajendra Singh Shekhawat. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Sunday that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators of the Karauli violence irrespective of their community so that everyone gets a message that only the rule of law will prevail in Rajasthan. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 3 (ANI): In view of getting the offline classes back on track after COVID-19, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) would start the on-campus classes in phases. The university administration also laid clear instructions on Sunday for foreign students' entry into the campus. Students from abroad would be allowed inside the university premises only after the vaccination. Also Read | Maharashtra: BJP Leader Pravin Darekar Summoned by Mumbai Police in Bank Fraud Case. "The AMU administration has issued an advisory that the foreign students who come to the AMU campus should come only after getting vaccination from their countries and only then will they be given admission, else they would not be allowed to enter," said Deputy Proctor, S Ali Nabaw Zaidi. Earlier, various states, including West Bengal, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, revoked COVID-19 restrictions after recording the overall decline in COVID-19 cases. (ANI) Also Read | Uttarakhand: Over 70 People Fall Ill After Consuming Food Items Made From Buckwheat Flour in Haridwar. (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, Apr 3 (PTI) A parliamentary panel has called CAG officials to brief it on the "unreasonable" delay in tabling annual reports and audited accounts of various autonomous bodies in Lok Sabha, sources said on Sunday. The Parliamentary Committee on Papers Laid on the Table of Lok Sabha, chaired by BSP Ritesh Pandey, is convening a briefing session with the representatives of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Monday, according to a notice issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. Also Read | Maharashtra: BJP Leader Pravin Darekar Summoned by Mumbai Police in Bank Fraud Case. This is perhaps the first time that a House panel other than the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will have a formal discussion with CAG officials, sources in the panel said. The committee had called representatives of various ministries and departments that have not laid their papers on time. During examination, many organisations have submitted that audit by the CAG sometimes take longer than the stipulated time, which is leading to the delay, sources in the panel said. Also Read | Lokmanya Tilak-Jaynagar Pawan Express Derails Near Maharashtras Nashik, No Major Injuries Reported. The committee found it only prudent to have a formal interaction with the office of the CAG so as to get acquainted with the reasons for delays and take advice as to what should be the way out so that the statutory requirements of laying the papers within the stipulated time can be fulfilled, they said. This parliamentary committee is constituted every year to examine the reasons for unreasonable delays in the laying of annual reports and audited accounts of various autonomous bodies, public undertakings, commissions, organisations and ministries/departments and others under the administrative control of the Union government. These departments have to lay their audited accounts and reports on the table of the House within nine months of the closure of the financial year, that is by December 31 every year. (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, Apr 3 (PTI) Extending greetings on Rajya Sabha Day on Sunday, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said the upper house has played a crucial role in strengthening parliamentary democracy. Naidu, who is also Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, appealed to its members to engage in informed and constructive debates by keeping the welfare of the people in mind. Also Read | India Reports 1,096 New COVID-19 Cases, 81 Deaths in Past 24 Hours. "Greetings on Rajya Sabha Day! Ever since its inception, Rajya Sabha has played a crucial role in strengthening parliamentary democracy," the Vice President Secretariat tweeted, quoting Naidu. "I would like to appeal to the members of Rajya Sabha to engage in informed & constructive debates by keeping the welfare of the people in mind," he said. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath To Revive Janta Darbar at His Residence From Tomorrow. According to the Rajya Sabha website, the Constituent Assembly, which first met on December 9, 1946, also acted as the Central Legislature till 1950, when it was converted as 'Provisional Parliament'. During this period, the Central Legislature, which was known as Constituent Assembly (Legislative) and later Provisional Parliament, was unicameral till the first elections were held in 1952. Extensive debate took place in the Constituent Assembly regarding the utility or otherwise of a second chamber in independent India and ultimately, it was decided to have a bicameral legislature for independent India mainly because a federal system was considered to be most feasible form of government for such a vast country with immense diversities. A second chamber known as the 'Council of States', therefore, was created with altogether different composition and method of election from that of the directly elected House of the People. It was conceived as another chamber with smaller membership than the Lok Sabha (House of the People). It was meant to be the federal chamber, a House elected by the elected members of Assemblies of the states and two Union Territories in which states were not given equal representation. Apart from the elected members, provision was also made for the nomination of 12 members to the House by the President. The nomenclature "Rajya Sabha" was announced by the Chair in the House on August 23, 1954. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 3 (ANI): Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday expressed hope that the Kashmiri Pandits who were displaced from their homes in the 1990s after the onset of terrorism will soon return back to their houses in the Kashmir valley. "I have a feeling that the day is very near when the Kashmiri Pandits will come back to their homes and I wish that day comes soon," said Bhagwat while addressing the Kashmiri Hindu community via video conference on the last day of the Navreh celebrations here. Also Read | A 16-year-old Divyang Girl Was Allegedly Raped in the #NewDelhi Following Which One Person Latest Tweet by IANS India. Bhagwat said that the Vivek Agnihotri directed 'The Kashmir Files' has revealed the true picture of the Kashmiri Pandits and their exodus in the 1990s from the Kashmir valley. The Vivek-Agnihotri directed 'The Kashmir Files', which was released in theatres on March 11, stars Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumaar and others. The film has sharply polarised the political spectrum in the country. Also Read | Enforcement Directorate Files Charge Sheet Against Punjab Former CMs Nephew Bhupinder Singh Honey in Illegal Sand Mining Case. "Today, every Indian knows about the truth of the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits. This is the time that Kashmiri Pandits have to go back to their own homes in a way that they are never uprooted again in future," the RSS chief added. The RSS chief also said that the Kashmiri Pandits should take a resolve to return to their homeland, so the situation will change soon. He said, "Some are in support of this movie, some are calling it half-truth... But the common people of this nation are of the opinion that by presenting this harsh truth to the world, this film has not only presented the pain of displaced Kashmiris but shaken us as well." He further said that nobody can force the Kashmiri Pandits to leave, and if anybody tries to do it, then he will have to face the consequences. Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra (SSK), Jammu, organised a three-day programme, beginning April 1 and will conclude today, to celebrate the 'Tyaag and Shaurya Divas', urging the 'Kashmiri Samaj' to take a pledge to return to their homeland on the auspicious occasion of Navreh. The film shows the plight of Kashmiri Pandits who had to flee the valley in the 1990s to escape the militancy. The SSK has been celebrating the 'Navreh, Tyaag and Shaurya Divas' with the community members and school children for several years while also organising seminars, essay writing and quiz competitions to highlight the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits. This coincides with the first day of the Chaitra (spring) Navratras. Kashmiri Pandits dedicate the Navreh festival to their Goddess Sharika and pay homage to her during the festival. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) By Shalini Bhardwaj New Delhi [India], April 3 (ANI): A team of 3-5 doctors formed by the Union Health Ministry for inspection of medical colleges has carried out surprise inspections at 12 private colleges in five different cities and found several lapses, sources told ANI. Also Read | Manipur: Class 4 Student Attends Classes While Babysitting 2-Year-Old Sister in Lap. The show-cause notices have been issued to some of these colleges and one of them was found closed. These colleges were allegedly not confirming to prescribed minimum standard requirements. The National Medical Commission will decide further course of action against these colleges, sources said. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is monitoring these surprise inspections that began on January 14, 2022, with the team visiting colleges in Dhule, Udaipur, Jabalpur, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and others. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Govt Panel Recommends Covovax Inclusion in Vaccination Drive for 12 and Above. On February 24, 2022, inspections were conducted at five colleges-- Anantha Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Udaipur; American International Institute of Medical Sciences, Udaipur; Geetanjali Medical College, Udaipur; Pacific Institute of Medical Science (UMARDA), Udaipur and Sukh Sagar Medical College and Hospital, Jabalpur. The team conducted inspections on March 30, 2022, at six other colleges--Six other colleges include VELS Medical College Manjankaranai, Tamil Nadu; Mahavir Institute of Medical Sciences, Vikarabad, Telangana; CMR Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad; MNR Medical College & Hospital, Sangareddy, Telangana; TRR Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad; and Arundathi Institute of Medical Sciences, MLR avenue, Dundigal, Telangana. (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, Apr 3 (PTI) Teams of doctors constituted by the Union Health Ministry carried out surprise inspections at 12 private medical colleges in five cities that were allegedly not conforming to prescribed minimum standard requirements and shut down one of them. Show-cause notices have been issued to the rest of the medical colleges and the National Medical Commission (NMC) will decide the further course of action against them, official sources told PTI. Also Read | Maharashtra: Three Arrested, One Booked From Pimpri Chinchwad for Betting on IPL Match. These surprise inspections were monitored by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, they said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, formalities for granting approval and recognition to some colleges were done through video conferencing, after which the ministry has been receiving complaints against some of them. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian Citizens Kill Russian Soldiers By Feeding Them Poisoned Cake and Alcohol, Says Report. "Teams of three to six doctors each were formed by the Union Health Ministry which carried out surprise inspections at 12 medical colleges alleged to have sub-optimal training and teaching programme in Dhule, Jabalpur, Udaipur, Hyderabad and Chennai since January 15 this year," a health ministry source said. Several deficiencies such as fewer patients than what is required to run a medical college, the number of faculties not matching with what was shown on paper and infrastructural lapses were observed during the inspections. To maintain the secrecy of the entire exercise, the team members were informed about the college which had to be inspected by them only on the day of the inspection. "The health minister briefed the faculty members and created a core team of dedicated officers and officials in the ministry to ensure that the secrecy of the operations is maintained and the inspection of the medical colleges is done as per the prescribed protocol," the source said. "Through this exercise, the health minister has given out a strong message of zero-tolerance towards compromising with the quality of medical education in the country," the official source said. India has more than 650 medical colleges. The NMC Act 2019 mandates that medical colleges conform to the minimum standard requirements prescribed by the National Medical Commission (NMC). This will be an ongoing exercise under the stewardship of Mandaviya and many more medical colleges will be subjected to surprise inspection, the source said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 3 (ANI): Rameswaram Coastal Security Wing arrested two persons with banned sea cucumbers near Serangodai beach, said officials on Sunday. The accused were booked for hunting and procuring the endangered species which is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Also Read | West Bengal: Several Crude Bombs Recovered Near Residence of Palash Sheikh, Later Defused in Bogtui Village. Sea cucumber is primarily smuggled from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka in fishing vessels from Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin districts. Further investigation into the case is underway. (ANI) Also Read | Haryana Horror: 17-Year-Old Girl Commits Suicide in Badhra After Gang-Rape, One Arrested. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Beijing [China], April 3 (ANI): Chinese authorities in Xinjiang are restricting Uyghurs to observe the Islamic holy month of Ramzan, drawing heavy criticism from rights groups that see the government directive as the latest effort to diminish Uyghur culture in the region, local media reported. For years, officials in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have prohibited Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims from fully observing Ramzan including by banning civil servants, students and teachers from fasting, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported. Also Read | Sacramento Shooting: 6 Dead, 9 Injured After Shootout in California. Some neighbourhood committees in Urumqi (in Chinese, Wulumuqi) and some village officials in Kashgar (Kashi) and Hotan (Hetian) prefectures have received notices that only 10-50 Muslims will be allowed to fast during Ramzan, which runs from April 1 to May 1, and that those who do so must register with authorities, RFA cited local administrators and police in Xinjiang. In past years, authorities have warned Uyghur residents that they could be punished for fasting, including by being sent to one of the XUAR's vast network of internment camps, where authorities are believed to have held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities since April 2017, according to RFA. Also Read | Pakistan Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Notice of National Assemblys Dissolution. "It is pathetic and tragic to see China's notice that only certain people can fast," DFA quoted Turghunjan Alawudun, director of the Committee for Religious Affairs at the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) in Germany. Alawudun added, "The Muslim world would laugh at China's actions and be astonished by the setting of a quota for those who can fast." The Campaign for Uyghurs, also based in Washington, also noted that Uyghurs in Xinjiang are once again being "forbidden to worship and celebrate religious holidays". WUC President Dolkun Isa said China has turned Ramzan into "a month of hellish suffering of genocide for the Uyghur people" and called on Muslim leaders worldwide to condemn the rights abuses occurring in Xinjiang, RFA reported. "It's your religious and moral duty to call on China to stop this ongoing genocide," he said. "History will not treat you kindly if you continue to allow this genocide to continue under your watch." The U.S. and parliaments in some Western countries have declared China's actions against the Uyghurs and other Turkic people a genocide and crimes against humanity, though China has denied accusations of abuse, RFA reported. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lviv, Apr 3 (AP) Ukraine's deputy prime minister says 765 residents managed to make it out of Mariupol in private vehicles on Sunday while a team of humanitarian workers is yet to reach the hard-hit city. Iryna Vereshchuk said the residents reached Zaporizhzhia, a city 140 miles (226 kilometers) to the northwest. Also Read | Nawaz Sharif Attacked in London by PTI Activist as Brother Shahbaz Sharif Receives Opposition Support for PM Seat. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross said a team with three vehicles and nine staff members had planned to get into Mariupol, scene of some of the war's worst attacks, on Saturday to evacuate residents. The Red Cross said it could not carry out the operation Friday because it did not receive assurances the route was safe. City authorities said the Russians blocked access to the city. A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross said Saturday evening the team, which departed Zaporizhzhia in the morning, was "spending the night en route to Mariupol and are yet to reach the city. Around 100,000 people are believed to remain in the city on the Sea of Azov, down from a prewar population of 430,000, and facing dire shortages of water, food, fuel and medicine. Also Read | COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Amid Dearth of Resources, Coronavirus Infections Widely Spreading Among Elderly in Shanghai Hospital. The Mariupol city council said earlier Saturday that 10 empty buses were headed to Berdyansk, a city 52 miles (84 kilometers) west of Mariupol, to pick up people who managed to get there on their own. About 2,000 made it out of Mariupol on Friday, city officials said. ___ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Ukrainian forces retake areas near Kyiv amid fear of traps Russian space chief says sanctions could imperil International Space Station What's next for Europe's natural gas amid the war? Russia aims Ukraine disinformation at Spanish speakers Ukraine volunteer fighters from near and far: a photo gallery OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: At least 17 colleges and universities in several U.S. states will jointly offer honorary degrees to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their commencement ceremonies this spring. Alfred University President Mark Zupan said the idea grew from his request to have Zelenskyy speak virtually to a combination of graduating classes. When an official at the Ukrainian embassy declined the western New York university's request, the institutions agreed to award honorary degrees in absentia to honor Zelenskyy's leadership during Russia's war in Ukraine. The gesture was motivated by the inspiring example provided by President Zelenskyy to his people and the broader world in defense of freedom and democracy, Zupan said in a news release Friday. Several additional campuses in upstate New York, which has a significant population with ties to Ukraine, have committed to the idea. They are being joined by institutions in Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Others are expected to join in, Alfred University said. ____ BUCHA, Ukraine Ukrainian troops moved further north from the capital Kyiv on Saturday, taking up positions in the town of Bucha and Antonov Airport in Hostomel after retaking territory from Russian forces. AP reporters counted at least 6 bodies of civilians scattered along a street and in the front yard of a house. The Ukrainian soldiers, backed by a column of tanks and armored vehicles, attached cables to the bodies and pulled them off the street, fearing they may be booby-trapped with explosive devices. As they moved on the streets of Bucha, the Ukrainian soldiers cleared barricades and inspected suspicious objects. They placed red rags on remnants of unexploded ordnance to draw attention to the possibility of explosions. Residents of the town said the civilians were killed by Russian soldiers without apparent provocation. Those people were just walking and they shot them without any reason. Bang, said a Bucha resident who declined to give his name, citing safety reasons. In the next neighbourhood, Stekolka, it was even worse. They would shoot without asking any question. ____ A Russian group that monitors political arrests says 208 people were detained in demonstrations held Saturday across the country protesting Russia's military operation in Ukraine. The OVD-Info group said demonstrations took place in 17 Russian cities, from Siberia to the more densely populated west. More than 70 people were were detained in Moscow and a similar number in St. Petersburg, the organization said. Video released by another group that monitors protests, Avtozak, showed some detainees being led to police prisoner transports as they smiled and carried flowers. Others were shown to be more harshly forced into the transports, bent over with their arms pinioned behind them. Russian President Vladimir Putin's government has cracked down heavily on dissent, even before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad, April 3: The Pakistan Army has denied its role in the events that led to the dissolution of the country's National Assembly today and the rejection of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. "Absolutely not," Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar said when asked if the military had a role to play in the events that led to the dissolution of the National Assembly. The DG ISPR's comments on the ongoing political situation came shortly after President Arif Alvi approved the dissolution of the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan. In his televised address to the nation, Imran Khan sought to take the Opposition by surprise by stating that he has advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly on a day when he was slated to face the no-confidence motion. 'Pakistan Cabinet Dissolved, but Imran Khan Will Continue As PM', Says Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain. "I have written to the President to dissolve the assemblies. There should be elections in a democratic way. I call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections," PM Khan said in his address to the nation. Imran Khan further congratulated every Pakistani on the Speaker's decision and said, "The no-confidence motion was a foreign conspiracy against us. The nation should decide who should govern them... not the corrupt people who conspire with foreign powers... Prepare for elections. You will decide." Earlier, it was reported that Imran Khan had offered to dissolve the Assembly on the condition of the withdrawal of the no-confidence motion. Khan had said that he was given three options ahead of the no-trust vote by the "establishment" -- resignation, holding early elections or facing the no-confidence motion. The military establishment however had denied the claim and said that it did not bring the Opposition's options, and rather it was the federal Government that telephoned the top brass while asking for a meeting to discuss the ongoing political scenario, The News International reported. The Chief of Pakistan Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Directive General (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had met Pakistan PM on Wednesday at the request of the ruling government, according to The News International citing sources. Pakistan Political Crisis: President Arif Alvi Dissolves National Assembly On Proposal of Imran Khan, Elections in 90 Days. Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the Lower House of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan Army. Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI "lost the majority" in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM on Wednesday announced that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ramallah [Palestine], April 3 (ANI/Xinhua): Palestine on Saturday condemned the Israeli army for "killing" three Palestinians and seizing their remains near the northern West Bank city of Jenin. In a statement that rejects the Israeli escalation against Palestinians at the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Palestinian Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the ongoing escalation "would blow up the situation in Palestine and the entire region." Also Read | Nawaz Sharif Attacked in London by PTI Activist as Brother Shahbaz Sharif Receives Opposition Support for PM Seat. "Israel carried out a planned assault that killed three Palestinians in Jenin at the time when many parties, including the United States, are seeking to prevent any escalation of tension in the area during Ramadan," he noted. Earlier in the day, an Israeli army force opened fire at a car and killed three Palestinians near Jenin. They later seized the vehicle and the bodies of the three people. Also Read | COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Amid Dearth of Resources, Coronavirus Infections Widely Spreading Among Elderly in Shanghai Hospital. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement said in a statement that the three Palestinians who were killed in Jenin before dawn are members of the group's armed wing al-Quds Brigades. With the latest deaths, a total of seven Palestinians have died in the West Bank since Thursday from the tension between Palestinians and Israelis, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. "The Israeli policy constitutes a threat and a flagrant challenge to international legitimacy and international law," Abu Rudeineh said, demanding Israel "stop all violations that threaten security, stability, and calm." In Gaza, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), ruler of the besieged Palestinian enclave, also condemned the killing of the three Palestinians in Jenin. "The Israeli policies of murder and assassination against our people in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem will not bring the Israeli occupation any security or stability," Hamas said. (ANI/Xinhua) (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], April 3 (ANI/Sputnik): Photos and video footage published by Ukraine allegedly evidencing the Russian forces' crimes in the town of Bucha close to Kyiv are yet another provocation, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday. "All photos and video materials published by the Kyiv regime allegedly testifying to some 'crimes' committed by Russian soldiers in the town of Bucha, Kyiv region, is another provocation. Not a single local resident has suffered from any violent actions while the Russian armed forces controlled the settlement," the ministry said. Also Read | Ricketts to Redevelop Stamford Bridge, Reject Super League if Chelsea Bid Successful Latest Tweet by Reuters. All Russian units completely withdrew from Bucha as early as March 30, the day after the talks were held between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey, the ministry added. "The photos and video footage from Bucha are yet another production by the Kyiv regime for the Western media, just like what happened in Mariupol with the maternity hospital as well as in other cities," the ministry noted. Also Read | Pakistan Political Crisis: 'Opposition Is Still Unable To Understand What Happened Today', Says Imran Khan. Throughout the time the town was controlled by the Russian armed forces and until today, residents could freely move around the town and use cellular communications, with the exits from Bucha also not blocked. Residents could flee the settlement in the northern direction, including to Belarus, at any time, the ministry said. "Meanwhile, the southern outskirts of the town, including residential neighbourhoods, were shelled round the clock by Ukrainian troops with large-calibre artillery, tanks, and multiple rocket launchers," the ministry added. (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) Bratislava, April 3: Slovakia cannot give up Russian gas and will pay for supplies in rubles if needed, Slovak Economy Minister Richard Sulik said on Sunday. On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree stipulating that all contracts for gas supplies with companies registered in "unfriendly" countries be settled only in rubles starting April 1. "The [Russian] gas supplies cannot be stopped. So, although this might sound too pragmatic for some, if there is a condition to pay [for Russian gas] in rubles, we will pay in rubles," Sulik told the Slovak television. Bratislava is purchasing about 85% of its gas from Russia, and even though diversification of supply is beneficial for the country, it will take several years to achieve, the minister noted. Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian Citizens Kill Russian Soldiers By Feeding Them Poisoned Cake and Alcohol, Says Report. Europe has about six weeks to settle the current issue with payments for Russian gas supplies, he said. "I advocate that we act together on this issue within the framework of the European Union and seek a common solution. But we cannot be cut off from gas," Sulik added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Colombo [Sri Lanka], April 3 (ANI): Ahead of an 'Arab Spring" style protest scheduled to be staged on Sunday, a nationwide curfew has been declared by Sri Lanka. An island-wide curfew has been declared from 6 pm this evening (Saturday) to 6 am on Monday, reported Colombo Gazette. Also Read | Ukraine Spends $10 Billion a Month on Conflict With Russia. A major protest is scheduled to take place today against the Sri Lankan Government amid an economic crisis in the country. The island nation is facing an unprecedented economic crisis. Sri Lanka's economy has been in a free fall since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crash of the tourism sector. Also Read | Sri Lanka Blocks Social Media Platforms Such As WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram After Imposing Emergency and Curfew. Sri Lanka is presently facing a foreign exchange shortage which has led to a food, fuel, power and gas shortage and has sought the assistance of friendly countries for economic assistance. Sri Lanka is witnessing at least 13-hour daily power cuts. Sri Lanka's currency has been also devalued by almost SLR 90 against the US dollar since March 8. Some had claimed the protest will be similar to the Arab Spring protests in the Arab world, reported Colombo Gazette. The Arab Spring was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in response to corruption and economic stagnation and was first started in Tunisia. From Tunisia, the protests then spread to Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain, where either the ruler was deposed or major uprisings and social violence occurred including riots, civil wars, or insurgencies. Sustained street demonstrations took place in Morocco, Iraq, Algeria, Iranian Khuzestan, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Sudan. Minor protests took place in Djibouti, Mauritania, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Colombo, Apr 4 (PTI) Sri Lanka's Cabinet of Ministers resigned with immediate effect late on Sunday night, as the country experienced its worst economic crisis of all time. Speaking to reporters, Education Minister and Leader of the House, Dinesh Gunawardena said the Cabinet ministers handed over their resignations to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Also Read | Pakistan Political Crisis: 'Opposition Is Still Unable To Understand What Happened Today', Says Imran Khan. He proffered no reason for the mass resignation. However, political experts here said the ministers came under intense pressure from the public over the government's alleged "mishandling" of the economic crisis, triggered by the shortage in the foreign exchange reserve. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Ready to Pay for Russian Gas Supplies in Rubles, Says Slovak Economy Minister Richard Sulik. Wide spread public protests were seen throughout the evening in spite of the imposition of curfew which is due to end on Monday morning. The enraged public has been demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The government declared a state of emergency after an angry mob surrounded the private residence of Rajapaksa on March 31. A planned social media triggered mass protest was scheduled for Sunday. However, the government responded by imposing a 36-hour curfew. Since evening, rumours have been floating to the effect that Rajapaksa may opt for an interim government to handle the economic crisis. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kabul [Afghanistan], April 3 (ANI): The Taliban on Sunday announced a ban on the cultivation of poppy. Taliban's supreme leader Hebatullah Akhundzada in a decree said the cultivation of poppy seeds as well as drug trafficking are banned in the country, reported Tolo News. Also Read | Pakistan PM Imran Khan Advises President Arif Alvi To 'Dissolve Assemblies'. He announced a "strict ban" on poppy cultivation as well as the use and trafficking of all types of illicit drugs. The decree, read by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, said that there is a "strict ban" on the use and trafficking of "all types of illicit drugs" such as alcoholic beverages, heroin, "Tablet K", hashish and others, reported Tolo News. Also Read | US Govt Calls Out Data Protection Bill as Trade Barrier To American Exports and Services, Says Report. The decree also puts a ban on the production of illicit drugs. "If anyone violates the decree and cultivates poppy, their crop will be destroyed and the violator will be punished based on the Sharia law," the decree said. "The enforcement of this decree is mandatory. Violators will be prosecuted and punished by judiciaries," the decree read. However, multiple reports indicate that poppy cultivation and drug trafficking provide a big income source for the Taliban, mainly in the southern and northern parts of the country. Most of the drug smuggling goes through Iran and the Taliban makes a big money from it. Afghanistan has been among the world's top illicit drug-producing countries. There are scores of drug addicts currently on the streets. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, April 3: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that Himachal Pradesh, Jammu Division, Vidharbha region, and Gujarat will witness heatwave conditions on April 3. While heatwave conditions are very likely to impact Jharkhand on April 3 and 4. As per the IMD, heatwave conditions are very likely to prevail over Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan during the next 5 days. Check Tweet by IMD: Significant Weather Features dated 02.04.2022: i) Heat Wave Spell likely over Jammu Division, Himachal Pradesh, Vidarbha & Gujarat on 02nd & 03rd April; over Jharkhand during 02nd-04th April; and over Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh during 02nd-06th April, 2022. pic.twitter.com/2pVs9PkFDB India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) April 2, 2022 According to IMD, no significant change in maximum temperatures has been forecasted over most parts of Maharashtra during the next 24 hours, and a gradual fall by 2 to 3 degrees thereafter. On the other hand, Gujarat will also have no significant change in maximum temperatures over most parts of the State for the next 2 days and a gradual fall by 2 to 3 degrees thereafter. There will be no significant change in maximum temperatures very likely over the rest parts of the country during the next 5 days, said IMD. Weather Forecast: Central, Northwest India To Sizzle Over Next Few Days; Rainfall Expected Over Assam-Meghalaya Region, Arunachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, IMD has reported strong southwesterly winds from the Bay of Bengal to northeastern States at lower tropospheric levels. Under its influence, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam-Meghalaya region, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura will witness fairly widespread to widespread rainfall during the next 4 days and decrease thereafter. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning are very likely over the Assam-Meghalaya region, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura on April 3, while extremely heavy rainfall is likely over Meghalaya on April 3 and 4. Down south, a trough or wind discontinuity over South Indian Peninsular will cause light isolated rainfall over the Kerala-Mahe region, Tamil Nadu, and Coastal, and South Interior Karnataka during the next five days. Scattered rains and thunderstorms are expected over Lakshadweep. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 03, 2022 10:19 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Lucknow, April 3: A 35-year-old man was killed when he accidentally fired from his own licensed pistol in his house in Lucknow's Sarvodaya Nagar under Indira Nagar police station area. The deceased Rahul Verma owned a small jewellery store. Rahul was rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where he was declared brought dead late Saturday. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, North Zone, Prachi Singh said initial probe revealed that Rahul was fiddling with his licensed pistol that he brought in March this year. Uttar Pradesh Shocker: 14-Year-Old Accidentally Shoots Himself While Taking Selfie With Loaded Gun in Meerut. His father Devi Singh in a police statement said Rahul was sitting in the front room on the ground floor and was looking at the pistol while fiddling with it when it accidentally fired. As a result a bullet hit Rahul's face. "We were in the jewellery store while our daughter-in-law Kanchan was feeding the baby upstairs. Hearing the gunshot, she rushed into the room only to find Rahul lying in a pool of blood. We rushed him to the hospital where the doctors declared him dead," he added. Prachi Singh said a forensic department team was called which took the pistol for ballistic examination and also examined the crime scene. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 03, 2022 09:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). NEW DELHI, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday urged his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to establish a bilateral mechanism to resolve boundary issues. Deuba said in a statement that the boundary issue was discussed during the talks between the two sides, and that he urged the Indian prime minister to resolve it through the establishment of a bilateral mechanism. India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told reporters that there was a general understanding that the issue needed to be addressed in a responsible manner through dialogue, and its "politicization" should be avoided. Deuba arrived in New Delhi on Friday. "We discussed the boundary issues and I urged Modi to resolve it through the establishment of bilateral mechanism," Deuba said after the talks. On his part, Modi said it was discussed that the open borders between India and Nepal are not misused by undesirable elements. "We emphasized on deepening of cooperation between our defence and security authorities. I am confident that our talks today will be able to attain the objective of achieving the ambitious targets of the India-Nepal ties," he added. The police raided a property in Kalewadi area, where the accused were betting on a match between Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals teams on Saturday. On Sunday, Sri Lanka's Prime Minister's Office clarified that reports of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has resigned are false. It also said that there is no such plan at present. Check tweet: Reports that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has resigned are false, no such plan at present: Sri Lanka's Prime Minister's Office ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) Ukrainian refugees are to be offered employment and training help at a famous Dublin cafe, which is also putting Red Cross Buns on its menu to aid the humanitarian effort. Bewleys Cafe in Grafton Street will be selling the pastries in place of its usual hot cross variety until Easter, with all proceeds going to the Irish Red Cross. Coupled with the fundraising drive, the cafe is bringing in interpreters to provide a practical welcome and employment advice and training service to new arrivals fleeing the war in their homeland, in support of the Irish Red Cross. Donna OLeary, general manager at Bewleys, said: We want the cafe to be a place where people can start their Irish journey, in the same way as so many before them. Ukrainian nationals and interpreters Oksana Karbiwska and her daughter Kamilia Karbiwska, pictured at Bewleys Grafton Street Cafe in Dublin There is a real need for interpreters in the current crisis, and we have established a team of two Ukrainian speakers at the cafe to help to guide people who need an introduction to services or help with employment. This is not just about Bewleys we also want to help to connect people with other potential employers and services. We want to work with people to help them get into suitable employment, utilising our vast network as a leader in the coffee industry. Within Bewleys we have available roles in our bakery and head office, from entry level positions to skills such as baristas, sales and engineering and we offer internationally recognised training. Interpreters Oksana Karbiwska and her daughter Kamilia are Ukrainian nationals settled in Ireland, and eager to help their compatriots. Oksana, 42, who is from Lviv and left Ukraine when she was 19, said: We are here to help, to reassure people and to be a friendly face in a new country. We are delighted to do something practical as it has been difficult being in Ireland and feeling helpless while our fellow Ukrainians suffered. The Bewley family came to Ireland as refugees and the business, founded on Quaker principles, has been helping Irelands new arrivals since 1840. We are following in the tradition of Victor Bewley who, in 1956, reached out and employed and trained people who had fled Hungary on foot following the uprising some of whom designed and baked the Cafes most iconic offerings, said Ms OLeary. We will always continue to reach out the hand of friendship and be a home for new arrivals from all over the world. The Irish Red Cross has been working with Bewleys to establish practical needs on the ground. Liam ODwyer, secretary general of the Irish Red Cross, said: This is a good response to the current situation, part fundraising and part practical. There is a real need for displaced people to feel welcomed in their own tongue and to gain access to advice and employment opportunities. Bewleys Red Cross Buns will retail for 4 euro each, or 20 euro for a box of six, with all proceeds going to the aid agency. Car and home insurance will soon be banned from charging loyal customers more money for cover, according to Laois Offaly TD and Minister Sean Fleming. As Minister of State in the Department of Finance, the Laois-based TD has responsibility for insurance and the ongoing reform of the sector. He has just published the Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022. "As Minister with responsibility for the Insurance Sector I am pleased to have published this legislation today after a process which involved detailed discussions with the Oireachtas Finance committee, The Central Bank of Ireland, the Insurance industry and representatives of policy holders," he said on Friday, April 1. He explained a key change. "A key element of this legislation will ensure insurance companies can no longer charge a loyalty penalty to customers solely on the basis of them staying with the same company for a number of years. Many of the insurance companies have been involved in the practice which will now end on July 1, 2022. "There are 2.2 million car insurance policies and 1.3 million home insurance policies in the Irish Market. The Central Bank found that home insurance customers who remain with the same company for over 9 years are paying 32% more on average than first time customers. In the motor insurance sector the loyalty penalty is 14% for those who remain with the same company for over nine years. "The Central Bank is banning this practice from July 1st and will be obliged to report progress on this matter to me after 12 months," he said. A statement from the Department of Finance said the main provisions of the bill are as follows. Require the Central Bank of Ireland to collect data through the National Claims Information Database (NCID) on any deductions from claim settlements by insurers that relate to public moneys (i.e. State supports). A new requirement on the Central Bank of Ireland to submit a report setting out the effectiveness of the ban on price walking, - an effective loyalty penalty. The price walking ban will begin in July. This report will be delivered to the Minister for Finance within an 18-month timeframe from the enactment of this provision. A new requirement on insurers, under the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019, to disclose to consumers any deductions of public moneys from insurance claim settlements. Amendments to the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 in order to address some technical and legal issues. In the interests of Irish consumer protection, amendments to the European Union (Insurance and Reinsurance) In the interests of Irish consumer protection, amendments to the European Union (Insurance and Reinsurance) Regulations 2015 to address issues identified by the Central Bank of Ireland with the Temporary Run-off Regime (TRR) for UK and Gibraltar-based insurers. Minister Fleming said the new laws will see Ireland leading the way. The Central Bank of Irelands new price walking ban makes Ireland the first country in the EU to end the unfair loyalty penalty imposed on private motor and home consumers. As part of this Bill, the Government will receive a report from the Central Bank of Ireland on the effectiveness of the ban on price walking. This will allow us to proactively plan if further action is needed to tackle unfair pricing practices. "This Bill will also shine a light on insurers deducting State supports from claim settlements, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Significantly, the Bill is demanding transparency by requiring insurers to disclose deductions to consumers. In addition, the Bill will require the Central Bank of Ireland to collect data on State support deductions. This means that the Government will have evidence and will be better-placed to consider any future policy intervention to protect taxpayer money. "I now look forward to working with colleagues in both Houses to progress this legislation so that these important provisions can be enacted promptly, he said. The Bill will now be progressed through the legislative stages in the Oireachtas. A major report has found that almost half of all pregnancies worldwide are unintended. The report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), hosted by the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA), found that between 2015 and 2019, there were roughly 121 million unintended pregnancies each year. Irish woman Jacqueline Mahon, the principal adviser for International Development Finance at UNFPA, said unintended pregnancies are very common, and most people know someone who has faced that challenge. She said, "In terms of the numbers, given some of these underlining issues, I think its something that we really wanted to bring to the forefront because it is in many ways hidden and it is a crisis." The report found that an estimated 257 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe, modern contraception. The report Seeing the unseen, the case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy found that in 47 countries, about 40% of sexually active women were not using any contraceptive to avoid pregnancy. The report also found that nearly a quarter of women are not able to say no to sex, and that rape-related pregnancies are equally or more likely to occur than pregnancies from consensual sex. Contraceptive use is 53% lower among women who have experienced intimate partner violence. Over 60% of unintended pregnancies and almost 30% of all pregnancies end in abortion, with 45% of abortions performed globally being rated as unsafe. The report found that unsafe abortions led to about seven million women needing hospital treatment a year, and caused 5% to 13% of maternal deaths. In developing countries, unsafe abortions cost almost 423 million euro per year in treatment alone. In humanitarian emergencies, such as the war in Ukraine, many women lose access to contraception or experience sexual violence. Some studies have shown that over 20% of refugee women and girls will face sexual violence. In the first 12 months of the Covid-19 pandemic, the estimated disruption in contraceptive supplies and services lasted an average of 3.6 months, leading to as many as 1.4 million unintended pregnancies. Ms Mahon said the report also shows that a quarter of women cannot say no to sex. She added: A quarter of women cannot make the decision to go to a health facility to access sexual reproductive health services, almost 10% of women and girls cannot use a modern contraceptive. She also said the implications of unsafe abortions are significant to womens wellbeing and health. Where abortion is legal, it must be safe, where abortion is not legal, then there must be access to what we call post-abortion care services, Ms Mahon added. That those services are there and women can go and seek them and be provided with the necessary services available. Ms Mahon also said that women in conflict zones, including refugee camps and other humanitarian settings, are at high risk of unintended pregnancies. The organisation estimates that 80,000 Ukrainian women will give birth in the next three months. Were hearing reports of women giving birth underground as they seek shelter, and giving birth without having skilled professionals around them, she added. So we are scaling up our support there to ensure that we have rapid response services available to help women. An Irishman living with terminal cancer has made his way from Co Cork to the Ukrainian border with a truck-load of aid. 64-year-old local man Don OLeary, a well-known figure in Cork city, is suffering from terminal cancer. But that did not stop him making the 2,500-kilometre journey to Shegyni on the Polish-Ukrainian border to bring urgent aid to those fleeing the war, after raising 24,000 euro from the local community. Mr OLeary is the director of the Cork Life Centre, which educates marginalised young people in the city, and says that he never had any doubts about making the journey, despite his diagnosis. He said: I cant control cancer, but I can control what I do, where I go and who I want to be with. When a doctor told him that he had terminal lung cancer in February 2021, he was initially given eight to 12 months to live. Despite this, he made it his mission to help Ukrainian refugees. He revealed: Everyone said, Are you mad? The answer to that is probably yes. I love being able to do something that is relevant, important and supports community. That kind of thing does all of that. He is clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a fascist. Mr OLeary made the journey by van on March 22 with four other volunteers. He said: I was comfortable enough, because they made a bed and I could get some sleep along the way. During that time, he was in regular contact with the young people the Cork Life Centre works with. He took questions from them while on the road and tried to communicate what he was witnessing. One question, he says, stood out: What was the difference between us going to Ukraine and the people coming out of Ukraine? That hit hard. They left their house behind then. They may never go back, he says. It strikes you. Thats your life three suitcases. Women and kids. In every war, they come off worst. His young grandson had asked him the same question about why he felt the need to go. I wanted to support the small boys and girls, he told him. Having returned to Cork in recent days, he say he has a much better insight into what people in Ukraine need. He says that essential items like bedsheets and generator are crucial. The Irish Red Cross has been playing a key role in providing aid to Ukrainians and Mr OLeary says he understands that some people might ask why the money raised couldnt be handed to charity. There is something about communities giving to communities, he says, stressing the importance of forging links between Cork and the contacts he made at the Ukrainian border. He has also been forced to consider the different reception Ukrainian refugees have received, compared to other people fleeing other conflicts. He said: I would have liked them to see the same thing done for Syrians, Afghans. What is the difference between the Syrians and the Ukrainians? A LIMERICK artist is using his works to raise essential funds for Ukrainian refugees. Corbally born artist Maurice Quillinans work, along with more than 40 other notable Irish and Ukrainian artists, have featured as part of an online global auction in aid of the war in Ukraine. Art Auction Ukraine was initiated by Hambly & Hambly, and co-organised by Limerick based international artist and curator, Maurice Quillinan and Northern Irish artist, Diane Henshaw. Quillinan, a 2022 RHA annual exhibition invited artist, was due to launch an exhibition of work by 10 Irish artists set to take place in Kiev from June to September 2022. The exhibition was part of an Ireland-Ukraine cultural project, in which all proceeds raised will go directly to the UNICEF appeal in aid of Ukrainian refugees. Internationally renowned Ukrainian artist Maria Kulikovska, who had been in discussion with the Irish artists about the Kyiv project, has also donated work to the fundraising auction. She recently fled Ukraine with her 6-month-old baby. Her husband, Uleg Vinnichenko, with whom she created GARAGE33 - a gallery-shelter from conflict for contemporary artists in Kyiv, remains in Ukraine and is unable to leave. All the donating artists said they feel strongly about the need to support the Ukrainian people through art at this time of crisis following the invasion of their country. Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD) graduate Maurice Quillinan, who studied life drawing in Paris after leaving his home county, has donated an oil painting, Burren Notebook. Hambly & Hambly, a leading cross border Irish art gallery and cultural hub, are curating and hosting the auction, free of charge. A minimum of 50% of the sale price of each artwork will be donated directly to the UNICEF Ukrainian refugee appeal. Art Auction Ukraine went live on Friday April 1, at 12:00pm, with bidding open until midnight on April 5. To register for the event visit Hambly & Hambly online. PAUL O'Connell has teamed up with Aldi and Barnardos for a new initiative for schools in Limerick city and county. The Barnardos Big Active is a school focused campaign designed to help students of all ages to be resilient in dealing with stress and anxiety, and to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing. Paul OConnell said: "The best thing for me about this campaign is that is gives children the opportunity to take part in activities that will benefit them in a holistic way Barnardos has always focused on every part of the child and as an ambassador of theirs for more than 10 years I can hand on heart say how beneficial the Big Active will be for children across Ireland. "Being physically active is so good for them, and the added areas of mental health and mindfulness techniques and doing something good for vulnerable children completes the package." Barnardos CEO Suzanne Connolly said: "We know the past two years has impacted on the general wellbeing of children across the country. "By taking part in The Barnardos Big Active, students will learn to observe the affect that exercise has on their mental and physical health. "They will learn how to incorporate age appropriate anxiety reducing exercises into their daily lives and that giving back to your community can be rewarding for themselves as much as others. "All funds raised will go towards Barnardos work with vulnerable children and their families." Schools can register on www.thebigactive.ie AN EXCEPTIONAL, lifelong contribution to the Irish co-operative movement by Clement McAuliffe (Golden Vale Mart) has been honoured with the industrys highest national honour - The Plunkett Award for Co-operative Endeavour. It is named after Sir Horace Plunkett, founder of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS). Mr McAuliffe, from Lisheen, Kilmallock, and now living in Ardpatrick, received the honour in a recent ceremony at Kilmallock Mart. It is very deserving recognition for a man known to one and all as a gentleman to his fingertips. Mr McAuliffe, who will turn 88 in April, was joined at the event by wife Pearl, children, grandchildren and many friends. In 1949, he had to take over the running of the farm with his mother at the tender age of 15 after his fathers death. In 1955, a number of meetings were held amongst farmers with a view to establishing a co-operative mart in the Limerick/North Cork area. At the young age of 21, Clement McAuliffe was elected onto the first committee. They secured a site in Kilmallock, raised the necessary share capital, built a mart and held its first sale in June 1958. Since then GVM has expanded, grown and diversified into land and property auctioneering, renewable energy and property investment in Ireland, Germany and Poland. In 2018, GVM made profits of almost 1.3 million and had shareholder funds of 24 million. Through it all Mr McAuliffe served in a voluntary capacity on the board of GVM from 1956 until his retirement in 2005. As a member of the board he was held in very high regard and his opinion always carried great weight. Since the first AGM in 1956 to the latest one in 2019, Clement has only missed one in 2015 due to illness. Mr McAuliffe served as chairman of his local IFA branch for 10 years and also served on the local advisory committee of Golden Vale Creameries for a number of years. His son and namesake is now on the Kilmallock Advisory Committee. Jerry Long, president of ICOS, said Mr McAuliffe is an iconic figure in the Golden Vale Marts Group. He overcame significant adversity in his formative years, developing a bank of skills and knowledge in farm management and demonstrating a great personal zeal and initiative, which he then brought into effect very meaningfully for the benefit of Golden Vale Marts and its members for over six decades. A truly admirable person, he has given selflessly in his service to the co-operative movement for the betterment of farming, neighbours, community, county and country, and it is an honour for us to recognise this by presenting him with this prestigious national award, said Mr Long. GVM chairman John O'Keeffe said Mr McAuliffe has given outstanding service to the society since the very beginning in 1955. He was always a great supporter of this mart and of the society in general and was at the heart of many of the major decisions and initiatives right down through the years. Clement, you should be very proud of your achievements. I am sure your family are very proud of your contribution. It goes without saying that we are very proud of your achievements and thank you for your contribution, said Mr OKeeffe. PJ Buckley, GVM chief executive, quoted Sir Horace Plunkett who said, The work of tomorrow will largely consist of the impossible of today. I am sure that is what drove Clement and the other founder members to start a mart in Kilmallock in the bleak 1950s and hopefully it will drive us forward as we seek new challenges and continue to make all those founding fathers and mothers proud of the society which they established, said Mr Buckley. When they were considering who to nominate on behalf of the society for this award, many deserving people came to mind said Mr Buckley. But we felt that Clement encapsulates all of those people in terms of his service, his contribution, his commitment, and the length of his service. Congratulations again Clement, said Mr Buckley. Mr McAuliffe also officially opened the new central area in Kilmallock Mart, which was blessed by Canon Willie Fitzmaurice. The last word must go to the man himself. Mr McAuliffe thanked ICOS for presenting him with the award and congratulated ICOS on the wonderful work they do I would like to congratulate Golden Vale Mart for their success down through the years. We collected share capital in 1956 of around 20,000. Now the book value for the shareholders is 25m and going upwards, said Mr McAuliffe. Mighty oaks from little acorns grow. THE FOOD Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) advises that a food recall by Ferrero of some Kinder Surprise chocolate products is underway due to a link with a food poisoning outbreak of salmonella. The FSAI, together with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre of the HSE, is investigating this ongoing food poisoning outbreak which is affecting Ireland, the UK and a number of other European countries. In a statement issued on Saturday night, the FSAI says, to date, there have been ten cases in Ireland with the same strain of salmonella responsible for the UK outbreak. A number of these Irish cases have involved young children, all of whom have fully recovered. The FSAI is warning consumers who may have the recalled products at home not to eat them. The batches being recalled are: Kinder Surprise 20g and Kinder Surprise 20g x3 All best before dates between July 11, 2022 and October 7, 2022. Dr Pamela Byrne, FSAI chief executive, warned consumers not to eat the affected products. "If anyone has any of the affected product at home, we are advising them not to eat it. We know that these particular Kinder Surprise products are popular with young children. Given that we are approaching Easter, we would urge parents and guardians to check at home if they have any of the products and if they do, to ensure that any are not eaten. "We have ten cases of salmonella food poisoning in Ireland linked to these products. The most common symptom of salmonella food poisoning is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody. Other symptoms may include fever, headache and abdominal cramps," said Dr Byrne. The FSAI is liaising with the Department of Health and working closely with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre of the HSE, as well as the relevant agencies in the UK. The investigation into the outbreak is ongoing and the FSAI will provide further updates, as necessary. FAQ: Recall of Some Kinder Surprise Chocolate Products WITH an energetic burst of music, song and dance, students from Scoil Mhuire agus Ide, Newcastle West, brought a spirited end to two long years of no live performances. And they did so in early spring sunshine when they launched their 15-track CD, Dochas at a mini open-air concert in the school. Continue reading below or click 'Next' for more photos The idea behind the CD was exactly that, to give student creativity an outlet, explained music teacher, Ellen Collins, who, along with fellow music teacher, Jamie Herlihy, nurtured the idea from its beginnings to its final launch. We came back in September after two years of Covid where the students hadnt had a chance fo perform, she explained. The creative spirit in SMI was suffering. But at that point, performance was still circumscribed and a CD offered the safest option. We decided to record. It was a mixture of everything and everyone from first years to sixth years. It was great fun. They loved it. This project was initiated to give a voice back to the wonderful talent of our students and to re-ignite music and performance in our school community, school principal Sean Lane. Living through a pandemic brought about a lot of change in our lives, he continued. The restrictions mean that groups of people could not come together to create art. Choirs were silent, performers were left without an audience, he said, yet music and dance continued to comfort, entertain and lift the spirits of many and many took to social media. SMI, Mr Lane continued, was one of the schools allocated a 4,000 grant to further the arts in the school under the Creative Schools initiative. Creative Schools is a flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme to enable the creative potential of every child and is led by the Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Formally launching the CD, Minister of State Patrick ODonovan said it was great to be back in his own school but he expressed sympathy for the impact the pandemic had on young people in particular. We have been kept apart for too long. The arts have been kept apart and it particularly began to wear on young people, when we were not in a situation of allowing people to celebrate and dance and sing and recite. It was, he continued, important to celebrate creativity and to do so also in our own community and he praised the huge amount of work that had gone into the creation of the CD. He spoke too, to the bonds students make in school. The young men and women you meet here are the people you will rely on for the rest of your lives, he said. These literally are the best days of your life. The CD, costing 10, is on sale in shops in Newcastle West and all proceeds will go to the local Lions Club. We are so grateful to SMI for all their support over the years, said Lions Club member Helen Beckett. Students from the school regularly take part in the Clubs Christmas Concert, she said, and the money from the CD will go to help those in need in the community. There is a lot of need, she said, adding that 85 families were supported last Christmas. US. companies are relaxing many of the vaccine and other Covid-related requirements that had become a staple of corporate life in the pandemic. As office occupancy nears pandemic-era highs in many U.S. cities, a number of employers have communicated new, looser safety protocols to workers. Some companies made masks optional in the office for all workers, while others dropped testing requirements for the unvaccinated or simplified the daily return-to-office questionnaires. The new protocols in many cases follow updated guidance from health authorities, who have moved away from blanket preventive measures in favor of a more targeted approach focused on limiting infection and severe illness in high-risk areas. Infections have edged up again in the U.S. and the Omicron BA.2 variant accounts for more new Covid-19 cases. JPMorgan Chase & Co. told U.S. employees in mid-March that masking in its corporate office buildings would be voluntary for both vaccinated and unvaccinated employees. The company also said that as of April 4, it planned to discontinue other measures such as mandatory testing for the unvaccinated or asking employees to report Covid-19 infections. It added that it would discontinue its policy of hiring only vaccinated individuals. In a memo from the companys return-to-office task force, executives noted that across the U.S., we are learning to live with COVID as part of our new normal." JPMorgan Chase still insists that those feeling sick stay home and said free at-home tests would remain available. It also kept open the possibility that it could reintroduce protocols, if needed. Masking requirements may return if there is another spike in cases, or a variant begins to spread that causes severe illness in the general population," the company said. But this will only happen based on strict criteria or if mandated by state or local government authorities." Some large U.S. companies, including Boeing Corp., suspended vaccine requirements for U.S. employees late last year in response to legal rulings on vaccine mandates. Others have allowed some unvaccinated workers to return, while maintaining broader vaccine policies. United Airlines Holdings Inc. in recent weeks said it would allow back unvaccinated employees who got religious or medical exemptions from the companys Covid-19 vaccine mandate. Many human-resources executives say they updated their companys protocols in response to a loosening of mask and vaccine mandates in U.S. cities, and after new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC in late February eased mask guidelines and changed the metrics it uses to assess risk. At Verizon Communications Inc., the company loosened mask policies last month at many of its sites following the CDCs recommendations. Verizon told employees that those working in areas with a high level of community transmission, as defined by the CDC, would still be required to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status, while masks would be voluntary in medium or low areas. The company also simplified a return-to-office questionnaire: Employees must certify that they arent sick with Covid in what is now a one-question survey. Verizons return-to-office tool will tell workers if they are required to wear a mask in a given location. The companys hybrid-work policy takes full effect this week, and employees working in U.S. corporate offices will be expected to come into offices on a schedule that they have set with their teams. Nationally, offices are beginning to fill up once more. Offices in 10 major U.S. cities were, on average, 40% occupied in late March, near a pandemic-era peak, according to badge-swipe data from security company Kastle Systems. Some workers say they remain hypervigilant about the pandemic and nervous about the lifting of safeguards, particularly as cases tick up. Lance Lambert, a Los Angeles vice president of marketing for a company that makes equipment used in the cannabis industry, has been traveling internationally on business trips in recent months. During a trip to a conference in Barcelona last month, Mr. Lambert noticed that the event appeared more crowded than before the pandemic. Some people he encountered had abandoned masks and appeared over it," Mr. Lambert said, while Covid remained in the back of his mind during each interaction. Does he have any symptoms? Is he coughing? Does he look hot, sweaty?" Mr. Lambert said he thought when meeting people at the conference. It is hard to take that away from your mind." Many companies are also taking a wait-and-see approach, wanting to hold off on ratcheting up protocols again until more is known about any new uptick in cases. Minneapolis law firm Lockridge Grindal Nauen last year mandated that its 100-person staff get vaccinated, barring an exemption for medical or religious reasons, and nearly all employees also got booster shots. The firm reinstituted a mask mandate in its office in December as cases surged but would likely wait for Minneapolis to restore an indoor mask mandate or for cases to dramatically increase before doing so again, said Susan E. Ellingstad, a partner at the firm. It would be different if we didnt have everyone vaccinated," Ms. Ellingstad said, adding she also plans to keep watching the citys positivity rate to adjust any policies, if needed. Some employers say flexibility is key if executives hope to avoid the challenges of shifting policies during each stage of the pandemic. Software developer Atlassian Corp. is embracing a model it calls team anywhere," allowing all staffers to do their jobs remotely. Annie Dean, a vice president at the company, said requiring employees back to offices a specific number of days invites problems, particularly if some employees remain anxious about the pandemic. Ms. Dean previously worked as the first-ever head of remote work at Facebook. At companies that mandate returns, many HR executives must ask themselves questions with each successive Covid wave, such as: What are we going to do about our vaccine policy? What are we going to do about our three-day in-office policy? How are we going to ask people to get back in the officeshould we extend that another three months?" Ms. Dean said. Theres a lot of heartache and heartburn for companies." David Benoit contributed to this article. New Delhi: India is buying Russian crude in defiance of Western, especially US pressure, to isolate the country economically and financially. India could be buying Russias flagship Urals grade at discounts of as much as $35 a barrel on prices before the war. Given that Brent prices have risen more than that since the war began, substantial savings can accrue from the deep discounts. Indian producers are confident of their capacity for refining increasing quantities. Reuters has reported that India has already bought at least 13 million barrels in the weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine compared with some 16 million barrels for the whole of last year. The US isnt pleased, going by the noises that came out of a press meet in New Delhi called by the deputy national security adviser for international economics in the Biden Administration, Daleep Singh. The Western sanctions seeking to isolate Russia in international trade and finance are his work mostly. For which, the western media has given him the sobriquet, Mr. Sanctions. Singh made three main points in the press meet: None of the Western sanctions prohibits at present energy imports from Russia; The US stands ready to provide alternative sources for oil imports, much like is the case for defence resources, over a period of time; The Biden Administration would not like to see a rapid acceleration of Indias energy imports from Russia or trade in non-Western currencies, for that will help in resurrecting the ruble, which sank considerably on the initial impact of the sanctions but is slowly correcting. Should India pay heed? Not really. India should go ahead and buy all the discounted Russian oil it can, paying in the national currency, the rupee. First, as Singh said, the sanctions do not cover Russias energy trade. Theres a reason, and that is Europes dependence on Russian gas. Europe will take more than a year to replace the volume of energy imports it receives from Russia and in the meantime households and businesses will pay a lot more for fuel, electricity and heating. The US has completely banned all Russian oil; its shale production becomes viable at higher prices. But Britain says it will phase out in a years time. Germany has said that it will reduce its dependence on Russian gas over time; it isnt in a position to turn off the supplies immediately. And so, even as the war is on, Europe is buying oil and gas from Russia at rising prices, paying for Putins war. Theres no move to cut back consumption. In fact, Europe has forgotten all about the anti-fossil fuel slogans and climate change and is beginning to subsidize consumption. Country after country is introducing blanket fuel tax cuts and subsidies, something that wasnt done when global crude prices were at all-time high a few years ago. If Kremlin insists on ruble-denominated payments rather than euros, as some of its recent statements suggest, will Europe stop buying? And if it doesnt, will we see Singh tell Berlin publicly to refrain from challenging the dollars hegemony? Similarly, India can trade in its national currency, the rupee. Second, rising crude prices imply each one of us is already paying for Putins war anywaydirectly or indirectly. The savings from the discounted Russian oil, even after accounting for higher transportation and other associated costs, will soften the blow of rising global crude prices for Indias energy-intensive pandemic-ravaged economy and millions of poor Indian households. Third, Indias stand is that Russia stood by India in the past and India supports resolving the crisis through diplomacy. Its alright to argue that the US considers a democratic India to be its potential ally in its superpower rivalry with China, and therefore, the revival of rupee-ruble denominated trade, essentially to help Russia bypass the dollar-based global financial and trade system, and work around the sanctions, doesnt sit well with the building of trust with the US. But the argument ought to run both ways. In 2013, at the peak of the taper tantrums, the Reserve Bank of India reached out to the US Federal Reserve for a rupee-dollar swapas dollar investments pulled out of India, triggered by the US central banks policies, sinking the rupee to its life-low (at the time)but never heard back at all. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Every Monday, Mints Plain Facts section features key data releases and events to look for in the coming week. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will hold the first monetary policy meeting of the fiscal year amid global uncertainties. Data on how business activity fared in March is due this week. France is holding presidential elections and the medical community will observe World Health Day. This is what to look out for: 1.MPC meeting The RBI's monetary policy committee (MPC) meets this week, with an announcement due on Friday. In February, most analysts had expected the panel to shift its focus from growth to inflationary pressures, but that did not happen. The backdrop since then has worsened. The US Federal Reserve has embarked upon rate hikes and Russias invasion of Ukraine has pushed crude oil prices above $100 per barrel. However, RBI governor Shaktikanta Das remains dovish and analysts do not expect a major shift in the upcoming meeting as well, considering the growth risks that have also emerged from the war. With retail inflation rising above 6% in January and February, the MPC may choose a wait-and-watch policy before it changes its stance and hike rates by 50-100 basis points over the year, according to analysts. All eyes will be on revisions in inflation projections and whether the MPC would continue to view elevated inflation as transitory". 2.India PMI India's manufacturing and services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) saw an improvement in February following slowdown in activity in January because of the third covid-19 wave. However, the risks of inflationary pressures and supply shortages remained and may have deepened in March because of the Ukraine crisis. The emerging risks to growth because of the disruptions on a global scale as a result of the war could hinder overseas demand. The geopolitical crisis has caused problems for Indias exports to Russia, while Chinas zero tolerance policy on covid may have intensified shortage of raw material. The upcoming PMI prints, due this week, would also reveal more about domestic demand. Companies are facing input price pressures and profit margins are getting squeezed, forcing some companies to raise prices. The manufacturing and services PMI in March may get a reprieve from domestic demand offsetting risks from price pressures. 3.Russia inflation Russia is due to release its inflation data for March on Wednesday. Unprecedented sanctions slapped by the US and its European allies in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine have thrown the economy into disarray. To keep inflation under control and stabilize the ruble, the countrys central bank had raised interest rates from 9.5% to 20% on 28 February. However, the sanctions and trade restrictions are choking household budgets as demand has risen in anticipation that the rubles free fall could lead to a further increase in prices. In February, year-on-year inflation was at 9.2%, but this rose to a six-year high of 15.7% on 25 March. Inflation had been rising steadily since December. The central banks intervention may help limit the damage. The ruble had largely recovered to its pre-war level by the end of the month. 4.France presidential elections Emmanuel Macron registered a stunning victory in the 2017 French presidential elections, just a year after setting up his own political party. Then a 39-year-old former investment banker, Macron campaigned as an outsider and entered office as a technocrat and reformist. This week, he is aiming to be the first French president in 20 years to win a re-election. He comfortably leads all opinion polls and his response to the Ukraine war has only cemented his position. The first round of presidential elections is due on Sunday. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the votes, as is likely, a second round will take place on 24 April between the top two candidates from the first round. Macrons closest rival is far-right politician Marine Le Pen, who he defeated in 2017. A hardliner on immigration and a eurosceptic, Le Pens bet is blue-collar voters distraught with the cost of living and disenchanted with the elite. 5.World Health Day The anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) on 7 April 1948 is marked as World Health Day. This years theme Our planet, our health" is a timely reminder of the threat ecological degradation poses to human health. With increasing human encroachment into wild areas, the risk of zoonotic diseases such as covid-19 is on the rise. Besides, around 13 million deaths annually are attributable to avoidable environmental causes. Air pollution alone accounts for 6.7 million deaths a year and saw the highest increase in risk exposure over the last decade. In India, it is the biggest killer, accounting for 1.7 million deaths annually. A sustainable future will go a long way in ensuring public health. An active transport system will keep us away from sedentary lifestyles while reducing air pollution, while a transition to sustainable diets can prevent chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes while reducing emissions. The Sri Lankan government on Sunday lifted the ban it had imposed on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram after declaring a nationwide public emergency and effecting a 36-hour curfew ahead of a planned anti-government rally over the worst economic crisis in the island nation. The services of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TokTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger were restored after 15 hours, according to an official. The services had been fully or partially blocked. The move was aimed at preventing masses from gathering in Colombo to protest the governments failure to provide relief to the public suffering from shortages of food, essentials, fuel and medicine amidst hours-long power cuts, the Colombo Page newspaper reported. NetBlocks, a watchdog organisation that monitors cybersecurity and the governance of the Internet, had confirmed the restriction of multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Viber and YouTube in Sri Lanka after midnight on Sunday. Earlier, NetBlocks tracked a significant decline in connectivity levels on internet provider Dialog from March 29, coinciding with the onset of the protests. The island nation braced for country-wide protests on Sunday against the governments poor handling of the ongoing economic crisis where people currently endure long hours of power outages and scarcity of essentials. The imposition of curfew would prevent citizens from holding protests. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued a special gazette notification late on Friday night, declaring a public emergency in Sri Lanka with immediate effect from April 1. The government also imposed a 36-hour curfew with effect from 6 pm Saturday to 6 am Monday (April 4). A Sri Lankan man on Saturday alleged that his son, who is a social media activist, has been abducted by the police. Anurudda Bandaras father said his son was taken away by someone from the north Colombo police station of Modera on Friday night. According to the police, he was wanted to be questioned over his social media activities. On Sunday, he was released on bail. Sri Lanka is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in history. With long lines for fuel, cooking gas, essentials in short supply and long hours of power cuts the public has been suffering for weeks. Rajapaksa has defended his government's actions, saying the foreign exchange crisis was not his making and the economic downturn was largely pandemic driven where the islands tourism revenue and inward remittances waning. PTI CORR CPS AKJ CPS This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Click here to read the full article. The latest from Belgiums Eyeworks Film & TV Drama and director Wouter Bouvijn who teamed on Canneseries hits The Twelve and Red Light 1985, sold by Studiocanal, works on multiple levels as a coming-of-age series. Two young Gendarmarie police recruits, Marc and Franky, and his sis Vicky, a law student and pirate radio DJ, move to Brussels. They are soon caught up in police corruption insider drug trading, heavy fire arms robbery and the rise of the brutal Nijvel gang. Created by Willem Wallyn (Albatros), this is the coming-of-age story of three unbreakable friends loss of innocence, and that of a nation in its leaders. It is also an origins tale, of the forging of the modern age. Belgiums distrust of its forces of law and order and political class rankles to this day, shared now with other countries, as does its politics of confrontation which Vicky denounces in an on-air monolog in Ep. 1. The Twelve won best screenplay at Canneseries in 2019, Red Light best acting a year later. So expectations for 1985 run high. Variety talked to Peter Bouckaert, 1985s producer at Eyeworks, one of Belgiums biggest producers, before 1985 world premieres in competition on April 3 at Canneseries. George Orwells 1984 talked about 1948. 1985, one senses, looks forward in time. Its a coming of age tale which also explains some of the origins of the modern world. Could you comment? 1985 is set in the 1980s. The last and bloodiest raid made by the Brabant Killers took place at a supermarket warehouse on Nov. 9, 1985. The year saw the climax to the gangs violence. There was a wave of violence across Europe, terrorism and gangsterism., an attempt, backed by American intelligence forces to stimulate forces in European societies to create awareness that the enemy was still there and that democracy couldnt turn too soft. The series focuses on Belgiums para-military Gendarmie The aim of the series was to show how vulnerable our democracies are. You dont need an army or a military coup to overturn democracy, just people deteriorating the democratic system from the inside, corrupting justice and legal departments and putting people in the right places who can sabotage inquiries. Looking how those elements round the world are these days destabilising democracy, that fragility remains today. What sets the Brabant Killings apart from crimes in other European countries is that they were never solved. The veracity of many of the events, confirmed in end-title cards, endows 1985 with much of its force. Some early historical events in the series are notorious: Madani Bouhouches burglary of automatic weapons from a Gendarmerie barracks in 1981, for instance. But did all of the events portrayed really happen? What about the spectacular attempted assassination on Herman Vernaillen, an Gendarmarie major investigating insider drug dealing in the police force. It really happened, and as we show it in the series. Herman Vernaillen served as a consultant on a feature film we made before 1985, Dont Shoot, inspired by the true story of a nine-year-old boy who was one of the victims of the last Brabant Killings raid. When we made the film, a lot of people involved in the events came to us with information or leads which we couldnt use in the film, given its clear focus. So we came on the idea of making a series which could talk about the decade and its violence. What were your and director Wouter Bouvijns guidelines for series direction? We wanted it to be very cinematic, but also very, very much focused on the characters because in a series like this theres a danger when depicting gangsterism, guns, violence of being overwhelmed by action scenes. Wouter wanted to stay very close to the characters so that audiences live what they are going through. Also, we wanted the style of the eighties to be very present, to add to the realism of the storytelling. 1985 is the third series Eyeworks has had selected for Canneseries competition in just five years. What would you say is the state of Belgian drama series production and what sets it apart? We are capable of telling stories that have local DNA but universal appeal. If you see the budgets we work with we mange for the moment to make series look much more expensive than they are. Then theres a unique little twist to the story. And we make stories with a hoek af, a corner broken. Theres always something which doesnt fit in the picture. If you look at the picture, theres always something wrong. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. An eerily quaint and picturesque Galician town sets the scene for a chilling high-profile murder in Rapa, the highly anticipated follow-up to Spains Movistar Plus hit Hierro. After coming to the aid of bloodied Mayor Amparo Seoane (Mabel Rivera), lone witness and stymied professor Tomas (Javier Camara, star of Almodovars Talk to Her) becomes obsessed with her murder case and forms an unlikely bond with unyielding Civil Guard Sargent, Maite (Monica Lopez, Hierro). As word of the crime shakes the town, a communitys secrets rise to the surface. Produced by Movistar Plus in conjunction with Portocabo, led by Alfonso Blanco, and expertly directed by Jorge Coira, the six-part series offers up complex and riveting plot twists as questions arise regarding the salient nature between victim and perpetrator. The drama, distributed by Beta Film, reunites creators Pepe Coira and Fran Araujo. Stunning and vast local landscapes take a front seat and intimate shots are used to elicit high-emotion, the cast delivering exceptional performances, Spains press have said. Coming off of a preview at Series Mania, then world premiere as part of the Pantalla TV strand at this years Malaga Festival, the lauded crime thrillers creator Pepe Coira spoke with Variety about finding the perfect location, dialogue, his passion for the genre, and the importance of creating industry alliances. Visually, the series is stunning. How important was location scouting in respect to the production? It was very important but it wasnt the most important element. Hierro, wed initially thought of filming in Galicia but for various reasons we had to look for another location. What we needed for this story was a place that was very peripheral, very remote. It was as elementary as that. The island gave us a lot. For example, theres a scene very early in the story, the first episode, that happened to Jorge and me the day we arrived. That feeling of coming out of the tunnel. If you remember, at the beginning they go through in a car and it opens up into a kind of enormous natural amphitheater that is the border zone. We had that feeling there and wanted to reproduce exactly what we, and I suppose anyone who travels to the island feels the first time that they go. The dialogue isnt exaggerated in the series. Each word has meaning, nothing is simply filler. Can you speak to the decision not to rely too heavy on dialogue to advance the narrative? For us, the idea is that normally when we speak we dont say what we think, we say something other than what we think. If the information is only in the dialogue, were doing it wrong. We all trust what we see much more than what we hear. Many times were afraid when writing that something wont be understood. In other words, we sin and we try to cover up the sin by writing less. Its clear that youre no stranger to crime drama. Is there something specific that drew you into the genre? Im very fond of the genre, were very fond of the genre, both in film and on television, as well as in literature. I dont know if its an exaggeration to say that I dont read anything other than those things, but I like the genre a lot and I always admired a lot about it. The poetry, the ability to use conventions of the genre to be able to enter it and portray very different realities. I love that. That you have the feeling that you know Scandinavians a little more by their novels, or the Belgians, or the Scots, or Egyptians. Yes, theres a lot of love for the genre. Those norms that the genre has make it easier for you to do what you want to do, which is to talk about various characters and their pain. How has the synergy you have with your production team, directors, actors helped to come out of the success of Hierro, with the making of Rapa? What did you learn earlier that helped you with this series? Rapa was conceived as a natural continuation of Hierro. Were Galician, we were finally going to return home and do it here. I think that Hierro, did it plugged-in, with that collaboration and great complicity. Of course, with my brother Jorge, we have all the advantages in the world to work with because hes across all the phases, Im in all the phases at night and we can discuss things very calmly, even the big things. Were very clear about the fact that there has to be a balance between what you want to do and the resources that there are. Its not that all three departments, post-production, direction and script are actually part of the same thing. Theyre not watertight. This is how we worked on Rapa. The advantage we had is that Hierro worked so well, its been much easier. It took many years to do it because its difficult to gain that trust. On the other hand, it was also the collaboration with Movistar that was so comfortable. It fit so well that the logical thing was to continue. It creates great continuity. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A woman and two teens jumped another female in a fight that was supposed to be one on one at the Independence Hills Regional Park, according to an arrest affidavit. Bernice Collazo, 20, Alondra Hernandez, 17, and Alexa Monique Sotelo, 17, were served with an arrest warrant on Wednesday charging each with assault. An 18-year-old female stated that on Jan. 27, a male called her to invite her to a bar called Toxicas. He picked her up around 12:30 a.m. Jan. 28. He told her that before going to the bar, they were going to Independence Park to meet with his sister and some of her friends. Authorities would identify the sister as Hernandez and Sotelo and Collazo as the friends. When the complainant and the male arrived at the park, Hernandez exited a black vehicle and walked toward the male's vehicle. Hernandez then told the complainant to open the door. The complainant complied. Hernandez then confronted her asking why she was talking about her and her friends. The complainant told Hernandez it was not her but another person talking about them. Then, Collazo and Sotelo exited the black vehicle. Collazo then grabbed the complainant by the hair and pulled her out of the vehicle and began to punch her. When the complainant tried to defend herself, she fell to the floor. That's when Hernandez, Sotelo and Collazo started punching and kicking the complainant. The complainant stated she got kicked in the eye, causing her to lose consciousness "for a while," states the affidavit. When she regained consciousness, she could still feel the punches and kicks from the trio. The complainant then grabbed one of the suspects by the hair, causing the other two to stop punching her. The trio then got into the black vehicle and left. The complainant then asked the male if he could take her to the emergency room. He took her to Doctors Hospital Emergency Room South, where a nurse called police to report the injuries the complainant sustained. She was left with a black eye, a busted lip and several bruises on the back of her head and ears, court documents state. She provided police with a screenshot of a conversation with Collazo where Collazo is telling her that her fight with her was supposed to be one on one. Collazo further states that it was not her fault that Hernandez and Sotelo also "jumped" the complainant, the affidavit states. The Laredo Area Heroes 2022 Jefferson Awards for Public Service took place at the IBC Annex on March 31 to honor the communitys hard-working volunteers. The nominees were: Nydia Martinez Valdez of the Alzheimers Association San Antonio and South Texas Chapter, Juanita Ross for the Bethany House of Laredo, Jose Luis Gutierrez for the South Texas Council Boy Scouts of America, Councilmember Alyssa Cigarroa for Cultivarte Laredo, Orlando Zepeda of the Imaginarium of South Texas, Leticia Rios Spillane from the Junior Achievement of Laredo, John Kilburn of the Laredo Rotary Club, Guillermo Memo Benavides of the Literacy Volunteers of Laredo, Fernando F. Zuniga III from Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center, Carlos Salinas of Volunteers Serving the Need, Dorothy Kinsel of the Womans Club of Cotulla, and Carolyn Schmies from the Womens City Club of Laredo. The ceremony roughly commenced at 7:30 p.m. when opening remarks were made by Laredo Area Community Foundation President Tina Cerda and then a welcome by LACF Senior Vice President of Corporate Marketing Gabriel Castillo. Laredo Morning Times Publisher William Green was in attendance as he took the podium to speak about the importance of volunteerism. The 2021 Jefferson Award Winner Diana Farias could not make it to the ceremony, but her daughter Susie Farias spoke on her behalf. Please look around you and you will see Laredos volunteers, Laredos finest, and Laredos best, Susie said in a speech written by Diana preceding the event. A special group that makes Laredo so unique because of people such as yourselves that love and care for Laredo. Congratulations to all of you and best wishes. The evening continued with past LACF President Keith W. Franklin to announce the nominees and award them an elegant, but small, glass trophy in acknowledgment by the LACF. All of you are winners, of course, of the volunteer of the year for your own respective organizations, and as Tina (Cerda) said, they had the arduous task of trying to pick one of you as the best volunteer, Keith W. Franklin said. With a little more than a minute long bio of each volunteer, they were all called one by one to accept their award, take a photo and sit back down. This was due to a small stage where all the winners would be cramped by the sixth volunteer if they were to stay standing. Ultimately, Dorothy Kinsel with the Womans Club of Cotulla was awarded the grand prize of $1,500 toward her club as she was selected as this year's Jefferson Award Winner. She was born at the start of the Great Depression, was a teenager during WWII, made passing reference to the seven-year drought, Keith said. Its not that shes had obstacles, its that nothing stops her. The first person to receive their glass award was Nydia Martinez Valdez. Valdezs family moved back to Laredo to care for her father, who was diagnosed with Alzheimers. She stepped out of her own world and into advocacy work with the Laredo Alzheimers Support group. While her dads journey ended in 2008, Nydia has remained instrumental in the group and initiated the first Walk to End Alzheimers in Laredo in 2016, Franklin said as he read her bio. Today it remains one of the most successful walks in Texas. Of the Bethany House, Juanita Ross as kitchen supervisor continued to feed those that needed it most. Especially through the pandemic to where she gave, and continues to make, as many as 1,000 meals a day. Third on the list of 12, Jose Luis Gutierrez is a dedicated associate regional director of the Colonias Project of the Central Rio Grande A&M system. In his free time, Joe has dedicated 25 years to the Boy Scouts of America, Franklin said. He has guided many young men through the scout ranks and is the proud father of three Eagle Scouts himself; scoutings highest rank. Councilmember Alyssa Cigarroa with Cultivarte Laredo would go on up to the stage to receive her glass trophy. She started a relief fund for local artists struggling under the (stress) of the pandemic, Keith said. Also launched Laredo Contra COVID on Facebook which provided desperately needed information in those early frightening days of the pandemic. Orlando Zepeda of the Imaginarium of South Texas was up next. As an engineer, he led the Imaginarium staff through transition to online activities during the COVID restrictions, and now he is facilitating the transition of the Imaginarium to their new home at Laredo College. God has given me these gifts, therefore, I must use them, Keith quoted a motto that Leticia Rios Spellane lives her life by. As a Junior Achievement volunteer, she teaches the Heroes program at local high schools. There was a moment in her life where she ran into her vice principal during one of her vocations, she turned to a life of teaching where she is a tenured professor at Laredo College. John Kilburn of the Laredo Rotary Club followed. In 2004, he accepted a position at Texas A&M International University and since then has been a part of 15 non-profit organizations. Professionally, he has greatly impacted TAMIU, and South Texas, with his grant outreach and research efforts, and he will literally go anywhere in the world to talk about Laredo, South Texas, and our unique bicultural world, Keith said. Guillermo Memo Benavides represented the Literacy Volunteers of Laredo. A few of his accomplishments are those of a rancher and another that stands is the first Hispanic to chair the McDonald Observatory Board of Visitors. Memo brings his extensive experience to the Literacy Volunteers of Laredo and has been instrumental to bring substantial funding to enable LVL to continue to change the world with literacy, Keith said. Ruthe B. Cowls current president Fernando F. Zuniga III, has impacted, and continues to impact the community. Each February, during our recognized Washington's Birthday Celebrations, you should think of Nando, Keith said. A founder of the WBCA Jalapeno Festival, hes portrayed George Washington, was president of the WBCA and a past president of the Caballeros de la Republica; in short, he is Mr. February. Carlos Salinas with Volunteers Serving the Need hears many needs of the community at large as a leader in local media. He has participated with countless bucket brigades, annual fundraising campaigns, collection drives, Keith said. As a Rotarian, he took the slogan serving above self to heart and has given boundless to the community with boundless sweat equity. Finally, Carolyn Schmies of the Womens City Club of Laredo, came to Laredo nearly 30 years ago to work for General Motors in Nuevo Laredo, she has been a first in many of what South Texas has to offer. She currently serves as the recording secretary for the WCCL for the second time has a continued affection for them as a diverse organization. The first woman and first African American on the executive team of GMs Mexican Operations, Keith said. She broke the ceiling when it didnt even have a name. editorial@lmtonline.com Ireland West Airport has launched their busiest ever summer schedule with 140 weekly flights to and from 19 routes across the UK and Europe. This summer consumers from across the West, North West and Midlands regions and further afield, can enjoy stress free and convenient travel to European hotspots such as Alicante, Barcelona, Cologne, Faro, Malaga, Majorca and Milan with Ryanair. Passengers can enjoy a record flight schedule to the UK this summer with the return of Aer Linguss daily service to London Gatwick, new services to Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester with Ryanair, as well as flights to Bristol, Liverpool, East Midlands, London (Luton and Stansted) also with Ryanair. In addition Ryanair has added an extra 50,000 seats this summer on flights to and from the airport to destinations like London, Liverpool, Barcelona and Alicante. This summer the airport are delighted to welcome back Tour Operator partners such as Paul Claffey Tours, who will once again operate their hugely popular holiday flights to Cadiz in Spain and Faro in Portugal. Joe Walsh Tours will return to operate their popular pilgrimage charters to Lourdes, for the first time since 2019 whilst Marian Pilgrimages will return with a number of pilgrimage charters to Medjugorje this summer. Welcoming the launch of the bumper summer 2022 schedule, Joe Gilmore, Managing Director, Ireland West Airport commented, "Today is a significant moment in the airports recovery as we officially launch our busiest ever summer schedule. Its been heart-warming to see people travelling out in great numbers this week and once again enjoying travel and taking long awaited sun holidays and short city breaks. We are so pleased to welcome back our airline and tour operator partners after a difficult 18 month period and we look forward to what promises to be very busy summer at the airport." Ireland West Airport is spacious, airy and perfectly suited for travel this summer. Enjoy flights to 19 international destinations without the stress of long queues or large distances to cover from car park to boarding gate. Perfect for families, friends and a relaxed flying experience. Passengers travelling this summer can also enjoy the cheapest short term car parking rates in the country with all parking spaces onsite and minutes from the terminal with savings of up to 30% off the normal price when booked online on www.irelandwestairport.com As the crisis in the pig industry worsens, Longford IFA is seeking support for its Pig Stability Proposal which has been submitted to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD. The pig industry is suffering substantial losses for eight months now and the war in Ukraine has compounded the crisis with a dramatic increase in raw material price and availability for the entire farming sector. Man (20s) in 'serious' condition in hospital after late night Co Longford assault A man in his 20s is in a serious condition in hospital this afternoon after being allegedly attacked on the main street of a Granard during the early hours of this morning. Tributes pour in following passing of Longford community stalwart Bridie Gray Great sadness greeted news of the death last week of one of the oldest citizens in Killoe, Bridie Gray. Longford IFA Chairperson Gavin White said approximately 40,000 people are employed by the pig sector within the segments of direct, indirect and induced employment. The IFA, alongside the Irish Grain and Feed association and Meat Industry Ireland has submitted a Pig Stability Proposal to the the Minister McConalogue. Mr White said, "We are asking for a co funded (50/50) Long Term Loan from Government, which will be repaid by a statutory levy on a per pig structure." He added, "Negotiations are ongoing with Department of Agriculture and feedback from the team involved is not good. We need as much support as possible to save our industry. "Kildare street funding is the only option for the pig sector. Without Government support, this time next year we will be joining the sugar beet sector as part of history. "Our pig slurry will be no longer available to local farmers to aid grass growth. Pig manure as a fertiliser is currently valued at 10.46 per m3 when there is a requirement for N, P and K and when the availability of the N to the crop is 50%. This translates into 48 per 1000 gallons." IFA National Pigs Committee Chair Roy Gallie is calling on processors to deliver a very significant price increase for pig farmers. Pig farmers have been haemorrhaging money since September 2021 and losses have risen to 40 per pig sold, he said. Since the introduction of the IFA's DNA scheme, the Irish pig price has been at the European average. We are currently 30c/kg below it. Farmers need an immediate price increase given the very serious crisis in the sector, he said. Mr Gallie is calling on all processors to announce a 30c/kg rise tomorrow to restore the Irish pig market to the European average level. Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD, and Minister of State Martin Heydon TD, met with the IFA late on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing market issues in the pig sector. Commenting following the meeting, Minister McConalogue said: "I am acutely aware of the challenges facing our pig sector and I am working to help support farm families and their businesses as much as possible. The industry is undoubtedly under pressure and I, as well as Minister Heydon and the rest of the Government, have acted to support pig farmers throughout this challenging period. "Recently, I announced the Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme (PEPS), with a fund of up to 7 million. The maximum payment under this scheme is 20,000. Payments have started issuing to applicants. I have also met with the banking sector regarding the current situation. I have also met with the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) on the possibility of developing a suitable instrument to manage market volatility." Minister of State Martin Heydon said: Through the Pig Roundtable and ongoing bilateral engagements we have been in constant communication with all stakeholders throughout this unprecedented period of low prices and high input costs. Minister McConalogue continued: "I thank the IFA for engagingly so constructively throughout this very difficult period for pig farmers. I have received the joint proposal for emergency funding that the IFA, the meat industry and the feed companies have submitted which and I have been examining it closely. I have committed to working with the sector to explore all avenues to offer support for this really important industry. "Our pig farmers have always been remarkably resilient but I am fully aware of the challenges facing the sector at the moment." (Alliance News) - The UK could massively scale up its nuclear power capability by 2050 with new stations having far greater capacity, it is understood. The UK business secretary has suggested six or seven new sites could be in operation by that point, with all but one of Britain's existing plants set to be decommissioned by 2030. The PA news agency understands that while the number of stations is likely to remain similar to now, the plan is for each new site to be far more powerful than those they will replace, significantly pushing up the UK's capacity. The Sunday Telegraph reported that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is preparing to announce plans to expand the government's commitment to move forward with new large-scale nuclear power stations this decade. The newspaper said the plan had been to back one by 2024, but it is thought the new ambition will be to support the construction of two by 2030. The move to scale up nuclear power production will reportedly form part of a major expansion of home-grown energy in the wake of the Ukraine crisis. It comes as the UK government's energy security strategy is expected to be unveiled on Thursday. Asked about the scale of the its nuclear ambitions, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told The Sunday Telegraph: "There is a realisation across government that we could do more on nuclear. "With energy, you're thinking maybe 30, even 40 years [ahead]. If we fast forward to 2050, there is a world where we have six or seven sites in the UK. That isn't going to happen in the next two years, but it's definitely something that we can aspire to. "The prime minister said, in terms of the energy generation mix, we could see maybe a quarter of that being nuclear. I'd say 15 to 25%. But obviously in the first three years you're not going to suddenly have six new nuclear stations in three years. It's physically impossible to do that." By Amy Gibbons, PA Political Correspondent source: PA Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Alpine F1 have discovered the car issue that caused Fernando Alonso to retire from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on lap 36 of the race. An investigation began as soon as the race was over in order to find out what left the Spaniard without any points in Jeddah after having completed a very good weekend. "We quickly found the problem. It was not the engine, but the water pump," Alpine executive director Laurent Rossi explained to AutoHebdo magazine. "This caused a cooling problem and then a series of consequences: the engine cooled less, the oil warmed up... creating more problems." Rossi even admitted that the engine continued to perform its function, but that they put safety first. "Fernando was able to continue driving and the engine was working, but obviously not in ideal conditions," he said. "We preferred to stop him as the water pump had failed. We have already identified the cause of the problem and I hope we have corrected it for Melbourne." Russia has ended its cooperation with Western countries regarding the International Space Station, with the country's space director stating on Saturday that the ties would only be restored in the event that the sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow are lifted. Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Roscosmos, said in a social media post that the aim of the sanctions was "to kill the Russian economy and plunge our people into despair and hunger, to bring our country to its knees." He added that "they will not succeed, but the intentions are clear." "That is why I believe that the restoration of normal relations between the partners of the International Space Station (ISS) and other projects is only possible with the full and unconditional removal of the illegal sanctions imposed," Rogozin said. International Space Station could plunge towards Earth The West has introduced wide-ranging sanctions against Russia for what Moscow calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine, which was launched on February 24. Despite the tensions, a US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts landed safely in Kazakhstan last Wednesday after leaving the space station aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule. The end of cooperation will mean, Rogozin said, a serious risk of an uncontrolled departure of the station from its orbit and a possible fall onto the territory of the United States, Europe or other countries. "There is a possibility that this 500-tonne structure could fall over Europe and also over India and China. The ISS does not fly over Russia, so all the risks are theirs. Are they prepared for that?" the Roscosmos chief warned. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Following a meeting on Saturday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, with representatives of a coalition of Egyptian companies, the Libyan Minister of Labour and Rehabilitation of the Government of National Unity, Ali Al-Abed Al-Ridha, says these companies will start implementing six projects after the end of the holy month of Ramadan Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Mansour Atti Al-Maghrebi, a civil society activist and representative of the Libyan Red Crescent Society in Ajdabiya (about 160 km south of Benghazi), was released on Saturday after 10 months of enforced disappearance at the hands of unidentified parties, sources said Every day, there is a new controversy brewing in the reality show Lock Upp. From revelation made by contestants, to blames and abuses being hurled at one another, it's something new all the time. And this time, it is an ugly fight that broke out between Payal Rohatgi and Zeeshan Khan during a task. The discussion about the demand for a ban on halal meat in Karnataka was going on between Rohatgi and Khan, which turned into a nasty fight. Payal called Zeeshan a terrorist, spat on him and made other Islamophobic remarks, post which Khan hurled abuses at her. Her actions are not sitting well with people on social media, who are demanding her arrest and even eviction from the show. Here are some of the reactions: #PayalRohatgi cannot go around calling anyone a Terrorist or Spit at them It's completely unacceptable behaviour! I think it's serious enough to have her removed. Watch my review post #LockUppWithKangana tonight https://t.co/Tw5YSc5HGD#Islamophobia #HalalRow #LockUpp Andy Kumar (@iAmVJAndy) April 2, 2022 Payal is most likely to be booked by Mumbai Police for hurting religious sentiments. #LockUpp #PayalRohatgi pic.twitter.com/No9mEiJTAs RaHiL ( ) - Tweets (@IMRahilMohammed) April 2, 2022 You can evict someone for being Disrespect towards a host and crew member. But you are not evicting #PayalRohatgi for DISRESPECTING and entire COMMUNITY. How is this fair? LOCKOUT PAYAL ROHATGI #LockUpp REALITY SHOW BUFF Error! Filename not specified.(@OnlyUmarmatter) April 2, 2022 I feel there should be an FIR against #PayalRohatgi . I appeal #ZeeshanKhan s lawyer to plz take action! What he faced today was not at all right. We live in a secular country & nobody can be defamed based on ones religion!People like herre reason for communal riots #LockUpp Himanshu Goyal (@Himansh42567328) April 2, 2022 What if #MunawarFaruqui or any other Muslim commented spoke against hindus they they would ahve been locked out but #PayalRohatgi is speaking venom but is still gettign away from the mess she is creating and the host is supporting her blindly #lockupp Mohammad Haris Khan (@Mohamma81833960) April 2, 2022 Several contestants also called Payal out for her statements, one of which was Poonam Panday. The two got into an argument with Payal telling Poonam De de gandi gaaliyaan de do he cheezein aati hai tujhe yaa toh maa behan ki gaaliyan degi yaa phir kapde nikalegi (Go on, abuse. You know only two things, either abuse or remove clothes). When the matter escalated to the host of the show, Kangana Ranaut, she told Zeeshan, "Payal has been to jail and landed in trouble for several times in the past for making controversial remarks. This is the reason why even right-wings also don't support her." She removed Payal from captaincy and declared she will not be allowed to lead any team until she is on the show, as a punishment. She also put her name on the next weeks 'charge sheet'. However, some of the contestants wanted Payal out of the show and viewed the punishment that Kangana gave to her as not enough. 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 Estate planning provides the ability to make your end-of-life wishes known. Planning ahead allows you to designate the person who will carry out your wishes to distribute your assets, the beneficiaries of your assets, and how you would like to be cared for in your last days. This can provide significant peace of mind, it directs your hard-earned money to intended beneficiaries, it prevents your money from going through law and court systems, and it provides an avenue to identify and record assets such as life insurance policies and safety deposit boxes to prevent the state from receiving property unclaimed simply because heirs were unaware of its existence. The following editorial was published in the Los Angeles Times: In recent weeks, revelations about political activity by Virginia Thomas, the wife of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, have evolved from alarming to beyond the pale. First came a New Yorker investigation in January that detailed numerous ways Thomas and her political-lobbying firm, Liberty Consulting, are linked to right-wing groups with high-stakes cases before the court on abortion, affirmative action and gun rights. In some instances, she was paid by groups filing amicus briefs that her husband would presumably read in the course of his deliberations. Then came a New York Times investigation showing how Thomas used her husbands relationship with then-President Donald Trump to try to influence policy and personnel decisions in the White House. It also reported that she helped unite various groups participating in the Jan. 6 rally that resulted in the deadly attack on the Capitol as Congress was certifying Bidens election. (Virginia Thomas rejected the report in an interview with the Washington Free Beacon, saying that she did not help organize the rally, but that she attended it until she got too cold.) Most recently, a Washington Post investigation revealed that after the 2020 election, Virginia Thomas repeatedly pressured Trumps chief of staff, Mark Meadows, to pursue efforts to overturn Joe Bidens victory. In a series of jaw-dropping text messages Help This Great President stand firm, Mark!!! and The majority knows Biden and the Left is attempting the greatest Heist of our History, among them Thomas spread falsehoods as she urged the presidents team to attempt to reverse the election results. All this was happening as Trump and his allies vowed to take their cockamamie allegations of election fraud to the Supreme Court. Those cases, of course, were so flimsy that they never made it to the nations highest court, preventing us from knowing if Justice Thomas would have recused himself from ruling on the matter in which he clearly had a conflict of interest. But in January, we got a glimpse of the justices frightful lack of judicial ethics. Thats when the Supreme Court rejected Trumps plea to shield his White House records which included communication with Virginia Thomas from the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack. Only one justice sided with Trump and dissented from the ruling: Clarence Thomas. What a disgrace. Of course Thomas should have recused himself from that case. And he must, for the sake of fairness and public trust, recuse himself from any other Jan. 6 cases that may come before the court. Beyond that, the disturbing chain of events demonstrates that the Supreme Court desperately needs stronger ethics rules. Right now the nine justices of the Supreme Court the most powerful judges in the country essentially police themselves when it comes to ethics. While theyre supposed to be guided by the same code of conduct that other federal judges must follow, justices decide whether to recuse themselves in any given situation. That must change. The Supreme Courts power rests in the trust it earns from the public. Americans may not agree with every ruling from the court, but they need to trust that the justices decisions are fair, backed by integrity and driven by sound interpretations of the law. There is no room for personal favors from the bench. Its time for the Supreme Court to establish a code of ethical conduct and stick to it. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MIDDLETOWN The first full week of April kicks off with a bang as the chamber has a number of important meetings and activities planned. On Monday morning, our Executive Committee will meet at the chamber office and through virtual means. Chairwoman Maureen Westbrook will lead the meeting, and along with important updates on chamber activities, it will feature updates from the public health, higher education, and banking sectors in Middlesex County. On the chamber division front, our Portland and East Hampton Division will meet at Farrells Restaurant on Wednesday morning to discuss local and chamber updates. Also that morning, our Environment & Infrastructure Committee will meet to discuss economic resilience, local infrastructure updates and more. On Thursday, our Central Business Bureau will meet at 8 a.m. at the chamber office and through virtual means. This meeting, led by CBB Chairwoman Pam Steele will feature updates from city of Middletown department heads as well as representatives from local institutions and more. During the lunch hour, our Real Estate Council will meet at the chamber office. This council is busy putting the final touches on their upcoming comedy night, which will take place April 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Elks Crystal Ballroom in Middletown to benefit the Middlesex Recovery Employment Program. Later in the day will be an ambassador round table meeting at 4 p.m. ahead of our Business After Work at the Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown. This meeting will feature a great discussion with our chamber ambassadors, who serve as the primary liaison to new members. Finally, the week wraps up on Friday with a meeting of the Connecticut Valley Hospital Advisory Board. I look forward to another productive meeting with my fellow board members, Chief Operating Officer Lakisha Hyatt and members of her team. One of the main events for this week is our Human Resource Council half-day workshop, How To Be The Employer of Choice Half Day Conference + Health & Wellness Fair. This event, taking place at Saint Clements Castle in Portland from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., will give attendees the opportunity to hear from top employers in Connecticut, featuring a large, medium and small company that will speak on their culture and innovative ways to retain and attract employees. Attendees will then have the opportunity to participate in peer-to-peer discussion groups and enjoy our Middlesex County Health and Wellness Fair. Keynoting this event will be Andi Campbell, chief growth officer, WellSpark Health. To register for this event, please visit middlesexchamber.com. Join chamber staff and fellow members as we return to our Business After Work events on April 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estates in Middletown. In addition to a great spread of food and drink for our members and their guests, this event will feature outstanding networking and will provide our friends at the Wadsworth Mansion, the opportunity to showcase their terrific facility in Middletown. I thank Executive Director Megan Bush and her entire team for hosting our group. I know our members, staff and other chamber partners look forward to our return to in-person networking. On the business development front, I will attend the ribbon-cutting celebration for The Powerwashing Kings in East Berlin, which offers pressure washing, house washing, roof washing, gutter cleaning, commercial services and more. Paul Gianni and his team have done a fantastic job renovating their location, and I wish them continued success moving forward. Enjoy a night full of laughter while supporting the Middlesex Recovery Employment Program at a comedy night and auction presented by the Real Estate Council April 9. This event, sponsored by Servpro, will be held at the Middletown Elks Crystal Ballroom in Middletown with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the show beginning at 7:30. Proceeds from this great event will support the Middlesex Recovery Employment Program, which helps those in recovery rebuild lives that have been torn apart due to addiction. To purchase tickets, visit the website. A big thank you goes to Treehouse Comedy Products for assisting with this event, and again, thank you to Servpro for sponsoring. Looking ahead to later in the month, the annual Business & Education Partnership and Hal Kaplan Middletown Mentor Program recognition breakfast is scheduled for April 21 at the Sheraton Hartford South Hotel in Rocky Hill. Keynote speaker for this important event is Terrence Cheng, President of the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities. The advisory council serves as a link between member businesses and educational leaders from Middlesex County schools. Its mission is to facilitate and encourage the development of mutually supportive partnerships, and prepare students for what is an increasingly global and competitive economy. The Hal Kaplan Middletown Mentor Program, initiated in 1992, is a partnership between the chamber and Middletown Board of Education. This program provides students with mentors from a variety of professional fields in our community. I would like to thank Liberty Bank and its CEO David Glidden for their continued support of this event and many other programs in Middlesex County. Have a great week! Larry McHugh is president of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce in Middletown. 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. 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Summary of all keyboard shortcuts Statesman and business executive, Sir Sam E. Jonah, says he has neither endorsed cryptocurrency and bitcoin trading nor asked the public to engage in it. The Executive Chairman of Jonah Capital said it was also false that he was a patron of such activities and could testify to their goodness in wealth creation. The Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) told the Daily Graphic on Tuesday that reports on social media that he had endorsed the acts and recommended them to the general public were false, fraudulent and an attempt by criminals to dupe the unsuspecting public. Reacting to publications linking him to cryptocurrency and bitcoin trading, Sir Jonah said the stories were a complete scam, reprehensive, unconscionable and aimed at deceiving people into falling prey to duping antics. It is unconscionable that anyone will want to dupe Ghanaians like this. I do not deal in cryptocurrency and I do not ask people to engage in it. It is such a shame and reprehensible that criminals somewhere are trying to prey on the innocence of Ghanaians and swindle innocent people using my name, he added. He has, therefore, asked the public to disregard the claims, which have been widely circulated on social media platforms, especially on Facebook/Meta. Viral publications The President of AngloGold Ashanti was reacting to a viral publication on social media, particularly on Facebook, that claimed that Sir Jonah had endorsed cryptocurrency and Bitcoin trading during an interview with television stations in the country. The publications cloned names, logos, and websites of some Ghanaian media and embedded them in a story that carried pictures of Sir Jonah. The stories were then sponsored and shared on Facebook throughout last month. Sir Jonah said he had since been inundated with calls from all over the world by people who were either seeking clarity on the issue, urging him to refute the allegations, or wondering why he had engaged in such an act. He said that attention was ignoble and wondered why Facebook/Meta would allow its platforms to be used to spread obvious falsehood with a clear intent to swindle the unsuspecting public. Legal threat Following the publication and their continued existence on Facebook/Meta, Sir Jonah said he had asked his lawyers to explore the possibility of bringing legal actions against the social media giant for allowing its platform to be used to propagate such falsehood and tarnish his image. He said the global attention, that the reports brought on him, was evidence of the apprehension that the publications had caused throughout the world. Andrew Forrest Sir Jonah's threat of legal action comes at a time when the Australian government has filed a lawsuit against Facebook/Meta over similar concerns. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission alleged in the suit filed this week that the company had engaged in false, misleading, or deceptive conduct by publishing fake adverts about an Australian recommending cryptocurrency to citizens. The victim, Andrew Forrest, had earlier filed a suit against Facebook/Meta over the same concerns. Mr Forrest, a billionaire, said that the company had failed to act on the issue, resulting in innocent Australians falling prey under his name. I intend to sue Facebook/meta too for exactly the same thing. Just as Mr. Forrest said, the company is refusing to act, although it has the power to block the adverts, and that allows people to fall victims. That is exactly what I am going through. I have handed it over to my lawyers that they have to bring an action against Facebook because it should not be that Facebook allows criminals to ride on your reputation to dupe others and perpetrate scam, he added. ---Citi Newsroom Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has berated the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus yesterday for attacking the Clerk of Parliament. He said the opposition lawmakers are now looking for evidence on the floor of Parliament to support their case filed at the Supreme Court. The criticism followed assertion by the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, that the Clerk to Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Nsiah, and his officers deliberately marked six members of his side absent when they were present in the chamber on Tuesday during the E-Levy debate. He accused the Clerk of displaying partisanship by supervising the omission of vital information on the Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, March 29, 2022, which could be used as evidence by the Minority to back their case against the approval of the Electronic Transfer Levy Bill (E-Levy). But the Deputy Majority Leader did not take it kindly and said the attacks on the Clerk was unnecessary and selective since the Speaker has ultimate responsibility and not the Clerk, adding, Mr. Speaker, we have read between the lines. You [referring to Muntaka and his Deputy, Ahmed Ibrahim] are now coming to look for evidence by attempting to blame the Clerk at table, blaming everybody; saying this and that. We are here as leadership to guide proceedings and assist Mr. Speaker. You have to wait for us to look at the Votes and Proceedings. When you were talking about division; what you referred to, is it different from what happened? And if it is about looking for evidence for the Supreme Court, then let me correct you here and now so that you don't confuse the Supreme Court, Afenyo-Markin submitted. He continued, I am telling you that what happened in November that you referred to is not the same as what happened on Tuesday. Let the record reflect so that we will join the action in the Supreme Court. Let us follow the procedure. Mr. Speaker says page one; let's do page one and do page two. Don't look for evidence by suddenly getting members to rise and speak. When we get to that page they can speak. Attacking the Clerk at table, Mr. Speaker, I beg of you, kindly let us proceed in accordance with our own rules, he stated further. When we get to the appropriate page they have every right to respond. They should not attempt to indict Mr. Speaker. What they are doing is to indict you and the Clerk. The Votes and Proceedings were produced by the Rt. Hon. Speaker and the Clerk to Parliament. And if you want to indict Mr. Speaker so that the Supreme Court will rule in a certain way; the same Supreme Court you attacked yesterday? Is that what you are doing? he quizzed. He said the Minority was trying to undermine the authority of Parliament and the Speaker by their action, concluding, You can't do that. Three members of the Minority NDC MPs have filed a suit at the Supreme Court to challenge the approval of the E-Levy. Leader of the caucus, Haruna Iddrisu, Mahama Ayariga and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, are contesting that Parliament did not have the required number to form a quorum to pass the bill, asking the apex court to set aside the decision of Parliament. Parliament on Tuesday, March 29, passed the 1.5% levy on electronic transactions, with the Minority walking out of Parliament in protest of the passage. The suit wants a declaration that the purported vote by the Majority caucus Members of Parliament on each clause of the Electronic Transfer Bill, 2021 was in contravention of Article 104(1), and therefore null, void and of no effect whatsoever. DGN online 03.04.2022 LISTEN We, the undersigned teachers, in our capacity as members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), write to demand with immediate effect the refund of Ghc 44.55 interest charged on the "One Teacher, One Laptop" initiative to every GNAT member. It is shocking that though the immediate past national President of GNAT, Madam Philippa Larsen promised at the National Delegates Conference held in Kumasi that the said money would be paid at the end of February, 2022 but it has not been fulfilled till date. We are, by this statement, calling on the current national leadership of GNAT to ensure that the Ghc 44.55 totalling over Ghc 8,910,000 is paid to the over Two Hundred Thousand members with immediate effect. To conclude, the current leadership of GNAT should, as a matter of urgency, take steps to ensure Ghana Education Service supplies the laptops to the remaining teachers across the country and that of pensioners whose monies were deducted are equally supplied. Madam Philippa Larsen cannot deceive teachers and go scot free, she must be accountable for every dime owed members. Signed: Mathias Tulasi 0243735430 Lawrence Edem Tsorhe 0246176724 Christian Youngs 0249690641 The Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) says Ghana loses over GH50 million annually in royalties from quarry due to the country's over-concentration on gold mining. The Chief Executive Officer of MIIF, Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng who said this at the opening of the 2022 Ghana Mining Week and Gold Expo in Takoradi said quarry should be giving Ghana around GH100 million royalties annually, but Ghana only realised just GH 3.8milllion in 2020. 92% of our royalties are coming from gold, so there is a leaning towards gold because that is where we have our most royalties. So, that is the problem. If you look at the quarry sector, it is in line with our economic and infrastructure development. So as far as you have infrastructure and economic development growing, there should be a corresponding increase in its royalties. We are supposed to have about, GH100million in royalties annually. In a worst-case scenario, we should have at least GH3.5 million to GH 56 million but in 2020 we had only GH3.6 million which means there is a big problem with the quarries, he said. Explaining the cause of the problem to Citi News on the sidelines of the Ghana Mining Week, Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng also highlighted plans to cure the problem. We have identified four main problems with the quarries including invasion by foreigners, underpricing, lack of capital and encroachment by settlers within the catchment of quarries. If we have to expand the royalties net and add value to the quarries sector, then we need to properly strategize. So for me to get a GH100 million royalties annually from the quarries, there are a few things we are doing now. Thus, we are trying to support the quarry sector by introducing what we call de-risking mechanisms, which is essentially to provide guarantees to banks that desire to support the quarry sector, he added. Expanding the scope of mineral resources that can bring more royalties to the state, the CEO of MIIF said if Ghana doesn't take care, it will even start importing salt anytime soon. Our research shows that there is a huge potential in the other mineral sector. Quarry being one and salt being another. There are only two countries, Ghana and Senegal that have the potential to provide industrial salt, but Nigeria keeps bypassing us to Brazil to bring salt to support their petroleum industry. The potential of salt considering the fact that gold is more finite makes salt much bigger in terms of long term sustainable value than gold, he noted. Touching on the relevance of the Ghana Mining Week towards achieving Mining for Sustainable Development, Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng said the Ghana Mining Week is as good as the South African Mining fair which is good in addressing most of the challenges in the Ghanaian mining sector and commended the Western Regional Minister and his team for growing the Ghana Mining Week and Gold Expo. The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah opening this year's Ghana Gold Expo and Mining Week which also showcased key mining trends and technology as well as site tours, said the Gold Expo and mining week is gradually positioning the Western Region as the headquarters of responsible mining which is good for Ghana. Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah who has been the face of the Ghana Mining Week, however, highlighted some achievements of the mining week. If there is any other impact that the Ghana Gold Expo has been able to make apart from its basic objective of ensuring a safer mining environment through responsible mining, it is the project's ability to draw in those in academia to proffer practical solutions to long-aged challenges bedevilling the mining sector through capacity building and technology I am happy to report that, as an outcome of the Ghana Mining Week and Gold Expo, Gold Fields Ghana Limited is currently advancing discussions with the University of Mines and Technology, UMaT, for both entities to train community mining companies in the Western Region, he said. The Western Regional Minister also described the coming on board of the Minerals Income Investment Fund's Small-Scale Mining Incubation Programme, as a complementary step to what stakeholders have been advocating for over the period. Meanwhile, Forbes Monaco, an official partner of Ghana Gold Expo and Arum Global partners on Conservation Mine and Reclamation 2022 Awards at the event adjudged the Minerals Income Investment Fund, MIIF, as the BEST FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. The citation presented read in part: Your ability to support and provide alternative financial mechanism into the small-scale mining sector will ensure responsible gold supply chain and efficient funding platform for small-scale and community miners. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the internationally condemned act of aggression turned the political platforms of France's presidential candidates on their respective heads. The invasion that triggered Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II saw parochial issues usurped by a conflict that has torn open France's Cold War rivalries. When France's political parties mobilised ahead of the 2022 presidential and legislative elections at the end of 2021, French foreign policy was relegated to a sub-category, as the main issues clear and present on the hustings were purchasing power, migration control and national security. Still reeling from the 2015 terrorist attacks and Brexit, foreign policy was mainly focused on counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel, fishing rights with the British and how to put on a "brave face" with the US Biden administration after being undercut by AUKUS. That all changed on the morning of 24 February when, after months of shuttle diplomacy and conjecture over the intentions of Russian president Vladimir Putin, they were finally exposed and the orders were given from the Kremlin to mobilise hundreds of thousands of Russian troops to invade Ukraine. Within 24 hours, France's political parties had to refocus their message in the face of an invasion of a non-EU, non-NATO democratic European state by an authoritarian president who provides the continent with up to 50 percent of its energy supplies. So where do France's 12 presidential candidates stand on the Russia-Ukraine war? The Left Wing For the far-left Lutte Ouvriere (Workers' Struggle) candidate Nathalie Arthaud, France should stick to non-alignment and not supply arms to Ukraine. Coming from a militant communist background, she maintains she is "absolutely against economic sanctions" against Russia, because the population will suffer the most. She is also opposed to sending arms to Ukraine, underlining that responsibility for the Ukraine war is shared: "NATO has surrounded Russia," she says. While she opposes the war and maintains that Putin's attack on Ukraine is "criminal", the policy of the great Western powers is also partly to blame for that. The anti-capitalist candidate Philippe Poutou also blames the expansionist policies of NATO and has called for the complete cancellation of Ukraine's debt. For Poutou, "the policies of great Western powers show how ineffective and dangerous the expansion of NATO and the sanctions against Russia are". He advocates for the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine, as well as "the immediate halt of the expansion of NATO". He also proposes to cancel Ukraine's debt and recalls the right of people to self-determination. He cataclysmically reminds the electorate: "There can be no military solution to the Ukrainian conflict, with the risk of resorting to nuclear [weapons] and setting the region ablaze." Also hailing from the far left, and the poll-topper for the socialist vote, France Unbowed leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon has called for existing sanctions against Russia not to be applied, yet proposes Ukraine's neutrality is key to ending the war. Indeed, he stresses the war will weigh on the purchasing power of the French. However, curiously, Melenchon has thrown his arms into the air, saying the war against the Russians on the ground "is lost" in advance. The poster-boy for France's official Communist Party, Fabien Roussel, says he is committed to not bringing Ukraine into NATO. France and the EU must maintain a dialogue with the Ukrainian and Russian presidents to force Russia to withdraw its troops, he suggests. He believes that this could include a commitment not to bring Ukraine into NATO, which would meet Vladimir Putin's demands. Whether it matters to the French electorate that this sets a highly questionable precedent remains to be seen. The centrists For Green contender Yannick Jadot, the early 20th Century rhetoric moves into a more contemporary, almost reactionary, mode. The environmentalist MEP has called to send arms to Ukraine and isolate Russia both financially and diplomatically. Jadot proposes to "support Ukraine in its demands for defensive weapons", appealing for massive sanctions against Russia, targeting Russian oligarchs and fully isolating the country. A difficult ask when Russia's Gasprom Bank is the tail wagging the energy dog... and in roubles. When it comes to Socialist Party candidate Anne Hidalgo, she proposes a more moderate "send military equipment to Ukraine" stance, not wanting to alienate any possible support for any potential outcome. She calls for "firm and immediate" economic sanctions, such as blocking Russian propaganda organisations, seizing the assets of those close to the Kremlin or suspending access to international financial transfer systems. Without wanting to say Hidalgo is just "band-wagoneering", has that not already been done? For the incumbent himself lauded for keeping diplomatic ties open with Putin despite pressure from Washington Emmanuel Macron wants to continue to sanction Russia, but has said that as Commander-in-Chief, France has and will continue to deliver arms to Kiev. Onto the Right Les Republicains candidate Valerie Pecresse is toeing the "Western" line by calling for targeted sanctions against Putin's "Yes Men". She says it's necessary to convene the European Council to take "truly dissuasive and targeted sanctions against Putin's entourage" and against Russian financial interests. As a straight-down-the-line conservative candidate, she's speaking the language of her electorate. If you want to hurt anyone, hit their pockets first. But again, has this not already been done? Jean Lassalle, the charming, provincial outsider with an insular platform, has called for "firm measures against Russian power" and for the UN to act quickly for an immediate ceasefire and restoring of peace. He has also denounced the "tutelage of the European continent by the United States and NATO". Affable as the candidate may be, one doubts the Kremlin will tremble. Then the "don't-exactly-know-how-right-wing-I-am" candidate Nicolas Dupont-Aignan refers to a French "non-alignment role" in the whole affair and declares Ukraine should become a neutral state. The candidate of Debout la France wants France to become a (non-aligned) "mediator between Russia and NATO", urging Ukraine to cede autonomy to the eastern Donbass region. Again, this sets a highly debatable precedent for a region on the border with Russia, that has been in a so-called frozen conflict since 2014 and a key bullet point on Putin's list of excuses to invade. Previous Putin apologists When it comes to far-right stalwart Marine Le Pen, the prime directive is that French troops will not get involved. Known for being "good friends" with Vladimir Putin until very recently, the National Rally leader believes that a diplomatic solution to the conflict should be found through the auspices of the United Nations. Again, purchasing power comes into the equation when shutting down Russia's oil and gas supplies, which she opposes. Bottom line? "Ukraine does not join NATO", says Le Pen. As the political spectrum ends on the far, far right, Eric Zemmour has taken a palpable hit to his popularity since the 24 February invasion. A long-time admirer of Putin's hegemony over the largest country in the world, Zemmour has pledged that if he takes office, Ukraine will never join NATO. Until the war was launched, Zemmour called into question the validity of Ukraine's borders with Russia, essentially justifying Putin's ambitions to play the "Sudetenland card". Since the war began, Zemmour has "unreservedly condemned the military intervention", which he describes as "unjustifiable". He, however, still calls for a treaty to ensure that Ukraine "never" joins the North Atlantic Alliance. A clash between some residents of Akyem Asunafo and a group of miners operating in the Atiwa West District in the Eastern region has ended with one person losing his life. The incident occurred on Friday, April 1, 2022, when some residents of Akyem Asunafo stormed a mining site where two excavators were operating. Eyewitnesses say the clash has been a long time coming with a group of the residents constantly pushing and advocating for residents to resist all activities of illegal mining in the community. Upon reaching the mining site, the residents were met by armed guards hired to protect the side. The clash that ensued resulted in a shooting incident that left one person dead and as many as eight others injured. All nine victims of the shooting were subsequently rushed to Engresi Government Hospital where one person was declared dead on arrival. Eastern Regional Police Command led by DCOP /Mr. Anderson Fosu -Ackaah has visited the community and the hospital where the remaining eight (8) persons are receiving medical treatment. Meanwhile, the regional, Divisional and District patrol teams have been deployed around Asunafo to maintain law and order, a Police statement has said. According to the statement issued Saturday, April 2, 2022, and signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command DSP Ebenezer Tetteh, an investigation has commenced into the incident to bring to book the perpetrators of the clash. Sunday's elections in Hungary will decide whether Victor Orban Vladimir Putin's only EU ally stays in power, or if opposition candidate Peter Marki-Zay, who managed to get a colourful coalition of six parties together, can break the stranglehold of the incumbent's Fidesz party. "Now, people are allowed to take a photo of their ballot paper [to show] where they've put their vote," Janos Gulyas, head of a communications company in Budapest, told RFI. Gulyas will be a voting official during Sunday's elections in Kisberzseny, a tiny village of just 76 inhabitants, a two-hour drive from Budapest. "This is not for some souvenir, this is for all those people who will be paid for their votes. In small villages, the mayor decides if you get unemployment benefits, and maybe you have to show that you put your vote where the local mayor wanted you to," he says. Over the last decades, Orban, and his Fidesz party, have moved from middle-of-the-road politics towards populist nationalism. While opposition groups and independent observers cited instances of vote-rigging in previous elections, the opposition now struggles to even get its message across. "Hungarian state television is financed from a yearly budget that is double the budget of the two largest private channels combined," Gulyas says. "State television has managed to invite 18 opposition politicians over the past four years. In that context the opportunity for the opposition to convey its messages is very limited." Machinations Szabolcs Panyi, an investigative journalist with online publication Direkt36, a crowd-funded media outlet based in a single apartment on Pozsony Street, is trying to keep up the fight. The publication has grown in popularity after it revealed corruption scandals involving Orban's family and machinations behind massive procurement contracts involving plans by a Chinese university to build a campus in Budapest. It also exposed how Russian hackers had gained access to correspondence of Hungary's Foreign Ministry. As a result, Direkt36 is blacklisted by government organisations. "We can't get in any press events organised by them," says Panyi, and party officials shy away from interview requests. But not only the press is muzzled. "Right now we have a democracy where independent institutions are losing their independence, they are controlled by government appointees, and there are no checks and balances in the system, meaning that the executive power has almost absolute power," he says. Russian invasion Russia's invasion of Ukraine brought a glimmer of hope for the battered opposition. "During the first two days of the invasion, people thought Orban's friendship and support for Putin would finally bite him" one observer, who preferred to remain anonymous, told RFI. But swiftly, using what The Economist weekly referred to in a recent article as "stealth autocracy", Orban managed to turn the tide. Presenting himself as a "candidate for peace", he scared voters drawn to the opposition by saying they may drag Hungary "into a war nobody wants". During his last campaign rally, in the town of Szekesfehervar, he claimed that the opposition had "already struck a deal with the Ukrainians" for deliveries of light weapons, thereby increasing the chances of Hungary being an active partner in the conflict. This is not our war; we cannot win anything, but we could lose everything, Orban was quoted as saying by the Budapest Times, adding that "the only way for Hungary to stay out of the war was by not sending weapons or troops to Ukraine," and "not allowing the transit of weapons across the country's territory." The opposition rules out Orban's claim to be "candidate for peace". "This is a huge lie made up by the prime minister so that he could get the stench off having been a close ally to Putin in the past 12 years," Mayor of Budapest Gergely Karacsony told RFI. "Moreover, he's been the servant of Russian interests in Hungary and in Europe," says Karacsony a representative of Parbeszed (Dialogue), one of the six political parties forming the United Hungary opposition coalition. Last minute surprise? The forecast doesn't look good for the opposition. "Victor Orban has a 2/3 majority in parliament, and one of the big questions in the elections on Sunday is whether he can retain that 2/3 majority," says Panyi, of Direkt36. "The polls show that it is not realistic for the opposition to win. But it is also on the cards that Victor Orban can win a total majority and with that he can continue whatever he wants in tweaking all kinds of legislation in our constitutional system," he says. "Still, we're keeping our fingers crossed," Janos Gulyas says. "I was surprised by Brexit, the election of Trump, so hopefully we'll have another surprise now, in another direction." Mrs Tufuor, Mr Ameyibor and Nanahemaa Kumankuma 03.04.2022 LISTEN Break the professional biases, enter into the classified male-dominated fields, and make an impact, Mrs. Cynthia Kwarteng Tufuor, the Tema Regional Manager of the SIC Insurance Company PLC has stated and urged women to upgrade their technical and theoretical knowledge in other to break the professional biases. She emphasized that a well-educated woman with the necessary skills, knowledge, and self-assurance will necessarily be a better mother, worker, and citizen. Women who are empowered with knowledge, and skills will be more productive and well-honoured at whatever working field they found themselves. If women can uphold their skills, they could rise to the occasion when they are called upon, Mrs Tufuor stated. Mrs Tufuor stated this at the eleventh monthly stakeholder engagement seminar organized by the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office which is a platform rolled out for state and non-state actors to address national issues. The eleventh stakeholder engagement was also used to climax the GNA Tema Regional Offices month-long activities to mark the 2022 International Womens Day celebration and also mark the first anniversary of the stakeholder engagement. Speaking on the topic: Prospects of women in the insurance industry: Womens contribution to the SIC Mission, Mrs Tufuor explained that women occupy about 60 per cent of the work population at SIC but unfortunately women are in the minority when it comes to leadership. She said women only hold 35 per cent of SIC leadership positions, minority ruling the majority, this error is being corrected as in recent times women have started to build their managerial skills and abilities for the top. Mrs. Tufuor said, womens participation in leadership roles helps advance gender equality and affect both the range of policy issues that get considered and the type of solution that is proposed. She elaborated that women have a natural trait: good ability skills to understand and interact with people hence when given opportunities they will emphasize the quality of life and reflects on the priorities of families, women, ethnic, and racial minorities. Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Manager in his remarks commended the GPHA for opening up the workspace for womens penetration into the male-dominated field. He revealed that technology has virtually balanced the workspace, works that in the past demanded physical manpower have changed as machines are now being used to manage these, this makes it flexible for the female to also operate it. Mrs. Sika Ramatu Lawson, a Project Electrical Engineer at the Department of Electrical Engineer at Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) who spoke on Prospects of women in the oil refinery sector: Womens contribution to the success story of the Tema Oil Refinery, said the refinery which was a purely engineering-oriented field of work, was predominantly male-dominated as fewer women study and work in that area. Mrs. Florence Essel, Assistant General Manager in Charge of Administration, Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA) speaking on the topic: Prospects of women in the blue economy: Womens contribution to the GPHAs 60 years of operation, said societal classification of jobs in the past made it difficult for the female to venture into the male-dominated fields. She also noted that some of the machines and other operational mechanisms made it virtually impossible for a female to enter those fields in the past but now the situation is changing. Moroccan journalist and rights activist Omar Radi was transferred from a Casablanca prison to a jail further north, his father said Saturday, decrying a "hardening" of his son's incarceration conditions. Accused of espionage and rape, Radi, a freelance journalist and a vocal critic of the authorities, was sentenced on appeal to six years in prison last month. He maintained his innocence throughout his two-year-long trial. Idris Radi said his son's transfer to the Tiflet prison, some 150 kilometres (95 miles) from the Casablanca facility where he had been detained, was a sign of a "hardening of his detention and of vengeance towards him, his family and his defence committee". Radi has been taken "much further away" from the Casablanca hospital where he was receiving ongoing treatment for Crohn's disease, his father told AFP. Radi's trial began in 2020, just days after human rights group Amnesty International said Moroccan authorities had planted Pegasus spyware on his cellphone -- a claim Morocco denied. On Wednesday, Amnesty denounced "the continuation of restrictions" on freedom of expression in Morocco and accused authorities of using a coronavirus-related state of emergency to prevent peaceful demonstrations. A government rights body on Friday accused Amnesty of "meddling in legal matters" and said the rights group's position "is nothing more than political interference". Morocco is currently ranked 136th out of 180 countries on watchdog RSF's World Press Freedom Index. Hungary heads to the polls on Sunday to elect its next prime minister. The choice is between incumbent Victor Orban, who controls the media and seems unharmed despite his close relationship with Russia's Vladimir Putin, or Peter Marki-Zay, a dynamic former marketing manager who has united a mosaique of opposition parties. They all spoke at a final rally on the eve of polling day. Peter Marki-Zay held his last event in the capital on Saturday evening, on the eve of polling day. Speakers from the six coalition parties which include socialists, social democrats, greens, liberals and former far right parties took to the stage before handing the mike to the man they selected as their champion to fight Victor Orban. The event, on Madach Imre Square in Downtown Budapest, drew large crowds, all wielding umbrellas to stave off the steady drizzle. According to Marki-Zay, Victor Orban's ruling party Fidesz, was clearly in big trouble because it had to resort to spreading lies about the opposition wanting to scrap pensions and the minimum wage, facilitating gender change surgery for kindergarten pupils, or sending our children to Ukraine to die. Only brainwashed and unfortunate people can believe that someone would run with such a programme, he said. In many coalition election posters spread over the capital, people are told that the main choice they face is between "a Hungarian Putin" or "Europe." In the event of victory for the six-party alliance of the Democratic Coalition, Jobbik, LMP, the Socialists, Momentum and Parbeszed, it proposes to exempt people on minimum wages from income tax and double the minimum pension. A government under Marki-Zay would apply to join the Eurozone and invite the EU's Frontex borderguard agency to patrol. It also promises to introduce more lenient policies towards immigrants and change Budapest's strict anti-immigration policies, which were modified only temporarily to allow some 200,000 refugees from neighboring Ukraine to enter. Marki-Zay also said that Hungary will join the EU's Public Prosecutor's Office as a first step to making the country relevant again within Europe. Regarding foreign policy, Marki-Zay said that Orban, who "ran the most corrupt government in our 1,000-year history" had become a shame in Europe, and had lost the support of NATO, without which Hungary cannot be protected. Speaking just before Marki-Zay, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony said that Hungary should "reunify," adding that the opposition could now show that Orban does not equal Hungary". In addition to the united opposition's Budapest candidates, pastor Gabor Ivanyi, the founder of the Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship, and musician Andras Hajos also gave speeches. Victor Orban is running for a fourth consecutive term and the latest polls indicate that his Fidesz party has only a very narrow lead on the United Opposition, making it the closest race in more than a decade. The Park Manager for the Mole National Park in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, Ali Mahama, has called on resource guards to intensify genuine efforts at protecting the park as an important heritage for future generations. At a refresher training for some 75 guards of the forestry commission deployed at the park, he said past generations fought very hard to establish and sustain the park to its current status and it was duty bound for the current crop of working staff not to dwindle the fortunes of the heritage won for all. The training was aimed at empowering the trainees with skills to help improve park protection and field activities.It was carried out with funding from the CITES-MIKE programme under a project titled Protecting priority species of elephants and other target species at the Mole National Park. The Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants(MIKE) programme was established by the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and is largely dependent on donor support with the European Union (EU) being the most important donor for the CITES-MIKE programme. As the premier park in Ghana, it is necessary that such refresher training be organized to keep staff alert and in control of the protected area, he manager said. The Municipal Chief Executive for West Gonja, Musah Kusubari charged the forest guards of the park to endeavor at all times to protect the animals and plant species in the park. The honorable MCE said the protection of the resources in the park was not negotiable to the workers whose livelihood was dependent on the existence of the very park resources, adding that, "without the forest reserve and without these animals and plant species, you wouldn't be here...". He reiterated the fact that discipline and patience were key ingredients to success, calling on the trainees especially, the newly inducted guards to humble themselves and learn from their leaders and those ahead of them. "Count your self very lucky to be selected among the privileged few to work in this park. So do your very best to protect the animals. "You are here to protect the forest, so that generations yet unborn will also come and benefit from your sacrifice. If the resources in the forest are depleted and destroyed, future generations will suffer from your negligence of duty," he said. Alfred Bara, who spoke on behalf of the instructors took trainees through an overview of the training modules and various sessions and encouraged the trainees to take the course structures very seriously. According to him, one important tool for forest law enforcement was the establishment and manning of observation post and commended the park and training group for working without casualties. Modules that the Instructors took trainees through included: intensive first aid and life saver training, parade deportment and drills, patrol formation, patrol tactics, bush craft, protected area conflict management, leadership and team building, and an introduction to the Forestry Commission's Human Resource policy as well as the consolidated Wildlife laws of Ghana. 03.04.2022 LISTEN Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to enforce the judgment by the ECOWAS Court of Justice compelling your government to delete the offence of 'insulting or stalking public officials online' from the Cybercrime Act. SERAP urged him to urgently send an executive bill to the National Assembly to repeal the unlawful provisions,and reform all laws, which are inconsistent and incompatible with freedom ofexpression and media freedom. The judgment, delivered by the court last week in Accra, Ghana followed the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/09/19 brought by SERAP. SERAP also urged him to direct Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to withdraw all pending charges of 'insulting or stalking public officials online' against activists, critics and journalists, and immediately ensure their release from unlawful detention. SERAP urged him to ensure that those who have faced unfair prosecutions under the unlawful provisions receive adequate compensation. In the open letter dated 2 April, 2022 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, This judgment is a victory for many Nigerians who continue to face harassment, intimidation and unfair prosecutions solely for peacefully exercising their human rights online. The provisions of section 24 of the Cybercrime Act among others criminalise sending or causing to be sent an offensive, insulting or annoying message via a computer system or network. The offence is punishable including by a fine of up to N7,000,000.00 or imprisonment of up to 3 years or both. SERAP had argued before the ECOWAS Court that, The Federal Government and several state governments have used the vaguely worded provisions of the Cybercrime Act to trample on the rights to freedom of expression and information of bloggers, journalists, activists, and social media users. In its judgment, the court agreed, and ruled that section 24 of Cybercrime Act is inconsistent and incompatible with Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party. The court then ordered the Federal Government to amend section 24 of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act in accordance with Nigerian obligations under Article 1 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. The letter, read in part: The immediate enforcement and implementation of the judgment by your government will be a victory for the rule of law, the right to freedom of expression and media freedom online. This will improve citizens' participation in their own government, and provide an impetus for the anti-corruption fight. By implementing the judgment, your government will be demonstrating Nigeria's leadership within the ECOWAS sub-region, and sending a powerful message to other countries to embrace the rule of law and human rights. With the ECOWAS Court judgment, all federal and state authorities must now stop using the provisions of section 24 of the Cybercrime Act to target, harass, intimidate, arbitrarily arrest and detain and unfairly prosecute social media users, activists, and journalists who express views perceived to be critical of governments. SERAP notes that Article 15(4) of the ECOWAS Treaty makes the Judgment of the Court binding on Member States, including Nigeria. Also, Article 19(2) of the 1991 Protocol provides that the decisions of the Court shall be final and immediately enforceable. Furthermore, non-compliance with the judgment of the Court can be sanctioned under Article 24 of the Supplementary Protocol of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, and Article 77 of the ECOWAS Treaty. SERAP trusts that you will see compliance with this judgment as a central aspect of the rule of law; an essential stepping stone to constructing a basic institutional framework for legality, constitutionality. We therefore look forward to your positive response and action on the judgment. The judgment read by Hon. Justice Gberi-De Quattara (Presiding Judge), Hon. Justice Dupe Atoki (Member) and Hon. Justice Keikura Bangura (Member), chronicled details of Nigerian government officials using the Cybercrime Act, particularly its section 24 as a pretext to harass, intimidate, detain, prosecute and imprison activists, journalists, bloggers, and social media users. In its judgement, the ECOWAS Court held that 'The court has the jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit. In a plethora of decisions, the court has upheld that the mere allegation of human rights violations is sufficient to invoke this human rights mandate pursuant to Article 9 (4) of the Supplementary Protocol.' In view of the fact that this application is premised on human rights violations pursuant to Article 9(4) of the supplementary protocol, the court holds that it has jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit. According to the ECOWAS Court, 'The allegation of SERAP before the Court for determination on merit is whether the provision of the Cybercrime Act has violated the right to freedom of expression, information, opinion, and privacy in contravention of Article 9(1) and (2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and Article 19 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.' The ECOWAS Court then stated that, 'Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act is not in conformity with Article 9 of the African Charter and Article 19 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. As for reparation, Nigerian Government is ordered to amend section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, in accordance with the obligations under Article 1 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights.' SERAP also notes that by virtue of Article 24(4) of the Protocol A/P.1/7/91 relating to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice as amended by the Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/01/05 in January 2005, every member state of the Economic Community of West African States is required to designate a National Authority for the enforcement of the judgments of the Community Court of Justice. Pursuant to the provisions of the article 24 of the Protocol of the Community Court, the Federal Government decided in 2014 to designate the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as the Competent National Authority for the enforcement of the decisions of the court in Nigeria. The letter was copied to Mr Malami. 2 April 2022 His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari GCFR President, Federal Republic of Nigeria Aso Rock Presidential Villa Abuja C/O Professor Ibrahim Gambari Chief of Staff to the President Aso Rock Presidential Villa Abuja Your Excellency, Re: Request to enforce the judgment by the ECOWAS Court of Justice directing and compelling your government to delete the offence of 'insulting or stalking public officials online' from the Cybercrime Act Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) is writing to request you to use your good offices and leadership position to enforce the judgment by the ECOWAS Court of Justice directing and compelling your government to delete the offence of 'insulting or stalking public officials online' from the Cybercrime Act by urgently sending an executive bill to the National Assembly to repeal the provisions, and reform all laws which are inconsistent and incompatible with freedom of expression and media freedom. SERAP also urges you to direct Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to withdraw all charges of 'insulting or stalking public officials online' against activists, critics and journalists, immediately ensure their release from unlawful detention, and to pay adequate compensation to those who have faced unfair prosecutions on the basis of the unlawful provisions. The judgment delivered last week in Accra, Ghana followed the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/09/19 brought by SERAP challenging the legality of section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, which is frequently used by federal and state authorities to repress the right to freedom of expression and media freedom in Nigeria. SERAP is a non-profit, nonpartisan, legal and advocacy organization devoted to promoting transparency, accountability and respect for socio-economic rights in Nigeria. SERAP received the Wole Soyinka Anti-Corruption Defender Award in 2014, and was nominated for the UN Civil Society Award and Ford Foundation's Jubilee Transparency Award. SERAP is a member of the UNCAC Coalition, a global anti-corruption network of over 350 civil society organizations (CSOs) in over 100 countries, which is committed to promoting the ratification, implementation and monitoring of the UN Convention against Corruption. SERAP previously served as one of two Sub-Saharan African civil society representatives on the governing Committee of the Coalition. In the judgment, the ECOWAS Court ruled that section 24 of Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 is inconsistent and incompatible with Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party. The ECOWAS Court also ordered your government to amend section 24 of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act, 2015 in accordance with the obligation under Article 1 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. The unlawful provisions of section 24 of the Cybercrime Act among others criminalise sending or causing to be sent an offensive, insulting or annoying message via a computer system. With the ECOWAS Court judgment, all federal and state authorities must now stop using the provisions of section 24 of the Cybercrime Act to target, harass, intimidate, arbitrarily arrest and detain and unfairly prosecute users of the social media, human rights defenders, activists, journalists, broadcasters and bloggers who express views perceived to be critical of governments both at the Federal and State levels. The judgment read by Hon. Justice Gberi-De Quattara (Presiding Judge), Hon. Justice Dupe Atoki (Member) and Hon. Justice Keikura Bangura (Member), chronicled details of Nigerian government officials arbitrarily using the Cybercrime Act, particularly its section 24 as a pretext to harass, intimidate, arrest, detain, prosecute and imprison activists, journalists, bloggers, and social media users. In its judgement, the ECOWAS Court held that The court has the jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit. In a plethora of decisions, the court has upheld that the mere allegation of human rights violations is sufficient to invoke this human rights mandate pursuant to Article 9 (4) of the Supplementary Protocol. In view of the fact that this application is premised on human rights violations pursuant to Article 9(4) of the supplementary protocol, the court holds that it has jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit. According to the ECOWAS Court, The allegation of SERAP before the Court for determination on merit is whether the provision of the Cybercrime Act has violated the right to freedom of expression, information, opinion, and privacy in contravention of Article 9(1) and (2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and Article 19 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. The ECOWAS Court then stated that, Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act is not in accordance/conformity with Article 9 of the African Charter and Article 19 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. As for reparation, Nigerian Government is ordered to amend section 24 of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act, 2015 in accordance with the obligations under Article 1 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights. SERAP notes that Article 15(4) of the ECOWAS Treaty makes the Judgment of the Court binding on Member States, including Nigeria. Also, Article 19(2) of the 1991 Protocol provides that the decisions of the Court shall be final and immediately enforceable. Furthermore, non-compliance with the judgment of the Court can be sanctioned under Article 24 of the Supplementary Protocol of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, and Article 77 of the ECOWAS Treaty. SERAP also notes that by virtue of Article 24(4) of the Protocol A/P.1/7/91 relating to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice as amended by the Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/01/05 in January 2005, every member state of the Economic Community of West African States is required to designate a National Authority for the enforcement of the judgments of the Community Court of Justice. Pursuant to the provisions of the article 24 of the Protocol of the Community Court, the Federal Government decided in 2014 to designate the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as the Competent National Authority for the enforcement of the decisions of the court in Nigeria. This judgment is a victory for many Nigerians who continue to face harassment, intimidation and unfair prosecution solely for peacefully exercising their human rights online. The immediate enforcement and implementation of the judgment by your government will be a victory for the rule of law, the right to freedom of expression and media freedom, including online. This will in turn improve citizens' participation in their own government, and provide an impetus for the anti-corruption fight. By implementing the judgment, your government will be demonstrating Nigeria's leadership within the ECOWAS sub-region, and sending a powerful message to other countries to embrace the rule of law and human rights. SERAP trusts that you will see compliance with this judgment as a central aspect of the rule of law; an essential stepping stone to constructing a basic institutional framework for legality, constitutionality, the rule of law practice and culture in the country. We therefore look forward to your positive response and action on the judgment. Please accept the expression of our highest consideration. Thanking you in advance of your attention to the matter. Yours sincerely, Kolawole Oluwadare Deputy Director CC Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Federal Ministry of Justice Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area Abuja 03.04.2022 LISTEN The past 24 hours have been truly nostalgic. It's the 3rd NUGS Congress in the past four years. Tinkaro-Gombilla found agreeable grounds to hand over their two-headed union to Isaac Jay Hyde and his fellow executives. History remembers them for succeeding at what many had failed to do, in almost a decade. It was to be the beginning of redemption for NUGS. And indeed it was. After serving for close to two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic, leadership of the union was handed down to Emmanuel Boakye Yiadom, Julius Kwame Anthony and the rest of their colleagues in 2021. The period after that has seen even a more significant boost in the relevance of the union to the average Ghanaian student. Though bumpy at some points, Emmanuel YB, Julius Anthony and the other incumbent executives have built a useful foundation for the union which is attracting people to NUGS and are now beginning to feel it matters to their student life. You can check on social media how people hail current executives of the union for standing up to one authority or the other. That's very good progress, considering where the union was just some 5 years ago. As they say, it is good to show up when you are around but the real test of a leader is what happens in his absence. Will what s/he has built over the period be able to stand the test of time? Julius and YB and all leaders of what now looks clearly like a voyage into factions in the union should know that, if this union breaks again, they will be held for it. If the union gets tattered again, it will be in their name and they'll forever be remembered as the ones who took the union back into its dark days. The dark days where NUGS was muted and blacklisted by credible media houses because of factionalism, the dark days where NUGS had no representation on statutory government boards and committees because it had two faces, the dark days when student activism was at its lowest and student voices were missing from government policy interventions and considerations. Both Kwesi Atuahene and Dennis Appiah Larbi who appear to be the new faces emerging must be weary of becoming the pawns which are used to destroy the new NUGS and drag it back into the abyss of worthlessness. The NUGS which was the pivot around the organization and evacuation of stranded Ghanaian students from Ukraine. The NUGS which was at the center of the admission of the 499 students refused entry into the Ghana School of Law. The NUGS which has rejuvenated the base of student groupings that government now sees it as a major stakeholder to engage in various means. I can go on and on with several instances that the new NUGS has made students smile for one reason or the other in just the past few months. In any case, both Julius and YB exemplify the reality that losing an election is not the end of a person's life. In 2019, Emmanuel Boakye Yiadom lost the NUGS presidential race to Isaac Jay Hyde. As former Morning Show on University of Ghana's Radio Univers, I remember interviewing a teary and utterly broken YB on the morning after the congress. His words 'if this is how they choose to repay me after all that I have done, I leave them to God. I will not be discouraged. I wish him [Jay Hyde] all the best'. He clearly had issues with the process But he didn't declare himself President just because of that. Much as I would have loved for him to challenge the results in a court of competent jurisdiction, he did not. And that was also okay. At the next Congress in 2021, YB was elected president. If you still don't get the point, look to Julius Anthony. He lost the SRC presidential race in 2019 at University of Ghana. This was an election which had all credible polls tipping his ticket with Kwaku Asante as the winning ticket. But he lost. Today he is General Secretary of NUGS, representing an even larger congregation of students. I am not saying keep quiet when you disagree with the process. By all means challenge a fraudulent system, but don't do that by committing another fraud. I really may not have to go into the details of this particular 2022 NUGS Congress at Ejisu, because it's the same script with different characters. But whether it is declaring yourself winner before the process ends or it is hijacking the process so that all other voices won't matter to the outcome, you have no respect and no means of making any real impact if the front breaks. That's the most certain prediction anyone with even half a brain can make. So hasten slowly. Two heads are indeed better than one but there's no NUGS if there are two heads on its neck. Manuel Koranteng Host of Campus Exclusive Radio Univers 105.7fm University of Ghana. 03.04.2022 LISTEN The National Disaster Management Organisation, NADMO, wants the demolition of the old Foreign Affairs Ministry building located near the Tema Station in Accra. The 10-storey structure has been left unattended to for the last twelve years after fire swept through it on October 21, 2009. According to the NADMO, the structural integrity of the edifice has been compromised. Speaking to Citi News, Director of Communication of NADMO, George Ayisi, said it would be best to pull down the building to forestall any disaster. NADMO is concerned about the looming danger the building poses, especially with human activities going on in that perimeter. God forbid, but if anything untoward happens, it is going to be disastrous. We know that the integrity of the building has been compromised and no engineer will advise that we keep it. The structure, which shares a compound with the Accra Regional Passport Office, near Tema Station, caught fire on October 21, 2009, and has since been a safe haven for animals while plants have grown in them. By Citi Newsroom A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. 03.04.2022 LISTEN As the holy month of Ramadan kick-starts, the Member of Parliament for Daboya-Mankarigu constituency, Hon. Alhaji Mahama Asei Seini made a donation of 200 bags of sugar to the Muslim community in his constituency to support them in the month-long Ramadan fasting. The donation was made for onward distribution to Mosques, Imams, women and the youth observing this year's Ramadan. The donation according to the lawmaker, is part of his resolve to support Muslims undergoing both spiritual and physical cleansing at this period considered to be one of the major pillars in the Islamic calendar. He reiterated that Ramadan is a period for Muslims across the globe to seek Allah's forgiveness, blessings, sanctification, purification and guidance to enable them endure the challenges associated with the period of fasting. Alhaji Asei urged them to continue praying for peace in the area and also pray to Allah to bless President Akufo Addo with good health and wisdom to lead Ghana to prosperity. He seized the opportunity to pledge his continuous support to the people and wishes the Muslim community a fruitful fasting period. The Daboya-Mankarigu lawmaker has over the years, supported his Muslim brothers and sisters during the holy month of Ramadan with sugar and other assorted items. It's a Monday night in Johannesburg, the time when comedy sessions typically take place at Cocktail on Six, in the Melville neighbourhood. The club is divided into two rooms: one for patrons to relax and wash away the day's worries, the other a designated space for comedy shows. In the second room, the first act of the night is Suhayl Essa. As he takes the stage it's visibly obvious he hasn't performed in front of a crowd for a while. He leisurely paces the stage back and forth to take the temperature of the room. His comedy routine leads with his heritage and how there is a limitation in career choices: When you are Indian, you either become a doctor or a mobile phone and electronics vendor, says Essa in one of his punchlines. Before pursuing comedy as a profession, Essa practiced medicine. He also grew up in a politically conscious household run by activists in the coastal KwaZulu-Natal province. Like with Essa, South Africa's brand of comedy feeds off the country's tumultuous, racial past. This trend saw the post-apartheid comedy scene galvanise around the country's complex identity politics. Pioneers such as David Kau, Kagiso Lediga, Joey Rasdien and Ronnie Modimola went on to develop it beyond stand up and into various mainstream television formats, notably the Pure Monate Show. Personal touch But Essa's generation has taken the baton to add on an extra layer where realpolitik co-exists with personal stories. At its core, this is pegged to a prevailing storm of global themes such as gender inequality, cancel culture and mental wellness, among others. At Monday Comedy Nights, the extension of this zeitgeist also manifests itself through a slew of female comics whose routines tell of how they are navigating comedy and the world at large. A comic's life is perpetually centred around performance. Between working out material in small clubs and big arenas, the impetus is to connect with a reciprocal audience whose energy determines whether a joke lands or not. In South Africa, the years 2020 and 2021 disrupted this ritual between comics and audiences because of Covid pandemic that saw many venues shut down. The entire industry composed of talent and promoters was in a tailspin due to strict lockdowns. But in the wake of relaxed restrictions in 2022, the industry is rebuilding from the ground up. Versatility Like most entertainers who garner hype with an online presence in the name of personal brand building, comics too are multi-platform creatures. This trait inevitably peaked during the height of Covid-19 lockdowns. The result? They created podcasts and Youtube channels to maintain a semblance of activity and keep their captive audiences entertained. Such is the case for Essa, who started with simple social media like Facebook and Instagram, then moved over to YouTube and more recently Tik Tok. Ten or 20 years ago, comedians focused on other forms of media to get their name out there, he says, adding that nowadays comics live in a time when people are the most distracted, so you gotta be in their face all the time." Purveyors of comedy can fall into a situation where they are performing 24/7, which becomes problematic in the long run. Is it sustainable as a long-term lifestyle? You see a lot of people coming out of the back end of the 'influencer sausage factory' pretty damaged, says cultural commentator Andrew Miller. The challenge for all creative types and for comics is that your life becomes the performance if you gonna do the online, the offline, the reality show, etc. Behind the scenes In the throes of finding its feet again, the business of laughter owes a lot to work done behind the scenes. Monday Comedy Night is one such event where organisational aspects such as publicity and bookings are run by the duo of Gavin Kelly and Emile Alexander. Both believe that the culture has to be kept alive at all costs. We are literally building the industry with our bare hands right now, Kelly tells the Africa Calling podcast. As the local comedy ecosystem gears itself up for a re-awakening from a two-year slumber, each part of the machinery from comics to the audience and organisers agrees the scene is alive and well. We are laughing again. This was originally heard on RFI's Africa Calling podcast. Stunned residents of the northern Somali city of Hargeisa were struggling to pick up the pieces Sunday after a massive inferno destroyed the central market, and with it the livelihoods of thousands. The mayor of Hargeisa, capital of the breakaway region of Somaliland, estimated the blaze that engulfed the Waheen market had caused losses of up to $2 billion. Officials have issued urgent appeals for help to rebuild the open-air market, which was the bustling economic heart of Hargeisa with an estimated 2,000 shops and stalls. The fire broke out late Friday and the flames rapidly swept through the market, consuming everything in their path before they were largely brought under control on Saturday. No-one was killed in the disaster that struck at the start of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, but 28 people were injured and hundreds of businesses destroyed, officials said. The cause is not yet known. "According to preliminary information about the damage the fire caused, there is an estimated loss of property ranging between $1.5 billion to $2 billion," Hargeisa mayor Abdikarim Mohamed Moge told reporters late Saturday. "The town has never witnessed such a massive calamity." The mayor of Hargeisa said efforts to contain the blaze were hampered by problems of access in the market. By MATAAN YUUSUF AFP He said the clean-up operation would begin in earnest on Tuesday after allowing local residents and traders to try to retrieve any property that survived the blaze. A five-member committee has been set up by Somaliland's president Muse Bihi Abdi to lead the rescue operation and efforts to assist those whose livelihoods have been ruined by the disaster. Information minister Saleban Yusuf Ali Kore told reporters the flames destroyed an area of about 99,000 square metres (about 24 acres). Problems of congestion Hargeisa is the capital of the breakaway region of Somaliland. By AFPFile Images from the scene showed huge flames and clouds of smoke billowing into the sky over Hargeisa as the fire took hold, with many buildings destroyed or turned into charred wrecks, their windows blown out. Somaliland's fire and rescue chief Ahmed Mohamed Hassan said at least 24 vehicles were used in the firefighting operation but were hampered by poor access in the sprawling market and the difficulty of breaking into shops locked up with iron bars. "We have been complaining about the overcrowding here for some time and sent our concerns to the business owners, but they have ignored our calls to clear the clogged pathways," he said. "I hope they will learn from this." Several countries including Britain, which once ruled Somaliland as a protectorate, and neighbouring Ethiopia and Djibouti have offered support and sympathy over the disaster. "Your city will rise again and the UK will do what we can to support Somaliland's rebuilding effort," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted on Saturday, without giving details. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, an act not recognised by the international community that has left the region of 4.5 million people poor and isolated. Somaliland has however remained a comparative beacon of stability while Somalia has been wracked by decades of political violence. April 03, 2022 The MoA Week In Review - OT 2022-40 Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama: Propaganda: Gonzalo Lira proves without doubt that four different Ukrainian propaganda clips with different actors were all filmed at the exact same location, a 'battlefield' with several long destroyed Ukrainian tanks --> Propaganda BTFO (video) Yesterday evening a Ukrainian station showed a video of Ukrainian troops driving through Bucha, north of Kiev, with several 'dead' people lying in the street allegedly 'killed by Russians'. There are two difficulties with these claims: - One of the dead appears to move his arm: video - Bucha was declared 'completely liberated' of Russian troops by its mayor on Thursday, March 31. Are we to believe it would take three days for such an 'incriminating' video to come out? Or that those 'dead' were lying there for three days with no one bothering? --- Other issues: U.S. regime change drive in Pakistan: Afghanistan: Biden Breaks Off Talks with Afghan Government Despite Raging Hunger Crisis - Libertarian Institute I had written that, according to witnesses, most of the casualties of the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport had come from U.S. soldiers shooting at civilians after the bomb exploded. The U.S. military had denied that. The Pro Publica report below finally proves it: > It sounded like a shooting range, said one Marine who was knocked momentarily unconscious by the blast. An overwhelming amount of gunfire, everywhere. He hid behind the ditch wall until the tear gas gave him some cover, then sprinted into the airport. ... One Marine thought he saw another gunman in a watchtower by the roof. He raised his rifle to take him out, when, suddenly, another Marine practically tackled him. Its a fucking British guy! someone else yelled, racing down the line to warn others. Dont shoot him! A Marine later told investigators that she began firing in the same direction as other troops. I went in and saw a lot of Marines shooting by a barrier, she said. There was a lot of smoke, she said. I couldnt see where they were firing. They grabbed me, and I started firing my weapon as well. I dont know what I was firing at. < Use as open thread ... Posted by b on April 3, 2022 at 13:30 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Emily Holeva, 31, has reacquainted herself with the hometown she grew up in. After working in Louisiana, Mozambique and New York City, Holeva has realized there is a lot to love (and sometimes hate) in her hometown that has changed from what she knew. Holeva was born in Midland in 1991 and graduated from Midland High School in 2009. She graduated early from Texas Tech University with a political science degree. After college, she moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for two years to work for an oil and gas company, CB&I, in its legal department. I had a really good boss who said, I need you to go be something more, you cant just be an admin for the rest of your life, Holeva said. While at a work dinner in Houston she met the companys country manager for Mozambique. That meeting opened the door for her to work internationally. He joked with me and asked if I wanted to go work in Africa, she said. I said sure. Then two weeks later I got a letter that said I was accepted onto the government affairs team for our Mozambique project. There was a lot of culture shock, including the fact that Portuguese is the official language and it is a predominantly Muslim country, but she loved the differences. She worked with the government and local tribes, informing them about the project. Out of precaution due to the political climate -- not long after she arrived -- the company moved employees back to Houston in 2015. I studied abroad in Rome during college and I feel like leaving Midland to experience the world and other cultures is so important for our little bubble out here, she said. I love our bubble but sometimes we need to see what else is out there. Both those experiences (Mozambique and Rome) have been the biggest life lessons and learning curves for me personally. Not long after returning back to the US, Holeva got the chance to work on Hurricane Sandy relief project in New York City at the same company. She said the process of providing relief was interesting to witness. The company then went through an acquisition, and the department she worked in was dissolved. Everything was up in the air again so I decided to move back to Midland not planning on staying, she said. I thought I would come back for a month or two and figure out my next move then leave. She ended up staying in Midland and re-immersing herself into the community. I left before the boom of 2014 and so I left kind of in a bust, it was right after the housing crisis so Midland was smaller and slower, Holeva said. When I came back the town was booming, oil was good, people were prospering, there were new restaurants and stores. I was like what happened to my town? In a good way. Holeva added that Midland as a kid versus Midland as an adult is a weird line to dance across. When were kids, we think Midland is just a small town, the adults are weird and we want to get out, she said. Now, I think Midland has a lot to offer but it can be very siloed with what it offers so it's on the individual to figure out where they fit in and what they enjoy. It took some time for her to distinguish herself from the 18-year-old she used to be known as and from her parents Danny and Carla Holeva, who have always been very involved in the non-profit world of Midland. Danny has been the executive director of the Arts Council of Midland for 20 years, and Carla is currently the director of Development at American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas. I was very much my parents' child still because when you leave at 18 thats what everyone thinks you are the next time they see you even though I was 26 when I came back, she said. It is very hard for a 26-year-old to appreciate people asking if Im Dannys daughter when Im trying to make a name for myself. She said as soon as she stopped trying to differentiate herself from her parents she was able to be different. I felt like I was trying too hard to figure out how to be different, she said. A lot of the things Im passionate about go to the non-profit side, and when I was trying to find something different, I knew my dad was in the arts nonprofits and my mom was at Basin PBS at the time so I decided to go into health care nonprofits. She started working at her alma mater, Texas Tech University at the Health Sciences Center in Midland/Odessa as a marketing and communications manager. She stayed at that job for more than two years. She has now transitioned to the corporate banking world and works for Frost Bank as the Community Development officer. Midlands non-profit sector is large and expansive and there are many nonprofits to choose from when it comes to supporting a certain mission. She said becoming really picky helped her focus on which organizations and groups to put her energy towards. Holeva is more than just her job title too. She is on many committees and boards throughout Midland from the Sibley Nature Center marketing committee to the MISD Community Advisory Committee. She is currently involved as a commissioner for the city's Planning and Zoning Commission, board member for League of Women Voters of Midland, board member for United Way of Midland, board member for Midland Teen Court, on the MISD Community Advisory Committee, member of the Executive Women of Midland, graduate of Leadership Midland and is currently enrolled in Leadership Texas. Public education has been a big issue for her the last few years. Im a product of MISD and so its one of those issues where if I hear someone slam public education in Midland its hard for me to hear, she said. I fully support public education here. I think public schools should be beacons in communities. I think we should have the best teachers. I know it is more complicated than that, but the community needs to continue supporting our schools and educators, from our superintendent Dr. Ramsey to teachers and onto custodial workers. Holeva said she has a few mentors in the community who have positively affected her time here. She has known Karmen Bryant since she was 10-years-old and she has grown from someone she admires to a friend and a soul-sister in her personal and professional life. Karmen is a confidant I turn to for anything and someone I trust and aspire to be for her authenticity, community involvement, humor but most importantly her character," Holeva said. Former city councilwoman Sharla Hotchkiss has helped mentor Holeva on what her next step is, she said. I have known Sharla since I was a teenager and when I moved back, she helped me figure out how to tackle Midland as an adult, she added. Permian Basin Regional President for Frost Bank Wesley Bownds has also been a mentor to Holeva. Wesley Bownds' mentorship is a unique example of different generations coming together to solve community problems, she said. I also consider Wesley to be my friend and someone I turn to both professionally and personally when faced with a hurdle. I met Wesley when I moved back to Midland and hes been a breath of fresh air for me even though weve both been in the community forever. A lot of people think Midland has an identity issue, but Holeva thinks differently. I think Midlands identity is a mix of a hometown vibe and the good quirks that come from big city influence, she said. To come to Midland and appreciate it, people have to know they will experience big artist concerts while also being able to go to Grahams Pharmacy to eat and see your neighbors, people you go to church with and people you work with. She does think Midland sometimes has an authenticity crisis, she added. Midland is a mover and shaker, she said. A big business, a small business, what's the next type of place. I think sometimes we lose sight of being our true selves because instead we read rooms and try to socially climb instead of being ourselves, finding our pace and ultimately finding our spot and group that we need. She has witnessed a clash between the new guard and the old guard within Midland. The older generation and younger generation in Midland are kind of at odds with each other right now, Holeva said. There is this very traditional way of doing things which have worked but now that Midland has changed so much and there are groups like Midland AF that are stirring the pot and its a change but a good change. She hopes Midland will continue to open up the old ways to allow new expectations to come in and that the older generation can reach out to the younger generation to help us and merge with how things have been done. Midland is a great place for something new whether it's a restaurant, business or idea. Her advice to other millenials in Midland is to keep pushing buttons. Because I even find myself taking the easy road because its the way its always been, she said. Its refreshing to kind of ruffle the feathers. Just keep pushing buttons, keep asking for new things and forge your own path. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close A child's hands are seen on a barrier at an area under lockdown amid the coronavirus disease pandemic, in Shanghai, China on March 26, 2022. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate You know Jesse James, Billy the Kid, and the Dalton Brothers. Now meet Harry Tracy, the Old Wests last outlaw. Tracy was a walking bundle of contradictions. Strikingly handsome with an Abercrombie & Fitch models disdainful smirk, he could be excessively polite. Women adored him, and he revered them as symbols of Victorian purity. He was charming company, even funny when he wanted to be. He could also be withdrawn, lonely, and moody. He was savagely dangerous and deadly with a gun. Harry had bad luck and made bad choices, and even when he tried to do the right thing, he got a bad break. Born Harry Severns in Pittsville, Wisconsin, in 1875, there are dark hints the boy was physically abused. By 16, Harry couldnt take it anymore. He was already a crack shot, bitter, and deeply in love. Harry desperately wanted to marry sweetheart Eugenie Carter and start a new life. But that took money. So, he robbed a post office of $160. He was kissing Eugenie goodbye when the sheriff opened fire, becoming the first man Harry sent to his grave. There was no going back now. Harry was an outlaw. He turned up in Missouri with the acquired surname Tracy. Hiding in an Ozarks shack, he forced two men identified as bums to help him rob eight hunters of $750. He bounced around out West, hoping to reunite with his beloved Eugenie. Harry recognized the importance of having moneyhe just wasnt willing to work for it. A dangerous pattern developed. His version of going to an ATM was pulling an armed robbery and living off the loot until the cash ran out. Then he robbed again. And again. In Salt Lake City, a holdup went bad, and he was sent to prison. But Harry outfoxed his guards, slipped away, and started over in Colorado. In 1894 (at age 19, mind you), a Colorado Springs saloon holdup was bungled; two lawmen were killed as he fled. The next stop was Montana, where he joined a gang of horse and cattle thieves. The leader got drunk and beat his Native-American wife. That deeply offended Harry, who ended the beatings by putting a bullet through the abusive husbands head. Harry dropped out of sight after that, roaming the West and brooding over Eugenie. Then, a miracle happened: Out of the blue, he ran into her in Cripple Creek, Colorado. They married. Harry seemed genuinely interested in turning over a new leaf. He bought a little ranch in Idaho and for a few months, the newlyweds were blissfully happy. But Fate was determined to never let Harry stay happy for long. Two friends accused of stealing horses hid out at Harrys ranch. A posse surrounded the place. For once, Harry had no part in the crime. He and Eugenie decided to flee. The posse opened fire when they ran. Eugenie was hit. Harry went berserk and started shooting like a madman, killing three posse members, and sending the rest running for their lives. Harry held Eugenie in his arms as she died, gently placed her body on their bed, and rode off into the night. His one sincere attempt at going straight had ended in bloody failure. If Harry was bad before, he was worse now. He particularly blamed lawmen for his woes. After a few years of riding and robbing, he eventually reached the Pacific Northwest and fell in with fellow bad guy David Merrill. They committed one hold up after another until they were caught and hustled off to Oregons penitentiary. A buddy smuggled two rifles into the prison. They made their break on June 9, 1902. Harry shot one guard and used another as a human shield. In all, three guards and three civilians were shot dead. With that, the greatest manhunt in Pacific Northwest history was underway. It was front-page news nationally. July 3: The Seattle Daily Times reported, In all the criminal lore of the country there is no record equal to that of Harry Tracy. Jesse James, compared with Tracy, was a Sunday school teacher. July 4: It was said Harry killed two officers and mortally wounded two others near Seattle. July 8: Harry reportedly held up six men near Olympia and confessed to killing Merrill after a disagreement. Harry would drop from sight, then show up hungry at some farmers door demanding food and lodging at gunpoint. Incredibly, some hostages said he was pleasant, cheerful, even good company. And yet, he also murdered at least five men while on the run. The public was nearing panic mode. Washington and Idahos governors offered $6,000 in reward money, dead or alive. His luck finally ran out on Aug. 6, 1902, when he was cornered near Creston, Washington, and shot in the leg. Surrounded, Harry committed suicide. It was over. After killing an estimated 25 men (mostly law officers), committing some 43 robberies, and making at least six jailbreaks Harry Tracy, the Old Wests last outlaw, was dead at age 27. His body was publicly displayed, there was a prolonged, nasty fight over the reward money (which dwindled to $2,500 when it was reluctantly paid), and Harry faded into the mist of time. He is known today only to hardcore history buffs, a psychopath who brought misery everywhere he went while suffering his own inner torment every step of the way. Buy now, pay later is becoming common at large retailers like Target, Ikea and Macys. More and more small-business owners are allowing their customers the ability to pay in installments, too. In fact, 55% of local businesses use buy now, pay later online and 5% offer it as an in-store payment option, according to a February survey from payments news site PYMNTS.com. If youre thinking about offering buy now, pay later at your small business, heres what you need to know. Buy now, pay later involves three parties: the customer, the merchant and the buy now, pay later provider. When a customer makes a purchase, the provider pays the merchant in full, minus fees. Then the customer pays the provider back in installments. Buy now, pay later transactions cost merchants anywhere from 1.5% to 7% of a customers total purchase amount, compared to 1% to 3% for most debit and credit cards, according to a 2021 briefing from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. For example, say your customer splits a $400 purchase into four payments of $100 each. If your buy now, pay later provider charges a 5% fee for this service, it would pay you $380 upfront for this transaction and collect the $400 from the customer over time. Buy now, pay later may cost more than other payment methods, but advocates for the service say it brings additional benefits. We usually ask our retail clients not to think of us as a payment option, but as a new customer acquisition channel, says David Sykes, head of Klarna North America. According to the PYMNTS.com survey, a higher percentage of millennial and Generation Z customers are interested in using buy now, pay later compared to respondents of other generations, particularly at luxury and specialty stores. If youre a boutique, if youre artisanal, if youre a high-margin business, (serving younger customers) offers you the opportunity to have a longer-term value for that customer, says Julian Alcazar, a Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City payments specialist. Buy now, pay later may also lead to more customers increasing their spending. Thats been the case for online sustainable clothing marketplace Wearwell. Wearwell began accepting buy now, pay later payments after receiving a Small Business Impact Initiative grant from Klarna in 2021. Today, customers who use Klarna spend about 76% more than those who dont, according to the companys co-founder and CEO, Erin Houston. It just reduces the friction when it comes to someone adding one more thing to their cart, or choosing to splurge on that purchase that they really want, Houston says. Buy now, pay later isnt just for retailers. Alcazar has seen a dentist and a mechanic accept installment payments in recent years. When emergencies happen, they dont happen on payday, Alcazar says. Buy now, pay later can allow customers to get the service they need right away, which means the merchant can perform the service and get paid for it sooner. In December, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau launched a probe of five buy now, pay later providers, including Klarna. Officials cited concerns about how much debt customers are accumulating, how these companies use customer data and whether they adequately disclose their fees and dispute resolution processes. Buy now, pay later providers will have to adapt to potential regulations, says Brett Worick, vice president of BNPL and point of sale lending at First National Bank of Omaha. And as this payment method gets more popular, he says buy now, pay later providers will need to learn to manage the risks of these kinds of loans, which may mean their offerings will change. Its almost like the risk is the stuff that we dont even know about yet, says Terri Bradford, a senior payments specialist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. When shopping for a buy now, pay later provider , Bradford says its not like theres a one-size-fits-all. Buy now, pay later apps wont be your only options banks offer at-checkout financing, too. For example, First National Bank of Omaha rolled out its own buy now, pay later service last fall. In addition to helping businesses offer at-checkout financing with payment terms of a few months, FNBO has point-of-sale loans with terms as long as 10 years. Its really just a new way to lend money to customers in the more digital, instantaneous age, FNBOs Worick says. Look for a buy now, pay later provider that integrates with your point-of-sale system. If you have a brick-and-mortar location, note that some providers are now available in stores as well as online. Its also important to choose a provider that you trust to represent your business, because shoppers dont always distinguish between a merchant and the third party theyre using for payments. Do the due diligence to figure out who that partner is, what their terms are, what they do for the consumer, Bradford says, because those are your customers. A delegation of Pakistan's opposition lawmakers submitted a no-trust motion against National Assembly Speaker (NA) Asad Qaiser, Geo News reported. More than 100 opposition lawmakers have signed the no-confidence motion, including Ayaz Sadiq, Khursheed Shah, PPP's Naveed Qamar and JUI-F's Shahida Akhtar Ali. "The resolution for removal from office of the Speaker, Mr Asad Qaiser under paragraph of clause (7) of Article 53 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, read with Rule 12 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, 2077," the document read. Sharing the notification on his Twitter handle, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said, "Surprise", tagging both the Speaker and Prime Minister Imran Khan. Earlier in March, the opposition had decided to table no-confidence motions against Qaiser and Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri enraged with their "biased remarks". Informed sources had told Geo News that the draft of the no-trust motions against the NA Speaker and Deputy Speaker, signed by over 100 MNAs, had been sent to the opposition's leadership. As per the draft of the no-trust move, the NA Speaker and his Deputy have been accused of being biased. It had said that the duo has violated the rules as they have not yet resigned from their party's posts. Click here to read the full article. After consoling Will Smith after Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, Denzel Washington has now spoken publicly about what happened at last Sundays awards show. Washington attended author and bishop T.D. Jakes leadership summit on Saturday morning for a discussion about his career and faith when Jakes asked him about what happened between Smith and Rock at the Oscars. Well, theres a saying, When the devil ignores you, then you know youre doing something wrong. The devil goes, Oh no, leave him alone, hes my favorite. Conversely, when the devil comes at you, maybe its because hes trying to do something right. And for whatever reason the devil got ahold of that circumstance that night, Washington told Jakes on stage. Washington was seen speaking to Smith, along with Tyler Perry and Smiths publicist, during the commercial breaks at the Oscars after Smith slapped Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. During his acceptance speech for best actor, Smith thanked Washington and said that Washington told him, At your highest moment, be careful, thats when the devil comes for you. Fortunately there were people there. Not just me, but others. Tyler Perry came immediately right over there with me. [Said] some prayers. I dont wanna say what we talked about, but for the grace of God go any of us. Who are we to condemn? I dont know all the ins and outs of the situation, but I know the only solution was prayer, the way I see it, Washington said on Saturday. Smiths public fallout over the slap has turned into the biggest crisis of his career. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences launched an investigation into the assault this week, and on Friday Smith resigned from the Academys membership. The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home, Smith said in a statement Friday. I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken. At his first stand-up show since the slap, Rock spoke about the incident in Boston, saying that hes still processing what happened and will fully discuss it at a later time. I dont have a bunch of shit about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend, Rock said at Wednesday nights show. Im still kind of processing what happened. So, at some point Ill talk about that shit. And it will be serious and funny. Correction: Washingtons quotes were updated for clarity. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. If you were expecting this weeks Saturday Night Live to kick off with a sketch parodying the Will Smith/Chris Rock slap at the Oscars, you may have been disappointed by the cold open. (That came later.) The slap was indeed mentioned, but it was just one of several topics brought up as the show once again turned to a Fox News parody to lead the episode. (Chris Redd played Smith in a sketch later, with host Jerrod Carmichael playing a seat filler sitting next to the star during the moment of the slap.) This week, it was another go at Fox and Friends, featuring hosts Steve Doocy (played by Alex Moffat), Ainsley Earhardt (Heidi Gardner) and Brian Kilmeade (Mikey Day). The hosts welcomed Clarence Thomas (Kenan Thompson) and wife Ginni Thomas (Kate McKinnon) whose support of the January 6 attempted coup has become a lightning rod for scandal. I take my duty as the Yoko Ono of the Supreme Court very seriously, McKinnon as Ginni Thomas said. All I want is a tidal wave of biblical vengance to wash away the Biden crime family all the way to Gitmo and then we release the Kraken. Also on hand was Cecily Strong as host Jeanine Pirro. Later on The Five, Disney has an exciting new project: turning your kindergartener gay! Strong as Pirro screamed to the audience. Governor DeSantis signed a bill protecting our precious Florida schools from Americas dangerous Ellens and Caitlyns. By the way, Caitlyn Jenner, welcome to the Fox News family! Now, Woke Disney wont stop until all of Disney World is packed with twinkerbelles, Cinderfellas and that gay Mr. Toad. When Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) dialed in, he was asked about the Smith/Rock Oscars slap. And he answered by referring to Smith as his character in the film Hitch. I did see Slap, I enjoyed slap. I was I was very impressed with my Hitch. Quite an arm on Hitch. I always knew Hitch had an arm. Back in Pursuit of Happyness, hes slugging the machine on and off the subway. I thought it was great. You know, they slept in the bathroom in that movie. Its so sad. its a sad night for Hitch too. Oh, and Trump basically confessed to his role in the coup attempt. I was too busy with burner phone and coup, he said. Couldve been, shouldve been, maybe violent is perhaps good. They used to do violent all the time. Comedian Jerrod Carmichael is the April 2 host of Saturday Night Live. The gig comes one night after the premiere of his HBO special Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel. Im not going to talk about it, Carmichael said at the start of his monologue. He was referring, of course, to the Slap. Arent you sick of talking about it? It feels like we were talking about it for so long. This is going to really blow your minds. Can you believe its been six days? Six days. This happened a week ago. I feel like it happened years ago. I feel like it happened when we were all in high school. Like, it feels like it happened somewhere between Jamiroquai and 9/11. Like somewhere a long, long time ago. It feels like weve been living in the wake of in our entire lives. It happened on Sunday. On Sunday. Its Saturday, bro. On Monday, it was exciting. Im not gonna lie. If this were Monday. You wouldnt be able to get me to shut up about it. But Carmichael said exec producer Lorne Michaels asked him to talk about it during his monologue. By Friday I made a vow to myself. I promised myself I would never ever talk about it again. Then Lorne came into my dressing room: I think you need to talk. He said, the nation needs to heal. Carmichael said Michaels told him. Carmichael noted that much of the audience hasnt heard of him. I may be the least famous host [in SNL history]! Later, in a sketch, Carmichael as a seat filler was sitting next to Smith (Chris Redd) who jumps up and slaps Chris Rock but then acts like everything is normal: In his monologue, Carmichael noted how he came out as gay in the HBO special. The audience applauded which he said was appreciated, but its also why he lives in New York. If you say youre gay in New York, you can ride the bus for free and people will give you pizza. You get to host Saturday Night Live. This is the gayest thing you can do. The special, which was taped in February at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City, made headlines because much of it centers on Carmichael publicly coming out as gay for the first time. The special begins with stories of Carmichaels family history, leading up to his own coming out process. Carmichael talks about the weight of keeping this secret throughout his life and career, and how coming out has changed his relationships with his friends and family. Carmichael is joined at Studio 8H by Gunna, who is also marking his first time at SNL musical guest. The Grammy-nominated artists latest album, DS4Ever, debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 chart. Next week, on April 9, Jake Gyllenhaal will host SNL for the second time. The actors next film, Ambulance, arrives in theaters the day before he hosts the show. Camilla Cabello is the musical guest that night, making her second appearance. Her performance is tied to the release of her new album, Familia, on April 8. For the April 16 show, Lizzo will be a first-time SNL host and second-time musical guest. SNL airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC. The show, which was on hiatus last week, also streams live on Peacock. Created and executive produced by Lorne Michaels, Saturday Night Live is produced in association with Broadway Video. The sketch show recently featured John Mulaney, who joined the prestigious SNL five-timers club, Moon Knight star Oscar Isaac and The Batman star Zoe Kravitz as hosts. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Looking for the best no-frills home cooking in all of Texas served with bottomless cups of coffee and maybe a salty server on the side? Head to the Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls. TEXAS-MADE: The best Texas-made kombucha The beloved cafe was recently awarded the first place ranking in Texas when Cheapism compiled its list of The Best Hole-In-The-Wall Diners in Every State. That the Blue Bonnet was named the states superior all-day breakfast spot certainly comes at no surprise to its extremely loyal clientele, many of whom regularly wait in long lines on weekend mornings for a cozy booth or one of the coveted spots at the counter. Billy Calzada /Staff photographer Its so nice to hear, owner David Plante said upon receiving the news of this accolade. Plante attributes the Cafes enduring appeal in part to a sense of nostalgia. You know, we hear all the time from customers about how they remember their parents taking them to the Blue Bonnet, and now they love taking their kids here. The Blue Bonnet Cafe first opened in 1929 on Main Street in Marble Falls, and in 1946 moved to its current location on Highway 281. In-the-know patrons will gladly disabuse newbies of the notion that the Cafe is named after the iconic Texas wildflower; in fact, the title is derived from the actual blue bonnet or hat, not the blossom. Billy Calzada /Staff photographer Although the Blue Bonnets decor, marked by dull beige tones and simple furniture, makes for an ostensibly drab setting, the Cafe nevertheless has a certain interior sparkle. Perhaps its from the glossy platters piled high with biscuits and gravy or glistening French toast. Perhaps its from the shiny bakery case, stacked with Blue Bonnets famous mile-high pies in flavors like coconut meringue and chocolate cream. But most likely, its from a certain energy emitted by jolly customers tucking into a piping hot, cooked-to-order meal, and servers cajoling their regulars into ordering an extra side of home fries. That priceless ambience renders Blue Bonnet a state treasure and most deserving of its hole-in-the-wall honor. Qasim Khan Suri, Deputy Speaker of the Pakistan National Assembly (NA), on Sunday dismissed the no-trust move against Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying that it was against Article 5 of the Constitution, Dawn reported. Suri chaired Sunday's session after opposition parties, in a surprise move, filed a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser. Opposition lawmakers earlier appeared confident of the success of the no-trust move as they made their way to Parliament House. The opposition needs the support of at least 172 lawmakers from a total of 342 to oust the premier through the no-trust move. As the situation stands now, opposition parties have managed to cross the magical figure of 172 and enjoy the support of 174 members in the NA, according to a list shared by PML-N's Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday. The number does not include over a dozen dissidents of the ruling PTI, who have already publicly declared the withdrawal of their support to the prime minister. Prior to Sunday's session of the NA, the opposition also submitted a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser. The resolution, addressed to the secretary of the NA Secretariat, was submitted by Murtaza Javed Abbasi of the PML-N. The resolution carried the signatures of more than a hundred lawmakers. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who shared an image of the resolution on Twitter, tagged the official handles of Khan and Qaiser, with a simple "surprise". Courtesy Central Catholic High School was initially founded in 1852 in downtown San Antonio of the time. Although it has gone through several name changes, it is one of the best examples of a true legacy. Given its rich history, it is no surprise that the school was voted as the Best Private School in San Antonio in this years Readers Choice Awards. Originally a school for grades 6-12, Central Catholic became a high school in the 1950s and has remained that way. Its an all-male high school rooted in tradition with a current roster of approximately 535 students. By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans. Last week business lobbyists, led by the International Franchise Association (IFA), succeeded in in thwarting confirmation of David Weil to head the Labor Departments Wage and Hour Division. Weils transgression: his previous performance when he held the same position from 2014 and 2017. Per the Hill, Business lobby defeats Biden labor nominee in Senate: Weil, who previously held the wage division post in the Obama administration from 2014 to 2017, issued rules to reclassify independent contractors as employees and attempted to hold corporations accountable for their franchisees labor practices during his previous tenure. IFA thanks [Democratic] Senators [Kyrsten] Sinema, [Joe] Manchin, and[Mark] Kelly and all 50 Republicans who stood up for local franchise businesses and workers across the country by voting against the nomination of David Weil tonight, IFA President and CEO Matthew Haller said in a statement. This Senate floor rejection was the first yet of any potential Biden nominee and represents a serious setback for expanded labor rights, handed down the very same week that Amazon workers succeeded in forming a union for the first time. I had to laugh at Politicos description of this gang of three as moderate Democrats, Moderate Dems hand Biden his first nomination vote defeat: A trio of moderate Senate Democrats dealt a fatal blow to David Weils bid to head the Labor Departments Wage and Hour Division Wednesday night by unexpectedly voting against moving forward on his nomination and, in the process, undermining President Joe Bidens labor agenda. The IFA and other business interest, including the National Restaurant Association and National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, focused their lobbying on this gang of three, according to The Hill. In particular: Business groups were particularly concerned about measures to hold franchises such as McDonalds and 7-Eleven responsible for actions taken by franchisees, and provisions to reclassify independent contractors as employees so that they can form a union. Weil, who is currently dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, has long complained that the franchise model allows corporate giants to dodge accountability and is a fierce critic of gig companies such as Uber and Lyft. The WSJ fleshed out Weils record in White House Labor Nominee David Weil Blocked in Senate:: During his time at the Labor Department, Mr. Weil issued guidance stating that employees whose employers were contractors or franchisees of other, larger businesses, could claim to be employed by both their direct employer and the larger company. That meant that companies such as fast-food chains could be held responsible for labor violations committed by the franchise operators of individual restaurants. That caused an uptick in lawsuits against franchise operators, Mr. Haller said. Mr. Weil also issued guidelines stating that many gig workers should be considered employees rather than independent contractors, giving them access to minimum-wage protections, workers compensation, unemployment insurance and other benefits. Both guidelines were eventually rescinded by the Republican Trump administration. Under Mr. Weil, the Labor Department also issued a rule expanding the number of workers eligible for overtime pay. That rule was struck down in court in 2017. Unsurprisingly, labor interests blasted last weeks vote. Per the Journal: Bill Samuel, government affairs director for the AFL-CIO, called Mr. Weil eminently qualified and attributed opposition to his nomination to his strong record on doing the exact job he was nominated for. He added: Enforcing fair labor practices does not make David Weil antibusiness, it makes him pro-worker. Yet as the Journal notes, these issues arent going away. Only now the Biden Administration has to find someone else to head up the Labor Departments Wage and Hour Division. It looks unlikely that confirmation of another nominee can be achieved before the outcome of Novembers mid-terms further complicates the situation. The Journal notes: Those issues are likely to come up again in the Biden administration, however, even without Mr. Weil at the helm of the Wage and Hour Division. The department is working on a new rule expanding overtime protection, which is expected to be released next month. Last year, it also struck down the Trump administrations joint employer rule, which made it harder for employees to argue they were employed both by a contractor and the firm hiring the contractor. Other Key Biden Initiatives On other key economic issues however, including antitrust and securities law, backed by congressional support, the Biden administration has stepped up its game (on antitrust, see my two recent posts: WSJ: House Judiciary Bigwigs Ask Justice Department to Probe Amazon for Possible Criminal Obstruction of Congress and Federal Judge Denies Facebooks Motion to Dismiss, Allowing FTC Antitrust Lawsuit to Proceed and Discovery to Commence). In the securities law arena see these two recent posts by Yves: SEC Investigating Possible Block Trading Abuses at Morgan Stanley, Goldman, Other Big Players; and SEC Set to Lower Massive Boom on Private Equity Industry). Although alas so far this tendency hasnt extended to the broader agenda of the Department of Justice (DoJ) under Attorney General Merrick Garland, whose approach thus far has been disappointing (see AG Merrick Garland Outlines Corporate Crime Prosecution Priorities), Nonetheless, the somewhat more aggressive Biden line on antitrust and securities law issues contrasts markedly with that pursued the last time a Democrat was in office, when the norm was to announce an intention to get tough and then not follow through (as I wrote in these posts at the time, see The Obamamometers Toxic Legacy: The Rule of Lawlessness; The SEC Fiddles While the System Burns: Insider Trading Enforcement As Securities Law Theater). Lawyears openly mocked the Department of Jokes. So far, it seems Garland is taking a page out of that old playbook and talking a good game but not following through with especially aggressive execution. The Bottom Line Time does seem to be running out for the Biden administration to achieve any major economic policy reforms. Especially, as I fear with fuel prices increasing and the prospect of shortages of food and other essential items looming not to mention the ongoing pandemic and the Ukraine crisis Democrats are going to get slaughtered in the upcoming midterms. Theyll at minimum lose their slim House and Senate, majorities probably decisively so. Meaning political gridlock will ensue, with Democrats holding onto the White House and Republicans once again in charge of both houses of Congress. The legal enforcement agenda will thus become only more important, because it will be one arena in which Democrats will still set the agenda and might still achieve meaningful results. Of course, those may be stymied or overturned by business-friendly judges. I have confidence in the Federal Trade Commission under chair Lina Khan and the Securities and Exchange Commission under chair Gary Gensler. FTC, DoJ, and SEC nominees have already been confirmed and a new Congress wouldnt be able to shape those appointments absent resignations. But the jurys still out on what Garlands DoJ intends to do on any broadened enforcement agenda.. (Natural News) Canadas government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Christa Freeland, is run by modern day fascists working in lockstep with Big Tech companies, corporate media, and the global banking industry to create a kind of Corporate Communism. (Article by Baxter Dmitry republished from NewsPunch.com) Mainstream media is working with these tyrants to cover there tracks. Here are the indisputable facts. Let us start with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. Her own grandfather was a Nazi collaborator. She previously lied about this when she wrote it off as Russian disinformation. But the claim was then proven by Ottawa Citizen: Michael Chomiak was a Nazi collaborator. For starters, The Ukraine Archival Records held by the Province of Alberta. It has a whole file on Chomiak, including his own details about his days editing the newspaper Krakivski Visti. Chomiak noted he edited the paper first in Crakow (Cracow), Poland and then in Vienna. The reason he edited the paper in Vienna was because he had to flee with his Nazis colleagues as the Russians advanced into Poland. (The Russians tended to execute collaborators well as SS members). Freeland has expressed pride in her grandparents on Black Ribbon Day, a time to RESPECT those who suffered under Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. Freeland openly supports Nazi collaborators. Lets move on to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his history of Nazi-collaborator flag waving. Justin Trudeaus Deputy Prime Minister was photographed Sunday helping to hold the banner of a Ukrainian nationalist army that collaborated with the Nazis and violently massacred tens of thousands of Poles as part of an ethnic cleansing program. On Monday morning, Chrystia Freeland, the Ukrainian-descended Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Canada, tweeted a picture of herself at Sundays Mega March for Ukraine in Toronto helping to hold a banner reading Glory to Ukraine in the red and black battle flag colors of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) Freeland is also a member of Klaus Schwabs Young Global Leaders program. Schwab is a German elitist who has bragged openly about penetrating half of Trudeaus Cabinet. Per the National Post, Freeland has links to interesting people indeed: The World Economic Forum (WEF), which has met at the Swiss ski resort of Davos every year since its creation in 1971 by German academic and entrepreneur Klaus Schwab, was forced to convert its annual schmoozefest into a virtual event this year due to COVID-19. Of note on the main agenda was a stakeholder capitalism panel, which included Canadas Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland. The former-journalist-turned-politician has been a fixture at the WEF for years. Rubbing shoulders at Davos with the worlds rich, famous and powerful was one of the inspirations for her 2012 book, Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else. Indeed, the one-time critic has enjoyed an apotheosis of sorts and since 2019 has sat on the board of trustees of the WEF itself. Other members include Canadas own Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England; Al Gore, former U.S. vice-president; Mukesh Ambani, Indias richest individual; Larry Fink, head of BlackRock, the worlds largest investment fund; and a slew of other bankers, CEOs, tycoons and celebrities. Notably, Freeland is the only government minister presently on the board. Klaus Schwab, Founder of the World Economic Forum, names Justin Trudeau as one of his Young Global Leaders group. He also brags openly, without qualm, of penetrating the Cabinet and earning half of the Liberals to his cause. In case you lived under and rock and missed it, after the Great Reset you will own nothing and be happy. This article was taken down from the WEF website due to public backlash, but Forbes still has the article up here. Moving on, its now official that Canadians donating to the Freedom Convoy 2022 were NOT terrorists: Canadas chief financial intelligence agency has once again shut down claims by the Trudeau government that donations given to the truckers Freedom Convoy constituted terrorist funding. Blacklocks Reporter reported Friday that Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) deputy director of intelligence Barry MacKillop had declared the money raised for the convoy protests came from people supporting a cause they believed in. Barry MacKillop, deputy director of intelligence at the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC), then reasserted this as the case under oath. The Justice Centre is suing the Federal Government for its illegal use of the Emergencies Act. Brian Peckford, the last surviving signatory of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is suing the Federal Government for its abuses of the Charter for their unconstitutional actions during the pandemic. Trudeau and Freeland refused to meet with the Freedom Convoy 2022 at all, and Trudeau frequently walked out of Parliament whenever he was asked to address it. He made it blatantly clear he would never sit down to talk with regular working Canadians under any circumstance. We are all now fully aware that Trudeau and Freeland crushed a peaceful, legal and constitutionally protected protest with a military-style force. This came after slandering them as racists, sexists, transphobes, homophobes, etc. Then Trudeau illegally invoked the Emergencies Act, which was used to shut down bank accounts of anyone donating money to a legal and popular cause for whatever reason they may have chosen to do so. And now that the Emergencies Act has been revoked, many of these accounts are still frozen ILLEGALLY. But it gets even worse. This video from the Canadian Bankers Association details how they have teamed up with the World Economic Forum to implement a nationwide digital ID system. Per Western Standard Online: Paper licences and plastic cards are old technology and should be replaced with a brand new biometric digital ID system according to Neil Parmenter, president and CEO of the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA). Western developed nations are wholeheartedly embracing the new digital frontier. Their government agencies and commercial sectors have embarked on an energetic exploration of the promises of a robust and comprehensive digital identity system. And yes, bankers are not the government but if you dont think they have a huge influence, you arent thinking. They all link to the World Economic Forum as political players. Trudeau and Freeland are still trying to push through legislation to crush free speech and free web browsing for Canadians online. Bill C-11, like its predecessor C-10, shows that the government doesnt trust Canadians with free speech & to make their own internet choices, Dr. Leslyn Lewis tweeted. Canadian Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis voiced concern over a new internet censorship bill from Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government, saying that passing the legislation would open the door to internet suppression and canceling of opposing political views. Neither the Liberals nor any government, regardless of your political stripe, can be trusted to be neutral referees of what is preferred speech and preferred content, Lewis said during a Bill C-11 debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday. And somebody needs to say it why on Earth would Trudeau ever want to train soldiers of the Chinese Communist Party on Canadian soil? Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has confirmed Canadian soldiers are no longer training members of the Chinese military, amid scrutiny following a report that senior civil servants opposed a decision last year to stop training activities with the regime. A report by The Globe and Mail on Thursday cited documents mistakenly released under access to information laws which said Global Affairs Canada pushed back at the decision by Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance last year to cancel the training. The training was set to see Canadian soldiers train Chinese soldiers in winter activities at CFB Petawawa. As I covered in a previous article, Trudeaus own half brother Kyle Kemper has talked publicly about Trudeaus corruption, his representation for the World Economic Forum over his own country, and the possibility that Trudeau may even feel trapped inside the clutches of an international power scheme. Anyone who speaks out against the shameless corruption and blatant treason of the government is smeared or harassed or censored by Trudeaus political police. What is the first thing a Fascist or Communist dictator does when when asserting absolute power? They get control over the corporate media. All of our major news outlets have been funded or bailed out by Trudeau. This is why even National Post, a supposedly conservative news source, holds back from telling Canadians the full truth of many issues. They flat out LIE to the public in lockstep with Trudeau and his World Economic Forum peers. This is tyranny, plain and simple. We can call it Fascism or Communism, but its really a new kind of corporate communism/corporatism/techno-communism. The Big Tech companies, corporate media and governments alike are all onboard, with a few holdouts here and there. Can it be taken back? I believe it can be. I believe the Freedom movement is a major sign of this. The Federal Government and banking system have lost an immense amount of confidence. I believe their global banking power network is imploding during the Russia-Ukraine war. I believe they were on a winning trajectory of enforcing global tyranny right under the radarbefore certain personalities like Klaus Schwab and Bill Gates started pushing too far, too quickly. They wanted to taste the power of leading a fully implemented global framework in their lifetime. But their impatience thankfully for us betrayed their cause. It has been exposed, it is being rejected, and it is collapsing due to betrayal and infighting from within. Read more at: NewsPunch.com (Natural News) Germany and Austria have taken steps towards rationing their fuel supplies following disruptions to the flow of natural gas from Russia due to a stand-off over payments. In response to Western sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that unfriendly countries pay for its natural gas in rubles. The European Union, which pays Russia mostly in euros, rejected this idea. (Related: Gas rationing, food vouchers and hunger are now being normalized for the war phase of the plandemic.) The Kremlin later softened its stance, saying on March 30 that ruble payments would be introduced gradually. But many countries have already responded to Russian threats by taking steps toward gas rationing while they reduce or outright eliminate their reliance on Russian gas. Germany asking companies, households to voluntarily limit gas usage Germany began steps toward reducing reliance on Russian fuel when the war in Ukraine began. Before the war, Russian gas accounted for 55 percent of Germanys gas imports. Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck said German reliance on Russian gas has dropped to 40 percent in the first quarter of 2022. He added that Germany will not achieve full independence from Russian gas before mid-2024. In response to Russian demands, Germany triggered the first phase of its gas emergency plan to prepare the country and hopefully prevent gas supplies from going critically low. During this first phase, known as the early warning phase, the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, representatives from the private sector and the the main federal regulator of gas supplies Federal Network Agency (FNA) will monitor imports and storage. Habeck, on behalf of the federal government, also appealed to companies and individual consumers to help Germany, help Ukraine, by saving gas or energy as a whole. The second warning level alarm will be triggered when there is a significant disruption to supply or if extraordinarily high demand for gas upsets the national supply. At this level, the federal government still believes the problem can be solved without full state intervention. Companies in the gas industry will be directed to take the necessary measures to safeguard supply. The third warning level emergency will be triggered when market-based strategies have failed to remedy shortages. At this stage, FNA will be given the power to redistribute the remaining gas supplies. The private sector will be the first to get cut off, and preferential treatment will be given to essential services like hospitals, as well as private households. Austria closely monitoring gas supplies Like Germany, Austria also heavily relies on Russian imports for its gas supplies. Austria is one of Europes biggest hubs for Russian gas imports, and it relies on Russia for 80 percent of its domestic gas needs. The Austrian emergency plan for rationing gas supplies is modeled after the German plan. It also has three phases, with the first also being called the early warning phase. With the early warning stage in the emergency plan, we are now monitoring the situation on the gas market even more closely, said Austrian Energy and Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler. And we are preparing ourselves in the best possible way for an emergency so that we can secure gas supplies for households. E-Control, the Austrian electricity and natural gas regulator, clarified that rationing will only come into effect in the third stage of the emergency plan. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said triggering the first part of the emergency plan was due to a concrete and reliable expectation that gas supplies will plummet in the coming weeks. We will do everything we can to secure the gas supply for Austrias households and businesses, said Nehammer. He added that more direct measures like gas rationing will only be implemented if the threat of critically low supplies represents an immediate crisis for the nation. Learn more about the resulting fallout from the Wests sanctions against Russia by reading the latest articles at Collapse.news. Watch this video and learn about how Germany is suffering after Russia reversed its remaining pipeline into the country. This video is from the Zoon Politikon channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatens to RATION gasoline as fuel prices continue to surge. COLLAPSE ACCELERATING: Worlds biggest energy traders warn that gas stations will run dry of diesel. DIESEL DEMOLITION: As early as April, diesel could be rationed in the U.K. as authorities phase out Russian oil imports. Sources include: BBC.com AlJazeera.com FT.com MontelNews.com Brighteon.com The China-India relationship has encountered quite a few setbacks in recent years. But the recent visit by Chinese State Counselor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India days ago, which has been described as an "ice-breaking" trip, has sent some positive signals, fueling expectations for improved bilateral ties to a certain extent. The following article first appeared in Global Times, Beijing based daily newspaper. After India signed an agreement to set up hybrid power projects on northern Sri Lankan islands, the US-based Associated Press described in a report the signing as India's "strategic victory in its competition with China for influence in the Indian Ocean." The report also noted China's announcement in December to suspend power plant projects in three Sri Lankan islands. As some Western media outlets, at the cue of their governments, seemingly never grow tired of trying to drive a wedge between China and India, it is not uncommon to see Sri Lanka played up by Western media and even some Indian media outlets as a battleground where India and China compete for geopolitical influence. In terms of the power projects, it should be noted that the construction of infrastructure projects such as power plants in a foreign country involves a very complicated process, and any factor may affect the final implementation of such projects. Like any commercial projects, the plants in Sri Lanka should be judged by commercial factors and their ultimate results, rather than narrow-minded zero-sum geopolitical mentality. Using the announced plans to hype up who is winning or who is losing in the competition for economic and political influence in Sri Lanka is not only misleading but also tremendously disrespectful to the Sri Lankan side. If anything, in terms of economic cooperation with Sri Lanka, China and India should focus on win-win cooperation instead of competition with a view of promoting regional development. That's what China has been emphasizing in cooperation with any other country. China and India both have considerable investment, loans and infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka. In particular, under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework, China and Sri Lanka have conducted extensive and in-depth cooperation across various fields, producing tangible results. And it is important to note that those BRI projects were founded on the basis of bringing benefits to the local society and promoting local development. Moreover, Sri Lanka's economic cooperation with China, India or any other country is not exclusive. While it is no secret that Sri Lanka is one of the South Asian nations that share a close relationship with India, China's investment in the nation will not undercut India or any other third party, when it comes to developing relations with South Asian nations. Economic and trade cooperation is conducive to regional economic development, peace and stability in the region, which is also in line with the interests of India. Likewise, the mutually beneficial cooperation between Sri Lanka and India, or any other party, will also help boost the local economy, which is also beneficial to China's investment in the region and could even bring new cooperation opportunities for Chinese companies there. The China-India relationship has encountered quite a few setbacks in recent years. But the recent visit by Chinese State Counselor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India days ago, which has been described as an "ice-breaking" trip, has sent some positive signals, fueling expectations for improved bilateral ties to a certain extent. Even though China and India may not be able to bridge all their differences in the short term, that shouldn't hinder them from creating more conditions for managing their differences by seeking mutually beneficial trade and investment cooperation in various sectors and regions, including Sri Lanka. In light of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, what is happening in Europe right now shows that if China and India want to build their own order of lasting peace and development, they cannot rely on the US-dominated West, let alone forming an alliance with them. That leaves cooperation and common development as the most viable option for the two largest developing countries in Asia. The development of China-India relationship will determine the direction of the "Asian Century." If Asia's two largest developing economies can join hands and work toward the same direction, it would benefit not just Sri Lanka, but the Asia Pacific and the global community as a whole. The West, as shown in their relentless attempts to drive a wedge between China and India, certainly does not want to see that, but it is hoped that the Indian side will be clear-eyed about such attempts. (Natural News) Conservative congressional candidate Reggie King Knub Amerson joined Lauren Witzke on The Stew Peters Show to talk about his encounter with the LGBT mafia. The candidate for the Arkansas House of Representatives shared how his defense of traditional marriage led to his termination. Amerson gained the moniker King Knub due to the nub where his left hand is supposed to be. He explained to Witzke: I have a nub, and instead of being sad and depressed, I was like Well, let me just embrace it. Hence the name King Knub. So thats how it all happened. The congressional hopeful landed in the crosshairs of the LGBT mafia after he posted a video critical of conservative commentator Dave Rubin. The openly homosexual talk show host announced on Twitter that he and his husband David Janet were expecting two children via surrogacy. The first child was due to be born on Aug. 22 while the second child was due to be born on Oct. 14. However, Rubins announcement did not sit well with Amerson and other Christian conservatives. The congressional candidate and father of two posted a video denouncing Rubin and Janet. Gay people adopting babies is not conservative whatsoever. Why in the world is Dave Rubin and his gay partner able to get [babies] first before these normal families, these families with a mom and a dad? Why are they able to get a baby before them? Those babies wont have a mother to nurture them. You cannot have a mom and a mom, you cant have a dad and a dad. You need a mom and a dad because God says its how its supposed to work. (Related: Lunatic Left playing GOD with unborn babies to fulfill twisted agenda of same sex parents gestating a baby.) Witzke, filling in for regular host Stew Peters, agreed with Amerson. Thats exactly the stance that we, as Christians, should be taking against perversions and the attack on the American nuclear family, she said. Offended LGBT coworker orchestrated Amersons termination Amerson shared how expressing his Christian stance led to him being fired. I was already working that day, but around Wednesday [afternoon], I was called down. I met my supervisor and the [human resources] supervisor, and all they said was Hey, we saw your video [and] there was a complaint from outside [the company]. Because of this, were going to suspend you. Were going to [take] your phone and your laptop. I was basically isolated from the internet for a while, then [they] had a meeting about it. Very short. All they did was let me know I was fired and they said it was over the video. They have still yet, to this day, tell me exactly what it was for. All they say [is that] Ive violated their social media and harassment policy. An offended male coworker who was part of the LGBT community filed the complaint against the video, alleging that Amerson was harassing him. However, this colleague had been looking for politically incorrect material to use against Amerson ever since the latter announced his congressional campaign in the Arkansas legislature. Im running for office and my sign has Not in the best spot right now. But on top of it, it says God first, family first, Arkansas first. He found out I was running for office, and he was like I dont want him to make it into office because hes a homophobe. This is what he claimed. So from that point forward, hes been watching my videos to try to find something on me and thats what he did. He found [the video about Rubin], sent it to my bosses and got me fired. Amerson pointed out that this gay colleague who had him terminated was claiming to be a conservative and Christian. He added: The guy who got me fired [was] claiming [that] he also backed the traditional family and was a free speech bro, but he came after me for my free speech. Witzke concluded: [The LGBT mafia is] really a mafia. They do come for your livelihood, they come for your family, they come for everything and they do not stop. Its just [because] they feel offended, so they lash out and they come for us all. Head over to GayMafia.news to read more stories like this. Watch Reggie King Knub Amerson discuss with Lauren Witzke how the LGBT mafia got him fired. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Former police officer Eric Moutsos shares the oppression he faced for refusing to conform to LGBT agenda Brighteon.TV. Renowned atheist Richard Dawkins says he opposes gender ideology; supports womens rights. Dr. Scott Lively talks about the LGBT mafias oppression of Christians Brighteon.TV. Scott Lively looks back on his fight against the LGBT mafia in Uganda Brighteon.TV. Sources include: Brighteon.com LifeSiteNews.com (Natural News) We all saw the 2020 election irregularities, as well as the continued present day criminal misconduct charges against election officials, all of which we have been told by the MSM for more than a year, didnt exist, meant nothing, would have changed nothing.etc Ok. putting the 2020 election day antics aside for the moment, there is another manner in which the election was stolen. (Article by Susan Duclos republished from AllNewsPipeline.com) he use of a corrupt liberal media, with the manipulation of search results by big tech, along with the blatant and deliberate censoring of critical information in order to protect Joe Biden. The aforementioned groups colluded to interfere in the 2020 election by willfully preventing the American people from being informed of actual news and insidious corruption by Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. Well start with the media. RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION! 17 MONTHS LATER NYT: ITS TRUE! The New York Post cover page shown above, is their victory lap after breaking a blockbuster story 17 months ago, and being censored, banned on social media, users prevented from sharing the story, with the MSM, the Biden campaign, big tech and social media all asserting it was fake news, and Russian disinformation. The problem for the media is while they did accomplish their goal of helping steal a federal presidential election, their lies, their claims and actions, have just been made public in a big way. Those horrid polling numbers for the media and the lack of trust Americans have in them, are about to get much worse, as more and more are awakening to how they have been duped..yet again. It all revolves around a laptop that was obtained that belonged to Hunter Biden, with information, images and activity which would have affected his fathers bid for presidency. Since this piece is focusing on how the media, social media, and big tech all plotted to cover up a legitimate, game-changing story, in order to help steal and election, we will not be wasting too much time on the information on the laptop, but rather the possible criminality of provable election interference. 17 months after the Hunter Biden laptop story broke, the NYTs, another outlet that refused to cover the story at the time, and/or pushed the Russian disinformation narrative, admitted the original story was true. Screenshot from the New York Times article, finally reporting on the story, below: FLASHBACK: Now thanks to Twitter user and writer, Drew Holden, we see a list of egregious denials from when the Post first published their blockbuster report, with screenshots as proof. NPR insisted it wasnt a real story, therefore they wouldnt be wasting time on it. CNN went to former DNI Director, James Clapper, the same man who used his position to help push the Russian collusion hoax for more than four years. He blamed.. RUSSIA, for the New York Post story. Big surprise there (Yes that was snark). MSNBC Joy Reid, another Russian collusion hoaxer, called it a Russian hatchet job, and encouraged her social media followers to just ignore the nonsense. Also, an executive producer for MSNBC, Kyle Griffin, insisted on social media that no one should link or share the New York Post story, saying it appears to be disinformation. Politico pushed the narrative of former intel officials decry the laptop/email scandal as a Russian disinformation campaign. After all, they claimed, it has all the classic earmarks of one. Ben Rhodes, former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting under Barack Obama, who was left speechless after Hillary Clintons loss in 2016, posted the following boast about Republicans being outraged over the censoring of what the MSM now admits was a true story. The short video below shows how Rhodes took the Clinton loss on the night of the election. Ah good times. Before moving along, a quick reminder by Holden on why this story would have been a gamechanger and why the MSM did everything in the power to hide, discredit, or ignore and refuse to let Americans see the truth before the election. People will try to hand-wave Hunter Bidens laptop away as just a story about pictures but remember: these emails implicate not just Hunter but also President Biden in a bribery/illegal pay-to-play scheme involving a hostile foreign power. BOOM! Holden was not the only one providing receipts on the media malpractice and election interference, as Jon Levine offered more, but his context was the difference in how the media treated the fake pee tape versus the very real Hunter/Joe Biden scandal. Im just using the NYP story references, but the side-by-side comparisons can all be seen at Twitchy. Vanity Fair on the New York Post story in October 2020. CNN Fake news network: The far left liberal Slate decided to go after the laptop repairman that turned the information over to the New York Post. More: The final offering here is the most ironic because it was the original fake news narrative from the New York Times back then, before admitting 17 months later that they story was true. Is it any wonder that the majority of American distrust the media? Making it worse, we see the pattern from their high trust levels in the 1970s, consistently lowering, shown below: Note The newer graphs from Gallup start at 1997, which prevents the big picture of dwindling trust over the course of the decades. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.THEN. Psucky.NOW Hey, He doesnt work for us!!!!!!!!! Election interference is a crime, and there is no doubt that the Biden regime wont do a thing to the media, big tech or social media for interfering in the 2020 presidential election, but it doesnt change the fact that Donald Trump was and is correct, which should send the TDS crowd into complete meltdowns. The 2020 election was stolen. Last but not least, after the New York Post story came out, the Biden campaign was all denials, and now that the New York Times has publicly verified the store.. well, Biden had this to say: I bet everybody knows somebody that in an intimate relationship, what happened was the guy takes a revealing picture of his naked friend, or whatever, in a compromising position and then blackmails or mortifies that person. Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com Within three days, a zoo in Australia recovered three wild creatures that had all been blasted with air gun pellets. The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, located on Australia's Sunshine Coast in eastern Australia, took in a common brushtail possum, a lace monitor, and an osprey, all of which had previously been hurt by bullets shot from air guns, according to a statement from the institution. Animals that have been hurt A common brushtail possum, Bonnie was the first wild animal that is rescued by the zoo staff, as per Newsweek. According to the Australian Museum, these creatures are nocturnal marsupials that inhabit urban areas, woods, and woodlands throughout Australia and New Zealand. Bonnie was discovered by Australia Zoo Rescue Unit officials with a skin ailment and significant damage to one of her eyes. An X-ray revealed three air rifle pellets distributed throughout her body, according to the vets. According to Ludovic Vlenz, wildlife veterinarian and supervisor at the Austrli Zoo Wildlife Hospital, "Our team there at Wildlife Hospital was devastated to find three lodged pellets." In video interview, Vlenz said that one of the bullets shattered one of her appendicular bones, which has now healed around it, and that the other two were discovered in her leg. Bonnie hd joey n infnt mrsupil in her pouch, which had thnkfully bn unhrrid, ccording to the scns. The veterinarians dubbed the joey "Jell." According to the footage, veterinarians were compelled to remove her wounded eye and treat her skin disease, as per CengNews. One of the bullets was also removed, but the other two were left because they were in areas where she should not be affected too much. According to Auckland Zoo, the lce monitor is Austrli's second-largest lizrd and one of the world's largest, with an adult length of about 4.9 feet. These lizrds are somewhat poisonous, like its close relative, the Komodo dragon. When the lizrd, called "Cruiser," was X-ryed, veterinarians discovered that he, too, had been shot with an air rifle. When he was admitted, the lizrd had a concussion and a broken jaw, but his condition has much improved since then. The reptile will be maintained at the hospital until it can return to its natural habitat. The next day, the hospital welcomed an additional patient, an osprey named "Dino," who had a lodged air gun pellet and cerebral injuries. Dino, sadly, had to be killed owing to the severity of his injuries. Ospreys are big, long-winged hawks that dwell around coastlines and vast inland rivers in various regions of the world. Read more: Kopi Luwak: World's Most Expensive Coffee Leads To Animal Cruelty Against Civets Penalties to the heinous acts Intelligence resulting to the prosecution of individuals guilty for these illegal acts will be rewarded with a rewrd of AU$1,000 (approximtely $750). The Austrli Zoo Wildlife Hospitl has cared for approximately 110,000 nimls since its beginnings in 2002. The Act makes it a crime for individuals in care of animals to abandon or release them. This involves going on vacation or moving and leaving a pet behind to fend for itself, as well as intentionally dumping an undesirable animal by the highway or in the wilderness. Individuals convicted of unjustified abandonment or release face a maximum penalty of $41,355 or one year in jail. Related article: Mass Deaths of Koalas in Australia Prompt Animal Cruelty Charges The latest weather forecasts reveal that some parts of the United States are still at risk of experiencing isolated severe weather events from Saturday to Monday, April 2 to April 4, affecting areas in the Florida Peninsula, the northern-central Great Plains, and the Pacific Northwest. Weather Forecast The Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Weather Service (NWS) issued several weather advisories that are valid from Sunday to Tuesday, April 3 to April 5. The advisories contain forecasts extending not only from the aforementioned regions but also to the Great Lakes and the Northeast. Also Read: Intense Storm System to Cover Parts of Northeast in Snow and Heavy Rain Florida Panhandle Under the advisories, the current storm system will continue to bring severe thunderstorms to most parts of central Florida on Saturday evening. Over recent days, the system has been responsible for heavy rain due to shortwave energy. However, it is expected to dissipate in the state by Sunday morning. In addition, a so-called "quasi-stationary front" will reportedly linger the system's aftermath, causing isolated torrential rain from the central to the southern areas of Florida. The state has been a scene of devastating severe weather over recent days. On Thursday, March 31, thunderstorms spawned a tornado that killed two people and injured several people after the twister destroyed some buildings in the Florida Panhandle, as per The New York Times. The said windstorm is one of the many tornadoes that struck seven states during this week. Pacific Northwest In the Pacific Northwest, the NOAA - NWS says a weather disturbance will move toward the region later on Sunday until Monday, bringing heavy precipitation and windy conditions with the chance of torrential rain and flooding. The adverse weather conditions are caused by a potent low-pressure system that will arrive by Sunday morning, bringing a downpour of heavy snow over the northern-southern Cascade Mountain range and the northern Rockies on Monday. The occurrences of heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms are also possible in low-altitude areas in the region. The Great Plains The US weather agency also highlights the risk of critical fire weather conditions in the northern-central parts of the Great Plains on Sunday. These weather and climatic conditions can aggravate the growth and spread of wildfires. On the other hand, the forecast suggested that a new system from the Rockies will descend to the Southern Plains by Sunday afternoon, causing isolated thunderstorms in eastern Texas and central Mississippi until Monday evening. Furthermore, flash flood due to heavy rainfall is also possible in some parts of southern Arkansas, northern Louisiana, central Oklahoma, western Mississippi, and northeastern Texas. Eastern US Storm System A weather disturbance that has been forecasted earlier to affect the Eastern US over the weekend, as per Fox 5 New York, will cause a weak surface low-pressure system through the Ohio Valley and Northeast from Saturday evening to Sunday. The same storm system has been attributed to causing several injuries, widespread damage, and disruption in multiple states across the Central US and Southern US before the weekend. Thunderstorms associated with the system have resulted in the formation of tornadoes and damaging winds. Related Article: Potent Storm System: Severe Weather Puts 75 Million People at Risk Along Eastern US in the Coming Days Queensland is yet again bracing for a potential storm that can bring strong winds and flash flooding due to heavy rain. Australian meteorologists are monitoring the potential formation of a tropical low into a tropical cyclone that can hit the country next week. Potent Storm System Australia's weather government agency, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), is keeping a close eye on the tropical low; which is currently off the coast of Queensland located in the Coral Sea over the Oceania country of Solomon Islands, as per the video report of 9 News Australia. The storm system is moving toward northeastern Queensland at an unspecified speed. Although there is no specific date and landfall location yet, the BOM estimated that the tropical low has a 5% to 20% chance of creating a tropical cyclone, as cited by 9 News Australia. The Australian media agency also said the bureau will release further details regarding the storm system in the next 48 hours from Saturday, April 2. In the meantime, a tropical cyclone warning has been issued for Queensland. Also Read: Australia Fears Disasters Due to Climate Change May Result in Billions of Casualties and Damages Tropical Cyclone Warning Similar to the United States and some countries, Australia is using the same scaling system for tropical cyclones, which are called hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and typhoons in the western Pacific Ocean. The system is the basis of issuing a weather forecast and tropical cyclone advisories. According to the BOM, a Tropical Cyclone Advice is divided into two: Tropical Cyclone Watch and Tropical Cyclone Warning. Both tropical cyclone advisories still indicate that an incoming storm still poses a threat. Furthermore, advisories can be issued every hour, three, or six hours depending on the situation. The Tropical Cyclone Watch pertains to the occurrence of gales or stronger winds in communities in the coastal area within 48 hours, but not within 24 hours. Meanwhile, the Tropical Cyclone Warning are issued for the coastal communities for ongoing gales or their potential occurrence within 24 hours. Australia is still on its cyclone season, which spans from November 1 to April 30 each year, said the BOM. The agency is responsible for the 24-hour monitoring of developing systems and storms, as well as the sole Australian body that issues such weather advisories. Cyclones in Queensland Australia, which generally has a warm climate, is also prone to the rampage of cyclones. For Queensland, the state is a frequent route of cyclone landfalls due to its location next to the Coral Sea; wherein storms from the Pacific Ocean also pass through several countries in the Oceania continent. One of the most notable of these storms in Queensland was back in 2011 when Cyclone Yasi wreaked havoc after making landfall in northern Queensland between late January and early February of that year. The cyclone is considered to be one of the strongest storms that Queensland has ever had. Yasi was classified by the BOM as a category 5 severe tropical cyclone, causing more than $800 million in damage and widespread evacuation, as per the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR). The massive cyclone also developed from a tropical low located northwest of Fiji before reaching Queensland. Related Article: Severe Tropical Cyclone Charlotte Expected to Weaken Off the Coast of Western Australia by Our Political Affairs Editor President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will address the nation to inform the public that he is planning to dissolve the cabinet and form an interim government comprising all parties, reliable sources in the government affirmed to the Sri Lanka Guardian. A crucial discussion is currently being held under the patronage of the President to decide who will be the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Interim Government. Sources further say that the key players in the government have strongly suggested the immediate removal of the Minister of Finance and the current Governor of the Central Bank. Related News: Sri Lanka: Minister Basil to leave for United States Tomorrow? by Our Political Affirms Editor UNP sources confirmed to the Sri Lanka Guardian that there was no truth in the government's proposal for former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to take over as the new Prime Minister or Finance Minister. Although Mr Wickremesinghe's party has received a number of unofficial invitations to join the current government, it has not yet received any form of official invitation. No one in the ruling party has yet agreed to the UNP's proposals on the issue. Mr Wickremesinghe also stated earlier that what the country needs at the moment is not a national government but a permanent national policy with a national consensus. Meanwhile, internal government sources say that the discussion that lasted for hours today for the Rajapaksas, including the Prime Minister, to resign from the government ended a short while ago in disappointment as the Prime Minister vehemently refused to resign. However, a senior member of the United National Party (UNP) who had previously served as a cabinet minister told the Sri Lanka Guardian that his party would do its utmost to resolve the current social and economic crisis and would decide to join the current government only if it fully agrees with its proposals. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 56F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low around 45F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Role of radio amateurs during invasion of the Falkland Islands The Scotsman newspaper reports on the role played by radio amateurs Tony Pole-Evans VP8HZ, Bob McLeod VP8LP and Les Hamilton GM3ITN of Clydebank, during the invasion of the Falkland Islands 40 years ago The paper says the invaders "... visited Tony Pole-Evans [VP8HZ] - a farmer living on tiny Saunders Island, about 80 miles north-west of Port Stanley and took down his antenna. But they were unaware Pole-Evans had another, smaller, radio system which had enough power to travel the 7,000 miles to Hamiltons Clydebank radio station [GM3ITN]. Despite the threat to Pole-Evans life if he was caught, the two friends stayed in daily radio contact throughout the war - a crucial source of information for British military intelligence." Read the Scotsman story at https://scotsman.com/news/clydebank-radio-ham-helped-win-back-falklands-2510342 BBC journalist and long-time RSGB member Laurie Margolis G3UML broke the fact of the invasion of the Falklands through amateur radio. He'll describe how live on YouTube at 8pm (1900 GMT) this Monday, April 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jut-9uB4O8w What is Amateur Radio? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio Free UK amateur radio Foundation Online training course https://essexham.co.uk/train/foundation-online/ A new study that analyzes levels of antioxidants and stress markers in the blood could lead to a new diagnostic tool for breast cancer. The research will be presented this week in Philadelphia at the American Physiological Society's (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2022. Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world. The World Health Organization estimates that in 2020, there were nearly 8 million women living with breast cancer who had been diagnosed in the past five years. Identifying new diagnostic techniques is of major importance to efforts that aim to minimize the disease's devastating effects. Researchers from the University of Lahore in Pakistan explored the role that inflammatory and stress markers may play in the development and progression of breast cancer. The research team examined blood samples from premenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer. When compared to age-matched controls without cancer, the breast cancer patients had significantly increased levels of inflammatory markers. Among the overexpressed markers were the pro-inflammatory protein interleukin-1, matrix metalloproteinase 9-;an enzyme that is overexpressed in several diseases-;and heat shock protein 27. This protein acts as an antioxidant that typically prevents or reduces cell death. However, in some disease states-;such as cancer-;heat shock protein 27 has been found to be both protective and destructive. In addition, the breast cancer group had low levels of protective compounds such as vitamins A, C and D, catalase-;an enzyme that protects cells from oxidative stress-;and the antioxidants superoxide dismutase and glutathione. The breast cancer pathophysiology included an overbalance of oxidants or stress markers and an underbalance of antioxidants." Samina Malik, MBBS, MPhil, first author of the study This proportion of pro- and anti-inflammatory components may play "a crucial role in the metastasis of breast cancer" and may be useful as a diagnostic marker for the disease, the researchers explained. A study in postmenopausal people suggests eating nutrient-rich prunes every day may be beneficial to bone health, reducing inflammatory factors that contribute to osteoporosis. The research will be presented this week in Philadelphia at the American Physiological Society's (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2022. An estimated 13.6 million people in the U.S. over the age of 50 will develop osteoporosis-;a loss of bone strength caused by reduced mineral density of the bones-;by the year 2030. Osteoporosis increases the risk of fracture, especially in older adults. People who experience menopause have lower levels of estrogen, which trigger an increase in inflammation in the body, which can also contribute to bone loss. Previous research has shown that polyphenol extracts-;plant compounds that act as antioxidants and reduce inflammation-;in prunes promote lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in a type of bone cell called osteoclasts. In a new study, researchers from the Integrative and Biomedical Physiology Program and the Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Kinesiology at The Pennsylvania State University explored the effects of prunes on bone health after menopause. Postmenopausal women with a bone mineral density score that was defined as low-;a marker of osteoporosis-;were divided into three groups: One group ate 50 grams (g) of prunes (about six prunes) daily for 12 months. A second group ate 100 g of prunes (about 12 prunes) daily for 12 months. A control group ate no prunes. The research team looked at blood samples taken from all volunteers before and after the trial and found significant reductions in inflammatory markers in both of the prune-eating groups compared to the control group. From Wednesday 6 April, the first ever dedicated Health and Social Care Levy will begin to raise billions to help tackle Covid backlogs and reform services in the UK. Over the next three years, a record 36 billion will be invested in the health and social care system to ensure it has the long-term resource it needs while working to reduce patient waiting times and speed up diagnoses. In England, record levels of health and social care funding will help to deliver up to 160 community diagnostic centers across the country by 2025 - including the 73 that are open already. These centers have already delivered over 700,000 additional CT, MRI, ultrasound, endoscopy, and ultrasound tests, with around 30,000 tests a week. The latest figures, due next week, are expected to show three-quarters of a million additional tests were delivered for patients in need by the end of March. By the end of May, there will be four more community diagnostic centers open across the country, providing one stop shops for tests and checks closer to people's homes. The pandemic put unprecedented pressure on the NHS. The number of people waiting for elective care in England is at 6 million - up from 4.4 million before the pandemic - and this is expected to rise, as up to 10 million people didn't come forward for treatment during the pandemic. The necessary, fair and responsible Levy will enable the NHS to offer more appointments, checks, scans and operations and reform the way services are delivered so the NHS is fit for the future, rather than simply plugging the gaps. In addition to the new community diagnostic centers, record healthcare funding will help deliver: 9 million checks, scans, and operations by 2025 - an increase in capacity of a quarter compared with the three years prior to the pandemic. New surgical hubs - which will be added to the network of over 40 standalone hubs already operating across the country, helping to reduce waits for procedures such as cataract surgery or hip replacements. Expansion of operating theatres and diagnostic centres for cancer. Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: From Wednesday, the Health and Social Care Levy will raise billions to improve services that really matter to the public, and help us recover and reform as we begin to live with Covid. This is vital funding for the NHS that will clear the Covid backlogs, helping to reduce waiting times, deliver millions more checks, scans and operations, and reform the adult social care system. This critical investment in our nation's future will be paid for by those with the broadest shoulders, whilst those on low and middle incomes are protected." The Levy will also reform our social care system, backed by 5.4 billion. It will end the cruel lottery of social care costs, provide a limit to the cost of care for everyone in the adult social care system for the first time, and significantly increase state support. It will also invest 500 million into the social care workforce, the details of which are expected this week. The reform will ensure that people receive the care they need no matter their background and that they will be supported to have better choice, control and independence over their care. To ensure everyone contributes fairly, all working adults, including those over the state pension age from April 2023, will pay the Levy and the rates of dividend tax will also increase by 1.25% to help fund this package. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said: Investing in health and social care is a top priority for this government, and it is right that we fund that investment in a responsible and sustainable way. The money raised by the Levy will enable us to deliver improved services for patients, cut waiting times and make social care funding more fair - all part of a better system for Health and Social Care." The Levy will initially be based on National Insurance contributions (NICs) and from 2023 will be legislatively separate. Every individual will contribute according to their means. Those who earn more pay more, with the highest 15% of people paying over half the revenues. Low earners will be shielded from the Levy following action taken by the Chancellor in the Spring Statement last month. From July, the level at which people pay National Insurance on their income will rise to 12,570, saving a typical employee over 330 a year. The change does not affect the funding available to Health and Social Care. This means that the NHS gets the vital funding it needs to clear the Covid backlogs but it's paid for by those with the broadest shoulders, whilst those on low and middle incomes are protected. Recognising this year will be tough on household budgets, a 9.1 billion package will see most households receive 350 to help with rising energy bills, including a 150 cash grant via the Council Tax system in April, and a 200 reduction in energy bills in October with the cost smoothed over 5 years. Before Covid, no one waited longer than 18 months for elective treatment, but now 106,000 people are. Patients will be offered more choice and information on average waiting times at the point of referral. Those waiting the longest will be contacted by the NHS to be given the opportunity to change provider to reduce their wait. The NHS will support patients with travel costs if feasible and will engage with the independent sector so all options are available. By the end of this year, all patients that have been waiting for 18 months or more will be contacted to discuss the choices they have about changing provider. The investment will help to fund the NHS' Covid Backlog Recovery Plan and deliver on ensuring that: Around 30% more elective activity is delivered by 2024/25 compared to before the pandemic. Waits of longer than a year for elective care are eliminated by March 2025, and waits of over 18 months by April 2023. By July 2022, no one will wait longer than two years for an elective treatment. By March 2024, three quarters of patients who have been urgently referred by their GP for suspected cancer will be diagnosed, or have cancer ruled out within 28 days. The number of people waiting more than 62 days from an urgent cancer referral will return back to pre-pandemic levels by March 2023. The funding raised through the Levy is in addition to the historic settlement for the NHS in 2018, which will see its budget rise by 33.9 billion a year by 2023/24. The Food and Drug Administration recommends healthy adults not exceed 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine-; approximately four cups of brewed coffee-; a day. New research out of the New York Institute of Technology finds that staying within these guidelines is more important as people age. The study will be presented this week at the American Physiological Society (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology (EB) 2022 in Philadelphia. "The older rats are more vulnerable than younger rats to caffeine induced ventricular tachyarrhythmias," researchers wrote. The research team administered an acute dose of caffeine to four experimental groups of younger (5-month-old) and middle-aged (1-year-old) male and female rats. They also gave saline to control groups of the younger rats. The team then monitored the rats' heart rhythms via electrocardiogram. Although there is no concrete age conversion of rats to humans, a 5-month-old rat can be considered the rough equivalent of a young adult human. At one year, rats are approximately comparable to early middle age. While similarly, there is no precise conversion for a human equivalent to the rats' caffeine dose, a starting estimate would be about 13 mg per kilogram of weight-;about 880 mg for a person weighing 150 pounds. After ingesting the caffeine, all except one of the males and all the female middle-aged rats developed ventricular arrhythmias-;i.e., abnormal rhythms in the lower chambers of their hearts. Only two younger males and one female developed abnormal heart rhythms. None of the controls developed abnormal rhythms. These abnormal heart rhythms are temporary, but can hold serious health risks which increase with frequency of the episodes. Heart arrhythmia can cause lightheadedness, loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest. "It would be wise to consume caffeine in moderation," the researchers advised. Despite the myriad known benefits of exercise, many middle-aged and older adults struggle to meet physical activity recommendations. New research finds potential for high-resistance inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST) to help this population transition to a healthier lifestyle. The study will be presented this week at the American Physiological Society annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2022. Although exercise reduces the risk of developing chronic illness with aging, a 2016 study found 28% of U.S. adults age 50 and older were physically inactive. Developing novel forms of physical training that increase adherence and improve physical function are key to reducing the risk of chronic diseases with aging. High-resistance IMST may be one such strategy to promote adherence and improve multiple components of health in midlife and older adults." Kaitlin Freeberg, MS, lead researcher IMST involves inhaling through a handheld device called a manual breathing trainer that adds resistance to the breath. The research team split 35 adults age 50 and older into a high-resistance group or a low-resistance control group. Both groups used a manual breathing trainer for 30 breaths a day (about five minutes) for six weeks; both groups were able to adhere to the program. After six weeks, the high-resistance group showed a 12% improvement in a treadmill time to exhaustion test, while the low-resistance control group showed no change. The improvement in the high-resistance group also showed a relationship with changes in 18 metabolites tested in the study, predominantly ones that "play key roles in energy production and fatty acid metabolism." "These preliminary findings suggest 5 min/day of high-resistance IMST is a promising, highly adherable mode of physical training that increases exercise tolerance and modulates metabolic pathways in [middle-aged and older] adults," Freeberg wrote. Smokers have a lower chance of surviving a heart attack than non-smokers, according to new data compiled by researchers at Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid. Levels of Alpha-1 Anti Trypsin (A1AT)-; a protein in the liver that protects the body's tissues-; in smokers were "significantly less" than in non-smokers, the study found. Yet, no difference was detected in hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals. The researchers will present their findings in person at the American Physiological Society's (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2022 in Philadelphia. Approximately 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes happen annually in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. It is believed A1AT could offer protection to cardiac tissue when it is released during a heart attack. The aim of this study was to compare the plasma levels of A1AT released in smokers and non-smokers, and between hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals after an attack." Said Khatib, PhD, co-author of the study The human study was conducted in 29 adult men and 11 adult women through blood samples drawn within one, four, 24, 48 and 96 hours of a heart attack diagnosis. Participants were divided into four groups of smokers and non-smokers, and hypertensive and non-hypertensive. Researchers believe that maintaining appropriate levels of A1AT in smokers during a heart attack will improve their chances of survival. Researchers have successfully used a virtual population to replicate a clinical trial that examined kidney damage in Black Americans, according to a new study at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. John S. Clemmer, PhD, a physiologist and lead author of the study, said his team model used a calcium channel blocker to predict kidney damage. They were also able to simulate stopping the damage by adding drug therapy (angiotensin inhibitor) and reducing salt intake. The simulated treatments also improved virtual patients' heart sizes. The research will be presented in person at the American Physiological Society's (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2022 in Philadelphia. In this study, researchers used a long-term existing clinical trial to determine the effect of calcium channel blockers in Black patients with poor kidney function. Then, they deployed a physiological model to simulate clinical trials and predict outcomes. The hope is that "these results and this technique could be used to predict potential risks to certain therapies in vulnerable populations," Clemmer said. According to the National Kidney Foundation, Black people in the U.S., among other minorities, "may be at an increased risk for kidney disease." In fact, Black people are more than three times as likely as their white counterparts to have kidney failure. In addition, Black people have "much higher rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and heart disease, all of which increase the risk for kidney disease," the foundation reported. Who should monitor their heart rate and rhythm and which device should they use? Find out in an international consensus document published today in EP Europace, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and presented at EHRA 2022, a scientific congress of the ESC. Before using a technology to monitor heart rate or rhythm, patients and the public should agree with their doctor which device to use, for how long, and what to do if the device issues a warning. People need to know how to respond to feedback from the device. Do they need to rush to the emergency room, or can it wait for a routine appointment? It creates confusion and uncertainty if there is no management plan in place." Dr. Emma Svennberg, Lead Author, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden "This is the first practical guide for clinicians on the use of digital devices for heart rhythm and rate monitoring, an area that has increased exponentially with the advent of smartphones and wearables," she continued. "The document clarifies which technologies should be used and when and is a step towards equitable healthcare. Our patient representative co-author Inga Drossart also helped us to include the lay perspective." Heart rhythm monitoring with digital devices is a way to detect asymptomatic arrhythmias which can be treated. For example, approximately one-third of patients with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms and early diagnosis can enable appropriate treatment to reduce the risk of stroke. Today's paper covers all novel digital devices including electrocardiogram (ECG) patches, wearables like smartwatches, forearm bands, chest straps, rings and earbuds, and handheld devices such as smartphones with face sensor apps or fingertip apps. Dr. Svennberg noted that digital devices are particularly useful for people with irregular heart rhythms that come and go, known as paroxysmal arrhythmias. She said: "If you only have an arrhythmia twice per year it can be quite tricky to detect during a medical consultation. Devices can help to document these events and assist in making a diagnosis." The authors recommend that abnormal findings on a digital device should be evaluated by a team including a cardiac arrhythmia specialist or a cardiologist. In addition, unusual readings on a consumer heart rate device (for example a smartwatch) are insufficient for a diagnosis and ECG confirmation is mandatory. Individuals at high risk of ischaemic stroke can use digital technologies to check for atrial fibrillation which could then be treated to reduce stroke risk. This could include those over 75 years of age or above 65 years with characteristics that predispose them to stroke such as high blood pressure, heart disease or prior stroke. "Regardless of whether they have symptoms or not, people in these categories should discuss screening for atrial fibrillation with their doctor," said Dr. Svennberg. On the other hand, she advised against buying an over-the-counter device which may not have regulatory approval and constantly monitoring heart rhythm with no medical imperative to do so. Dr. Svennberg said: "The application of digital devices in heart rhythm disorders is a rapidly evolving field. The future will see more contactless monitoring, for example using cameras and smart speakers, which could be particularly useful in pandemic situations. In addition, more advanced statistical methods such as artificial intelligence will improve the interpretation of long-term data from devices. Finally, to ensure adoption and adherence we need to enlist patients from the start so that devices are co-designed with the user in mind." by Our Political Affairs Editor Reliable sources say that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is scheduled to leave for the United States tomorrow. Although the minister had planned to leave for the United States after the April New Year holidays, he would leave the island a few days earlier for a number of personal reasons, sources added. However, the main purpose of the visit is to meet with officials of the International Monetary Fund to assist to overcome the current economic recession in the island nation. Meanwhile, the political correspondent of the Sunday Times published in Colombo has been reported that the Minister of Finance was working hard for the past few days to have a Sinhala translation of the recently issued IMF report on Sri Lanka. Though highly unusual, President Rajapaksa has been devoting almost all his time finding foreign exchange to pay for urgent procurements. That showed that he had to carry the burden of even Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. In the recent past, the latter has been seeking Sinhala translations of English documents related to the impending dialogue with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). For the translators, some of the banking jargons have not been that easy and are telephoning different quarters to ascertain Sinhala names, the newspaper has revealed. Meanwhile, although no official action has been taken yet, reliable sources say that the ruling alliance and opposition MPs are planning to bring a no-confidence motion against the Finance Minister in the near future. (Newser) "The Battle for the Mural"a New York Times Magazine piece by Sarah A. Topolopens with a crime-thriller vibe: a man on a high-stakes mission, calculating every move through blind spots in the 40 security cameras he and his cohorts must dodge to reach the one place on the block where nobody will witness their deed. One misstep and everyone involved will be imprisoned, or worse. But as he executes his plan, the man wonders, "How can a person be afraid to do something like this?" After all, his mission is simply to hang a cloth flag painted with a peace sign and the phrase NO WAR. Topol's piece about a country that, in many ways, never really broke from the Soviet Union reads a bit like an absurdist novella. But thats what it takes to explain Belarus, where masked siloviki routinely come in the night to seize and torture anyone who raises a voice or paintbrush against the regime. (Those same agents might also help you scrub your phone before it is sent for analysis.) The story centers on a public park in Minsk, where the struggle to protect a mural depicting DJs with their arms raised from censors transformed a playground into the "Square of Change," and where many Belarusians first discovered a national identity worth fighting and dying foror escaping from. Events there certainly altered the life of activist Diana Karankevich, who escaped and finally breathed "particles of freedom" in Ukraine, not long after "Lukashenko had sold their country to the Kremlin as a giant military base." She and her son are safe in Warsaw now. (Read more about her purely Belarusian odyssey here.) (Newser) Vladimir Putin's mind is the subject of much speculation and analysis. As one New York Daily News columnist notes, "the words unhinged, delusional, unbalanced, sociopathic, and narcissistic appear regularly" in coverage of his words and deeds. His televised speech on Feb. 24, the opening day of the invasion, certainly raised many eyebrows. The Guardian characterized it as bizarre and not rational. However, according to another analysis of that same speech, Putins forceful languagespecifically his voicerevealed optimism and confidence. Two weeks later, in a March 10 meeting with underlings about the mass flight of foreign companies, "his vocal stress levels were over 40% higher than usual," indicating a show of "defiance." This is according to vocal analysis by Japan-based Risk Measurement Technologies, per Nikkei Asia. Analysts studied voice samples from televised speeches and meetings between Feb. 1 and March 18 (using a relatively innocuous 2020 UN speech as a baseline). Researchers explain that "changes in a persons mental state can affect their vocal cords, altering speech and potentially offering insights into their mentality." They also took body language into account. While results do not answer whether Putin is clinically mentally ill, they do show that his "steely exterior" does not always reflect his internal stress levels. During the Feb. 21 meeting with his Security Council (an "absurd and angry spectacle," per the Guardian), "Putin's voice indicated swings between high and low levels of stress in a short time, a sign of wavering feelings," Nikkei Asia reports. From this, says Risk Measurement CEO Kanji Okazaki, "We can conjecture that he was in a state of psychological instability." Putin was apparently feeling stable and reflective during his March 18 address to a packed stadium, although analysts did not get to hear his response when (or if) he learned that the live broadcast cut away during his closing remarks. The Kremlin was quick to blame it on a glitchy server, per Reuters. (Read more Vladimir Putin stories.) (Newser) Town surrounding Kyiv have been recaptured from Russian troops, a Ukrainian defense official said Saturday. "Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel and the whole Kyiv region were liberated from the invader!" Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar posted on an official Facebook page, NBC News reports. Russia had said it planned to de-escalate in the region, per CNN. US officials said Russia has altered its strategy and will try to seize regions in eastern Ukraine by early May. Other developments include: Negotiations : A draft of a peace treaty is far enough along that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin could meet anytime to consider it, a Ukrainian negotiator said. David Arakhamia said in a TV interview that talks probably would be held in Turkey, NBC News reports. : A draft of a peace treaty is far enough along that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin could meet anytime to consider it, a Ukrainian negotiator said. David Arakhamia said in a TV interview that talks probably would be held in Turkey, NBC News reports. Destruction : As Ukrainian troops move back into areas held by Russians, they're encountering minefields and widespread destruction. "Complete catastrophe is left after them," Zelensky said. Residents must wait till the areas are cleared of hazards before moving back in, he said. Mines have been planted "in houses, on equipment, even on dead bodies," Zelensky said. "There are a lot of trip wires, a lot of other dangers." In one town, Ukrainian troops are pulling the bodies of civilians off streets with cables, per the AP, in case they've been booby-trapped. : As Ukrainian troops move back into areas held by Russians, they're encountering minefields and widespread destruction. "Complete catastrophe is left after them," Zelensky said. Residents must wait till the areas are cleared of hazards before moving back in, he said. Mines have been planted "in houses, on equipment, even on dead bodies," Zelensky said. "There are a lot of trip wires, a lot of other dangers." In one town, Ukrainian troops are pulling the bodies of civilians off streets with cables, per the AP, in case they've been booby-trapped. Atrocity accusations : In the streets of Bucha, an adviser to Zelensky said, people in civilian clothes were found shot to death with their hands tied. "These people were not in the military. They had no weapons. They posed no threat," Mykhailo Podolyak said, per the New York Times. : In the streets of Bucha, an adviser to Zelensky said, people in civilian clothes were found shot to death with their hands tied. "These people were not in the military. They had no weapons. They posed no threat," Mykhailo Podolyak said, per the New York Times. A Russian backlash : Politicians and commentators on state TV spoke out against their military's de-escalation and partial withdrawals, per the Washington Post. One anchor said, "Any negotiation with the Nazis until the boot is on their throat is weakness." Referring to Zelensky, Vladimir Solovyov added, "You shouldn't shake hands with this creep." : Politicians and commentators on state TV spoke out against their military's de-escalation and partial withdrawals, per the Washington Post. One anchor said, "Any negotiation with the Nazis until the boot is on their throat is weakness." Referring to Zelensky, Vladimir Solovyov added, "You shouldn't shake hands with this creep." Lithuania's action: The first EU nation is ceasing to import natural gas from Russia. The small nation's boycott won't have a significant effect on Russia but still sets a precedent, one analyst said. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too, President Gitanas Nauseda posted Saturday on Twitter. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.) (Newser) While the fighting rages in Ukraine, UNESCO is assessing the damage being inflicted on the nation's cultural sites. The agency announced that it's confirmed damage during the Russian invasion to at least 53 sites through Saturday, NPR reports, mostly in the north or east of Ukraine. "This is the latest list, but it is not exhaustive, as our experts are continuing to verify a number of reports," a UNESCO spokesperson said, per AFP. The UN agency works from media and government reports, which it verifies through satellite images and witness accounts. UNESCO's director general reminded Russia last month of its obligation to spare heritage sites. Russia, as well as Ukraine, have committed to following Hague Convention rules protecting cultural installations. "Any violation of these norms will see the perpetrators brought to international responsibility," Audrey Azoulay wrote Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, per the Guardian. Azoulay included information about the locations of the sites. The convention's emblem, a blue shield, at a site indicates that it's protected and that anyone who damages it will be held responsible. Ukraines culture ministry said Friday it's counted 135 attacks on its cultural heritage, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency said. UNESCO's count includes 29 religious sites, 16 historic buildings, four museums, and four monuments; international organization denounced the damage to a Holocaust memorial on the edge of Kyiv. UNESCO has taken steps to limit the harm, meeting regularly online with site managers. "We assist them in identifying safe havens in which to store items which can be moved, and in assessing and strengthening firefighting procedures," a spokesperson said. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.) (Newser) Three members of a Southern California family pleaded not guilty Friday to abusing their nine foster children, including two girls from the Turpin family who were rescued from nightmarish conditions three years ago. Marcelino Olguin, 63, of Perris, entered pleas in Riverside County Superior Court to felony charges that included committing lewd acts on a child under age 14, false imprisonment, and willful child cruelty, the AP reports. Olguin allegedly fondled and kissed the two sisters while other children were physically assaulted, according to an investigator's affidavit. His wife, Rosa Olguin, 58, and 37-year-old daughter, Lennys Olguin, entered pleas to false imprisonment, willful child cruelty, and dissuading a witness. The three are free on bail and have another hearing in June. Court papers indicate that the Olguins were fostering two girls who were among 13 siblings rescued in 2018 from a home in Perris, about 60 miles southeast of Los Angeles, though the girls are not identified in the filings. They took in five Turpin children only months after the rescue, papers showed. Their parents, David and Louise Turpin, are serving sentences of 25 years to life in state prison. Last year, ABC News reported that most of the siblings received poor care after entering the child welfare system. "They have been victimized again by the system" and were "living in squalor," Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said in the ABC documentary. "They're living in crime-ridden neighborhoods. There's money for their education. They can't access it." The county ordered an independent investigation into the allegations that was expected to conclude this year. (Read more foster children stories.) (Newser) If you've grown weary of the seemingly wall-to-wall coverage of the notorious Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscar slap, Saturday Night Live offered little respite. The April 2 episode, which featured comedian/actor Jerrod Carmichael as host and musical guest Gunna, served up its take on the incident "again and again (and again)," as USA Today puts it. In the cold open, a Fox and Friends parody saw former President Trump (played by James Austin Johnson) FaceTime the co-hosts, who asked if he watched "the famous slap." He replied, "I did see slap, I enjoyed slap," then weaved in references to Smith's 2005 romantic comedy, Hitch. "Quite an arm on 'Hitch,' I always knew 'Hitch' had an arm." Then Carmichael started his opening monologue with the line, "I'm not gonna talk about it." He continued, "Do you want to talk about it? Aren't you sick of talking about it? Can you believe it's been six days? It was a week ago. Doesn't it feel like it happened years ago? Doesnt it feel like it happened when we were all in high school? It feels like it happened between Jamiroquai and 9/11. A long, long time ago. It happened on Sunday. Sunday! Its Saturday, bro." SNL was far from done: There was an Oscars segment featuring Carmichael as a seat filler seated right behind Will Smith (played by Chris Redd). The "Weekend Update" segment later wasted no time in addressing it, with Colin Jostwhose wife is actress Scarlett Johanssonjoking that Smith set "a terrible precedent for having to defend your wife at award shows." Later in the segment, OJ Simpson (Kenan Thompson) was brought on to offer his take: "I don't want to say you've got rage issues, but heyif the glove fits." USA Today notes that Rock has served as SNL host three times, most recently in 2020; Smith has never been on the show. (Read more Saturday Night Live stories.) (Newser) A 60-year-old man allegedly had himself vaccinated against COVID-19 dozens of times in Germany in order to sell forged vaccination cards with real vaccine batch numbers to people not wanting to get vaccinated themselves. The man from the eastern Germany city of Magdeburg, whose name was not released in line with national privacy rules, is said to have received up to 90 shots against COVID-19 at vaccination centers in the state of Saxony for months before criminal police caught him earlier this month, the German news agency dpa reported Sunday. The suspect was not detained but is under investigation for unauthorized issuance of vaccination cards and document forgery, dpa reported. Police said they caught the man at a vaccination center in Eilenburg, per the AP, when he showed up for a COVID-19 shot for the second day in a row. Officers confiscated several blank vaccination cards from him. It was not immediately clear what kind of impact the approximately 90 shots of COVID-19 vaccines, which were different brands, had on the man's health. German police have conducted many raids in connection with forgery of vaccination passports in recent months. Germany has seen high infection numbers for weeks, yet many measures to reign in the pandemic ended on Friday. Many COVID-19 deniers refuse to get vaccinated in Germany but at the same want to have the coveted COVID-19 passports that make access to public life and venues such as restaurants, theaters, swimming pools, or workplaces much easier. Health experts say the most recent surge of infections in Germanytriggered by the BA.2 omicron subvariantmay have peaked. On Sunday, the country's disease control agency reported 74,053 new COVID-19 infections. Overall, Germany has registered 130,029 COVID-19 deaths. (Read more proof of vaccination stories.) Alaska_news UAF students aid Bristol Bay communities in coastal erosion research UAF/GI photo by Chris Maio An aerial view of Kanakanak Hospital taken by an unmanned aerial vehicle May 28, 2021 in Dillingham. UAF/GI photo by Chris Maio Graduate student Reyce Bogardus and Roberta Glenn survey Kinakenak Beach using real-time kinematic GPS May 28, 2021 in Dilllingham, Alaska. UAF/GI photo by Chris Maio Graduate student Reyce Bogardus and Roberta Glenn survey Kinakenak Beach using real-time kinematic GPS May 28, 2021 in Dilllingham, Alaska. UAF/GI photo by Chris Maio Erosion as seen on Kinakenak Beach May 28, 2021 in Dillingham, Alaska. UAF/GI photo by Chris Maio Erosion as seen on Kinakenak Beach May 28, 2021 in Dillingham, Alaska. UAF/GI photo by Roberta Glenn From left: Roberta Glenn, Chris Maio and Reyce Bogardus pause for a self portrait while surveying in Pilot Point Alaska June 1, 2021. UAF/GI photo by Chris Maio Graduate students, from left, Roberta Glenn and Reyce Bogardus stand next to their kinematic GPS instruments while surveying Feb. 4, 2021, in Pilot Point. UAF/GI photo by Roberta Glenn Graduate student Reyce Bogardus and associate professor Chris Maio use an unmanned aerial vehicle to create a 3D elevation model by stitching together hundreds of photos. UAF/GI photo by Roberta Glenn A portion of the road to the waterfront bulkhead in Pilot Pilot point is eroding Feb. 4, 2021. UAF/GI photo by Chris Maio Graduate student Reyce Bogardus and Roberta Glenn survey the coast using real-time kinematic GPS Feb. 5, 2021 in Pilot Point. The waves of the Nushagak River are hungry at the edge of Dillingham, the largest community in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska. They eat several feet of the soft ground each year, driven by storms that have grown more aggressive and frequent as the climate warms and annual sea ice becomes less extensive. Houses collapse and tumble down eroding bluffs. Sewage lagoons and a hospital sit not far from the advancing shoreline. Bodies of victims of the 1918 influenza pandemic have been emerging from a mass grave as the ground gives way to the storms. Many communities along Alaskas vast coastline, the longest in the nation, have been battling erosion and flooding problems for years. In the Bristol Bay region, residents have been getting help from University of Alaska Fairbanks students. Since 2016 they have trudged through mud and scrambling over debris of slumping bluffs to gather data to help communities respond. They will visit several Bristol Bay communities again this year. The students research is building a powerful resource for understanding and managing the erosion, which can be caused by forces such as natural water channel movement, heavy snowmelt runoff and a warming climate that thaws permafrost, reduces sea ice and brings more and stronger storms. The data that were collecting is usually the only data that exists for these areas, said associate professor Chris Maio, who oversees the research at the Arctic Coastal Geoscience Lab of the UAF Geophysical Institute and teaches in the UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics. The work by Maio and the students adds to knowledge of Alaska Native elders and others about coastal changes and provides key information for making better-informed community decisions. Tribal environmental coordinators participate in the research. Filling the data gap Maio illustrates the works importance by pointing to Dillingham, where the Nushagak River eats vigorously at the bluff and threatens infrastructure. Its catastrophic. Theres houses falling in, he said. It was actually startling. Erosion just up from the rivers mouth has brought the bluff edge to about 120 feet from the sewage lagoon of Kanakanak Hospital, which serves the wider Bristol Bay region. Nearly 7 feet of land falls away annually. A few miles upriver from the hospital, the Dillingham city sewage lagoon is just under 400 feet from the shoreline, which is eroding at a much faster rate of about 20 feet per year. That much can sometimes be lost through a single storm, as was the case in August 2018. Weve documented the annual changes occurring in front of the Dillingham sewage lagoon, and thats helping them to decide what they have to do, Maio said. They have to spend millions. We have an erosion monitoring site there that has given us time-lapse images from every hour for five years, he said. We really zoom in on these hotspot areas. The teams work is filling a big gap in data. They have put out wave buoys and plan to install waver level gauges. The absence of data is a big issue, Maio said. Its a big problem, because you cant do a lot of planning if you dont know what the tides are doing and what the wave regime is. Data obtained by Maio and the students bolsters a communitys grant proposals and gives engineers a head start in other project phases. Theres no other source of data where you can say a quantifiable amount of erosion has happened, said Roberta Glenn, a masters student in geography who also interns with the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and has spent three summers doing fieldwork with the division and the UAF lab. Theres a lack of baseline coastal data. Communities will take the erosion data and go to a grant-funding organization or an engineering firm and say, This is where its eroding, and we need help, she said. If they didnt have the data, then all they have is their word or anecdotal evidence, which isnt always enough for engineering assessments. A growing program Maio and Jacquelyn Overbeck of the Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys are co-leaders of the project, which began in 2016. After workshops and meetings across the Bristol Bay area, the team installed wooden stakes and time-lapse cameras in Dillingham, Levelock, Port Heiden and Togiak and trained residents to record observations. In 2017, researchers set up monitoring locations in six more communities: Aleknagik, Chignik Lagoon, Chignik Lake, Ekuk, Pilot Point and New Stuyahok. The program has since expanded to include more than 20 communities. The Arctic Coastal Geoscience Lab focuses on the Bristol Bay region and the Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys works in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and on the North Slope. Funding comes from the state, the National Science Foundation, Alaska Sea Grant and, via local tribal environmental programs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Other partners are the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Bristol Bay Native Association. Climate change is affecting the Bristol Bay region, with erosion impacting our infrastructure, culture, fishing, and burial sites, said CaSandera Johnson, environmental program manager for Bristol Bay Native Association. The outcomes of this collaboration, such as erosion mapping and hazard assessments, will be used to secure funding to address erosion impacts. It is all part of what was originally called Stakes for Stakeholders, a community-based erosion monitoring effort that began in 2016. The program is a partnership among the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Coastal Hazard Program, Alaska Sea Grant, the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bristol Bay Native Association. Maio and Jacquelyn Overbeck of the Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys are co-leaders of the project. Organizers first held a two-day workshop with representatives from a dozen tribes of coastal and riverfront communities. Then came meetings in Dillingham, Levelock, Port Heiden and Togiak, the installation of erosion-monitoring sites consisting of wooden stakes and time-lapse cameras and the training of local residents to record observations. Researchers visited those sites in 2017 and set up monitoring locations in six additional communities: Aleknagik, Chignik Lagoon, Chignik Lake, Ekuk, Pilot Point and New Stuyahok. Alaska Sea Grant and the Bureau of Indian Affairs funded the expansion. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium assists tribes in their interaction with the BIA, engineers and the Arctic Coastal Geoscience Lab. The program has expanded to include more than 20 communities, with the Arctic Coastal Geoscience Lab focused on the Bristol Bay region and the Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys working in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and the North Slope. Funding comes from the state, the National Science Foundation, Alaska Sea Grant and, via local tribal environmental programs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Climate change is affecting the Bristol Bay region, with erosion impacting our infrastructure, culture, fishing, and burial sites, said CaSandera Johnson, environmental program manager for Bristol Bay Native Association. Collaborating with UAF Arctic Coastal Geoscience Lab to document erosion has been very beneficial for our tribes, which are experiencing firsthand the impacts of climate change. The outcomes of this collaboration, such as erosion mapping and hazard assessments, will be used to secure funding to address erosion impacts, she said. They will help our tribal communities tell their stories of how they are facing climate change in real-time. Community involvement Obtaining data starts with the first meeting between the erosion programs staff and local residents. Maio makes three points in those meetings. One is Im just a scientist who is really curious about how things are changing and happy to get the opportunity to measure something that someone has never measured before, he said. I always bring out that selfish science motive right away. Another motive is that I want my students to engage with rural communities to do not just science but science with a meaning behind it, he said. The third thing is to address the priorities of the tribe. Do they need maps that identify erosion areas? Do they need a way for some of their staff to get a better education? Do they need a water level gauge? Were trying to address those priorities. Glenn, who spent time in Port Heiden and Levelock last year, said community residents have come to know many of the returning students and other researchers and offer valuable updates during repeat site visits. Everyone knows everyone by now, and were having a good time out on the beach laughing and catching up, Glenn said. Someone will say Some of these stakes were wiped out in the last storm, and then theyll help us install new stakes. You have to have a good relationship with the community to do the work, she said. I think that the lab has done a really good job of building those relationships. The relationship-building extends to the schools, where Maio and others are helping develop a science curriculum about the erosion and flooding hazards. We want to teach the students how to be scientists, he said. We want them to learn about what were doing and how we do it and inspire them to follow in our footprints. A muddy job The research requires not only high-tech equipment but also some old-style items such as wooden stakes. And good boots. Grad student Reyce Bogardus, pursuing a Ph.D. in geoscience, said one of the most important tools for data-gathering is real-time kinematic GPS, which consists of a base station unit and a second, and different, rover GPS antenna. The base station works with the rover GPS unit to calculate and adjust for influences brought about by the ionosphere and atmosphere on the satellite signals they receive. The base station then sends this corrected data about its latitude, longitude, and elevation in real-time to the rover GPS unit, resulting in 3D locational data accurate to the centimeter. Then, using a time series of water level heights measured from a gauge, the data is manually adjusted to make it relative to the local ocean or river surface. And thats extremely important if we actually are assessing flooding, he said. They also do a lot of footwork. We collect data on the linear position of the shoreline, literally walking along a specific feature of the coast, he said. The power of that is that you get a very accurate measurement of change by repeating that over multiple years. And we do beach profiles, which is going perpendicular over the beach, he said. So we can get horizontal and vertical rates of erosion. They also use unmanned aerial vehicles to make hundreds of photographs that are then stitched together and converted to make 3D elevation models. Those models can be presented through virtual reality so that local residents can more easily determine potential problems such as erosion threatening a sewage lagoon. Thats the powerful part of UAV surveying, Bogardus said. Lasting impact At Pilot Point, a village about 100 miles south of Dillingham, erosion eats away at a road to a shoreline bulkhead where commercial fishermen unload their catches and is undermining the bulkhead itself. UAF students have been gathering data about that land loss and offering other engineering services. A 2021 report by the Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys said the shoreline near Dago Creek, near where the bulkhead is located, has crept inland almost 600 feet in 66 years through 2019, an average of 9 feet annually. Erosion undermined the bulkhead as recently as 2019, the report states. The divisions 60-year erosion forecast for the access road determined that 3,500 feet of the road will be exposed to erosion through 2079, with half of that exposure occurring by 2039. It estimates replacement cost of the bulkhead and exposed road and boardwalk at about $4 million. The small community has had to make significant repairs to the road for the past two years to move fishing boats and barge cargo to and from the bulkhead and to keep it in shape for a proposed seafood processing plant. Residents worry about sliding off the road, according to a 2018 report prepared by the Bristol Bay Native Association. That could change. Work by Maio, his students and others has jump-started road engineering, feasibility and design studies by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Transportation, said Daniel Kingsley, project consultant for the Pilot Point Tribal Council. Without these valuable baseline data studies by the Geophysical Institute and historical erosion maps generated by the state Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, our community would not have attracted these federal funding agencies attention in such short order, he said. Its an outcome that Maio said isnt limited to Pilot Point. Other communities obtained funding to bring engineers in to do more testing when our products went into their proposals, he said. Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute. The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain has welcomed the two-month renewable truce which came into force, on the first day of Ramadan, yesterday in Yemen, halting all military operations inside Yemen and on the Saudi-Yemen border. The two-month truce started at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) tonight. As of tonight, all offensive ground, aerial and naval military operations should cease, Hans Grundberg, the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, said in a statement yesterday. The Saudi-led coalition also welcomed the truce in Yemen saying it supports the UN efforts and arrangements to keep the deal, Saudi state TV reported. The Houthis and the Arab Coalition will also meet to agree on opening roads in parts of the country, including Taiz governorate, to improve civilians freedom of movement, the statement said. In a statement, Bahrains Ministry of Foreign Affairs appreciated the response of the command of the coalition to the efforts of the UN envoy, which builds on the initiative announced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in March 2021 to end the Yemeni crisis and reach a comprehensive political solution. The ministry hoped that this major step would pave the way toward ending the war in Yemen and a comprehensive political settlement to achieve peace and stability in the region. The success of this initiative will depend on the warring parties continued commitment to implementing the truce agreement with its accompanying humanitarian measures, Grundberg said. The UN-brokered deal between a Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi group aligned with Iran is the most significant step yet towards ending a conflict. The last coordinated cessation of hostilities nationwide was during peace talks in 2016. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the truce must be a first step to ending Yemens devastating war, urging the parties to build on the opportunity to resume an inclusive and comprehensive Yemeni political process. A copy of the truce deal seen by Reuters, and reported by Houthi-run Al Masirah TV, said 18 fuel vessels would be given access during the truce period and two flights a week would be operated from Sanaa to Jordan and Egypt. The parties are also discussing a prisoner swap under which hundreds from both sides would be freed, including 16 Saudis, three Sudanese and a brother of Yemens president. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain has successfully integrated 134 students with Autism spectrum disorder into government schools, of which 56 students managed a complete transition from private classes to regular classes, said Dr Majid bin Ali Al Nuaimi, the Minister of Education. The minister was speaking on the occasion of World Autism Day, which falls on the second of April every year. Bahrain, the minister said, has the right to be proud of its pioneering humanitarian experience in integrating students with special needs in government schools, including those with Autism. In 2010, Bahrain had only 11 special needs students in three schools. Come 2022, that number has risen to 134, the minister stressed. "Fifty-six of the students had also succeeded in managing a complete transition from private to regular classes for the qualitative leap they achieved academically, behaviorally and socially," the minister said. "Currently, 21 prima - ry schools and three middle schools in the Kingdom are integrating students with Autism." The ministry, Al Nuaimi said, is actively working to support and develop students at the higher school level. Al Nuaimi said the ministry is pursuing international standards for providing education to Autistic students. "There are also provisions for individual and group classes." Yet, another programme aims at providing such students with life skills - eating etiquette being one amongst them, the minister added. The ministry, he said, had also equipped classes with eLearning tools, including smart boards. The educational programme includes a programme for developing social and linguistic communication using pictures, a programme for promoting positive social behaviours, a time-management programme using picture tables, and a conversational programme aimed at strengthening the linguistic side of students. Students are also partially and then fully integrated into regular classes, according to their level of development. GREENWICH Francis Smith, the longest-serving prisoner in the state of Connecticut incarcerated for a 1949 Greenwich murder he was convicted of in 1950 is no longer behind prison walls. Smith, now 97, has been released on supervised parole to the 60 West nursing home in Rocky Hill. A longtime petty criminal from Noroton, Smith was sent away for his part in the killing of a night watchman at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club on the Greenwich shore, a conviction that observers and legal experts believe he was innocent of. Since that trial ended in a Bridgeport courtroom, he has spent 70 years in the custody of the state of Connecticut, aside from two short intervals. He escaped from a prison farm in Enfield in 1967 and eluded a huge manhunt for 12 days. In his last taste of freedom before his release, he was out on parole for 10 months before committing a violation that put him back behind bars in 1975. After decades in jail, Smith had most recently been incarcerated at the Osborn Correctional Institute in Somers, which is a specialized jail unit for older prisoners. Marchant, Rob According to the state Department of Correction, he was released in September 2020. Smith had initially been reluctant to accept parole when it was offered to him several years ago, according to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, but has since accepted a placement at the 60 West facility, a privately-run operation that contracts with the state for housing elderly parolees. Richard Sparaco, executive director of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, said there had been no problems with Smith since his release. Hes doing well under supervision, he said. Like prison and parole officials around the country, Sparaco said the issue of an aging prison population has become a significant question. The prison population has been seeing a rising number of older inmates behind bars, a consequence of longer prison sentences that were imposed in the 1980s and 90s for convicted felons. The state of Connecticut allows prisoners who was are diagnosed as debilitated to receive a compassionate release, but that threshold was fairly high, said Sparaco. A new policy was implemented in June 2021, lowering the threshold for commutation and giving the parole board more flexibility. Weve expanded our own policies to account for somebody who may not meet the requirements of compassionate release, but who is in that elder category, said Sparaco. Now parole officials are looking at the extent to which whether continued service on a sentence is in the interest of justice, and other factors involving a prisoners conviction. What the board is doing is ... to take the opportunity to take another look, and ask: where are they now? Whats in the best interest for the state of Connecticut and justice, too? Were looking at all factors. And its not just, theyve been been incarcerated a long time, we should let them out thats not what were doing, Sparaco noted. In Smiths case, a number of observers and legal officials have questioned the length of his sentence, as well as the handling of his murder conviction nearly three-quarters of a century ago. Zachary Frey, a data analyst from Greenwich with a strong interest in history, has questions about Smiths guilt after closely reading about the shooting death of the night watchman, Grover Hart, at the yacht club. Two guns and two shooters were involved in the killing of the 68-year-old security guard. One of the shooters, George Lowden of Stamford, quickly took a plea deal offered by the States Attorney and claimed the other suspect was Francis (Frank) Smith. Lowden was released from jail in 1966. Lowden later said he had been forced into naming Smith as the shooter at the boat club by law enforcement authorities. A key witness later recanted her testimony implicating Smith as the second shooter. Another petty criminal from Stamford who was serving time in an Alabama prison, David Blumetti, came forward to claim he was the other accomplice. To Frey, studying the circumstances of the case, It is absolutely fair to say that Smith was wrongfully imprisoned. He called it a miscarriage of justice that Smith was convicted of first-degree murder, as well as the dismissal of his appeals that were turned down in 1965 in federal court. Smith probably didnt shoot Grover Hart, and an innocent man probably spent 70 years in prison for a crime he didnt commit, but thats only part of the story. The way Smiths case was mishandled is disturbing and reeks of prosecutorial misconduct, and he was never given a fair chance to prove his innocence, said Frey. Smith was due to be electrocuted in the death house at Wethersfield before he was granted a reprieve in 1954. His head had been shaved in preparation for his trip to the electric chair, but a call from the Board of Pardons just two hours before the execution commuted the death sentence to 25 years to life in prison. Smith, who was born in 1924, is an extreme outlier because of his longevity, but he is by no means alone as a member of the aging prison population. The men in their 60s, 70s and 80s, serving time on convictions from the 1980s and 90s, present unique ethical challenges, as well as financial and practical concerns, said an expert and author on the topic, Fordham University Professor Tina Maschi. Roughly a quarter-million older men are currently behind bars in the U.S. Incarcerating prisoners over the age of 55 typically costs three times as much as younger inmates, a difference of $68,000 a year compared with $22,000 a year, according to Maschis research. As people age, they often require more resources related to health. And in prison, theres an accelerated aging process, they age about three times faster. Thats why its very costly in prison, said Maschi, a professor in the Fordham Graduate School of Social Service and an author on the subject of aging prisoners. Maschi questions whether old men, sometimes chained to beds in prison infirmaries for crimes committed decades ago, served the cause of justice, or society at large. We get stuck on the frame: When someones guilty, theyre always guilty, she said. When is there a time when we let go? On a practical note, the social-service professor said a number of European nations had been releasing older prisoners from maximum-security facilities to more community-based residences, an alternative worth exploring in the U.S. In addition, she said, better self-care techniques for inmates could be taught and integrated in prisons. The question of an aging prison population in Connecticut has taken a backseat to the more pressing issue of juvenile crime, says State Rep. Stephen Meskers of Greenwich, who was familiar with the Smith case. But, he noted, the issue of youth crime was also related to the aging prison population. Smith himself spent time at a juvenile detention facility for a string of petty crimes that began when he was a teenager. At the state capital, Meskers said, lawmakers are seeking to address the right balance of punishment for young offenders. What has consumed us are questions and issues related to juvenile justice because of the spike in crime. And what diversionary practices are there to keep people out of a trajectory that damages them and all of us? the state legislator asked. As to the aging prison population, Meskers said, it appeared there were thorny legal, ethical and practical challenges that defied easy answers. When a person has been deemed to have paid their debt to society, the real question is: Have we adequately dealt with the next stage of their life? he said. And I dont know. A request to interview Smith at the Rocky Hill facility is currently being processed, according to the DOC. rmarchant@greenwichtime.com Bahrain-based GFH Financial Group will be distributing dividends worth $60 million for FY 2021 which includes cash profits for all ordinary shares, save for treasury shares at 4.57% of the nominal value of the share (equal to $0.0231 per share, BD0.004562, AED0.0444), equal to $45 million. The recommendation also includes bonus shares of 1.5% of the nominal value of all the ordinary shares (one share per 66.71 shares), equal to $15 million. A leading regional financial group with keen interests in strategic sectors such as asset management and real estate, GFH said the approval for the distribution of dividends came from the shareholders at its Annual General Meeting held today (April 3). GFH early this year had announced the spinning out of its infrastructure and real estate assets under the newly established company, Infracorp, capitalised with more than $1 billion in infrastructure and developed assets into the company. The new firm will be managing a portfolio of near $3 billion of infrastructure assets including land bank in the Gulf, North Africa and South Asia approximately 250 million sq ft earmarked for sustainable economic and social infrastructure. Lauding the dividends move, CEO Hisham Alrayes said: "Once again, we are pleased to see shareholders approve the distribution of a solid dividend despite continued geopolitical and economic volatility." "GFHs performance in 2021 has produced remarkable results, which is testament to our proven operating model. The group secured net profits attributable to shareholders of over $84.2 million in 2021, an increase of almost 87% on 2020," he stated. "Also we have recently had our long-term issuer credit rating revised to positive by S&P Global Ratings," he added. Our continued diversification will help us to remain resilient throughout 2022 and beyond. I would like to thank our shareholders for their support and reaffirm our commitment to delivering solid returns and value for our shareholders despite market challenges. Attendees also discussed and approved the Board of Directors report on the Groups business activities in 2021 and the reappointment of the Groups external auditors for 2022. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Drivers anticipating relief from surging gas prices saw costs drop by 25 cents or more at many Connecticut gas stations Friday, as the state entered the first day of a three-month gas tax holiday. Across the state, the majority of retailers appeared to be complying with legislation requiring them to suspend collection of Connecticuts 25-cents-a-gallon excise tax on gas. However, Hearst Connecticut Media Group reporters who recorded prices from dozens of gas stations found several that had not budged on their prices. In Norwalk, for example, all but one of the eight gas stations visited by reporters were selling regular gasoline for around 25 cents less than they were on Thursday, and in nearby Westport, two stations had lowered their prices by 50 cents or more. Stamford, where reporters found some of the highest prices in the state, saw a similar drop in prices even though gas remained above $4 at every station. In New Haven, two of the seven stations visited by reporters had not dropped a cent since Thursday, while the rest had lowered their prices between 25 and 30 cents a gallon. In Hamden, prices at the Citgo station on Dixwell Avenue dropped overnight by about 30 cents, and a gallon of regular gas was selling for $3.98 by mid-afternoon on Friday. The decrease surprised Sam Banti, who said he had not known about the tax cut before heading out to help a friend who needed to fill up a U-Haul truck. Banti drives a hybrid vehicle, he said, so he does not have to worry too much about rising gas prices. Its still the most Ive ever spent on gas, Banti said. At the Sunoco station on Universal Drive in North Haven, prices held steady between Thursday and Friday at $4.29 a gallon. These (prices) are the same as they were, said Bob Delvecchio, a local resident filling up his car Friday afternoon on his way to work. Still, he said, the price was cheaper than most places in the area. Michael Fox, executive director of the Gasoline and Automotive Service Dealers of America, said most station owners faced no choice but to drop their prices or watch customers drive elsewhere. Still, he said, the sudden change in prices had left many owners in the lurch. In anticipation of the gas tax holiday, Fox said many station owners scheduled deliveries on Friday, when they could avoid paying thousands of dollars in taxes on wholesale fuel. Suppliers, however, were unable to complete that many orders in a given day, Fox said, so many tanker trucks showed up Thursday afternoon and evening to drop off fuel, leaving station owners to pay a tax that they could not pass along to customers hours later. Compounding the problem, Fox said, was President Joe Bidens decision Thursday to release millions of barrels of oil from the nations strategic reserves, pushing the cost of wholesale gas down another 13 cents overnight. Those guys that got an early delivery that was scheduled on Friday, theyre now 38 cents out of the market, Fox said. At an appearance at a Hartford gas station Friday to promote the start of the gas tax holiday, Gov. Ned Lamont warned stations that fail to immediately lower their prices could face possible sanctions from the state, despite previously saying it could take several days for prices to fall. It should be right now, Lamont said. We passed this bill a week ago, we wanted to give gas station operators a week to drain down their reserves, buy new wholesale gas with a 25 cent tax cut, and hopefully that is going to be passed along to voters right now. According to AAA, the average cost of regular gas in Connecticut on Friday was $4.27, a drop of less than 2 cents since Thursday, the last day the state collected the gas tax. Fox said AAAs data tends to lag by several days and will likely start to show a larger drop in average gas prices by the end of the weekend. Attorney General William Tong released a statement on Friday, saying his office was prepared to investigate any retailer suspected of collecting the 25-cent gas tax in violation of the law, though he also cautioned that it provided no guarantees for the price of gas. Its important to remember that prices at the pump will continue to fluctuate along with changes in wholesale prices. Not every increase, or decrease, in gasoline prices is related to the 25-cent tax or constitutes price gouging, Tong said. Every complaint will be investigated and all facts will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Fox said station owners, frustrated over the roll-out of the gas tax holiday, were prepared to vigorously defend their prices if questioned by Tongs office, including by fighting any subpoenas to turn over business records. If the [attorney general] wants to pick a fight and come and thinks hes going to charge a retailer with gouging, good luck, Fox said. Our association attorney is ready to defend all of those retailers that get a letter from the attorney general. For now, Fox said there is nothing the state can do to assist retailers that are left with higher-priced gasoline sitting in their tanks. Customers are happy to drive to find the lowest advertised prices in their area, he noted. One such customer, Thad Stanley, of New Haven, said he become frustrated by gas prices rising to as high as $4.60 in the area, and was surprised on Friday when all of a sudden, he saw stations advertising much better deals along Route 34 heading into town. When he reached Whalley Avenue, he said he saw gasoline selling for $4.08 cash at the Citgo station, and knew he had to pull over. Thats the lowest price Ive seen, Stanley said. If it could go below $4, thatd be even better. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to face a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly today. On Sunday, he urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers to be present during the proceedings of the no-trust vote against his government in the National Assembly. Earlier, Khan had appealed to fellow lawmakers of the PTI to abstain from voting during the motion proceedings or be absent altogether. As per a Radio Pakistan report, Khan hosted PTI MNAs for dinner at his residence where he said that the US wants to bring the opposition to power in Pakistan and enslave the Pakistani people with the use of money. Meanwhile, he lauded those who stood loyal to him despite the offers of money. Khan said that the opposition always wanted that he should give NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) to its leaders and after every few months, they tried to create instability in the country to save their wealth, reported Radio Pakistan. National Reconciliation Ordinance was first enforced in 2007 by erstwhile Pakistan President and Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf to grant amnesty to political figures and bureaucrats accused of crimes including corruption, money laundering, murder and terrorism between January 1, 1986 and October 12, 1999 the time between two Martial Law stints in Pakistan. On the other hand, according to sources cited by Geo TV senior journalist Hamid Mir, the ruling PTI government and its leadership have decided to incite violence in Islamabad. As per the report, the government and PTI leadership have decided to stop the Opposition lawmakers from exiting the parliament lodges and entering the lower house. Opposition leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari shared the notice given by Abbasi on Twitter. The motion has been moved under paragraph (c) of clause (7) of Article 53 of the Constitution of Pakistan. Pakistan opposition member Murtaza Javed Abbasi has moved a motion in the National Assembly to remove Speaker of the house Asad Qaiser ahead of todays no-trust vote against the Imran Khan-led government. Opposition leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari shared the notice given by Abbasi on Twitter. The motion has been moved under paragraph (c) of clause (7) of Article 53 of the Constitution of Pakistan. This comes after the assembly session on Thursday was adjourned shortly after commencement, before voting could take place on the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government sponsored by the opposition and several disgruntled lawmakers of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The opposition later in a joint press conference accused Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, who was presiding over the session, of acting on behalf of the ruling party. In the aftermath of the adjournment, opposition members staged a sit-in protest in the National Assembly to register their protest against the deferral of the no-trust vote. Imran Khan on Sunday urged PTI lawmakers to participate in the no-trust vote after his initial appeal to ruling party MNAs to abstain from voting or be absent from the house altogether. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Her 3-bedroom 2-bath house with vinyl siding had never attracted so many admirers. Every week, the mail brought more postcard offers: Sell now! Will buy as is! Everyone in the neighborhood was getting them. To Valerie Hamilton, then president of the Potters Glen Homeowners Association, it didn't sit right. Already, more than 20 homeowners in her Charlotte neighborhood had sold out to investors and their houses had been quickly converted to rentals. "We were being bombarded," Hamilton said. Like hundreds of communities across the United States, Hamilton's neighborhood had become the target of large companies amassing empires of suburban homes for rent. Since the Great Recession, when millions of Americans lost their homes to foreclosure, these companies have been expanding their portfolios of tens of thousands of single-family houses, a disproportionate number of them located in majority-Black neighborhoods like Potters Glen. The rise of investor purchases has spawned complaints that the companies, flush with Wall Street money, are pricing out first-time home buyers and renting to tenants who have not been properly screened. In Potters Glen, one house owned by Invitation Homes, a $24 billion company created by a Wall Street firm, drew several reports of illegal drugs and gunfire, according to police reports and neighbors. Facing the influx, Hamilton started asking: "Can't we stop them?" The answer, it turns out, appears to be yes. Using the same legal authority that allows homeowners associations to punish people who fail to cut their grass, the Potters Glen board erected a hurdle for investors: a new rule required any new home buyer to wait two years before renting it out. Since the board adopted the rule in 2019, property records show the pace of investor purchases has dropped by more than half. "We didn't want to become a renter's paradise," said Hamilton, a retired executive assistant from Ohio. "We want people who are going to plant flowers and trees because it's their home." As neighborhoods in several states have moved to adopt similar rules, advocates for rental home companies argue that the restrictions make housing less affordable. They say rental exclusions also can be discriminatory, echoing a past when real estate restrictions were used to keep out racial minorities, and have asked state legislatures in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, as well as North Carolina, to protect them from such restrictions. "Preventing single-family rental home companies - of any size - from purchasing homes in a community does nothing but reduce the availability of affordably priced rental housing," said David Howard, executive director of the National Rental Home Council. Invitation Homes, one of several big firms that own houses in Potters Glen, called the rental restrictions "prejudicial, discriminatory, uninformed, and misaligned with the concept of fair housing." The company said it was "disheartened by the trend of HOAs [homeowners associations] determining that renters are not welcome in their neighborhoods." Of the house in Potters Glen where neighbors had reported gunfire, Invitation Homes said it had used a reputable third-party screening company to vet the adult tenants - and that it eventually asked them to leave. Hamilton scoffed at the idea that the new rules discriminate against renters, arguing that the board has the right to encourage homeowners to live in the community. "Don't get me wrong - there are some very good renters in this neighborhood," she said. "But people who own their homes usually take more pride in their property, and we wanted to make sure we keep a place for them." - - - As investors have targeted the American suburbs, faraway companies have begun to take over entire blocks. Last year, investors bought nearly 1 in 7 homes sold in the nation's top metropolitan areas - the most in two decades of record-keeping, according to a Washington Post analysis of data from realty company Redfin. In Charlotte and elsewhere, according to The Post's analysis, investors have purchased a disproportionate number of homes in neighborhoods where a majority of residents are Black. Last year, 30% of home sales in majority Black neighborhoods across the nation were to investors, compared with 12% in other Zip codes, The Post's analysis shows. In Charlotte and surrounding Mecklenburg County, landlords backed by Wall Street own roughly 11,500 houses - more than 4% of single family homes, according to an analysis last year by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Urban Institute. Most of the houses are in the starter home price range, "likely putting the most pressure on the lower end of the market," said the institute's Ely Portillo. Most of those purchases were made by one of six major out-of-state companies: Progress Residential, American Homes 4 Rent and Invitation Homes each owned more than 2,000 homes, according to the Urban Institute analysis, while Tricon, Amherst Residential and FirstKey each had more than 1,000 homes. Faced with this surge of corporate landlords, many homeowners associations have begun to fight back. At the Reserve at Back Creek, a subdivision of 39 houses near UNC-Charlotte, neighbors last year adopted a rule requiring an owner to live in a house for a year before renting it out. No more than 18% of the houses can be approved for rental at any time. "Our main concern was with the faceless investment groups who were buying the homes more than just the renters," said Justin Kerner, 41, a former association board member. "If we're sending a notice about garbage on the lawn to a company in Las Vegas, it's going to end up on the desk of someone who doesn't care what the neighborhood looks like." At Avalon at Mallard Creek, a community of 110 townhouses not far from Potters Glen, a shooting last year that damaged several properties prompted the neighborhood to impose a one-year waiting period on rentals and cap them at 40% of units. They also required leases to be approved by the homeowners association board, which can reject a rental agreement based on investigative background reports. "Six homes had bullet holes," said Keri Miller, the homeowners association treasurer. The shooting, which involved outsiders targeting a tenant in a rental, Miller said, made her not only fearful but angry that the association had to pay for the repairs. "Our gate was broken. We had all this traffic coming in and there was this shootout," Miller recalled. "At this point I said, 'This has to stop.'" Since the new rules took effect, some investors have sold their properties, Miller said. The homeowners association has organized monthly neighborhood cleanups and property values have risen, she said. "It's working," she said. - - - Restricting rentals is not always easy. Charlotte attorney Mike Hunter said homeowners associations come to him about once a week asking for advice. Some, like Potters Glen, are worried about long-term corporate leases, while others want to curtail short-term rentals offered by companies like Airbnb and VRBO. In North Carolina, Hunter said, at least 67% of homeowners in a community typically must approve new rules, and reaching that threshold can be a challenge. "There can often be a lot of apathy in neighborhoods. A lot of people don't even bother to return the ballots," he said. "But if the rental properties are causing a lot of problems, it's much more likely that residents will rally and approve restrictions." The going initially was slow in Potters Glen. The homeowners association board seemed desperate for members when Hamilton moved from Ohio in 2015. A year later, she was board president. She was, in a way, a natural pick. Formerly the executive assistant to the city manager of Middletown, Ohio, Hamilton knew her way around meetings, boards and votes. "I'm a meticulous person. I believe in order," she said. Walking out her front door one February afternoon, she shook her head at lawn equipment littering the yard of a nearby home, a corporate rental. "It irritates me every time I set foot outside," she said "There's so much clutter. So . . . unkempt." The idea for rental restrictions rose during an all-day board meeting in 2018. Gathered at a local Holiday Inn, Hamilton asked board members how to improve the neighborhood. They considered, among other things, whether to prohibit chain-link fences, whether sex offenders and other felons should be allowed in, and whether residents should be permitted to keep pit bulls and Rottweilers, breeds previously forbidden. But the main topic was renters. The 280 houses of Potters Glen, most of them built in the early 2000s, are conveniently located between Uptown Charlotte and the UNC-Charlotte campus. Investors were flocking to their neighborhood. "I'd never heard of these companies who wanted to buy in all of a sudden," said Andrea Turner, a board member who worked with Hamilton to pass the rules. "We looked them up and realized they weren't from Charlotte. We wondered: What do they want with us?" So along with the ideas about the Rottweilers and felons, the board had a lawyer draft the rental restrictions and put up them up for a vote. They were not immediately popular. "People didn't like the idea at first. Some were worried that they wouldn't be able to rent their properties," Hamilton said. "But we assured them that the rental restrictions would not apply to the owners at the time." After three community meetings, Hamilton and Turner won the neighborhood over, and more than three-fourths of the community voted for the rental restrictions. "People realized we couldn't just become a community of renters," Hamilton said. "These are our homes. We had too much to lose." The trouble with some rental homes persisted, however. In the spring of 2020, multiple police visits to the Invitation Homes property prompted Hamilton to write a letter to company CEO Dallas Tanner demanding more intensive screening. "Would you want to live next door to lawless people?" she wrote. "I must express my disappointment. . . . This home has been a problem where the [police department] has been called out on several occasions." Invitation Homes did not renew the renters' lease, but it didn't immediately kick them out. In a statement, the company said that the incident in May 2020 "involved minors" and that the company notified the adult tenant that the lease would not be renewed when it expired a few months later. Before the lease expired, however, police visited the block twice more, once after a drive-by shooting at the house in August, according to police reports. After that incident, the company said it asked the tenants to leave. "When the shooting occurred in August, we asked the resident to vacate the home, which they did," the company said. The rental restrictions have slowed the pace of investor purchases in Potters Glen, however. In each of the three years before the rental limits, investment groups purchased about 12 homes in the subdivision. Since then, the pace has slowed to about four per year, according to property records. Companies affiliated with some of the nation's big rental firms have continued to purchase homes at Potters Glen, according to property records. Invitation Homes bought one in September 2020, about a year after the rental limits went into effect. The company said that the "neighborhood restriction was not noted in our system." Amherst, bought one, too. In a statement, the company said it aims to work collaboratively with homeowners associations and that "it does not appear this waiting period was communicated [to us] in documentation related to purchase of this home." - - - Hamilton, meanwhile, recently learned that spurning investors can come with a cost. After completing her term as board president, she put her home up for sale. She and her husband had moved to Charlotte to help her daughter raise their grandchildren. Now it was time now to go back to Ohio, where she has family. Adamant that she would not sell to rental companies, Hamilton added a line to the real estate listing for her home: "Per seller, investors will not be considered!" Investors tried anyway, deluging her real estate agent with calls. The Hamiltons received seven bids offering all-cash payment, according to her agent, Andre Dockery. But they took the one that came with a personal letter. "Thank you for the opportunity to make an offer on your beautiful home," began the letter from a teacher working at a local school who had two kids, ages 9 and 3. The 9-year-old had already claimed rights to a purple bedroom. The teacher's offer was $13,000 less than the investors' highest offer. But, Hamilton said, "She touched my heart." ASaffa Foods SAOG was recently presented with the Top Omani Brand award in the Food & Beverages category at the 2022 edition of the Alam al-Iktisaad Wal Amal (Aiwa) award. The awards are presented every year by Aiwa, a leading Arabic business magazine published by United Media Services. The nominations were based on a survey conducted in partnership with the Arabian Research Bureau. This survey was then used to determine which brands enjoyed the highest brand recall amongst their consumers. This award is therefore a clear demonstration of the trust and confidence the public has in A'Saffa Foods and its products. Testament to the brands popularity The Aiwa Top Omani Brand Award 2022 ceremony was held at Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, on March 30. Receiving the award at the event on behalf of ASaffa Foods was the companys CEO, Eng Mohamed Suhail Al Shanfari. Al Shanfari said: We are honoured to have been ranked as the Top Omani Brand in the Food & Beverages category. The award is not only a testament to our brand's popularity and success, but also demonstrates our commitment to delivering true quality and value to our customers in Oman. This award further endorses the trust our customers have put in us over the past two decades. As such, we would like to thank them for their continued loyalty to our brand. We would also like to thank UMS and Aiwa for the award as well as everyone who named us as their preferred brand during the survey. Founded in 2001, A'Saffa Foods Processing is a state-of-the-art poultry and meat processing plant with an advanced farm and slaughterhouse in Thumrait, Dhofar. Over the past two decades, the brand has continually strived to live up to the trust its customers across the country and the GCC have placed in the brand and its products. In fact, since its very inception, the company has been committed to producing nothing but the very best poultry products, both in terms of food safety and quality.-- TradeArabia News Service WEST HAVEN Mayor Nancy Rossi Saturday released a statement addressing an audit report released Friday that concluded roughly 80 percent of the citys expenditures from $1.15 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds should have been disallowed as either ineligible or lacking sufficient documentation. The 25-page audit report found $892,887 in CRF expenditures not to be allowable under federal guidelines, including $7,675 for a marching band and at least $58,712 in payouts of compensatory time to department heads. Auditors with CohnReznick said $433,038 in payroll expenses for the citys health department paid through CRF grant funds lacked supporting documentation and could not be properly reconciled. I have reviewed the audit report released yesterday by auditor CohnReznick. I take the findings of the audit seriously, Rossis statement said. The report highlights shortcomings in internal controls and processes; some of which we have already addressed, and some which require additional focus. The state Municipal Accountability Review Board voted Friday to accept the audit report, which stemmed from an investigation into the citys management of its allocation of CARES Act funding and its financial processes. The audit was ordered by former OPM Secretary Melissa McCaw in October 2021 following the arrest of former Democratic state Rep. Michael DiMassa, who worked as an administrative assistant in West Haven City Hall. DiMassa is alleged to have abused his position and authority granted to him by the City Council to manage the citys $1.15 million allocation of CARES Act funding to steal federal pandemic funding through a shell company. The Coronavirus funds were administered by West Haven employees who did not have the citys best interest at heart, Rossi said in the statement. Two of those employees have been arrested for conspiracy to commit fraud and wire fraud. We have initiated a comprehensive corrective action plan beginning with the recent hiring of a new finance director. Finance Director Scott D. Jackson and his team will be coordinating West Havens response to each of the issues raised in the audit report, Rossi said. Among their first tasks will be to provide the clarification and supporting documentation for the expenditures that were disallowed in the audit due to a lack of proper documentation. I am confident that we can significantly increase our reimbursement for these COVID-related expenses. As we prepare and submit the documentation for reimbursement and address the other issues raised in the audit report, the city will continue to focus on improving its financial standing. Auditors also reported finding invoices older than six months had not been submitted to the finance department by department heads and that only 5,584 of 27,622 vendors in the citys purchasing system had a tax identification number on file. The report also noted that the more than one million dollars allegedly stolen was excluded from the citys CRF expenditures. The MARB on Friday also released a draft copy of recommended measures for the city and MARB, which is set to be discussed at a special meeting April 5. Notably, the nine-page document raises the possibility multiple times that the city may be recommended for greater state oversight. West Haven has made good financial progress over the past four years, which includes four consecutive operating budget surpluses and a positive fund balance, or rainy day fund, for the first time in decades, Rossi said in the statement. ... Although West Haven has not received state MARB restructuring funds for the past two years, we do welcome the boards assistance and look forward to working with its member to continue strengthening the citys financial position. I will release additional information and updates as we work through the process, the statement said. Alex Jones, who has become synonymous with the word hoax, seems like he was made up. But Jones is not fake news. He is not a character yanked from some fictional multiverse whose bombastic sins strain credibility. Jones is ridiculous, and has been for a very long time. That doesnt mean we should ignore him. A reasonable impulse would be to disregard Jones because of his claims. But they cause a lot of suffering, and to pretend he doesnt matter would be a blind response to the galling reality that he reliably attracts followers. Jones reached out to his acolytes after Connecticut state Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis ordered escalating $25,000 sanctions against him until he submits to pretrial testimony in the lawsuit with some Sandy Hook families over his claims the 2012 massacre was staged. In a Thursday episode of his InfoWars show, Jones said, We got this judge up in Connecticut, if you could call it that, this thing that has just cheated us every way, lied about us, said we didnt give them this, sanctioned us for not giving them the Sandy Hook marketing. Its like saying give me the unicorn. Dont have one, lady. I know you got a leprechaun. Off the air, he reportedly agreed to testify April 11 while seeking relief from the sanctions. Bellis could have probably should have ordered Jones arrest after he failed to show up in court twice to give testimony. He responded by blaming stress and an infection from COVID. That would be the same COVID he claimed was a hoax. It joins his lengthy checklist of other conspiracy claims, which also includes moon landings, 9/11, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, global warming, autism and 2020 election results. Alex Jones is a charlatan for our times. We deal with a lot of scammers in 2022, fending off a steady rain of spam calls and texts. But that doesnt make hucksters with an mic and an audience any less important. That he profits from conspiracy rants means its something we need to talk about. He repeatedly hides behind the cloak of free speech, which insults the First Amendment. Hopefully, the outcome of these legal proceedings will persuade Jones & Co that there are consequences for chasing blood money. Jones has already lost his defamation case. He tried to squirm out of the pending trial to award damages by offering 18 members of Sandy Hook families and an FBI agent $120,000 each as a settlement. The offer was roundly rejected. Neil Heslin, who lost his son, Jesse Lewis, in the shooting, vowed to go to trial to fight him. Jones, a Texan, will finally learn what Connecticut justice looks like a full decade after the shooting. As Heslin said, it is about principles. Those principles need to win the day. This public reckoning should give voice to the dead to hush a man who spews hate into a microphone. Muiz Banire, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has faulted the leadership recruitment process in Nigeria and called on Nigerians, especially ... Muiz Banire, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has faulted the leadership recruitment process in Nigeria and called on Nigerians, especially the elite to, as a matter of urgency, find a solution before the 2023 general elections. Banire maintained that the majority of the people at all levels of power in Nigeria do not know the difference between wrong and right and however, faulted the process of electing them from the electorate to the electoral commission. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria noted this while delivering a lecture on The Nigerian state structure and the 2023 elections organised by the College of Management and Social Sciences, Fountain University Osogbo. According to him, the electorate are the Nigerians who are eligible to cast votes and presented themselves for voting in each successive general election. He said that Nigerians who registered to vote but failed, refused to vote; and those that are eligible to register to vote but failed affect the success or otherwise of the electoral process. He cited, As at the 11th day of March 2019, the electorate population in Nigeria electorate, however, fail to exercise their franchise, thereby availing the 200,962,417 estimated population of Nigerians. Majority of the was estimated to be about 84,004,084 which represented 49.78% of the politicians the opportunity to manipulate the process. Elections in Nigeria, according to him, have always been hijacked. The causes of this can be located in the principal characters characterised by rigging, violence, manipulations, bloodshed use of Independent National Electoral Commission, INECs official to manipulate elections and vote buying from the vulnerable and weak ones defenceless people that are not only denied their democratic rights of choice but equally endangered in the process. He condemned the attitude of the elite to elections and appealed to them to rise up to sensitise the vulnerable Nigerians the illustrate the weak to be more circumspect and ready to sacrifice their immediate comfort for the ultimate goal of good governance. The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), through the support of Bahrains Economic Development Board (EDB), has signed a strategic agreement with Bring Global to enhance NBBs digital transformation. This agreement will further extend the existing partnership between NBB and Bring to enhance the banks data, integration, digital banking and customer experience. With the support of NBB and the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), Bring Global is establishing their regional headquarters in Bahrain with the objective to jointly foster employment opportunities for Bahraini talents in line with the kingdom economic recovery plan. Commenting on the occasion, Khalid Humaidan, CE of EDB, said: Bahrains economic recovery plan outlines investment opportunities for the private sector and investors to benefit from and this agreement is a reflection of that. The Financial services and the technology sectors are key pillars for the growth of Bahrain as a hub in the region. The agreement between Bring and NBB is an important step forward for the creation and development of Bahraini talents and we are delighted to support this strategic initiative. The agreement between NBB and Bring aligns with NBBs continuous commitment to enrich the overall customer experience by accelerating the delivery of digital products and services, remaining competitive in the market, reducing costs, and increasing revenues. Commenting on the strategic partnership, Jean-Christophe Durand, CEO of NBB, said: With the help of Bring Global, we look forward to further transforming NBB into a data-driven bank, as we work on enhancing the overall customer experience by delivering personalised services and products to our customers while still remaining competitive in the market. Additionally, Yaser AlSharifi, Group Chief Strategy Officer of NBB, stated: We are thrilled to announce this strategic partnership with Bring Global. It is a step forward in growing our customer base and leveraging on our digital channels, and those of third parties, to efficiently grow our consumer and business banking segments in Bahrain and in the region. On his side, Carlos Alves, Co-Founder and CEO of Bring Global, stated: Client centric digital banking is growing meaningfully and requires real digital transformation. Unlocking the value of data, customer experience, process automation and digitalisation, digital payments platforms and preparation for an open API economy are key areas we focus on in our collaboration with NBB. NBB continues to foster mutually-beneficial partnerships, adding value through opportunity-creation, to broaden the banks range of services and practical solutions, and serve its customers more comprehensively.-- TradeArabia News Service Ex-aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, has said that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is... Ex-aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, has said that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is innocent of the 2023 elections campaign flying around, saying that there were some other persons behind the move. It was reported that photos of vehicles branded for the 2023 presidential ambition of Emefiele emerged yesterday, generating reactions in social media. Also, a group had earlier called on the CBN governor to run for the presidency in 2023. The socio-political activist, however, said on Saturday, that the campaign vehicles for Emefiele which flooded the social media were only a red herring by a fifth columnist and were attempts to taint the CBN governor. Omokri said, It has come to my knowledge that those vehicles purportedly for the campaign of Emefiele are a red herring by a fifth columnist. The man is innocent and his detractors just want to taint him. I will not allow myself to be the instrument of someone elses mischief! He added. The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali ,has said that the rumours that Kaduna is no longer safe due to attacks is not true. The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali ,has said that the rumours that Kaduna is no longer safe due to attacks is not true. He spoke on Saturday when he patrolled the Abuja-Kaduna highway. Mr. Alkali also deployed more troops to the Abuja-Kaduna to boost security, following Mondays train attack by terrorists. According to the police boss, adequate arrangement has been made to secure the road against bandits. He said troops have been deployed to the scene of the train attack inside Dutse forest in Chikun local government area of Kaduna, where repairs of the destroyed rail tracks were on going. Rumours that Kaduna is no longer accessible due to attacks is not true. The Abuja-Kaduna highway is safe for people to travel by, he said. Do you use the Abuja-Kaduna expressway? kindly tell us your experience. Some unknown gunmen have invaded a mosque at Soyoye, Rounder area of Abeokuta, where they kidnapped an Inspector of Police and two other wor... Some unknown gunmen have invaded a mosque at Soyoye, Rounder area of Abeokuta, where they kidnapped an Inspector of Police and two other worshippers. The police officer, Inspector Kamarudeen Bello, was kidnapped in the mosque last Sunday around 8pm, while praying. It was learnt that the cop is attached to one of the divisional police headquarters in Abeokuta, the Ogun capital. Bello, whose wife gave birth four days before the incident, is reportedly the Imam of the mosque. After he was abducted alongside two others, the kidnappers called to demand N5 million ransom for the release of each of the victims. But with pleadings and negotiations, the money was reduced a source said. The source, who did not want to be mentioned, added that, the wife of Inspector Kamarudeen was contacted with the phone number of one of the kidnapped victims. It was learnt that the kidnappers did not know that Bello is a police officer, as he was not in uniform or with any identity when he was picked up in the mosque. Most of us were scared when they kidnapped him; we didnt want them to know he is a policeman. If they knew, they might have killed him over fear that he would aid their arrest, another source stated. Our correspondent learnt that the policeman and others kidnapped with him have been released before the week ran out, after the payment of ransom. I dont know how much each of them paid, but I think the police Inspector parted with about N700,000 before he was released, it was gathered on Thursday. The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the abduction to newsmen. However, Oyeyemi said he was not aware of any ransom paid. He added that that police would not relent in dealing with kidnappers and other criminal elements terrorising the state. The Presidency on Sunday in Abuja has hit back at the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum for declaring the All Progressives Congress... The Presidency on Sunday in Abuja has hit back at the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum for declaring the All Progressives Congress unfit to participate in the 2023 general election. It also accused the governors of playing politics of division and hate; saying that the country profits nothing from the PDPs gimmick. The Presidency further accused the main opposition partys politicians of raiding the NNPC, consistently failing to pay into the Federation Account and, in the last year of PDP misrule, $20bn was simply found missing. These people, who play politics of division and hate, create communal disturbances, need to changecheck the facts and leave the politics: What does the country get with this kind of gimmick? a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said. On Wednesday, March 23, 2023, it can be recalled that the opposition governors, after its regular meeting at the Umuobiakwa country home of its Vice-chairman and Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, passed the pejorative verdict on the APC-led regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), saying that the governing party has become uncaring and a menace to Nigerians. The Forum also expressed shock that in the face of these statistics of complete failure in all ramifications and areas, the APC still wants to be on the ballot in 2023. It, therefore, advised Nigerians to reject the APC if it dares to appear in the 2023 polls saying It is impossible for a party so disorganised to offer good governance to the people of Nigeria. But the Presidency, in a statement titled Issues from the PDP fantasy communique from Umuahia, accused the main opposition of trying to cover up the serial and criminal failures of its long and damaging period in office, which the Muhammadu Buhari regime and All Progressives Congress have strived these past seven years to repair. Reminiscing the PDP years, it said We cannot forget under PDP, the nation had an army full of phantom soldiers whose pay went to PDP politicians pockets while our under-resourced real soldiers died in the fight against terrorist insurgents and our international allies refused to supply Nigeria kit and military aid. We cannot ignore how PDP politicians soughtand continue to seekto inflame ethnic and religious tensions by refusing to even proffer a solution to the herder-farmer clashes which became most prevalent under their misrule. We will always remember how PDP politicians intentionally encouraged and exploited the black market in currency exchange to convert ill-gotten gains to foreign currency and undermine our national currency, then spirited their funds abroad in their billions and into foreign bank accounts. Contrastingly, the Presidency argued that the Army, under the APC is well resourced with fighter jets and other armaments; Boko Haram is being driven from every inch of Nigerian territory, and ISWAPs leader was eliminated in a Nigerian airstrike. Today with APC in government, there are ranches on Federal land and in state land where there is the willingness to establish them. Clashes are reduced. Lives are saved, and livelihoods are enriched. Today with APC we support our national currency; we have achieved self-sufficiency in rice and fertilizer production; we refuse to allow greedy politicians and businessmen to hide their money overseas, and instead build an economy here in Nigeria for all. It further accused the main opposition of raiding the NNPC, consistently failing to pay into the Federation Account and, in the last year of PDP misrule, $20bn was simply found missing. The Presidency noted that with APC, funds from NNPC are directly and transparently used to fund social and health programmessuch as COVID-19 response, the construction of roads, bridges and rail, and equipping of hospitals to cope with new and existing challenges. Shehus statement also knocked the Governors who signed the Communique saying Who would trust such people with the running of our country? Who can believe a word these people say, as they looked outwardly stylish but harrowed by power-sharing and other troubles inwardly? These people, who play politics of division and hate, create communal disturbances, need to change. Check the facts and leave the politics: What does the country get with this kind of gimmick? The Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, has insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government should be held responsible fo... The Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, has insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government should be held responsible for the bandits attack on a Kaduna-bound train. AYCF National President, Yerima Shettima said there were rumours of an imminent attack on the train 48 hours before the bandits struck. Speaking with newsmen, Shettima wondered why security agencies failed to act on the intelligence. He stressed that the failure of security agencies to act was an indication of compromise on their part. Shettima called on the government to ensure that those responsible for the attack were arrested and dealt with. According to Shettima: The Nigerian government should be held responsible because the security and welfare of Nigerians are its responsibility. However, on this matter, it relates more to the Federal Government. The rail issue is purely a Federal Governments affairs; its expected that before the Federal Government would have allowed the train to start operations, the security of every passenger should have been put into consideration. That wasnt the first or second attempt; there have been other attacks before and this last one that got blown. The government should have known that it needs more preemptive measures to be put in place and expect the unexpected. Before the incident, ordinary people, not security agents, were privy to information that there were likely to be an attack. There was rumour all-around 48 hours to that attack. So, how can the government tell us that they are not aware of this attack? It means the security agencies have been compromised. So, we cant look at the security agencies alone without linking it to the Federal Government because they must take responsibility for this carelessness. This attack must not be allowed to happen again because this alone is a national disaster. No country would accept this; so for me, the Federal government should take responsibility as they didnt manage the situation well. Those responsible for this attack should be brought to book and dealt with decisively. France President Emmanuel Macron has sympathized with Ukrainians, describing the images from Bucha as unbearable. Macron shared his compas... France President Emmanuel Macron has sympathized with Ukrainians, describing the images from Bucha as unbearable. Macron shared his compassion for Ukrainians and the victims, adding that Russian authorities will have to answer for these crimes. In a tweet via his Twitter handle on Sunday, Macron said: The images reaching us from Boutcha, a liberated town near kyiv, are unbearable. In the streets, hundreds of cowardly murdered civilians. My compassion for the victims, my solidarity with the Ukrainians. The Russian authorities will have to answer for these crimes. Recall that Images had earlier emerged of Ukrainian civilians lying dead on the streets of Bucha with residents saying the victims were killed by Russian soldiers without any apparent provocation. Buchas mayor, Anatoliy Fedoruk, had said that more than 300 residents had been killed, according to Sky Sports. The war between Russia and Ukraine started in February this year. Russian President, Vladimir Putin, had ordered the invasion of Ukraine due to political differences between both nations. Comedian Debo Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, on Sunday, opened up on why his first love interest as an undergraduate rejected his... Comedian Debo Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, on Sunday, opened up on why his first love interest as an undergraduate rejected his advances. The comedian noted that the female student, who he described as a beautiful girl from the northern region of the country, rejected his advances on account of his stubbornness. Sharing the experience on his Twitter handle on Sunday, Mr Macaroni noted that he had begun learning the Hausa language before the lady in question rejected his advances. He wrote, I remember the first girl I fell in love with in University. Beautiful Hausa babe like this. Because of her I was learning ina son Ki She still no gree for me. She say I too stubborn Ramadan Kareem Ummi. It was earlier reported that the comedian said he studied in four universities before graduating. Aside from studying in four different universities, he also said he was born into a Muslim and Christain family, adding that he answer both David and Ibrahim. 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. Nana, a leading online grocery delivery platform in Saudi Arabia, aims to capture a 40 percent market share, equal to more than $900 million (SR3.375 billion) by 2025, from its current 13 percent of the Saudi market, said its founder and CEO. Sami Alhelwah said that the company aims to become the daily companion of every household in the Kingdom and is spearheading market growth of the online shopping and delivery sector. The company has also adopted a new brand identity incorporating its Nana the camel emblem inspired by the animals celebrated qualities of reliability, faithfulness, strength, patience and ability to reach its destinations. The launch of our new brand identity marks the beginning of Nanas transformation. It also highlights our success in building, modernizing, and upgrading an effective local Saudi brand with the aim to grow into a promising global entity yet locally-rooted brand, Alhelwah said. He explained that the camel emblem was adopted because it reflects the company's appreciation of the strong symbolism of the camel in its native Arab environment and its reputation as one of the most reliable means of transportation in world history. A survey of the online postal services and delivery applications market by the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) showed that 57 percent of the population used e-commerce services (75 percent for women) in 2021, with customers spending a monthly average of SR256. Food and beverages delivery services were the most popular, followed by groceries, medicines, medical products, and personal supplies. Delivery of electronic devices, however, recorded the lowest in delivery orders. Industry reports predict a revenue increase for delivery applications in Saudi Arabia to SR11.9 billion by 2026, with an average revenue of SR739 per customer. The number of users of online food delivery applications is also projected to reach 15.9 million users by 2026. Saed Al-Ali, VP of Marketing, said that the brand launch marks a new phase of growth with the overall vision of making everyones life easier and hassle-free. He believes that the new brand identity and its connotations with the famed ship of the desert will appeal to a wider audience of Saudi, Arab and non-Arab residents alike. Hisham Al-Ali, VP of People, praised the role of the many young Saudis working at Nana who have been pivotal in enriching the company's culture and identity. He said: Our employees have created the culture of Nana, the culture has created our corporate values, and the values at Nana determine our future. Commercial Director Haytham AlQadi added: The Nana team is outstanding Ive never seen people acting so fast, so smart, all towards building something big for the future. Nana is an application and online platform dedicated to fulfilling daily, weekly and monthly household grocery needs and is considered the first of its kind in the Kingdom. It is known for its high-quality products, careful and professional packaging and record delivery speeds. Nana currently operates in Riyadh and Jeddah through Nana Express and Nana Hyper, in Khobar and Dammam under Nana Hyper and is being joined by various supermarkets and partners across Saudi Arabia. TradeArabia News Service Petrofac, a leading provider of services to the global energy industry, has been awarded a major decommissioning contract by the Australian Government in the nations offshore oil and gas sector. Petrofacs Australia team based in Perth, WA, has been contracted to complete Phase 1 of the decommissioning of the Northern Endeavour FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Offtake) facility. The contract, awarded by the Federal Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, follows a stringent selection and due diligence process by the Government of Australia. The value to Petrofac of Phase 1 has the potential to be up to AUD$325 million ($236 million). The contract sees Petrofac as Outsourced Operator responsible for decommissioning and disconnection of the FPSO from its subsea equipment, and temporarily suspending the wells. Disconnection of the FPSO is expected to occur over approximately 18 months. Petrofacs scope includes the provision of its unique integrated services, working with both local and global suppliers. The Northern Endeavour is a 274-metre long FPSO facility, currently not producing oil, moored between the Laminaria and Corallina oil fields about 550 kilometres northwest of Darwin in the Timor Sea. Josie Philips, Petrofacs Regional Director, Australia, said: "This contract builds on 15 years of working in Australia and is further proof of our growing and long-term ambitions in the country. A critical element will be upskilling the local workforce to meet the challenges of billions of dollars of decommissioning work in Australia now and in the future. It is Petrofacs aim to be a local company, growing local jobs, local skills and the local supply chain. Im delighted that we have Monadelphous and Linch-pin already on board." Nick Shorten, Chief Operating Officer for Petrofacs Asset Solutions business, said: This contract recognises our unrivalled decommissioning credentials, as the only tier one contractor with the in-house capability to manage all well and asset decommissioning phases. The contract builds on our existing track record for delivering well operator and project management services for clients globally, having successfully delivered numerous multi-well decommissioning campaigns. Together Petrofac and its supply chain partners, including Monadelphous and Linch-pin, will ensure the safe and cost-effective removal of the FPSO from the field in accordance with good industry practice. All activities will be done in close consultation with the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) to make sure strict safety and environmental protections are in place. TradeArabia News Service In many ways, the natural disaster that struck Arabi on March 22 is like scores of others visited upon South Louisiana over the years. The images are the same: destroyed homes, piles of debris, neighbors coming together. But the days since an EF3 tornado gouged a two-mile trough of destruction across western St. Bernard Parish have highlighted one way that it's different. The scope of the disaster was not great enough to warrant a state request for a presidential disaster declaration, and the federal programs and the funds they make available after a typical New Orleans weather disaster are not part of the recovery process this time. "It's totally different," Parish President Guy McInnis said of the aid landscape, which consists primarily of the considerable efforts by charitable organizations, volunteer groups and neighbors and family pitching in. The same goes for the parish-level response, which would typically be covered by federal dollars triggered by a national declaration. "Were so used to hurricanes, we're in FEMA mode," McInnis said. "Everything we requested in the beginning, were thinking FEMA guidelines, FEMA requirements but were going to have to pay for this stuff ourselves." Two major pillars of support through the Federal Emergency Management Agency after a disaster are Public Assistance, which is applied for by governments, agencies and nonprofits, and the Individuals & Households program, which provides money and services to people whose homes and livelihoods have been affected. McInnis said the parish is working with Gov. John Bel Edwards, who declared a state of emergency, to try to get the debris removal paid for by the state in lieu of the disaster qualifying for Public Assistance. "I think it can be a model for these events that dont meet the FEMA guidelines," he said. McInnis is also encouraging residents to submit the same filings they're sending to their insurance companies to the parish and to the federal government, via FEMA's website, in hopes that some federal aid could be made available. But he admits this is more an act of hope than expectation. In addition to just being a smaller disaster than a major hurricane, a tornado less likely to trigger a request for federal aid because wind damage is generally better covered by private insurers than flood damage. And federal aid is geared toward filling the gap between what is covered in a disaster and the needs of victims, said Casey Tingle, director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness. In addition to the sheer size of something like a hurricane or a mass flooding event, the shortfall in insurance coverage isn't as great with a tornado. A missing fixture Tingle said that while a smaller coverage gap is ultimately good news, "it is a difficult thing to explain when a family is looking for every potential source of help they can find." Indeed, for those whose homes are just as flattened by wind as they would have been by storm surge, whose every belonging is destroyed, it can't help but feel a bit arbitrary, particularly as some of the aid groups pull back and the ever-familiar signs of "getting back to normal" begin to take shape. I feel like everyone here still needs a lot of help, Vaeda Baty said last week, taking a break from salvaging belongings with her partner, Kyle Scott, on the stoop of their Benjamin Street home. Baty and Scott live on the southern end of the street, which, along with Rose Street, bore the brunt of the tornado's 160 mph winds. But the twister passed behind the homes of Scott, Baty and their neighbors, so the destruction doesn't look as bad from the street as it does for the homes further north that have been magnets for television news crews. But Baty, an artist in Jackson Square, and Scott, a writer and elementary school teacher, say their home and those of many of their neighbors are every bit as destroyed. There's a giant hole in the roof, and the floor has been buckling under their feet during salvage runs, making any kind of mitigation efforts for insurance purposes impossible. Every time we go in we say, 'This is the last time were going in, Scott said. Were trying to balance the risk with what we can (save)." Moments later, Scott remembers a trove of his writing is still inside, and he briefly considers heading back in. Thats 20 years in a box that I just realized is in the top of a closet, he said. "I don't want you to go in there," Baty replied, putting the issue to rest. Filing an insurance claim, as is often the case, has been a slow and opaque process, and the expenses are mounting. The tornado claimed both of their vehicles, so they're driving around looking for a new place to live in the van they are renting for $75 a day in between runs to the storage facility. They have no family locally, and have been living in hotels since the storm four of them so far, for anywhere from $170 to $399 a night moving when prior reservations force them out. Later that week, the couple was able to arrange for a reimbursement on these costs that should hopefully arrive soon. When they do find a place to rent, they'll have to come up with a security deposit and first month's rent. The couple are burning through the money they've set aside. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "We have savings, but you dont save thinking youre going to lose everything, Baty said. The neighbor, Steve Campell, also had his roof half torn off and all the windows blown out. But the tornado did largely spare his and his partner's clothing, and their insurance company has been proactive in covering their hotel and car rental and finding them alternative housing. Post-disaster recovery is difficult even when federal resources are available, and FEMA's past failures and its bureaucratic process have given residents much to complain about. But in Louisiana, FEMA and natural disasters usually go hand-in-hand, and the absence of money and programs for temporary housing, property and vehicle replacement, moving, storage, medical, dental, child care and funeral services is a key difference this time around. And a smaller insurance gap overall doesn't necessarily mean there won't be shortfalls in some instances. So far, Campell said, insurance has been good, but "the jurys still out because the biggest part they have to come through on is settling the claim for the actual house." Filling the void Tingle said nonprofits and the volunteer community are an important piece of the recovery puzzle even when federal programs are present, but become even more so after something like a tornado. Baty said volunteers, neighbors and charitable groups have been extremely helpful, particularly when it comes to meals and debris removal. The Red Cross also provided gift cards, but $500 goes fast when you've been reduced to nothing in a matter of seconds. The couple spent the harrowing moments huddled in their bathtub as the tornado shattered every window in the house except for the one above their heads. We could feel the bathtub lifting and it was trying to take us out but we were in the bathtub and it's the only thing that kept us from dying, she said. Scott and Baty emerged to find shards of glass embedded in the bedroom wall. Even in the hurricanes, weve never experienced anything like this, she said. The force of the storm was unlike anything." Campell said he's been overwhelmed by the kindness of neighbors and even strangers who have brought food, helped to clear debris and donated gift cards. Tingle encouraged people able to donate time, money or resources to work with the parish to find aid organizations that can help. McInnis said the parish is hoping philanthropy can help fill the gap that insurance does not cover. Officials have started a fund, administered by Greater New Orleans Foundation, and donations can be made at at the parish's website at spbg.net. Some have come forward asking about donating vehicles. McInnis noted the disaster will likely prove large enough to kick in the federal Small Business Administration loan program in the coming days, which will offer loans of up to $40,000 for clothes and personal property and up to $200,000 to repair or replace a primary residence. Together Louisiana, a network of religious and civic organizations in the state, is also signing up volunteers to help with a slew or services. "We want people to understand that there is a community out there that is going to be on the ground and trying to meet all their needs," he said. "Our goal is to be able to use that assistance to replace the individual assistance that FEMA would normally provide." McInnis said the state Fire Marshal inspected 500 structures in the area, and found 41 of them completely destroyed. But there were another 96 that have suffered major structural damage. "We know we're gonna have 80, 90, 100 homes (lost)," he said. Even though the home Scott and Baty bought three years ago is still standing, it will likely be in that number, as will many of the boarded up homes nearby. This whole area you see needs financial help, everyone here needs community support, state support, federal support, she said. Theres no FEMA here. Its starting to feel like its over in everybodys minds, but its very real to everyone here. With New Orleans' spring tourism season in full swing, the Cantrell administrations stated plan to crack down on illegal short-term rentals is inexplicably stalled, leaving scofflaw operators to freely list unpermitted rentals on Airbnb and other online booking platforms. Pinning down just how many unpermitted rentals are available is nigh impossible, but data provided by the technology firm Granicus, combined with City Hall's short-term rental registry, suggests they outnumber legitimate ones at least 3 to 1. As a condition of doing business, online platforms are not allowed to list unpermitted rentals under the citys 2019 law. But it's not clear how often the municipal regulators are snuffing out those listings. In 2021 budget meetings, city officials said there were about 200 open cases of short-term rental violations, but that they had scheduled only 10 enforcement hearings for the entire year. We know we need to be doing more. And we know that we need to be more firm on this. So we will be hitting way more cases next year, Peter Bowen, the deputy chief administrative officer overseeing short-term rental enforcement at the time, said in November. The administration's online adjudication docket shows only upcoming cases, not past ones, so it is difficult to see how many short-term rental cases have been heard this year. If the April schedule is any indication, there has been a modest increase in hearings, with three scheduled for the month. But with unpermitted rental listings possibly numbering in the thousands, a handful of hearings per month wont do much to stop the free-for-all on the rental platforms. The current rate of hearings is also a far cry from Bowens suggestion last fall that Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration could institute quarterly super hearings, in which hundreds of cases could be heard in one day. Bowen, who was fired in January after being arrested for drunken driving, also said last fall that the administration would competitively procure software to scrape platforms for noncompliant rentals, automatically delisting them. But four months after selecting a vendor, the administration has yet to sign a contract. City officials said in early February they hoped to sign the vendor, Granicus, by the end of that month. The administration and Granicus did not make anyone available for interviews for this story, or provide a reason for the holdup. An administration spokesperson, Melissa Newell, said the contract is still "routing through the legally required procurement process," but did not provide additional details. 'You're going to get shot' As part of its pitch for the contract, Granicus said it had identified 6,448 unique short-term rental units available in New Orleans, although it did not say how many were illegal. At that time, City Hall's registry showed about 1,850 active permits, or less than one third of the total listings that Granicus identified. The 2019 law created separate permits for residential and commercial rentals, and residential applicants must prove they live on site with a homestead exemption. But in a recent City Council meeting, Faubourg Marigny resident Wade Kodrin presented photographs, property records and social media posts showing that a homeowner on his block was listing and renting an entire house while living out of state, possibly committing homestead exemption fraud in the process. Stranded rental guests outnumbered permanent residents on the block during the Hurricane Ida blackout, and relations were tense, Kodrin said. I get a knock on my door from drunk frat bros with beers in their hand looking for candles or a flashlight, Kodrin recalled. They knocked on all my neighbors doors, too, until they got threatened that You're going to get shot. Go inside. Kodrin said he has reported the property through City Hall's 311 service line numerous times, to no avail. City Council members were so impressed with his research they jokingly - or half-jokingly - offered him a job to help with enforcement. Council member Helena Moreno said she is baffled by the administrations flagging enforcement efforts. With the lack of enforcement and slow-walking of accountability measures, it makes me wonder whether this is purposeful, Moreno said. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Yet the administrations inefficiency is hampering short-term rental operators as well, said Bob Ellis, an attorney who represents operators. A backlog of pending renewals is one reason there are so many illegal listings, he said. Ellis said automated enforcement tools such as the Granicus software are a good idea, but the administration should take steps to automate renewals, too. Taking somebodys property offline - They are relying on this income, they do everything right and the citys paperwork causes them not to be compliant - is wrong, Ellis said. No permits, no problem Bowens hiring in 2020 was controversial because he had been an executive of Sonder Holdings, one of the citys largest commercial rental operators. The controversy deepened after his financial disclosures showed he still owned stock in the company. Sonder almost exclusively lists properties with permits that are expired, still awaiting approval or already denied. Sonder has applied for more than 700 permits, including renewals, since 2017, according to City Hall's short-term rental registry. Only one of those permits is currently active. The company's offerings include two connected properties, neither with a valid permit, that together comprise a 19-bedroom rental complex at the intersection of Piety Street and Burgundy streets in Bywater. Both properties are listed on Airbnb and Sonders website, which cites expired permit numbers. The listings allow two guests per room, or 38 total. One of the properties, facing Burgundy, has been cited several times for renting and advertising without a permit. The owner, Geoffrey Lutz, was denied new permits in June. He reapplied in February, and while the status of that application is unclear, the city employee who reviewed it noted the zoning district necessitates a conditional use ordinance. Lutz, who acquired the property with partners in October 2020, said in a brief phone call that he and his partners are complying with the municipal law. We are following the rules and intend to be permitted, Lutz said, before hanging up. Sonder representatives did not respond directly to questions about its invalid permits, nor to specific questions about the Bywater properties. They said the company is aware and supportive of the citys licensing compliance program, adding that New Orleans should make the compliance process efficient for all parties. A boutique hotel next door Neighbors have complained to city officials about Sonders Bywater properties for at least two years. In 2020, before Lutz bought them, the properties became an all-night party venue, at a time that strict occupancy and distancing rules forced legal venues to shut down or open on a limited basis, said Maria Ludwick, who lives next door. People would be out there checking IDs and checking to see if people paid, Ludwick said. Lutz has been more responsive than the previous owner, Ludwick said, but the continuous flow of guests in an accommodation the size of a boutique hotel creates an endless series of nuisances for the neighborhood. On the evening of St. Patricks Day, one of the guests parked in Ludwicks driveway, blocking her car for several hours, she said. Four days later, a tornado passed nearby and blew the propertys 95-gallon, unsecured garbage bins down the street. Even without tornadoes, the half-dozen or more garbage bins lining the curb tend to overflow quickly, Ludwick said. She said she is bracing for what is to come over the next few months. Jazz Fest and French Quarter Fest and everything - that sucker is going to go. It's going to be packed, Ludwick said. I dont know how they get away with that. NEW YORK, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of millions of dollars were supposed to go to building a community health workforce after the American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law in March 2021, but much of the money is being quickly spent instead on health departments or national initiatives rather than local, community-based organizations, reported St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday. Community health workers were positioned as key to U.S. President Joe Biden's public health agenda, but the funding situation has been making them difficult to maintain in the United States without consistent ways of payment, according to the report by this major regional newspaper based in St. Louis, Missouri, serving the St. Louis metropolitan area. "For bills and a car note, rent or children, that's just not sustainable," Denise Smith, the founding executive director of the National Association of Community Health Workers, was quoted as saying. "We can't do it for free." Smith is optimistic that the association's current programs will secure money to keep its community health workers on staff and then use the goodwill they've built up in communities to focus on disease prevention. However, "the fragmented American health care system -- and its systemic inequities -- won't disappear with COVID," while millions of people are poised to lose their insurance coverage as pandemic benefits run out, said the report. DOE Launches Study To Consider Equitable Pathways To Power Puerto Rico With 100% Renewable Energy An analysis led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is now underway to supply Puerto Rico with options for achieving a renewable, reliable, and equitable electric power system. Stay informed about PR100 by subscribing to email updates, including additional opportunities for public engagement and input throughout the study. The study, Puerto Rico Grid Resilience and Transition to 100% Renewable Energy (PR100), will leverage the most advanced U.S. research capabilities across multiple Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories to de-risk Puerto Rico's investments in modern, intelligent, and affordable grid infrastructure. DOE publicly launched the study on February 16 during a webinar attended by 645 participants including industry representatives, researchers, federal and local government, and Puerto Rico residents. The event featured remarks from leadership and the researchers producing the study, who discussed the scope and benefits of the historic undertaking, as well as opportunities for engagement. In her opening remarks, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm spoke of the opportunity to build back better as DOE began the 2022 "year of implementation" in Puerto Rico. Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 "laid bare the vulnerability that comes from relying on fossil fuels," Granholm said. "By installing energy sources like solar, storage, and wind, Puerto Rico can build its own energy rather than relying on expensive imports. Seizing this opportunity for cleaner energy is a no-brainer." Puerto Rico was thrashed by back-to-back natural disasters that destroyed around 80% of the island's power distribution and transmission infrastructure. With an opportunity to rebuild differently, and cautious of future storms, Puerto Rico enacted policy to build a resilient, reliable, and robust energy system with reasonable rates for all customersan improvement over some of the highest average electricity prices in the United States. The policy set milestones to transition Puerto Rico away from imported fossil fuel in favor of generating renewable energy with the island's own excellent supply of sun, wind, water, and other renewable resources: 100% renewable energy by 2050, 60% by 2040, and 40% by 2025. As dozens of grid modernization projects break ground this year, Puerto Rico is collecting expert insight to achieve its near- and long-term objectives. The PR100 study, directed by DOE's Office of Electricity in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will establish clean energy pathways for plausible Puerto Rico trajectories through 2050. The pathways will be locally tailored and will prioritize key questions around Puerto Rico's future power grid, such as its reliability during extreme weather, its equitability for all Puerto Ricans, and its impact on local economies. "To get to an end destination, you must first have a clear path," noted NREL Director Martin Keller in his opening remarks. "We commend our partners in PR for their vision and leadership and are confident that the PR100 study will serve as a model for other communities." FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell recognized the interagency partners in Washington that are supporting the government of Puerto Rico in reaching its goals through a variety of expertise and flexible funding. "FEMA's public assistance program has obligated $9.5 billion in funding for the energy sector alone. Just recently, on February 2nd, history was made when the secretaries of Energy, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, and the governor of Puerto Rico signed a memorandum of understanding promising to partner in the pursuit of a resilient, sustainable, and equitable energy grid for the citizens of Puerto Rico." DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi signed a memorandum of understanding with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge at the Department of Energy Headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 2, 2022. The MOU outlines accelerated work to strengthen Puerto Rico's energy resilience and enhance initiatives for clean energy. Photo from U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Benjamin Applebaum In the same day, NREL convened the first meeting of an advisory group composed of Puerto Rico energy system stakeholders. Representing academia, community-based and environmental organizations, federal and Puerto Rico government agencies, solar and storage developers, and professional associations, the advisory group will support DOE's portfolio of support for Puerto Rico (including the PR100 study) with ongoing feedback, guidance on local priorities, and expert perspectives. The PR100 study will take place over two years during which NREL will engage a breadth of stakeholders, perform unbiased analysis with world-class capabilities, and publish transparent data and results. "We know that the transition to 100% renewable energy in Puerto Rico could represent lower costs, more resilient electricity, and could save thousands of lives," said advisory group member Marcel Castro-Sitiriche, an assistant professor at University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. He suggested modeling a pathway in the study that "includes massive deployment of rooftop solar with battery systems in at least 500,000 homes in the short term as the first no-regrets action." While historic, the PR100 study is working off an example. NREL performed a similar analysis for Los Angeles in the LA100 study, which generated custom scenarios for the city to achieve its own 2045 clean energy goals. NREL's toolset for the two studies is essentially the same, but Puerto Rico has a different power systemit has far less renewable generation to begin with and has a far greater proportion of residential consumers than Los Angelesand distinct objectives, focused more on resilience and flexibility to endure devastatingly powerful storms and building out capacity. Marisol Bonnet at the Department of Energy coordinates DOE's recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. "DOE has been providing resources, technical assistance, and subject matter expertise to the government of Puerto Rico for the past several years on a variety of topics such as helping assess the damages of the hurricanes, developing tools to better understand interdependencies between the power sector and other sectors, and sizing and siting microgrids for increased resilience. Now, with PR100, we will help put Puerto Rico on a path to a more resilient, renewable energy future," she said. "As a proud Puerto Rican, this role has been the greatest honor of my career," Bonnet added. The study's clean energy scenarios will use curated models of Puerto Rico to simulate how such an energy transition could play out. The models are assembled and simulated with a software suite that, when brought together, can forecast energy system evolution into the far future. The study will fully support Puerto Rico's energy goals, including the Renewable Portfolio Standard established in the Energy Public Policy Act of 2019, and the right to determine its own energy future. The tools used to assess climate risks, renewable generation opportunities, possible asset failures, and transmission and distribution resilience, will leverage the best research methodologies from NREL and the other five DOE national laboratories contributing to PR100: Argonne, Lawrence Berkeley, Oak Ridge, Pacific Northwest, and Sandia. For example, the award-winning dGen software simulates customer adoption of distributed energy resources like rooftop solar and distributed storage through 2050. In a preliminary study using dGen, NREL analysts found that distributed solar photovoltaics (PV) installed on all residential rooftops in Puerto Rico would generate 20 gigawatts of power, far exceeding the current capacity. Rooftop solar photovoltaics power a home in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, located in the mountainous interior of the island. Residential solar and energy storage installations will greatly enhance electricity reliability and resilience. Photo from Marcel Castro-Sitiriche (2018) Improving resilience of energy infrastructure in the face of extreme weather is a high priority for stakeholders. "NREL had people on the ground shortly after Hurricane Maria," said researcher Nate Blair, a group manager and senior analyst specializing in distributed systems and storage. "They found one PV system was significantly damaged and the one next to it was not. Some of that has to do with ensuring installations are done with [best practices] in mind." The study will follow five activities: Input-gathering from stakeholders and the community, data-gathering about Puerto Rico's system, scenario design, focused modeling and analysis, then reports, visualization, and outreach. Some responsibilities will be shared across national laboratories, and the research team will continually engage with community interests. "The study will reveal insights right away, beginning with four initial scenarios by summer 2022, which will continue to be refined, reviewed, and analyzed through the end of 2023," said Murali Baggu, NREL's laboratory program manager for Grid Integration and one of the principal investigators of the PR100 study. The PR100 study is part of DOE's broader portfolio of support for energy recovery and resilience for Puerto Rico and draws on existing research conducted and tools enhanced by the national laboratories since the 2017 hurricane season and before. Prior work includes assessing the solar resource in Puerto Rico for both utility scale and residential rooftop systems; enhancements to NREL's Engage modeling tool for energy planning, the System Advisor Model for financial analysis of potential systems, and the PVWatts Calculator to estimate the performance of potential PV installations; the development of the Puerto Rico Energy Efficiency Scenario Analysis Tool; and much more. Many efforts to improve Puerto Rico's power system are happening in parallel with the PR100 study. Among others, DOE is developing a hurricane forecasting and preparedness tool, Puerto Rico's housing authority is enhancing reliability and resilience within residential solar and energy storage installations, and the utility has begun a competitive process that will result in the procurement of thousands of megawatts of renewable resources and energy storage. The PR100 study is central to this monumental effort and will muster the best of DOE's resources to inform possibilities for Puerto Rico's investment in a clean, resilient, and affordable energy future. NREL's ongoing and past activities to support energy planning in Puerto Rico, including publications, tools, and other resources, is available on the laboratory's Multi-Lab Energy Planning Support for Puerto Rico webpage. Stay informed about PR100 by subscribing to email updates, including additional opportunities for public engagement and input throughout the study. Shen Yun completed three full-house performances in Honolulu, Hawaii, with standing ovations each time. I actually felt goosebumps, said Terese Cooley, an audiologist. I loved the storylines. I loved the music. I loved the bright colors. I loved how they can jump into the screen. I loved everything about it. I could never catch a dull moment. I was always trying to figure out which way to go, watch who to see, what to look at. Its very beautiful, said Janelle Castillero, a U.S. Army Operations assistant commanding officer. I think it was wonderful, I was very impressed with the skill of the actors, and the whole ambiance was great. It was great to come to something after all this COVID lockdown for two years, and it was amazing, said Alexei Fainblout, a U.S. Army major. Shen Yuns goal is to revive a five millennia-old culture that was nearly lost after the Cultural Revolution. Audience members found that mission significant. The traditional buildings are getting replaced by modernized technology and architecture, and not realizing how and where they come from, said Castillero. So I think its very important for shows like this to keep producing every year, especially [since] they said that every year theres a different storyline, which is going to be really interesting because next year [were] going to come again to see what stories [they] have. I think its very important for especially kids to see outside of the internet, on global, googling all that stuff, on books, for them to actually see it in real life. For me, its very important. Its something that really embraces our full, you know, all our senses, and we get a chance to enjoy that experience for the period of time that were watching it, said Eliot Kalmanson, a lawyer. Its a great opportunity to really just get out and enjoy the different music and dancing. NTD News, Honolulu, Hawaii *In a turbulent world facing the raging COVID-19 pandemic and a struggling global economic recovery, the fact that Chinese and EU leaders had in-depth and candid discussions on major issues concerning global peace and development itself injects positive energy to the world. *EU should form its own perception of China, adopt an independent China policy, and work with China to promote the steady and sustained growth of China-EU relations and to add stabilizing factors to a turbulent world. *The meeting sends a positive message to the world in the midst of all uncertainties, highlighting the significance of China-EU relations and why it is important for the EU to develop its own perception of China. BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and EU leaders met via video link on Friday, as the world is confronted with the raging COVID-19 pandemic, a faltering economic recovery and the Ukraine crisis. Observers said the meeting sends a positive message to the world in the midst of all uncertainties, highlighting the significance of China-EU relations and why it is important for the EU to develop its own perception of China. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link in Beijing, capital of China, April 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) ADDING STABILITY TO TURBULENT WORLD Recalling his visit to the EU headquarters eight years ago when he had called on China and Europe to foster a partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China's vision remains unchanged. "If anything, it has become more relevant under the current circumstances," Xi told European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during Friday's virtual meeting. Xi stressed that China and the EU should act as two major forces upholding world peace, and offset uncertainties in the international landscape with the stability of China-EU relations. "In a turbulent world facing the raging COVID-19 pandemic and a struggling global economic recovery, the fact that Chinese and EU leaders had in-depth and candid discussions on major issues concerning global peace and development itself injects positive energy to the world," said Deng Li, Chinese vice foreign minister. Speaking to Xinhua, Branimir Vidmarovic, professor at the University of Pula in Croatia, said China has the power and the global significance to act as a bridge between the East and the West and to provide different solutions, though there is a growing mistrust between the West and the East. Bernard Accoyer, former president of the French National Assembly, said friendship is essential for progress in any field, including social progress and peace, which are at the center of all the concerns. Concerning the Ukraine crisis, Xi pointed out that the root cause is the regional security tensions in Europe that have built up over the years, adding that China and the EU need to commit themselves to keeping the situation under control, preventing spillover of the crisis, and, most importantly, keeping the system, rules and foundation of the world economy stable, in order to bolster public confidence. President Xi's comment suggests China and Europe should aim high. They have the potential to reduce conflicts as well as the anti-globalization and protectionist voices in the world, said Cui Hongjian, director of the department for European studies at the China Institute of International Studies. EU NEEDS INDEPENDENT CHINA POLICY Noting that China will stay committed to deepening reform and further opening up, Xi said China welcomes European business investment and expects the EU to provide a fair, transparent and nondiscriminatory environment for Chinese business investment and development in Europe. Xi called on the EU to form its own perception of China, adopt an independent China policy, and work with China to promote the steady and sustained growth of China-EU relations and to add stabilizing factors to a turbulent world. "Under current circumstances, dialogue and cooperation remain the mainstream of China-EU relations, and mutual benefit the keynote of China-EU cooperation," Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in a separate meeting with the two EU leaders on Friday. Li called on the two sides to build on the existing mechanisms to enhance policy coordination on COVID-19 response, climate change and the digital economy, and foster new cooperation highlights. If the European side manages to avoid unnecessary politicization of the relations, the prospects can be very good, especially in the fields of technology and green energy where China has the strength, Vidmarovic said. Oliver Zipse, chairman of the management board of BMW AG, told Xinhua that China has been Germany's most important trading partner for years, and the company's experience in China is a good example of the successful collaboration between the two countries and between China and Europe. The two EU leaders said during the meeting that both sides are committed to defending peace and multilateralism. Reaffirming their commitment to the one-China principle, they added that under the current international situation, it is vital for the EU and China to increase dialogue and cooperation. In an attempt to lower gasoline prices, the White House announced the largest oil liquidation ever from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. President Biden intends to drive gasoline and diesel prices lower following months of rising prices with his million barrels per day release. The higher prices are due to Russias war on Ukraine and the sudden threat to oil supplies. The release, expected to last six months, could total 180 million barrels, most of which will be refined into unleaded gas for use in automobiles. The International Energy Agency has pledged to join the U.S. in selling from oil reserves. Daily global crude oil consumption is roughly 100 million barrels, so the stockpile release can only provide a small portion of our energy needs. The administration continues to take other measures to stimulate energy production and, in the case of liquefied natural gas, export more to Europe since theyre suffering from a dramatic shortage. Their hope for gas supplies through the Nord Stream Pipeline has vanished with the war. President Biden is facing record domestic rises in fuel costs, emergency needs and obligations to help solve shortages facing our European allies, and the longer-term commitment to reduce fossil fuel emissions causing climate change. Solar, wind and nuclear power providers are urging conversion of production from those sectors, while our agricultural community is calling for greater use of ethanol (made from corn) and other biofuels. As of midday Friday, May crude was trading at $99.50, down about $13.00 per barrel on the week, while May unleaded gasoline went for $3.14 per gallon, a decrease of roughly 28 cents. Natural gas for May delivery brought $5.75 per million BTUs. Crop report sends corn popping, beans dropping Thursdays USDA crop report indicated a considerable increase in planted soybean acres, but acres dedicated to corn were way below estimates. U.S. farmers are adjusting to higher fertilizer costs by switching from planting corn to planting beans. Corn requires expensive fertilizer made from natural gas, while beans naturally produce nitrogen-fixing rhizomes and require far fewer input costs. By weeks end, corn for December delivery was at $6.87, up 25 cents on the week, whereas May beans were down over a dollar per bushel at $15.82. Wheat, paying more attention to supply and demand factors due to Ukraine, was less volatile this week. May wheat sold at $9.83 per bushel, down $1.15 this week. Opinions are solely the writers. Walt Breitinger is a commodity futures broker in Valparaiso. He can be reached at 800-411-3888 or www.indianafutures.com. This is not a solicitation of any order to buy or sell any market. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Indiana Department of Health is reducing the frequency of its COVID-19 data updates as the coronavirus pandemic increasingly fades into the rearview mirror. Instead of continuing to post new COVID-19 case counts, hospitalizations and deaths to Indiana's COVID-19 dashboard each weekday, the state health agency now is updating the online records only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It also halted publication of a daily testing positivity rate in favor of a seven-day case average paired with an indication of whether the number is trending up or down. In addition, the state's color-coded county maps showing COVID-19 spread have been replaced by similar maps of community transmission issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Lindsay Weaver, chief medical officer at the Indiana Department of Health, said the changes reflect a national shift toward using hospitalization data as the leading indicator of the impact COVID-19 has on a community. She said the dashboard update is the first step toward applying to COVID-19 general surveillance models, such as those used to measure current levels of influenza. "The increased use of at-home tests and other antigen tests that are never reported to the state has diluted the value of posting a daily positivity rate," Weaver said. "A better measurement is the impact that COVID-19 is having on our healthcare systems, and our dashboard revisions will make it much easier to see how hospitals are being impacted." Weaver said the dashboard changes retain the ability to sort metrics by demographics, including age, race and ethnicity, and provide a clearer breakdown of COVID-19 hospitalizations as part of the total hospital census. According to the data dashboard, Lake County last week averaged 15 new COVID-19 cases each day, Porter County tallied an average of six new daily cases, and LaPorte County had three. Just 22 people are hospitalized in Northwest Indiana because of COVID-19 and 306 statewide an incredible 91.3% drop from the state's all-time COVID-19 hospitalization peak of 3,506 set Jan. 19, records show. But COVID-19 remains a fatal disease, particularly for the unvaccinated. Data show a total of 20 Lake County residents died because of COVID-19 in March, the coronavirus killed five last month in Porter County and six people in LaPorte County. The Indiana Department of Health recommended Wednesday that individuals age 12 and older with weakened immune systems, and all adults age 50 and older who received their first Pfizer or Moderna booster dose at least four months ago, get a second booster shot to increase their protection against COVID-19. Adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least four months ago also may receive a second booster dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, according to the CDC. A third J&J shot is not recommended. The state health agency said booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been shown to increase protection from hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 and the omicron variant of the virus. The free COVID-19 vaccine is available at more than 1,400 retail pharmacies, health clinics and hospitals across the state often without an appointment. A full list of vaccine sites is online at ourshot.in.gov. According to the Indiana Department of Health, unvaccinated individuals have accounted for 90.8% of Indiana's nearly 1.7 million total COVID-19 infections, 99.89% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and 99.93% of the state's more than 23,000 COVID-19 deaths since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the state on March 6, 2020. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SAUK VILLAGE Police arrested a Crete man for aggravated assault and criminal damage to a school bus. Troopers from the Illinois State Police Chicago District investigated a report of criminal damage to a school bus when no children were present at 3:34 p.m. on March 18 on Interstate 57 northbound at 127th Street in Cook County. Officers identified the vehicle and offender after responding to the scene. Sauk Village police arrested Shawn R. Whirl on unrelated criminal charges Friday, identifying Whirl as the suspect in the March 18 incident. They detained his vehicle. "Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Agents charged Shawn R. Whirl, a 52-year-old male from Crete, IL with aggravated assault (Class A Misdemeanor) and criminal damage to property (Class A Misdemeanor) in reference to an incident on March 18, 2022 on Interstate 57 northbound at 127th Street in Cook County, IL," Illinois State Police said in a press release. "ISP DCI Zone 1 Agents responded to Sauk Village PD and charged Whirl with aggravated assault and criminal damage to property." Whirl remains in the custody of the Sauk Village police on unrelated charges. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. HAMMOND A suspect has been taken into custody after a Chicago man was shot following an incident near Oasis Liquors before flipping over his car in downtown Hammond on Friday afternoon. Zachery S. Smith, a 27-year-old Chicago man, died of his injuries Friday after he was shot at the 5500 block of State Line Avenue in Hammond, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Hammond Police Department spokesman Steven Kellogg said the shooting took place around 1:45 p.m. Friday. Smith crashed into another car, causing his own vehicle to roll over, after he was shot. "Hammond Police responded to the area of 5500 block of State Line Avenue in reference to a rollover accident and shots fired," Kellogg said. "Police arrived and located a black Ford fusion which had struck another vehicle and flipped over. It was discovered that the driver of this vehicle had received a gunshot wound from an incident that occurred near Oasis Liquors." Smith was airlifted to Advocate Christ Medical Center in south suburban Oak Lawn. He died in the hospital at 2:36 p.m. Friday., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Police tracked down a suspect in the shooting on Saturday. "The victim was transported to a Chicago (area) hospital where he died from his injuries," Kellogg said. "On April 2nd, a suspect was taken into custody pending charges." The Cook County Medical Examiner ruled that Smith's death was a homicide. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CROWN POINT Longtime Region attorney Thomas Vanes was convinced he'd convicted the right man in the 1980 rape of a Hammond gas station attendant when The Innocence Project called from Chicago in 2001, looking for the victim's sexual assault kit. It was sobering, Vanes said, to learn analysis showed the convicted man's DNA didn't match a sample collected from the rape victim all those years ago. "Part of why I was so eager to help find the old rape kit was because it was going to prove that I was right," Vanes said. "In fact, it proved I was dead wrong." Larry Mayes was released from prison in December 2001 after serving nearly 21 years of a 75-year sentence, but he wasn't the only man to be wrongfully convicted in a series of crimes involving some of the same evidence in the fall of 1980 in Hammond. The legal saga for Mayes, co-defendant James Hill and Pierre Catlett continued in 2012, when Lake County prosecutors charged all three of them with murder and robbery in the Nov. 14, 1980, shooting death of off-duty Hammond Lawrence J. "Larry" Pucalik at the former Holiday Inn-Southeast at Interstate 80/94 and Cline Avenue in Hammond. After a Lake Criminal Court jury found Hill guilty of murder in 2018, the Lake County public defender's office where Vanes now serves as assistant chief public defender worked on Hill's unsuccessful appeal. But it was the public defender's office's work on behalf of Catlett that finally led, in part, to Hill's conviction for murder being set aside in 2021 and the state's decision last month to drop charges against Hill and Catlett. Lake County First Assistant Deputy Prosecutor Peter Villarreal wrote in a motion to dismiss the cases, "After a thorough and exhaustive review of the currently existing evidence from this incident that occurred in 1980, there is insufficient credible evidence to prove these charges beyond a reasonable doubt." The state withdrew its charges against Mayes in 2014, after he was found to be incompetent to stand trial. He died last year after suffering a stroke, the defense team said. Members of the defense team quickly became convinced of Catlett's innocence, which motivated them to double down on their efforts to clear their client of the charges. Chief Public Defender Marce Gonzalez favors a collaborative approach among attorneys, and a decision was made to treat Catlett's case "as seriously as a death penalty case," Vanes said. "Part of the reason for that decision was probably at least two dozen to three dozen police officers had worked on that side of the case for decades," he said. 'The key to the case' Vanes, attorneys Joseph Curosh III and Casey McCloskey, paralegal Erica Williamson and investigator Shaun Cavazos pored over every record they could find, spreading papers out across more than a dozen tables in a training room they called their war room. "A lot of the best work comes from just obsessing over a file until you've exhausted every avenue you can think of," Vanes said. "One of the things we obsessed about was the towel." After Pucalik was killed, Hammond police found the getaway car parked a mile west of the motel in the now-demolished Kennedy Park Apartments complex. The stolen blue 1973 Chevrolet Impala matched a description given by the motel clerk and was missing a hub cap later found in the parking lot outside the motel, according to court records. Inside the car, police found a white towel on the front passenger-side floorboard and a hidden note with identifying information that linked the Chevrolet to another crime: the rapes two days earlier of two female hitchhikers who were picked up by two men on a ramp near the Borman Expressway and Grant Street in Gary. The owner of the car, a Gary man, told police the towel had not been in his vehicle when it was stolen. One of the hitchhikers said she was handed the towel to wipe off after she was raped, Vanes said. "We've always looked at the towel as kind of the key to the case," Vanes said. "It certainly turned out to be the key to our client's innocence." DNA has been around since the late 1980s, so it would have made sense for any of the dozens of police officers who worked on the case over the years to send the towel for testing at some point, Vanes said. An opportunity arose when the Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force reopened the Pucalik case in 2011, reigniting an investigation that led to murder charges being filed the following year. "It's completely inexplicable why it wouldn't have been tested," Vanes said. "For at least 30 years, that towel was ignored." The towel was introduced, in a sealed brown paper bag, as evidence at Hill's murder trial in 2018, but when Catlett's defense attorneys later examined the bag they found no lab markings to indicate any testing had ever been performed. "We pushed to have it tested, and the dominoes started falling," Vanes said. The results showed sperm cell DNA from two unknown men and one of the rape victims was on the towel, he said. "It's absolutely DNA evidence from the rape, but who it is, God only knows," Vanes said. "It's not Catlett. It's not Mayes. It's not Hill. As far as we know, it's nobody in the DNA databases." The murder charges against Hill and Catlett theoretically could be refiled, because they were not dismissed with prejudice. "But I think this is as dead as a case can be," Vanes said. "They put forth their best effort, and it went nowhere. If it gets refiled, it will not be against these guys. The possibility remains in theory that this could be solved. There's DNA out there." However, the chance of identifying any suspects from the DNA is slim, he said. "The reason for that is males who were rapists in 1980 probably aged out of committing crimes by the time the DNA databases began collecting in the late '90s," he said. "It just may be a situation where the people who committed this rape are dead." Suit cost city millions When Curosh and McCloskey met with Catlett several weeks ago to inform him of the dismissal, they could see a weight being lifted off his shoulders, Curosh said. "He was absolutely relieved and thrilled that this was finally over," Curosh said. "It was something that's been hanging over his head since 1980, when Hammond police first had him as a suspect. It just followed him around, and finally it's concluded." Catlett always maintained his innocence and told police in 1980 that he didn't know Hill, the attorneys said. During a recent deposition of retired Hammond police Detective Capt. Michael Solan, Hill approached Catlett's lawyers and insisted he had never met Catlett, they said. Mayes won a $9 million verdict against Hammond and Solan in 2006 for his wrongful conviction in the gas station attendant rape case, but the amount was later reduced to $4.5 million in an out-of-court settlement. Hill, who also was found guilty of the rape and later had his conviction set aside, still has a wrongful conviction lawsuit pending in U.S. District Court in Hammond. After the Lake County prosecutor's office withdrew charges against Catlett and Hill last month, a federal judge denied the city and Solan's supplemental motion for summary judgment, clearing the way for the suit to proceed to trial. Hammond, Solan and other officers also are facing a civil lawsuit in an unrelated case filed by a Chicago law firm on behalf of Darryl K. Pinkins and Roosevelt Glenn. The two men each served long prison sentences before they were exonerated in a "bump and rape" of a woman abducted from Hammond in 1989. The Hammond Police Department declined comment for this story, because of the pending litigation. The Hammond Law Department did not respond by press time to a request for comment. Catlett was in his mid-20s and lived in Harvey, Illinois, when the crime spree that culminated as far as investigators knew in Pucalik's homicide. Hill was a 17-year-old senior at Roosevelt High School in Gary. Mayes, who also was from Gary, was in his 30s at the time. Vanes, who was working as a deputy prosecutor in 1980, knew Pucalik personally and volunteered to be the liaison to the Hammond Police Department as its officers investigated the homicide. "I remember from my days in the prosecutor's office that there was a real division within the detective bureau in Hammond as to whether it was Hill and people from Gary versus Catlett and people from Illinois," he said. "They did not make that connection between them in the '80s. I don't know when that came, but I think it was kind of a forced marriage. There was no connection visible to the naked eye back in the 1980s." 'Forced puzzle pieces' One of the latent questions about the investigation is what went wrong, Vanes said. "I mentioned how obsession can lead to some good things," he said. "It can also steer people down the wrong path, and I think the obsession with a number of police officers over 40 years to solve this well, you can always make a puzzle fit if you start forcing pieces in, you know, but if you do that, you're not going to get the right picture." One of the "forced puzzle pieces" in the case involved statements by the motel clerk and one of the female hitchhikers, who each described a left-handed suspect, attorneys said. Catlett, Hill and Mayes were all right-handed. The public defender's office uncovered another "forced puzzle piece" when a detective with the Major Crimes Task Force brought investigatory paperwork to his deposition that the state had not turned over to Hill or Catlett's defense teams as part of discovery. From that paperwork, attorneys learned a male schoolteacher, who had observed two men get out of the blue Chevrolet and into a burgundy "switch" car at the Kennedy Park Apartments after Pucalik's homicide, was taken by police six days later to observe Catlett's sister's burgundy Oldsmobile Cutlass in Illinois. "He said, 'That's not the car.' He ruled it out as being the switch car," Vanes said. "Now, what's bizarre about that was at Hill's trial in 2018 38 years after the fact the prosecutor called him as a witness, gave him a picture and he said, yeah, that's our client's sister's car." The schoolteacher wasn't the only witness who described a burgundy- or maroon-colored car. After a a robbery at a KFC restaurant Oct. 19, 1980, a witness described seeing two suspects get out of the same car used in the rape of the gas station attendant Oct. 5, 1980, and enter a maroon Buick Electra with "big, flashy wheels or tires with whitewalls," Vanes said. That witness also described a blue denim bag, a piece of evidence seen during the rape of the gas station attendant and recovered after Pucalik's homicide. In a recent deposition, the schoolteacher told the defense attorneys he initially thought the burgundy car he saw was a Buick or Oldsmobile Cutlass, because they had similar body styles. "He kind of went with whichever way the wind was blowing ... and the wind was blowing from the police officers," Vanes said. "He adopted what they wanted to hear, which is easy to do. You know, people, sitting in front of a police officer, you just assume that whatever they suggest or indicate they know, that it must be true, and some people just go along with them." It's also possible the schoolteacher, who is now almost 70 years old and lives out of state, simply didn't want to be bothered with the case anymore, Vanes said. Years lost behind bars Catlett, now almost 68 years old, spent about 2 1/2 years in the Lake County Jail and another 9 1/2 months on home detention before the murder case was dismissed. Hill, 59, may be one of the only people in the history of American jurisprudence who has had two convictions one in the rape case and another in Pucalik's homicide set aside because prosecutors failed to turn over evidence to Hill's defense ahead of trial, said Scott King, Hill's attorney. Hill served 17 1/2 years in prison following his rape conviction in 1982. In 2009, more than 10 years after his release from prison in 1998, a Lake Criminal Court magistrate set aside his rape conviction. DNA evidence excluded him as a participant in the rape, and the state failed to turn over evidence, including that the rape victim had been hypnotized to sharpen her memory of the attack. Vanes, who prosecuted Hill, said he didn't learn the woman had been hypnotized until the early 2000s, after DNA analysis cleared Mayes and prosecutors went back to the woman to ask if she was certain she had correctly identified Mayes as her attacker. "Her answer was, 'After I was hypnotized, I was sure,'" he said. "And they go, 'Oh, no,' because hypnosis was forbidden. ... They (the police) never disclosed that to anybody. Not to us (the prosecutors), not to the defense. Nobody." Hill spent another five months in pretrial confinement in 2012 and 2016 on charges in Pucalik's homicide, and two years and eight months in prison following his conviction in 2018. He was released on his own recognizance in May 2021, after his murder conviction was overturned. Mayes used to stop by a law office Vanes shared with Richard Wolter, who was Mayes' defense attorney in 1982, Vanes said. "You know in theory that people get prosecuted when they're innocent, but when you find out that it's the person you see in the mirror, it's a lot more impactful," he said. Mayes once approached Vanes in federal court to "do a victory lap," but he was never angry or hostile about Vanes' role in his wrongful conviction, Vanes said. During the course of their investigation, attorneys for the public defender's office discovered a folder stored in a property room at the Hammond Police Department that contained a 200- to 250-page list titled "suspects," Curosh said. The list included individuals' mugshots, aliases, criminal histories and more. The list was so long, the lawyers stopped counting how many people were included, McCloskey said. "There's person after person, mugshot after mugshot, statements from other agencies," he said. "Here's a potential suspect. We think this person did it. All the way down. It just kept going and going and going." Vanes said the defense team initially relied on the prosecutor's office to provide evidence in the case, but Curosh and McCloskey eventually decided to "go to the horse's mouth" and subpoena the Hammond Police Department. A police captain provided a 32-page file in response to their subpoena, Curosh said. Solan had testified during a court hearing in the 2000s that the department's file consisted of "five banker's boxes," so the attorneys suspected there were more records they had not yet seen. The captain "went the extra mile" and eventually found a box containing the list of possible suspects and two other folders stashed in a property room, where the records should never have been stored, Vanes said. Who killed Officer Pucalik? The team never determined if the Major Crimes Task Force knew of the list of suspects during its investigation, McCloskey said. "Where did those people go? And are there DNA samples from any of those individuals to compare against what we know now?" he asked. In total, sperm cell DNA from three unknown males two in the rape of the hitchhikers and one in the rape of the gas station attendant has now been discovered. Vanes said by the time the Major Crimes Task Force, which was led in this investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, reopened the case, Solan had retired and been "pretty well tarnished" by the multimillion-dollar verdict for violating Mayes' civil rights. The investigation in 2011 was supposed to be a fresh start, but the attorneys learned the first person to brief the task force was Solan and that Solan had written a 50-page briefing manual for the officers, Vanes said. "The reinvestigation by ATF and the Major Crimes Task Force, as far as we could see from the paperwork given to us, they never looked at anyone other than the same three suspects that have always been front and center in this case," he said. In his 45 years at the bar, no other case has taken up as much of Vanes' time, he said. "It's kind of like my alpha and omega," he said. "It's at the start. It's toward the tail end here. It involves a kid from the neighborhood." Vanes grew up on the same block as Pucalik in Hammond's Hessville neighborhood in the 1950s and 1960s. Pucalik, a father of one, was killed at age 33. While reminiscing during an interview last week, Vanes recalled a time when Pucalik and another boy "fooled" him into joining an organization known as the Junior Police. "When I was a 7-year-old squirt, he was like one of big 10-year-olds," Vanes said. "One of the kids on the block who taught you things you didn't learn at school." The Junior Police were like the Cub Scouts with different uniforms, he said. "They came to me one Saturday after the meeting and said, 'Boy, if you'd of been there and your name was called, you'd of won a prize, so you better join,'" Vanes said. "Being a 7-year-old squirt, I believed them. So, I joined the Junior Police. There was no prize. After a few Saturday mornings of marching around on the hot asphalt in the parking lot, I quit." But Pucalik stuck with it and went on to become a police officer, Vanes said. "I would have been honored to prosecute the people who actually killed Larry Pucalik," Vanes said. "But given the way things went, I never had that chance. To this day, no one has had the chance to prosecute the people who actually killed Larry Pucalik." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. HIGHLAND One woman suffered a ruptured spleen from a military doctor. Another woman awaited delayed treatment for a fractured pelvis, another for depression. Several women reported sexual harassment. These were among the concerns aired at the Women Veterans Conference on Saturday at Wicker Park Social Center. The first of its kind in Northwest Indiana, the conference enabled female veterans to share their concerns with peers. We are important. We have all served. Some of us are still serving, Lt. Col. (ret.) Arthurine Jones of National Women Veterans United said. Because we are women, we have unique concerns. The NWVU and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 17 of Hammond co-sponsored the conference. Rochelle Crump, founder and president of NWVU, said the intent of the conference was to connect veterans with each other and to ensure that veterans concerns were being addressed to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and other groups. We want these women to know they are appreciated, they are heroes, Crump said. These women served their country, too. People dont see women as veterans as they do with men. Crump served 1971-73 in the Army during the Vietnam era. The conference allowed participants, many from Chicago, to air their particular concerns. These included: lack of access to mammograms, prenatal and dental care billing procedures military sexual trauma accessibility to patient advocates quality of medical care dealing with anxiety deferment of health issues due to military promotions As conference facilitator, Jones said these concerns will be addressed to the VA. In the meantime, Crump noted, because of their low numbers, women have to stick together, or nothing with change. According to the VA, women constitute only 9.41% of U.S. military veterans. Of the nearly 20 million veterans as of 2017, 1.88 million are women. In Indiana, women represent 31,169 of the 409,836 total Hoosier veterans. Of the 628,254 Illinois veterans, 49,534 are women. Roz Smoot, of Chicago, who served in the Army 1979-90, spent six years in Germany. Smoot suffered post-traumatic stress disorder but added, I love being a veteran. Being a veteran helped me learn what I wanted to become. Smoot owns a trucking company and continues to drive. Frances Atwood, of Crown Point, repaired radios while serving in the Marines 1980-84. Now on disability, this substitute teacher asserted, I am proud of my military service. Several women complained about the VA. Bob Carnagey, senior vice commander with the DAV Hammond unit, said the VA is experiencing a change of brain regarding female veterans, with changes coming. For Gary native Darlene Reynolds, who served in the Army 1978-80, my military service was very beautiful, so much so that my daughter recently retired after 22 years in the Air Force. The senior member of the conference, Miljan Akins, 90, of Chicago, served in the Air Force during the Korean War era, 1951-53. For her, the military was all right. I never had any serious problems. Jeannie Adams, 75, of Chicago, served during the Vietnam era and later, as a reservist, in Operation Desert Storm and the Panama conflict. The former medic said she had a very positive overall experience in the Air Force. Adams knows other women experienced issues while serving, but it was a womans word against a mans word, and women were considered inferior. To keep the peace, you kept your mouth shut. Today Adams stands with those women airing concerns. We have to say something, Adams said. Otherwise, nothing changes. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MICHIGAN CITY A grassroots organization was recently formed to get more residents actively involved in reducing crime in Michigan City. The Michigan City Crime Prevention and Safety Organization is inviting the public to its first organizational meeting Monday. Councilman Paul Przybylinski, D-2nd, said he got involved because he was concerned about crime and frustrated more was not being done to curb it, in his opinion. We want to help the community do something instead of just sitting and not doing anything and assist where we can assist, he said. Ed Bohle Jr., a former police officer and retired construction worker, said the organization will serve as an umbrella over neighborhood watch groups they hope to re-establish throughout the city. The idea is having more citizens keep an eye out for crime and other things like suspicious activity and report their concerns and possible evidence to the police. A lot of crimes are solved on tips of that nature, Bohle said. He said the group will also educate residents on how to prevent becoming a victim of crime. Bohle said he was a police officer in Michigan City when residents were organized to provide law enforcement with extra sets of eyes and ears during the 1970s and 80s. It was a very good solution, and it did work. Were just trying to reinvent, I guess, the neighborhood watch programs. He said the continued rash of shootings along with other crimes like robberies, auto theft, burglaries and vandalism are driving the effort. Bohle said he works private security for the owner of a warehouse near Chicago Street that recently was getting into broken into and vandalized, on average, once a week. They were tearing the place up, he said. Przybylinski said he also hopes input from more residents will better determine the causes of the uptick in crime and how to address it more effectively. Its about organizing and finding out whats happening and coming up with solutions, he said. Ironically, crime appears to be down, based on information from the Michigan City Police Department. There were 6 homicides last year compared to 8 in 2020. Nonfatal shootings dropped from 24 to 19 last year, police said. Police said there were also 399 complaints of shots fired in 2021, a slight increase from the previous year. Bohle said gun violence wasnt as much of a problem when he was on the police force. If we had two shootings a year that was it," he said. The meeting at 6 p.m. will be inside the Mikropor training center at 4921 Ohio St. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. INDIANAPOLIS There is palpable emotion when American leaders approach the Ukrainian border these days. Its what is to be expected when they meet with some of the 4 million people who have fled Vladimir Putins genocidal war that has sent 50% of this nations children in refugee status, with most of their fathers and many of their mothers returning to fight the Russians. President Biden was so moved after visiting the Polish/Ukraine border last weekend he said that Putin "cannot remain in power," evoking President Reagan's calling out of the Soviet Union as an "evil empire" a generation ago. The fact of the matter is I was expressing the moral outrage I felt toward the way Putin is dealing and the actions of this man, which is just brutality. Biden said. It was "the kind of behavior that makes the whole world say, 'My God, what is this man doing?'" Gov. Eric Holcomb met with Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia on Monday. "The inspiring observation Ive made is Ukrainians are made of steel," Holcomb told me in a Zoom interview on Wednesday. "Their resolve is second to none and I just want to export this Hoosier hospitality that were known for and provide resources as we have the capacity to do so. They are living through their greatest hour of need. "The world is taking note on who is lining up behind whom," Holcomb added. "I just want to make sure that its as blunt as this: Ukrainian blood cannot be worth less than Russian oil and perpetuate the Russian war machine. One thing is clear today, the bear is not hibernating any longer. The bear is out, gobbling up, engulfing and devouring and needs to be stopped." The bulwark of civilization beyond President Zelenskyy and the tens of thousands of Ukrainian patriot soldiers is NATO. Holcomb was in Slovakia with Indiana National Guard Adjutant Gen. Dale Lyles renewing ties with that nation's armed forces. There have been ties between these two militaries since 1994. "We are on first name basis with leaders there," Holcomb said. "So when I had the opportunity to talk to the prime minister and the defense secretary, foreign minister, the general in charge of the troops inside Slovakia, I can tell you it puts wind in their sails." How important is NATO right now? "I dont think it can be overstated how vital both the European Union is and NATO, because of that question of whats next," Holcomb said. "If we do not address this, contained in Ukraine, what will be next?" The contrast comes with former president Donald Trump, who called Putin a "savvy genius" before the Russian despot sent in 190,000 "peacekeepers" into Ukraine, as Trump called them. Had Trump won a second term in 2020, or is returned to power in 2025 - and he is the de facto leader of the Republican Party and the favorite for the 2024 nomination - the future of NATO becomes murky. A number of Trump national security aides have said that he planned to pull the U.S. out of NATO. Former national security advisor John Bolton said in March, In a second Trump term, I think he may well have withdrawn from NATO and I think Putin was waiting for that. In a second Trump term, there would be no Mad Dog Mattis, John Bolton or Dan Coats. There would be the fringe D-team players and sycophants, the same MO that Putin has used to find himself in his current dire predicament, with a nuclear escalation one of his dwindling options. While American leaders like Biden, Holcomb and former vice president Mike Pence have visited Ukrainian refugees, Trump stunned those paying attention this past week. At a MAGA rally in Georgia he called Putin a "smart leader," adding, "They ask me, Is Putin smart? Yes, Putin was smart. And I actually thought he was going to be negotiating. I said, Thats a hell of a way to negotiate, put 200,000 soldiers on the border. On a Fox News show Tuesday, Trump asked Putin to help dig up dirt on Hunter Biden, the president's troubled son. "I would think Putin would know the answer to that. I think he should release it, Trump said. I think we should know that answer. Trump has busted through a number of taboo barriers frequently since he announced his presidential candidacy in 2015, but reaching out to a murderous dictator in the midst of a genocidal frenzy is a new, pathetic low. Trump also revealed, once again, how scant his understanding of nuclear war is. Asked by Stuart Varney on Fox what he would do about the Russian invasion, Trump rattled his nuclear saber. We say, Oh, hes a nuclear power. But were a greater nuclear power. We have the greatest submarines in the world, the most powerful machines ever built were going to send them over and well be coasting back and forth, up and down your coast." This from a man who didn't know what the concept of nuclear triad was. This from a candidate who got his foreign policy expertise by "watching the shows." This from a man who once asked about detonating a nuclear warhead into a powerful hurricane approaching the U.S. Brian Howey is publisher of Howey Politics Indiana. Follow him on Twitter @hwypol. The opinions are the writer's. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A road is closed near the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States, April 3, 2022. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) SAN FRANCISCO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. "Officers located at least 15 shooting victims, including six who are deceased," a spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department said in a statement. The suspect opened fire outside a restaurant and fled the scene, the police said. The incident occurred at 2 a.m. (0900 GMT) when police officers were called for an active shooter in the area of 10th Street and K Street in downtown Sacramento. They closed several streets after the shooting happened. Witnesses said a man in a car fired with an automatic weapon at a crowd near El Santo restaurant. As many as 50 gunshots were heard, local media reported. The identity of the suspect was not immediately known and police have not released any details about a possible motive. Gun violence has been on the rise across the United States in the past few years, a trend fueled by a confluence of factors, from the economic and social disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the unrest during the 2020 elections, as well as a surge in gun sales. More than 17,000 people have died or been injured due to gun violence in the country so far this year, during which America has seen at least 110 mass shootings, according to a database run by the nonprofit research group Gun Violence Archive. Police officers investigate at the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States, April 3, 2022. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) Photo taken on April 3, 2022 shows the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) Photo taken on April 3, 2022 shows the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) Police officers investigate at the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States, April 3, 2022. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) Police officers investigate at the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States, April 3, 2022. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) Police officers investigate at the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States, April 3, 2022. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) Photo taken on April 3, 2022 shows the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) Police officers investigate at the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States, April 3, 2022. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) People gather near the site of a shooting in Sacramento, California, the United States, April 3, 2022. Six people were killed and at least nine others were wounded in a shooting in downtown Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua) A genuinely realistic assessment of the NATO expansion process of the previous decades was that it did not go far enough, was not militarily serious enough, and that, while offering Moscow the opportunity and aid in becoming a pillar of the liberal West, the alliance was prepared to return to the containment policies of the Cold War. Russia, not NATO, was on trial, and, as Ronald Reagan might have said: the alliance was prepared to trust but verify. Vladimir Putin is now exacting a particularly Russian kind of price for the Wests failure to bring in Ukraine and Georgia into NATO. And while additional forces have begun to flow toward the new Eastern Front, these are late to arrive, too few in number, widely dispersed, lack sufficient combat power or logistics infrastructure, and consume an unsustainable proportion of shrunken American and allied militaries. Perhaps even more important, with the rise of a revisionist China and the trauma of lost wars in the greater Middle East, the United States has developed a kind of strategic tunnel vision, increasingly unable to see its global role. In addition, the mechanisms of the Atlantic alliance have become dangerously rusty and perhaps corrupted. In his powerful pitch to the Congress, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy bruited the idea of a sort of League of the Geopolitical West, for the defense of at-risk, front-line states like Ukraine or Taiwan. Zelenskyy rightly noted that Japan, for example, is liberal and Western in ways that some current NATO members may not be. Russian subversion and Chinese Belt-and-Road debt-trap diplomacy may have crippled NATO as an instrument of containment. While current sympathy for Ukraines plight is in the news, a geopolitical Realism and the impulse to blame the West first have become too deeply rooted in current political discourse to expect the Ukraine shame to change such minds for long. There has been quiet conversations about how to halt this conflict by creating an off-ramp for Putin that would allow him to be able to declare mission accomplished and end the worst of the slaughter. Even if the first principle of any such deal is likely to force Kyiv to give up its desire to join the institutional West and the Atlantic alliance. Still, the brutality of the Russian campaign in Ukraine has, at least for the moment, muffled the claims of national conservatives, political science Realists and populist demagogues of the Tucker Carlson variety that Putins invasion was a response to NATO enlargement, an attempt to re-establish a legitimate sphere of influence or strategic depth. Even Donald Trump has dialed down his bromance with the genius of Moscow. John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago offers perhaps the clearest demonstration of why the argument against NATO expansion is flawed. Writing in Foreign Affairs in the immediate aftermath of the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014, his rendering of the liberal illusions that provoked Putin to annex the peninsula, seize Georgias districts that border Russia in 2008, and support separatist proxies in the Donbas and the Moldovan region of Transnistria, are explained as Putin simply defending Russia against the sort of aggression from the West that Moscow had suffered before from Napoleonic France, imperial Germany and Nazi Germany. Recently, Mearsheimer doubled down on his 2014 analysis, arguing that Western politicians are now inventing this story that Putin is interested in creating a greater Russia. Not even Putins own declarations that Ukraine was an inalienable part of Russias spiritual space can counter the Realist conviction that the attack is just the working of a simple bloodless national interest. Neither does the constant striving of Ukrainians, against great odds, to fight the Russians and their proxies. The Ukrainians who are the central actors in this drama, cannot realistically be regarded as puppets of the West. Regardless of political beliefs and NATOs flaws, the Ukraine war makes plain that Putin is building a new Iron Curtain across Eastern Europe. It is critical for the United States, for the peace of Europe and the durability of geopolitical liberalism that this curtain stands as far east as possible, and that the West initiate a strategy to undermine its foundations and eventually to tear it down. This is an epoch-defining challenge to the NATO alliance, a second bite of the post-Cold-War apple. It is likewise a moment that will define the United States as a genuinely global power. Giselle Donnelly is a resident fellow in defense and national security at the American Enterprise Institute. The opinions are the writer's. Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. Error! There was a problem with reporting this article. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Report Abuse Log In to report Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Reinhold Niebuhrs Serenity Prayer, 1943 Harry Truman understood Reinhold Niebuhrs Serenity Prayer. Because of this, NATOs founder would surely resist NATO expansion. In 1947, Truman was confronted with what is to us a familiar challenge: Soviet (Russian) aggression. Breaking wartime accords, the Soviets occupied Eastern Europe and schemed to overtake the Western half. This was a strategic challenge of the highest order, which seemingly posed a binary choice: appeasement or war. Recalling Neville Chamberlain, Truman refused appeasement. He also realized a bloody war to roll back Soviet aggression did not serve the national interest. But Truman knew his Niebuhr. Made famous by 12-step programs, Niebuhr originally penned his plea for war-weary Americans. But the philosopher-theologians prayer came to encapsulate early Cold War philosophy to counter Soviet aggression while avoiding full-fledged war. Rejecting both combat and concession, Trumans middle way was the 12-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collective security pact, NATO was the foundation of Americas postwar containment policy. Via NATO, the West contained Soviet expansion until it would collapse from internal contradictions. Hardly the stuff of action movies, NATO and containment were stolid, sober and serious answers to Soviet imperialism. It also worked. Despite strategic blunders and inter-alliance tensions, NATO held firm and the Soviet Union crumbled from within. Seventy-five years later, the West is confronted with a reprise of Russian imperialism. Like our forbearers, there are those so filled with understandable umbrage and outrage that they seek an aggressive, affirmative response: NATO expansion. In the heat of the moment, we must keep our heads and remember Niebuhr and Trumans sage example. Both understood that America had to restrain its inner-Yosemite Sam and thread a political needle by countering aggression without spiraling into an atomic conflagration. NATO expansion into Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and even Finland are needlessly provocative measures, which could also undermine the alliance. NATOs current united stand against Russian aggression resulted from decades of slow-gestating security, economic, political and cultural integration. In theory, NATO is open to those nations that meet certain economic and political criteria and contribute to Euro-Atlantic security. Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine simply do not meet those standards. In addition to lagging economic development, all three bring with them pre-existing conflicts, which could drag the alliance into war. Realists have bemoaned NATO expansion into Poland (1999) and the Baltics (2004) for sparking Russias ire and the present conflict. These specialists are, to some extent, correct. But their analysis misses the point. First, Poland and the Baltic states are sovereign nations equipped to make security considerations that run counter to Russian desires. Moreover, Russia did not heatedly object, which meant expansion did not bring with it an imminent threat of war. But 2022 is not the late 1990s and early 2000s. Today, adding Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and even Finland invites further conflict with a humiliated and nuclear-armed Russia. This is no time for provocations on Russian borders. NATO is only as strong as its members commitment to Article V. The Three Musketeers proviso pledges each member state to consider an attack on one as an attack on all. It is wholly foreseeable that a NATO state could deem a conflict with Russia over far-flung Moldova, for instance, as outside its security interests and refuse to invoke Article V. Such a scenario could be the alliances undoing and Putins ultimate fantasy. Niebuhr and Truman would not deem Russian domination of its neighbors as something the West cannot change. But they would caution that our seething rage at Putins war should not blinker our wisdom so that we blunder into a catastrophic, wider conflict. Courage oft-times calls for discretion and measured responses. Arming the Ukrainians, sanctioning Russia and offering robust security assistance short of NATO enlargement has helped stymie Putins advance. To be sure, such measures do not result in emotional satisfaction. But this is not a Hollywood movie. Americans should not expect a tidy denouement in which the plot is resolved after a climatic end. A wise Niebuhrian and Truman-esque response is one that salvages Ukrainian sovereignty, severely punishes Russia, forestalls a wider war, and prevents future conflict. Be prepared. There is no quick and easy solution to this foreign policy crisis. The West must accept it cannot end Putins aggression in one fell swoop. It is a challenge that must be managed, confronted and thwarted. This is no time for dramatic gestures. Trumans example and Niebuhrs Serenity Prayer point the way. Jeffry Bloodworth is a security fellow at the Truman National Security Project. The opinions are the writer's. Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. Error! There was a problem with reporting this article. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Report Abuse Log In to report Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday announced that New Yorkers ages 50 or older who received their booster shots at least four months ago, or adults who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, are now eligible for a second booster dose. New Yorkers who are at least 12 years old and are moderately to severely immunocompromised are also eligible. Getting vaccinated and staying up-to-date with all recommended doses is the most effective way to prevent severe illness and hospitalization, and move safely forward through this pandemic, Ms. Hochul said. New Yorkers can schedule an appointment for a free booster shot at one of more than a dozen state-run mass vaccination sites, including Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn; the Queensbury Aviation Mall-Sears in Queensbury; State Fair Art and Home Center in Syracuse; and the University at Buffalo South Campus at Harriman Hall in Buffalo. Booster shots are a dose of an mRNA vaccine either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna. At a news conference on Friday at City Hall, the New York City health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, also encouraged city residents to get booster shots and to wear masks in public indoor settings, pointing out that he was wearing a mask at the news conference. Residents can find a location to get a free shot and make a vaccination appointment at the New York City Department of Healths website. Daniel Craig, who is starring in the title role of a new Broadway production of Macbeth, tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday, forcing the show to cancel most of next weeks performances. The show, which just began previews on Tuesday and is scheduled to open April 28, had already canceled Friday nights performance, citing another positive coronavirus test among cast members, when on Saturday it canceled both the matinee and an evening performance, citing Mr. Craigs positive test. Then, late Saturday night, the production said that it was canceling all performances until April 8 due to the detection of a limited number of positive covid test results within the company. Coronavirus cases have recently been rising in New York City, and several Broadway performers have tested positive. In most instances, shows have been able to turn to understudies to keep going, but because Macbeth had just begun performances, it had not yet fully rehearsed the understudies. All Broadway actors in fact, all workers in Broadway theaters are required to be fully vaccinated. Broadway also currently requires that ticket holders be fully vaccinated and wear masks except when eating and drinking; on Friday, the theater owners and operators said that those rules would remain in place at least through April 30, and that they would decide by April 15 whether to retain, alter or drop the audience protocols after the end of the month. In his opening monologue on Saturday Night Live, the host and comedian Jerrod Carmichael swore he wouldnt do it. Im not gonna talk about it, he said. He didnt even have to say what it was. But sure enough, S.N.L. found several ways to take on the widely discussed incident from last weekends Academy Awards, in which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock (a former S.N.L. cast member) after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. The Slap was addressed most directly in a sketch that aired about halfway through the program, which cast Chris Redd as Smith and Carmichael as a seat filler at the Oscars show who found himself next to Smith in the moments before Rock made his remarks. Carmichael at first professed to be a fan of Smiths, saying that he admired his film The Pursuit of Happyness and still used his song Gettin Jiggy Wit It as his ringtone. He asked if he could take a selfie just as they noticed Rock had come onstage. GENEVA Anyone who loves watches, collects watches or is simply interested in watches wants to do one thing: visit a place where watches are made and see one as it is being created. That is not always so easy. The manufacture as the ateliers or factories are called in Switzerland, a.k.a. watch central are as busy producing their wares as any workplace would be. Plus, in the highly competitive luxury watch market, there also is a sense of wanting to maintain privacy, of protecting the way companies do what they do. While it is not common for a watch company to open its doors to the curious unless they are Very V.I.P. customers, some brands have created experiences such as guided tours and workshops that allow the public to have a look. But they are not a Disneyland for watch fans, and some require a long drive from a major city. For example, Zenith offers reservation-only tours once a week in Le Locle, in the Jura Mountains, about 150 kilometers, or 93 miles, northeast of Geneva. In the Vallee de Joux, near the border with France, Jaeger-LeCoultre offers workshops at its Atelier dAntoine at its headquarters in Le Sentier, as does Audemars Piguet in its Musee Atelier in Le Brassus. Vacheron Constantin and F.P. Journe also allow visits to their more Geneva-centric operations, but only to people they consider the most ardent, and acquisitive, of clients. Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. More than 10 million Ukrainians have been displaced and more than 4 million have fled the country since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Cities and towns throughout the country continue to be bombarded by Russian artillery. Some are now nearly unrecognizable. Civilians have died, families have been ripped apart and lives have been forever changed. But within the chaos and disruption, reporters have witnessed moments of humanity and resilience: Neighbors helping one another; families reuniting after panic; people organizing aid. Below, Times journalists on the ground in Ukraine and elsewhere share some of the displays of courage and acts of kindness theyve seen over the course of the conflict. Valerie Hopkins, Moscow correspondent, reporting from Lviv, Ukraine I interviewed Eduard Zarubin, a 50-year-old urologist from Mariupol, Ukraine. The city is currently under siege residents have no heat, water or gas, and it is nearly impossible to communicate with the outside world. There is very little food. New York Citys prosecutors are leaving in droves, citing pandemic burnout, low salaries and two intersecting laws that fundamentally changed the nature of their jobs. They just simply cant do it anymore, Darcel Clark, the Bronx district attorney, said in a Friday interview. The money is not where it should be, and the work-life balance is just unmanageable. This year alone, 36 have left the Brooklyn district attorneys office and 44 Manhattans. At least 28 have left the Bronx, and the nine Staten Island assistant district attorneys who have left this year represented about 10 percent of that offices prosecutorial staff. The Queens office told the New York City Council that it was on track this year to more than double last years resignations. In the past year, the Manhattan and Brooklyn district attorneys, who have about 500 prosecutors each, lost almost a fifth of that work force, a sharp increase from attrition averages before 2020. The Bronx is shedding lawyers at a similar pace, a total of 104 since July. Almost six weeks into the war between Russia and Ukraine, Im beginning to wonder if this conflict isnt our first true world war much more than World War I or World War II ever was. In this war, which I think of as World War Wired, virtually everyone on the planet can either observe the fighting at a granular level, participate in some way or be affected economically no matter where they live. While the battle on the ground that triggered World War Wired is ostensibly over who should control Ukraine, do not be fooled. This has quickly turned into the big battle between the two most dominant political systems in the world today: free-market, rule-of-law democracy versus authoritarian kleptocracy, the Swedish expert on the Russian economy Anders Aslund remarked to me. Though this war is far from over, and Vladimir Putin may still find a way to prevail and come out stronger, if he doesnt, it could be a watershed in the conflict between democratic and undemocratic systems. It is worth recalling that World War II put an end to fascism, and that the Cold War put an end to orthodox communism, eventually even in China. So, what happens on the streets of Kyiv, Mariupol and the Donbas region could influence political systems far beyond Ukraine and far into the future. Indeed, other autocratic leaders, like Chinas, are watching Russia carefully. They see its economy being weakened by Western sanctions, thousands of its young technologists fleeing to escape a government denying them access to the internet and credible news and its inept army seemingly unable to gather, share and funnel accurate information to the top. Those leaders have to be asking themselves: Holy cow am I that vulnerable? Am I presiding over a similar house of cards? SANAA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- A two-month cease-fire brokered by the United Nations in Yemen is set to come into force at 7 p.m. local time on Saturday night, the UN envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg announced one hour prior to the agreed truce. "As of tonight, all offensive ground, aerial and naval military operations should cease," Grundberg announced in a statement, adding that the success of this initiative will depend on the warring parties' commitment to implementing the truce agreement with its accompanying humanitarian measures. The UN envoy also urged the Yemeni warring parties to de-escalate "inflammatory media rhetoric and hate speech." The truce, which was announced by the UN envoy a day earlier, includes facilitating the entry of 18 fuel ships into the ports of Hodeidah and allowing two commercial flights a week to and from the Sanaa International Airport. The Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and the capital Sanaa are under the control of the Houthi militia. The terms also include convening a meeting between the parties to lift the siege, open the roads and allow humanitarian aid access to the government-held Taiz city. The UN envoy said this truce aims to give Yemenis a necessary break from violence, and relief from humanitarian suffering, stressing that this truce can be renewed beyond the two-month period with the consent of the parties. The Yemeni government and Houthi militia welcomed the cease-fire in separate statements on Friday. They also voiced readiness to exchange all war prisoners and political detainees. If implemented, the truce would be a major breakthrough in the seven-year civil war in Yemen as previous cease-fire deals had all failed. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 million, and pushed the country to the brink of starvation, according to the UN. And almost without exception, these influencers feel that they have been wronged by mainstream society in some way, Mr. Brooking added. Dr. Malone earned a medical degree from Northwestern University in 1991, and for the next decade taught pathology at the University of California, Davis, and the University of Maryland. He then turned to biotech start-ups and consulting. His resume says he was instrumental in securing early-stage approval for research on the Ebola vaccine by the pharmaceutical company Merck in the mid-2010s. He also worked on repurposing drugs to treat Zika. In extended interviews at his home over two days, Dr. Malone said he was repeatedly not recognized for his contributions over the course of his career, his voice low and grave as he recounted perceived slights by the institutions he had worked for. His wife, Dr. Jill Glasspool Malone, paced the room and pulled up articles on her laptop that she said supported his complaints. The example he points to more frequently is from his time at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego. While there, he performed experiments that showed how human cells could absorb an mRNA cocktail and produce proteins from it. Those experiments, he says, make him the inventor of mRNA vaccine technology. I was there, Dr. Malone said. I wrote all the invention. What the mainstream media did instead, he said, was give credit for the mRNA vaccines to the scientists Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman, because there is a concerted campaign to get them the Nobel Prize by Pfizer and BioNTech, where Dr. Kariko is a senior vice president, as well as the University of Pennsylvania, where Dr. Weissman leads a laboratory researching vaccines and infectious diseases. But at the time he was conducting those experiments, it was not known how to protect the fragile RNA from the immune systems attack, scientists say. Former colleagues said they had watched in astonishment as Dr. Malone began posting on social media about why he deserved to win the Nobel Prize. The idea that he is the inventor of mRNA vaccines is a totally false claim, said Dr. Gyula Acsadi, a pediatrician in Connecticut who along with Dr. Malone and five others wrote a widely cited paper in 1990 showing that injecting RNA into muscle could produce proteins. (The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines work by injecting RNA into arm muscles that produce copies of the spike protein found on the outside of the coronavirus. The human immune system identifies that protein, attacks it and then remembers how to defeat it.) Two bicyclists who had been riding downtown when the shooting occurred said they had just passed the clubs when they heard the gunfire. There was a huge crowd on K Street, said one, who would identify himself only as Tom S. He said that he and his fellow cyclist immediately turned and rode back. Video they shot at the scene showed a swarm of police and emergency vehicles, their lights flashing. Although the police chief said the three men and three women who were killed were all adults and were declared dead at the scene, the cyclists added that they saw young people being put into an ambulance. A homeless woman who uses a wheelchair and camped near City Hall said she, too, heard the gunshots. I was in a little pup tent, said the woman, who said her name was Mary, and I didnt come out. Officials have not released further details about the victims or their conditions. Behind yellow police tape on Sunday, the sidewalks outside the clubs were covered in shattered glass and littered with dozens of bullet casings as police officers sifted through what Chief Lester described as a complex crime scene. I got a son down there under a blanket, said Fred Harris, 63, a Sacramento resident. He said he had been awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call from his daughter, who, sobbing, said that his son, Sergio Harris, 38, was among those killed. Carrying concealed guns without a permit is now legal in nearly half of the country. Bounty laws enforced not by governments, which can be sued in federal court, but by rewards to private citizens for filing lawsuits have proliferated on issues from classroom speech to vaccination since the U.S. Supreme Court declined to strike down the legal tactic in Texas. The moves, in an election year, have raised questions about the extent to which they are performative, as opposed to substantial. Some Republican bills are bold at first glance but vaguely worded. Some appear designed largely to energize base voters. Many, however, send a strong cultural message. And divisions will widen further, said Peverill Squire, an expert on state legislatures at the University of Missouri, if the Supreme Court hands more power over to the states on issues like abortion and voting, as it did when it said in 2019 that partisan gerrymandering was beyond federal jurisdiction. Some legal analysts also say the anticipated rollback of abortion rights could throw a host of other privacy rights into state-level turmoil, from contraception to health care. Meanwhile, entrenched partisanship, which has already hobbled federal decision making, could block attempts to impose strong national standards in Congress. Were potentially entering a new era of state-centered policymaking, said Karthick Ramakrishnan, a professor of public policy and political science at the University of California, Riverside. We may be heading into a future where you could have conservative states and progressive states deciding they are better off pushing their own visions of what government should be. In recent weeks, several states including Colorado and Vermont have moved to codify a right to abortion. More Maryland and Washington, for example have expanded access or legal protection in anticipation of out-of-state patients. Rodrigo Chaves, a former World Bank official who has promised to shake up the political system of Central Americas most stable nation, was on track to become Costa Ricas new president, according to preliminary election results on Sunday night. Mr. Chaves, 60, led his opponent, former President Jose Maria Figueres, by nearly six percentage points after 95 percent of the voting centers reported results, the countrys electoral authorities said about two hours after the polls closed. Mr. Figueres later conceded defeat, though the final results are expected to be announced this week after the votes are manually certified. Mr. Chaves returned to the country in 2019 after decades abroad and rose from obscurity in just months by presenting himself as a maverick outsider, skillfully exploiting popular discontent with the Latin American political establishment. Opposition leaders in Pakistan reacted with outrage to Prime Minister Imran Khans move to dissolve Parliament, accusing him of high treason and subverting the countrys constitutional order. Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of the opposition who was expected to become the interim prime minister if a vote of no confidence had succeeded, said Mr. Khan had violated the Constitution and called on Pakistans Supreme Court to intervene. It is nothing short of a high treason, Mr. Sharif wrote on Twitter on Sunday, adding that Mr. Khan had pushed the country into anarchy. Hours after Prime Minister Imran Khan declared the National Assembly dissolved on Sunday, preventing a no-confidence vote that seemed sure to oust him, opposition leaders challenged the move before Pakistans Supreme Court. The Supreme Court began hearing the petition on Monday, and adjourned to pick it up again on Tuesday. The court could declare Mr. Khans move unlawful and allow the vote to proceed. Should that happen, it is far from clear what Mr. Khan would do next. Some analysts in Pakistan speculated that he might have members of the opposition arrested, on the grounds that they were part of what he claims to be an American conspiracy to remove him from office. Mr. Khan has led a growing crackdown on dissent, and opponents have accused him of targeting opposition members under the pretext of an anticorruption campaign. One lawmaker from Mr. Khans Tehreek-e-Insaf party, Kanwal Shauzab, said that arresting opposition members was a possibility as long as it was done in accordance with the law of the land. KABUL, Afghanistan The Taliban announced on Sunday that cultivating opium poppy in Afghanistan was banned, a move that will have far-reaching consequences for the many farmers who have turned to the illicit crop as a brutal drought and economic crisis have gripped the country. Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the prime ministers administrative deputy, read the official decree to local and international media during a news conference at the Ministry of Interior. High-ranking Taliban officials, including the acting interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, were present. All compatriots are informed from the date of the issuance of this decree, poppy cultivation is absolutely prohibited in the whole country and no one can try to cultivate the plant, said the decree, issued by the Talibans leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada. If someone violates this, his cultivation will be destroyed and the violator will be dealt with according to Islamic Law. The Talibans decision to ban opium poppy in Afghanistan, which accounts for about 80 percent of the worlds supply of opium, comes as the group is under increasing international pressure after a series of decrees targeting women, including their ability to attend secondary school. You cant help but see these images as a punch to the gut, and look, weve said before Russias aggression that we thought it was likely that they would commit atrocities, Mr. Blinken said, adding: We cant become numb to this. We cant normalize this. This is the reality of whats going on every single day. Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said the accounts of civilian deaths in Bucha showed that Russian hatred towards Ukrainians is beyond anything Europe has seen since WWII. He reiterated a call for increased sanctions against Russia and for more military assistance for his country. The only way to stop this: help Ukraine kick Russians out as soon as possible, he tweeted. He also called for an investigation by the International Criminal Court to gather evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity. U.S. and British officials said that their governments would help collect evidence to assist investigators. President Emmanuel Macron of France called the images unbearable. In the streets, hundreds of civilians were murdered in a cowardly way, Mr. Macron said in a message posted on Twitter on Sunday, adding, The Russian authorities will have to answer for these crimes. The outrage could move the needle in terms of European sanctions against Russia. The European Union has so far rebuffed calls from both Ukraine and President Joe Biden to impose sanctions on Russian oil and gas, citing the blocs dependency on Russian fuels. But on Sunday, Germanys defense minister voiced a significant shift in her countrys position. The defense minister, Christine Lambrecht, said on a German TV program that the bloc should consider banning Russian gas imports in light of the Bucha atrocities. BUDAPEST Overshadowed by the war in Ukraine, elections on Sunday in Hungary and Serbia appear to have extended the tenures of Europes two most Kremlin-friendly leaders, both populist strongmen fortified by their overwhelming control of the media and cheap energy from Russia. With more than 60 percent of the votes counted in Hungary, preliminary results indicated that Viktor Orban, Hungarys prime minister since 2010, and already Europes longest serving leader, had won a fourth consecutive term despite accusations by the opposition that he has enabled Russias military onslaught by cozying up for years to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. We won a victory so big that you can perhaps see it from the moon, and certainly from Brussels, Mr. Orban told a jubilant crowd of supporters late Sunday, taking a dig at the European Union, which he has long accused of pushing L.G.B.T.Q. and migrant rights in defiance of the democratic will of Hungarian voters. The preliminary results dashed the hopes of Mr. Orbans political foes that an unusually united opposition camp could break his ruling Fidesz partys increasingly authoritarian grip on the Central European nation next to Ukraine. Mr. Kvedaravicius, 45, had spent years covering the conflict in Ukraine. His film Mariupolis, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2016, offers a searing portrait of the southern port city, which battled Russian-backed fighters in 2014. In a 2016 interview with the Odessa Review, a monthly magazine, Mr. Kvedaravicius said that he had wanted to capture how regular people carry on with their everyday lives mere steps away from a war zone, gunshots, explosions and death. The factories, the sea, the omnipresent soldiers, the sounds of the violin blending with the sound of the exploding shells all of this forms the surrealism of an ordinary city during wartime, he told the Odessa Review. Since Russias invasion, Mariupol has emerged as an emblem of the humanitarian crisis sweeping Ukraine. Weeks of Russian bombardment on the city have trapped thousands of civilians with limited access to food, water and electricity. In 2011, Mr. Kvedaravicius was awarded the Amnesty International Film Prize for Barzakh, his film about Russias war in Chechnya. Chief spokesman of Afghanistan's caretaker government Zabihullah Mujahid speaks at a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 3, 2022. The Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday banned in a decree the cultivation of opium poppy and trade of opium in Afghanistan, the Taliban-led caretaker government confirmed. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday banned in a decree the cultivation of opium poppy and trade of opium in Afghanistan, the Taliban-led caretaker government confirmed. "As per the decree of the supreme leader of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," the caretaker government said in a statement. The statement added that if anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be punished. "In addition, use, transport, trade, export and import of all types of narcotics such as alcohol, heroin, K tablet (a drug with stimulant effects often sold in Afghanistan), hashish and etc., including drug manufacturing factories in Afghanistan are strictly banned," the statement said. "Enforcement of this decree is mandatory. The violator will be prosecuted and punished by the judiciary," according to the statement. Much of the world's opium poppy is cultivated in the militancy-hit Asian country. In 2020, some 6,300 tons of opium were produced in the country, according to official data. Poppy pods are seen in a field in Kandahar, Afghanistan, April 3, 2022. The Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday banned in a decree the cultivation of opium poppy and trade of opium in Afghanistan, the Taliban-led caretaker government confirmed. (Photo by Sanaullah Seiam/Xinhua) A farmer collects raw opium in a poppy field in Kandahar, Afghanistan, April 3, 2022. The Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday banned in a decree the cultivation of opium poppy and trade of opium in Afghanistan, the Taliban-led caretaker government confirmed. (Photo by Sanaullah Seiam/Xinhua) A farmer collects raw opium in a poppy field in Kandahar, Afghanistan, April 3, 2022. The Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday banned in a decree the cultivation of opium poppy and trade of opium in Afghanistan, the Taliban-led caretaker government confirmed. (Photo by Sanaullah Seiam/Xinhua) Farmers collect raw opium in a poppy field in Kandahar, Afghanistan, April 3, 2022. The Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday banned in a decree the cultivation of opium poppy and trade of opium in Afghanistan, the Taliban-led caretaker government confirmed. (Photo by Sanaullah Seiam/Xinhua) The foreign volunteers asked to be identified by only their first names because of concerns they could be prosecuted upon returning home for fighting for a foreign army. A U.S. law dating to the 18th century bans citizens from fighting countries not at war with the United States, but it is rarely enforced. Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has said more than 20,000 people from 52 countries have volunteered to fight, a number that could not be verified. A Russian missile attack two weeks ago on a training base being used for foreign volunteers near Liviv killed at least 35 military personnel and civilians, according to Ukrainian officials. Russia said it killed 180 foreign military volunteers. Neither figure could be independently confirmed. The volunteers waiting in the hostel Friday were undeterred. Luis, 29, said he served with the Mexican Army fighting drug cartels a decade ago, but until last week, he was an events photographer in Chihuahua City, Mexico, photographing mostly weddings. Then, scrolling through Reddit, he found an Associated Press photo showing an unidentified pregnant woman on a stretcher, being carried out by rescue workers after a Russian strike against a maternity hospital in Mariupol. Russian officials said Ukrainian forces had been using the hospital as a base and said the images were fake. I saw the face of my sister in that woman, Luis said. I do not have children yet, but I imagined how the babys father felt, how the woman and her family felt. He had never met a Ukrainian before flying to Europe. But when he read the woman and her baby had died, he decided to close his studio, sell his cameras and book the four flights to get to Poland, from where he drove across the border to Ukraine. . , . OBOZREVATEL ... A WOMAN found guilty of public drunkenness in Tullamore escaped a conviction after District Court Judge John King accepted a donation of 50 to the poor box. Helena Hatrasova (61), Library Hall, Tullamore, appeared in court after being summonsed for committing the public order offence at Church Street in the town on June 30, 2020. Her son accompanied her to court and acted as a translator for her, saying that she did not remember the incident and had subsequently suffered a heart attack. Garda Alan Mills gave evidence that he observed the accused staggering in the middle of the road at 9.10pm. Garda Mills said she walked to the footpath and then back out onto the street again. Ms Hatrasova's son repeated that his mother did not recall any of that and added that she had no evidence to give and had no questions for the guard. Judge King said he would convict the woman and Garda Mills said she had no previous convictions. The judge then said that if a 100 contribution was made to the court poor box he would leave the woman with no convictions. The woman's son asked if time could be given to make the payment because she did not bring any money to court and she was on social welfare. The man suggested making two separate payments of 50 each. When Judge King said he would accept a single payment of 50 instead if it was made that day, and that would conclude the matter, Ms Hatrasova's son agreed. Laois-Offaly Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley says that the grant of 10,000 towards the purchase of new Electric Vehicles (EVs) has benefited people in large cities who are doing short journeys more than workers or families in rural counties like Laois and Offaly. I raised this with senior officials from the Department of Environment and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) when they attended the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)," he stated. "While I favour grants being given, the scheme thus far has predominately been to the benefit those who live in areas who have the option to avail of public transport. The grant is also being used to subsidise the purchase of luxury vehicles as opposed to the purchase of average size cars. Figures I obtained show that last year just 153 grants for EV purchase were paid out to motorists in Laois with even a smaller amount paid out in Offaly with145, while there were 5,087 paid out in Dublin. "The reality is that there are still issues with the range an EV will travel with a fully charged battery. People in rural counties generally have to travel longer distances to work and sufficient charging infrastructure is just not available at this point in time. Department of Transport figures show that there are only 10 public charging points in Laois with eight in Offaly while Dublin has 159," he added. The other issue I raised is the type of vehicles being purchased with grant aid. Last year, 44 Jaguars, 438 Mercedes Benz, 316 Land Rovers and a whopping 1,467 BMWs were subsidised by the taxpayer. This is absolute madness and makes no economic or environmental sense. Anyone that can afford to buy these luxury vehicles should not be subsidised by the taxpayer. "Up to the middle of last year, there was no upward limit on the price or model of EVs that could be purchased with the grant. A cap is now in place of 60,000 and above this no grant aid is available. While this is welcome it does not go far enough. This cap needs to be reduced further so as to incentivise the purchase of more modest vehicles and to be of greater benefit to those on average incomes. I am calling on the Government to change the grant system to reflect this." Eurasia Review 18 Aug 2020 In the long and shameful history of the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, where most of the 779 men held by the US military during.. Tokyo said that it needs the Sakhalin 1 and 2 projects to provide the necessary liquefied natural gas for its annual usage, or its industries and economy will suffer, despite assurances from Joe Biden that the supply can be capped. Serbs head to the polls on Sunday to vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections. President Aleksandar Vucic, who is likely to stay in power, has benefitted from the media limelight amid the war in Ukraine. Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki raised eyebrows during a meeting where he reportedly said Pope Francis was "out of touch with reality." The Cologne archdiocese said the remarks were not intended to be disrespectful. A medical worker guides a resident to do antigen home-testing in Shanghai, east China, April 3, 2022. Shanghai launched citywide antigen testing on Sunday and will conduct nucleic acid testing on Monday amid efforts to contain the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the metropolis, according to local authorities. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) SHANGHAI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai will conduct citywide antigen testing on Sunday and nucleic acid testing on Monday amid efforts to contain the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the metropolis, according to local authorities. The measures were aimed at completely eliminating potential risks, cutting off the chain of transmission, curbing the spread of the virus, and achieving dynamic zero-COVID as soon as possible, Wu Qianyu, an official with the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, told a press conference on Sunday. Shanghai reported 438 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 7,788 asymptomatic carriers on Saturday. Zhang Hongying, a resident of the Jing'an District, received an urgent message on WeChat sent by her subdistrict office at around 2:00 p.m. Sunday, requiring residents in the community to undergo antigen testing. "They asked us to place a paper bag or basket outside the door, and volunteers would distribute antigen home-testing kits door-to-door. We also need to post a note on the door showing all the names of the people in the house," Zhang said. She said that antigen home-testing kits were sent to her home at 3:00 p.m. and the five family members did the tests just in a few minutes. "The results are all negative. We have uploaded the photos to the subdistrict office," Zhang said. Medical teams coming from the nearby provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui have already arrived in Shanghai to help the fight against the epidemic, according to the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission. At around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, the first batch of nine COVID-19 patients was discharged from the makeshift hospital of the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, after they produced negative nucleic acid test results. More than 200 patients aged from 11 to over 80 are expected to be discharged from the makeshift hospital on Sunday. Opened on March 25, the makeshift hospital has received and treated more than 7,100 asymptomatic carriers and patients with mild symptoms. About 910 medical staff are working there to provide medical support. Other makeshift facilities in Shanghai have also seen patients recovering and being discharged since Sunday. Yang Jiapei, 27, a PhD student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University left a makeshift hospital on Sunday afternoon. However, she must undergo another seven days of quarantine at a designated hotel before returning to the campus. "I just had a slight cough, and the symptoms were even milder than a normal cold," recalled Yang, who was classified into an asymptomatic carrier and began to receive treatment on March 15. "I was overwhelmed when I learned that I was infected with the virus. But after experiencing the whole treatment process, I'd like to say that it isn't so terrible. All you need to do is remain cheerful and receive the treatment, and you'll soon be back on your feet," Yang said. A resident does antigen testing in Shanghai, east China, April 3, 2022. Shanghai launched citywide antigen testing on Sunday and will conduct nucleic acid testing on Monday amid efforts to contain the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the metropolis, according to local authorities. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A medical worker conducts antigen testing for an elder resident in Shanghai, east China, April 3, 2022. Shanghai launched citywide antigen testing on Sunday and will conduct nucleic acid testing on Monday amid efforts to contain the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the metropolis, according to local authorities. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) Medical workers guide a resident to do antigen home-testing in Shanghai, east China, April 3, 2022. Shanghai launched citywide antigen testing on Sunday and will conduct nucleic acid testing on Monday amid efforts to contain the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the metropolis, according to local authorities. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A medical worker conducts antigen testing for an elder resident in Shanghai, east China, April 3, 2022. Shanghai launched citywide antigen testing on Sunday and will conduct nucleic acid testing on Monday amid efforts to contain the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the metropolis, according to local authorities. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says the West will impose new sanctions on Russia in the next few days. The discovery of hundreds of bodies in a town outside of Kyiv has sparked horror around the world. DW has the latest. Iranians flock to parks to celebrate nature day and North Koreans enjoy hot springs at a resort in Yangdok, some 120 kilometres from Pyongyang. As a child, Agnieszka Matejko's mother was among thousands of Poles deported to Siberia by the Soviet regime. Yet, despite almost starving to death, her mother never spoke ill of the Russian people. Kansas came out firing on all cylinders, shooting at a blistering clip from three-point range, to rout Villanova in Final Four and reach title game. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. The man from the eastern Germany city of Magdeburg, whose name was not released in line with German privacy rules, is said to have received up to 90 shots against COVID-19 at vaccination centers in the eastern state of Saxony for months until criminal police caught him earlier this month. Watch VideoAt least six people were killed and 12 injured before dawn Sunday in Sacramento when shots were fired into crowds as.. Newsy 03 Apr 2022 Baghdad (AFP) April 3, 2022 Iraq, once synonymous with conflict and chaos, is becoming a land of opportunity for Lebanese job-seekers fleeing a deep economic crisis back home. Akram Johari is one of thousands who fled Lebanon's tumbling currency and skyrocketing poverty rates. Last year, he packed his bags and boarded a plane from Beirut to Baghdad, using social media to search for opportunities. "I didn't have Newsy 17 Apr 2022 Watch VideoAuthorities in South Carolina are investigating a shooting at a nightclub early Sunday that wounded at least nine.. As the invasion of Ukraine enters its sixth week with signs of a Russian pivot, we get the latest from Kyiv. Police in Sri Lanka's capital lifted a curfew on Friday after protests in which dozens of people were arrested and several.. IndiaTimes 01 Apr 2022 Despite hopes that the Kremlin and Kyiv can eventually reach a peace accord, Russia has stated that it will achieve all of the goals of its "special military operations" in Ukraine.Speaking with Russian state news Russia 1, Presidential... ODN 06 May 2022 The luxury liner was requisitioned by the British government to carry 3,000 troops to war in the South Atlantic - which meant that.. SHANGHAI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Authorities and suppliers in Shanghai have been racing to secure daily supplies to residents as the megacity, with a population of over 24 million, began temporary closed-off management in two phases to curb the recent resurgence in COVID-19 infections. Shanghai has been working to increase sources of supplies and coordinate with suppliers to expand procurement channels to boost market supply, local authorities told a press conference. Temporary vegetable warehouses have been set up for extra storage in the city and existing warehouses are boosting their capacity to deliver goods. In Shanghai's Pudong District, a warehouse with the capacity to store up to 1,500 tonnes was set up, with around 200 tonnes of vegetables from across China entering the warehouse every day. In grocery delivery platform Dingdong's Chenta Warehouse, employees have been working around the clock since March to meet the surging customer needs. With an area of over 23,000 square meters, the warehouse is one of the largest sorting centers of fruit and vegetables in the Puxi area. Over 1 million fruit and vegetable items are sent to more than 100 distribution warehouses across western Shanghai. Xu Huacheng, who is in charge of the warehouse, said that the warehouse has almost doubled its employees from around 300 to nearly 600 since March. "Our supplies are overall stable, and the company has arranged more storage space for handling the surging needs," Xu said. Before the epidemic, more than 1,000 orders were handled daily at the Qiangwei Distribution Station, which is about a 40-minute drive from the Chenta Warehouse. But, the amount has now more than tripled. "We have increased the number of our deliverypersons from six before the epidemic to 27 now to meet the needs of the residents," said Wang Yulong, head of the station. Local authorities have issued certificates to food suppliers like Dingdong to facilitate delivery to areas under closed-off management. "Our distribution operation remains unaffected," Wang said. "Every day, we swing into action as soon as we wake up, so we can better serve the people." Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan officials, international organisations, and foreign diplomats expressed their wishes at the beginning of Ramadan, the fasting month of Muslims this Saturday in Libya, focusing on the wishes for peace, stability, quietude, reconciliation, settlement of the crisis and reunion between Libyans around the values of tolerance, solidarity, and love Photo: (Photo : IAKOVOS HATZISTAVROU/AFP via Getty Images) A single gay man, who has previously adopted five kids with disabilities, has added another child to his growing family. Ben Carpenter, 37, from Huddersfield in the U.K., is still planning to expand and give the most vulnerable children bright futures. Carpenter first adopted Jack, a child with autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as a 21-year-old single dad. Jack is now in his teens, and his father is proud of his growth and development. Then he became the adopted father of Ruby, who has Pierre Robin syndrome, and her biological half-sister, Lily, who is deaf. Per Goalcast, Carpenter has enough experience as a carer for kids with disabilities as he works in the special needs industry. He is also adept in sign language, so he could easily communicate with Lily. He then adopted his fourth child, Joseph, who has Down syndrome and colostomy issues. He also took in Noah, his fifth adoptee, diagnosed with a rare condition called Cornelia de Lange syndrome. The family also fondly named him Teddy as the youngest. Read Also: New Jersey Family Raises Awareness on Pediatric Stroke After Son Survives Attack at Age 7 Losing Noah, Gaining Louis Sadly in November 2019, Noah's life was cut short due to his condition. Carpenter was devastated by the loss. The devoted father said that he harbored some guilt because he felt that there was something else he could have done to save his son's life. Cornelia de Lange syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects a child's physical growth and intellectual maturity. According to the Genetic and Rare Disease Information Centre, they may also experience congenital heart defects, gastrointestinal problems, and autism. After what happened to Noah, Carpenter felt he could not adopt another child with a disability until he could process his grief. However, even before Noah died, he was actually in the middle of arranging the adoption of Louis, a blind child with cerebral palsy. In April 2020, Carpenter welcomed his sixth child into the family as he realized that, despite his grief, there is a boy that needs to have someone who will love and care for him. Dreaming of a Big Family Speaking with The Mirror, Carpenter said that he always knew that he wanted to have many kids but did not consider becoming a dad biologically because "being a parent is so much more than that." He acknowledged that adoption is challenging, and there were instances when he felt that he would not be approved. For his devotion to his kids, Carpenter was shortlisted as a "Family Carer of the Year" in 2021 by Sense, a national disability charity in the U.K. He said that he is "blown away" by the recognition, but he is prouder of the fact that his kids with disabilities are thriving and learning to be independent. He has also achieved raising funds for a multi-sensory room in his family house for his kids to enjoy. Despite losing Noah, Carpenter said that he will always see himself as a dad of six. Related Article: Heartbroken Childless Couple Return Adopted Daughter as Birth Parents Changed Minds Photo: (Photo : ARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images) Bizarre news has emerged from the Philippines with a Chinese national arrested by immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for carrying a fake Philippine passport that belonged to a seven-year-old child. According to Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the Chinese man initially presented himself as 33-year-old Mark Anthony Cobeng. He was intercepted on Tuesday, March 29, before boarding his flight to the Maldives via a private jet. Morente said immigration officer Lourdes Mercado was the one who initially noticed discrepancies in the bio page of the Chinese man's Philippine passport, which looked to be counterfeit. The Philippine Star reported that Mercado started interviewing the Chinese individual. Chinese national uses Philippine passport that belonged to 7-year-old boy Morente said that was when immigration officers noticed that the Chinese passenger did not even know how to speak basic Filipino words. Immigration sources revealed that the identity on the Chinese national's Philippine passport belonged to a 7-year-old boy who was born last 2014, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority database. The passport picture was also replaced with the photo of the intercepted Chinese national, according to the anti-fraud unit of the Bureau of Immigration. The arrested Chinese man's passport had a tampered date of birth. It also had an extended passport validity of 10 years instead of only 3-5 years that the Department of Foreign Affairs gives to minors. This is not the first time someone has been arrested for carrying a fake Philippine passport. The Philippine News Agency reported that a Saudi-bound passenger was arrested last year for using a passport with a different name. The Chinese passenger in question was identified as Xu Kaidi. He was in the company of another Chinese national, whose passport authorities confirmed was in order. Morente did not identify the said companion, who voluntarily deferred his trip to the Maldives. It was confirmed by the Manila Control Tower of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines that the Airbus Elite ACJ private jet with tail registration 9H-UE and flight number MLM 318 departed without the two Chinese passengers around 12:17 p.m. on March 29. Read Also: Ukrainian Children With Cancer Flown to the U.K. for Treatment Remain Separated From Families Chinese national causes commotion at the airport Port operations chief Carlos Capulong told reporters that Xu caused a commotion at the Philippine airport after immigration officers wanted to check his travel documents. Sensing that authorities were on to his illegal paperwork, Xu made a scene and refused to have his passport checked by immigration officials. Xu, who has been detained since Tuesday at the immigration detention center in Bicutan, faces charges of falsifying public documents. Morente said the Chinese national was turned over to the Legal Division of the Bureau of Immigration for deportation proceedings. Xu's lawyer, Atty. Jan Paulo Dino, told ABS-CBN that they could not make any further comments on this issue considering that legal proceedings are already underway. Immigration investigators from the Philippines are now coordinating with the Chinese Embassy to assist in identifying the Chinese national in custody. The Department of Foreign Affairs is also investigating how Xu got a Philippine passport. Related Article: Premature Births in Ukraine Rise as Russian Invasion Enters the Second Month Photo: (Photo : Friedemann Vogel/Getty Images) New Jersey has immediately issued a milk contamination recall following an incident in two Camden early education schools, where more than 40 preschool children accidentally drank sanitizer. According to Fox 29, Guida's Dairy 1% Lowfat Milk supplies were ordered removed from all school cafeterias across the state after an emergency team was dispatched at Camden's Early Childhood Development Center and the Riletta Twyne Cream Childhood Development Center. They confirmed that batches of the milk carton had peroxyacetic sanitizer. At least 25 impacted children have been hospitalized at the Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes and the Cooper Medical Center. Five of the kids were discharged in no time, while the rest of the children were examined, observed, and later cleared to go home with their parents. Read Also: Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer Used by Parents and Kids Recalled Due to Bacteria Camden County Health Officer Paschal Nwako also confirmed that all the preschool kids exposed to the milk contamination recall are now in stable condition and could return to school by Monday, April 4. However, the investigations into the milk contamination recall are far from over. Guida's Dairy Cooperating with Authorities Reports cited that New Jersey's emergency services received a 911 call from the Early Childhood Development Center in the morning. Soon after, the first responders were also dispatched to the Riletta Twyne Cream Childhood Development Center. By the afternoon, the contamination had impacted four more public preschools. Preliminary results showed that some half-pint milk cartons of Guida's Dairy 1% Lowfat Milk with an April 11 sell-by date and a specific time code stamped between 4:30 to 7:30 had diluted sanitizer. However, as a precautionary measure, the manufacturer and distributor, based in Connecticut, agreed to recall all of the batches with the same sell-by date, regardless of the time code. According to a spokesperson from Guida's Dairy, the contaminated milk has an obvious chemical smell. Once they were informed of the incident, they took action and conducted tests to verify the risks. They have also cooperated with the directives of the state's Department of Agriculture to ensure that corrective measures are undertaken. None of the contaminated products are commercially sold at grocery stores, per NBC Connecticut. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also joined in the investigations. What Happened to the Milk? According to the Courier-Post, investigators believe the sanitizer came from the packaging's cleaning process. The sanitizer is a colorless chemical called Vortexx, which is usually diluted in water. It is non-toxic and often used for airtight packages to prevent bacteria and mold. Unfortunately, the milk cartons were "filled with the sanitizer, sealed, and then shipped out with the milk." About 95 batches are deemed contaminated. The school district has also decided it will not serve any milk until the investigations are over. Instead, the children will be served water, juice, or chocolate milk coming from a different supplier. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the state's Department of Health said that any other person who may have ingested a batch from the milk contamination recall and experiencing concerning issues could phone 856-549-0530 for emergency assistance. Related Article: Baby Formula Recall: Mom Gets Enormous Help for Teen With Rare Condition Who Only Eats Baby Food ISLAMABAD, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan rejected here on Sunday a no-confidence motion filed by an opposition alliance against Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan over alleged involvement of foreign hands in the move aimed at ousting the incumbent government. Deputy speaker of the lower house of parliament Qasim Khan Suri rejected the no-confidence motion, saying that foreign involvement was found in the opposition's move aiming to oust the incumbent government, which is against the Constitution of Pakistan. Earlier on March 8, the alliance of opposition parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal submitted a requisition to the office of the Speaker of the National Assembly to summon a house session for voting on the no-confidence motion. On March 28, the opposition alliance presented the no-confidence motion in the house claiming that they had the required votes to make it successful. The prime minister told a public rally in Islamabad on March 27 that his government had received a diplomatic note from a foreign country, which read that "if Imran Khan is ousted from power, Pakistan's all mistakes would be forgiven, otherwise, the country would face dire consequences across the world." Later, the prime minister chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) which termed the language in the note used by the foreign official as undiplomatic and as a blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan, which is unacceptable under any circumstances. On Friday, Khan said in an exclusive interview with local Urdu TV channel that his government had sent an official message to the United States embassy in Islamabad to protest the above-mentioned interference in Pakistan's political affairs. "We gave a demarche to the American embassy in Islamabad and asked why did they do this interference," said Khan, referring to the diplomatic note. According to the prime minister, it is obvious that the conspiracy to oust his government was planned abroad and is being implemented through purchasing the support of Pakistani parliamentarians and forming an opposition alliance. Photo: (Photo : FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images) The jury in the controversial baby Eleanor Easey case has found her father, Christopher Easey, 31, guilty of manslaughter despite his defense and denial that he did not inflict injuries nor neglect his child. The BBC reported that Eleanor's mother, Carly Easey, 36, has also been found guilty of neglecting her daughter. The parents, who remain incarcerated, will be given their sentences at the end of April. Probe on the baby Eleanor Easey case started shortly after she died in December 2019 when she was taken to the hospital from her parents' home in Norfolk in the U.K. Tests showed that Eleanor was unresponsive because she had significant injuries to her head and bleeding in her brain and skull. Post-mortem results established that the baby's cause of death was head injuries. The medical investigator also determined that Eleanor was severely malnourished before her death. Read Also: Florida Parents Facing Child Abuse Charges for Locking Adopted Son in Box Baby Eleanor Was Fed Custard, Cheesecake, and Biscuits During the trial, the jury heard that the infant was given custards, cheesecakes, and biscuits as her food. She also drank squash juice and was even left alone at home by her parents. Christopher initially claimed that Eleanor's injuries were likely due to a minor car accident when he suddenly stepped on the brakes while the infant was in her ill-fitting car seat. He also told the jury that he dropped his baby while feeding her and claimed she hit her head on the crib a few times. Social services closed case into baby Eleanor Easey a month before father killed her, review findshttps://t.co/IbTZB7GKBf ITV News (@itvnews) March 31, 2022 However, the medical evidence showed that Eleanor's head injuries could only result from violently shaking the baby, whether accidentally or deliberately. Prosecutor Sally Howes told the jury that the baby's father was telling a "pack of lies," per the Daily Mail. But the jury could not attribute any physical injuries to the baby's mother; thus, she was only charged with neglect. The jury also believed that Carly did not witness her husband hurting Eleanor, and there was no clear and established proof that she was aware of the abuse. Eleanor's Parents Have Divorced Carly divorced Christopher following the death of Eleanor. The couple was married in 2018 and lost their first child to a miscarriage in 2018. According to ITV News, investigators learned that the mother concealed her pregnancy; thus, Eleanor had to stay at the neonatal intensive care unit of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital days after her birth in September 2019. By October, healthcare workers conducted visits to the Easey home due to concerns that the parents were not usually bonding with Eleanor and showed anxiety about being parents. They noticed that the baby had some bruising on her face, and Carly claimed that this was due to the wrong fit of her car seat. However, Carly could not account for the other injuries her baby manifested. After the verdict was announced, Carly was seen crying on the dock, while Christopher reportedly showed no remorse. Her lawyers are planning to bail her out before her sentencing date. Related Article: New York Doctor Regrets Violently Shaking Baby to Death: 'I'm a Monster' Australia's 7-News is reporting that a British snowboarder is lucky to be alive after he fell over four meters into a hidden crevasse in the Alps - and its all thanks to his iPhone. The 41-year-old personal trainer, Tim Blakey, was snowboarding alone at 10,000 feet in the alps before his fall. Upon his fall, Mr. Blakely was lucky to have landed on a fragile snow bridge that, preventing him from falling much further. Ultimately, it was Blakey's iPhone that alerted rescue crews that he was in a dire situation. In an emotional social media post, Mr Blakely explained that he thought his time may have been up until he realized a safety feature on his iPhone could help. He pressed the on/off button fives times on the side of his phone, that was almost dead, which called emergency services and gave them his location. "Thank you to apple," Mr. Blakelys said on Instagram. Blakey added: "And to the service provider for giving me 3G connection and 3 percent battery 5 meters below the ice." For more on this including some photos of the crevasse Blakey fell in, read the full 7-News report. While this story was first reported on yesterday, April Fool's day, this wasn't a joke. The Ukraine war has led the World Trade Organization (WTO) to cut its global trade growth forecast for this year. The previous 4.7% growth forecast has been cut to 2.5% due to "the impact of the war and related policies", said WTO boss Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The cut is also linked to continuing global supply chain problems that started as a result of the pandemic. She said disruptions would make food more costly, saying "my worry is that we have a food crisis that is brewing". Dr Okonjo-Iweala told the BBC that although Russia and Ukraine only make up about 2.5% of global merchandise exports, they "are very, very significant in certain sectors". "The first worry, of course, is for the people of Ukraine, who are being displaced [and] not having enough food to eat," she said. She added the global economy was "going to suffer some severe consequences", and said poorer countries would particularly feel the impact of the shortages, and "the supply constraints on food". Supplies of many food products including wheat and corn have been affected following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Industry groups have warned the EU faces a shortage of sunflower oil. In total, 46.9% of global exports come from Ukraine and 29.9% from Russia according to S&P Global, but with Ukraine's ports closed it is struggling to export it. "I'm truly worried about looming hunger, particularly in poor countries that can least afford it," Dr Okonjo-Iweala warned. Using Africa as an example, the former Nigerian finance minister said 35 of 55 countries there imported wheat and other grains from Russia and Ukraine and 22 imported fertiliser. "Work being done by the African Development Bank now shows that in many countries, food prices are rising by 20% to 50% already," she said. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has urged the Ellembelle District Police Command and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the clashes between the youth of Anwia and Teleku-Bokazo. The clashes led to military reinforcement leading to the death of one person with others severely injured. He also called on the affected communities to exercise restraint and calm down pending investigations to establish the truth and justice delivery. The youth of Anwia and Teleku-Bokazo on Friday, April 01, 2022 besieged the forecourt of the Nkroful Magistrate Court in solidarity with an alleged arrest of 40 illegal miners (galamseyers) on Adamus Mines concessions resulting in gunshots, death, and injury. The incident which occurred during a scuffle between the youth and the military left one Mr Andrew Donkor,33 of Teleku-Bokazo dead upon arrival at the St Martin De Porres Hospital at Eikwe with four others who sustained life-threatening wounds, on admission. Sharing a moment of grief with the family of the dead and injured youth, Mr Kofi Buah recalled that the incident is a sad reminder of the tension that had characterized the relationship between the communities and Adamus Mining company since the mining company began operations in the area. The MP said, it is time for a united approach to deal with the root causes of these recurring incidents to ensure peace and justice. An eyewitness account by one of the youths at the forecourt of the court, Mr Francis Nkrumah, indicated that upon arrival at the court premise, the Chief of Teleku-Bokazo entered the court to plead on bail conditions for the galamseyers. As the youth from Anwia and Teleku-Bokazo were waiting for the chief at the forecourt of the court, a soldier on guard started videoing the crowd. He said, the group asked the soldier to stop videoing them else, they would also video him. However, as the soldier continued videoing them, then they also started videoing him, he explained. Mr Nkrumah said the action angered the soldier and he started firing warning shots into the pebbles and later fired through the crowd which killed one and injured several others. All efforts by the Ghana News Agency to reach the Ellembelle District Police Command and DCE proved futile. Meanwhile, calm has been restored to the area as soldiers have been stationed at all entry points of Adamus Mines from Esiama to Anwia. The 40 galamseyers have since been put behind bars at the Esiama Police Station. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Five Benin nationals were seized in an intelligence-led operation by police at the KNUST District, police sources say. The male adults were captured at Bomso, near Oforikrom, by the police, during the operation which targeted criminal dens around the KNUST and its environs on Wednesday (29 March 2022). The officers from the KNUST District Police Command were spotted in the neighbourhood at about 8:30a.m, searching into two wooden structures which serve as home for the immigrants. Police gave their names as Dosu David aged 32, Sakla Bonaventure aged 31, Attah Dagbede Masawor aged 31, Limoh Aisen aged 28 and Awelley Constantine Beloculle aged 17. Carcases of snakes and birds were found in the rooms which depicted that they were engaged in illicit fetish practices. The suspects who failed to provide any documents of their stay in the country have since been handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service office in Kumasi for further action. Source: dailymailgh.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister on Friday assured no qualified student would be denied access to the governments Free Senior High School (FSHS) programme and asked parents and guardians to remain calm. The FSHS, the Regional Minister emphasised had come to stay, saying the government was determined to address emerging challenges to strengthen its implementation to benefit the larger population. Mad. Owusu-Banahene gave the assurance when she visited the Sunyani Senior High school (SHS) and the St James Seminary/SHS to acquaint herself with the ongoing Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS). Interacting with parents and guardians who had come to the schools to seek admission for their children and wards, Mad Owusu-Banahene told them to have hope in the government, saying all challenges confronting the CSSPS would be addressed. She said quality education remained a key indicator to measure the success of ones life and the government would thus ensure that all students qualified for the SHS were admitted to benefit from the FSHS programme. Mad Owusu-Banahene advised the parents to draw closer and monitor the movements of their children so that they would not join bad peers as they gained admission to the SHSs. She said the FSHS programme would be useful and successful only when students concentrated on their studies and passed their examinations well and asked them to strive hard and justify the programme by obtaining the best grades in their internal and external examinations. The Regional Minister said the implementation of the FSHS was not a justification or excuse for parents and guardians to deny their children and wards basic educational and material needs that would make life comfortable for them to stay and learn in the schools. We must not regard the boarding school as a place to dump our children and wards, but rather connect well with teachers and school authorities to know the academic interest, performance and character of our children, Mad Owusu-Banahene told parents. By so doing we would motivate and empower teachers to facilitate the proper upbringing and development of our children and wards so that they would achieve high academic laurels. Mad Owusu-Banahene reminded the parents that the future of the country depended much on the younger generation, hence the need to support teachers to instill discipline in the students and mould them well to become useful adults to occupy responsible positions. Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the two SHSs was calm, but the Ghana News Agency (GNA) learnt that poor internet connectivity was frustrating the CSSPS. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A courier company, ShaQ Express, has started piloting the use of electric (e) bicycles for the delivery of items in Accra. The company deployed its first set of two e-bikes in Accra last week as part of efforts to operate in a sustainable manner and also to cut down on its recurrent expenditure, particularly fuel. Although a burgeoning business with dozens of delivery companies in operation, not many courier operators use e-bikes making ShaQ Express one of the first companies to do so in the country. Announcement Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Anthony Owusu-Ansah, said the pilot phase was going on well with emissions and fuel turning out to be the two main areas of improvement. Announcing the piloting phase, Mr Owusu-Ansah said the future is here and it is indeed electric. We have started piloting the use of our new e-bikes for deliveries as our small way of contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seven and 13, by cutting down on carbon emissions in the environment, he said. This is going to be a game changer in reducing our dependence on fuel and creating a way of serving you better economically, he added. Healthy delivery Mr Owusu-Ansah said while the bikes performed just like the fuel-driven motorcycles on long-distance journeys, they emitted less to no carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that were found to be dangerous to the environment and humans. This, the CEO of ShaQ said made e-bikes the appropriate vehicle to use in delivering food and other health essentials such as medications. Impact on pricing Mr Owusu-Ansah Express said the company was beginning to also realise that the use of e-bikes could help it make savings from its fuel expenditure, leading to a reduction in prices for consumers. The deployment will reduce our dependence on fuel and generally reduce our operation cost by about 50 per cent to 60 per cent. That will help with the pricing to our end user, he explained. He said the savings could also be ploughed back into the business through the creation of more jobs for riders. Convenient charging Mr Owusu-Ansah said the e-bikes did not require the purchase of petrol or diesel but charging from an electricity source. He said they could be charged from almost anywhere, provided the electricity source had the appropriate socket to take the charging system of the motor. According to him, this made the e-motorbikes convenient and more cost-effective to use. SDG 13 The CEO of ShaQ said at a time when the United Nations (UN) and other global institutions were rallying the world to combat climate change and mitigate its impact on the environment and lives, e-bikes poof as a major tool to realise that objective. He said as cities expand and more areas get urbanised, courier services would become more critical, resulting in the use of many motorbikes and other vehicles to get goods to consumers. This, he said had the potential to impact negatively on the realisation of the UNs Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13, which calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Mr Owusu-Ansah, however, noted that the advent of e-motorbikes, if properly exploited, could help mitigate the impact of a booming courier service business on the achievement of the SDG 13. Going forward Going forward, Mr Owusu-Ansah said ShaQ Express would continue to monitor and t performance of the two bikes to be able to make an informed decision on the next step to take. He said at the moment, it was obvious that using e-motorbikes could impact positively on the business and efforts to increase the numbers would be pursued. About ShaQ ShaQ Express is a local e-commerce and courier company established in 2020. It aims to create the convenience of a digital lifestyle that connects the customer and vendor by providing logistical support to customers that allow them to move packages from one point to another. It prides itself of leveraging technological advancement and the growing rate of smartphone penetration in the country to provide the service on a mobile App, the ShaQ Express app, that connects the gap between customers and vendors. Source: Gladys Boakye/Peace News Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Justice Edward Amoako Asante, President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice has stressed the need for the court and Member States to fashion out a new approach in enforcing the courts judgements. Currently enforcement of the judgement of the ECOWAS Court has been a big bane with the court recording about 30 per cent enforcement of its judgements. The President of the ECOWAS Court was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Court's 11th external sitting held in Accra, said notwithstanding the provisions of methods of enforcement of the decisions of the court in the Protocols as amended, the compliance rate with judgements remained unsatisfactory. He said it was important that ECOWAS relies on the national courts for the enforcement of decisions because both courts represent the "cornerstone of the community's legal order and they create the enabling legal environment for the attainment of the objectives of the community. The external sitting which started on March 21 and ended on April 1, 2022, constituted an egalitarian activity of the court designed to among others, bring justice closer to the people: expose lawyers in member states and engage stakeholders of the court. It also affords an opportunity to engage the national courts of member states in achieving the full intent of the Communities integration process. Justice Asante said Article 24 (3) of the Supplementary Protocol of the court provides that each member state should appoint a National Authority for the purpose of reception and processing of execution o judgements. According to him "only six members have complied.... this poses a challenge for the enforcement of the judgements of the court. However, it is noteworthy that some countries that are yet to appoint national authorities have complied with decisions and judgements of the court." According to the President of the Court, "No Member State has communicated to the court the status of decisions and judgements complied with so far. However, the court has been able to get unofficial information from lawyers and parties involved in some cases." He said enforcement of the courts judgements would require close collaboration with national courts and institutions of member states as well as fashion out a workable formula that would respond to the procedures of the court. Justice Asante said the Accra sitting had achieved 90 per cent success as it was able to deliver 20 judgements. He recounted that the 20 judgements were the highest so far in the history of the court as it previously gave out only 11 judgements during its sittings. "We are happy to announce that our external court sitting in Accra achieved over 90 per cent success rate. This is no mean achievement and ought to be celebrated as part of the progress in entrenching the activities and impact of the court in the community." The President of the court noted that 38 cases including human right violations were also heard during the external sitting in Accra. Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah said Ghana was proud to be part of the historic sessions of the court and urged Member States to seriously consider proposals to extend the mandate of judges and increase the number of judges so that the court could have the capacity to address more cases. Chief Justice Yeboah reiterated the need for member states to respect and abide by the rulings of the Court. "There is no court that can survive the disinterest of the people over whom it has jurisdiction. The very principle that informs the need for our national courts also requires us to have sub-regional courts as a partner step to closer interaction between states that will bring us shared prosperity, peace and progress," he added. The ECOWAS Court presented various picture frames to staff of Ghana's Judicial Services for their hard work. Ghana's Judiciary also presented various gifts to the Judges of the ECOWAS Court. The ECOWAS Court was established through the instrumentality of the provisions of Article 6 and 15 of the Revised Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States. The Court has four clear distinct mandates as a Community Court, an administrative and human rights court, and an arbitration tribunal. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The psychological and mental barriers of today's women need to be broken for a woman to thrive under the current global dispensation, Nanahemaa Akosua Frimponmaa Sarpong Kumankuma Chairperson of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) has stated. Nanahemaa Kumankuma explained that the way we see gender roles is formed and perpetuated by our interactions with our social environment. Our perceptions about the roles unconsciously influence how we value the contribution of individuals around us. The CPP Chairperson stated at the 11th monthly stakeholder engagement seminar organized by the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office which is a platform rolled out for state and non-state actors to address national issues. It was also used to climax the GNA Tema Regional Offices month-long activities to mark the 2022 International Womens Day celebration and mark the first anniversary of the stakeholder engagement. Speaking on the topic: The path of women entrepreneurs: Challenges and Prospects, Nanahemaa Kumankuma stressed that women had a lot of potential that could be harnessed to scale up national development. Nanahemaa Kumankuma explained that article 17 (1) and (2) of Ghanas 1992 Constitution guaranteed gender equality and freedom of people, girls and boys from discrimination based on social or economic status, among others. She, therefore, urged women to pick up the tools and break the glass ceilings, stressing that efforts for gender equity would continue to be a mirage if women failed to confront the issues. She noted, however, that issues of concern include: Inequality in access to social protection by the marginalized, vulnerable, and the poor. Inequalities in the burden of extreme poverty, education, skilled training gaps, and excess maternal mortality; and Unequal access to socio-economic power and justice, including lack of respect for and inadequate protection and promotion of human rights of women. Inequalities between women and men in sharing of power and decision making at all levels as well as dealing with all kinds of conflicts and insecurities and threats on women, she said. She stated that the Ghanaian woman when given the opportunity could make lots of gains for the family and nation. According to her, women formed most of the population saying that more women must endeavour to take up leadership roles to help fine-tune the needs of the public. Nanahemaa Kumankuma also said it was time for women to learn to be entrepreneurs stressing that only three per cent of the entire population were employed in government institutions, a situation she said could be remedied if people acquired skills to be self-reliant. Mrs Sedem Darko, Head of Motor Claims SIC Insurance Company said women played a catalytic role in the achievement of transformational economic, environmental, and social changes required for sustainable development. But limited access to credit, health care, and education are among the many challenges they face, she said. Speaking on the topic: Prospects of women in the insurance industry: Womens contribution to the SIC Mission, Mrs Darko said women are beginning to assume leadership roles in the insurance industry, breaking the obstacles set out by society. Mrs Sika Ramatu Lawson, a Project Electrical Engineer at the Department of Electrical Engineer at Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) who spoke on Prospects of women in the oil refinery sector: Womens contribution to the success story of the Tema Oil Refinery, said the refinery which was a purely engineering-oriented field of work, was male-dominated as fewer women study and work in that area. It is worthy of mention that now in TOR we have several gallant ladies who apply modern technology in various positions as instrument/electrical technicians and engineers, process technicians and engineers, chemists. Laboratory technicians as was as administrators, finance, procurement, insurance professionals, lawyers, and health personnel, all playing sensitive roles in the process delivery, Mrs Lawson stated. Mrs Lawson was accompanied by Mrs Matilda Adane Okrah, Maintenance Planner at TOR, and Ms Phillipa Joy Essien, TORs Learning and Development Officer. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Parliament is expected to adjourn sine die on Tuesday, 5th April, Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Majority Leader, has disclosed. The Deputy Majority Leader stated this in his presentation of the Business Statement of the House for the 11th week ending, Tuesday, April 5th, 2022, of the First Meeting of the Second Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. "In this regard, the Business Committee entreats Members to continue to devote themselves to the scheduled business for the week under consideration to enable the House adjourn on the proposed Tuesday, 5th April," he stated. With regards to the debate on the message on the state of the nation delivered by the President to the House, Mr Afenyo-Markin said as indicated in this week's Business Statement read on Friday, 25th March, the Business Committee proposed that the two leaders of the House together with two members one from each side of the House Saturday, 2nd April, however, due to the exigencies of the scheduled business, debate on the Motion to thank the President for delivering the Message on the State of the Nation would conclude on Monday, 4th April, instead of Saturday, 2nd. He said in view of this development, the House would no longer sit on Saturday, 2nd April, as announced earlier on. "Mr Speaker, again regard to the exigencies of the time, the House would sit on Monday, 4th April," he said. Mr Afenyo-Markin said sittings of the House might also be extended to ensure that business scheduled for the week under consideration was completed. "The Business Committee takes this opportunity to sincerely commend your good self, your deputies and all Members for the self-sacrifice and devotion to business of the House during this First Meeting." He urged all Members of the House to continue with this commitment until the House adjourns sine die. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Photo taken on March 16, 2022 shows the site of the Bamiyan Buddha statue in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan.(Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) BAMIYAN, Afghanistan, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Bamiyan province in central Afghanistan was once a popular tourist destination and the home of giant Buddha statues when the war-torn country was peaceful half century ago. With the end of the war last year, the hope among Afghans for rebuilding the Buddha statues as a tourist attraction has increased. "I have worked here for two years, repairing and restoring the Salsal (the local name for the Buddha). My task was collecting pieces of the Buddhas," Anar Gul Ahmadi told Xinhua. Anar has lived in Bamiyan for her whole life. "More than 500 domestic and foreign tourists visited Bamiyan and the giant Buddhas daily in the past years" but the number of visitors has drastically reduced this year, she said. The 53-meter and 35-meter tall Buddha statues, with thousands of caves for monks around them, were more than 1,500 years old and reminders of the Buddhist civilization in the region. The statues were dynamited by the Taliban in 2001. Some countries have promised to rebuild the Buddha statues but so far nothing has been done. "I'm sure that the people would help if anybody started restoration work. I am hopeful to see the Buddhas rebuilt," she said. The picturesque Bamiyan had been badly damaged over the past decades of war, foreign invasion and civil strife. "These areas represent the history of our nation and I personally love them very much," Bamiyan University student Omid Hussain said. "I like Buddha statues very much and I have visited them many times." Saiful Rahman Mohammadi, the director of information and culture of Bamiyan province, said, "Efforts have been made to protect and preserve historical monuments. We have also assigned people to protect the monuments in Bamiyan province." He said that since the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021, "all the monuments have been safe, not Buddhas, nor Gholghola nor Zuhak have been damaged. We are trying to fix everything and preserve every cultural heritage." People visit the site of the Bamiyan Buddha statue in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan, March 17, 2022.(Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 16, 2022 shows the site of the Bamiyan Buddha statue in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan.(Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) People walk near the site of the Bamiyan Buddha statue in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan, March 16, 2022.(Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged political parties to find ways to accommodate one another to champion the development of the nation. He said the country had undergone a long and tortuous journey to achieve consensus in a multi-party democracy, adding that the current stability enjoyed since the inception of the 4th Republic must be protected. Delivering the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA) at Parliament on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, President Akufo-Addo denounced suggestions that coup detats were the answer to the nations problems. We came through a long and tortuous journey to arrive at todays consensus on a multi-party democracy, but the last twenty-nine (29) years of our 4th Republic have shown that this has been the most productive period since our independence, he said. There is work to be done on building our institutions, but our democracy is worth fighting for. It is up to us to find a way to accommodate each other and our differences to make things work for the benefit of the Ghanaian people, the President added. President Akufo-Addo expressed worry over the resurgence of coups in the West Africa sub-region, saying that the political instability in the region led the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to its current stance of zero tolerance for military coups. He said Ghana must use its position as Chairman of ECOWAS as well as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council to work towards achieving lasting stability in the region. We, in Ghana, know the cost of instability; it leads to the exodus of our artisans and professionals, and the emptying of teachers from our schools, he said, adding, We do not want to be an island of peace and stability in a region of turmoil. The West Africa sub-region has been hit by a spate of coups in the last two years, with the region recording three successful military takeovers over the period. Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali have all seen the government overthrown and replaced with a military junta. Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali have since been suspended from ECOWAS, with the West African bloc demanding a return to democratic rule in the shortest possible time. At the end of another summit in Accra on Friday, March 25, 2022, the 15-nation bloc demanded the finalisation of an acceptable transition timetable by Malis military Government no later than April 25, 2022. The bloc cautioned that it would slap punitive measures on the Government and the National Transition Council (CNT) if they failed to meet the demand. ECOWAS also asked Burkina Fasos military junta to free former president Roch Marc Christian Kabore from house arrest by Thursday, March 31, 2022, or risk more individual sanctions. The bloc also demanded Malis military junta, which seized power in 2020, to stage elections within 12-16 months. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has said that there is no perfect votes and proceedings, an official report capturing Parliamentary debate, anywhere in the world. Errors, he said, are anticipated to occur hence, provisions have been made available to correct those mistakes. Mr Bagbin said this in the House on Thursday, March 31 after the Minority had said errors were made on the votes of proceedings for Tuesdays sitting when the e-levy was approved by the House. The Speaker commended the Minority lawmakers for bringing this up for the necessary corrections to be made. There is not votes and proceedings anywhere that is perfect, Mr Bagbin said adding that the draft is brought to the house giving an opportunity to members to right the wrongs that they have been captured on the votes and proceedings. So rightly, you have come and corrected, what you have done is right, we will go through properly and correct the errors, he said. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmakers have sued the Attorney General following the approval of the e-levy by Parliament on Tuesday, March 29. The Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu described the approval as illegal and unconstitutional because in their view, the Majority did not have the right numbers to pass it. This is a charade, he said at a press conference in Parliament, adding that there is no E-levy. The majority of less than 137 conducting businesses only proceeded on illegal and unconstitutional business. Parliament did not have the numbers to take any decision that should binding Parliament and Ghanaians, he added. They therefore decided to sue over the development. Source: 3 news Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mayor of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly(KMA), Sam Pyne, has lambasted the Minority in Parliament for staging a walkout over voting on the E-Levy Bill on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The Minority abstained from the process, leaving the Majority to approve the Bill and subsequently the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assenting to it to become an Act. The Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) Act makes it legally binding for every Ghanaian to be deducted a 1.5% levy on all electronic transactions. However, the Minority led by the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, have dragged the Attorney General to the Supreme Court to hinder the implementation of the E-Levy. They contend that Parliament did not have the required number of at least half of its members present when the controversial tax policy was approved. Addressing these issues on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Sam Pyne questioned the Minority's logic in walking out since they believe Parliament didn't have the right quorum to vote on the Bill. He wondered why the Minority didn't remain in the chamber to witness the failure of the Bill. ''They said they know a lot of NPP MPs who don't assent to the E-Levy. So, if you knew those MPs, why didn't you remain in the chamber to convince those MPs that you claim will vote against the E-Levy to do so?'' Sam Pyne also threw his full support behind the levy stressing it's a good way to include the informal sector in the payment of taxes to develop the country. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, believes all roads in Ghana should be completed by now if President Akufo Addo's claim to have constructed over ten thousand kilometers of road network across the country is anything to go by. To him, the President appears to be a windbag and bent on making mockery of the intelligence of Ghanaians, since an asphalt overlay, does not constitute road construction. "Ten thousand kilometers of road is just like doing a trip to London and back. "There are a lot of roads in this country that have not been constructed. Farmers are finding it difficult to even transport their farm produce from their farms to the various markets and you claim to have constructed 10,000km of road net work in the country. "Roads are not projects that can be hidden so just give Ghanaians proof of the road network you have constructed and we will verify. But I can tell you that the NDC under president John Dramani Mahama alone constructed more roads than all Akufo-Addo's years in office as president. ".....am very sure the president does not know what it means to construct 10,000km of roads and i think that's why he was tickling himself, and being such a braggart" he said in an interview on OkayFM's "Ade Akye Abia" show. The NDC General Secretary further accused the current government of having "borrowed over GHS300 billion and yet has nothing to show for it in terms of infrastructure". He pointed out that even the Tamale interchange in the Northern region that was commissioned last week by the president was constructed in phases and has not been fully completed. This government is on record to have declared year of roads since 2019 and yet Ghanaians are still complaining about the state of their bad roads," he added. Watch Video Below My government has constructed over 10,000 kilometres of new roads since 2017' Akufo-Addo The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has indicated that his government has constructed over 10,000 kilometres of new roads since 2017. According to the President, more roads have been built, improved, and upgraded in the last five years of his administration than any other government in the history of the country. It is in the road sector that we have registered the greatest infrastructure achievement. I know that the word unprecedented is often used with careless abandon in our public discourse, but I use it carefully and purposefully. In the five years of my government, so far, more roads have been built, improved and upgraded than at any other equivalent period under any government in the history of Ghana. Some ten thousand, eight hundred and seventy-five (10,875) kilometres of new roads have been constructed in these five (5) years, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said during a state of the nations address on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Parliament. Having commissioned the Tamale interchange on Tuesday, the President told Parliament it was the most satisfying birthday present for him that day. 10,000 kilometres of New Roads Constructed since 2017? Last week, the President of the Republic indicated that his government has constructed over 10,000 kilometres of new roads since 2017. According to the President, more roads have been built, improved, and upgraded in the last five years of his administration than any other government in the history of the country. It is in the road sector that we have registered the greatest infrastructure achievement. I know that the word unprecedented is often used with careless abandon in our public discourse, but I use it carefully and purposefully. In the five years of my government, so far, more roads have been built, improved and upgraded than at any other equivalent period under any government in the history of Ghana. Some ten thousand, eight hundred and seventy-five (10,875) kilometres of new roads have been constructed in these five (5) years, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said during a state of the nations address on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Parliament. Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (Utah Law) into law on March 24, 2022, making it the fourth omnibus state privacy law enacted in the United States. California led with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which was amended by the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA), followed by the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (Virginia Law), and the Colorado Privacy Act (Colorado Law). The CPRA, Virginia Law, and Colorado Law each go into effect in 2023, with the Utah Law becoming effective at the end of the year on December 31, 2023. The Utah Law largely follows the structure and terminology found in Virginia and Colorados privacy laws. It similarly provides consumers with rights to their data, requires opt outs for certain processing, and distinguishes between data controllers and processors. However, the Utah Law is more business-friendly than existing omnibus state privacy laws, in that it generally provides fewer consumer rights and company obligations. It also does not cover consumers acting in an employment or commercial context, contains no private right of action, and provides companies with a mandatory 30-day cure period. This update provides an overview and summary of the main aspects of the Utah Law, with comparisons to existing omnibus state privacy laws. It also provides recommendations on how companies that may be subject to the Utah Law can prepare for compliance. Scope and Applicability The Utah Law Applies to Utah Businesses and Businesses Outside of Utah The Utah Law applies to a controller or processor that conducts business in Utah, or that targets products or services to consumers in Utah and Has an annual revenue of $25 million or more; and Satisfies one or both of the following thresholds: Controls or processes the personal data of 100,000 or more Utah consumers during a calendar year; or Derives over 50% of its gross revenue from selling personal data and controls or processes the personal data of 25,000 or more Utah consumers. Notably, the Utah Law differs from existing omnibus state privacy laws by requiring businesses to have $25 million or more in annual revenue to fall under the law, in addition to satisfying at least one other threshold. It contains similar definitions for a controller and processor as those found in the Colorado and Virginia laws. Under the Utah Law, a controller is an entity that does business in Utah that alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes for and means by which personal data is processed, and a processor is an entity that processes personal data on behalf of a controller. The Utah Law Contains Numerous Listed Exceptions The Utah Law contains exceptions that exclude certain types of entities, information, and activities. For instance, the Utah Law does not apply to government entities, tribes, higher education institutions, or nonprofit corporations. Similarly, it does not apply to protected health information (PHI) governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and other personal data that is subject to certain federal laws (among them the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), the Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)). Like the Colorado and Virginia laws, the Utah Law also excludes de-identified and publicly available information from the definition of personal data, but also goes one step further to exclude aggregated data. Aggregated data is broadly defined as information that relates to a group or category of consumers from which individual consumer identities have been removed and that is not linked or reasonably linkable to any consumer. Data Rights Following the framework for existing omnibus state privacy laws, the Utah Law gives consumers similar rights to know, access, and delete personal data held by a controller, as well as the right to data portability and to opt out of targeted advertising and the sale of personal data. The Utah Laws definition of sale of personal data is narrow and requires money to be exchanged. It further narrows activities that may be considered sales by excluding disclosures of personal data if the purpose of the disclosure is consistent with a consumer's reasonable expectations, which is a much broader carveout than any found in existing omnibus state privacy laws. Notably, there is no right to correct inaccurate data or right to opt out of certain profiling activities, which is another departure from certain U.S. privacy legislation. Like the Colorado and Virginia laws, the Utah Law does not extend consumer privacy rights to pseudonymous data, defined as personal data that cannot be attributed to a specific individual without the use of additional information. Practically speaking, this means that when controllers respond to rights, such as access or deletion requests, they can exclude pseudonymous information that is kept separately and is subject to appropriate technical and organizational measures to prevent attribution. Privacy Obligations Controllers must post a privacy notice that contains disclosures about their personal data practices similar to those required under existing omnibus state privacy laws. For example, controllers must disclose the categories of personal data processed, purposes of processing, how consumers may exercise their rights, the categories of personal data disclosed to third parties, and the categories of third parties with whom personal data is shared. Additionally, controllers and processors must enter into a written contract that contains similar provisions to those required under other omnibus state privacy laws. Processors must also engage subprocessors pursuant to a written agreement that contains the same obligations as the processor with respect to the personal data. Obligations Related to Sensitive Data While the Colorado and Virginia laws require opt-in consent to process sensitive data, under the Utah Law, controllers need only provide notice and an opportunity to opt out prior to processing sensitive data (or, for the sensitive data of children under 13, comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)), as is the case under the CPRA. Sensitive data includes data that reveals racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, citizenship or immigration status, medical history or health condition, genetic or biometric data used to identify specific individuals, and geolocation data. Note, however, that sensitive data under the Utah Law does not apply to information that reveals racial or ethnic origin when processed by a video communication service, or by certain healthcare workers, which is a broader carveout than those found in the Colorado and Virginia laws. How to Prepare Companies that have already taken steps to comply with existing omnibus state privacy laws will have a head start when it comes to developing a compliance program that speaks to the Utah Law. The rights and obligations introduced by the Utah Law largely track the requirements under these other state laws. For example, as with the Virginia and Colorado laws, companies should assess their use of personal data to determine what opt-out rights may need to be provided, particularly for sales and targeted advertising. Companies should also plan to update and roll out consumer-facing privacy notices. There may also be a need to provide just-in-time privacy notices, and opt-out notices for sales, targeted advertising, and processing of sensitive data. Additionally, companies should review and update user interfaces and related processes for consumer rights requests to ensure compliance with the response parameters of these rights. Companies should also take inventory of vendor contracts and prepare to update those with service providers, contractors, and other third parties that buy or receive personal data to ensure appropriate restrictions and obligations are in place. For help preparing for the Utah Law, please consult with experienced privacy counsel. 2022 Perkins Coie LLP HONG KONG, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said on Sunday that the HKSAR government will relax restrictions on current systems and policies to provide more opportunities for the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Hong Kong. Led by Tong Xiaolin, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a team of seven TCM experts from the mainland arrived in Hong Kong on March 29 to assist Hong Kong in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Lam said that the TCM experts have rich experiences in combating COVID-19 and treating COVID-19 patients, adding that the experts have been visiting many places in Hong Kong in the past few days and the HKSAR government agrees with the methods they proposed. Lam said that as there are still many constrains in terms of systems and policies on the development and application of the TCM, the Food and Health Bureau will work on removing the constrains in related areas to provide more opportunities for the development of TCM in Hong Kong. The HKSAR government invited the TCM experts from mainland to Hong Kong not only for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, but also in the hopes of opening a broad new path for the development of TCM in Hong Kong, she said. Hong Kong registered 1,832 new COVID-19 cases by nucleic acid tests, and 1,877 additional positive cases through self-reported rapid antigen tests on Sunday, official data showed. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. High 83F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 66F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. With tens of thousands of jobs unfilled, South Carolina launched a new task force last month to conduct a deep dive into its historically anemic labor participation rate. The findings will be released later this year. "A higher participation rate increases the wealth of a state," said Dan Ellzey, who runs the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce. "We need to know the root causes of our low ... rate before we can truly make any improvements." Tom Barkin, president of the Federal Reserve's Fifth District and a part-time South Carolina resident, applauded the effort to address the worker shortfall. Good, good, the central banker said during a recent official swing though Charleston. South Carolina has a been a labor market phenomenon for a long time because unemployment has been so low for so long. So it does make you want to look at the rest of the opportunity, which is participation. The wonky-sounding term quantifies how much of the population either is working or actively looking for a job. The Palmetto State is a chronic underachiever in the category, at about 57 percent, compared to the national average of more than 63 percent. The figure is getting some fresh eyes in Columbia as employers across the state and country are still struggling to fill vacancies, as they had even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. more than two years ago. Barkin noted that "11-plus million" positions are up for grabs. South Carolina, where the jobless rate was 3.5 percent in February, accounts for more than 100,000 of them. "I think the challenge here is increasingly we've been talking about people coming in off the sidelines," he said during a March 24 visit to The Citadel's business school. "But as we've had such good jobs reports over the last few months you have fewer and fewer people on the sidelines." No easy job South Carolina has a deeper bench than most to help it narrow the gap. The tricky part is overcoming some deep-seated obstacles. Gone are the days when companies literally created towns to staff their plants, complete with housing, schools and other necessities. Hartsville, which was built by packaging giant Sonoco Products in the Pee Dee region, is a living, breathing example, Barkin said. "But as employers start to build factories in a world where unemployment is this low, people are needing to be thinking much more broadly about, 'What do I need to do to attract, motivate and train a potential workforce. ... Because if labor is long if you can always recruit it or have people migrate in you never have to work on that. But if labor is short, you actually have to work on that. And that, I think, is going to be one of the challenges for the next decade or two: What do employers do, and maybe governments ... to work on that?" Not surprisingly, South Carolina's labor force ranks are lagging mostly in rural pockets that have struggled to attract economic development on a meaningful scale. "The participation issue is not a huge issue in Charleston, it's not a huge issue in Columbia, it's not a huge in Greenville," said Barkin, a former senior partner and chief financial officer at the management consulting giant McKinsey & Co. who took the reins at the Fed's Richmond, Va.-based outpost more than four years ago. "It's a huge issue in all small towns throughout the district." Pieces of the puzzle The challenges aren't new or easily fixed. For example, in many economically distressed areas up and down the I-95 corridor "you have a workforce that's less educated," Barkin said. "So that's one set of issues that I see in all these small towns in South Carolina is education," he said. Health ailments ranging from obesity to opioid addiction to COVID-19 fears also can make it more difficult to establish and sustain a stable, reliable labor base, he added. Another "piece of the puzzle" is getting some rural residents with little or no work experience into "the job circle." Barkin said he recently spoke with a Dillon County employer who described programs that his company put in place "not to train people to do the work but to train people how to work to go to work, to show up at the right time, to do it. There's a workstyle model people have to buy into." At the same time, the accelerated shift to remote working during the COVID crisis has created an opportunity for remote areas. "On the positive side, if we really can operate in a hybrid way in this country, then a lot of people who might've for years not wanted to leave the place they grew up might be able to still live there and work enabled by broadband. ... That's where I think the promise is," Barkin said. Occasionally, a small town still can score an economic development victory. A few weeks ago, a North Carolina fabric company announced it is setting up shop in Hemingway and bringing more than 240 textile factory jobs to Williamsburg County, saying the pandemic and ensuing supply chain snarls have highlighted the need to bring manufacturing back to America. Barkin sees that as the exception for now. Im actually not yet hearing ... companies bringing back work to the states from overseas ... and part of it is that when I talk to them they say, 'Where am I going to find the workers?'" he said. If youre fighting cancer right now or some other chronic disease, I owe you an apology for breaking the promise I made you in 2009. That was the year I served as the chaplain in the Air Force Field Hospital in Balad, Iraq. Every two weeks there, I took the morning to donate blood platelets. What are platelets, you ask? According to the Red Cross website, Platelets are the tiny cells in your blood that form clots to stop bleeding. If you can imagine how valuable platelets are to a combat hospital, youll understand my biweekly commitment to donate them. For nearly three hours, I would sit in the donor chair, adjacent to the ER, and watch the bloodied boots of our anguished heroes roll toward radiology for X-rays and MRIs. The sight inspired me to promise, Lord, if I ever get out of here ... Well, maybe not quite that dramatic. It was more like, When I get home, I promise Ill continue giving platelets. But in my homecoming, I failed to keep my promise, and Im very sorry. I overlooked how essential platelets are to millions of Americans hoping to survive cancer, chronic diseases and traumatic injuries. In fact, platelets are so important that every 15 seconds someone needs them. And platelets are so fragile that they must be used within a weeks time. That means new donors are constantly needed. Sadly, it took me another 10 years before I returned to my local blood bank to renew my battlefield contract. That was last year. These days, my kept promise begins with online scheduling of a 2-hour appointment twice a month with my local blood bank. Sign up for our new opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! On the morning of my appointment, I fill out a quick online questionnaire. A nurse takes my vitals and gives me a fingerstick to measure my hemoglobin, the most painful moment in the process for many. Soon, Im relaxing in a recliner, where my nurse comforts me with heating pads and pillows. Honestly, I think shed give me a cuddly stuffed bear if I asked for one. I point to the tiny scar on my left arm caused from my Iraq donations, and she inserts a needle, almost painlessly, in the same spot. She draws a relatively small amount of blood and sends it into a machine called a blood cell separator. The blood is rapidly spun, which forces the platelets to separate from the other blood components. These cells then flow into a sterile, single-use plastic bag. This process removes only platelets. Everything else is recycled back to me the plasma, red cells and white cells. This method is repeated many times until my single donation of platelets provides several transfusable platelet units. When the procedure is over, I rest in the break area, sipping a favorite beverage and eating popcorn while chatting with the nicest people youd want to meet: the other donors. Why am I sharing this story in a spirituality column? Because Easter is coming and in my Baptist church well probably sing Power in the Blood. The hymn recalls how Jesus spilled his blood and sacrificed his life on our behalf. For me, theres a connection between giving blood and demonstrating sacrifice, love and concern for Gods people. If you cant see yourself sacrificing that much time, please consider 90 minutes to donate plasma. If youve survived COVID, your plasma may be used to help COVID patients recover with something called convalescent plasma therapy. And if youre so busy you barely have time to read this column, consider the 30-minute procedure to give whole blood. Finally, the most rewarding moment is when I receive a text a few days later telling me that my donation has just been used to save a life. But personally, Im just materialistic enough to enjoy the other rewards given by most blood centers, such as gift cards and T-shirts. I spent my Apple gift cards on an Apple watch. And that watch tells me that its probably time you should donate blood, too. THESE PRECIOUS DAYS. By Ann Patchett. Harper. 432 pages. $28.99. Maybe it seeps out of the striated rock formations edging Interstate 440, the gritty karst territory out of which highways were blasted and the largest city in Tennessee sprang forth. Or perhaps some force field formed where the Highland Rim and Cumberland Plateau curl around the rugged basin that has become Music City. Whatever phenomenon is at work, Nashville, Tenn., has emerged as a nexus of creativity extending far beyond Conway Twitty and Taylor Swift, especially when it comes to literary talent. In fact, a whole sub-genre of contemporary Southern writers could be called the Nashville Prose Posse, an Opry-worthy lineup including Margaret Renkl, Mary Laura Philpott, Jon Meacham, Caroline Randall Williams, Alice Randall, Ed Tarkington and Lorrie Moore, to name only a few. And perhaps best known and most beloved of them all is Ann Patchett, whose recent collection of essays, These Precious Days, demonstrates exactly why. Patchett, a book evangelist and co-owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, describes herself as a novelist (Thats how I fill out my passport form). Her eight novels including New York Times bestsellers Bel Canto, State of Wonder, Commonwealth and The Dutch House certainly affirm her credibility as such, but for Patchett, the essay is far from second fiddle. The 23 collected here sing with the same Patchettian clear voice one finds in her fiction, the same sure wit, the same generous heap of all things loving and true that seem to redeem humanity. They give assurance that, despite war and pandemic and heartbreak and recurrent pancreatic cancer, there is beauty, there is friendship, there is Snoopy and knitting and a time-capsule nightstand that turns up out of the blue there are indeed precious days. Ive been a Patchett fan since reading her first novel, The Patron Saint of Liars, and Ive followed her career closely, perhaps because shes the writer I dream of becoming (a fantasy bolstered by random similarities: were roughly the same age, children of divorced parents, both swam religiously at Blodgett Pool while living in Cambridge, both married to Vanderbilt-affiliated physicians, both love books only, of course, shes actually written them.) As a fan girl, Id read most of these essays when they appeared previously in Harpers, The New Yorker, The New York Times and elsewhere. Even so, encountering them again here, nestled amidst a chorus of harmonious pieces, was like hearing the Westminster Choir turn it up full throttle. Every emotional register gets tapped joy, laughter, tears (many), wonder, and most of all, astonishment at how mere words on paper can wield such spark. The title essay is a master class in how to be a friend, which seems to be a Patchett superpower. Its impossible not to fall for Sooki Raphael, the peony coat-wearing assistant to Tom Hanks, whom Patchett first met for all of 30 seconds backstage in Washington, D.C. That initial flash of an encounter turns into a love story that readers will not soon forget. Like in her earlier nonfiction work, Truth and Beauty, about her dear friend and fellow writer Lucy Grealy, Patchett doesnt just eulogize a loved one, she brings forth what is lovely and lovable in all of us (or at least what could be). The fact that you want me here, that you love me, that you believe in me, it makes me believe in myself, Sooki shares with Patchett. It seems so simple. It is so simple. And for other Patchett wannabes out there, these essays include plenty of writerly wisdom. In The Nightstand, she credits Allan Gurganus for pointing her in the direction I needed to go, which is to say here, toward this present life. In To the Doghouse, she describes how Snoopy, the Red Baron beagle typing away atop his doghouse, taught her how to shape myself into who I was going to be. Thanks to the dog-novelist, Patchett learned that I would be hurt and I would get over it. He walked me through the publishing process: being thrilled by acceptance, ignoring reviews and then having the dream of best-sellerdom dashed. ... There was more work to do, other books to write. What mattered was that you knew how to love your job. Patchett clearly loves her job. A writer of immense heart, she is a dog-loving, friend-celebrating, indie bookstore-cheerleading, Nashville Prose Posse-leading lover of literature and life. These Precious Days only makes these days exactly that. NORTH CHARLESTON The killing of Walter Scott seven years ago April 4 was a high-profile case that helped spark a national reckoning over police violence against African Americans. But when Anthony Scott listens to discussions around police brutality, and media pundits list off the victims of law enforcement violence, his brother's name is often left out. Sometimes it's upsetting, Scott said. But we know that he was chosen. ... He was chosen for the time to bring about change. So now, that's what we're going to see: change. The perceivable lack of nationwide recognition of Walter Scott mirrors local challenges faced by Scott's brother to keep his memory alive. Walter Scott was fatally shot on April 4, 2015, by Michael Slager, a White North Charleston police officer, after he fled on foot following a traffic stop over a busted brake light. Slager was charged federally and in state court in the killing after a cellphone video of the shooting was released to the public. In May 2017, Slager pleaded guilty in federal court to civil rights violations and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Slager is serving his sentence at a low-security federal prison in Colorado. Seven years after Scotts death, Anthony Scott and other local activists feel not enough has been done locally to honor the memory of Walter Scott. The place where he was killed still lacks any sort of memorial. Anthony Scott wanted to keep his brothers story alive. He's attempted to do that by seeking cultural and systemic change within the North Charleston Police Department. A seat at the table Anthony Scott told Police Chief Reggie Burgess about his desire to bring about change in 2019. Burgess replied: Anthony, could you come to speak to the officers and talk to them about how it feels to be the brother to Walter Scott? The monthly sessions usually begin with the new officers watching the footage of Scott being shot by Michael Slager. The cellphone video shows Scott running from Slager as the former law enforcement officer fires eight .45-caliber rounds at the 50-year-old Black man. Five of those shots struck Scott, three of them in the back, killing him. Anthony Scott enters the room after the video plays, introducing himself as the brother of the man the recruits just witnessed being gunned down. Scott begins with a personal touch, telling the officers how the incident traumatized his family. He also attempts to engage in broader discussions around race, asking the officers whether they understand that all people, Black and White, have prejudices. Scott, who said most of the recruits are age 25 and under, said he tries to help them understand that law enforcement officers are held to a higher standard and called to protect and serve the community. That calling often requires police to set aside personal feelings about a particular person they're dealing with something Slager failed to do, Scott said. Slager's history of using excessive force served as indication of his hot-headed temperament, Scott said. Walter Scott's fleeing probably took an already aggravated Slager over the edge, Scott said. Burgess said Scott has also told the recruits about the communitys relationship with police what it is like for people to see patrol cars in their neighborhood or flashing lights in a rearview mirror. The recruits can also ask Scott questions. Theyll ask him questions about how close was he and Walter, Burgess said. They ask: How do you deal with it every night? How do you come here and work with us? Some people may think Anthony Scotts relationship with the department is unconventional, Burgess said, but he felt it was essential. Anywhere we can learn, were going to those people, or go to that place to get that information, so we can be better, he said. Scott said you can only bring about change if you're in the room where decisions are being made. "If you have no place at the table, how will you be able to make a difference as far as getting the changes that are needed?" The site of death Part of the challenge around remembering Scott has to do with where he was killed, an empty stretch of land off Craig Road. Following the shooting, a makeshift memorial was created on the lot with cards and flowers from well-wishers who empathized with the family. Those materials were removed, but Anthony Scott said he has no idea who removed the items or where they were placed. Also, discussions began after the tragedy about potentially creating a permanent memorial on the site, Scott said. Jerry Waldrop owns the lot where Scott was killed, along with the pawnshop that abuts the site. Waldrop said no one from the Scott family, nor the city of North Charleston, has ever asked him about using the property to permanently remember the 2015 shooting. Waldrop said he is opposed to the idea because he wants to eventually develop the land, which he has owned for more than 20 years. He said he sees Scott's killing as a tragedy, along with the host of nationwide acts of police violence against African Americans. But a memorial would be more appropriate if it were located at City Hall, which houses the city's Police Department, Waldrop said. "Right in front of city hall a big ol' statue," Waldrop said. "That's the police station. They should put it right there for all the police to see every time they go to work." The city of North Charleston did not respond to questions about the 2015 killing of Walter Scott or discussions about creating a memorial at the Craig Road site. Fighting for change Among those who feel Scott's killing hasn't gotten the attention it deserves is the man who filmed it. Feidin Santana recorded the shooting April 4, 2015, on his cellphone while on his way to work. Santana thinks one reason Scott's case isn't as widely discussed as other police brutality incidents is because the North Charleston event was a rare occasion in which the police officer ended up being sentenced for the death of an unarmed Black man. Still, that's no reason for the Scott case to be brushed aside, Santana said. "I think Walter Scott should be a name in every conversation when it comes to justice and police brutality," he said. "He cannot be forgotten. And if we forget our history, we're doomed to repeat." In 2021, Santana opened Change Up Cuts, a barbershop off Rivers Avenue that Santana feels is also an ode to the tragedy. The shop is more than a business, but also a place for the community to assemble and discuss the problems impacting local neighborhoods. Much of the shop's work has been focused around efforts like school drives and vaccine clinics. The space has also welcomed political candidates to chat with community members. Its civic engagement mainly includes regular community meetings, where residents can air concerns and discuss ways to better help Black and Hispanic populations. "The values we stand for in this business is in memory of what happened in 2015," Santana said. Santana admits he was immediately hesitant after the 2015 shooting to work with NCPD on criminal justice reform. It's hard to work alongside the same agency whose officer wrongfully killed a man, he said. He's since had several interactions with police officers who helped him understand not all cops are bad people. He's open to working with NCPD on reform. Santana feels more Spanish-speaking officers would be beneficial, though he also believes over-policing in minority communities, even with officers of color, is problematic. Never Forget There have been struggles nationally to bring about police reform in the name of Walter Scott. U.S. Sen Tim Scott's 2020 Justice Act had originally included Walter Scott's name attached to a section in the bill that would withhold federal money from states that didn't keep data on police shootings. But Anthony Scott told the senator in a phone conversation he wanted Walter's name removed because the Scott family felt the legislation wasn't aggressive enough, as it lacked a ban on chokeholds and no-knock warrants, as well as changes to the legal doctrine of qualified immunity. The Justice Act wasn't passed. One legislative gain took shape in South Carolina shortly after Scott's killing. In 2016, then-Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill into law to help police get body cameras. While a worthy step forward, the bill falls short of requiring police officers to release body camera footage upon the community's request, Anthony Scott said. "If they don't share, we don't know," Scott said. "Being transparent with the community is the most important thing." Locally, the fight over police reform has centered on the racial bias audit. The city had for years brushed aside demands by a local interfaith group and the Scott family for an audit of the department. In 2020, the city finally awarded a contract to Virginia-based CNA to conduct a review of the law enforcement agency. The report, completed in 2021, found racial disparities in a number of policing practices. But both city councilmembers and local activists said the report wasn't comprehensive enough. Jerod Frazier with the Charleston Area Justice Ministry said the audit didn't expose where traffic stops are happening in the city. Also, some of the community listening sessions were held in neighborhoods not largely impacted by heavy police presence, he said. "It didn't go far enough," Frazier said. The city recently formed a Police and Community Committee, tasked with working alongside law enforcement to implement the audit's recommendations. Anthony Scott is part of the group. An area that needs improvement is the city's disciplinary approach, Scott said. Excessive force should get more than just "a slap on the wrist," he said. Officers who commit multiple violations should be fired, and their records should prevent them from being hired by other agencies, Scott said. Anthony Scott feels addressing the policies and the culture in NCPD is the best way to honor Walter Scott. Even if there is no memorial, and national attention around Walter Scott's killing continues to wane, good police may prevent a future tragedy committed by a cop sworn to serve and protect. Former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley is returning a favor to Sarah Palin, endorsing the former Alaska governor in her newly announced bid to represent Alaska in Congress. "Excited to see SarahPalinUSA get back into the fight to take our country back. We need her voice in Congress!" Haley tweeted on the morning of April 3. Palin last week joined a huge field of Alaska hopefuls when she announced she would seek the seat held for decades by the late-U.S. Rep. Don Young who died last month. At least 50 candidates are in the running. Palin, Alaska's governor from 2006-09, is widely credited with giving Haley a huge bump in 2010 when Haley was running for governor in South Carolina amid a field of three male opponents in the Republican primary. In May that year, just weeks before the June turnout, Palin threw her support to Haley in front of about 1,000 people gathered at the Statehouse steps by saying Haley shared many of her concerns to clean up good ol boy government. The establishment said I couldnt do it, and I didnt get a lot of help from the establishment, Palin said, before addressing Haley: I know your story. I know what youre going through. She continued, But she is a fighter and shes a winner. And some of the good ol boys, maybe they dont like her too much. But its because she stands up for what is right. She has a stiff spine, and shes doing it for you, South Carolina. The endorsement came as Haley's momentum was about to pick up against the competition: then-Attorney General Henry McMaster, U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! She would go on to win the primary by beating Barrett in a runoff with 65 percent of the vote. In November, she became the state's first female and minority governor after defeating Democrat Vincent Sheheen. Palin at the time was riding a crest of post-election popularity in the GOP after rising from near obscurity to the national stage as the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee paired with Arizona Sen. John McCain. They would lose to the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In the Alaska contest, Palin has the biggest national political profile in the packed field that includes current and former state legislators and a North Pole city council member named Santa Claus. Young, a Republican, had held Alaskas House seat since 1973 and was seeking reelection at the time of his death last month at age 88. A special primary is set for June 11. The top four vote-getters will advance to an Aug. 16 special election in which ranked choice voting will be used, a process in line with a new elections system approved by voters in 2020. The winner, targeted to be certified by Sept. 2, will serve the remainder of Youngs term, which expires in January. The Associated Press contributed to this report. COLUMBIA South Carolina plans to give a pair of state watchdogs more agents to investigate fraud, waste, abuse and misconduct by government officials. And state lawmakers are racing the legislative clock to empower one of them with more authority. The first draft of the states 2022-23 budget nearly doubles the funding of the state Inspector Generals Office, giving Executive Director Brian Lamkin, a former FBI agent, enough money to add at least six investigators to his eight-person staff. And a bill to authorize Lamkin's office to investigate the finances of school districts, not just state agencies, is set for final approval in the coming days in the state Senate ahead of a critical deadline to become law. Meanwhile, the proposed state budget which still requires Senate approval offers $60,000 to the State Ethics Commission, giving the political misconduct police enough money to hire a fifth investigator. Thats not quite the haul Gov. Henry McMaster requested for those government watchdogs before state lawmakers reconvened in Columbia in January. But its a step in the right direction, advocates say, amid heightened attention to government misconduct in South Carolina, including the yearslong Statehouse corruption probe and a well-chronicled parade of scandals by county sheriffs. And McMasters office pledges it wont stop pushing lawmakers to improve the state's ethics laws and fund the agents who enforce them. The governor is extremely pleased with the progress that were making, McMaster spokesman Brian Symmes said. Its a huge step forward, but its not going to be the end of the road. The Legislatures renewed focus on ethics comes as The Post and Courier has teamed up with 18 local newspapers across the Palmetto State for Uncovered, an initiative to shed light on questionable government conduct and voids in oversight across wide swaths of South Carolina. The Uncovered project has produced more than 50 stories documenting misspending by politicians, illegal payments to elected officials, mishandled conflicts of interest and other questionable conduct. That series noted how a lack of watchdogs has contributed to the problem, from the decline of the newspaper industry to understaffed government monitors to a significant drop in white-collar crime cases brought by federal prosecutors. We absolutely need more bandwidth on investigations, said Lynn Teague, an open-government advocate for the League of Women Voters. We need more people. Before the Legislature began its 2022 session in January, McMaster called on lawmakers to focus on measures that would clean up government misconduct and restore the publics faith in elected leaders. He asked legislators to spend some $3.4 million in next years budget to more than double the funding of the state's Ethics Commission and the Inspector Generals Office. He also called on the Legislature to expand the inspector generals jurisdiction to include any government agency or nonprofit that gets state tax dollars, including cities, counties and school districts. The S.C. House included much of what McMaster wanted when it passed its draft of the state budget last month. But it fell short of providing a slew of new agents for the Ethics Commission. The first draft of the budget pays for just one more investigator, in part because the Ethics Commission doesnt have office space available for more, House budget committee Chairman Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, said. The biggest winner was the Inspector Generals Office, which will be able to nearly double its investigative power. The agency may soon need the extra hands. Already, it investigates hundreds of complaints of fraud, waste and abuse each year by government employees across more than 100 state agencies. In one high-profile case last year, the Inspector Generals Office determined that a former state agency executive director helped her husband win a $600,000 contract with her agency. In another, the office investigated and scolded the Governors School for Agriculture at John de la Howe after an Uncovered report first revealed ethical breaches and questionable spending there. Now, the agency may be asked to investigate financial improprieties at school districts, as well. S. 202, a bill that would give the inspector general that authority, is close to passing the state Senate. Its sponsor, Senate Education Committee Chairman Greg Hembree, said he is committed to pushing for its passage ahead of April 8, a deadline for bills to pass either the House or Senate. The bill doesnt give the Inspector Generals Office the power to investigate cities, counties or nonprofits that get state tax dollars, as McMaster wanted. But it adds another layer of scrutiny for school systems that dont take good care of public money, Hembree said. Its not the investigation that makes you better, the Little River Republican said. Its the threat of the investigation that makes you better. If the bill passes the Senate, Hembree said he would recruit a member of the House to push for its passage in the Statehouses lower chamber. Symmes, McMasters spokesman, said the governor will continue to champion the bill as well and looks forward to signing it into law. Imagine seeing bright orange and iridescent green-blue birds flying around Guam. Its been decades since the Guam kingfisher, also known as the sihek, went extinct in the wild. Like all the other birds, they were driven to extinction in the wild by the introduction of snakes, said Caitlin Andrews, an independent contractor from Massachusetts, whose work ultimately led her to get involved in the Sihek Recovery Program. Luckily, some of the last remaining birds were captured and brought into captivity to start a breeding program. They are at over 20 facilities throughout the U.S., then we have over 10 birds here, Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Andrews has been visiting Guam for the past three weeks. She is working on the recovery program in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London. In the 1980s the last of the birds were captured and theyve since been kept and cared for in captivity. At least 135 of these birds, native to Guam, are in existence across the nation today. Andrews, along with officials of the Guam Department of Agriculture, gave The Guam Daily Post a tour of the captive breeding facility in Mangilao. Two female and eight male Guam kingfishers are being kept safe there. They are like any kind of bird species. They propagate the native plants, said Jane Dia, Guam Department of Agriculture program coordinator for Kontra I Kulepbla and the Guam hunter education program. They are a big part of (our) ecosystem. You can tell the health of a forest by the bird species. Thats why its important to bring our Guam birds back. The next move is to get the birds to thrive outside of the cages. We want to get the birds back in the wild. We need to expand the captive population because there are a lot of limitations to breeding birds in captivity. One of the main ones is the effects of inbreeding, Andrews said. Recent genetic analyses have shown that if we dont expand our global population of the sihek, they could be in serious trouble, even though we have them safe in captivity. Sihek are also difficult to care for in captivity. They have really intensive needs. It takes a lot of work and a lot of space to take care of them. So putting them back out in the wild is really our best option right now. But, as we know, there are still snakes here. So this isnt the ideal place to put them. The dangers brought on by the invasive brown tree snake mean the effort to release the birds back into the wild wont happen on Guam, at least not anytime soon. We are exploring the possibility of releasing them to another Pacific island where they dont have snakes and to get the birds back into the wild, so we can learn what they need to survive and get the population growing, she said. A year is probably the earliest with the permitting and all of that. We are still evaluating potential sites. Palmyra Atoll is one possibility, which seems pretty promising for sihek. There have already been years of work that have gone into this to decide that putting them somewhere else is the best move at the moment rather than returning to Guam with the snakes. Experts are evaluating the potential sites for the birds. The many years of work that goes into something like this involve disease risk, evaluating what other species are present, making sure there arent already threatened species present, especially ones that sihek might eat. We want to make sure there are no other kingfisher species they are going to want to compete with, she said. Andrews said the siheks that will be released into the wild dont exist yet. Ultimately, the goal is to one day have the sihek back out in the wild, and in Guam where their lives are not threatened by invasive creatures such as the brown tree snake. French President Emmanuel Macron holds an election rally in La Defense Arena on the western outskirts of Paris on Saturday. More than 30,000 supporters attended the rally. With a week to go before the first round of the French presidential election on April 10, French pollster Elabe has released the latest poll results, showing incumbent Emmanuel Macron in the lead, and by a wide margin. According to the poll, Macron now leads the other candidates with 28.5 percent support, up 0.5 percent from the previous survey. His main contenders include Marine Le Pen, the head of the far-right National Front. The French constitution states that the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term in a two-round system. In the first round, if no candidate wins more than half of the votes cast, the top two candidates compete in the second round. Produced by Xinhua Global Service There have been contradictions about our local government's strategy on COVID-19 testing and limitations for those who have come in close cont Read more John documented our coverage of Yale University over the years and reminded me of my own reporting from the scene nearly 20 years ago. I happened to be on campus in October 2003 when Navy Judge Advocate General Recruiter Brian Whitaker visited Yale Law School to meet with students interested in serving as Navy lawyers. Virtually every Yale law student had signed a petition vowing that he or she would not meet with Whitaker or other JAG recruiters. Diversity is our strength, or something. I went over to the law school to take a look with my own eyes. I found the petition publicly displayed inside the building as part of a protest exhibition that included black and camouflage wall hangings. The one law student scheduled to meet with Whitaker cancelled the interview. The ostensible cause of the consternation occasioned by Whitakers visit was the militarys compliance with the dont ask/dont tell law on homosexual conduct in the armed forces. Law schools across the country had hindered military recruiters from meeting with law students because the militarys adherence to the dont ask/dont tell law violated nondiscrimination policies enforced by the schools against on-campus recruiters. In my column I explored the universitys resolution of the conflict between money and rights expounded by law school authorities. I wrote about it in the Weekly Standard column JAGs not welcome, setting that particular disgrace in the context of Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights as it made its way to the Supreme Court. My column featured a cameo by Elena Kagan as dean of Harvard Law School. The legal position taken by Harvard, Yale, and others narrowly lost that case 8-0. In a sense, the song remains the same, only more so, in the recent disgrace involving the March 10 Federalist Society free speech event. There the offense was the mere participation of a speaker from the Alliance Defending Freedom. The boundaries of acceptable discourse within our elite institutions continue to narrow in the service of enforcing the evolving orthodoxies of the progressive left. Its a long way down. Youd think there must be a bottom somewhere. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban casts his ballot at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Xinhua/Chen Hao) BUDAPEST, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. Polls predicted a narrow win for Orban's Fidesz party and its allied Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP). Orban, 58, had been in power between 1998 and 2002 and came to power again in 2010. If his party wins Sunday's election, he would become prime minister of Hungary for the fifth time. At a final campaign rally on Friday, he mobilized his voters by promising them peace and calm in the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and called on his supporters to give an all-out effort on the election day. The opposition alliance held its event in central Budapest on Saturday. Peter Marki-Zay, the alliance's candidate for prime minister and currently the mayor of Hodmezovasarhely, said that his political formation was "at the gate of victory." Marki-Zay, a 49-year old father of seven, won the opposition primary elections held in October 2021. In the last elections of 2018, Orban's coalition Fidesz-KDNP won 133 seats, securing a two-thirds majority in the parliament. Some Hungarians living abroad started voting by mail on March 19. A woman casts her ballot at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) A woman casts her ballot at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (R) and his wife Aniko Levai cast their ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Officials validate a ballot box before people cast their ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Hungary's President Janos Ader and his wife Anita Herczegh cast their ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Hungary's President Janos Ader and his wife Anita Herczegh prepare to cast their ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Peter Marki-Zay, the opposition alliance's candidate for prime minister and currently the mayor of Hodmezovasarhely, and his wife Felicia Vincze cast their ballots at a polling station in Hodmezovasarhely, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Sandor Balazs Domonkos/Xinhua) Peter Marki-Zay, the opposition alliance's candidate for prime minister and currently the mayor of Hodmezovasarhely, and his family cast their ballots at a polling station in Hodmezovasarhely, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Sandor Balazs Domonkos/Xinhua) People cast their ballots at a polling station in Veresegyhaz, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Marton Csanadi/Xinhua) People cast their ballots at a polling station in Veresegyhaz, Hungary, April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. Some 7.8 million voters will cast their votes at more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to come out in the evening. (Photo by Marton Csanadi/Xinhua) Staff members prepare to count ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Staff members prepare to count ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Staff members prepare to count ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Staff members count ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Staff members count ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Voters are seen at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Voters are seen at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Voters are seen outside a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Voters are seen at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Voters fill in their ballots at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022. Voters head to the polls in Hungary on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could give current Prime Minister Viktor Orban a fourth straight term. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Russias invasion of Ukraine has led European countries to resolve to end their dependence on Russian natural gas. The Telegraph reports: We are now in a world where Germany and much of the rest of Europe is planning for almost complete disengagement from Russia as a supplier of both oil and gas. The only question is how quickly this will happen. Germany gets half of its gas from Russia, the highest percentage among large European countries. Yet, particularly when it comes to gas, immediately available alternatives are hard to find. The scramble for them is going to ensure prices remain high for a long time to come. The upshot is that a much larger proportion of national income will in future need to be devoted to energy than anyone would hitherto have thought remotely tolerable. The Europeans have hurt themselves badly by chasing after the false dream of green energy rather than looking to their own supplies of fossil fuels. There is another culprit, too: The economically crippling on-off lockdowns of the past two years have left many western economies completely unprepared for the challenges ahead. It was a classic case of sledgehammer to crack a nut, a way-over-the-top response to the Covid menace, the full costs of which are only now starting to be properly appreciated. In any case, lockdown has drained economies of the resilience needed to face up to the current energy price shock. By causing a two-year hiatus in energy investment, the lockdowns were actually partially responsible for the depleted state of todays supply. Emphasis mine. The Russians and Europeans are engaged in a game of chicken: For Russia, the euro payments have become almost completely useless. Even if they can be accessed in the Russian banking system, they may not be exchangeable. For Putin, it is as if the gas is being sold for free. Yet if Europeans are forced to buy roubles to finance their purchases, it helps prop up the Russian currency and becomes an even more potent source of funds to pay for Putins hubris. The situation is almost farcical, for this is by no means a one-sided dependency; Putin is as reliant on Europe as Europe is on him. Threatening to end the co-dependence kills both parties in equal measure. If the parasite kills its host, it dies too. Putin assumed he had Europe over a barrel, that German dependence on his gas ensured its effective silence over his invasion. Instead, hes turned himself into an international pariah who either this year or next will end up losing the only market he has for his gas. Where do the Germans and other Europeans turn? A likely answer is nuclear power: Nuclear is the UK Governments preferred solution. Regrettably, it is neither immediate nuclear power stations take a long time to plan and build nor cheap. Nuclear is nearly always a vastly more expensive form of power generation than almost any conceivable alternative. I disagree with that last assertion. My own experience with nuclear power suggests that it is inherently a cheap way to boil water. But it is hard to run an industry efficiently when people are trying to put you out of business. And while safety of nuclear power plants is a legitimate concern, over-regulation has been a sort of environmental voodoo that has driven up the cost substantially. The age of abundant, inexpensive energy is over. Get used to it. Its not necessarily over in the U.S., but we need an administration that isnt trying to impoverish us all by making energy expensive on purpose. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to stop bringing composed banknotes as part of their deposits with the apex bank. The warning is contained in a circular issued in Abuja by Ahmed Umar, the Director, Currency Operations Department of CBN, which he said took effect from April 1. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that composed banknotes are mutilated currency notes comprising several parts of different banknotes of the same denomination. The parts of such currency notes are usually put together with the intention of receiving value. Mr Umar said that the existence of such banknotes in the economy falsified the true value of the currency in circulation, and could also be an avenue for fraudulent activities. He said that henceforth, composed banknotes discovered in the deposit of DMBs shall attract a penalty of 400 per cent of the value. The management of the CBN observed with concern the increase number of composed banknotes deposited by DMBs and request for replacement of such banknotes by members of the public. The existence of composed banknotes in the economy falsify the true value of currency in circulation, and can also be avenue for fraudulent activities. Consequently, any composed banknote discovered in the deposit of DMBs shall attract penalty of 400 per cent of the value, he said. (NAN) The Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, Friday struck out a suit seeking the sack of Governor David Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, from office for defecting to a different party. Messrs Umahi and Igwe had in November 2020 defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Following their defection, the candidate of the APC in the 2019 governorship election, Sonni Ogbuoji, and his deputy, Justin Mbam, approached an Ebonyi State High Court seeking the sack of the governor and his deputy. The plaintiffs asked the court to declare the governorship seat vacant on account of the two mens defection from the PDP to the APC. Messrs Ogbuoji and Mbam also asked the court to order that they be sworn in immediately since they came second in the 2019 governorship election. But the high court in a judgement on February 28 struck out the suit and awarded N500,000 as damages against the plaintiff. Not satisfied with the ruling, the plaintiffs appealed the decision. In its judgement, on Friday, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal led by Ahmad Belgore unanimously upheld the lower courts verdict on the matter. Joseph Oyewole, who read the lead judgement, resolved one of the two issues in favour of the appellants, but held that it was not enough to grant their prayers for removal of the governor and his deputy on the account of their defection. He ruled that although the Nigerian Constitution makes provision for a situation where members of the federal and state legislatures can be ordered to vacate their seat on account of defection, it is not the same for the president, the vice president, governors and deputy governors. Defection from one party to another may appear immoral or even improper or even improper, but as well submitted for the respondents, it must be acknowledged that membership of parties is an exercise of the freedom of association guaranteed by section 40 of the Constitution, but like every exercise of rights, it come with attendant consequences. Where a member of the legislature from the party on whose platform he was elected without showing that the party he left had suffered a division, the consequence for him is to vacate the seat as provided in section 68(1)(g) and 109(1)(g) for the federal and state legislatures respectively, otherwise his seat will be declared vacant, he said. The judge said this was in line with the natural workings of the legislature where political party lines hold sway. The situation is different with regards to the holders of the executive offices of the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors, Mr Oyewole held. He commended the trial judge for rejecting the call by the appellants lawyer to fill the lacuna in the Constitution by sacking Mr Umahi and his deputy. Granting such prayer, Mr Oyewole said, would have done incalculable damage to the rule of law and constitutionalism. He (appellants lawyer) however, invited the court to fill the lacuna by extrapolating the consequences for elected members of the legislature and to accordingly order the 1st and 2nd respondents to vacate their seats. The learned trial judge mut be commended for rejecting this invitation which would have done incalculable damage to the rule of law and constitutionalism. Judicial activism mut be guided by the rule of law, otherwise it will degenerate to judicial rascality, Mr Oyewole said. Immunity doesnt shield governors from this kind of suit In agreement with the plaintiffs, however, the Court of Appeal ruled that Mr Umahi and his not deputy could not be shieled from the suit on the grounds of the immunity they enjoyed by virtue of section 308(1) of the Nigerian Constitution. While section 308(1) of the Constitution seeks to protect the occupants of the offices of the President, Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governor from distractions of unnecessary litigation, the present action of the appellants cannot be brought within the categories of such cases, he said. ALSO READ: Umahi speaks on impact of court judgment sacking him on his presidential ambition He said the governor and his deputy cannot deploy their constitutional immunity as a shield from the suit, otherwise, the res, the main issue of dispute in the case would have been extinguished by the time the 1st and 2nd respondents vacate their respective at the end of their tenure. I therefore hold that the immunity provided by section 308(1) of the Constitution cannot avail the 1st and 2nd respondents in the circumstance of this case. This issue is accordingly resolved in favour of the appellants and against the respondents, he held. Appeal dismissed The court dismissed the appeal despite resolving one of the issues in favour of the appellants. Advertisements Although the appellants succeeded in respect of one of the issues, their failure in respect of the main contention implies that this appeal must be dismissed. Appeal is dismissed with N200,000 in favour of the respondents and against the appellants. The presiding judge, Mr Belgore, and the third member of the panel, Sybil Nwaka-Gbagi, agreed with the lead judgement. An earlier, different judgment on Umahi However, in a similar case, the Federal High Court in Abuja on March 8 declared Mr Umahis seat and that of his deputy vacant over their defection from the PDP to the APC. That case was instituted by the PDP which said it was determined to reclaim its mandate Delivering judgement in the case, Justice Inyang Ekwo, ordered the governor and his deputy to vacate office. Mr Ekwo ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to receive names of candidates from the PDP to replace Messrs Umahi and Igwe. The votes in any election in Nigeria are to political parties, and not candidates, the judge held. Editors Note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct name of the judge who delivered the lead judgement, and report more details of the verdict. The intensifying violence associated with the secessionist movement in Nigerias South-east is fuelled by the excessive militarised response of the state security forces as well as collective feelings of marginalisation and misinformation, a new report has said. The report Multiple Nodes and Common causes: National Stocktake of Contemporary Insecurity and State Responses in Nigeria was authored and released on Friday by the Centre for Democracy and Development in West Africa (CDD). The report states that Nigeria faces an epidemic of insecurity, including the violent secessionist agitations in addition to terrorism, banditry, and the perennial farmer-herder conflicts. The proscribed separatist group, IPOB, with its armed wing, ESN, has intensified an armed struggle in a radical push to force the South-east out of Nigeria and create an independent state of Biafra, decades after an initial effort caused a devastating civil war (1967-1970) and failed. In the violent wave, attacks blamed on IPOB and ESN operatives have resulted in the killings of state security personnel and civilians. The attacks have targeted police stations, markets, and other public properties, including INEC offices and custodial centres. The separatists have continued to enforce a sit-at-home every Monday to protest the continued incarceration of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial in Abuja. The weekly sit-at-home protests, with substantial compliance, mean schools are shut to avoid endangering pupils and suspension of socio-economic activities. In its report, the CDD said military action by the government in 2016 worsened the IPOB crisis. Since the launch of a military operation known as Operation Python Dance in 2016, the region has witnessed an intensification of confrontations between IPOB and the Nigerian security forces especially, the police, the Department of State Security (DSS), and the military, CDD said, and then referenced a report by PREMIUM TIMES exposing massive extra-judicial killings by the Nigerian security between 2015 and 2016. Among the factors contributing to the recent intensification of violent separatism in the region, CDD identified: a violent defensive counter-response to the states militarised approach; a pronounced perception of contemporary marginalisation in Nigerias current federal political and security architecture; and the development and spread of false narratives legitimising armed mobilisation as a pathway to a regional secession. For many interlocutors in the region both those identifying as formal members of IPOB and those who rejected the movements aims the militarised response of the security forces to the initial emergence of separatism was frequently highlighted as a key driver of the groups counter-mobilisation, CDD said. The organisation further said that attempts to address the conflict arising from secessionist agitations which remain the most significant node of conflict in the region with a bearing on national cohesion need to account for the central role of the state as a perpetrator of violence and injustice in any resolution. The Nigerian government has not only proscribed IPOB but also officially labelled it a terrorist organisation, thus ruling out formal discussions with the group. IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu is currently in detention where he is standing trial for treason and other charges. There have been calls by political and traditional leaders from the South-east for Mr Kanus release as part of efforts to stem the violence in the region. President Muhammadu Buhari has, however, rejected such calls, saying the trial of Mr Kanu should run its course. On Saturday, traditional rulers from the South-east restated their demand for Mr Kanus release. They said this was part of their agreement with violent secessionists who in turn agreed to end the sit-at-homes on Mondays in the region. Every day, dozens of trucks roar through a dirt road into Angwan Kade, a village in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State in North-Central Nigeria. Then they speed off, laden with tonnes of precious stones, leaving in their wake acres of dredged pits in farmlands. Years of uncontrolled mining of solid minerals and precious stones have turned many farmlands into pits in Angwan Kade. A 200ft deep pit gapes from where a giant rock stood about five years ago. A field where peasant farmers used to plant rice and fruits is now an industrial site from where cracking noise from bulldozers and dynamites steals the sleep of residents. A PREMIUM TIMES reporter also noticed the burrowing of land near buildings. One of the affected residents, Umaru Mai, said he feared his house would cave in because a pit was drilled so close to it. He said the earth shakes so violently during drilling that his family always feared the house would collapse. Nigerian artisans who work by proxy with and for some Chinese nationals are behind the mining activities in unauthorised sites in the area, a week-long investigation by PREMIUM TIMES found. The activities have led to complaints by residents of exploitation, land grabbing and fear of flooding and contamination of water sources. Illegal? A check on the list of active mining quarries in Nassarawa state showed that the Mining Cadastre Office licensed no company to mine in Angwan Kade. Section 44 (3) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining law of 1999 vests the ownership and control of all minerals in Nigeria in the federal government, which is mandated to manage such natural resources in a manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly. The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development is responsible for granting licences to operators through the Mining Cadastre Office. Any operator without a licence from this ministry is deemed to be carrying out illegal activities. Such a person may be arrested and tried in the Federal High Court. But the permanent secretary of the Nasarawa Ministry of Environment, Abdullahi Agwai, said the authorities are aware of the activities of illegal miners in Angwan Kade. The official, however, said similar activities in several other sites exist. Even the representative of the federal government in the state, Federal Mines Office, will tell you the state government is aware that unknown mining companies exist in the state. Many unknown miners are being discovered through the state government touring of mining communities and mining sites, he said. Mr Agwai said it is the federal government that gives permission to mining companies to operate through mineral titles. Some companies pay taxes to both the state and federal government but most dont. Inside Angwa Kade mining community The discovery of Coltan (short for columbite-tantalite and known industrially as tantalite) among other solid minerals in Angwan Kade about a decade ago was welcomed by the locals with hearty cheers. A remote agrarian community, Angwan Kade lies in the north of Nasarawa, close to the commercial city of Keffi. It takes about 40 minutes on a motorbike to reach the community from Kokona junction. Commercial motorbike operators charge between N500 and N700 from Kokona. The road is untarred; only a few vehicles, mostly used for agricultural purposes, ply it. So, when several locations in the village were marked as mining sites, residents thought it marked the beginning of development in the community. However, 10 years down the line, they have seen only the downside as mining activities destroy farmlands and jeopardise the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. Stephen Ali, a farmer who now farms one acre of land, said he lost four acres after miners encroached on his land and left it barren. The community still lacks basic amenities such as electricity, pipe-borne water, healthcare facilities, primary school, and modern means of communication. The houses are mostly made of mud. There is no sign of government presence even though the people also vote during elections. With no schools to attend in the community, children join in working on the mining sites while their mothers sell food to the workers. A few other women also participate in mining. The locals said Chinese companies acquire land by proxy to mine precious stones in the area. No Royalties Dahiru Mallam, the spokesperson of the village head, said the miners do not make any form of payment to the community. The Chinese people and others mining in this place have never given us one naira, Mr Dahiru said. Whenever a company gets raw materials from here, we should also be paid some royalties. We only see them taking the minerals away, but they dont give us anything. Mr Dahiru said community leaders negotiated with more than 15 prospectors, who all agreed to pay some royalties to them before commencing mining operations. But nothing concrete came out after they began their operations. Mr Agwai, the official from the state ministry of environment, did not respond when asked if the mining company in Angwan Kade pays any form of fees or taxes to the state government or if they have any form of local registration. He, however, blamed mining communities such as Angwan Kade for not promptly reporting to the government when mining companies enter their area. Advertisements Mining communities are largely underdeveloped because they undertake community development agreement with mining companies in a manner that are disadvantageous to the communities. Mining communities hardly consult the government for advice, despite sensitisation in that regard, he said. Land Grabbing Mr Dahiru mentioned one Alhaji Mundasa as the frontman used by foreign companies to acquire lands in the village for mining activities. In fact, the land they are mining from belongs to the community. It was Alhaji Mundasa who came and said he wanted to use the land for some personal use for a period of one year and we allowed him. Now, we cannot even count the number of years he has spent there. He came back after some time and told us he has purchased the land and it no longer belongs to the community. We cannot question him because he is more powerful than us. We still do not know whom he bought the land from, but he said the land now belongs to him. We have no school in this place, some of our children go to school in another community far away from here. Some of the children you saw at the mining site dont even go to school because there is no school. The only time we see any government officials is when they bring electoral materials during elections, he said. The phone numbers of Mr Mundasa made available to this reporter were always switched off, as the reporter tried to reach him for his comments. Chinese fingerprints The cold, dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind synonymous with the harmattan season was gradually yielding dominance to heat after sunrise when Aliyu Umaru took a spot in front of a huge rock. Armed with a chisel and a mini sledgehammer, Mr Umaru was about to start his daily routine of breaking smaller particles of precious stones commonly called Kas (columbite) by locals. Looking uninspired for the days job, Mr Umaru said he works for a Chinese company. The company we work for belongs to some Chinese nationals but one Alhaji Mundasa fronts for the Chinese people, he said. When the minerals are extracted from the ground, they give Alhaji his share while they take some to government officials. My daily wages are between N6,000 and N8,000 depending on my output. I have a wife and two children living here with me in Angwan Kade, he said. The Chinese people use the kas they get from here to produce car batteries. Aside from kas, we also have tantalite. Mr Umaru works with about 16 other workers at the site. The site manager, John Bashiru, refused to name the company and the owners. Most of the equipment and industrial houses on the site have Chinese inscriptions while on some pillars of tents is written PROPERTY OF S.B OLATUNJI GLOBAL NIGERIA LIMITED. Shehu Adam, one of the workers, said they were trained by the Chinese to till the stones into particles. They come here often to inspect the sites and what we are doing. They pay me N1,500 for each bag of consonite that I bring out, he said. At another site, a bulldozer was taking heavy tantalite rocks to locals working on the site for further tilling. Children and young women were either bagging the stones after they are tilled or hawking food and snacks within the site. Columbite and Tantalite The mineral group tantalite is the primary source of the chemical element tantalum. It is chemically similar to columbite, and the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral called coltan or columbite-tantalite in many mineral guides. Tantalite is black to brown in both colour and streak. Tantalum, a dull black metallic ore from which is extracted the coltan, is used to manufacture tantalum capacitors which are used for mobile phones, personal computers, automotive electronics, and cameras. Tantalum metal is used in dental and surgical instruments and implants, as it causes no immune response. It is used for many industrial purposes, including making bulletproof materials. Our reporter visited a semi-industrial plant along the Keffi-Akwanga expressway where most of the lorries from Angwan Kade take Coltan stones for refining. Workers at the plant were at first hostile to this reporter who posed as a post-graduate student of geology from Nasarawa State University. Why are you taking pictures of what we are doing here, a woman who appeared to be one of those in charge of the site, demanded. After a brief introduction, the reporter was finally directed to one Adam Ade for any inquiries. Mr Ade confirmed that truckloads of tantalites are brought from Angwan Kade to the plant. We buy in tonnes from the sites (Angwa Kade). A ton is about N3,000 and when they bring it here, we further break it down into smaller particles with our machines and then sell to Chinese companies and dealers who export them, he said. Mr Ade said that although Chinese dealers operate many sites in Angwa Kade by proxy, they also buy from the plant because its products are more refined than the ones at the sites. He, however, refused to name the companies they sell products to. Illegal mining in Nigeria This is not the first time Chinese companies and their associates would be fingered in unlicensed mining activities in Nigeria and many parts of Africa. Last year, the Nigerian government said it would clamp down on illegal activities of Chinese and other artisanal miners across the country. Dozens of Chinese nationals were arrested in several raids, mostly in the southwestern states of Osun and Ondo and Zamfara in the northwest. In addition to curtailing illegal mining activities, the federal government is also going after Chinese companies that violate environmental regulations. Authorities acted against the Hongao Mining Company that ran a gold mine near Abuja for polluting the local water table. Officials were tipped off to Hongaos misdeeds from an investigative report published by The Cable. Two other reports by PREMIUM TIMES revealed how artisanal illegal mining activities from Osun to Ondo undermine Nigerias economy, and how a large number of illegal miners pursued from Zamfara now carry out their unauthorised business in Osun Despite these measures, however, illegal mining activities continue in several parts of the country. Environmental experts attributed this to the connivance of security operatives and traditional rulers with foreigners. By law, only Nigerians are allowed to get mining licences and work in small-scale operations. But some local miners accept Chinese partners because they provide capital and technical services and equipment, experts said. What government is doing Mr Angwai, the official from the Nasarawa State ministry of environment said that the state government would soon sign the State Mineral Policy which will help to develop host mining communities and the state at large. On allegations that the government colludes with some of the companies, the official said, Miners dont give mineral products to the state government. Even ordinary samples, the state used to purchase from the miners to showcase during mining events, etc. This allegation is baseless and irrational. On what the government was doing to curb illegal mining, he said, in some cases, the state government chased away illegal miners. However, it is the responsibility of Federal Mines Office in the state through Mines Surveillance & Special Task Force to arrest illegal mining operators. Meanwhile, small mining operators are allowed to operate across the country as artisanal miners. The group is informal in nature. In accordance with the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act of 2007, the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, earlier this year announced plans to tackle illegal mining in the state. This is especially due to rising concerns over the discovery of gold in the state. Early this year, large deposits of gold were found in the Abuja-Nasarawa axis, through the National Integrated Mineral Exploration Project (NIMEP), a programme undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. The Federal Government then announced collaborations with the Nasarawa State Government to ensure security around areas known to have gold deposits and other solid minerals in the state. Although Angwan Kade axis is around Agwada, the home to a former governor of Nasarawa State and new National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, there is no security agency in the area amid the mining activities. When we protest against the actvities of these illegal miners, Alhaji Mundasa will use his personal security operatives to disperse us, Mr Dahiru, the spokesperson of the village head, said. Sometimes back, our youth protested and prevented the miners from going into the site but Alhaji brought in policemen who dispersed them. Ripple effects The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in two separate solid minerals audit reports revealed that the Nigerian government may have lost about N4 billion in three years, owing to illegal and corrupt activities of companies operating in the mining sector in the country. The many schemes through which these companies have defrauded the Nigerian government include non-remittance of revenues, unlicensed mining and evasion of taxes, illegal practices, and incessant smuggling of solid minerals out of the country, the reports found. The NEITI reports state that activities of unlicensed miners are prevalent in the industry, leading to even more loss of government revenue. An analysis of the NEITI solid minerals audit reports was done by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism early last year. According to Abubakar Bwari, the then Minister of State, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, more than two million people in Nigeria profit off illegal mining in the country. Although the Mining Police and the Mines Inspectorate were established to monitor and enforce compliance by all industry operators, illegal miners, including Asian and African immigrants, currently populate the industry with unapproved mining sites in different locations across the country. The former Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi, warned that the continuous presence of foreign nationals, who are the major patrons of mined products from artisanal and small miners, has led to reduced value addition, revenue leakages, and inaccurate transaction records. According to a report, the natural resources sector of Nigeria loses N50 trillion annually to untapped resources. Estimates suggest that Nigerias mining sector has the potential to generate N8 trillion naira annually if properly coordinated. But from the observation of mining activities in Agwan Kade, achieving that potential will take years of coordinated hard work on the part of the Nigerian authorities. Support for this story was provided by the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD) The governor of a state so besieged by terrorists that he has asked residents to take up arms and defend themselves has described President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigerias best prescient ever. Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina has repeatedly lamented the security situation in his state, saying security agencies are overwhelmed and residents should take up arms to defend themselves. Nigeria operates a unitary security system with all the security agencies under the control of the Nigerian president. Thousands of people have been killed or kidnapped by terrorists, also called bandits, in Katsina and other North-west states in the past few years. Amidst the worsening insecurity, another governor of a North-western state, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, suggested the hiring of foreign mercenaries to address the situation. But the insecurity did not deter Mr Masari from describing Mr Buhari as Nigerias best president ever. Since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914, the country has never had a better government and President like Muhammad Buhari, Mr Masari said. The governor disclosed this on Saturday in Katsina during a rally organised by the beneficiaries of the federal governments National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the rally was organised under the leadership of the Social Protection and Good Family Value Initiative (SPGFVI). The rally was aimed at calling on the federal government and the national assembly to enact a law that would make the programme a permanent one. According to Mr Masari, President Buhari has laid a significant foundation that if properly utilised by the next administration, will assist in removing many Nigerians from poverty. Therefore, with this initiative which no administration has ever thought of, the president needs more commendation and support to achieve the purpose of the programme. I wish to inform you that I am totally in support of this call for the president to make it law before the end of his tenure. By doing such, it will continue to reduce the challenges Nigerians are facing. It is unfortunate for someone to wake up in the morning, thinking of what to eat, how to go to hospital or take their children to school, but this programme has reduced such difficulties for people. And if a law is enacted and it becomes permanent, no government will come and stop it, and Nigerians will continue to enjoy the programme and it will continue to reduce unemployment, he said. Mr Masari assured the beneficiaries of the programme that their message will get to President Buhari and the national assembly. He further called on the beneficiaries to also write to their representatives at the national assembly on their demands. Earlier in his remarks, the states Coordinator of the SPGFVI, Mustapha Barau, said their main objective is to ensure the wellbeing of Nigerians, especially the youths, elderly, physically challenged people, women and pupils. According to him, that is why they developed an interest in the NSIP programme because it is directly related to one of their major objectives. He explained that the rally was earlier held at the ward levels across the state, where their commendation letters were presented to the district heads for further transmission to the president. Armed non-state actors killed at least 96 people across Nigeria last week (March 27-April 2). The victims include the eight people confirmed killed when terrorists attacked a train in Kaduna on Monday evening. The gunmen also kidnapped several other passengers on the train. Out of the 96 people killed last week, six were military personnel while the remaining 90 were civilians. Four of Nigerias six geo-political zones experience at least one fatal attack. However, over 50 per cent of the incidents for last week were carried out by terrorists, also referred to as bandits, that have terrorised the North-west and parts of the North-central zone. PREMIUM TIMES compiled the incidents from media reports. Thus, unreported cases are not included. Below are the recorded incidents: 23 in Kaduna Bandits reportedly killed 15 persons during last Sundays attack on Hayin Kanwa village, Yakawada ward in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State. A resident in the community, Mohammed Buwala, told journalists they buried 15 bodies on Monday morning. Also in Kaduna, bandits attacked a moving train, killing eight persons while abducting an unspecified number of persons. The Kaduna state government disclosed the number of people killed in a statement by its commissioner for internal security, Samuel Aruwan. 39 in Zamfara Armed bandits on Tuesday attacked several communities in Talata Mafara and Bakura local government areas of Zamfara State, killing four persons. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the affected communities are Ruwan Gora and Ruwan Gizo (Talata Mafara) and Yar geda (Bakura). In a separate attack, bandits killed at least 35 people, including a village head, after they raided five communities in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Thursday evening and Friday morning. Local sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the bandits also rustled the livestock of the villagers. One in Enugu One person was reported killed, while two sustained injuries on Monday when gunmen attacked commuters at Odegba, Coal Camp, in Enugu North Local Government Area, Enugu State. The gunmen, suspected to be members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) enforcing the suspended sit-at-home order, reportedly opened fire on commuters. One in Anambra At least one person was feared killed when arsonists attacked Nnewi South Local Government Area Secretariat of Anambra at Ukpor on Thursday. Over 50 arsonists reportedly took part in the attack. 16 in Ogun A cult clash in Ogun State led to the death of at least 16 people. The clash was between Eiye and Aiye confraternities in Sagamu, Ogun State. The fresh killings occurred on Sunday, a few days after seven people were killed in different parts of Abeokuta, the state capital. Five in Plateau Gunmen on Monday killed five persons and wounded three in communities of Iregwe chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau. On Tuesday, Davidson Malison, a spokesperson for Iregwe Development Association, said they immediately reported the attack to the police and the military. Six in Niger At least six Nigerian soldiers were killed after armed bandits stormed a village in Suleja, Niger State, on Monday night. Witnesses said the bandits were raiding agrarian communities a few kilometres from Zuma barracks when soldiers were deployed from the barracks to intervene. They killed six of the soldiers, while several others were injured. Advertisements Four in Benue At least four people were killed in different communities in Guma, Kwande, and Gwer West local government areas of Benue State on Tuesday. The state governor, Samuel Ortom, made this known in a statement by his spokesperson. One in Ebonyi The police command in Ebonyi confirmed that an attack by gunmen led to the death of an eight-year-old at a construction company in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state. The police also said one gunman died in the shootout with the police. The commands Public Relations Officer, Loveth Odah, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abakaliki that the incident happened on Friday. Matter of grave concern President Muhammad described the attack on the Kaduna-bound train as callous and a matter of grave concern. Mr Buhari was quoted as saying this in a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu. No one should be allowed to hold the country to ransom, the spokesperson quoted the Nigerian leader as saying. In his statement Tuesday evening, Mr Shehu said President Buhari has directed that a system be put in place to prevent such attacks in the future. President Buhari has directed the immediate conclusion of all the processes for the implementation of the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution for the Abuja to Kaduna railway line and that this be extended to cover the Lagos-Ibadan railway line, the spokesperson wrote. He also directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation management to speedily repair the damaged lines and resume normal service without delay. Mr Shehu said the president gave the directives at a meeting with security chiefs in Abuja. In a separate statement, the president directed the police in Ogun to ensure they stop the cult killings in the state. The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, has said he has no preferred candidate for next years general election. Every political party is heavily represented. If I vote for anyone, I would be unjust to the rest of my children; I am the father of all and I like it that way, he said. He added that he will support whoever God says. my assignment has nothing to do with partisan politics, do not distract my attention. You will bear me out I have never told you, this is the fellow you should vote for I have never said this is the party you should belong to; I have never said it and will never say it, he said at the April 2022 Thanksgiving Service held on Sunday. Mr Adeboye also said Nigerians who refuse to vote in an election have no right to complain about the government. You were Nigerian before you became a Christian. As a Nigerian, you have a duty to register, to vote and make sure your vote will count. You have a duty to belong to any party of your choice; you cant refuse to vote and then complain about the government, the cleric said. He said he has no care for the political party people belong to or vote for as long as they do their duty vote in the upcoming 2023 elections. During his sermon, he said God has yet to speak to him about the 2023 elections unlike in 2019 when God spoke to him a year before the elections. As of now, I still do not know whether or not there will be an election next year. Do not say that Pastor Adeboye said there will be no election next year, that is not what I said Adeboye does not know yet, he told his congregation. For this reason, the cleric said, he does not know if there would be elections in 2023. He added that God might still speak to him about the elections. How come you dont know? Because my father has not talked to me about it yet. The last time we had an election, He (God) spoke to me about the election by June of the previous year and this is April. So, it is not late but He hasnt told me yet, he added. I want you to listen with anointed ears and anointed hearts. Pastor Adeboye is not and will never be a politician. I have never been and will never be; that is not my calling, I am called to be a pastor, he said. Mr Adeboyes statement on his political involvement comes at a time when there are speculations about the intentions of the churchs department on politics and governance. RCCG in March announced that it has set up a department on politics and governance to help muster support for members with political ambitions. While some find the churchs active participation in government commendable, many have condemned the action, alleging that it is a front to campaign for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Many Nigerians believe Mr Osinbajo seeks to contest the 2023 presidential election although he has yet to declare his interest. Mr Osinbajo is a cleric of the RCCG. On Sunday, Mr Adeboye noted that he is very concerned about the Kaduna killings, oil theft, Nigerias depressing debt profile and other current national challenges. However, anybody who comes to me from whatever party to pray for them, I will pray. I have only one prayer for every one of them, Father, let your perfect will concerning this fellow be done Speaking on his concerns about Kaduna, he said, you cannot go to Kaduna by road, air or train. That brings so many questions to my mind as a man of prayers. Why Kaduna? Who is trying to isolate Kaduna? Why? After Kaduna, which next? he asked. He noted that while some Christians are killing themselves over 2023, rapture (a theological position held by some Christians consisting of an end-time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurrected believers, would rise in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air) may come before the end of the year 2022. It is in the news and nobody has denied it that as of now more than 80 per cent of the oil we are producing is being stolen that leads me to several questions, Mr Adeboye said. He went on to ask accountability questions on the whereabouts of the stolen oil. Who is stealing the oil? Where is the money going? What do they want to do with the money? Who are the foreign nations buying this stolen oil? How many of these nations of the world are your friends? According to him, it is an open secret that more than 90 per cent of the money Nigeria gets from crude oil sales is being used to furnish interest accruing on debt. We are borrowing more and according to a friend of mine, we are moving steadily towards a state of bankruptcy, a whole nation Advertisements He asked his congregation to pray to God that Nigerias debts be cleared just like in the time of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. If not, generations to come will continue to pay these debts, he said. Gunmen on Sunday killed two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ezinifite, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigerias South-east. Silas Okolie, a resident of the area, told PREMIUM TIMES that the gunmen operated from the Oko-Ekwulobia area, but could not say if the attackers also killed any residents in the area before they attacked the FRSC officials. The FRSC spokesperson, Bisi Kazeem, confirmed the attack in a statement on Sunday. He said the gunmen opened fire on the officials at about 2:45 p.m. while they were conducting routine patrol operations along with the g Igbo-Uku-Uga route in the Ezinifite area of the state. A team of patrol operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps comprising an officer, a driver and two other staff on patrol operations have been attacked by unknown gunmen leading to the death of two personnel with one sustaining severe injuries, Mr Kazeem said in the statement. He said one official escaped through the bush while they rushed an injured team leader to the hospital. The Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, decried the attack and condoled with the families of the deceased officials, Mr Kazeem said. Mr Oyeyemi said the FRSC was working with the police and other security agencies to track down the gunmen. The attack comes three days after gunmen killed a security guard and razed the headquarters of Nnewi South Local Government Council in the state. Police officers and officials of other security agencies have been the target of deadly attacks in the South-east; attacks on FRSC officials appear to be a novelty in the region. The Indigenous People of Biafra, a group leading the agitation for the creation of an independent state of Biafra from the South-east and some parts of the South-south, has been accused of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the two regions. Gunmen have killed 10 persons and injured 19 others during a cultural festival in Chando Zerreci community in Irigwe Chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau. Lawrence Zango, the National Publicity Secretary, Irigwe Youth Movement, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Jos, the Plateau State capital. Mr Zango said criminals launched the attack on Saturday night during the annual ritual festival of Zerreci, which usually ushers the Plateau community into the new farming season. Mr Zongo, who condemned and described that act as sad and unfortunate, added that the injured are currently receiving treatment at Enos Hospital Miango. He called on the government at all levels and the security agencies to find lasting solution to the incessant attacks that usually lead to loss of lives and property. The government has a responsibility to promote and protect human rights, including the right to life, and a duty to protect civilians from attacks by taking effective measures to prevent and deter attacks on our people, he said. The government must as a matter of urgency investigate the attack in Irigwe land and bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that families and other victims are adequately compensated Brutal attacks on our communities are becoming rampant and frequent and this is unacceptable. Government must take more concrete steps to protect lives and property across Iregwe chiefdom and neighboring communities. Mr Zango also appealed to the International community to come to the aid of the people and to support them and address the huge humanitarian challenges caused by the attacks. Ubah Ogaba, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Plateau State Police command in the state, confirmed the attack, adding that the command had mobilised armed officers to the place to restore normalcy. Mr Ogaba, an assistant superintendent of police, called on residents of the area and Plateau in general to remain calm and law abiding, adding that security agencies are working seriously to ensure their safety. (NAN) Tomb-sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival for people to sweep tombs to mourn the deceased and worship their ancestors and the martyrs. Ahead of this year's Tomb-sweeping Day, people in various parts of China have paid their respects to fallen heroes of the nation. #GLOBALink Produced by Xinhua Global Service The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has re-elected Falalu Bello as its national chairman. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Bello was re-elected through consensus at the partys national convention held on Saturday in Abuja. Others members of the partys National Executive Committee (NEC) elected include National Secretary Babatunde Alli, National Treasurer Abdullahi Bayawo, among others. In his acceptance speech, Mr Bello appreciated the party for electing them to serve, pledging their commitment to the party and the nation. Mr Bello said there was a need for party members to work in unity to win the 2023 general elections. He said that with unity, new Electoral Act and recent innovations by the Independent National Electoral Commission, PRP had the potential to win the presidential and more elections in the 2023 general elections. He urged members to embark on membership drive across the nation, disclosing that the party would soon roll out it guidelines for the 2023 general elections. Mr Bello assured all presidential aspirants of the party that the PRP leadership would provide a fair and level-playing ground for the partys candidate to emerge. Earlier in his welcome remarks, Mr Bello recalled that PRP sponsored 385 candidates in the 2018 general elections and won two House of Representatives seats for Bauchi State, while it also came 3rd in terms of votes in Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, and Benue states. He added that between 2020-2022, PRP participated in 11 elections and by-elections with progressives performance because of its more presence on the ground as well as the caliber of candidates it fielded. He listed the achievements of his partys outgoing National Working Committee to include creation of online registration platform and website (prpnigeria.ng) that made PRP the first party in Nigeria to register its members online. We are going to ride on, this is to have a robust national membership register, list of leadership of the party at all levels, news on the party, etc. Mr Bello listed indiscipline and insufficient fund as parts of the challenges facing the party. He urged delegates to appreciate the need for members to pay for membership fees and the N50 annual subscription fee for the party to thrive. Creation of a faction for the party and numerous court cases that faced the party, are clear manifestation of indiscipline in the party and these must be stopped if the party is to make fast and meaningful progress. The significant amendments to be taken at this meeting will make it an offence for any member to go to court without exhausting internal dispute mechanism. Further to this, the National Working Committee has set up a committee to handle the factionalisation in the party. It is hoped these would address the problems created by indiscipline. Mr Bello also disclosed that so far, the PRP had been invited in merger and alliances with four groups. These parties, according to him, include the National Consultative Front (NC Front), led by Pat Utomi, that initially started with five parties: the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Action Democratic Party (ADP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Others, according to him, include Northern Leaders and Consultative Front (NLCF) group of Northern politicians, led by Usman Bugaje; the Peoples Alternative Political Development (PAPD), a pan Nigerian organization. He also added that We Together (We2geda), another Pan Nigeria Movement, headed by Ibrahim Abdulkarim, of mostly young and middle-aged persons currently in various political parties inclusive of PRP, is desirous of getting a platform to participate in elections. On the basis of submission on Mergers and Alliances made to the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the party held on March 5 and decisions taken on these, the NEC has advised the groups. The PRP is prepared to be adopted by any political party which believe in its principles provided such as arrangement will not result in the party changing its name and logo, Advertisements Members of the groups were advised to join the party so that issues of interest will be discussed and agreed with them, and where the PRP structure does not exist or is weak, structures of adopting parties could be collapsed into PRPs. Of the four groups that have been advised, members of the We2geda have started to register with the party as six (6) of their leaders from Adamawa, Kano, Katsina, Plateau, Zamfara and Borno have joined the party and will make bring along their followers in the coming weeks. Mr Bello who said that PRP is attracting persons willing to make the party grow, added that all respective branches need to open up to accommodate people that believe in PRP principles. We have a great party in our hands and can make it grow, prosper and take over power in Nigeria and run governments as done in old Kaduna and Kano States in 1979, he said. (NAN) The Police Command in Delta says it has shot dead a suspected kidnapper and rescued 13 victims in the state. Spokesman of the state command, Bright Edafe, who disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday evening in Warri, also said one AK-17 rifle was recovered from the suspect. Mr Edafe said the suspect was shot dead on Sunday, April 3, by a combined team of Police operatives attached to the Ogwashi-Uku Division and a local vigilante. He explained that the deceased suspect and his gang had intercepted a 14-seater bus on the Aniagbala Community via Ubulu-Uku express road in Aniocha South Local Government Area. Today, April 3, 2022, at about 08:40 hours, information got to the Command that a gang of daredevil kidnappers had intercepted a 14-seater bus with Registration Number: M831-JFK. The bus was intercepted on Aniagbala community via Ubulu-Uku express road in Aniocha South conveying 16 occupants. Thirteen of the passengers were abducted and taken to the bush, he said. Mr Edafe said that upon receiving the information, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Delta Command, Ari Ali, directed the DPO, Ogwashi-Uku Division to lead men into the bush and ensure that the suspects were arrested and the victims rescued unhurt. ALSO READ: Another Nigerian narrates how armed police officers forced him to wire money to them Following the directives, the DPO, CSP Mohammed Naallah, swiftly led a combined team of Police operatives and Vigilantes into the bush and gave the hoodlums a hot chase. In the course of the exchange of gunfire, one of the suspects who was hit, died on the spot while the other members of the gang escaped with bullet injuries, he said. The commands spokesman said all the 13 kidnapped victims were rescued alive and unhurt, adding that the bush was still being combed to arrest the other fleeing members of the gang. (NAN) The Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, has given the assurance that he will lead his fellow governors in the Southeast to engage the federal government in dialogue to handle the security situation in the zone. Mr Soludo said that an expeditious release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), would cushion the insecurity impasse in the zone. Mr Soludo said this during a one-day Peacebuilding and Security Dialogue, held in Awka on Saturday. The event was held in response to the deteriorating security challenges in the region. He endorsed the communique of a joint body of traditional rulers and clergy to declare Monday, April 4, as a Day of Prayer at all churches and places of prayers for forgiveness and reconciliation. He said Mr Kanu should be tried expeditiously, according to the law, and be convicted or freed instead of being kept under indefinite detention. The governor pointed out that justice delayed is justice denied. He said the state government would open rehabilitation centres for those who dropped their arms and set up a truth and reconciliation panel to investigate and placate those who lost their lives and property in the course of the violence. Mr Soludo said he is ready for total engagement with all parties, including the aggrieved, in the quest for peace. He called on all genuine agitators to drop their arms and leave the forest while warning criminal elements taking advantage of the situation to hold the people to withdraw or face the full force of the law. We will engage with the good, the bad and the ugly. We will not discriminate against anybody. We need more engagement than force in solving the problems, we need peace and security in our land to make progress, we cant continue to cut our nose to spite our face. All churches should announce the Monday prayers, saying they will also signal the end of Monday sit-at-home order that had lingered for months, he said. In their 8-point Communique, the body of traditional rulers and clergy in the South-east called on the federal government to free Mr Kanu unconditionally to douse the tension in the region. The communique, which was read by Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, condemned the Monday sit-at-home directive which started on August 9 last year, describing it as self-destructive and inimical to the progress of the region. The joint body regretted that even when the IPOB, under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu, had withdrawn the order since August 24, killings, abductions and burning of property have not stopped. The communique was signed by Mr Achebe; Archbishop Valerian Okeke of Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese; Lawrence Agbuzu, Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council; Chibuzo Okpoko for Bishop and Archbishop and Solo Chukwulobelu for the Anambra government. Mr Achebe said that they have proposed meetings with the presidency on the problem of the South-east but had not received a response from the federal government. He said the agitation was caused by perceived injustice against the South-east and that only a constructive engagement would address the problems which were further hurting the people. The body called on all injured, aggrieved and victims of the insecurity in the South-east in the last three years to embrace the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of the Anambra government. According to the body, we recognise that there is country-wide agitation for restructuring of inter-ethnic and inter-governmental relations in Nigeria, with a view to greater inclusiveness. We, therefore, share the genuine concern over the political and economic marginalisation of the South-east Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria, a major plank of the agitation by the IPOB. We call for constructive and continuous dialogue by all parties as a more sustainable solution to overcoming the challenge and win the hearts and minds of the people. We join our voices to the call for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government in order to douse the current tensions across the Southeast. Advertisements We call on all criminal elements masquerading as working under the instruction of IPOB or ESN to cease and desist from further acts of violence and criminality or face theism placeable force of law and order. We call on all who may have taken up arms in the belief that their grievances could be achieved only through armed struggle to lay down their arms. We declare Monday, April 4th, 2022, as a Day Of Prayer For Peace for Alaigbo (Igboland) and implore Anambra residents and all religious congregations to join in this important day of prayer at Cathedrals, Churches and prayer houses across the area by 11:00 am, it said. The peace dialogue had representatives from the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, town union leaderships, traditional institutions, religious institutions, security agencies, youth groups, women groups, Ohanaeze, among others. (NAN) A United States court has rescheduled the trial of Abba Kyari, a suspended top Nigerian police officer, and five others, for alleged $1.1 million fraud coordinated by Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California rescheduled the trial from May to October 2022 based on a joint request by the prosecution and three of Mr Kyaris co-defendants. This comes amid uncertainties plaguing the extradition proceedings filed against Mr Kyari at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he is also undergoing trial on cocaine-trafficking charges. PREMIUM TIMES reported in September last year that the parties applied for postponement of the trial to give the defence lawyers of three of the defendants more time to prepare for the case. Ruling on March 29, 2022, the judge, Otis Wright, agreed that not granting the parties request could deny defence counsel the reasonable time necessary for effective preparation, taking into account the exercise of due diligence. He also said it would unreasonably deny defendant continuity of counsel and could make proceeding impossible or result in a miscarriage of justice if the court rejected the postponement request. The judge, therefore, postponed the trial from May 17, 2022, until October 11, 2022. Defendants shall appear in Courtroom 5D of the Federal Courthouse, 350 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, California on October 11, 2022, at 9:00 a.m., the judge ordered in the ruling, a copy of which PREMIUM TIMES obtained on Friday. Second postponement The ruling made it the second postponement of the trial, which the court originally scheduled to start on October 12, 2021. But based on the parties request, the court had shifted the trial to May 17, 2022, and, in the latest ruling, to October 11, 2022. The three co-defendants who joined the prosecution to call for the postponement are all U.S.-based. The three co-defendants Rukayat Fashola (aka Morayo), Bolatito Agbabiaka (aka Bolamide), and Yusuf Anifowoshe (aka AJ and Alvin Johnson) have been released from custody on bail ahead of trial. The rest of the defendants Mr Kyari, Abdulrahman Juma, and Kelly Chibuzo Vincent are outside the U.S. and remain at large, the U.S. prosecuting authorities have said. The prosecution planned to conclude the trial within six days even with Mr Kyari and two of the defendants still at large. In justifying the application for postponement of the trial in their joint application last year, the applicants said the U.S. government had already handed to the defence approximately 2.31 GB of data comprising 2,707 electronic files. They added that prosecutors were processing approximately 6,773 pages of additional discovery expected to be produced for the trial. Uncertainties of Kyaris extradition Back in Nigeria, Mr Kyari faces a just-starting trial on charges of illegal dealing in cocaine, alongside the extradition proceedings recently filed against him based on the U.S. governments request to Nigeria to surrender him for trial in California. While Mr Kyari was on suspension over his indictment for fraud by the U.S. government last year, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested him in February, and subsequently charged him and six others, including four members of his former police unit, with illegal dealing in cocaine. Both the criminal trial on narcotic offences and extradition hearing are taking place separately before two judges of the Federal High Court in Abuja. At its current pace, the extradition hearing, hobbled by the countrys unwieldy judicial process, is unlikely to end before October when the trial in the U.S is expected to start. Yet, Mr Kyari reserves the right to appeal up to the Supreme Court even if the court orders his extradition at the end of the ongoing proceedings. This makes the future of the extradition process uncertain, even as the trial court has recently ordered his continued detention pending the conclusion of the cocaine-trafficking trial. Lawyers also say Mr Kyaris ongoing trial on cocaine-related charges may scuttle the prospect of the extradition proceedings because of section 3 (6) of Nigerias Extradition Act. The provision, according to lawyers, exempts a suspect standing trial in Nigeria from being extradited to a foreign country until the conclusion of the Nigerian trial or the conclusion of a prison sentence. Advertisements When asked about this recently, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, only said there was no confusion about the two cases without clarifying the impact one would likely have on the other. The trial may be separated With three of the defendants still abroad, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California and Assistant United States Attorney, Khaldoun Shobaki, hinted at a separation of trial In the application for trial postponement. All defendants are joined for trial and a severance has not been granted, the document signed by Mr Shobaki on behalf of the U.S. government stated. Ms Fashola with her lawyer, Edward Robinson; Ms Agbabiaka with her lawyer, Daniel Nardoni, and Mr Anifowoshe with his lawyer, Lakeshia Monique Dorsey, endorsed the application. Charges The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in court documents released in July last year that all six defendants including Mr Kyari, were co-conspirators in the $1.1 million fraud coordinated by Hushpuppi, a former Nigerian Instagram celebrity. A Qatari businessperson was the victim of the scheme perpetrated between November 2019 and April 2020, the FBI had said. Mr Kyari, a deputy commissioner of police, allegedly played a role in the scam by helping Hushpuppi to detain a disenchanted co-conspirator who wanted to warn the victim businessperson about the scam. He and his co-defendants face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft. Hushpuppi has pleaded guilty to various fraud activities, including the $1.1 million scheme in another case before the U.S. district court in Central California. He is now awaiting sentencing in July this year. He was arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, in June 2020, and flown to the U.S. for trial. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced plans to penalise Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) over the inclusion of mutilated notes in their deposits with the apex bank. The CBN made this known at the weekend in a circular signed by Ahmed Umar, director of the currency operations department at the bank. Mr Umar said the new directive took effect from April 1. The bank expressed worry over the increase in the number of composed banknotes in circulation. Composed banknotes are mutilated currency notes that consist of several parts of different banknotes of the same denomination. The parts of such currency notes are usually put together to receive value. Mr Umar said the existence of such mutilated banknotes falsified the true value of the currency in circulation, adding that it could as well encourage fraud. With effect from April 1, composed banknotes discovered in the deposit of DMBs shall attract a penalty of 400 per cent of the value, the CBN official said. The management of the CBN observed with concern the increasing number of composed banknotes deposited by DMBs and request for replacement of such banknotes by members of the public, CBN said. Consequently, any composed banknote discovered in the deposit of DMBs shall attract a penalty of 400 per cent of the value. By implication, the CBN will begin to place a fine of N4000 on every mutilated N1000 note discovered in banks deposits with the apex bank. In recent years, the CBN has been at the vanguard of ridding the economy of bad, mutilated notes. In February 2020, the bank said that about 100 tonnes of bad naira notes were generated as waste and destroyed weekly through open-air burning at its 12 disposal centres across the country. It is now time for us to wake up, stand up and pray up. The destiny of two hundred million people is at stake. This is Nigerias last chance at salvaging the nations political destiny that is presently in ruins. A nation with some of the most brilliant minds cannot continue to trail the rest of world in development and competitiveness. The church cannot exercise any considerable influence when we are this divided. Fellow Nigerians and dear servants of God, please understand that the perennial challenges of disunity in the Nigerian church are not peculiar to Nigeria. It is a global phenomenon whose consequences are only much worse in our clime. Read with me Dr Tony Evans recent heart-cry about the American church: How else can we have all these churches on all of these corners in America with all of these preachers running all of these programs with all of these members using all of these resources and still have all of this mess. I would like to suggest that the church, while building great ministries and great buildings, has missed the kingdom. Interestingly, not even the notorious tyrant, Adolf Hitler could succeed in his destruction of the German church, without the dismantling of the churchs fabric of unity. Repeatedly, Hitler leveraged on disunity as his preferred weapon of mass destruction against the German church. He wrote in his book, Mein Kampf, that, the best way to conquer your enemy is to divide them. Powerful states have always leveraged on disunity to conquer known or perceived enemies. The worlds leading entrepreneur of colonialism, the British empire, which exercised extraordinarily strong hegemonic influences on many African nations, used the weapon of divide and rule to champion its imperialist agenda across the length and breadth of Africa. And that was Hitlers main dagger to the heart of the German Church. According to the detailed account of the events that led to the collapse of the German Church prior to World War II, as given by Erwin Lutzer, Hitler once said, when you want to tear down a world and build another in its place, you must first of all separate the supporters and the members. In exactly the same way, the Nigerian church is on the verge of another sinister, divide, and, conquer agenda by powerful demonic forces within the Nigerian socio-political space. By targeting the church, which is widely divided along the lines of doctrinal differences and political interests, Satan and his agents within the Nigeria political space, have begun to tweak their strategies to weaponise this current division as a precursor to capturing the nations political climate, just like they did prior to the 2014/2015 elections. To all General Overseers and church leaders in Nigeria, I write this message with a very heavy heart. I have seen nothing more lethal than the force of disunity in dampening the spiritual influence of the Nigerian church within the current Nigerian state. We are so divided that the very thought of establishing widespread synergy across different streams of denominations, or even among the Pentecostals, is a dream waiting to happen after the rapture. Historically, successive leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria have found this matter daunting, herculean, and too high a mountain to climb. This article is not, and will never be, a holistic, one-cap-fits-all attempt at solving the decades-old problem of disunity in the Nigerian Church. However, it presents a little attempt at identifying an existential threat to the spiritual influence of the Nigerian church in establishing a united spiritual front for the emergence of Gods sovereign will for Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election. The problem statement is this: How do we bring together the leadership of the Orthodox Churches as well as those of the Pentecostals, such as the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Winners Chapel, Deeper Life, Christ Embassy, Citadel Global Community Church (former Latter Rain Assembly), Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Mountain of Fire Ministries, Christ Apostolic Church, Dunamis Church, Salvation Ministries, Day Star Christian Centre and hundreds, if not thousands of streams of other denominations, for the sole purpose of enforcing the political will of God on Nigeria? These are denominations with highly diverse biblical doctrines, practices, and values. It is for this same reason I have been an advocate of far-reaching changes and reforms in the Nigerian church such that in the wake of a defining moment like this, the church would have been spiritually prepared to build a very robust and formidable united force that can weather all demonic storms against the emergence of Gods best will for Nigeria as president in 2023. When the forces of political exigencies stretched forth their hands against a section of the evangelicals in America in a bid to use the forces of socialism within the marriage institution to divide the them, they repelled this attack with a common voice, displaying the spirit of unity with the following signed document, The Manhattan Declaration, which states that: We will not bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesars. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is Gods. The role of the church is to pioneer the predominance of the kingdom of God and its values in the land. The role of the church is to perpetuate the spread of truth, honesty, and integrity, among others, in a nation. The role of the church is to enforce the will of God on the nation in the place of prayer. The role of the church is to leverage on unity to bring about a wave of value system transformation in the land; a development that will then pave the way for the emergence of upright and credible political candidates at all levels. Following this declaration, Dr Tony Evans, one of the most outspoken American preachers, published a book that addressed this subject of division in the American church. He has the following to say to us, When the church fails to act in concert with Gods prescribed agenda, then God often chooses to postpone His active involvement until His people are prepared to respond. Also, let me take you back to a more recent history. In the heat of the preparations for the 2014/2015 presidential election, a section of the Pentecostal movement in Nigeria favoured the candidacy of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, the incumbent president at that time, while another sectionr ooted for the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari, the present Nigerian leader. The divisions and many heated debates and arguments among leaders of various denominations led to several contentions and spiritual cracks in the walls of the church, leading to the emergence of a new wave of church politics and cliques that have, for the most part, done more damages than good to the unity and progress of Nigeria as a nation. Things went so bad in 2014 that many clandestine meetings were held by various segments of the Nigerian church leadership to force and foist their choices on other segments of the church leadership, a development that further widened the cracks of disunity in the church. The ultimate consequence of this crisis was the labelling of the Nigerian church by many onlookers and political gladiators as corrupt, given some rumoured exchanges of money between sections of the church leadership and certain political parties. Labels like this, whether true or false, are the bi-products of disunity in the church, and they do no good to its image. The role of the church is to pioneer the predominance of the kingdom of God and its values in the land. The role of the church is to perpetuate the spread of truth, honesty, and integrity, among others, in a nation. The role of the church is to enforce the will of God on the nation in the place of prayer. The role of the church is to leverage on unity to bring about a wave of value system transformation in the land; a development that will then pave the way for the emergence of upright and credible political candidates at all levels. This must be done through a concerted mental and spiritual synergy among all members of the body of Christ, or at least among most leadership of the church, in manners consistent with biblical standards. It is an open secret that the current church structure and system in Nigeria is fraught with enormous contradictions and widespread corruption, most of which are deeply rooted in the departure of many church leaders from sound biblical values of accountability, transparency, integrity, and truth. However, there are still remnants of contrite and credible churches and ministries in Nigeria that are still doing the work of the kingdom with sincerity and truth. Thus, while trusting God for a thorough cleansing and purging of our churches, it is still crucial to our long-term survival that we begin to push for an upgrade in our present level of unity. Where this unity is lacking, at least to a considerable extent, the propensity for the emergence of wrong leaders in a nation becomes very high. This was Adolf Hitlers Christmas gift to the German Church, which paved the way for his transformation into a full-blown dictator in the 1940s. According to J.S Conway, Under a barrage of accusations and vilifications, the German church grew more and more confused between their political and their theological loyalties. Poised between two choices, divided by compromise, and weakened through internal theological differences, the German Church lost its collective influence. And when they lost it, Hitler took over and the nation sank into the abyss becoming the geographical trigger for the second World War. Thus, of all the forces confronting the Nigerian church, disunity remains a lethal weapon in the hands of the enemy. I, therefore, suggest with utmost humility of heart and soul, and with due respect and honour to church leaders and fathers in the faith in Nigeria, that for the sake of posterity, they should endeavour to shun their differences and come together to establish some forms of synergy. First, the leaders of our various churches need to congregate a round table conference. Differences must be ironed out in the spirit of love. Compromises must be established. My church is ten million in membership; your church is five hundred thousand in membership; I am a billionaire; you are a millionaire, must all be thrown into the sea of forgetting. I am talking about fathers here, many of who are now in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Posterity must dominate their minds. Without fostering any preferred political candidate on anyone, I believe that our father in the Lord, Pastor E.A Adeboye, one of the most respected church leaders in Nigeria, and some highly respected fathers and elders in the Orthodox cycle, have enough influence and weight to plan and execute this kind of meeting. a united prayer front for the emergence of Gods perfect will for Nigeria must be established. The church must not be apolitical. Similarly, we must not be partisan. It is about the will of God. This united prayer front should mirror a situation where leaders in the orthodox segment, as well as those from the Pentecostals, such as RCCG, Winners Chapeland others will come together for a joint prayer movement, executed online and in various national locations to pray for the local, state and federal elections of 2023. It is a meeting to broker peace and unity, and to establish a working document and an actionable spiritual direction that all church leaders, or most church leaders, must commit to; something similar to the The Manhattan Declaration by the Evangelicals in America. We must also be careful with our approach at creating mechanisms that will create the perception that a preferred candidate is being promoted by the church above others or even more qualified candidates, Christians or non-Christians. Second, a united prayer front for the emergence of Gods perfect will for Nigeria must be established. The church must not be apolitical. Similarly, we must not be partisan. It is about the will of God. This united prayer front should mirror a situation where leaders in the orthodox segment, as well as those from the Pentecostals, such as RCCG, Winners Chapel, Deeper Life, Christ Embassy, Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Mountain of Fire Ministries, COZA, Citadel Global Community Church (former Latter Rain Assembly), Christ Apostolic Church, Dunamis Church, Salvation Ministries, Daystar Christian Centre and others will come together for a joint prayer movement, executed online and in various national locations to pray for the local, state and federal elections of 2023. This prayer movement must be inter-denominational and must run for an extended period of time under the joint leadership of all the heads of Pentecostal denominations in the country, prior to the coming together of other non-Pentecostal denominations. Thirdly, I like to bring to our attention that the RCCGs recent establishment of a directorate of governance is highly commendable. If run properly, it should create a strong platform to support home-grown Christian politicians in their quest to strengthen Nigerias democracy. However, the church must not be partisan. That is where the problem lies. Such a directorate should be inclusive to support the entire body of Christ, if truly we do not have any preferred candidate in view. Any perception of the church by other religious movements in Nigeria, as being partisan towards a Christian candidate will tarnish its image and, without doubt, create needless anarchy and confusion in the polity. I will advise that any directorate of governance or any of such initiative by the RCCG or by any other church, must provide a level playing field for all and sundry in the body of Christ. And ministers and church leaders must distance themselves from using their exalted altars for political campaigns or for promoting the interests of politicians, Christians or non-Christians. In conclusion, it is important to note that we have, for the most part, concentrated on the successes of our personal ministries, rather than operating from a kingdom perspective, which is also one of the critical challenges confronting the Nigerian church. Personal ministry orientation is antithetical to Jesuss kingdom-driven orientation that sees every Christian faithful as a member of the same body to which all churches must collaboratively commit to developing and supporting. This is not the time for individual and segregated efforts towards personal ministry successes, at the expense of a collaborative national transformation orientation. This was exactly what the majority of the German church leadership were doing in the 1940s; they threw caution to the wind by ignoring all calls to unite and save Germany from the claws of Hitler. They all focused on the success of their individual ministries, damning the consequences until Hitler tightened his grip on the nation and sent most of the church leaders in Germany at that time into concentration camps. In the words of Helmut Thielicke, a German theologian who witnessed the collapse of Germany during the second World War, many of the German Church leaders were fixated on their personal ministry successes, but they failed to realize that the worship of success is generally the form of idol worship the devil cultivates most assiduously. Success is the greatest narcotic of all. Over-the-counter human remedies will not fix Nigeria; they will only mask the real symptoms for a season. It is now time for us to wake up, stand up and pray up. The destiny of two hundred million people is at stake. This is Nigerias last chance at salvaging the nations political destiny that is presently in ruins. A nation with some of the most brilliant minds cannot continue to trail the rest of world in development and competitiveness. The church cannot exercise any considerable influence when we are this divided. Let me leave you with this wonderful message by Dr Erwin Lutzer, the pastor of Moody Bible Church in America: When Muslim armies swept across North Africa in the seventh century, effectively wiping out Christianity, the church was so identified by its edifices, its priestly rituals, and leadership hierarchy that when the armies destroyed these symbols of Christianity, those few Christians who were left found themselves unable to survive. The church disappeared without a trace. The true church can survive without buildings, but not without united saints. Advertisements Ayo Akerele, a leadership and system development strategist, and minister of the word, writes from Canada and can be reached through ayoakerele2012@gmail.com. Most murders in Nigeria official or otherwise go unsolved. The recent spike in vigilante justice, which has seen a ramp up in incidents in which citizens have taken the law into their own hands, owes in large part to distrust of the police and frustration with the justice system. In 2019, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranked Nigeria among the thirteen worst countries in unsolved murders of journalists. The recent attack on a Nigerian railway is the latest chapter in the countrys worsening security crisis and tottering democracy. On Monday March 28, some gunmen launched a deadly attack on a Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Abuja-Kaduna evening train carrying an estimated 398 passengers. After detonating explosives on the track (and possibly inside the train, according to conflicting reports in the local media), the gunmen surrounded the immobilised train and started discharging their firearms into the carriages. It took at least an hour before a detachment of the Nigerian military came to the rescue of the passengers, who had cowered under their seats as the bandits fired incessantly. The incident left at least eight people dead among them a young medical doctor, Chinelo Megafu, and Musa Lawal-Ozigi, secretary-general of the countrys Trade Union Congress and at least another forty-one hospitalised, while the yet unidentified assailants also captured some of the passengers. The toll on the Muhammadu Buhari administration and Nigerias tottering democracy is likely to be greater. The sheer brazenness of the attack throws into relief the administrations so far unsuccessful struggle to impose some kind of public order, even as the country continues to spiral into general lawlessness. Inaugurated in July 2016, the Abuja-Kaduna evening train is a perfect metaphor for this struggle, as a growing number of travelers have embraced the service as travel on the highway between Abuja and Kaduna (a distance of 130 miles) became increasingly unsafe due to the activities of kidnappers and sundry gangsters. Abuja is the seat of the Nigerian Federal Government, while Kaduna houses the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). In recent times, the northwestern state of Kaduna itself has been literally under siege. On March 26, gunmen attacked the Kaduna International Airport, killing an official of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), after allegedly storming the runway. In March last year, bandits abducted eleven people after a surprise attack on the staff quarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in Kaduna. In August, two military officers were killed and at least one kidnapped after bandits attacked the permanent site of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). Over the past several months, attacks on various villages across the State have resulted in the death of dozens. Over the years, authorities in Kaduna and a local Shiite Muslim sect have been at loggerheads, with tensions boiling over in December 2015 after a military crackdown led to the death of 347 Shiites. The situation in Kaduna is far from unique, the security situation across the country having rapidly deteriorated, even as government at various levels continue to scramble for a solution. According to the New York-based Global Center for the Responsibility to Protect, attacks by bandits across the Nigerian northwest have claimed at least 5,000 lives since 2018. Since 2009, nearly 350,000 people have been killed in the northeastern part of the country due largely to the activities of Boko Haram Islamist insurgents. The number of displaced people in the Lake Chad Basin is estimated at three million. Violence in Nigeria is multidimensional and pervasive, ranging from perennial herder-farmer clashes to gang violence, armed robbery, attacks on state infrastructure, especially police stations, airports and power transformers, intercommunal violence, lynching, ritual killings, mob justice, and casual intimidation of ordinary citizens by law enforcement. More than six million small arms are believed to be in the hands of civilian non-state actors in the country. Nigerian police use lethal force on the slightest pretext. Ranked the worst in the world by the 2016 World Internal Police and Security Index, the Nigeria Police Force kills an average of 841 citizens every year. Nigeria (estimated population, 200 million) ranks eighth in the top ten of countries with the highest numbers of police killings. Most murders in Nigeria official or otherwise go unsolved. The recent spike in vigilante justice, which has seen a ramp up in incidents in which citizens have taken the law into their own hands, owes in large part to distrust of the police and frustration with the justice system. In 2019, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranked Nigeria among the thirteen worst countries in unsolved murders of journalists. Nor has increased spending on security produced a commensurate decrease in insecurity. Between 2015 and 2020, Nigeria budgeted an average of about $4.2 billion on security, with the total budget for security rising to 2.5 per cent of the GDP in 2020. In 2019, Nigeria had the third largest military budget in Africa, behind only South Africa and Algeria. While, on paper, security expenditure goes toward the training of soldiers, operations, and purchases of vital military equipment, the reality is much different. Corruption is a major problem, with much of the funds budgeted for security regularly diverted. In 2017, at least $2 billion out of monies set aside for the Boko Haram campaign were diverted to other uses, including the financing of political activities. In 2016, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed that about $15 billion were stolen from the fight against Islamists under the previous Goodluck Jonathan administration. At the state and local government (LG) levels, governors and local government chairpersons regularly mismanage security votes, a monthly federal allocation towards security-related expenses within the states. An estimated $900 million is lost to their mismanagement annually. Corruption in the security sector has been cited as a factor in some of the recent military takeovers in the region. In the wake of Mondays attack, President Buhari held an emergency meeting with service chiefs and heads of security agencies and promised to bring the bandits to justice. The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya and Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi both visited the site of the attack and echoed the presidents assurance. The latter promised, improbably, that all passenger trains will now be escorted by Nigerian Air Force jets. In truth, most Nigerians feel like Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who confessed to being angry, frustrated, and feeling totally helpless. While horse-trading among the political class for next years all-important elections hums along in the background, it increasingly feels like a sideshow an expensive one, to be sure to the anarchy that daily life in the country has become. If, as some have plausibly contended, the Nigerian state failed a long time ago, what we seem to be witnessing is the unfolding reel of its agonising decomposition and dismemberment. It has been long in coming, but what used to be a geographically coherent unit is now effectively a collection of parts barely managing to keep in touch with one another. Nigeria, in theory, has become incommensurate with Nigeria, in reality. The first task before the next president (there will be an election, the question is what kind) is to put Nigeria back in sync. But first, the incumbent must restore law and order. Ebenezer Obadare is Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). This article was originally published by the Council on Foreign Relations as part of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Project on the Future of Democracy. The police command in Ebonyi has confirmed that gunmen attacked a construction company in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state. The commands Public Relations Officer, Loveth Odah, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abakaliki that the incident happened on Friday. One of the hoodlums was killed, while others escaped with bullet injuries during the gun duel. A police officer was injured and in critical condition at a hospital. The hoodlum came on a motorcycle to the construction site in Ikwo community and started shooting sporadically in an attempt to kidnap a site supervisor, Mr Derry Gee, who is 34 years old. Thank God, the mobile police officers attached to the company were able to repel the attack. The wounded police officer was hit by a bullet on his leg. Unfortunately and regrettably, an eight-year-old baby around the area was fatally wounded. The command is massively investigating the matter. The state CID is already on top of the matter and possibly the hoodlums will be arrested, she said. (NAN) The Ogun State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to pay attention to cult killings in the state. The students said this at a joint Congress of NANS and the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) held at the Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Omu Ijebu, on Saturday. Sixteen persons lost their lives to cult clashes, mostly between the Eiye and Aiye groups, in different locations across the state in two weeks. In the wake of the killings, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered security agencies to dismantle cultists in the state. While the clash had claimed seven lives in Abeokuta within the first five days of the melee, it killed eight people within two days in Sagamu and one in Ilaro. All the killings had occurred outside the campuses of tertiary institutions in the state. Worried about the continuous killings, the students leaders urged the state police command, State Security Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other security agencies to work with the Governor to nip the killings in the bud before it escalates into their campuses. Ogun State has 13 government-owned tertiary institutions. They warned that, if the menace spreads to their campuses, it may degenerate into a full-blown crisis that may cripple tertiary education in the state. The students urged the government to engage Community Development Associations (CDAs) and local vigilante groups in finding a solution to the problem. Reading the resolution of the congress, the NANS chairman, Kehinde Simeon, said the high number of tertiary institutions in Ogun State makes it prone to cult clashes. We are urging the government and all the security agencies to, immediately, wade into the cult clashes, the resolution read. We want the security agencies to immediately swing into action and arrest the situation before it spread to the campuses of our tertiary institutions. They must prevent this issue from escalating. We also call on those involved in this dastard act to stop in the interest of peace. READ ALSO: 16 killed as Ogun cult killings escalate We are also using this medium to appeal to the state government to help rehabilitate roads leading to our tertiary institutions and the various health care centres in the state. Responding to the demands of the students, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Femi Ogunbanwo, said insecurity is a national problem, and the government is concerned about it. I want to assure them that work will soon commence on these roads, especially the Aala Omu road. Contractors are already moving to site. The officials of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), a tactical team of the Lagos Police Command, Sunday, intercepted a busload of illicit drugs at Mile 2. Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in the state, said in a statement that the consignment worth N10 million belongs to one Alhaji. Preliminary investigations reveal that the drugs which were loaded in a Lagos colour LT bus, with the registration number AGL 205 YD belonged to one Alhaji, better known as General in Mushin, the statement read. A member of the drug syndicate confessed that they picked up the consignment, which has a street value of about Ten Million Naira (10,000,000.00), at Alaba Rago around 2200hrs yesterday for shipment to Mushin. Police said the security operatives on patrol caught the suspects around 4 a.m. during a routine stop-and-search exercise. Mr Hundeyin said a member of the drug syndicate, Oluwole Omojuyitan, 40, who had initially escaped the scene on a bike, was arrested by the operatives after he came back in an attempt to bribe the officers with N500,000 to release the drugs and his colleagues. READ ALSO: NDLEA destroys illicit drugs valued at N50 billion in Abuja Other arrested members of the gang include Ojukwu Omanogho aged 36 and Hope Jumbo aged 40, Mr Hundeyin said. He said the commissioner of police, Abiodun Alabi, has directed that the suspects and exhibits be transferred to the command headquarters for further investigations. A Spanish expert hails China-Europe cooperation in various fields, adding that the mutual support is critical in face of global challenges. #GLOBALink Produced by Xinhua Global Service Kidnappers in Ogun State have freed a police officer, Kamarudeen Bello, after collecting N700,000 ransom, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt. The armed men abducted Mr Bello, a police inspector, around 8 p.m. last Sunday at a mosque in Soyoye, Rounder, in Abeokuta north local government area of the state. The kidnappers also took away two worshippers at the mosque. A police officer told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Bellos wife delivered a baby four days before her husband was kidnapped. After he was abducted alongside two others, the kidnappers called to demand N5 million ransom for the release of each of the victims. But with pleadings and negotiations, the money was reduced, said the officer who requested not to be named to avoid being sanctioned by the authorities. A source close to the family said the kidnappers used the phone of one of their victims to call Mr Bellos wife. Most of us were scared when they kidnapped him; we didnt want them to know he is a policeman. If they knew, they might have killed him over the fear that he would have prompted their arrest. ALSO READ: Another Nigerian narrates how armed police officers forced him to wire money to them PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the kidnappers released Mr Bello and the other worshippers last Thursday after receiving the ransom. I dont know how much each of them paid, but I think the police inspector parted with about N700,000 before he was released, the family source added. Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the incident. He, however, denied knowledge of any ransom payment. NEW YORK, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Fin Group, a full-service management consulting firm to the pharmaceutical industry, today announced the promotion of Reena K. Patel to Partner. Reena joined Blue Fin Group in 2011 as Principal Consultant, and has advised pharmaceutical manufacturers extensively across the entire commercialization spectrum, primarily focusing on product commercialization launches and strategy development, market access, gross-to-net optimization, government pricing and public policy, and channel and patient services. In her new role, Reena will have direct client oversight and responsibility and will lead several corporate responsibilities. "Reena is a go-to expert in government pricing, contracting, compliance and reimbursement both with our clients and within our firm," said William Roth, Blue Fin Group's General Manager and Managing Partner. "She has been instrumental helping interpret and analyze the impact of healthcare policy areas for our largest clients, and has finely honed her consulting and leadership skills. Most importantly, Reena has valued and effectively communicated our mission and core purpose to help our clients bring their science to market to ensure patients have affordable access to life saving products in a timely manner. Now with our recent acquisition by IntegriChain, her expertise is even more critical as our broader organization supports roughly 400 manufacturers across contracting, government pricing, gross-to-net and an array of products and services that optimize the patient journey." Reena grew up in Dallas (Plano), Texas and currently resides in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business from the Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy, University of Sciences in Philadelphia (USP). Learn more about Reena K. Patel at https://youtu.be/DyBpRe3Lflc. About Blue Fin Group, an IntegriChain Company Blue Fin Group develops strategies to optimize patient access, commercialization, and gross-to-net to support life sciences manufacturers throughout the product life cycle. Blue Fin Group is a full-service management consulting firm delivering research, strategy, and implementation to help manufacturers align all the elements of marketing, market access, field sales, pharmacy and distribution, and patient services as a seamless commercial strategy that helps optimize patient outcomes. Blue Fin Group has served more than 300 manufacturersprimarily those commercializing their first asset or large global firms with products that span cell and gene therapies, orphan/rare, specialty, primary care, vaccines, biosimilars, and generics. For additional information, visit https://consultbfg.com/ or follow on Twitter bluefingroup and LinkedIn . For Media Inquiries: Contact Cynthia Keveney at [email protected] SOURCE Blue Fin Group, an IntegriChain Company RADNOR, Pa., April 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Gatos Silver, Inc. ("Gatos") (NYSE: GATO). The action charges Gatos with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company's business, operations, and prospects. As a result of Gatos' materially misleading statements to the public, Gatos' investors have suffered significant losses. Kessler Topaz is one of the world's foremost advocates in protecting the public against corporate fraud and other wrongdoing. Our securities fraud litigators are regularly recognized as leaders in the field individually and our firm is both feared and respected among the defense bar and the insurance bar. We are proud to have recovered billions of dollars for our clients and the classes of shareholders we represent. CANNOT VIEW THIS VIDEO? PLEASE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR GATOS LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/gato-class-action-lawsuit?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=gato LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: APRIL 25, 2022 CLASS PERIOD: OCTOBER 28, 2020 THROUGH JANUARY 25, 2022 CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS: James Maro, Esq. at (484) 270-1453 or via email at [email protected] GATOS' ALLEGED MISCONDUCT Gatos focuses on the production, development and exploration of silver and zincrich mineral deposits. On October 29, 2020, Gatos conducted its initial public offering ("IPO"), selling approximately 24,644,500 shares of common stock at a price of $7.00 per share, and received net proceeds of approximately $156.1 million from the offering. On January 25, 2022, after the market closed, Gatos revealed in a press release that "there were errors in the technical report entitled 'Los Gatos Project, Chihuahua, Mexico' with an effective date of July 1, 2020 . . . , as well as indications that there is an overestimation in the existing resource model." On a preliminary basis, Gatos estimated a potential reduction of the metal content of the mineral reserve ranging from 30% to 50% of the metal content remaining after depletion. Following this news, Gatos' stock price fell $7.02, or 69%, to close at $3.17 per share on January 26, 2022. As of the date the initial complaint was filed, Gatos shares were trading as low as $3.20 per share, a nearly 54% decline from the $7.00 per share IPO price. WHAT CAN I DO? Gatos investors may, no later than April 25, 2022 seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Gatos investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE WHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF? A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. At the end of the day, we have succeeded if the bad guys pay up, and if you recover your assets. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com. CONTACT: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP James Maro, Jr., Esq. (484) 270-1453 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 (484) 270-1453 [email protected] SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP PITTSBURGH, April 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough ordered 12th Congressional District Candidate Mike Doyle's name to remain on the ballot and awarded him costs and attorney's fees to be assessed to the individuals who filed the objection. The ruling follows a two day trial that included a line by line review of the signatures. Congressional Candidate Mike Doyle made the following statement: Together, working with an outstanding and committed group of volunteers, we collected just over 1300 signatures in two weeks. Today, efforts by a D.C. extreme left law firm, and the special interests behind them, had their frivolous attempt to challenge our petitions tossed by the court. I'm grateful that the court agreed that we filed with more than enough signatures to appear on the ballot and voters of the 12th Congressional District will have the ability to vote for an independent candidate who will bring a commonsense conservative approach to Washington, D.C. I'm looking forward to formally launching my campaign soon and bring my message of opportunity and leadership to every community in the district. Allegheny County Republican Chairman Sam Demarco made the following Statement: Left wing attorney Marc Elias couldn't help himself. The judicial activists on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court already chose Elias' gerrymandered congressional map intended to elect allies of President Biden's left wing agenda. Elias then sent his attorneys into the 12th Congressional district to suppress the voices of Republican voters who demand to have a quality candidate on the ballot. After drawing our congressional maps, Elias now wants to pick our candidates. I'm proud that Mike Doyle stood up to this attack. The Democrat's desperate attempt to knock Mike Doyle off the ballot is telling It shows they are scared. They know that Mike Doyle is well poised to defeat whichever of the far-left and socialist activists that the democrats put up as their candidate in the May Primary. Pennsylvanians don't appreciate these blatant attempts to disenfranchise the voices of the 1000 plus Republicans who signed Mike Doyle's petition. They are eager to send D.C. a message by electing Mike Doyle to Congress and firing Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Westmoreland County Republican Chairman Bill Bretz made the following statement: It is absurd that the democrats have abused the legal system to bring this frivolous challenge to Mike Doyle's candidacy. The arguments brought forward included the attempt to throw out the signatures of many voters because they felt the signature was illegible. Among the many unsuccessfully challenged signatures were a sitting County Commissioner and his spouse, two former County GOP Chairs, a Republican State Committeeman, and many other dedicated volunteers of our party. It is unlikely that the democratic operatives behind this fastidious review of petition signatures will carry over their recent epiphany on the significance of signature verification to join us in supporting the reinstatement of such security measures on mail-in ballots and universal Voter ID as cornerstones of election integrity going forward rather than just this cynical and opportunistic attempt to knock a rival off the ballot with frivolous litigation in hopes that the courts do what they can't do at the ballot box- defeat Republicans. For More Information- Ben Wren (724)-961-8180 or [email protected] SOURCE Friends of Mike Doyle Request seeks to increase the average residential customer bill in South Carolina by just under $4 per month, or $46 per year. by just under per month, or per year. Allocation of costs to residential, commercial, industrial customers will be reviewed during proceeding. CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Piedmont Natural Gas today filed a request with the South Carolina Public Service Commission to recover recent capital investments and update its operating costs and billing rates through a general rate case proceeding. The capital investments allow Piedmont to comply with federal regulations, build needed infrastructure, and provide safe, reliable and affordable natural gas to customers. If approved, Piedmont anticipates the rates will go into effect by October 1, with the typical residential customer in South Carolina paying, on average, just under $4 more per month, or $46 more per year. "We work to keep costs as low as possible while continuing to reliably and safely serve our customers," said Sasha Weintraub, Piedmont Natural Gas senior vice president and president. "These investments are critical to strengthening and modernizing our system to meet the service needs of our customers and growing communities." The overall revenue increase allocated to Piedmont's customer groups residential, commercial and industrial is 3.4%. Piedmont serves about 157,000 customers in Anderson, Spartanburg, Greenville and Cherokee counties in South Carolina. Piedmont's last general rate case proceeding in South Carolina was in 2002. Piedmont has adjusted rates through incremental changes since 2005 when the Natural Gas Rate Stabilization Act (RSA) was enacted into state law. The RSA allows Piedmont to adjust rates annually in order to align with its capital spending and changes in operating costs needed to continue to provide safe and reliable natural gas service to customers. Piedmont agreed with the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff in 2019 to file a general rate case no later than April 1, 2022 to conduct a more comprehensive review of rates including the allocation of costs to residential, commercial and industrial customers. "Many of these investments were required for us to safely operate in our communities, but we know some customers may be facing economic hardships that can make any price increase challenging," Weintraub said. "There are a variety of ways customers can manage their bills through assistance programs, the equal payment plan program and using energy saving-tools." Equal Payment Program (EPP) This free service helps customers manage their budgets by eliminating high winter bills. The EPP program levels out a customer's natural gas bills, allowing them to pay a predictable, equal monthly amount to help avoid billing surprises. Piedmont determines this payment by adding up a customer's annual natural gas usage and then dividing it into the same payment amount each month. Learn more here. Assistance for customers in need Share the Warmth provides funds to local agencies to assist families with their utility bills, no matter the source of energy they use. The Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) provides winter heating assistance to pay for gas, electric and other methods customers use to heat their homes. There are many customers who are eligible but do not apply for this annual federal benefit that can reduce heating costs for low-income families. More information: http://oeo.sc.gov/liheap.html Energy-saving tools Piedmont Natural Gas also offers a variety of energy-saving tools to help customers and our communities identify ways to save money and energy all year long. These programs and tools help customers understand what factors are impacting their natural gas bills and emphasize specific actions they can take to reduce the impacts of high winter usage. Piedmont Natural Gas Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), distributes natural gas to more than 1.1 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Piedmont is routinely recognized by J.D. Power for excellent customer satisfaction, and has been named by Cogent Reports as one of the most trusted utility brands in the U.S. More information: piedmontng.com. Follow Piedmont Natural Gas: Twitter, Facebook. Media contact: Meghan Miles Media Line: 877.348.3612 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas This April 3 rd would have been the star's 100th birthday, and her fans and followers are uniting to make a difference in the cause that was so dear to Doris. A Social Media Campaign will encourage animal lovers across the world to remember the actress and her work by donating to the Foundation. Participants can join the movement by uploading a picture or video which demonstrates how they are carrying on the legacy of Doris and her enduring passion for animal welfare. Participants should post on all their favorite platforms with the hashtag #DorisDay100, challenge two or more others to do the same, and encourage people to donate to DDAF.org. Ideas include featuring their favorite pet or animal, a favorite Doris Day character, moment or song, or a combination of them all. DDAF will also be searching for the top creative or innovative entries to be highlighted on their own social media platforms and shared with media, providing a chance for anyone to become an animal-loving hero. In honor of Day's Centennial, the campaign will begin on Friday, April 1st, with a goal of raising at least $100,000. DDAF will match public donations with another $100,000 to specifically benefit animals affected by the Ukrainian crisis. A video with support messages for DDAF from various Doris and animal-loving celebrities (such as Tony Bennett, Reba McEntire, Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett, Allison Janney, Robert Wagner and the late Betty White) can be found (and is downloadable) at https://youtu.be/cCPdqxeYNmg, including a new message from actress Kaley Cuoco, who will be portraying Doris in an upcoming Warner Brothers Studios television project. About Doris Day and her Animal Foundation: Born Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff on April 3, 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Doris Day was one of the biggest film stars of the 1950s and 1960s, known most for her starring roles in Calamity Jane (1953), Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and Pillow Talk (1959) for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. A lifelong animal lover and pioneering animal welfare advocate, Day focused her later years on her heart's passionmaking this a better world for animals and the people who love them. Doris Day Animal Foundation, www.dorisdayanimalfoundation.org , is a national, 501(c)(3) non-profit charity founded by legendary performer Doris Day in 1978, with a straightforward mission to help animals and the people who love them. As a grant-giving organization, DDAF funds other non-profit causes across the country that directly rescue, care for and protect animals. Some of DDAF's ongoing project funding includes World Spay Day (founded by Doris Day and the Doris Day Animal League in 1995), Duffy Day Life Saving Program, Doris Day Equine Center, the Doris Day/Terry Melcher Scholarship at UC Davis and Iowa State School of Veterinary Medicine, spay/neuter, "Seniors for Seniors" programs and many more. A donation link and more information about the Doris Day Animal Foundation can be found at www.ddaf.org Media Contact: Charley Walters, CW3PR [email protected] 323-791-2107 SOURCE Doris Day Animal Foundation WASHINGTON, April 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement by Jen Judson, President of the National Press Club and Gil Klein, President of the National Press Club Journalism Institute on the death of photojournalist Max Levin on Friday, April 1. "Photojournalists must be closer to military action than most because of the nature of their work. Max Levin was an experienced professional from Ukraine who knew how to keep safe. Levin was reportedly killed by Russian forces while working north of Kyiv. We ask that his death be investigated as a war crime. Targeting of civilians, including journalists, is a war crime. Mr. Levin is the 9th journalist known killed in Russia's war against Ukraine." Founded in 1908, The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the world. The National Press Club Journalism Institute, the club's non-profit affiliate, promotes and engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement. Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club SOURCE National Press Club NEW YORK, April 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. ("New Oriental" or the "Company") (NYSE: EDU) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and docketed under 22-cv-01876, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons who purchased New Oriental American Depository Shares ("ADSs") between April 24, 2018 and July 22, 2021, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to pursue remedies under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") against New Oriental and certain of the Company's senior officers and directors. If you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired New Oriental ADSs during the Class Period, you have until April 5, 2022 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] New Oriental provides educational programs, services, and products to students across the People's Republic of China ("China" or the "PRC") and delivers online courses through its online learning platforms. In the early 2000s, the Company entered the K-12 after-school tutoring sector. Moreover, in 2005, New Oriental commenced its online education services through its Koolearn platform. The Company now provides comprehensive online education services through its subsidiary, Koolearn Technology Holding Limited. In February 2018, the Chinese government released a set of regulations aimed at reining in excessive tutoring fees and limiting the perceived societal harm resulting from the ubiquity of for-profit tutoring programs such as those offered by New Oriental. Among other changes, the regulations prohibited after-school tutoring institutions from providing courses more advanced than the syllabus and curricula applicable to the respective primary and secondary school students, providing courses designed to enhance exam-taking skills, and linking school enrollment with tutoring results. Overall, the regulations were aimed at reducing disparities in school performance between relatively affluent students able to afford after-school tutoring and those that could not. Because New Oriental operates in a highly regulated industry within China, the impact of new laws and regulations impacting the Chinese tutoring industry and the Company's compliance with the Chinese regulatory framework and government prerogatives are of material importance to investors. In fact, New Oriental acknowledged the material importance of maintaining strict compliance with Chinese laws, regulations, and government prerogatives. In New Oriental's Form 20-F filed with the SEC on September 16, 2020, New Oriental stated that the Company was "continuously making efforts to comply with the requirements under these regulations and implementations" governing after-school tutoring businesses imposed by the Chinese government, and any failure to do so could "materially and adversely affect [New Oriental's] business and results of operations." The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) New Oriental's revenue and operational growth was the result of deceptive marketing tactics and abusive business practices that flouted Chinese regulations and policies and exposed the Company to an extreme risk that more draconian measures would be imposed on the Company; (ii) New Oriental had engaged in misleading and fraudulent advertising practices, including the provision of false and misleading discount information designed to obfuscate the true cost of the Company's programs to its customers; (iii) New Oriental had falsified teacher qualifications and experience in order to attract customers and increase student enrollments; (iv) New Oriental had defied prior government warnings against linking school enrollments with the provision of private tutoring services; (v) as a result of the foregoing, New Oriental was subject to an extreme undisclosed risk of adverse enforcement actions, regulatory fines and penalties, and the imposition of new rules and regulations adverse to the Company's business and interests; (vi) the new rules, regulations, and policies to be implemented by the Chinese government following China's annual "Two Sessions" parliamentary meetings were far more severe than represented to investors by Defendants and in fact posed an existential threat to the Company and its business; and (vii) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and lacked a reasonable factual basis. On April 25, 2021, media reports revealed that the City of Beijing had fined four online education agencies, including the New Oriental subsidiary Koolearn, the maximum fine of 500,000 yuan (approximately $80,000) each for misleading customers with false advertising regarding course pricing. On May 12, 2021, news reports revealed that an impending crackdown by the Chinese government on the private tutoring sector would be further reaching and more drastic than previously publicly known, including that regulators had already taken adverse actions against New Oriental and other for-profit tutoring companies. On this news, New Oriental's ADS price fell $2.77 per ADS, or 19.4%, over the following two trading sessions to close at $11.51 per ADS on May 13, 2021. On June 1, 2021, Chinese regulators announced that they had fined fifteen off-campus training institutions, including New Oriental, for illegal activities such as false advertising and fraud. On this news, New Oriental's ADS price fell $1.77 per ADS, or 16%, over the following two trading sessions to close at $9.32 per ADS on June 3, 2021. Then, on July 23, 2021, China unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its education sector, banning companies that teach the school curriculum from making profits, raising capital, or going public, effectively ending any potential growth in the for-profit tutoring sector in China. On July 25, 2021, New Oriental published an "update" on the new regulations, which stated that the Company will "comply with relevant rules and regulations when providing educational services" and "expects such measures to have material adverse impact on its after-school tutoring services related to academic subjects in China's compulsory education system." On this news, New Oriental's ADS price fell $4.46 per ADS, or nearly 70%, over the following two trading sessions to close at $1.94 per ADS on July 26, 2021. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Ramallah, April 3 : Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers southwest of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Palestinian and Israeli sources said. Mahmoud al-Saadi, Director of emergency in Jenin, told Xinhua news agency that the Israeli soldiers shot dead three Palestinians early Saturday morning and did not allow the Palestinian medical staff to receive the bodies. Palestinian security sources said Israeli soldiers opened fire at a car with three men in it, and prevented ambulances from reaching the car to provide the men with first aid, Xinhua news agency reported. The Palestinian factions in Jenin have declared a public mourning in the city. The Israeli police said in a statement that three wanted Palestinian gunmen, who the Israeli side attempted to arrest in Jenin, were killed during an exchange of fire with an anti-terror unit of the Israeli Border Police, in coordination with the Shin Bet interior security service and the Israeli Army. The statement added that weapons and hand grenades were found in the car the three gunmen were in, and that the gunmen were recently involved in "terrorist" acts against Israeli security forces and were on their way to carrying out another attack. On Thursday, two Palestinians were killed and 14 wounded in a trade of fire with the Israeli Army in Jenin. The incidents in Jenin came amid concerns about escalating tensions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem with the advent of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. BUENOS AIRES, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The Argentine government on Saturday reaffirmed its "unwavering objective of recovering full sovereignty" over the Malvinas Islands, 40 years after the conflict with Britain over control of the South Atlantic territory ended. "The Malvinas were, they are, and will be Argentinean, and we will always keep the commitment we assumed with the memory of those who died," President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez said during a ceremony commemorating the conflict in Buenos Aires. "Argentina reiterates its search for a negotiated and peaceful solution to the dispute of sovereignty, because we have an unwavering objective of recovering full sovereignty," Fernandez added. Expressing his gratitude to the Argentine soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the conflict, he said that Argentina continues "denouncing before the world (the British presence on the Malvinas Islands) as one of the last vestiges of colonialism." Argentina and Britain battled over the islands from April 2 to June 14, 1982. Kiev, April 3 : The draft agreements that were discussed during the meeting in Istanbul this week are now ready for discussion by the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia, Head of the Ukrainian delegation David Arakhamia said. The draft has been "developed enough to conduct direct consultations between the two leaders of the countries," Arakhamia was quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency as saying on Saturday. "Our task is to prepare the final stage not of the document itself, but of those issues that we touched upon, and to prepare the future meeting of the Presidents," he added. Ukraine's government-run Ukrinform news agency confirmed on Friday that the two sides have started the next round of peace talks through a video, citing a member of the Ukrainian delegation Mykhailo Podolyak, Xinhua news agency reported. Russia and Ukraine held their latest round of face-to-face peace talks in Turkey's Istanbul on Tuesday, which lasted for about three hours. Cairo, April 3 : Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has urged France, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, to "provide economic and political support to Egypt" to deal with the repercussions of the Ukraine crisis, according to a statement of Egypt's Foreign Ministry. Shoukry made the remarks during a phone conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian during which they discussed bilateral relations and economic cooperation amid the global impact of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in the statement. The conversation came just days after French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire paid a visit to Cairo, during which he affirmed his country's full support for Egypt and its willingness to provide the Middle Eastern country with wheat supplies during the crisis. Egypt is the world's largest wheat importer and buys the majority of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier on Saturday, the Egyptian Foreign Minister made a phone call to his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, during which they discussed ways to boost bilateral ties and strengthen Egypt's economic resilience to the repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Kiev, April 3 : Ukraine spends about $10 billion per month on the conflict with Russia, the presidential press service said. "The Ukrainian state spends about $10 billion a month on hostilities," said a statement on the Ukrainian presidential website on Saturday, citing data from the Ministry of Finance. Among Ukraine's sources of expenditure financing, the statement named the country's own tax revenues and assistance from Ukraine's international partners. The military conflict between Ukraine and Russia started on February 24. Lucknow, April 3 : A 35-year-old man was killed when he accidentally fired from his own licensed pistol in his house in Lucknow's Sarvodaya Nagar under Indira Nagar police station area. The deceased Rahul Verma owned a small jewellery store. Rahul was rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where he was declared brought dead late Saturday. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, North Zone, Prachi Singh said initial probe revealed that Rahul was fiddling with his licensed pistol that he brought in March this year. His father Devi Singh in a police statement said Rahul was sitting in the front room on the ground floor and was looking at the pistol while fiddling with it when it accidentally fired. As a result a bullet hit Rahul's face. "We were in the jewellery store while our daughter-in-law Kanchan was feeding the baby upstairs. Hearing the gunshot, she rushed into the room only to find Rahul lying in a pool of blood. We rushed him to the hospital where the doctors declared him dead," he added. Prachi Singh said a forensic department team was called which took the pistol for ballistic examination and also examined the crime scene. Varanasi, April 3 : A research team of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has found that a Neem plant component can help fight cancer. The research team has reported the in-vitro and in-vivo therapeutic efficacy of nimbolide (a bioactive component of Neem plant) against T-cell lymphoma, which is a cancer of immune cells. It has strongly advocated the utility of nimbolide as a potential anti-cancer therapeutic drug for the treatment of haematological malignancies. According to BHU Spokesperson Rajesh Singh, the novel findings of this study have been published in two parts in a reputed international journal 'Environmental Toxicology'. The study was done by research student Pradip Kumar Jaiswara along with researchers Vishal Kumar Gupta, Rajan Kumar Tiwari and Shiv Govind Rawat, and was funded by the UGC Start-up Research Grant. The researchers said Neem (Azadirachta indica) is a traditional medicinal plant, flowers and leaves of which are widely used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases due to its various pharmacological properties, including anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-feedant and anti-allergic activity in India and Africa. Recently, nimbolide, a bioactive component isolated from leaves and flowers of the Neem, and has been identified as one of the crucial molecules behind its medicinal values. The anti-tumour efficacy of nimbolide has only been evaluated against a few cancers. New Delhi, April 3 : Ensuring better coordination between the government and organisation is going to be the next big challenge for the BJP after retaining power for a second term in Uttarakhand. Coordination between the BJP government and organisation has been completely lacking in the state since its formation. Many in the saffron party believe that the party central leadership must ensure that the government and organisation work in tandem. A senior Uttarakhand BJP functionary told IANS that it is the historical fact that the organisation never worked in coordination with the state unit and always tried to weaken the chief minister and government. "Till now, our state unit always created hurdles for the BJP government in Uttarakhand. Both always worked in opposite directions and it is visible during the recent Assembly polls. Making both the BJP organisation and government work in sync is going to be the biggest challenge for the leadership," he said. Many believe that the party feels that the trust shown in Pushkar Singh Dhami by allowing him to continue as the chief minister despite losing from Khatima will not succeed till the organisation and government are put on the same page. Last month after the declaration of the Assembly poll results, the BJP central leadership decided to two give a second chance to Dhami who was made the chief minister of Uttarakhand in July last year. Six MLAs have offered to vacate their seats for Dhami to contest and become member of the state Assembly within six month. "Dhami has been made chief minister despite losing his Assembly poll battle only for the work he did in the last six months before the Assembly polls. Our internal survey was showing around 20 seats in July last year, while six months later we won 47 Assembly seats. Dhami is the only local factor for the BJP's historic victory in Uttarakhand apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi," another BJP leader said. A section in the party feels that to allow Dhami to continue doing his work uninterrupted, especially, when there was the feedback that many within the party worked to ensure his defeat in Khatima. "Lots of voices are raised against the state unit president and he has blamed personal agendas for sabotaging the party's interest. Many candidates had blamed Madan Kaushik, Uttarakhand BJP president, for working against party interest. It will be a challenge for Dhami to put the government on the same page with an organisation led by Kaushik," a senior functionary said. An internal assessment of the BJP state leadership found that internal sabotage was the reason behind the loss suffered by Dhami and few other candidates in recent Assembly polls. The Uttarakhand BJP is now identifying the people who were responsible for the internal sabotage. It is learnt that the party has decided to find out reasons behind the defeat in 23 Assembly constituencies in Uttarakhand. The BJP also decided to find out the reasons for drop in the party vote share in comparison to the 2017 Assembly polls. Sources said that the central leaders are likely to visit Uttarakhand to take stock of the situation to hold discussions and send across a message following the appointment of Dhami as the chief minister. The message will be clear, either mend ways or face the music. New Delhi, April 3 : Ahead of the monsoon season, when more observation stations can help monitor the weather better, almost half of the automatic weather stations (AWS) and automatic rain gauges (ARG) of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) have outlived, rendering them incapable. The IMD is the dedicated government agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) that carries out extensive monitoring and detection of current weather, and predicts forthcoming weather events in the short, medium and long range. These warnings also include extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods, heavy snowfall etc. Of the total 727 AWS and 1,382 ARGs, barely 550 are working, while the rest have outlived or have some other issues, as per the data from the official records. The IMD continuously expands its infrastructure -- replacing obsolete AWS is part of the process -- for meteorological observations, data exchange, monitoring and analysis, forecasting and warning services using contemporary technology. For the same, the agency "uses a suite of quality observations from satellites, radars and conventional and automatic weather stations for monitoring of cyclones and prediction of weather," said an IMD scientist. If the IMD is to be believed, it has been in the process of installing new AWS and ARGs across the country for about two years now, but it is facing procedural issues. "The tendering was done last year and the vendor did supply almost everything. But a major problem came when in one of the regions, the vendor supplied GI Pipe instead of the aluminum specified for the mast. In another region, a particular sensor did not conform to the specification. Issues such as these have hampered the process of installation of AWS/ARGs," said a senior scientist. The absence of data or inaccurate data from almost half of the AWS/ARGs puts obvious limitations. The granularity in data offers better monitoring, especially in case of disasters. Several states have taken recourse to private agencies claiming that IMD has not been able to provide them finer data alerts, say at tehsil or block levels. Disagreeing with the connection of large number of AWS/ARGs with forecast, former Director General (meteorology), Ranjan Kelkar, said, "More number of AWS or ARGs would help in better monitoring, but the larger number does not necessarily help in medium, long and extended range forecast." The IMD generates forecasts at a 12 km grid globally and a 3 km grid over India/regional/mega city domains for its ensemble forecast models. "If you are using a 10-km grid, what happens between the two points has no relevance to the model. The local observations help only for monitoring and not for forecasts in the medium or long range," Kelkar added. When contacted, M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, agreed that the AWS/ARGs are indeed running short of designated numbers. "We have sorted out the procedural issues. Before monsoon, all AWS/ARGs would be installed," he told IANS. (Nivedita Khandekar can be reached at nivedita.k@ians.in) The ongoing Ukraine-Russia military confrontation has had the world community focus its attention on the moves of the US and Russia as the opposing powers, the role of China that remained firmly inclined towards Russia but did not want to further antagonise the US, and the responses of India -- the sole major power that has been able to tell both Russia and Ukraine upfront that cessation of hostilities and recourse to peace talks are the only sensible option to the unending conflict. It has not gone unnoticed by China that India has successfully balanced its deep democratic bonds with the US and the special bilateral friendship with Russia in a manner that led to both sides acknowledging that India's policy of recognising the concerns of all is conducive to opening up the path of peace. The unpublicised visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Delhi on March 25 -- at the latter's initiative -- was to assess the state of India-China relations with their known content of disharmony, in the run up to the next BRICS summit, and more importantly, to gauze the Indian outlook on the US-Russia rift on Ukraine. Both the NSA and India's External Affairs Minister have done well to convey India's unchanged stand that China needs to do more on the borders to take India-China relationship towards normalcy. In the backdrop of the current military offensive of Russia in Ukraine, it is seen that many strategic analysts at home and outside are unable to come out of their own fixed attitude of the Cold War days that made them deprecatory towards post-Soviet Russia and supportive of the US as the leader of the free world. They seemed to forget that it is Xi Jinping's China that is determined to become the second superpower against the US, having taken the best lessons from the demise of the USSR and decided principally to follow the economic route, for reaching that position. To this end, China practises the doctrine of 'winning the war without a battle', wants to spread its political hold in the world through its Belt & Road Initiative (BRI), and curiously looks out for any signs of India tilting in favour of the US at the cost of India-Russia relationship. The non-aligned role of India in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has impacted China's own stakes in this geopolitically significant episode. China's position is affected by this confrontation in several ways. Conscious of the likelihood of the US administration clubbing China with Russia together in the developing situation, Xi Jinping in his talks with Joe Biden tried to bracket China with the US by referring to the need for the two countries to fulfil 'their international responsibilities' and highlighted the importance of 'peace and security', thereby suggesting that concerns of both Russia and Ukraine have to be recognised in any peace formula. China was also cautioning the American President not to appear one-sided, positioning China as a peacemaker and ensuring that the Chinese strategy of pursuing the non-military route to becoming a superpower is not jeopardised because of the Ukraine war. While maintaining its strong alignment with Russia, China is trying to consolidate its geopolitical strength by reaching out to its allies, softening the relationships that were hitherto tense, and claiming to be an advocate of peace. The Chinese foreign minister's visit to Islamabad, Kabul, Delhi and Kathmandu can be seen in this light. Reaffirming the Sino-Pak strategic alliance was the most important mission of this round trip. For the first time for China, Wang Yi addressed the ministerial summit of OIC hosted by Pakistan, talked of China's 'Islamic' friends and went on to endorse their stand on Kashmir. Wang Yi held detailed discussions with Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa during his two-day stay in Islamabad and made a quick visit to Kabul on March 24 before landing in Delhi. It is clear that China and Pakistan are acting in concert on Afghanistan after the return of the Taliban-led Emirate in Kabul and that the Sino-Pak axis is operating in Afghanistan to the advantage of the two partners and against the interest of India. One hopes the Joe Biden administration has noticed that through the current Ukraine crisis, Marxist China is using its alliance with the fundamentalist Pak regime to consolidate its geopolitical hold against the US by politically exploiting the strong anti-American stance of the Islamic radicals now ruling Afghanistan. US policy makers would do well not to underestimate the global implications of the Sino-Pak strategic pact. India having recorded its strong condemnation of Wang Yi's comments at OIC as Chinese 'interference in the domestic matters of India', it was clear that Chinese Foreign Minister's uninvited trip to Delhi was meant to somehow create an impression of moderation on the part of China in dealing with disputes. India did well to tell him that the state of India-China relations is going to be determined by the responses of China on the border issues. It seems India's 'unaligned' stance in the US-Russia antagonism on Ukraine is giving a strategic advantage to the country over China in as much as it has given India the status of a global counsel. China realises that if India were to choose to support the US on Ukraine outright, that would strengthen America's case against China too and take the pressure off Quad against the doings of China in the Indo-Pacific. China for once is trying to emulate India in advocating for a peaceful outcome of the Russia-Ukraine conflict as this suits its interests. The Russia-China bonds remain deep for the reasons of shared antipathy of the two powers against the US-led West, ideological commonality between the Marxist China and the successor to the erstwhile Soviet Union that was the competing superpower believing in International Communism against the US doctrine of Capitalism and free market and a return of the Cold War-type of bipolarity between US-led West and China-Russia combine -- particularly under the Biden Presidency. President Xi of China is encouraging Sinicization of Marxism and invoking the 'civilisational' strength of China to spread its wings. Interestingly, in the current conflict, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky -- a Jew -- injected a religio-political angle by insisting on Jerusalem being the venue for peace talks. His attempt to underscore the profile of Russia as a White supremacist nation led to the Russian charge that Ukraine was becoming the place for Neo-Nazis. All of this would further put China and Russia on the same side of the fence -- the two Communist states invoking their cultural and historical legacy to deal with the West. The Russian military offensive in Ukraine is accompanied by an intense 'Information Warfare' which accounts for the prolongation of the conflict and a further accentuation of the refugee problem. India's counsel for a concerted peace initiative from the democratic world remains the best course for the international community to follow -- on the three-point framework of recognition of sovereignty of Ukraine as a democratic nation outside of NATO, a peace agreement between the two warring nations that addresses the security concerns of Russia, and a commitment from Zelensky that all citizens of Ukraine will be on an equal footing in the eyes of the State, which could be monitored by a group acceptable to both sides. The matter has to be resolved in a manner that rules out military solutions for any legitimate inter-state political issues in the future. (The writer is a former Director of Intelligence Bureau; The views expressed are personal) Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Bengaluru, April 3 : Karnataka, which has entered election year, has been witnessing unsavoury developments threatening the law and order situation and attracting international attention for the wrong reasons. At a time when the hijab row seemed to be settling down, the 'halal' controversy has erupted across the state. Elaborate security arrangements are being put in place for Sunday in view of the celebration of 'Hosa taduku' (post Ugadi celebration where people feast on meat and wine), following instructions by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to all the Superintendents of Police and District Commissioners of the state. With Hindu organizations carrying out campaigns for boycotting halal meat and the ruling BJP ministers openly endorsing it, the situation is turning ugly. Hindu organizations are prevailing upon the majority Hindus to buy only 'jhatka' meat, making it a halal cut versus jhatka cut meat in Karnataka. Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has slammed the halal controversy as the roadmap of the ruling BJP to get 150 seats in the upcoming elections. Litterateurs have written warning the government over the communal agenda while Biocon Chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has warned that if communal exclusion affects the IT-BT industry, India would lose its global leadership. Right Wing thinker Chakravarthy Sulibele explained to IANS that the campaign is necessary as Muslims are bringing economic exclusion in every industry. "We have to hit where it hurts. Muslims should rectify their mistakes and live cohesively with Hindus like they did 50 or 100 years ago," he stated. Former Advocates Union President A.P. Ranganath, who has headed a group of advocates who lodged a complaint against Hindu activists for propagating the halal cut ban, told IANS that what is happening in the state is not a good development. "Karnataka was a peaceful state. Now, if action is taken against these few persons who are carrying out a divisive agenda, everything would settle down," he said. "These activities are being carried out by very few people, less than 3 per cent. If legal action is initiated against these 5 to 6 leaders, the hate campaign would stop. We are proceeding stage by stage. We will continue to pressurise the government. There should not be any force. It should be left to the individual to eat halal meat or otherwise. If the government does not initiate action, there are the courts, we will proceed legally against the government," Ranganath stated. Shashikala Jolle, Minister for Muzrai, Wakf, said that a decision would be taken by the Chief Minister regarding the halal meat issue. "Like the halal cut, jhatka cut should also be there. We are with the Hindu organizations who are pushing for the jhatka cut." In the halal cut the animal's throat is slit and the meat is used after the blood is drained. It is being done as per the tradition of Islam. The jhatka cut is a traditional Hindu way of preparing meat. The animal is killed at once and the meat is prepared. The whole controversy arose after Muslim traders observed a bandh protesting against the Karnataka High Court verdict on the hijab. The court had dismissed the petitions seeking permission to wear the hijab in classrooms and also stated that the hijab is not an essential practice of Islam. In response to the strike, Hindu organizations started propagating a ban on Muslim merchants inside temple premises and religious fairs. Soon after, the campaign to ban halal meat by Hindu activists also gained momentum. The ruling BJP issued a circular to all meat sellers not to torture animals and mandatorily follow the 'stunning' process while slaughtering an animal. In the process of stunning, the animal is rendered unconscious before being slaughtered. This order is likely to create a huge controversy in the state as Muslims are mandated by their religion to use only the meat prepared through the halal process. Chennai, April 3 : Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA) president Raja A. Shanmugham has said that the industry which is often referred to as the hosiery capital of South India and the Manchester of South is facing an acute crisis. He said that the heavy increase in raw cotton prices had already affected the business and now the Russia-Ukraine war has taken the business to a new low. Shanmugham, who is himself exporting to Europe, said that the market was slowly recovering from the Covid-19 crisis and they hope that the war will be over and prices of raw cotton will come down so that the industry gets back to normal providing employment to 6 lakh labourers and earning huge foreign exchange for the country. The industry has a projected revenue of Rs 33,000 crore from the export business and Rs 32,000 crore from the domestic market with a total market cap of Rs 65,000 crore. He said that unless the government supports the exporting units and strictly monitors the raw cotton pricing, the industry will face the heat even after the war between Ukraine and Russia ends. In an interview with IANS, he expressed his concerns as well as expectations. Excerpts: Q. Tiruppur garment exports are facing the heat from the war in Ukraine. Please explain... A. Yes we are facing the heat but still the full impact is yet to be felt and we have to face it. Right now the already lingering container problem has got further escalated creating problems in exporting our merchandise as there is a huge shortage of containers. Moreover, all the European brands do have garment stores both in Russia and Ukraine, now closed due to economic sanctions. Most of the reputed international brands have outsourced their work in Tiruppur and this has led to our industry getting crippled. Two things have a direct impact, the lack of containers and the showrooms of major European brands in Russia and Ukraine being shut down. Another issue that affects the market is the increase in fuel costs in Europe due to the war which has disrupted the spending power of the Europeans. The fuel prices have increased by 30 to 40 per cent after the war. The prolonged war has created a fear factor among all, particularly in the European region. Everyone is praying for it not escalating any further. More than this buying garments is getting relegated to the last option. This will severely affect the quantum of trade in the coming season. Q. Is the increase in cotton prices a reason for the hike in production cost? A. Yes indeed. The increase in cotton prices is a major reason for the hike in production costs. Other than that almost all the input costs have increased to an unprecedented level and have led to a major hike in production costs. An increase in production costs and major markets shutting down are the reasons for the slump in business in Tiruppur. You see the raw cotton import duty is presently 11 per cent and we want that to be totally removed. With the import duty, the traders are making umpteen excuses to hike the price which is affecting our cost. The farmers would already have sold all their cotton to the traders and there is a large presence of multinational companies (MNCs) in the cotton trade industry, they are raising the prices under the guise of this import duty. We want the government to remove that for a level playing field. Q. When do you expect a revival of fortunes in the trade? A. Even as every exporter or for that matter every industry expects a revival of fortunes at the earliest, one or the other external factors are cropping up on a regular basis affecting our business. As everyone knows, the market is dominated by external factors and unfortunately we are facing the brunt of these factors. While the Covid-19 pandemic took away two precious years, the sudden development in Europe has had a cascading effect on our fortunes. Anyway, we are expecting an immediate end to these crises and hoping the Tiruppur export industry regains its old health and vibrancy and provides more and more employment to the workers, earning foreign exchange for our country and the industry itself becomes profitable. Being an optimist, I feel that the worse will pass and the industry will regain its vitality. Q. As the industry is reeling under the effect of the Ukraine war, how is it affecting the labourers? A. As you know this industry is labour centric and the impact of this war would make for uncertainty on the job front. But as of now, we all survive with the available orders in spite of a lot of challenges. We have a strong labour strength and there are around 6 lakh labourers who are directly employed in the industry. We have labourers from across the country and in fact it's a Pan India mix. There are around 2.5 lakh North Indian labourers in our workforce and we provide them with all facilities including lodging and a decent salary. We believe that the strength of the labourers is our strength and we move forward in this manner. Q. How are you planning to overcome the crisis? A. We have chalked out a plan for survival by confirming orders in a no-profit situation. This will lead to our stocked materials being sold out and also help the buyers as the retail markets are all shut. We believe that we have to survive as a team and overcome this situation and with that understanding, we are proceeding ahead. Q. Do you feel that this would lead to other competing countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam taking advantage of the situation? A. This problem is for all the competitors too and we cannot say that one country is gaining advantage in this crisis. But our competitors do have other advantages like Foreign Trade Agreements (FTAs) through which they are constantly and continuously progressing faster than us. Q. The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on all the industries and businesses and after a slow recovery will the new development make a major dent in your industry? A. We wish that not to happen. Tiruppur has already passed through lots of challenges in its forward journey and as optimists we hope that this will also pass soon. Q. What would be the annual turnover of the Tiruppur garment industry? A. We are expecting a turnover of Rs 33,000 crore from exports this financial year and another Rs 32,000 crore in the domestic market. Altogether, the total turnover this financial year that we expect is Rs 65,000 crore. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War SHANGHAI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Around 10,000 medical workers from several regions across China have arrived in Shanghai in recent days to help the fight against COVID-19 as the city has seen surging infections, local health authorities said Sunday. On Sunday, thousands of medics from regions including Tianjin and the provinces of Hubei, Jiangxi and Shandong arrived in the megacity with a population of 25 million by 10 high-speed trains. "All 30 members of our team volunteered for the work, with many once taking part in the epidemic fight in Hubei," said Hao Shu'an, head of a medical team from Jinnan District of Tianjin. Some medical teams are already working in makeshift hospitals and are ready to receive mild cases and asymptomatic carriers, according to the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission. Over 650 medics from Anhui Province are working with a local medical team at a makeshift hospital in Chongming District that offers over 2,700 beds. The hospital was scheduled to receive the first group of 1,300 mild cases and asymptomatic carriers on Sunday night. Los Angeles, April 3 : After consoling Will Smith following the infamous slap at the Oscars, two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington has now spoken publicly about what happened at last Sunday's awards show, reports 'Variety'. Washington attended author and bishop T.D. Jakes's leadership summit at Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday morning (U.S. Eastern Time) for a discussion about his career and faith, when Jakes asked him about what happened between Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars. "Well, there's a saying, 'When the devil ignores you, then you know you're doing something wrong.' The devil goes, 'Oh no, leave him alone, he's my favourite.' Conversely, when the devil comes at you, maybe it's because he's trying to do something right. And for whatever reason, the devil got ahold of that circumstance that night," Washington told Jakes on stage, according to 'Variety'. Washington was seen speaking to Smith, along with Tyler Perry and Smith's publicist, during the commercial breaks at the Oscars after Smith slapped Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. During his acceptance speech for best actor, Smith thanked Washington and said that Washington told him, "At your highest moment, be careful, that's when the devil comes for you." "Fortunately there were people there," Washington said on Saturday. "Not just me, but others. Tyler Perry came immediately right over there with me. [Said] some prayers. I don't wanna say what we talked about, but for the grace of God go any of us. Who are we to condemn? I don't know all the ins and outs of the situation, but I know the only solution was prayer, the way I see it," he added. Ranchi, April 3 : A newspaper article published 18 years ago on the water crisis made Sameer Ansari, a resident of Deoghar in Jharkhand, realise the importance of water in his daily life. He made a stern resolve that he would dedicate his entire life to spreading awareness among the people about water conservation. In the last five years he has single-handedly dug a large pond with the help of a spade and a shovel in his own city. He has decided that he will continue the digging work till the depth of the pond is 20-ft. This next to impossible feat and passion towards saving water has earned him a lot of praise from the people across the state. On March 30, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat awarded him with the 'Jal Prahari Samman' during a programme organised in New Delhi. Sameer Ansari told IANS about his long journey dedicating his life to saving water. He said after taking a pledge to save water, he began this initiative from his own house. He made a water recharge pit to prevent tap water from being wasted. Arrangements were also made to transport rain water falling from the roof of houses with the help of this water recharge pit. Besides this, he would walk from one village to the other carrying a 'Save water' placard appealing to people to prevent wastage of water. He visited hundreds of villages in Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to spread awareness to save water for future generations. Several people also joined him in the mass movement to save water while others laughed at him. The plight of the Darwa river passing through his city Deoghar used to make him angry. People throwing dirt in the river and then using the same polluted and toxic water would make him upset. On stopping people from polluting the river he would often be shamed and insulted. Several people told him if he has a problem with them, then he should find another river and pond for himself. These words hurt Sameer Ansari so much that he decided to dig a pond near the Darwa river. The vacant land near the river was encroached upon illegally by encroachers. Therefore, he appealed to the district administration due to which the land was freed from illegal encroachment. After freeing the vacant land from the control of encroachers, Sameer started digging a pond single-handedly and would wake up at 5 a.m. every day and would continue digging with the help of a shovel and a hoe till evening. His family members would send him food and water in the afternoon everyday. He lives with his mother, wife and two children. During the initial days when he had started digging the people used to tell him how he ran his family by digging a pond all day long. He has made a ration card in the name of his mother due to which he is able to eat food. He also performs small household chores by which he earns a reasonable income. His in-laws too lend him some help by which he is able to sustain his family. Sameer says such problems are nothing as compared to the toil of digging a pond or building a dams and saving water. He is quite satisfied that he is dedicating his life to this humongous task. Quoting from the 'hadith', he said Allah also considers water as a great blessing. He says that when he started digging, the people of the city and his own village would call him mad and used to laugh at him. However, he did not care to listen to them. His five years of hard work bore fruit when last year during the monsoon season the pond dug by him got filled with water. People living nearby the pond used water to feed their cattle apart from other purposes. He is quite hopeful that during the monsoon this year there will be plenty of water in the pond. He says that after his family members, one of his friends Azim Ansari encouraged him to dig a pond to save water. Now many people believe in his passion and his words. On March 30 while he was invited to New Delhi to be honoured with the Jal Prahari Samman, he was also accompanied by his friend Azim Ansari. Azim says, "If the work done by Sameer bhai of saving water is followed by even some people then undoubtedly it will be the biggest achievement." Beijing, April 3 : A team from the US National Transportation Safety Board has arrived in China to help investigate last month's crash of a China Eastern Airlines aircraft, according to aviation authorities. The seven-member panel, consisting of authorised representatives and technical advisors, will participate in the investigation organised by theCivil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), reports Xinhua news agency. The group's main responsibility is to provide technical support in investigating and analysing the cause of the accident from the perspective of aircraft design and manufacture, according to the CAAC. The Boeing 737 aircraft, which departed from Kunming in Yunnan Province for Guangzhou, crashed in Tengxian county of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on March 21. All 132 people on board were killed. Chennai, April 3 : In continuance with the stiff opposition to the K-Rail project, senior Congress leader V.D. Satheeshan has decided to boycott the first year anniversary of the state government. Satheeshan in a statement here said that he was invited by the state government to participate in the first anniversary celebrations of the state government, which is to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday. The opposition leader said in the statement, "We are against the state government project on K-Rail as also several other policies of the Pinarayi government, including the liquor policy. How can we cooperate with a government which is totally against the people of the state." The Congress leadership has already decided not to send its representatives to the seminars organised as part of the CPI-M Party Congress in Kannur. Senior Congress leaders and former Union ministers, Dr. Shashi Tharoor and K.V. Thomas were invited by the CPI-M to participate in the seminars. State Congress president K. Sudhakaran had taken a strong position that no Congress leader would attend the seminar as it would give a wrong message to the party cadres and supporters who are in a fight against the LDF-led government on various issues, including the K-Rail project. Srinagar, April 3 : Four Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) associates were arrested on Sunday in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district where the security forces busted a terror module. "These terror associates were providing logistics and transportation to terrorists in the districts. "On specific inputs, the security forces recovered one Chinese grenade in Ashtango village of Bandipora and arrested terror associates identified as Irfan Ahmad Bhat, Sajad Ahmad Mir and Irfan Ahmad Jan. "During a 'Naka' (Checkpost) at Rakh Hajin in Bandipora district, the security forces arrested one terror associate, Irfan Aziz and recovered one chinese grenade from his possession. "Irfan was in touch with Pak based terrorist, Umer Lala. "Irfan along with his Pak based terrorist were planning to create terror incidents in the Hajin area. "In both these cases, police stations Bandipora and Hajin have taken cognisance of the crime", police sources said. New Delhi, April 3 : With aim to introduce its workers to the country's cultural diversity and tradition, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) has started 'Bharat Darshan Sushasan Yatra' for its ground level workers. First batch of about 30 'mandal' and district level workers of the BJYM from North and Northeast are on a four-day tour to Karnataka. Next batch of the BJYM workers from other states of the country will likely visit Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other states. Through the 'Bharat Darshan' programme, the BJYM workers are introduced to the country's cultural diversity, traditions and historical richness by experiential tours to different places. The BJYM functionaries will also get an opportunity to visit the biggest developmental projects of the various states of the country, see places of historical significance and engage in discussions with startups, entrepreneurs, cottage industries and farmer organisations. This will help the BJYM cadres experience and understand the unity in diversity of our country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the campaign on Friday in Bengaluru. During the four day visit to Karnataka, the BJYM workers will get to experience the state's rich culture through touring historical sites and startups to understand the city's startup spirit and draw inspiration from their journeys. BJYM national president and Lok Sabha member, Tejasvi Surya said: "Bharat is much more than a geographical region. It is a fusion of emotions, cultures and millions of people with diverse traditions and sentiments. To serve the country in the true sense, it is very important to understand and feel our country first." National media in-charge of BJYM, Amandeep Singh said that each group will consist of 15 to 30 BJYM workers from mandal and district level. "Regular visits of the BJYM workers at the ground level will be held and in every group new workers will get the opportunity to learn about the rich culture and heritage of the country," Singh said. Hyderabad, April 3 : Five years after the Telangana Legislative Assembly passed a Bill for enhancing the quantum of reservation for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and sent it to the Centre for its approval, the issue is again in focus. The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are engaged in a war of words, blaming each other for the delay in hiking the quota for STs. The issue hit the headlines after Union minister of state for tribal affairs Bishweshwar Tudu told the Lok Sabha on March 21 that his ministry has not received any proposal from the Telangana government seeking an increase in reservations for STs to 12 per cent. He was responding to a question by Congress MP from Telangana, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy. The TRS was quick to demand removal of the minister from the post for his 'blatant lies' in Parliament. It also gave a notice for moving a privilege motion against him for 'misleading' the Lok Sabha. The TRS maintained that the state government not only made a proposal but the State Assembly passed a Bill for increasing the reservations to STs from 6.8 per cent to 10 per cent and sent it to the ministry of tribal affairs. The TRS government, which is already engaged in a bitter row with the Centre over procurement of paddy, stepped up its attack on the BJP. It was in 2017 that the Telangana Assembly unanimously passed a bill to hike the reservation quota for backward Muslims and the STs to 12 and 10 per cent respectively. Barring the BJP, which vehemently opposed the proposal to increase the quota for Muslims, the entire opposition supported the Backward Class, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Reservation Bill, 2017. The Bill seeks to raise the quota for the socially and economically backward among the Muslims under the Backward Classes (E) category from the existing four per cent to 12 per cent. The Bill was sent to the Centre for the President's assent with a request to include it in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution as was done in the case of Tamil Nadu. The Bill had increased the total reservations in Telangana to 62 per cent. As the Supreme Court has put a cap of 50 per cent on all reservations both at the Centre and in the states, Telangana wanted a relaxation through a constitutional amendment. "Tamil Nadu is implementing 69 per cent reservations for over two decades. Five to six states are providing more than 50 per cent reservation. How can you deny this to Telangana?," Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao had asked. He had also announced that if the Centre refuses to accept Telangana's request, the state would approach the Supreme Court. KCR argued that there is no constitutional bar on providing more than 50 per cent reservation. He said with 90 per cent of Telangana's population comprising the Backward Classes, SCs, STs and minorities, the state definitely needed more than 50 per cent reservation. The TRS had promised during the 2014 elections that the quota for the Backward Classes (E) and the Scheduled Tribes will be increased in proportion to their population in the state. KCR had made it clear in the Assembly that he will not beg the Centre but will fight to get the new quotas included in the 9th Schedule. However, the issue has since been hanging fire. The TRS, which retained power in the 2018 elections, blamed the Centre for keeping the issue pending despite repeated requests by the state government. With the Assembly elections due in the state next year, the issue of ST reservation is back in focus. As the state government recently announced the filling up of 80,000 jobs, the TRS is telling the tribals that they will be deprived of an opportunity because of the Centre. However, this was not the first time that a central minister told Parliament that the Centre has not received any proposal from the state. In December last year, Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment A. Narayanaswamy had told the Lok Sabha that the Centre has not received any proposal from the state government, seeking an increase in reservation for SCs and STs as per their population percentage in Telangana. This time with the TRS mounting pressure on the BJP, the latter added a new angle to the whole debate. Union tourism minister G Kishan Reddy stated that the Centre would not intervene and oppose if the Telangana government brought an order to increase reservations for STs. Reddy, who is a MP from Telangana, put the ball in the state's court saying the states have the right to increase reservations. This further intensified the exchange of words between the two parties. Telangana's tribal welfare minister Satyavathi Rathod accused the saffron party of resorting to opportunistic politics on the issue. "If the reservations issue is within the purview of the state, then let the Centre announce it officially," she said on Kishan Reddy's statement. She said if Kishan Reddy was committed to the welfare of STs, then he should use his good offices to make the Centre declare this officially. "Both the Congress and the BJP use the tribals for their vote bank politics. The tribals will teach a fitting lesson to the BJP which is not only resorting to opportunistic politics but also adopting a divide and rule policy," she said. Satyavathi Rathod pointed out that after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the population of STs in Telangana rose to 9.08 per cent but the reservation remained the same. Finance minister T. Harish Rao alleged that the BJP government at the Centre insulted the tribals by denying the fact that the state government did not send any proposals for increasing the ST reservations. "The State Assembly passed a unanimous resolution to increase the ST reservations and sent it to the Centre. The Chief Minister had written twice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while tribal welfare minister Satyavathi Rathod and the officials wrote numerous letters to the Centre in this regard," he said. Colombo, April 3 : Sri Lankan police arrested 664 people in the Western Province for violating the curfew currently in effect, Senior Superintendent of Police Nihal Thalduwa said on Sunday. Thalduwa said the arrests were made between Saturday 10 p.m. and Sunday 6 a.m., reports Xinhua news agency. In the wake of mass protests planned for Sunday, the government imposed a 36-hour nationwide curfew from 6.00 p.m. Saturday until 6.00 a.m. on Monday, in addition to a state of emergency declared by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. A few hours after declaring the curfew, the President also issued a gazette, prohibiting people from public roads, parks, recreation or other grounds, railways, seashores and other such public places during the curfew period. The Sri Lankan government on Sunday also blocked commonly used social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and messaging platforms WhatsApp and Viber. The protests against the ongoing economic crisis in the island nation which has led to a severe shortage of fuel, LPG, electricity, food, as well as medicines, were planned through social media platforms. Islamabad, April 3 : Qasim Khan Suri, Deputy Speaker of the Pakistan National Assembly (NA), on Sunday dismissed the no-trust move against Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying that it was against Article 5 of the Constitution, Dawn reported. Suri chaired Sunday's session after opposition parties, in a surprise move, filed a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser. Opposition lawmakers earlier appeared confident of the success of the no-trust move as they made their way to Parliament House. The opposition needs the support of at least 172 lawmakers from a total of 342 to oust the premier through the no-trust move. As the situation stands now, opposition parties have managed to cross the magical figure of 172 and enjoy the support of 174 members in the NA, according to a list shared by PML-N's Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday. The number does not include over a dozen dissidents of the ruling PTI, who have already publicly declared the withdrawal of their support to the prime minister. Prior to Sunday's session of the NA, the opposition also submitted a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser. The resolution, addressed to the secretary of the NA Secretariat, was submitted by Murtaza Javed Abbasi of the PML-N. The resolution carried the signatures of more than a hundred lawmakers. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who shared an image of the resolution on Twitter, tagged the official handles of Khan and Qaiser, with a simple "surprise". New Delhi, April 3 : Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday urged the Kashmiri Pandits to take a resolve to settle in their homeland in such a way that they don't get uprooted in the future. Bhagwat was virtually addressing the community on the occasion of Navreh celebrations. He also talked about 'The Kashmir Files' movie and said that while presenting the plight of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, the film has shaken the nation also. Bhagwat mentioned that Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave the valley due to extremism and now it is time to return as Hindus and BharatBhakt. "Now it is the time to return and settle back in our homeland next year on our terms. You don't have to resettle there, but you have to settle in such a way that you don't get uprooted again," he said. Pointing out that Kashmiri Pandits have borne the brunt of getting displaced from their home in their own country for the last three four decades, Bhagwat said that one shouldn't accept defeat in this situation and face challenges. The RSS chief also said that now if anybody tries to force the Kashmiri Pandits to leave the valley they will have to face the consequences. Bhagwat also talked about 'The Kashmir Files' and said that the movie has showcased an unfortunate reality of Kashmiri Pandits. "'The Kashmir Files' portrayed the story of Kashmiri Pandits, some are in favour of the film while some are against it. But the common man of this country feels that the film has presented the devastating truth to the world. This film has not only presented the pain of displaced Kashmiris but shaken the nation as well," he said. SHANGHAI, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Saturday urged resolute and swift moves to stem the spread of COVID-19 in Shanghai in the shortest time possible, issuing her call during an inspection visit to the city. Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stressed unswerving adherence to the dynamic zero-COVID approach and mobilizing COVID-19 testing capacity, medical personnel, and COVID-19 prevention supplies to support Shanghai in the fight against the epidemic. The vice premier called for stepping up efforts to ensure that all those in need are tested, isolated, hospitalized or treated. During the inspection, Sun listened to the report from medical experts and visited a makeshift hospital and a residential community in Shanghai. "It is an arduous task and huge challenge to combat the Omicron variant while maintaining the normal operation of core functions in a megacity with a population of 25 million," Sun said. She urged the improvement of the nucleic acid testing capacity as soon as possible and the organization of mass testing to get a clear picture of the epidemic situation. The epidemic control measures in communities should be further strengthened, while people's basic living conditions and normal medical needs should be ensured, Sun said. It is necessary to expand makeshift hospitals and designated hospitals for COVID-19 treatment, Sun said, calling for the preparation of sufficient quarantine venues and swift action on the transfer and treatment of patients. She also stressed strict closed-loop management for key industries and institutions to ensure the normal operation of core functions and the stability of supply and industrial chains. Before arriving in Shanghai, the vice premier was on an inspection visit in the virus-hit city of Jilin in northeast China. New COVID-19 infections from communities in Jilin city are decreasing significantly and the epidemic spread in the city has been brought under effective control. New Delhi, April 3 : Delhi Police have unearthed a multi-crore scam involving international fraudsters, extortionists and scamsters having direct links with Chinese nationals, and were involved in extorting money at an organised level, an official said on Sunday. Deputy Commissioner of Police (IFSO) K.P.S. Malhotra told IANS that an Indian key player in the scam among the eight persons have been arrested from different parts of the country. "Deep technical analysis of such applications revealed that Malwares were installed in victims' phones followed by phone hacking and access to personal data of victims' phones led to extortion. Even women were targeted and their photos were morphed to extort them," the senior official said. It was officially learnt that an amount of Rs 8.25 crore, earned through cheating and extortion, was found in one of the accused's accounts. "As many as 25 more such accounts have been identified," DCP Malhotra said. The application trail and money laundering trail through Cryptocurrency was linked to a mastermind who is based in China. The cheated or extorted money was being sent to China, Hong Kong and Dubai through Cryptocurrency in Chinese nationals accounts. "The identity of three Chinese nationals, who were operating from different countries, has been uncovered," said the official. Apart from seizing 16 debit cards, 22 cheque books and 26 passbooks, the police have also freezed more than 25 bank accounts that were having an amount of more than Rs 11 lakh. DCP Malhotra said that it is just a 'tip of iceberg of this multi crore scam' as more revelations are being brought out. The fraudsters had purchased three cars -- one Ertiga, one Fortuner and one Crista Innova -- from the cheated money, which was also recovered by the police. Lucknow, April 3 : After the lynching of Babar, a Muslim youth in Kushinagar for allegedly celebrating BJP victory, there has been a disturbing increase in similar cases that point to a dangerous social trend. Babar Ali was attacked by members of his own community on March 20 for celebrating BJP's win in elections. Grievously injured Babar was brought to Lucknow for treatment where he succumbed to injuries on March 25. Thereafter, another Muslim man named Shahrukh was given a death threat in Badaun district and at least, three more cases have been reported from other parts of the state. In Kanpur, one Shakeel Ahmed filed a report at Kidwai Nagar police station accusing his neighbour Shahnawaz Hussain and his aides Rashid Hussain, Rizwan, Bhallu Tailor, Pappu Kariya, all residents of the locality, of assault and death threats for supporting and placing a BJP flag atop his house. The complaint was later found to be false. ACP Babupurwa, Alok Singh said, "The victim was questioned and he retracted from his claim. Shakeel said that he never called himself a BJP worker. He also admitted that the rift between him and the accused was because of a different reason." Two members of the UP Commission for Minorities have sent a letter to the director general of police (DGP) seeking action against those behind these attacks and demanded an action-taken report on such incidents reported in Bareilly, Kushinagar, and Rae Bareli. In the case of Babar, chief minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for his family. According to police, two accused have been arrested so far and a massive manhunt is underway to nab the remaining absconding perpetrators. Danish Ansari, Minister for Minority Welfare in the Yogi Adityanath government, said that the Yogi government is with the family of Babar and promised action against those involved in the crime. Vidhi Sharma, a sociologist, said, "It is not the case of taking action or arresting the accused. It points to a dangerous trend where an individual has to face community ire for making a political choice. The trend must be checked without delay and efforts must be made to increase interaction between majority and minority communities so that peaceful coexistence can continue and the election campaign is firmly left behind. Such instances will only tear the social fabric apart." A retired police officer, who requested anonymity, said that small incidents were deliberately being given a political colour by the alleged victims. "I know of recent cases where two people fought on a different issue and then the victim claimed he was attacked because he supported a particular party. Apparently, he was expecting some favours or sops from the government. It is for the government to ensure that political overtones are not pasted on such cases," he said. Thiruvananthapuram, April 3 : The Thamarassery Bishop of the Catholic Church, Remigius Maria Paul Inchananayil has lashed out at the Kerala government for its new liquor policy. The government had announced that the state-controlled Beverages corporation will open more outlets and bars in the Information technology parks in the state. The state government had also announced that microbreweries would be allowed to function in the state. Bishop Remigius Inchananayil had earlier showered accolades on the Chief Minister and had even said that if Pinarayi Vijayan had become the Chief Minister 25 years ago he would have transformed the state into a modern one. The Catholic Bishop told the mediapersons on Sunday that the church would have to strongly oppose the government's stand on liquor and said that more liquor shops meant more people becoming addicted. He said that the church can never sit idle when the people's welfare is at stake due to the wrong policies of the government. The sudden volte-face by the Bishop is seen as an expression owing to the stiff opposition that the Catholic church has been putting up against the consumption of liquor. More than this the waning popularity of the LDF government in the K-Rail issue would also have led to such a statement from the Bishop. The LDF government has been facing a major crisis over the high-speed K-Rail project and the government is facing stiff resistance from all parts of the state against the proposed land survey by the K-Rail authorities. While the Chief Minister had taken a strong stand that the project, which will cost the exchequer around Rs 1.25 lakh crore, would be implemented at any cost, the opposition has unitedly opposed the project. Kiev, April 3 : An airstrike hit Odesa on Sunday, two days after Russia launched three missile attacks on the strategic Ukrainian port city, the country's military said. In a social media post, the Operational Command South of the Ukrainian military said Sunday's airstrike hit the city's infrastructure, reports Xinhua news agency. Some additional missiles were intercepted by the Ukrainian air defence. According to preliminary data, there were no reports of casualties from the strikes. Meanwhile, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said country's orces have destroyed an oil refinery and three storage facilities for fuel and lubricants near Odesa with high-precision sea- and air-based missiles. The facilities supply fuel to a group of Ukrainian troops in the Mykolaiv direction, Konashenkov said on Sunday during a briefing. Chennai, April 3 : The Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday arrested 12 fishermen Tamil Nadu who had inadvertently crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and also seized one mechanised boat The state's fishermen association leader have condemned the arrest. J. Jesudasan, leader of fishermen association of Ramanathapuram, told IANS: "The Sri Lankan Navy is arresting Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu regularly. We condemn this action by the Sri Lankan Navy strongly. The mechanised boat that was used by the fishermen was also impounded by the Sri Lankans." He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin must intervene in the issue and bring relief to the Indian fishermen from state. With Sunday's arrest, the number of fishermen from Tamil Nadu currently under Sri Lankan custody has increased to 103. The fishermen from Ramanathapuram and Thangachimadom had ventured into the sea in different boats on Saturday night. On Sunday it was found that one boat had not returned and on inquiry it was found the fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Naval authorities. Sources told IANS that the arrested fishermen and the boat were taken to Mailadi fishing harbour in Sri Lanka and will be handed over to the fisheries inspector in Jaffna for further action. The Sri Lankan Navy in a statement on Sunday said that they chased away several Indian fishing boats from the Delft Island area and one trawler which remained in the sea with 12 fishermen was arrested and their vessel impounded. New Delhi, April 3 : Congress president Sonia Gandhi will chair parliamentary party meeting to be held on Tuesday. All MPs of both the houses will be present in the meeting. The meeting is held normally once during the parliament session in which Sonia Gandhi focuses the way forward for the party during her speech. This will be the first meeting after the Congress lost badly in five state elections and the party is trying to remain united as Sonia Gandhi has pitched herself to keep the flock together. The party has to face two crucial state elections this year --Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. There are other rumblings in the party. Former Madhya Pradesh Congress President Arun Yadav is upset, while issues in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan have not been resolved yet. The Gandhi family is reaching out to each one in the G-23 group, who have been demanding a drastic overhaul of the party's functioning, either personally or through an emissary. The 'G-23' which met last month had issued a statement calling for the Congress organisation to be revamped and accountability of the people involved in the election process be fixed. "We believe that the only way forward for the Congress is to adopt the model of collective and inclusive leadership and decision making at all levels... in order to oppose the BJP, it is necessary to strengthen the Congress party. We demand that the Congress party initiate a dialogue with like-minded forces to create a platform to pave the way for a credible alternative in 2024," the statement had said. Hyderabad, April 3 : Ever since the magnum opus 'RRR' hit the screens, there is a lot of discussion regarding the lead actors. Despite unanimous hit talk, comments on Twitter and other social media sites suggest that most of the NTR fans aren't quite happy with his low-key role in the second half of the movie. NTR, who had an interaction with the media post-release of 'RRR' was quizzed him playing a role with a lesser importance. "I always maintained and am aware of the fact that Rajamouli has given equal importance to both Ram and Bheem roles", NTR said. Adding further, NTR conveyed, "No insecurities involved. We both complimented each other beautifully. While there are scenes elevating one hero at one time, Rajamouli had placed another elevation scene for the other." While Telugu Twitter is filled with non-stop discussions and comparisons, Ram Charan and NTR have already conveyed that they are lucky to be a part of such a visual grandeur. Even during promotions, Ram Charan had stated that he wanted to swap NTR's role with his role, which denotes that both were given equal importance in the movie, under the competitive ambience. So, NTR's role being low-key when compared to that of Ram Charan's in 'RRR' is just a part of discussions, but the actors are actually happy with the output regarding their individual roles. San Francisco, April 3 : Apple CEO Tim Cook has marked World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Acceptance Month with a tweet, showcasing the talents of a young iPhone photographer shooting model cars. April is Autism Acceptance Month, with April 2 designated as World Autism Awareness Day. To mark the two, Cook tweeted on the subject by shining light on an inventive iPhone photographer, reports AppleInsider. Saturday's tweet by Cook talks about Anthony Ryan Schmidt, a 14-year-old photographer on the autistic spectrum. Using his skills, Schmidt takes photographs of model cars but in a way to make them look like real full-size versions. "From the age of six, Anthony has expressed his love for photography," Cook wrote. "He now shares his larger-than-life iPhone images of model cars with fans around the world and his creativity really shines through!" he added. Along with the #ShotoniPhone and #AutismAcceptanceMonth hashtags, Cook also posted two images taken by Schmidt, a behind-the-scenes shot showing the photographer at work, and includes his Instagram handle. Schmidt has a sizable audience for his work, with over 37.7 thousand followers on his Instagram account. He also launched his first-ever solo gallery show on April 1, in Washington, which will run until April 29. New Delhi, April 3 : Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane is on three-day visit to Singapore to enhance military cooperation. He has proceeded on Singapore visit from April 4 to April 6. During the visit, he will be meeting senior military and civilian leadership of the country. On April 4, General Naravane will lay a wreath at the Kranji War Memorial. The Army Chief is scheduled to call on the Minister of Defence, Chief of Singapore Army and other senior dignitaries where he will discuss avenues for enhancing India-Singapore defence relations. He will also visit the Infantry Gunnery Tactical Simulation and Wargame Centre, Regional HADR Coordination Centre, Info Fusion Centre and the Changi Naval Base. Last year in December, Gen Naravane went on a week-long visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, the first ever trip by an army chief to both West Asian states to significantly boost security ties. New Delhi, April 3 : A total of 2,042 security personnel from across the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) died in the last three years in the line of duty, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Giving the information in response to a Parliamentary Question, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had said that the these included 47 gazetted officers while the remaining 1,195 were non-gazetted personnel of the general duty cadre. According to the data, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) lost six officers and 303 other ranks in 2019, five officers and 283 other ranks in 2020 and seven officers and 346 other ranks in 2021. The Border Security Force lost five officers and 190 other ranks in 2019, seven officers and 266 other ranks in 2020, and eight officers and 252 other ranks in 2021. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police lost four officers and 92 other ranks in 2019, one officer and 100 other ranks in 2020 and two officers and 103 other ranks in 2021. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) saw 15 other ranks die in 2019, one officer and nine other ranks in 2020 and none in 2021 while the Assam Rifle lost two other ranks in 2019, five in 2020, and one officer and five other ranks in 2021. The Sashastra Seema Bal lost five officials in 2019, 14 in 2020, and five in 2021. Rai also informed that the Welfare and Rehabilitation Board for Central Armed Police Forces provides assistance to the dependents of the deceased personnel, including counseling for their employment. The benefits admissible to next of kin of CAPFs and Assam Rifles personnel who sacrifice their lives in the line of duty, inter alia, includes the Central ex-gratia lump-sum compensation ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 45 lakh, liberalised Family Pension under Central Civil Services (Extra Ordinary Pension) Rules, 1939, all other normal service benefits such as Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity (DCRG), leave encashment, Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme (CGEGIS), and General Provident Fund. The next of kin also gets ex-gratia and other type of financial assistance from Risk/Welfare/Benevolent Fund of the Force concerned in accordance with the norms of the Fund and a public contribution up to Rs 15 lakh through 'Bharat ke Veer' online portal. Parents of married deceased personnel also get additional financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to from 'Bharat ke Veer' corpus while an "Operational Casualty Certificate" is issued, entitling them to certain benefits like air and rail travel fare concession and allotment of retail petroleum outlet. There is compassionate appointment for eligible dependents in accordance with government rules while there are some quota for wards for admission to MBBS and BDS courses, and the Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme - at the rate of Rs 3,000 per month for girls and Rs 2,500 per month for boys. The martyrs' family also get compensation/assistance from some states/Union Territories. People wait for free food at a charity on the first day of Ramadan in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 2, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua) SANAA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Yemenis may breathe a little as a two-month UN-brokered cease-fire between the warring parties in Yemen came into force on Saturday night. However, people in the war-torn country are set to have an uptight holy month of Ramadan amid soaring food prices caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Poor Yemenis waited long for free food at charities on the first day of Ramadan, which starts on Sunday. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned earlier that millions of Yemeni people are at risk of famine as a result of the country's years-long military conflict and sharp deterioration of its economy. People receive free food at a charity on the first day of Ramadan in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 2, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua) People wait for free food at a charity on the first day of Ramadan in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 2, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua) Volunteers prepare free food at a charity on the first day of Ramadan in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 2, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua) Islamabad, April 3 : Former Pakistan Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday that the Speaker's ruling, rejecting the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government, cannot be challenged. Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Sunday took suo moto notice of dissolution of the National Assembly by the President, Dunya News reported. The apex court has formed a special bench to look into the matter. President Dr Arif Alvi had dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan after its Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri rejected the no-confidence motion submitted by the opposition, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution. Opposition's hopes of ousting the premier were dashed after Suri's decision. Shortly after the session began, Chaudhry said that loyalty to the state was the basic duty of every citizen under Article 5. "On March 7, our official Ambassador was invited to a meeting attended by the representatives of other countries. The meeting was informed that a motion against PM Imran was being presented," he said. "We were told that relations with Pakistan were dependent on the success of the no-confidence motion. We were told that if the motion fails, then the upcoming path for Pakistan would be very difficult. This is an operation for a regime change by a foreign government," he alleged. Islamabad, April 3 : Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday said that Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan and all characters involved in the "conspiracy" against the nation are guilty of high treason and should be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution, media reports said. The former premier's remarks came after Pak President Arif Alvi approved the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan to dissolve the National Assembly after a summary was sent by the premier in the wake of a no-trust move against him. "The President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, has approved the advice of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to dissolve the National Assembly under the Article 58 (1) read with Article 48(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan," according to the short statement issued by the President's Secretariat. "Today, a man obsessed with power trampled the Constitution," Nawaz Sharif wrote on his official Twitter handle. Nawaz, who is also the supreme leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said that Imran Khan and all characters involved in the "conspiracy" against the nation are guilty of high treason and should be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution, Express Tribune reported. He warned that anyone involved in any wrongdoing with the country and desecration of the Constitution will be taken to task. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri had earlier dismissed the no-confidence motion submitted by the joint opposition, terming it "unconstitutional" under Article 5. Islamabad, April 3 : A three-member Pakistan Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, has refused to suspend the National Assembly Speaker's ruling to disallow the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, who shortly after the speaker's ruling advised the president to dissolve the National Assembly, Samaa TV reported. PPP lawyer Latif Khosa had petitioned the court to suspend the ruling and grant an interim relief. The court has also ruled that the prime minister's orders will be subjected to the final verdict of the apex court, the report said. The Pakistan Supreme Court has issued notice to President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, National Assembly speaker and deputy speaker, defence and interior secretaries, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and others. During the hearing, the CJP said that all the state institutions must refrain from taking any illegal step or exploiting the situation and that law and order situation must not be harmed. The CJP told the parties that they need to satisfy the court about the speaker's ruling. The Pakistan chief justice said that the supreme court could rule over the National Assembly proceedings up to a certain extent. The CJP also ordered the authorities to ensure law and order situation in Punjab and said that the assembly members had registered their protest and were not likely to spend the night in the assembly, Samaa TV reported. The apex court then adjourned the hearing until Monday. Earlier, CJP Bandial took suo moto notice over the situation that developed following the speaker's ruling. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) also filed a petition over the speaker's ruling and president's order to dissolve the National Assembly, SAMAA TV reported. Jaipur, April 3 : A major blaze has again been reported at the Sariska forest in Rajasthan on Sunday evening, officials said. The fire has spread at around 5-6 km of the forest's area. A 25-member team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has been rushed to the forest to bring the fire under control, SDRF commandant Pankaj Chaudhary told IANS. Just a few days ago, a major fire had broken out and later spread at around 20 km area in Sariska tiger reserve. Later, IAF helicopters were pressed into service to douse the fire. Hyderabad, April 3 : Helicopter Training School (HTS), the biggest helicopter unit and alma mater of all Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter pilots, on Sunday celebrated its diamond jubilee at Air Force Station Hakimpet in Hyderabad. Air Marshal Manavendra Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Training Command IAF was the chief guest while Air Chief Marshal FH Major (Retd), Admiral Karambir Singh (Retd), veterans and serving officers of the helicopter fleet from all three services attended the event. AOC-in-C Training Command released the special cover and diamond jubilee book of HTS, commemorating the occasion. He also inaugurated the HTS Museum which showcases the rich heritage of the IAF helicopter units. The event witnessed aerial display by the Sarang helicopter team, Suryakiran Aerobatic team and Light combat Helicopter (LCH). Chetak helicopters, Pilatus and LCH aircraft also participated in the fly past. Being senior-most serving helicopter pilot of IAF, the AOC-in-C Training Command flew the Chetak aircraft and led the fly past from the front as a tribute to the glorious past of the School. Helicopter Training School conducts ab-initio training of helicopter pilots of the nation and friendly foreign countries. It also continues to be the first respondent during natural disasters in southern latitudes of the country. New Delhi, April 3 : Covid vaccine Covovax's inclusion in the vaccination programme for the 12-17 years age group has been recommended by the Covid-19 Working Group, official sources said on Sunday. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation's Subject Expert Committee had approved Serum Institute of India's Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28. On March 9, it recommended granting the Emergency Use Authorisation for Covovax for in the 12-17 age group. The COVID-19 Working Group has now recommended to the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation's Standing Technical Sub Committee that Covovax be included in the national vaccination programme for those aged 12 years and above, sources said. As per the source, a meeting of the Covid-19 Working Group was held on April 1 to review the data. Covovax is manufactured by technology transfer from Novavax. India began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16, using Biological E's Corbevax. Meanwhile, India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 184.66 crore as per provisional reports till 7 a.m. on Sunday. This has been achieved through 2,21,24,040 sessions. Over 1.85 crore adolescents have been administered with the first dose of vaccine since the beginning of vaccination drive for 12 to 14 age group, said the Health Ministry on Sunday morning. Bengaluru, April 3 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya on Sunday said Anjanadri hill in Karnataka is the birthplace of Lord Hanuman. Surya, who represents the Bengaluru South constituency, said this while interacting with the reporters after paying visit to Anjanadri temple as part of the Bharat Darshan Yatra organised by BJP. He said there should be no doubt about Anjanadri hill near Anegondi in Vijayanagar district in Karnataka being the birthplace of Lord Hanuman. "It doesn't matter if claims are made otherwise about it by others. There is no doubt that our Kishkinda is the birthplace of Hanuman," he said, responding to claims made by the Tirumala Tirupathy Devasthanams (TTD) on birthplace of Lord Hanuman as Anjanadri hill in Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh. During the yatra, thousands of places have been found to have connection with the timeline of Hindu holy scripture Ramayana. "The whole India is believing in traditions and these can't be neglected," he said. The description of the birthplace by Valmiki (the author of Ramayana) is much closer to the region that lies in Karnataka and it serves as the evidence, he said. The Karnataka government has allotted Rs 100 crore for overall development of Anjanadri hill. Colombo, April 3 : Mahinda Rajapaksa had not resigned as the Prime Minister, the Sri Lanka Prime Minister's Office clarified on Sunday evening, media reports said. Sources, however, said that a new cabinet will be sworn in, with opposition members in it, the Daily Mirror reported. This follows a proposal by several parties, that a new interim government must be appointed to ensure political stability. Earlier, reports said Prime Minister Rajapaksa is likely to step down from his position in the coming hours after both he and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa have agreed to form an all party interim government, the Daily Mirror reported. Following a meeting with the 11 party alliance members, a proposal had been submitted by the members that an all party interim government should be formed immediately with a new Prime Minister to ensure political stability in the country. Both the Rajapaksas had given a favourable response with sources stating that Mahinda Rajapaksa had agreed to step down for a new SLPP MP to be appointed to the Premiership to ensure immediate political stability. Sources said that the name of Dinesh Gunwawardena had been proposed as the new Prime Minister but this was yet to be confirmed. From the main opposition SJB's side, the name of Harsha De Silva has been proposed as the new Finance Minister to replace Basil Rajapaksa. Colombo, April 3 : Amidst public protests around the country defying island-wide curfew on Sunday and government allies demanding to form a caretaker government, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa are to decide on future on after a crucial meeting. The two brothers on Sunday met several political allies who demanded the removal of their younger brother and Finance Minister Basil Rajapasa who is blamed for current economic crisis. Reports in a section of media indicated a new Prime Minister is to be appointed either from the party or opposition in a bid to form a caretaker government. However, on Sunday night, Prime Minister Rajapaska denied certain media reports that he would step down from the post. Resisting emergency law and curfew imposed to prevent Sunday's protest initiated by a social media campaign, people and university students got onto the streets demanding President Rajapaksa step down. Despite blocking of the social media by military, people from various parts of the country gathered to streets and chanted "Gota go, give our country back". Following violent protest near President Rajapaska's house at Mirihana in Colombo suburbs on Thursday night, powerful emergency law followed by curfew was imposed. Dried-up dollar reserves and depreciation have denied the island nation with fuel, LP gas, electricity and some daily essential food. New Delhi, April 3 : A hilly tract of Western Ghats near the scenic and proposed eco-tourism spot Muthachipara in Kerala's Kozhikode district is slowly losing its calm, and the residents are undergoing harrowing experiences of blasts and landslide threats from a stone quarry in the locality. At Porali hills, a land of settler farmers, more than 53 home buildings, a school building, and a Church is affected due to the blasting activities by the private quarry operator, Porali Quarry Action Council constituted to oppose the quarry project, told IANS. Action council leader Iype Vadakkethadam, comparing the fragile region to Kavalappara in neighbouring Malappuram district, where more than a dozen people died due to a landslide, said if something happens in this landslide-prone region, the loss will be huge due to the dense population. "The quarry is causing landslide threat as it is operating on a hillside. Geologically, the quarry is situated at the foot of a big hill of which a major portion is a rock. A large quantity of rock has already been removed from the bottom of this hill structure and countless daily blasts make the hill vulnerable to landslides," he said. The loud noise of heavy machines like jackhammers and excavators along with sudden shocking blasting sounds has spoiled the peaceful living atmosphere, he said. While talking about the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the quarry menace, an award-winning green activist from the district, Prof T. Shobhindran blamed the nexus between quarry owners, hardcore criminals, and politicians. Further, he stressed the need to act against quarrying in Kerala, a state that faces floods, landslides, and rapid climate changes. National Green Tribunal, court orders, and quarries The plea of Porali Quarry Action Council before the NGT said the quarry is abetting Reserved Forest and adversely affecting the flora and fauna in the area. As per studies conducted about landslides happening in similar landscapes, the rainwater will saturate the soil and later the readily weakened hill structure will slide down, devastating the area and lives. A minor landslide has already occurred in the area recently. Pollution of freshwater resources and resulting water scarcity is another problem, it pointed out. The petitioner stated that not only rock stones are extracted from the Earth's surface, but a large quantity of topsoil is also removed which is loosely heaped in the boundary of the quarry owner's land. It later spreads to shallow areas through rainwater streams from the hill, spoiling freshwater sources like ponds and natural streams, which are sources of water for daily needs and farming. Considering the plea, the green court directed Kerala State Pollution Control Board, State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), and District Magistrate, Kozhikode district to act on the matter. In the order dated March 30, the tribunal asked the Committee to meet within two weeks and furnish its factual and action taken report within two months. Earlier in December last year, the NGT had constituted a seven-member joint committee to study the impact of blasting in various stone quarry sites in Kerala with nonel detonation technology at distances of 50 m, 75 m, 100 m, 125 m, 150 m, 200 m and 250 m. Nonel is a shock tube detonator designed to initiate explosions, generally for the purpose of demolition of buildings and for use in the blasting of rock in mines and quarries. In November last year, the Supreme Court had held that the quarries in the state should be at least 200 metres away from residential areas agreeing with an earlier NGT order. Notably, the Kerala government had reduced the minimum distance for quarrying to 50 m in 2016, a move that claimed to boost the development works in the state. KABUL, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Ten people were injured on Sunday as a bomb blast went off next to the gate of Sarai Shahzada money exchange market in the Afghan capital Kabul. The explosion came when dozens of customers and moneychangers were going to enter the market, the Interior Ministry said in a statement released here. "This morning a thief threw a hand grenade on people in Sarai Shahzada locality to rob money but 10 persons were slightly injured," the statement asserted. An investigation has been initiated into the incident and security forces have been trying to arrest the culprit, the statement further said. In the meantime, a moneychanger at the market, Abdul Rahman Zerak, told local media that the blast took place at 09:45 a.m. local time. Zerak added that the market was closed following the blast and the injured persons had been taken to a hospital. Chennai, April 3 : The Tirunelveli Roman Catholic diocese opened a school in Anthoniyarpuram in Tamil Nadu Thoothukudi district in 1940 to educate the children of palmyra climbers. Situated in a quiet hamlet surrounded by lush green palmyra trees, it was upgraded to a middle school in 2003. However, trouble began here as the school management recently ran out of funds, but not to let it go defunct, the entire village, which overwhelmingly has palmyra climbers, joined together to run the school and arrange the necessary funds. The local residents set up a 'Kalvi Nidhi Kulu' or education fund committee and opened a pathaneer (sap or juice tapped from fronds of palmyra tree) outlet along the Tirunelveli-Thoothukudi highway and started selling the juice or sap of palmyra trees. "The palmyra drink or pathaneer is purchased by the Kalvi Nidhi Kulu at wholesale prices and we sell it to customers from our outlet at the Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli highway and the money earned is used to meet the expenses of the school," School Committee President, Siluvai Anthony told IANS. He said that the climbers tap around 600 litres of Pathaneer per day during the peak months of June, July, and August and around 500 litres are sold in no time at a price of Rs 100 per litre. The balance of pathaneer is used to make 'Karupetti' which is a sugar supplement used in tea and coffee. The school, at present, has 163 students, including 95 in primary and 68 in middle school and Anthony said that most of the students have passed the school with good marks. He said that the palmyra climbers also benefit from this project as they need not wait for hours on roadside to sell pathaneer and they get a ready market. Also, the children of the palmyra climbers are getting an education from the school. However, the village, which has 400 families, is falling short of palmyra climbers as many have opted for other professions and only nine climbers are now remaining in the area. The school authorities also said that the support extended by the local people for running the school is immense. "The support extended by the local people by generating money selling pathaneer is of immense help in running the school. The school approaches other people for support during the lean months of palmyra climbers," Jaison Raja, of the school management, told IANS. Moscow, April 3 : Russia has been continuing to open humanitarian corridors in AKiev, Chernigov, Sumy, Kharkov and Mariupol directions, one to Russia and one through the territories controlled by the Kiev authorities towards the western borders of Ukraine since March 4, but the Ukrainian sides are "thwarting" the efforts, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday. "The Russian Armed Forces have opened an additional humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians and foreign citizens from Mariupol to Zaporozhye (with an intermediate point in Berdyansk). At the same time, we are forced to state that the declared humanitarian operation was thwarted by the Kiev authorities, who were actually unable to control neo-Nazi-minded militants and ensure the safety of the specified corridor," the Defence Ministry said in a statement. It said that the Ukrainian side has announced four more corridors in the Zaporozhye direction on March 31 but none of them in the direction of Russia. The Russian armed forces, as well as the formations of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, strictly observe the ceasefire on all routes, including those declared by the Ukrainian side, it added. The Russian Defence Ministry also said that the section of the route adjacent to the city of Mariupol was repeatedly shelled with mortars and heavy machine guns by AFU units and nationalist battalions. As a result, the humanitarian convoy could not pass from Berdyansk to Mariupol. "Once again, we draw the attention of the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international organisations to the criminal policy of official Kiev against Ukrainian citizens and gross violations of international humanitarian law," it said. It also said that on the personal requests of France's President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the armed forces are reopening the humanitarian corridor from Mariupol to Zaporozhye with an intermediate point in Berdyansk. Russian authorities also said that their Armed Forces, without the participation of the Ukrainian authorities, have evacuated 18,182 people to Russia from dangerous areas of Ukraine on Saturday, as well as the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, 3,412 of them children. So far since the beginning of the special military operation, 527,607 people have already been evacuated, of which 108,219 are children. They also said that the border of the Russia was crossed by 64,227 personal vehicles. "From Mariupol through the humanitarian corridor in the eastern direction, without any participation of the Ukrainian side, 115,347 people have already been rescued from the lawlessness organized by the nationalists, including 3,235 people over the past day," said. Russian officials also claimed that "Neo-Nazis" continue to hold over 4.5 million civilians as a "human shield" in Kiev, Kharkov, Chernigov, Sumy and more than two dozen other large settlements. In addition, 6,472 foreigners from 18 countries remain hostage to the militants of territorial defence battalions. "The Ukrainian side continues to block more than 60 foreign vessels in the ports of Kherson, Nikolaev, Chernomorsk, Ochakov, Odessa, and Yuzhny. The threat of shelling and high mine danger created by the Kiev authorities in their internal waters and territorial sea do not allow ships to safely go to the open sea. The Ukrainian authorities, in an attempt to evade responsibility for creating a mine danger in the Black Sea, are trying to blame the Russian Federation for this." "Every day from 0800 to 1900 (Moscow time), a humanitarian corridor opens, which is a safe lane in the south-west direction from the territorial sea of Ukraine, with a length of 80 and a width of 3 nautical miles," the Russian Defence Ministry stated. They also charged the Ukrainian side, as before, for not confirming the readiness to ensure the safety of the exit of foreign vessels to the assembly area and in every possible way avoided cooperation in resolving this issue. "Once again, we call on the International Maritime Organisation and the management of ship owners' companies to influence official Kiev to take measures aimed at unblocking and ensuring the safety of the exit of foreign vessels from the ports of Ukraine." Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Durban, April 3 : Bangladesh were reeling at 11-3 in their second innings in the 274-run chase as late strikes by spinners -- Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer -- put South Africa in a commanding position at the end of Day 4 in the first Test of the two match series, here on Sunday. With Najmul Hossain Shanto (5 not out) and Mushfiqur Rahim (0 not out) at the crease, Bangladesh now need 263 runs on Day 5 to win the first Test. Resuming their innings on day four at 4/0, South Africa's opening pair looked to augment their lead of 75 runs. On the other hand, opening up with the seam of Khaled Ahmed and the spin of Mehidy Hasan, Bangladesh looked to make in-roads in the early exchanges. And in just the second over of the day, they came agonisingly close to the prized wicket of Dean Elgar as, upon review, the batter narrowly survived by umpire's call. As The Tigers' attack continued to probe away, with several close LBW appeals and a string of unplayable deliveries by Mehidy, a wicket appeared close on the horizon. Finally, the visitors had the wicket their efforts deserved as Ebadot Hossain trapped Sarel Erwee (8) LBW, prompting the bowlers' trademark salute celebration. Despite Bangladesh's best efforts, Dean Elgar continued to stay resolute as he approached a half-century. However, a few runs shy of the landmark, Hossain induced an edge from Elgar with a chance bursting through the hands of Yasir Ali at 2nd slip. And just an over later, the South African captain raised his bat upon reaching fifty, his 21st Test half-century. At lunch on day four, Bangladesh will review the morning session with a sense that their dominant performance with the ball should have been far more fruitful than just the sole wicket of Erwee for the cost of 99 runs. Moving into the afternoon session, Bangladesh turned to Taskin Ahmed. Despite having to battle through a shoulder injury, Ahmed struck gold with the wicket of Elgar (64) after a successful review, an ICC report said. Bringing a fresh batter to the crease, Temba Bavuma, the visitors aimed to seize the initiative as a close run-out chance and the edge fell narrowly short of the man at slip. The pressure on the South African batters finally told as wickets in back to back overs - Petersen (32) caught at short-leg off Mehidy and, Bavuma (4) succumbing to a spectacular diving catch by Yasir Ali in the slips - left the hosts with two fresh faces at the crease. After a few overs of calm for the pair in the middle, Mehidy looked to have struck once again as Kyle Verreynne was given out LBW. But on review, Verreynne survived as the ball appeared to bounce and turn too much. The disappointment was short-lived for Mehidy as in his subsequent over, he had his man. In attempting a reverse sweep, the ball caught the bottom edge of Verreynne's bat, deflecting off his pad into the grateful grasp of Shadman Islam at silly-point. Requiring a steadying influence, Wiaan Mulder, after enduring a few early chances, alongside Ryan Rickelton, set about getting the Proteas innings back on track. The pair led South Africa safely through to the interval after a session that belonged to the visitors - 52 runs for the loss of four wickets. Just four overs after the tea interval, Bangladesh continued where left off as a wild flashing cover drive from Wiaan Mulder (11) caught the outside edge diverting the ball straight into the path of Ali at slip. With Maharaj following Mulder in the next over, the South African innings looked to be coming to a close. And after a brief 8th wicket partnership, the Proteas innings came to a close in calamitous style as the final three wickets fell in two overs. Setting Bangladesh 274 to win, South Africa's defence got off to the perfect start. Starting with the spin pair of Harmer and Maharaj, the duo mesmerised Bangladesh's top order batters with some high-quality spin. In a short six over spell before the close of play, South Africa's spinners completely turned the tide of the match with three wickets costing just 11 runs. Harmer struck the first blow, with Maharaj claiming the following two wickets. Brief scores: South Africa 367 & 204 (Dean Elgar 64; Ebadot Hossain 2-40, Mehidy Hasan 2-85) lead Bangladesh 298 (Mahmudul Hasan Joy 137, Liton Das 41; Simon Harmer 4-103) & 11/3 (Keshav Maharaj 2-7) by 262 runs Bhopal, April 3 : The Congress' Madhya Pradesh unit has decided to celebrate upcoming Hindu festivals - Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti - publicly and the cadre has been asked to organise religious programmes with large gatherings, it was announced on Sunday. On Hanuman Jayanti on April 16, the Congress plans to recitations of the "Sundarkand" (a part of the Ram Charitra Manas) and "Hanuman Chalisa", as per directions issued by the state Congress President and former chief minister Kamal Nath. The party office on Sunday issued a letter on behalf of Nath, directing party leaders and workers to hold religious programmes on April 10 and April 16 to celebrate the occasion of Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti, respectively. "On both these auspicious religious festivals, recitation of Lord Ram Katha, programmes of Ramlila and worship of Lord Ram should be organised. Besides, the recitation of Sundarkand and Hanuman Chalisa should be organised on Hanuman Jayanti," stated the letter issued by Vice President, Organisation, Chandraprabhash Shekhar. It said Kamal Nath will issue a message on Ramnavmi and hold a religious programme on Hanuman Jayanti at Chhindwara, his home turf. Reacting to the Congress' move, the leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed it "hypocrisy". "Those who termed the Lord Ram and Ramsetu imaginary and opposed the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, will now be reciting Hanuman Chalisa for an attempt of political gain. The people know their hypocrisy and can't be misled," said BJP spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi. To this, state Congress General Secretary, Media, K.K. Mishra advised the BJP not to play the politics on the name of Ram and Hanuman, sayhing every individual has the right to pray on their own. "This kind of statement shows the real nature of the BJP. Should I say the BJP celebrates the religious festivities for its political gain? As a leader of a national party, one should think twice before making such a statement," he said. Bhopal, April 3 : A day ahead of a crucial meeting of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, political circles are abuzz with speculations on senior party leader Kamal Nath's role in the coming days amid murmurs suggesting that the ex-Union minister and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister may quit as the Leader of Opposition. Even as Congress leaders in the state refrained from making any remark, they submitted that any decision would be taken through the 'democratic route'. A senior Congress leader told IANS: "For us, it is not more important who should lead the party. In fact, it is more important to hold a discussion and make the party united to take on the BJP ahead of the assembly polls in 2023." Kamal Nath leads the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, and holds the post of the party's state president, and the Leader of Opposition. Since the last few months, some senior Congress leaders time and again have been camping against Kamal Nath, and directly or indirectly demanding change in the state leadership. Some of them have also recently met Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Therefore, a lot of speculations are being made about possible changes in the Madhya Pradesh Congress ahead of the meeting. "Kamal Nath may offer to quit the position of leader of opposition, mainly because he has a lot of responsibilities in the state, as well as in the national level. He has always tried to bring unity to the party and he will be doing the same, whenever it is needed," a senior Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity. Recently, in response to holding the post of party president and Leader of Opposition, Kamal Nath has said that he has never applied for any post in the party. "I never ever applied for any post in the party. Even when I was appointed as state president in 2018, I had not asked for the post. I was very happy in Delhi but the organisation gave me this responsibility and sent me here (Madhya Pradesh) in May 2018. Whatever steps are taken to strengthen the Congress, I will be happy," Nath had said on March 31. The meeting on Monday is expected to go on for hours, and the Congress leaders are likely to hold a discussion on the nomination of the party members for the Rajya Sabha. Bengaluru, April 3 : Emphasising that Karnataka does not underestimate the uniqueness of neighbouring states, C.N. Ashwathnarayan, the Minister for Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science and Technology, said the state believes in competing globally. Reacting to media persons' query over tweets of Telangana Minister K.T. Rama Rao welcoming startups in Bengaluru to shift to his state, Ashwathnarayan told, "We are all Indians first. We are not intolerant of the progress of our neighbouring states." "In India, every state has its own uniqueness. We firmly believe in entire India growing as one country. The Telangana Minister had tweeted after a few startup Bengaluru-based entrepreneurs had expressed dissatisfaction about the bad condition of roads in Bengaluru," he added. "Karnataka is currently known world over as a city of startups, innovation, science and technology. The city has not earned this fame overnight," the Minister said. "It has its own legacy which dates back to regime of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar who set the foundation for establishing IISc in the city. Later, great scientific visionaries like Sir C.V.Raman, CNR Rao, Rajaramanna have contributed a lot for the scientific and technological development. Considering all this, it is very much evident that Bengaluru's fame is not dependent only on its roads," Ashwathnarayan added. "I do not say the system is completely fool-proofed. Yes there may be some loopholes. But the governments at the Centre and state are making all efforts to make the system more accountable than ever," he said. Asked over Karnataka State Contractor's Association President D. Kempanna's statement regarding practice of 40 per cent commission in government-funded projects, the Minister added, "This is nothing but a politicised statement. The Congress party is the root cause for this menace and asked why he had not talked about this till now?" Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking steps to make the system corruption-free and bring in transparency. In order to achieve this he has been digitalising various processes, striving to make the system accountable and has been focusing on qualitative reformation at all stages, including education, by effectively making use of technology and innovations, he said. Earlier, addressing the gathering at the release of biography of freedom fighter H. Nagabhushana Rao, he expressed confidence that strong foundation that is being laid now would enable India become 'Vishwaguru' (world power) in next 25 years. London, April 4 : The biggest cooking oil bottler for UK shops has said it only has a few weeks' supply of sunflower oil left as the war between Russian and Ukraine is disrupting the exports. The two countries produce most of the world's sunflower oil. Edible Oils, which packages oil for 75 per cent of the UK retail market, is ramping up supplies of other oils for shoppers, the BBC reported on Sunday. Meanwhile, manufacturers of foods that contain sunflower oil, like crisps, oven chips and cereal bars, are reworking their recipes. The Food Standards Agency has advised people with allergies to look out for extra information from shops and food makers. Kim Matthews, commercial director at Edible Oils said 80 per cent of the global supply of sunflower oil comes out of Russia and Ukraine. "So obviously, with everything going on out there, we physically can't get sunflower to be coming out of the country," he said. Edible Oils Ltd has upped production to 24/7 to try to make sure it has plenty of rapeseed and other oils to put on the shelves when the sunflower oil goes. "Sunflower is great because you can cook at high temperatures. Rapeseed is very similar. You can do exactly the same with it," he said. But it was far from clear when sunflower oil supplies will be back to normal, he said. "At the moment, Ukrainian farmers should be sowing the seeds now for the harvest in October and November. Sunflower oil can also be found in many hundreds of products, like ready meals, biscuits and mayonnaise. Food manufacturers are now racing to find alternative ingredients. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Shanghai, April 4 : Around 10,000 medical workers from several regions across China have arrived in Shanghai in recent days to help the fight against Covid-19 as the city has seen surging infections, local health authorities said. On Sunday, thousands of medics from regions, including Tianjin, and the provinces of Hubei, Jiangxi and Shandong arrived in the megacity with a population of 25 million by 10 high-speed trains, Xinhua news agency reported. "All 30 members of our team volunteered for the work, with many once taking part in the epidemic fight in Hubei," said Hao Shu'an, Head of a medical team from Jinnan district of Tianjin. Some medical teams are already working in makeshift hospitals and are ready to receive mild cases and asymptomatic carriers, according to the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission. Over 650 medics from Anhui province are working with a local medical team at a makeshift hospital in Chongming district that offers more than 2,700 beds. The hospital was scheduled to receive the first group of 1,300 mild cases and asymptomatic carriers on Sunday evening. New Delhi, April 4 : The Delhi Police has registered a case against the organisers of Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha and several speakers, including Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, Priest of Dasna Devi temple, and Suresh Chavhanke, Chief Editor of Sudarshan News, for their inflammatory speeches during the event held in north-west Delhi's Burari ground. The programme was held on Sunday. "Some of the speakers, including Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, Priest of Dasna Devi Temple and Suresh Chavhanke, Chief Editor of Sudarshan News, uttered words promoting disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between two communities," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Usha Rangnani said. The senior police official confirmed that a request letter for seeking permission for organising Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha was received in north-west Delhi from organiser Preet Singh, President, Save India Foundation. However, the said request was denied on the ground that the organiser had no permission from the land owning agency i.e. Delhi Development Authority for organising this sabha at the Burari ground. Even as the request was denied, according to police, the organiser Preet Singh reached the Burari ground with his supporters on Sunday morning and started organising Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha. "700-800 people gathered at the event place and invitees of the organiser started delivering speeches from the stage. Police also reached the place of the event and tried to maintain the order," Rangnani said. It was at this time when Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati allegedly started making inflammatory speeches from the stage, exhorting Hindus to take up arms to fight for their existence. Chavhanke said he is against giving equal rights. "Indian Muslims should get the same rights what Hindus are getting in Pakistan. Nothing more than that," he added. Accordingly, the police registered an FIR under sections 188 ( Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code at the Mukherjee Nagar police station. Meanwhile, separate cases were also registered on the complaints of journalists who alleged that they were assaulted during the event. The scribes had earlier on Sunday also alleged that they were detained by the Delhi Police from the venue and taken to Mukherjee Nagar police station. However, DCP Rangnani denied all reports and said the reporters, willingly, on their own free will, to evade the crowd which was getting agitated by their presence, sat in a PCR van stationed at the venue and opted to proceed to the police station for security reasons. The DCP further said two journalists of a news portal in their complaint alleged that at around 1.30 p.m., when they were rushing towards the exit, they were manhandled and assaulted by a group of people who also tried to snatch their mobile phone and I-Card. Notably, the journalists denied conducting a medical examination. In this regard, a case under section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 379 (Punishment for theft), 356 (Assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at the same police station. In another complaint, by an independent journalist who had also come to cover the event, said when he along with two other journalists were interviewing one person, then some people manhandled and assaulted him. The Police intervened and ensured their safety. After their medical examination, a case was registered under sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) of the IPC and investigation was initiated. DCP Rangnani informed that due legal action is being taken against those who are spreading rumours and misinformation using various platforms, including social media. (Ujwal Jalali can be contacted at ujwal.j@ians.in) Madrid, April 4 : Hundreds of people demonstrated in Madrid to show their rejection of the conflict in Ukraine and NATO's intervention. Demonstrators, organised by the popular assembly which was made up of independent organisations and associations, gathered in front of the Puerta de Atocha railway station on Sunday and marched in the direction of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Spain should not give in to NATO pressure anymore," because the effects of contributing to the conflict "are already harming various sectors with very serious effects," according to Lorena Cabrera, Representative of Anti-Capitalist Associations, and several leaders of the organisations. "We want peace for Ukraine and all countries," said Luis Arevalo, a protester from Madrid. "We also reject Europe's growing involvement in Ukraine's military struggle, because they do so under the interests of the United States," he added. According to the barometer of the ElCano Royal Institute presented on Friday, 48 per cent of Spaniards are in favour of an intervention, compared to 52 per cent against, Xinhua news agency reported. "The European Union (EU) should not join the confrontational strategies that are being promoted today from Washington in order to preserve its hegemony," said Xulio Rios, Director of the Spanish Observatory of China Policy. "Its commitment must be the democratisation of international relations and not segmentation with increasingly war mongering overtones. (There should be) more social welfare and less military spending," Rios added. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text ISLAMABAD, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday asked the country's president to dissolve the national assembly, and called for an interim government before going for fresh elections. In a televised address to the nation on national TV, Khan said that a foreign power hatched a conspiracy to remove his government through a no-confidence motion against him. "Today (the) deputy speaker rejected that agenda by rejecting no-confidence motion... A conspiracy was being hatched... The nation will not let such kind of conspiracies succeed," Khan said. He said that the Pakistani public will now use its right to choose its government through elections, adding that no foreign power should be allowed to make decisions through conspiracies. "I want to tell my nation to start preparing for elections and not let any foreign power decide the future of Pakistan." Khan said that the procedure of the caretaker set-up will start after the president received his advice to dissolve the assembly. The prime minister's address comes after the deputy speaker rejected the no-confidence motion against him by the joint opposition alliance which clearly held a majority to de-seat him. In a session of the national assembly, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry sked the speaker about the constitutional validity of the motion being brought on the directives of a foreign power, among the chants of "the friend of the United States is a traitor" from the government benches. In response to Chaudhry's speech, Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, who was chairing the session rejected the no-confidence motion, citing article 5 of the constitution that "no foreign government is allowed to conduct regime change operations against an elected government." The opposition alliance refused to accept the dissolution of the assembly and decided to file a plea in the apex court against the speaker's ruling and Khan's advice. Khartoum, April 4 : Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan has urged the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) to keep the same distance from all parties amid the ongoing political crisis in the country. His remarks came during a meeting with the Head of UNITAMS, Volker Perthes in the capital Khartoum on Sunday, where Al-Burhan questioned the scope of a recent UNITAMS briefing on Sudan to the UN Security Council (UNSC), according to a statement by the Sovereign Council. "The briefing did not cover all situations in the country and not include the positive indicators that occurred on the ground," he was quoted as saying. Perthes, for his part, said his briefing was based on the information and reports prepared by his office in Khartoum, according to the statement. The UN envoy, however, voiced readiness to review any inaccurate information contained in the report submitted to the UNSC, Xinhua news agency reported. The meeting came a day after Al-Burhan warned that if the UN mission goes beyond its mandate or interferes in Sudan's internal affairs, the UNITAMS Head could be expelled. In last week's briefing to the UNSC, Perthes cautioned that the deteriorating economic, humanitarian and security situations in Sudan were due to the absence of "a functioning government" since October 2021 and the "violent repression" against the protesters demanding civilian rule. On January 10, the UNITAMS launched an intra-Sudanese political process to end the country's political crisis. Perthes has since been in consultations with Sudanese political parties and civil forces in the country. Recently, the African Union joined the UN efforts seeking to reach a political settlement in Sudan. Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after Al-Burhan, General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, declared a state of emergency on October 25, 2021 and dissolved the Sovereign Council and the government. Since then, Khartoum and other cities have been witnessing continued protests demanding a return to civilian rule. Cairo, April 4 : Egypt has urged for a halt to the ongoing escalation in the Palestinian territories during the holy month of Ramadan and the Christian and Jewish feasts, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Cairo on Sunday also condemned the continued incursions of Israeli settlers into Al-Aqsa mosque, it added. Egypt highlighted the importance of adhering to international law to provide due protection for Palestinian civilians, as well as stopping any practices that violate the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa mosque, it said. The Al-Aqsa mosque compound is a site holy to both Muslims and Jews, the latter of whom call it the Temple Mount, Xinhua news agency reported. Since Thursday, at least six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, including three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The Israeli attack, which took place on the first day of Ramadan, came a few days after a Palestinian gunman shot dead five people in a suburb of Tel Aviv before he was killed by the Israeli police. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been going on for decades, following the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the Western-backed creation of Israel in 1948. Tehran, April 4 : Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said the United States has by no means any compassion toward Muslim nations in the region, according to the president's official website. Making the remarks in a phone conversation with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih, Raisi on Sunday added that it has become evident that the external power only seeks its own interests and hegemonic goals. The Iranian President said Iran supports Iraq in promoting its unity, independence, security and regional and international position, noting any insecurity in Iraq will be detrimental to the entire region, Xinhua news agency reported. The scope of "brotherly and friendly" relations between Iran and Iraq goes beyond that of merely two neighbours, Raisi told Salih. Meanwhile, the Iraqi President emphasised the need for enhancing bilateral cooperation with Iran to overcome regional challenges, according high priority to stability and security in the region. Regional crises can be resolved solely by the countries of the region and without external interference, Salih said. Fun Free Arcade Games is launching a brand-new website. This website has been built from the ground up to offer visitors with best free online gaming experience on the internet. It has easy access to the most popular games making it simple and easy to find the best free online games. One of the unique features of this website is that it has limited ads on it. The users experience is more important because this site was built to have fun, play free games, and have a fast and great user experience. Users can login in with Google providing user with a simple click to login or register greatly reducing time and providing ease of access. Popular games have been added to the homepage, insuring the most popular games are always accessible. New games will be added daily so check back for new updates. The website works on mobile, tablet, and desktop ensuring no matter what device you are on you can still enjoy playing free games. This website has been created using a custom script for fast loading pages and runs on a powerful server to insure the you can have the most fun playing fun arcade games. Visitors can always find best games by browsing the highly optimized home page that has a user-friendly design. Users can comment on games, like or dislike games, and report games. Members will receive a profile showing the level they currently are on and how many points they have. All games on this website have been imported from another version of Fun Free Arcade Games that ensures you will be playing the best catalog of games that they offer. The difference is that this website is on a brand-new custom script which is a lot faster and robust than the original website. It has been designed to be better than the original because of functionality, design, and speed. This website will be updated every day and maintained for the best user experience. If you are looking for the best free online game website then definitely check out Fun Free Arcade Games "Our 13 years of vertically aligned, developmentally appropriate, and fully adaptable lessons encompass and transcend traditional SEL.This offers schools and districts the opportunity to support their students to thrive from childhood through graduation and beyond." Leading social-emotional and purpose learning provider, Wayfinder, announced today it is expanding its curricular offerings to include a full range of K-12 products and services. Over the past year, Wayfinders expert team of elementary curriculum designers have gathered feedback from hundreds of elementary school educators and students to develop, test, and finalize a new elementary school curriculum. Wayfinders middle and high school curricula, focusing on belonging and purpose respectively, have successfully supported over 60,000 students in some of the largest school districts in the country. According to a recent program evaluation conducted by Stanford University Dr. Heather Malin, Wayfinders curriculum was shown to improve student outcomes across six areas: social awareness, identity expression, purpose development, academic engagement, cultural awareness, and belonging. The Wayfinder team is excited to make social-emotional learning (SEL) and purpose learning accessible to a new group of young learners. The Common Core- and CASEL-aligned K-5 curriculum will take an entirely fresh approach, going beyond SEL to bring authenticity, joy, and self-determination to the classroom. Activities, lessons, and student toolkits invite students to collaborate, explore their thoughts, and practice self-expression. In addition to individualized wraparound training and technical support, K-5 offerings will include the following: 20 Core Curriculum experiential and play-based lessons per year that require less than 5 minutes of prep time each An Activity Library that functions as a lightweight solution, with over 200 new customizable. exploratory activities for elementary studentsfilter by length, skill, grade level, activity type, and more to help students build skills as they move and play Engaging videos that lighten teachers loads, help them facilitate, and get students excited to learn Simplified, printable educator lesson guides that can be implemented in 20-minute blocks or experienced in smaller chunks throughout the day Developmentally friendly student toolkits for young learners to reflect, draw, and journal On top of this, a full 6th grade curriculum called Belonging: Foundations'' will include engaging lessons that foster connections among classmates and help bolster a culture of belonging. Teachers will be able to utilize this 6th grade curriculum to support students through the transition from elementary to middle school. [My students] are not totally bought into SEL, but they loved the [Wayfinder] activities, said Massachusetts fourth grade teacher Tess, after trying out new lessons with students. They even brought up some good suggestions of how we should be paired with students who are not our friends so we can build trust. Thank you for helping me prioritize SEL. Founder and CEO of Wayfinder Patrick Cook-Deegan says, Were excited to bring something totally new to the K-12 SEL market. Our 13 years of vertically aligned, developmentally appropriate, and fully adaptable lessons encompass and transcend traditional SEL.This offers schools and districts the opportunity to support their students to thrive from childhood through graduation and beyond. This new curriculum release comes at a time when the need for SEL and comprehensive, preventative mental health support for students is at an all-time high. In December, 2021 the U.S. Surgeon General declared a childhood and adolescent mental health crisis. Recent reports show that most schools are still failing to meet the needs of their students. Way finders K-12 products aim to help schools address this crisis with learning experiences that support holistic childhood and adolescent development. Visit Wayfinders website to learn more about their products and schedule a demo with an experienced team member.. ________________________________________ Wayfinder is a leading provider of social-emotional and purpose learning tools to schools across the US and in 15 countries around the world. Founded on research out of the Stanford d.School, they are committed to supporting students academic engagement and holistic well-being with physical and digital tools that enable educators to build strong relationships with their students and guide them to live lives of purpose. The Trophies of 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls 2022 I have been involved in this competition for 3 years, but this year I have discovered wines that are lighter, juicier, and more appealing, so much so they call for another glass. They are not examples of wines that are often referred to as having the first sip effect. 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls, the annual blind tasting wine selection of Veronafiere, drew to a close on April 3rd, 2022. A total of 960 wines got selected, respectively 651 for 5StarWines and 309 for Wine Without Walls, the section dedicated to wines that are either certified organic, or biodynamic, or produced by companies adhering to protocols/certifications of sustainability. These wines obtained a score of at least 90/100 points, after the evaluation of an international jury. More than 70 judges among Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, WSET Diploma holders, VIA experts and ambassadors, oenologists, and journalists, examined, commented, and assigned scores to more than 2300 wines. Out of the selected wines, the top-performing wines also obtained the additional title of Trophies assigned by the international jury and ultimately the General Chairs, the most relevant of the judges panels. Here is the official list of the Trophies of the 5StarWines section: WINERY OF THE YEAR GRAND VINITALY 2022 TERRE CORTESI MONCARO BEST ITALIAN WINE BANCO BPM 2022 CANTINA DELLA VERNACCIA - Vernaccia di Oristano DOC Riserva Judikes 2008 97/100 BEST WHITE WINE TERRE CORTESI MONCARO - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore Fondiglie 2021 95/100 BEST ROSE WINE AZIENDA AGRICOLA FEDERICI DI GIULIO FEDERICI - Liguria di Levante IGT Vermentino Rosato Prima Brezza 2021 93/100 BEST RED WINE MARCHESI CATTANEO ADORNO GIUSTINIANI - Gabiano DOC Riserva A Matilde Giustiniani 2015 96/100 BEST SEMI-SPARKLING WINE AZIENDA AGRICOLA PEZZUOLI - Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOP Frizzante Semisecco Pietrascura - Riservato agli amici 93/100 BEST SPARKLING WINE TERRE DI SAN VENANZIO FORTUNATO - Valdobbiadene DOCG Superiore di Cartizze Spumante Brut 2020 96/100 BEST SWEET WINE CANTINA TOBLINO - Trentino DOC Vino Santo Puro 2000 96/100 BEST WINE DISTRIBUTED BY FERROWINE PARIDE IARETTI & C. - Gattinara DOCG Vigna Valferana 2017 96/100 Alongside 5StarWines there is Wine Without Walls: BEST WINERY WINE WITHOUT WALLS 2022 VINI CENTANNI BEST BIODYNAMIC WINE MONTECAPPONE - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore Vino Biologico Ergo 2020 92/100 BEST ORGANIC WINE CANTINE VOLPI - Colli Tortonesi DOC Timorasso Vino Biologico Derthona La Zerba 2020 96/100 BEST SUSTAINABLE WINE AZIENDA VINICOLA ATTILIO CONTINI - Vernaccia di Oristano DOC Riserva Antico Gregori 1979 96/100 The new General Chair Caro Maurer MW, the first female Master of Wine from the German-speaking countries, commented on the 6th edition of 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls: I find myself among a small group of perfectionists, of experts. The discussions between us were at such a high level, moreover, the exchanges were polite; there were no arguments, only polite, constructive discussion. This is one of the many reasons I have enjoyed taking part so very much. I feel this is actually one of the best competitions Ive ever participated in. According to Gabriele Gorelli MW, the first Italian Master of Wine, the 6th edition had something new to tell: I have been involved in this competition for 3 years, but this year I have discovered wines that are lighter, juicier, and more appealing, so much so they call for another glass. They are not examples of wines that are often referred to as having the first sip effect, meaning, you like it immediately but realize it would be a challenge to finish the bottle. This style of wine is increasingly present in tastings and in retastings, normally those types score higher but it seems they took a back seat this year. What happens after the Selection? The selected wines that obtained a score of at least 90/100 will be published in the guide 5StarWines the Book. The Guide is a promotional and marketing tool that aims at helping the selected producers reach international visibility and recognition. The Guide is strategically distributed at the main trade fairs, B2B meetings, tastings, and masterclasses. This way producers and their wines can access international buyers in the reference market. The obtained score will be visible on the selected wines that are present on the online platform wine-searcher.com, renowned wine search engine used all over the world. On top of that, this year 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls returned in the days preceding Vinitaly 2022, one of the most important fair trades in the wine sector. Since each selected wine receives a Diploma containing the score assigned by the judges, this year it was conveyed that producers that are also exhibitors at Vinitaly will receive the certificate during the fair. The Trophies will be officially awarded in a dedicated ceremony during Vinitaly, on Tuesday 12th, 2022. To the remaining producers, the Diploma will be sent in digital format. Producers can upload the score obtained on the Vinitaly App and Vinitaly Plus portal: this makes them traceable both during Vinitaly and on the online platforms. Once published, the Guide will be available for online consultation on the 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls website and distributed to an audience consisting of: 10,000+ top buyers from the Vinitaly Community, 200+ selected journalists, 200+ Wine Ambassadors and Experts of Vinitaly International Academy, 100+ international judges, and Wine Experts from around the world. The 6th edition might be ended but now the promotional period starts. With Vinitaly back in presence and the scores obtained during 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls, producers will achieve more and more international relevance and promotion. Full lists of wines selected here: 5StarWines section - https://www.5starwines.it/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Classifica2022_5StarWines_ENG.pdf Wines Without Walls section - https://www.5starwines.it/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Classifica2022_WWW_ENG.pdf ------- About: 5StarWines the Book is the annual wine selection organized by Veronafiere, held in the lead-up to the biggest Italian wine fair in the world. The event is now in its sixth edition. 5StarWines the Book is a blind tasting aimed at shedding light on wineries investing in the improvement of their products. During the event, a highly qualified panel of wine professionals will taste and score using a 100-point scale participating wines. In the 2022 edition, over 2300 bottles took part in the competition and 960 were selected for inclusion in 5StarWines the Book. The Guide is a useful tool both on the promotional and commercial side. It introduces international buyers and wine lovers to new wine products of great value. It guarantees wine quality and it maintains and certifies their value at an international level. The competitive market...is requiring family offices to implement more formalized, clearly defined strategies in recruiting and retaining key talent. Linda Mack of Mack International was invited to speak at the Deloitte National Family Office Forum on March 3, 2022, in Westlake, Texas. The forum was held at Deloitte Universitys Leadership Center March 2-4. The session was entitled, Understanding the Latest Trends in Family Office Recruiting and Retention. Linda focused on key trends Mack International is seeing in the market, a proven process to ensure success in attracting and retaining C-suite leadership, and best practices in addressing challenges facing Family Offices. She also discussed the Family Office of the future. According to Linda, the biggest trend over the last 20 years is family offices and family investment firms becoming more strategic and professional in terms of systems and operating platforms. Increased access to information and an intensified competitive market are two key drivers requiring family offices to implement more formalized, clearly defined strategies in recruiting and retaining key talent. Linda explained. While the majority of offices are looking for someone with the requisite skills and experience, culture fit within the family is the predominant predictor of future success. Most family offices seek long term relationships with their executives spanning 15-20 years. Leaders who align with a family office culture are poised to shape and set the stage for future generations. This is difficult to assess without the right process. Linda shared a six-step process developed by Mack International to help families to clearly define the role and ideal candidate profile to attract and retain C-suite leadership. The process has enabled our clients to be 100% successful in consistently identifying and hiring the best talent for them, said Linda. There was great interest given the competitive and challenging landscape family offices are facing. Compensation plays a significant role and continues to be a hot topic for Family Offices. Candidates expect to be offered seriously competitive packages including long term incentives. Linda encourages families to view every person they hire as a return on investment. If you are seeking top notch talent, a long term commitment and specific skills and attributes, it is not a cost, but a value-add. The content of the job will benchmark the compensation range and total package. Boundaries put on compensation ranges can have significant implications on your ability to recruit the best candidate. Being thoughtful about your goals and objectives and tie incentives to those performance metrics. Long term incentives should align with family philosophy and culture. Linda emphasized that once you find the ideal leader, consider how you will stimulate and motivate that individual. Compensation is important but factors such as apportioning resources and authority commensurate with accountability as well as formalized governance and succession plans are also crucial to both attracting and retaining talent. Linda described the family office of the future as evolving. Successful family offices recognize the future is now. They are proactive, strategic and continue to strengthen their value proposition. They are leveraging technology for both efficiency and effectiveness. The focus on value-add and return on investment will continue to grow. Linda spoke about the profile of effective leaders as evolving both in skill level and personal characteristics. The best strategic leaders are expert generalists who not only have knowledge across the horizontal spectrum but also understand the interconnectivity between each. Nothing happens in isolation and each decision has implications across multiple disciplines. She emphasized the importance of identifying candidates with both a high IQ and high EQ. Strong business acumen, critical thinking, strategic approach to issues, and being an expert generalist are all necessary. But so are key personal attributes inspiring inclusion, collaboration, and trust. Linda cited an interesting statistic reported in the 2021 compensation survey reflecting the large percentage increase in female CEOs in family offices. The session closed with Linda in an interactive discussion with the audience including post pandemic challenges. The candidate supply is low and the pressure for hybrid/remote working environments is adding a new element to the equation, forcing everyone to be more agile. Linda thanked Deloitte for the invitation to speak. I sincerely enjoyed the opportunity to participate in Deloittes National Family Office Forum. The facility is amazing. It was a privilege. Were excited to expand further within the UK for our customers. The new facility gives us in-country disaster recovery and active-active HA options within the UK, while improving latency for consumers. NetActuate is pleased to announce it has further expanded by adding a core data center POP in Manchester, UK. The new facility provides a full suite of NetActuate services including BGP Anycast, IP Transit, Bare Metal, Colocation and Virtual/Cloud offerings for NetActuates platform customers. Mark Mahle, Chief Engineering Officer for NetActuate, explains, Were excited to expand further within the UK for our customers. The new facility gives us in-country disaster recovery and active-active HA options within the UK, while improving latency for consumers. With some of the most sophisticated security of any data center in Europe, the NetActuate Manchester data center boasts over 70,000 sq. ft of space and is known as Manchester's most resilient colocation facility. As well as being the only data center in the UK to offer 2(N+N) UPS redundancy and an on-site BS5979 control center, it hosts industry-standard environmental monitoring, fire detection and suppression systems to avert environmental risks to hardware, and it has a myriad of certifications (such as ISO2700). Customers in this location can also benefit from direct access to LINX (the London Internet Exchange) Manchester (as well as the NetActuate Global Network), which has over 130 connected networks, a mix of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and large content networks. Traffic regularly exceeds 170Gbps and in September last year, the exchange hit a new maximum traffic peak of 255Gbps, making LINX Manchester one of the busier exchanges in Europe. In terms of providers, they can easily deploy and expand their global presence on NetActuates anycast delivery platform, which is built on one of the largest peered IPv4 and IPv6 networks in the world. The NetActuate anycast platform expands NetActuates global footprint and was built purposely to deliver low latency and high reliability across diverse global markets, which includes Manchester and over 30 US and global locations. With simple and regular monthly pricing, customers can deploy their hybrid environments without having to manage multiple vendors for their infrastructure and low-latency network services. To learn more about NetActuates services from Miami, please schedule a call with a solution specialist by calling +1-919-381-5400 or visiting netactuate.com. --- About NetActuate Operating one of the 10 largest IPv4 and IPv6 peered networks in the world, NetActuate helps providers get closer to their end users no matter where in the world they are. Available from over 30 locations worldwide, our managed network and infrastructure services simplify and accelerate the global distribution of online applications and SaaS platforms. Learn more today at +1-919-381-5400 or at netactuate.com. To learn more about BGP anycast and how it can help reduce latency across diverse global markets, visit NetActuate's anycast information resource site at anycast.com. CAIRO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Egypt called Sunday for a halt to the ongoing escalation in the Palestinian territories during the holy month of Ramadan and the Christian and Jewish feasts, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Cairo also condemned the continued incursions of Israeli settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque, it added. Egypt highlighted the importance of adhering to international law to provide due protection for Palestinian civilians, as well as stopping any practices that violate the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, it noted. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is a site holy to both Muslims and Jews, the latter of whom call it the Temple Mount. Since Thursday, at least six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, including three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The Israeli attack, which took place on the first day of Ramadan, came a few days after a Palestinian gunman shot dead five people in a suburb of Tel Aviv before he was killed by the Israeli police. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been going on for decades, following the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the Western-backed creation of Israel in 1948. Last month, the Biden Administration announced new regulations on the federal Charter Schools Program (CSP). The CSP is designed to offer a funding source for charter schools to expand access for students to high-quality school options, as well as to help schools fund facilities. The regulations are ostensibly designed to create better oversight. But they are largely based on strawman arguments about charters and will have a chilling effect on one of the most important educational options for families across the U.S. There are several troubling aspects to the new regulations. Among the most troubling is that charters would be evaluated for funding based on whether theyre located in areas that have excess students in traditional, local schools. This provision shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of charter schools. Charter schools are meant to be much more than an overflow valve for the excess capacity needs of a school district. Theyre meant to offer competition to the existing schools by being freed from existing rules that hamper innovation. It is only by offering this competition that charters can work to improve the performance of the district, as traditional schools will be incentivized to improve. Another problematic regulation has to do with a requirement that charter schools prove that theyre serving students from diverse backgrounds. This appears to be based on a belief that charter schools are some elaborate scheme to reinstitute Jim Crow in modern America, but there is no evidence to support this claim. While charter schools dont always display the same racial balance as the average traditional public school, this is precisely because charters tend to exist in communities with the most at-risk students. According to recent data, charter schools serve a far higher percentage of African Americans (24.9%) and Hispanics (35.2%) relative to the population as a whole. There are other issues as well. Charters would be strongly encouraged to partner with local public schools in the areaschools that are, in many cases, unwilling partners. Charters would also be required to make extensive reports on any goods and services they purchase from for-profit entities. These regulations are little more than bureaucratic busy work and threaten to take away time and resources from the education of students. Lets look at an example of how the Biden administrations new rules negatively impact students. In the past decade, Wisconsin has received more than $95 million from CSP to support high-quality charters in the state, a sizable portion of which went to Milwaukee charters. And while Milwaukees traditional public schools continue to fail a generation of predominantly minority students, thanks in part to this funding, the citys charters have offered a beacon of hope. For instance, the most recent state exam found proficiency rates in math and language arts of under 20% districtwide. Yet local charter schools have continually outperformed their peers on the test, and their focus on serving the particularized needs of their communities has borne fruit. One such charter was founded by Civil Rights advocate and former superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools, Howard Fuller. The school has boasted a 100% college admissions rate for a population of largely low-income, inner-city students since 2012. Under Bidens regulations, due to Milwaukees declining population size and the population of students they serve, a school like Fullers would likely be ineligible for grants. Thus, the charter schools in Milwaukee offer a perfect example of the problems with these regulatory changes. Former President Barack Obama was a big proponent of charters, having witnessed their success firsthand in Chicago. In his first campaign, Obama pledged to double federal support to charter schools so that more could be created. While he didnt quite meet that goal, he did increase funding for the George W. Bush-era program substantially. However, support for charter schools has become mostly anathema among national Democrats in the Biden era. One doesnt need to check campaign finance filings to understand why this is the case. Because they offer competition for traditional public schools, charter schools are now among the bogeymen of the public-school unions as part of the broader school-choice agenda. But since popular support for school choice remains strong around the country, charter school opponents may soon realize that choosing unions over low-income families was a mistake. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 04/03/2022 ADVERTISEMENT [ Spoiler Warning: This report contains spoilers on Memphis and Hamza's relationship and if the : Before the 90 Days couple is still together now.] ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT So are Memphis and Hamza still together now? Are they still married or has the : Before the 90 Days couple split up? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. : Before the 90 Days' fifth season featured Memphis Smith and Hamza Moknii getting married, so did the couple's marriage survive or have Memphis and Hamza broken up? What do spoilers reveal about Hamza and Memphis' current relationship now?Memphis is a 34-year-old from Muskegon, MI, and Hamza is a 28-year-old from Kairouan, Tunisia.After being single for four years and dating around quite a bit, Memphis -- who called herself spontaneous and fun -- met a "special" guy named Hamza eight months prior to filming : Before the 90 Days.Memphis is a single mom to a 13-year-old daughter named Kennedi, whom she welcomed from a relationship that took place 14 years ago, as well as a six-year-old son, whom she shares custody of with her ex-husband.Memphis said she works hard to support her children and put herself through school for over eight years to obtain her Master's degree and become a nurse practitioner.Memphis was so proud of her life but wanted to share it with a man, and dating American men online apparently wasn't working out for her.Memphis said Hamza gave her "butterflies" that she never felt before and she found him to be "very considerate," loving and caring.The only problem was the couple's language barrier since Hamza only speaks a little English and she doesn't speak any Arabic. She joked about how the only words they both knew was "sexy time."Memphis planned to fly to Tunisia and take "sexy time" to a whole new level. She said she was truly in love with Hamza and wanted to skip getting engaged and go straight to getting married.Memphis intended to spend one week with Hamza in person, get married during Week 2, and then spend the third week honeymooning and enjoying being newlyweds.Memphis also claimed she had told Hamza he must get a job in the United States in heating and cooling, so she didn't plan on supporting him financially for very long.Memphis, who had been in 12 different foster homes until the age of 19 because her mother had struggled with a crack addiction and her father was in prison, felt her childhood played a part in her desire to feel secure with a man.Memphis craved emotional and physical intimacy, but Hamza still lived at home with his mother, his "everything." And his mother Hayet didn't approve of Hamza and Memphis having pre-marital sex.Things were going well for the couple, however, until Memphis discovered Hamza had lied about his age and he's only 26 years old. He had told Memphis he was 28 at the time so she'd think he's more mature. Memphis lamented about feeling fooled and "betrayed."The lie made Memphis question whether she even wanted to go through with marriage, and she wondered what else her fiance could be lying about.But after Hamza promised Memphis he hadn't lied about anything else, the couple headed to an embassy two hours away to get the ball rolling on their marriage.Memphis didn't think Hamza was prepared for their meeting and she accused him of not "being a man," and Hamza complained, "Memphis nags me a lot. I do not like her attitude at all."Hamza began having second thoughts about marriage, but Memphis gave him the ultimatum that they needed to wed or else she'd be done with him.The couple then made love in a hotel room, and Memphis revealed "it was very fast and furious.""But I really feel so much more relieved because he did perform for me last night. He definitely showed me that he can do what he needs to do to satisfy me, so I was very happy," she noted.On the right track, Memphis then broached the topic of getting a prenuptial agreement so that if she and Hamza ever got a divorce, he wouldn't be able to take any of her money.Memphis felt the need to protect herself going into this marriage, and she told Hamza, "If you do not sign the contract, I do not want to marry you."Hamza said he's never heard of a prenup before and they don't exist in Tunisia. He apparently felt "insulted" since a marriage should be built on trust and respect, but he agreed to sign anyway.Once Memphis received the paperwork -- an affidavit of eligibility to marry -- Memphis told Hamza that she wanted their finances to be 50/50 in America and to work as a team.But Hamza said he felt humiliated and Memphis was making him feel "weak."Hamza began wondering if he could spend the rest of his life with a woman who was able to hurt him so badly. He didn't like how Memphis allegedly made a big deal out of "petty problems" and exaggerated their issues.Hamza's mother Hayet asked him while he was picking out his tuxedo for the wedding, "Are you sure about [the wedding]? Why are you in a hurry?"Hamza seemed unsure, and Memphis still had yet to tell him about how she had slept at her ex-husband's house for four nights in the summer when she and Hamza first got involved.Memphis claimed she and her ex hadn't engaged in any sexual relations since their divorce, but she feared Hamza would get very jealous over the situation.When Hamza learned the truth, he admitted they may be rushing into marriage, which Memphis disagreed with. Memphis appeared furious, in fact.Memphis complained, "Why would you ask me to get married to you and then have me do all this stuff and all of this preparing for nothing? That is ridiculous. Why would you ask me to come to Tunisia and marry you if you did not want to get married? I do not understand!"Hamza admitted he was afraid of Memphis changing her mind about him and then divorcing him, but Memphis asked Hamza to not focus on her past -- which was an even more challenging feat once he discovered Memphis had slept at her ex-husband's place while they were together.Memphis explained how she desperately needed some moral support at the time she had slept at her ex-husband's place and it was a very dark time in her life. At the time, she didn't pass her state boards for the first time and she was very depressed.Hamza told Memphis that he understood her reasoning and still loved her and wanted to marry her, but he hoped she would rely on him for support going forward.The couple later hashed out their issues and insecurities with the help of a human language translator, and then Hamza officially proposed marriage to Memphis in Zriba Olia, a historical place and beautiful city surrounded by mountains."Baby, you are my happiness. Do you want to marry me?" Hamza asked.Memphis giggled and answered, "Do I?... Do you trust me? Do you trust me with everything?""Yes," Hamza replied. "Yes.""Okay," Memphis said. "I will marry you."Although the couple had gotten engaged online, he wanted to propose to her in person and show that he was serious about their relationship and his doubts had been resolved.Hamza gushed about Memphis' "great soul" and "strong personality," and he added, "That's why I love her."Memphis also looked forward to becoming a member of a close-knit family, especially since Hamza's mother Hayet and sister Rawia accepted her and embraced her. Memphis even went shopping for a traditional wedding dress with the women.But Memphis' world came crashing down when she FaceTimed with a Michigan lawyer and learned how Memphis hadn't given herself enough time to secure a prenuptial agreement. The lawyer warned Memphis she couldn't protect herself so quickly before the wedding, especially because Hamza would also have to consult with an attorney.Memphis was advised to push back the wedding in order to protect herself and her assets, but Memphis feared putting her relationship with Hamza in jeopardy."I feel so conflicted. I do want to marry Hamza and have a family with him, and I trust him, but my children come first. It is really important to me to give my children the life that I didn't have, so putting my savings at risk scares me," Memphis explained."And I hope that Hamza understands where I'm coming from."Memphis went on to celebrate her bachelorette party with Hamza's family members, and she determined that while an iron-clad prenup wasn't a possibility, she'd just ask Hamza to sign a postnuptial agreement, which apparently came with a little bit more risk for Memphis."I despise the notion of divorce. I was a victim of my parents' divorce," Hamza said in a confessional. "I don't want to go through that awful experience."Memphis insisted that she trusted Hamza but had to protect her kids, adding, "If he won't sign the paper, then I don't want to get married."Hamza called the whole situation "bad," and Rawia told Hamza not to let her force any paperwork on him in order to marry.Although Rawia felt Memphis loved a piece of paper more than her brother, Hamza reluctantly agreed to sign the paper and said he never wanted to hear about it again.Memphis concluded that she trusted Hamza, but she's not sure she could ever trust a person enough."In my heart, I do feel like I'm making the right decision. Hamza gives me a sense of family that I don't think I've ever really felt, and I deserve it," Memphis said. "But ultimately, I don't know what to expect in the future. I just hope and pray I'm not making the wrong decision."Walking into the wedding venue, Memphis felt nothing but excitement. She said she felt like a foster kid again getting picked up by her new family, and she cried tears of joy.Memphis and Hamza signed notary as husband and wife and then celebrated their union with an hour of dancing and partying. Everyone then recited the Qur'an, and Hamza kissed Memphis on the forehead and said, "You are married to me now.""We are married!" Memphis shouted after the ceremony, which was extremely quick.Hamza called Memphis the light of his life and looked forward to their future together, despite all of their problems. Hamza said he'd be responsible for taking care of his wife going forward, and his mother was thrilled to see her son so happy.Memphis said it was going to be heartbreaking to leave Hamza behind and go back to America, so she prayed the spousal-visa process wouldn't take long and she could move him to the United States as fast as possible.Until then, Memphis and Hamza were excited to enjoy their honeymoon, drink and have sex without his mother around.A few days after the wedding, Memphis said it felt "beyond amazing" to wake up next to Hamza as her husband in the morning and travel the coast of Tunisia with him for their honeymoon.But she had something to tell her husband, and Memphis worried about how he was going to react.Suddenly, Memphis revealed to Hamza that she was pregnant. Memphis had been waking up feeling nauseous and not quite like herself, and so she snuck out to the pharmacy to buy and take a pregnancy test.Memphis said she wasn't trying to get pregnant on this trip, but at the same time, she and Hamza weren't taking a lot of precautions and so they knew this was something that could happen."The idea of having more kids is really stressful," Memphis admitted. "I have children already and I'm pretty settled, but because I love Hamza so much and I know that he wants to be a father, that makes me want to give him one."Hamza seemed very excited, but he was upset he wouldn't be able to help Memphis through her pregnancy in the U.S.Memphis had to return home in just two days, but she said she'd apply for the spousal visa right away and hoped Hamza would be in America for the birth of their baby.The couple then revealed their pregnancy news to Hamza's mother and sister, and they said, "Congratulations. You're bringing a little Hamza!"According to online records obtained by In Touch Weekly, Memphis registered to vote in Ottawa County, Michigan, in October 2021 under the name Memphis Chardell-Arden Mokni, showing that she has taken Hamza's last name since their wedding day.Memphis and Hamza have allegedly been spotted filming in America with their new baby, sparking speculation they will appear on a future spinoff.Before the episode aired that featured Memphis revealing her pregnancy, podcaster Sarah Fraser took to TikTok and guessed that Memphis and Hamza have had a baby together. (She was addressing rumors that began circulating in January).A fan then reportedly wrote in the TikTok comments about Memphis and Hamza, "Yes! She lives in my town. Seen with him and the baby! They are shooting in Muskegon right now with 90 Day camera crew."If Hamza made it to the U.S. on a spousal visa, it would appear he and Memphis are still together and they are raising their baby together in Michigan.It's possible Memphis and Hamza could be filming for a future season of or one of its many spinoffs including : Happily Ever After or 90 Day Diaries.Rumors that Memphis had already welcomed her baby with Hamza began circulating in early January, just one month after the pair made their TLC debut.Instagrammer John Yates posted screenshots of a man named Travis' alleged tweets from January 8 through January 9.Travis claimed to be Memphis' ex-boyfriend and said the true love of Memphis' life is her ex-husband and not Hamza.Travis also posted a big "spoiler alert," writing about Memphis, "She is bipolar [and]] was pregnant with his baby. She had the baby a few months ago."Travis was referring to Hamza and pointed out to Twitter users that Season 5 of : Before the 90 Days, although it's just airing now, filmed about a year ago.Travis therefore suggested Memphis had plenty of time to get pregnant and deliver a child before the premiere of : Before the 90 Days' fifth season.In a heated exchange between John and Memphis after Travis made his allegations, John apparently told Memphis, "I was just reporting on things that [were] said. Everyone else is saying you already had a kid and are married."Memphis seemed to confirm her relationship status at the time by responding to John, "I don't care about the married and kid thing!"Memphis said she was upset by other "rude" things Travis had said about her on the Internet that she found "saddening."Travis, for instance, said he'd never want a child with Memphis and her behavior on indicates why he had decided to end their relationship.John concluded -- referencing her alleged marriage and the baby again -- "All I did was repost [your] own mother calling Hamza her son in law... It's clear that [Travis is] legit as you just confirmed his existence, but at no point did I ever say you were married and had a baby.""Everyone else has -- I haven't," he noted. "People are looking up your baby registries right now."Hamza also allowed fans to believe he and Memphis are still together when he posted two smiling selfies of the couple in late March and captioned it with three hearts.And in late February, Hamza posted a cute photo with Memphis and captioned it with five red heart emojis.But Memphis has many fans thinking she and Hamza have split.On March 13, she posted an image that read, "Never love a man so much that you ignore the truth about him."One followers told Memphis to "hang in there," to which she replied, "Thank God that I have the support! I don't know where I would be right now!"She also told another fan, "It will be a great day soon enough!"And the pair had also unfollowed each other on Instagram.Back in February, Memphis uploaded a cryptic quote about grieving."Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength," Memphis wrote. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."Memphis also advised her fans on February 1 to not let anyone "destroy and break [their] spirit."Memphis previously shared in her Instagram Story about how she prays to God her son and daughter will learn from her mistakes, and she suggested karma will get back to a person who puts another through "sh-t."In late January, Memphis said the "stress" in her life had her hair falling out.But around that same time, John Yates posted a screenshot of a photo from Hamza's Instagram account.In the comments of Hamza's selfie, Memphis' mother Deborah Smith Price wrote, "Hello handsome son in law," and Hamza sweetly responded, "Thank mam," along with four red-heart emojis.Their exchange would seem to suggest Memphis and Hamza were still together and Memphis had developed a close relationship with his mother-in-law.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! People shop at a local market during the fasting month of Ramadan in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, April 3, 2022. (Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua) BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Muslims in Brunei observed the first day of the fasting month of Ramadan on Sunday as the country has recorded less than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for 11 consecutive days. The daily period of fasting starts at the breaking of dawn and ends at the setting of the sun. Twelve cannon shots were fired at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien here in the capital, which unveiled the fasting month. Unlike the practice of closing all Ramadan markets due to the pandemic in 2020, as Brunei has announced entering the COVID-19 endemic period, the country resumed last year's Ramadan markets in several locations across the country, with vendors offering Malay-style cakes, barbecue, drinks and other Muslim delicacies, attracting a large number of people to the markets. Brunei reported 544 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the national tally to 135,974. As a country of 420,000 people, Brunei has recorded less than 1,000 new cases for 11 straight days since March 24 after the daily increase during the third wave of the pandemic reached its peak on March 3 with 4,885 cases. As of Saturday, 61.9 percent of Brunei's population have received three doses of COVID-19 vaccines. In his special speech broadcasted nationwide before welcoming the first day of Ramadan, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Brunei's Sultan urged the people to exercise perseverance and patience in the face of challenges during the holy month of Ramadan and the COVID-19 pandemic. During the month of Ramadan, working hours at government ministries and private industries will be adjusted for earlier off-duty to facilitate fasting for Muslims. Local eateries are advised not to serve dine-in customers in daylight hours under local law. Offenders will be prosecuted for disrespecting the holy month. Consuming food, drinking and smoking in public places during daylight hours are also offenses under the law, under which offenders can be prosecuted. Non-Muslims can buy fast food takeaway in restaurants or eateries. People eat in front of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque during the fasting month of Ramadan in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, April 3, 2022. (Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua) A vendor sells fruits at a local market during the fasting month of Ramadan in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, April 3, 2022.(Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua) People buy fruits at a local market during the fasting month of Ramadan in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, April 3, 2022.(Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua) By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 04/03/2022 ADVERTISEMENT [ Spoiler Warning: This report features spoilers about the current status of Mike and Ximena's relationship and if the couple ever got back together]. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT So are Mike and Ximena still over and done with, or did the couple reconcile? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. : Before the 90 Days has shown Ximena Morales Cuellar breaking up with Mike Berk and crushing his heart in Colombia, so are Mike and Ximena still broken up or did the couple eventually reconcile? Do spoilers reveal that Mike and Ximena are back together?On Season 5 of : Before the 90 Days, Mike, a 34-year-old IT support technician and volunteer firefighter from Thiells, NY, revealed how he had met Ximena, a 24-year-old from Pereira, Colombia, on a dating app after being single for 20 years or so.Mike hadn't been in a serious relationship since high school and he wanted to find a woman with whom to settle down, get married and welcome children with.When Mike saw Ximena, he thought she was "the most beautiful woman in the world." The pair went on to communicate for about a year despite the Spanish-language barrier between them.Mike dreamt of Ximena and her two sons, Harold, 3, and Juan, 9, moving in with him in the United States. (Mike lived with his father and grandfather at the time).Mike then packed his belongings, as well as an engagement ring, for a two-week trip to Colombia. Mike said if he discovered Ximena had been using him the whole time for money, considering he paid her rent and much more, his heart would be broken.Prior to Mike's arrival, Ximena shared how she lived in Pereira in Colombia and Juan's dad was a one-night stand. She also said Harold's dad was in jail.She was struggling financially as a manicurist amid the coronavirus pandemic, and Mike had been filling up with her place with necessary items such as a stove and refrigerator."I stay afloat with what Mike contributes to me," Ximena said. "But Mike is not the kind of guy I'm usually attracted to because I like big men. My ex-boyfriends have been policemen, tattoo artists, farmers, even drug dealers."Ximena admitted that she didn't find Mike physically attractive but she was attracted to his heart.When Ximena and Mike met at the airport for the first time, Ximena claimed their kissing wasn't passionate. She also watched Mike struggle when trying to talk to her extended family.But Mike said his first night with Ximena in bed was "the best time" he's ever had with a woman. He said she "knocked it out of the park" and they did it "over and over again," while Ximena just thought the encounter was "normal" and "nothing out of this world."Ximena later broke Mike's heart by telling him that she couldn't have any more children."I suffered a lot with my two deliveries because to have a child Caesarean is the worst pain a mother could go through," Ximena explained in a confessional. "So I decided to get operated [on] and they cut my tubes and burned them, so that I definitely couldn't have more kids."Mike wished he had been told this sooner because he didn't like having secrets between them, and he called the news "devastating." However, Mike succumbed to the fact he could raise Ximena's two boys as his own.As time passed, Ximena found Mike's habits annoying and "super, super gross.""He throws clothes everywhere like a kid. He'll let out a fart in front of me," Ximena complained. "And he burps on top of you. So it's like, 'Oh no!' It's funny but infuriating at the same time... Can you imagine three or four years from now?! It's crazy."Mike told Ximena that he would work on his flaws, but Ximena felt disgusted by her "slob" boyfriend and was disappointed in him."If we get married, I don't want a messy husband with no manners. That's not the future I want," Ximena complained to the cameras.Mike promised to work on his faults and later proposed marriage to Ximena in front of her family.Ximena knew Mike would make her feel financially secure, and she pointed out how her sons would receive a better education in the U.S. and Mike could provide them with a better life.Ximena therefore agreed to marry Mike and cried tears of joy because he's "sweet, kind and very loving.""He's won the affection of my family and my kids," Ximena shared. "So why would I say no?"It then became time for Mike to leave Colombia, but he planned to return in a couple of months. Mike said he had to go back to work but hated the idea of leaving only hours after proposing.Mike intended to marry Ximena during his next visit to Colombia, apply for a visa and then move Ximena and her sons to New York.Mike hoped he and his new fiancee wouldn't grow apart, but that's exactly what happened.Mike said he and Ximena were scheduled to get married in Colombia the following month, but he noticed Ximena was being a little standoffish -- and so he planned another trip to Colombia so they could reconnect in person before tying the knot.Mike told his father and grandfather how Ximena had been "off" and more distant for two weeks. During that time, she apparently asked Mike to pay for a liposuction procedure as well as a breast augmentation."I know Ximena and I need to work on our relationship, and that's why I have to go back to Colombia. What I hope happens on this trip is we work out the differences, find out why she changed a little bit and why her texts are different," Mike shared."But I'm confident when we're back together, I'm going to feel the same love that we had on the first trip."Once the pair reunited, they went to a club together, but Mike returned home much earlier than his fiancee. He wondered if Ximena had spent time with another man, but she denied the allegation and got angry at Mike for interrogating her.Ximena didn't even seem excited about trying on wedding dresses and picking one out. She wasn't happy Mike refused to pay for her plastic surgery."I feel like Ximena is almost giving me an ultimatum, because if I don't pay for the surgery, there is no wedding dress... She should be wanting to use that money for our future together, but that doesn't seem to be on her mind and that really hurts," Mike noted.Later on, Ximena complained about how Mike was always on top of her. She said Mike followed her everywhere she went, like if she stopped eating, he would stop eating. Ximena called him "weird" and accused him of imitating her.Ximena thought Mike could be too affectionate, and she didn't like how he said, "I love you," every few minutes. She called Mike's behavior "stressful" and "exhausting," and she admitted having surgery was more important to her than getting married.Mike said he wasn't spying on Ximena; he was just looking at her because she looked beautiful all the time. Regardless, he agreed to give her more space."I want time. I don't want to get married yet," Ximena said. "I do want us to get married, but not yet."Mike said Ximena seemed like a different person and didn't appear to be invested in their relationship anymore. The visit left Mike feeling confused, and so he flat out asked his fiancee, "Do you love me?""No," Ximena replied. "I am not in love with you."While playing pool at a pool bar in Ximena's hometown of Pereira, Mike decided to confront his then-fiancee about her change in attitude towards him and their relationship."I just want to ask, you don't love me and you need your space. I just can't stop thinking that your feelings changed when I stopped saying 'yes' to buying everything," Mike said, referring to how he wouldn't pay for Ximena to have plastic surgery."You have things that I don't like," Ximena responded. "That's what totally changed my feelings. And you still pay my rent, so it's not that."Ximena said she felt "humiliated" by that accusation and added how Mike was "throwing things" in her face. She said if Mike thought that she was only with him for money, then he didn't know her at all.Ximena therefore determined she just wanted to be friends with Mike, and she asked him to stop sending her money because she'd pay for things on her own."So you just want to be friends? That's it, after this whole year-and-a-half?" Mike asked."Yes," Ximena replied. "You'll no longer be my boyfriend nor will I be your girlfriend. We'll be friends, if you want."Given Mike had paid for all the furniture and appliances in Ximena's apartment, he said, "Okay, then anything I paid for, I want to take back with me to New York."Ximena told Mike that he could take everything out of her house because she didn't need it."Today, our relationship is over," Ximena noted. "And I'm serious. Everything is over."Mike therefore left the bar and said he was "done," and Ximena started to cry and wondered if she'd regret this decision.Mike admitted that his mind was going crazy as he ran away from the cameras, and Ximena told a producer how she didn't feel good with Mike and imagined being unhappy living with him for the rest of her life.Ximena wanted her children to have a bright future and be cared for, but at the same time, Ximena said her happiness matters just as much.Once a producer caught up with Mike in the street, Mike vented about how he had no idea what he had done wrong. Mike said he had tried to give Ximena space and distance himself and their entire one-year relationship "was probably all over freakin' money.""I thought it was real," Mike lamented in a confessional.Ximena said Mike just wasn't what she had expected and she's better off alone. Ximena shared how she could get a job as a webcam model -- which is how she met Mike to begin with -- and support herself because her family always had food and a roof over their heads before Mike came into their lives.The next day, Ximena returned her engagement ring as well as the couple's two wedding rings, and Mike asked, "You do realize that you're losing the best thing you could have ever had?""The best thing I could have had are my children," Ximena said in reply. "I don't care about the rest."Mike said he could've helped Ximena learn English to get a better job in New York, but Ximena said she never wanted to live in New York and would like to stay in Colombia."Do you just want me out of your life forever? You don't even care?" Mike asked."Things aren't working. If you want we can be friends or enemies," Ximena said."Whatever you want. But I simply don't want to be with you anymore. That's all. I don't know how to explain. I've told you this in a thousand ways and you don't understand. The relationship is over, no more."Mike countered, "This only reinforces the fact you were using me for money, because right now, you are cold and calculated."Ximena didn't seem to care, and she just told Mike to stop sending her money. She also told him that he'd be sleeping in a hotel that night before traveling home the next day.Mike replied, "No. I have proof that I pay the rent in this house, so I'm not leaving."Mike appeared devastated and distraught, and he said Ximena had made him feel like "sh-t" because nothing seemed to matter to her except the money he had been sending her."She's a mean, evil, cold, b-tch," Mike determined. "Son of a b-tch."Mike felt disrespected and said he had been treated like "a third-class citizen" on this trip.Ximena called the situation stupid, which prompted Mike to call her "stupid." Mike apparently misunderstood what Ximena had said, thinking she had called him "stupid" first.Mike started to cry as Ximena sought comfort and support from her family members, and Mike just hoped he could stay at a hotel and return to the house the next day just to say goodbye.Mike and Ximena appeared to still be together and engaged in early January 2022.Ximena posted two videos on her TikTok account -- which have since been deleted -- indicating she and Mike were an item at the time.In the first of two videos Ximena posted that no longer appear on her TikTok account, she showed a picture of Mike holding a ring box as well as her wearing an off-the-shoulder sparkly wedding dress."I love you my life. Thank you for so much happiness," Ximena wrote in Spanish, according to Soap Dirt.In the second video, Ximena shared a picture of another wedding dress hanging up as well as a ring box by itself.She simply captioned the post, when translated from Spanish to English, "Marry me!"But on February 17, Ximena posted a new video featuring an entirely different guy!Ximena was apparently showing off her new boyfriend, indicating that she and Mike have recently broken up.Ximena quickly deleted the video of this mystery man, presumably because producers saw the spoiler material -- which indicates she's no longer engaged to Mike -- and asked her to take it down.The video, however, was captured by @90shotzfired and later reposted by 90 Fiance Instagrammer John Yates.In the video, Ximena spliced together clips of her FaceTiming with the man, and she also included some solo shots of this bearded man. Ximena set the video to the same romantic song she had once in one of her previous TikTok videos that featured Mike.Shortly after Ximena took down her post, she apparently messaged @90shotzfired on Instagram and tried to explain why her recent video of a mystery man was not a spoiler about whether she and Mike are still together.But John believes Ximena was just trying to cover her tracks and she's clearly not dating Mike anymore.John wrote on his Instagram account, "I'm sorry but I'm not buying ANY of this -- if I were Judge Judy I'd say BOLOGNA MADAM! First off she messages Shotz with every excuse in the book -- 'someone stole my account', then the 'video is fake', then 'this was before I met Mike' then it was 'someone stole my phone' -- well WHICH EXCUSE IT IT?"Mike proceeded to comment on all the drama on Instagram when a fan asked him if he's okay."I am fine and just shocked [at] what I am seeing," Mike responded.But John also criticized Mike's reaction to Ximena's alleged new boyfriend."Then you have Mike saying 'I'm so shocked' GTFOH," John complained."I have been blogging about this show for a looooong time and here's what happened: Ximena posted the new video of her man on her TikTok... production caught wind of it and told her to take it down but it was too late as the floodgate had already been opened. The end. #90DayFiance."John also reposted a picture @90shotzfired had uploaded from Ximena's TikTok video. The screenshot shows one of Ximena's FaceTime conversations with her new guy took place in February 2022."Sure Ximena, this video was from the past," John captioned the screengrab, clearly calling her out for lying. "The past being 10 days ago. Maybe the dog ate your homework."A man claiming to be Mike's friend also commented on Ximena's questionable TikTok video featuring the new guy, which @mommysaysbadwordstoo uploaded to its account on February 18.The man wrote, "Poor friend. He just got back from Columbia yesterday. Treated her and the fam to Cartagena and that dude had a hotel room next door to Mikey's room. She was banging them both and he caught her. What a money hungry b-tch!!!"In Touch Weekly then confirmed in late February that Mike and Ximena had split.And on February 21, Ximena took to Instagram to post a photo of her new tattoo that pays tribute to the 2002 Disney movie, Lilo & Stitch. That tattoo on her wrist reportedly appeared to cover up a tattoo she had previously received of Mike's name.Ximena had previously shown off that Mike tattoo in September 2020 on TikTok, according to the magazine.In March, Mike was spotted filming at a restaurant in New York with his friend Nelcy, who is in a relationship with Mike's best friend John.Nelcy has been featured on : Before the 90 Days. Not only did she help pick out toys for Ximena's boys but she also translated Ximena's Spanish for Mike when the pair were discussing their relationship with a language barrier.Photos of Mike and Nelcy out in Pomona were posted on Reddit, and so fans speculated that Mike was filming for a future spinoff such as : The Single Life or 90 Day Diaries -- which further drives home the fact Mike is currently single.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! PYONGYANG, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Kim Yo Jong, a senior official of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said on Saturday the South Korean defense minister's reckless rhetoric would worsen bilateral relations, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Sunday. "His reckless and intemperate rhetoric about the 'preemptive strike' has further worsened the inter-Korean relations and the military tension on the Korean Peninsula," said Kim, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and younger sister of DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un. South Korea's Defense Minister Suh Wook on Friday publicly said that his troops have the capabilities to "accurately and swiftly" strike the origin of DPRK's missile firing as well as command and support facilities upon clear signs of a launch toward South Korea. "South Korea may face a serious threat owing to the reckless remarks made by its defense minister," Kim said. She also said Pyongyang would reconsider many things concerning Seoul, and South Korea should discipline itself to stave off disaster. Pak Jong Chon, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, was quoted by the KCNA in a separate report on Sunday in which he warned strong retaliation if South Korea dares to conduct a "preemptive strike" against the DPRK. "If the South Korean army engages in a dangerous military action as a preemptive strike against the DPRK, being guided by misjudgment, our army will mercilessly direct all its military force into destroying major targets in Seoul and the South Korean army," Pak said. "The South Korean military must not ramp up the tension with its confrontational acts," he said. You are the owner of this article. People gathered in Harmony Parking lot in Brattleboro on Friday, April 22nd for a street festival and parade in celebration of Earth Day. According to Nancy Braus of 350 Brattleboro, the goal was to celebrate the ways in which the community is working towards climate justice and to empower Gunn Memorial Library / Contributed photo WASHINGTON The Gunn Memorial Library and the Hickory Stick Bookshop will welcome author Johnathan Galassi to discuss his latest book, School Days in a conversation with Joseph Montebello, a longtime freelance writer for the Litchfield County Times. The program will be held at 6:30 p.m., April 21 on Zoom. According to a statement, Galassis new book lifts the cover on the dynamics of a 1960s private school in Connecticut and reveals a world of privilege and scholarship on the brink of revolution. Galassi weaves a story that poses fundamental questions about love and sex, friendship and rivalry, desire and power, and the age-old dance of benevolence and attraction between teacher and student. In this coming-of-age tale that navigates homosexual crushes and the politics of an elite community, the mysterious behavior of a brilliant classics teacher fascinates his students until charges against him begin to emerge. Capturing heady friendships and rivalries of boyhood, the pressures of growing up closeted, and the very sober realities of sex and sexual misconduct, School Days wades into the charged waters of privilege, legacy, and memory to deliver a deeply observed portrait. COLOMBO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan police arrested 664 people in the Western Province between 10 p.m. local time on Saturday and 6 a.m. local time on Sunday, for violating the curfew currently in effect, Senior Superintendent of Police Nihal Thalduwa said. The government imposed a 36-hour nationwide curfew from 6.00 p.m. Saturday until 6.00 a.m. on Monday, in addition to a state of emergency declared by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. A few hours after declaring curfew, the president also issued a gazette, prohibiting people from public roads, parks, recreation or other grounds, railways, seashores and other such public places during the curfew period. The Sri Lankan government on Sunday also blocked commonly used social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and messaging platforms WhatsApp and Viber. Mass protests against the government had been planned on Sunday through social media platforms. The burning death in Sichuan is the 160th known self-immolation in Tibetan regions since 2009. An undated photo of Taphun, who died at 81 after a self-immolation protest at Kirti Monastery in the western Chinese province of Sichuan, March 27, 2022. He was protesting China's 72-year rule over Tibet and is the 160th known self-immolator since 2009. An 81-year-old Tibetan man has died after a self-immolation protest over Chinese rule, setting himself on fire last week at a police station in front of a major monastery in the western Chinese province of Sichuan, a source from the monasterys branch in India told RFA late Saturday. The burning death on March 27 of a man identified as Taphun raises to 160 the number of Tibetans confirmed to have set themselves on fire since 2009, nearly all to protest Chinese rule in the Tibetan Autonomous Region, as well as historically Tibetan areas of Sichuan and Qinghai provinces. On the 27th of March, around 5 oclock in the morning, 81-year-old Taphun self-immolated in front of a police station near Kirti Monastery in a protest against the Chinese governments oppression, said Kanyak Tsering, a spokesman at the monasterys branch in Dharamsala, India, home to the Tibetan government in exile and the Dalai Lama. He was immediately taken away by the Chinese police. Though its been a few days since we learned about this incident, now it is confirmed that he has passed away, the spokesman told RFAs Tibetan Service. The 550-year-old Kirti Monastery lies in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, part of what was formerly the Amdo region of Tibet before it was absorbed by China. The place where Taphun self-immolated is in front of the police station that is right outside Kirti Monasterys entrance, said Tsering. March is usually a very sensitive month for Tibetans and we have often seen many Tibetans in Ngaba self-immolate in the past, the exile Kirti spokesman noted. There are more restrictions and police presence around this time than usual and Tibetans are often arbitrarily interrogated by the Chinese police, he added. March 10 is Tibetan Uprising Day, the date in 1959 of a failed armed rebellion against Chinese rule that resulted in a violent crackdown on Tibetans that drove the Dalai Lama across the Himalayas into exile in India. Although disclosed on April 2, the Kirti incident took place three days before the most recent known self-immolationthat of a man, known only as Tsering, who set himself ablaze in front of a Chinese police station near a Buddhist monastery in Kyegudo (in Chinese, Jiegu), in Yushul (Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai. His fate and other details remain unknown. Sporadic demonstrations challenging Beijing's rule over what was an independent nation until Chinas invasion in 1950 have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. High-technology controls on phone and online communications in Tibetan areas often prevent news of Tibetan protests and arrests from reaching the outside world, and sharing news of self-immolations outside China has led to jail sentences. Chinese authorities maintain a tight grip on the Himalayan region, restricting Tibetans political activities and peaceful expression of ethnic and religious identity, and subjecting Tibetans to persecution, torture, imprisonment, and extrajudicial killings. Translated by Tenzin Dickyi for RFAs Tibetan Service. Written in English by Paul Eckert. KYIV -- Ukrainian and world leaders expressed horror and outrage after scenes of civilian deaths and mass executions emerged from the once-quiet town of Bucha following its occupation by Russian forces, raising accusations of atrocities and war crimes committed by Kremlin troops. An angry Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy lashed out on April 3, accusing Russian forces of committing genocide in the town and told Kremlin leaders they should come to Bucha to see what their military had done. "I want all the leaders of the Russian Federation to see how their orders are being fulfilled," Zelenskiy said in a video address, switching from Ukrainian to Russian. "These kinds of orders. This kind of fulfillment. And there is a common responsibility. For these killings, for this torture, for arms blown off by blasts...for the shots in the back of the head," he said. He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian military must be held responsible for the actions of the country's troops in Ukraine. "When we find people with their hands tied behind their backs and beheaded, I don't understand," he said of the scenes of victims strewn on the streets of Bucha. More videos and photographs emerged of the deadly aftermath of the Russian occupation of the town, about 35 kilometers northwest of the capital, Kyiv. A correspondent for RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service saw the bodies of what appeared to be civilians spread out on the streets of the small city. In one location alone, the correspondent saw up to 10 bodies on the street. AP journalists saw the bodies of at least 21 people in various spots around Bucha. The bodies of one group of nine people -- all in civilian clothes -- were scattered on the ground near a site that local residents said Russian forces had used as a base. The victims appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two of them had their hands tied behind their backs and one was shot in the head, AP said. AFP and Reuters were among Western news agencies that reported seeing people dead and bound on the streets of Bucha and nearby. Ukraine's prosecutor-general, Iryna Venedyktova, said on April 3 that the bodies of 410 civilians had been removed from towns in the Kyiv area after Ukrainian troops retook them from Russian forces. Venedyktova said the cases would be used as part of an investigation into alleged war crimes after prosecutors were able to enter the area for the first time on April 3 following the Russian retreat. The mayor of Bucha said 300 residents had been killed in the town by Russian forces while Chechen fighters controlled the area. Zelenskiy said he had created a special mechanism to investigate alleged Russian crimes in Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement on April 3 denying that its forces were involved in civilian killings in Bucha and claimed without evidence that the scenes had been staged by Kyiv for the media. Western leaders expressed horror as they condemned the images coming out of Bucha, near Irpin, and elsewhere in Ukraine since the unprovoked invasion by Russian forces that started on February 24. On Twitter, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine wrote: "The images coming out of Bucha and other areas abandoned by Putins forces are horrific. The U.S. government is committed to pursuing accountability using every tool available. We cannot stand quiet, the world needs to know what happened, and we all must act." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that "Russia's despicable attacks against innocent civilians in Irpin and Bucha are yet more evidence that Putin and his army are committing war crimes in Ukraine." "I will do everything in my power to starve Putins war machine, Johnson said, adding that Britain will step up its sanctions against Moscow and its military support for Kyiv. Condemnations also came from leaders in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Poland. Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Facebook that the European Union must impose stronger sanctions on Moscow and supply Kyiv with more arms. He called on an international panel to investigate the killings in Bucha. "The crimes Russia has committed on close to 300 inhabitants of Bucha and other towns outside Kyiv must be called acts of genocide and be dealt with as such," Morawiecki said. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply shocked by the images of civilians killed in Bucha." "It is essential that an independent investigation leads to effective accountability," he added in a statement. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country will draw up new sanctions with allies against Moscow over the "war crimes" committed by Russian troops in Bucha. "The murder of civilians is a war crime, and we must relentlessly investigate these crimes committed by the Russian armed forces," he said. "In the coming days, we will decide with our circle of allies on further measures. President Putin and his supporters will feel the consequences." Russia forces, having faced tougher-than-expected Ukrainian resistance near Kyiv, have retreated to areas to the north and east of the capital. Some experts doubt that the troops have withdrawn but suspect they are repositioning to focus their attacks on the east of Ukraine, where separatists have held territory since 2014. Elsewhere on April 3, while Kyiv was relatively quiet, Ukrainian authorities reported a Russian attack on a hospital in the eastern town of Rubizhne, killing one person and injuring three. In the south, one person was killed and 14 were injured after a Russian strike on the city of Mykolayiv, Governor Vitaliy Kim said on Telegram. The reports could not immediately be independently confirmed. With reporting by AFP, Reuters, AP, and dpa Russian forces have been accused of committing atrocities in the town of Bucha, northwest of the Ukrainian capital. Bodies of civilians were seen lying in the streets as Ukrainian troops took up positions in the Kyiv suburb following a Russian withdrawal. The mayor of Bucha, Anatoliy Fedoruk, said that some 300 locals had been shot during the occupation by Russian forces and the majority of them were allegedly dumped in a mass grave. (WARNING: Viewers may find the content of this video disturbing.) BUDAPEST -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban thanked supporters late on April 3 after his ruling Fidesz party appeared set for a convincing victory over a six-party opposition grouping in what had been billed as a major challenge to the autocratic leaders 12-year rule in the country. The countrys election committee said that, based on preliminary results, Fidesz held 55 percent of votes in the national party list, while the United for Hungary coalition was second with 33 percent, and Our Home came third with 6.45 percent. According to the election committee, parliamentary seat allocations were estimated at Fidesz-KDNP, 134 seats; United for Hungary, 58 seats; and Our Home, seven seats. We won the best when everyone came together against us, Orban told supporters after the vote. "Huge international power centers and organizations have moved against us, and they too have to say something: Every penny they gave to the Hungarian left was a waste of money," Orban said. Opinion polls had given Fidesz and its partners only a narrow lead over the six-party opposition grouping ahead of voting by Hungary's 8 million registered voters. But a significant segment of the electorate was said to be undecided in the final days of campaigning. The expected tight race had given rise to concerns that Orban would not play fair in the balloting. In an unprecedented move for an EU member state, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has deployed a full monitoring mission for the vote amid concerns over potential election fraud and the use of state resources to give the ruling party an unfair advantage. Meanwhile, domestic issues have been pushed to the side for the most part in the campaign, which has instead been dominated by the war in Ukraine, which borders Hungary. 'Putin Or Europe?' Though Orban has supported Ukraine in general, he has also refused to allow NATO weapons to flow into its neighbor, saying Hungary should stay out of the war. That message, according to opposition leader Peter Marki-Zay, had made the vote a simple one: The question is clear: Putin or Europe? Marki-Zay, 49, went even further in an interview with RFE/RLs Hungarian Service this week, calling Orban a traitor who is putting Hungarians at risk. "I continue to say that we have to stop Putin, not Brussels. Let's for once be on the right side of history, for once on the winning side," Marki-Zay said. For his part, Orban has used the war to stir up the mix of conservatism and nationalism that has allowed him to govern for the past 12 years with a so-called supermajority of at least two-thirds of parliament, allowing Fidesz to enact deep changes while bypassing the opposition. At a rally on April 1, Orban warned an opposition victory at the polls would see weapons flow into Ukraine the next day, while energy imports from Russia would be cut off, harming Hungarians and the countrys economy. He has also hit out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiys criticism of the Hungarian government for its ties to Moscow. Elections have always been important, but with the war and the possibility of an economic crisis in Europe, the stakes are higher than ever, Orban said in an interview on April 1 with Kossuth Radio. When the campaign has strayed away from the war in Ukraine and toward domestic issues, Orban has trumpeted the countrys economic performance while glossing over issues such as the authoritarian tendencies of his government, which have raised the ire of the European Union and prompted the bloc to withhold billions of euros in pandemic relief funds. Marki-Zay has chipped away at Fideszs power base, center-right voters, with his own blend of Catholic faith and conservatism. Orban has long been accused by critics both in the EU and in Hungary of overseeing the dismantling of democratic institutions, exerting undue control over the media and judiciary, and facilitating corruption. Marki-Zay has attacked Orban, who is looking to win a fourth consecutive term, for his policies at home and his close relationships with Moscow and Beijing, saying they have not only hurt Hungarys international standing, but have had an economic impact as well. "Even if it would mean a huge market and strategic opportunity, over the past 12 years Orban has failed to show that he has secured any sort of market, whether in China or in Russia," he said. "It is not at all visible that Orban has developed the Hungarian economy, he concluded. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP Rarely if ever are monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) ever called on to observe polling in a European Union state. But in an unprecedented move, the OSCE deployed a full monitoring mission for the vote in Hungary on April 3 amid concerns over potential election fraud and the use of state resources to give the ruling right-wing Fidesz party an unfair advantage. Europe's main security and rights watchdog said in a report in February that, in addition to a core team of analysts, it planned to delegate 18 long-term observers to follow the electoral process nationwide and 200 short-term observers to follow the voting on election day. The OSCE sent only small, limited observation missions to the last Hungarian elections in 2018, 2014, and 2010. The stakes are arguably higher this time. Prime Minister Viktor Orban -- who has served in the post since 2010, as well as from 1998 to 2002 -- is seeking his fifth term in office and fourth in a row. In Orban's toughest challenge yet, an opposition alliance of six political parties has rallied behind Peter Marki-Zay, who has cast the elections as a choice between West and East. Orban has long been viewed as the most Kremlin-friendly leader in the EU and has tempered his response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. European institutions and watchdogs have raised alarms about democratic backsliding over the past years under Orban, and critics have expressed concerns about the fairness of the electoral process. 'Intimidating Rhetoric' Following the 2018 elections, the OSCE concluded that "intimidating campaign rhetoric limited space for substantive debate and diminished voters' ability to make an informed choice" while government information campaigns had "significantly compromised" the contestants' ability to compete fairly. In a preliminary report published in late February, the OSCE mission voiced concerns about several aspects of the elections, including bias in public media and the potential for postal vote abuses. It also said many of the concerns it identified at the 2018 vote had not been addressed. The last general elections in 2018 were "the dirtiest of the last 30 years, since the end of communism," Zsofia Banuta, co-head of the Unhack Democracy election watchdog, told AFP in Budapest in late March. Experts say Orban has managed to remain popular, despite his ties with Putin, due to the autocratic ways in which he has transformed Hungarian society during his 12 consecutive years in power. In addition to reworking the electoral system to give his Fidesz party a big advantage, Orban has constrained NGOs. Media organizations have also been in the crosshairs, with The Washington Post reporting that Orban's government has deployed spyware against journalists, while building up a media empire that largely parrots the party line. Signs of alleged voter fraud emerged earlier this week not in Hungary, but in neighboring Romania, where a large number of mail-in ballots were reportedly found on March 31 burned and dumped in a field. In every election, most of the mail-in votes are from ethnic Hungarians in Hungary's immediate neighbors, who tend to vote for Fidesz. The opposition in Hungary has long been suspicious of mail-in ballots, charging that they are susceptible to manipulation. The purported ballots were found near the city of Targu Mures, Romania, which is home to a large ethnic Hungarian community, local news website punctul.ru reported. The website also published a video showing what appeared to be ballots filled with votes for the opposition. Criminal Probe Romanian police announced that they were launching a criminal probe after discovering unsealed envelopes containing ballots in a field. As a result, the Hungarian opposition alliance asked that "all mail-in ballots from abroad be eliminated." Fidesz countered by alleging that the opposition had burned the ballots themselves, without offering any evidence. On voting day on April 3, there were scattered reports of irregularities, including voters being offered meat and others being bused in, but no suggestions of widespread wrongdoing. The OSCE monitors were not alone in observing how the ballots were being cast. A group called 20K, appointed by the opposition, has recruited and trained around 20,000 volunteers that were expected to monitor the country's approximately 10,000 polling stations. "For the first time ever there will be two trained poll observers delegated by the opposition in each [voting] station, even in the most distant village," Peter Muller, a 45-year-old businessman who helped set up 20K, told AFP. With so many observers monitoring the elections, any widespread irregularities, if any, should be known shortly after the vote. Traditionally, the OSCE monitoring mission gives its assessment a day after the vote. Russian forces have resumed their assault on a sprawling steel factory in the devastated Ukrainian port of Mariupol, using aircraft to pound Ukrainian fighters holding out there. A top Ukrainian official, meanwhile, said that a new effort to evacuate civilians from the grounds of the Azovstal steel plant has been hampered by Russian firing despite a UN-brokered cease-fire. An estimated 200 civilians are reported to be hiding in the complex, along with as many as 2,000 Ukrainian fighters. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Ukraine's General Staff said in its daily assessment on May 6 that Russians were using aircraft as part of the renewed assault on the plant. "There are many wounded, but they are not surrendering," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on May 5 in his nightly video address. "They are holding their positions." Mariupol itself has been largely razed to the ground by weeks of street-to-street fighting and heavy bombardment. Azovstal has turned into a last stand for the Ukrainians troops struggling to prevent a complete Russian defeat of the city. The fighting comes as Russia continues its offensive in the eastern Donbas, an offensive that has proceeded slowly and without major advances, as Ukrainian forces have blocked Russian movements and even regained territory. The fight for Azovstal also comes amid speculation that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants a battlefield triumph that he can showcase on May 9 when Russia marks Victory Day -- the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. "The renewed effort by Russia to secure Azovstal and complete the capture of Mariupol is likely linked to the upcoming 9 May Victory Day commemorations and Putin's desire to have a symbolic success in Ukraine," the British Defense Ministry said in its May 6 daily assessment. "This effort has come at personnel, equipment, and munitions cost to Russia. Whilst Ukrainian resistance continues in Azovstal, Russian losses will continue to build and frustrate their operational plans in southern Donbas," the ministry said. Losing Mariupol would deprive Ukraine of a vital port on the Sea of Azov. It would also give Russia the ability to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas. The Ukrainians holed up in Azovstal's labyrinthine tunnels and industrial infrastructure have been posting videos and photographs to social media, appealing to the international community. Soldiers are "dying in agony" due to the lack of proper treatment, Captain Svyatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of the Azov Battalion, said in a video address on May 5. He pleaded for international help to evacuate the civilians and wounded fighters there. Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Zelenskiy, said on May 6 that nearly 500 civilians had been evacuated from the city and the Azovstal plant as part of a United Nations-led effort. "The next stage of rescuing our people from Azovstal is under way at the moment. Information about the results will be provided later," Yermak said in a post on Telegram on May 6. Kyiv will "do everything to save all its civilians and military." However, Mariupol authorities later said that Russian forces had fired at a vehicle that was involved in the evacuation, killing at least one Ukrainian fighter and wounding six. Russia did not immediately comment. Russia's RIA news agency said its correspondent had seen a bus with 12 civilians leave the Azovstal complex, but the reports could not immediately be confirmed. Russia's renewed offensive in the Donbas -- now in its third week -- has been slow-going, amid stubborn defense from Ukrainian forces who are increasingly equipped with heavy artillery and powerful anti-tank and antiaircraft weaponry supplied from NATO members. Germany, which has come under pressure at home and abroad to step up its equipment supplies, said on May 6 that it would supply seven self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine after reversing its policy not to send heavy armaments to war zones. Earlier, Berlin announced it would also be sending "Gepard" antiaircraft systems. The Donbas offensive came after a thwarted campaign by Russian forces north of Kyiv in the early weeks of the war. The withdrawal of Russian troops from places like Bucha, near Kyiv, has led to a cascade of reports from witnesses who say Russian units committed atrocities that could amount to war crimes. Rights watchdog Amnesty International said on May 6 there was compelling evidence that Russian troops had committed war crimes, including extrajudicial executions of civilians, when they occupied an area outside Ukraine's capital in February and March. Civilians also suffered abuses such as "reckless shootings and torture, the group said. Russian troops had committed a "host of apparent war crimes" in Bucha, including "numerous unlawful killings," most of them near the intersection of Yablunska and Vodoprovidna streets, the report found. With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and AP Russia is repositioning its forces around Kyiv and not conducting a real withdrawal, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, as he warned that new attacks could take place. What we see is not a withdrawal, but we see that Russia is repositioning its troops," the NATO chief told CNN in an interview on April 3. "We should not in a way be too optimistic because the attacks will continue and we are also concerned about potential increased attacks," he said. U.S. and Western officials have downplayed suggestions in recent days that Russian forces were withdrawing, saying instead that they were likely repositioning and resupplying and possibly gearing up for a new offensive in the eastern Donbas region. Meanwhile, Stoltenberg labeled the reported killings of civilians in the Ukrainian city of Bucha as "horrific." "It is a brutality against civilians we haven't seen in Europe for decades, and it's horrific, and it's absolutely unacceptable," Stoltenberg said. In a separate interview with CNN, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed revulsion at the sight of civilian bodies strewn along Buchas streets. "You can't help but see these images as a punch to the gut," Blinken said. "This is the reality of what's going on every single day as long as Russia's brutality against Ukraine continues," he added. Russia has faced mounting international condemnation amid reports of possible war crimes committed by its forces in Bucha, a Kyiv suburb, and in other parts of Ukraine. Based on reporting by CNN and AFP NEW DELHI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Twelve Indian fishermen were apprehended and their trawler was seized by Sri Lankan navy for allegedly fishing in their waters, local media reports quoting officials said Sunday. The fishermen hailing from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu were arrested during a patrol. Sri Lankan navy has also confirmed the arrests. "Sri Lanka navy mounted a special operation today morning, to chase away a large number of Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters northeast of the Delft Island in Jaffna. During this operation, the navy seized an Indian trawler with 12 Indian fishermen that continued to remain in island waters through the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL)," read a statement issued by Sri Lankan navy. According to Sri Lankan navy, the Indian poaching trawler with its fishermen was escorted to Mailadi fishery harbor, Kankasanthurai and arrangements were currently underway to hand over them to the fisheries inspector of Jaffna for onward legal action. Last month many Indian fishermen were also arrested and their boats impounded by Sri Lankan navy for similar violations. "The navy will continue to carry out regular patrols in Sri Lankan waters to prevent similar illegal fishing practices of foreign fishermen," the Sri Lankan navy further stated. Fishermen of the two countries are often jailed for accidentally crossing into each other's territory. The fishermen from the two countries traverse poorly defined boundaries in the international waters as most fishing boats lack the technologies to locate exact positions. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Serbia is simultaneously holding three different elections on April 3: a presidential election, early parliamentary elections, and local elections in 14 municipalities, including Belgrade. RFE/RL filmed early voters in the capital, casting their ballots in a vote that President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party are expected to dominate. BELGRADE -- Incumbent Aleksandar Vucic is set to win Serbias presidential vote and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) appears in line to win the most votes in parliamentary elections, according to post-vote projections. The National Electoral Commission said it will not announce preliminary results or hold a news conference on election night, April 3. This is the first time that the highest electoral body has not announced the results on the evening of an election day. The deadline for announcing the final results is April 7. Pollsters Ipsos and CeSID said late on April 3 that, based on a sample of the partial polling station count, Vucic would gain 59.8 percent in the presidential vote, with opposition candidate Zdravko Ponos set to get 17.1 percent. The pollsters projected that the SNS would receive 43.6 percent of votes, while the United for Victory opposition alliance is set to finish second with 12.9 percent in the vote for parliament. SNS's coalition partner, the Socialist Party of Serbia, took 11.6 percent of the votes. The NADA coalition was projected to have 5.4 percent, while the We Must! coalition has 4.3 percent, Dveri has 4 percent, and Zavetnici has 3.9 percent. Vucic declared victory in a televised speech, saying he had won 60 percent of the vote, or more than 2.2 million votes out of Serbias 6.5 million registered voters. Earlier in the day, the countrys election commission estimated a turnout of 58-60 percent, substantially higher than the 48.8 percent reported in the 2020 parliamentary vote. Officials said long lines remained at some polling stations as of 8 p.m. and that those people would be allowed to vote. At a news briefing, election officials said the process had been carried out without major problems and in a democratic manner. They added, though, that there had been clashes between "different party activists" at some polling stations and urged all political parties to remain "calm" and conduct any activities peacefully." The nongovernmental Center for Research, Transparency, and Accountability (CRTA) said its observers submitted five criminal complaints to authorities over irregularities. The issues included the buying of votes at the polling stations, keeping parallel voter lists, violating the secrecy of the ballot, recording events at polling stations, as well as the presence of unauthorized persons at polling stations. The elections were monitored by more than 4,000 observers from the CRTA and CeSID nongovernmental organizations, as well as delegations from the European Parliament, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, and the European Network of Election Observation Organizations. Five years after winning his first term as president, Vucic remains the dominant force in Serbia, preaching peace and stability at a time when Europe is being rocked by its biggest conflict since the end of World War II with Russia's war against Ukraine. But his critics complain he has tightened his grip on power through his control of the media and government to a point where a survey last month by the pollster Demostat showed 43 percent of the country doesn't believe the elections will be free or fair. "In recent years, the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has steadily eroded political rights and civil liberties, putting pressure on independent media, the political opposition, and civil society organizations," Freedom House said in its latest assessment of Serbia, which it ranked 62nd out of 100 nations in its freedom index for 2021. Vucic's main opponent was Ponos -- a retired general who emerged as a surprise candidate fielded by the country's pro-European Union opposition camp. The 60-year-old Ponos "is a candidate of the center-right and it seems that the opposition wanted to find an individual that can be a good candidate for what's considered the political mainstream in Serbia, which leans more to the right," said Bojan Klacar, the managing director of the Belgrade-based Center For Free Elections and Democracy polling agency. That mainstream, however, appears to have not have voted for a change in leadership at the presidential level, or in the national legislature even with the government on the back foot after a number of controversies in recent months. Prior to the vote, a poll from the Belgrade-based Institute for European Affairs predicted that Vucic would win in the first round by taking 60 percent of the vote, with Ponos a distant second with 18 percent. A poll by the Institute for European Affairs, had indicated the new parliament -- comprised of 250 seats -- would likely comprise four or potentially five parties: the ruling SNS with 57 percent; United for Victory with 19 percent; the Socialist Party of Serbia with 6.6 percent; We Must! (Moramo!) with 5.7 percent. The national-conservative NADA coalition is hovering around the 3 percent threshold, so the party could just scrape through. Such a result would be massive for SNS, as it would be the first time the party had crossed the 50 percent threshold. KIYV -- Amid air strikes and explosions in the Black Sea port of Odesa, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias arrived on April 3 to deliver badly needed aid to the strategic city of 1 million people as the head of a humanitarian mission. Dendias handed aid to city authorities and began plans to establish a regular flow of aid from Greece to Odesa after hopes of setting up a distribution base in Mariupol were derailed by the intense Russian bombardment that has reduced that port city to rubble. Thousands of ethnic Greeks live in Mariupol, and at least 10 have been killed there since Russia began its attacks late last month. More than 150 Greek citizens and ship crews have been evacuated, Greek officials said. In Odesa, Dendias met on April 3 with Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov, the Greek Foreign Ministry said on Twitter. The discussion focused on the strong presence of [a] Greek Diaspora in Odesa, in light of the long-standing ties of Greece with the city, and the challenges it faces, it said. The reopening of [Greece's] consulate will help distribute humanitarian aid and set up corridors for the Greek ethnic community to leave from any areas of Ukraine, if needed, via Odesa," Dendias said upon arrival, according to a Greek Foreign Ministry statement. Odesa was targeted by air strikes early on April 3, Interior Ministry official Anton Herashchenko wrote in a post on Telegram. Fires were reported in some areas, he wrote. Some of the missiles were shot down by air defense. The Telegram channel of the Odesa city council confirmed the attacks. Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Meanwhile, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russias negotiating team in talks with Ukraine, posted on Telegram that the discussions had not made sufficient progress to merit a summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Medinsky also emphasized that Russias position on Crimea and Donbas remains UNCHANGED, referring to the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014 and the eastern Ukrainian regions that Moscow recognized as independent in the run-up to Russias February 24 invasion of Ukraine. A journalist with the French AFP news agency in Odesa reported hearing explosions at around 6 a.m. and seeing at least three columns of black smoke rising above an industrial part of the city. Odesa, with a population of about 1 million, is the largest Black Sea port still under Ukrainian control. The Russian Defense Ministry said on April 3 that it had struck on oil refinery and oil storage facilities near the city. The ministry said its forces had targeted 28 Ukrainian military facilities across the country. On April 2, Zelenskiy warned that Russia was preparing powerful strikes in the south of the country as it withdrew forces from areas around Kyiv and Chernihiv in the north. In an April 3 bulletin, Britains Defense Ministry said Russia continues to blockade access to Ukraine through the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Russia retains the capability to attempt an amphibious landing along Ukraines southern coast, but such an operation is likely to be increasingly high risk due to the time Ukrainian forces have had to prepare, the ministry posted on Twitter. The ministry added that mines within the Black Sea pose a serious risk to maritime activity, saying the origin of the mines remained unknown. In the embattled city of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, some 100,000 civilians remain trapped and surrounded by Russian forces. Analysts believe Russia is intent on capturing the strategic port to create a land corridor from the Donbas region, which is partially controlled by Moscow-backed separatist formations supported by Russian troops, and the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on April 3 that seven buses would attempt to reach the city during the day, accompanied by representatives of the International Red Cross. In all, she said, 17 buses were attempting to evacuate civilians from Mariupol and the nearby port city of Berdyansk. The attempt to reach Mariupol comes one day after the International Red Cross abandoned an attempt to send a convoy there because of the volatile military situation in the area. Zelenskiy said Mariupols resistance had given Ukraine invaluable time to retake territory in the north, time that is allowing us to foil the enemys tactics and weaken its capabilities. Peace will not be the result of any decisions the enemy makes somewhere in Moscow, Zelenskiy added. There is no need to entertain empty hopes that they will simply leave our land. We can only have peace by fighting. Zelenskiy accused retreating Russian forces of creating a disaster outside of Kyiv and of planting mines and booby traps across the country. The mayor of the newly liberated Kyiv suburb of Bucha said on April 2 that some 300 local residents had been killed during the month that Russian forces held the town. Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk told AFP that all of the victims had been shot dead in the back of the head and many of the bodies were buried in a mass grave. Moscow, which launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, denied its forces were involved in the Bucha killings. With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters Late last month, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Ukrainian forces had struck a Russian-occupied airfield in the southern city of Melitopol -- the fourth in a series of attacks on the site. Kyivs forces were targeting what Ukrainian officials said was a Russian military base that was being established there and had already been used by the invading army as a platform for rocket attacks. The presidential adviser, Oleksiy Arestovych, said on March 27 that Russia had concentrated warplanes and other military equipment there, making it a prominent target for Ukrainian air strikes. Melitopol lies on a stretch of southern Ukraine that Moscow has been eyeing since 2014, when it seized the Crimean Peninsula, further southwest, and backed separatist forces in the Donbas, to the northeast. Russian forces seized control of the city of 150,000 on February 25, the day after President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine. On March 24, using satellite imagery from the private company Planet, Schemes (Skhemy) -- an investigative news project run by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service -- discovered the clustering of Russian military hardware at the airfield there. A day earlier, Melitopols mayor, Ivan Fedorov, said on Facebook that the occupiers are building their military base at the location a reference to the Russian armed forces. He said that Russian forces were launching missiles [from the site] at other cities in Ukraine, and these missile launchers will be destroyed. Satellite images showed what appeared to be at least six Russian Su-25 ground-attack jets, five helicopters, trenches seeming to contain materiel, and ammunition transportation or storage equipment. At the center of the facility was an anti-aircraft system, and a fuel depot was visible nearby. A comparison with satellite images of the same area from March 21, three days earlier, indicated that Russian occupying forces had advanced quickly in establishing a base there. Arestovych said on social media on March 27 that the site had been struck four times and likened it to Chernobayivka, a Russian-controlled airfield in the neighboring Kherson region that Ukraine says it has struck successfully. The Melitopol airfield is "catching up with Chornobayivka, he said. Russian media outlets, citing the Russian Defense Ministry, reported on March 18 that a high-precision Ukrainian Tochka-U rocket that was fired at Melitopol was intercepted. The reports did not specify the target and could not be independently verified. No visual evidence of damage has been displayed on open-source intelligence sites and Ukrainian officials have not provided details on the military strikes at the Russian base in Melitopol. However, Pavlo Lakiychuk, a military expert at the Kyiv-based think tank Strategy XXI, told RFE/RL on March 25 that the new base was turning into another Chornobayivka, suggesting similarities with the Kherson site, where Ukrainian forces have inflicted damage on Russian aircraft and equipment. Lakkiychuk said that after successive hits at Chornovbayivka, Russia started to shift its hardware to Melitopol. In his comments on March 27, Arestovych wrote that the facility at Chernobayivka was struck an 11th time. In the same interview with Schemes, Lakiychuk said that Russia had sloppily moored three warships in close proximity to each other in the occupied Azov Sea port city of Berdyansk, east of Melitopol. A Ukrainian rocket attack sank one, damaged the other two, and set nearby facilities ablaze. Written by Mark Raczkiewycz based on reporting by Kyrylo Ovsyaniy and Kira Tolstyakova Security personnel stand guard outside the National Assembly building in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 3, 2022. Pakistani President Arif Alvi dissolved Sunday the National Assembly at the request of the country's prime minister, said a statement from the president's secretariat. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) ISLAMABAD, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President Arif Alvi dissolved Sunday the National Assembly at the request of the country's prime minister, said a statement from the president's secretariat. "President of Pakistan Arif Alvi has approved the advice of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to dissolve the National Assembly under Article 58 (1) read with Article 48 (1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan," said the statement. Earlier in the day, in a televised address to the nation on national TV, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan told the nation that he had sent advice to the president to dissolve the national assembly or the lower house of the parliament. Khan said a foreign power hatched a conspiracy to remove his government through a no-confidence motion against him, and the deputy speaker of the lower house rejected the motion because the nation cannot let such kind of conspiracies succeed. "I want to tell my nation to start preparing for elections and not let any foreign power decide the future of Pakistan," said Imran Khan, adding that once the national assembly is dissolved, a procedure to appoint a caretaker set-up will start. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Twitter that the president has asked Khan to continue working as the prime minister until the caretaker government is formed. The diamond industry in India has survived many upheavals since its humble beginning sometime in 1966, but always survived them only to become stronger and more resilient. Today, some of the worlds largest diamond companies are Indian including 33 accredited buyers and many other contracted buyers of the worlds major diamond producers. Indian diamond companies own and operate diamond-polishing facilities in Botswana, Namibia, China, Vietnam and many other countries across the globe. The main Indian diamond cutting & polishing centre in Surat presently employs more than 0.8 million artisans and other employees and manufactures 14 out of 15 diamonds in the world. So, when the geopolitical situation in Russia began over a month ago, it was not surprising for the Indian diamond industry to be concerned as the Russian miner ALROSA was a rough diamond supplier to the Indian industry. Being known as the diamond manufacturing centre of the world, the Surat sector was apprehensive initially. But, known for its resiliency the Indian industry soon found its footing and organized itself to run the sector without any hindrances, especially in the rough supply area. Moreover, the media reports dramatized the situation to the point of putting forth a dismal picture claiming that the Indian diamond industry could be affected drastically by sanctions imposed on Russian miner ALROSA Rating agency Crisil in a note said sanctions will have a bearing on the growth of the diamond industry. If the trade disruption is protracted, next quarter's sales will be down by 25-30 per cent shaving off about $2-2.5 billion, Crisil Ratings director Rahul Guha said. Claims were put forth that the sanctions imposed by the United States and European nations on Russia in the wake of its Ukraine episode are likely to have a direct impact on the Indian diamond industry at a time when it is in the recovery mode after the pandemic and is aiming at $24 billion revenue in FY'22, they warned. All the brouhaha quickly died down with The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) of India swiftly setting right the impact of events in Ukraine on the Indian diamond industry. As ALROSA is an important supplier of rough diamond to the diamond industry, the miner too gave a green signal to India. Colin Shah, Chairman of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, India (GJEPC) admitted that the US sanctions imposed on Russia could affect the Indian diamond industry, but assured the industry of ALROSAs support. Russias partly state-owned diamond mining company ALROSA is one of the worlds biggest diamond producers, accounting for approximately 30% of global diamond output, the note said. India directly imports around 10% of ALROSAs total rough diamond output. However, most Russian diamonds end up in India for cutting and polishing after passing through trading centres, Colin added. In addition, GJEPC also felt that the sanctions on Russia might affect the Indian diamond business as Indian diamond companies might face difficulties in making payments for rough diamonds sourced from ALROSA as Russia has been banned from the SWIFT financial network. This impacts the five major Russian banks, including state-backed Sberbank and VTB, the country's two largest lenders. Delayed payments were expected to impact rough supplies by 2-3 weeks, resulting in a scarcity of rough from Russian allocations. However, GJEPC received a letter from ALROSA dated 28th February stating that ALROSA is ready to address the concerns related to day-to-day operations and stated that ALROSAs settlements with foreign partners continue as usual as there are no restrictions on the Companys transactions in dollars, euros, or other currencies. Diverse banking partners, allow the company to operate normally without any delays. ALROSA also assured that they are running their business as usual and they have all the necessary resources to ensure normal operation in the current circumstances. They will be fulfilling all their obligations to their clients in any part of the world. For remittances to ALROSA-Russia, GJEPC has advised Indian importers to consult their bankers and with their approval transfer currency to ALROSA. Last week the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Delhi-India on 31 March on a two-day official visit for crucial talks with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Apart from the high-level talks on the current geopolitical situation, trade was discussed with the possibility of India buying larger volumes of discounted Russian oil. Both, the Russian and Indian sides, showed keen interest in having a ruble-rupee arrangement for bilateral trade. As far as the Indian diamond industry is concerned, the ruble-rupee trade arrangement could work out convenient for procuring rough diamonds from ALROSA and any other payments. As Indias diamond industry is 100% import-dependent, any shortage in rough would have a severe impact on manufacturing activity and employment in the sector. This will also have a huge impact on total gem & jewellery exports, as diamonds account for more than 50% of the exports. However, India imports, cuts and polishes 80-90 per cent of the world's rough diamonds. "There is no major impact as of now though there are problems in fund transfer with some banks. We are keeping our fingers crossed and monitoring the situation as ALROSA is a critical source," Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) ED Sabyasachi Ray told PTI during the initial days a month ago. The sanctions have severed Russia's central bank and two major banks from the SWIFT system. While they do not prohibit business with ALROSA, trade settlement has become difficult, which could lead to supply disruptions, Crisil said. But, in a short period, all issues faced by the Indian diamond industry have been tackled and solved, allowing the industry to function normally as of now. The Indian diamond industry, which is almost entirely export-oriented, is likely to clock revenues of $24 billion this fiscal, bouncing back to pre-pandemic levels. The Indian industry is expected to log a compound annual growth rate of 5-7 per cent over the medium term on the back of steady demand and hardening prices. Again, almost a month ago, trade media assessed the situation well by saying that while its too early to understand the full impact of the crisis, the longer it goes on, the deeper its effect will be on the market. ALROSA was added to a list of menu-based sanctions but not added to the Specially Designated Nationals List, the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) explained. But soon, in the Indian diamond industry, business returned to normal with Surat recording a huge surge in direct rough diamond imports. The diamond city Surat has created a record of sorts with the import of rough diamonds directly to Surat witnessing a massive surge compared to the traditional gateway Mumbai, as per a report in Times of India. According to the report, rough diamond imports into Surat were nearly four times more than Mumbai during the current financial year. In the financial year 2019-20, Surats import of roughs was marginally more than that of Mumbai. But, the import of roughs in Mumbai dropped drastically in 2020-21 during the Covid-19 pandemic while it grew slightly in Surat. However, the city's famed diamond cutting and polishing industry regained its sparkle rapidly. "The major reason for such a big surge is that smaller diamond manufacturing units have started importing rough directly to the city. They are taking delivery through the courier here," said Dinesh Navadiya, regional chairman, GJEPC. "Earlier, some other people, who were traditionally importing roughs, used to get them at Mumbai and later the Surat-based units collected them. Hence, the imports in Mumbai were high. GJEPC ran programs to create awareness among the unit owners to empower them and they gradually started importing directly here," said Navadiya. Experts claim the GST- related formalities are also one of the reasons for directly importing the roughs to the city instead Mumbai. The roughs reach India from different mining countries across the globe. "If they import at Mumbai, they will have to do processes related to GST for transporting the consignments to Surat," Navadiya explained. The Indian Diamond Industry sources rough diamonds from many producers, so there is no chance of any major issues in the supply chain. The regional Chairman Dinesh Navadiya is positive that the Surat cutting & polishing sector will remain a strong, controlled and resilient manufacturing sector. Currently, the Surat manufacturing sector is working fine and in full swing as usual. Normal production is going on in the cutting & polishing factories, and there is no negative impact on diamond production because of the rough diamond supply. The Surat manufacturing sector receives sufficient rough diamonds and production is going on as usual. All the Surat diamond manufacturing units are working at full capacity as in the past. There is no shortage of rough diamonds and the manufacturing units are working at the usual pace in the Surat diamond manufacturing sector. But, as the situation is far from over GJEPC has requested the government to look into a long term policy by which the payments made in Euro to Russian counterparts be acceptable universally by all, or if alternatively a mechanism to allow Rupee-Ruble trade arrangement with Russia which has been in the talks since 2018 to facilitate payments to Russia in rupee and ease trade disruption. Further, if ALROSA is permitted to open a selling office in India then the rough availability can be made within India which will save time, money and help in increasing Indias exports as well. India, being the leader in manufacturing cut & polished diamonds, cut and polishes 94% of the worlds diamond by volume and has a built-in manufacturing infrastructure for that with millions of dollars of investment. About one million people, the majority of whom are from the agrarian and financially underprivileged section of society are directly employed in the industry in India. GJEPC believes that if the situation doesnt improve, it may impact the industry in the coming days. However, as the supply of rough shipments from ALROSA has resumed, the cutting and manufacturing sector in Surat and elsewhere are working as usual. The Indian diamond industry also imports rough diamonds from various sources across the globe for instance UAE, Belgium, Russia, South Africa, Canada, Israel, Botswana, Hong Kong, Angola, Singapore and so onthat keeps the diamond manufacturing industry working continuously without any hitch. So, as the Indian diamond industry has various sources for rough diamonds, there will not be any major issues in rough supply now or in the future to create hindrances in the manufacturing supply chain. Meanwhile, the Indian diamond industry is wary of the price of rough diamonds fluctuation over the next few months given the current challenging situation. A trade journal recently reported that diamond dealers revealed that rough prices had fallen substantially on the open market following months of heightened activity. Buyers had stocked up on goods in anticipation of further price increases while rising rough valuations had resulted in thin manufacturing margins. According to the report, prices on the secondary market had slipped by around 10% for 2-carat goods and larger in recent weeks, with rough up to 0.75 carats declining by 20% to 25% as per a market member. Prices of the smallest melee items also dipped by approximately 40% and tenders had also seen price drops of more than 10%, according to the sources. According to market sources, ALROSA kept prices steady at the recent contract sale. Customers were reportedly willing to buy but also remained cautious and used different payment solutions due to financial sanctions on Russia. On the payment matter, the GJEPC regional Chairman of Gujarat too said that India had been in talks with Russia since 2018 to allow Rupee-Ruble trade arrangements, which would be conducive for the diamond industry in particular. But asked about price fluctuations in the market that will affect the industry he said that the prices of a diamond depend on demand vs supply. And as of now, there doesnt seem any factor affecting prices. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished Antonio Cecere is currently the President of Geneva Diamond Exchange / Monaco Diamond Exchange and the Principal of the Cecere Group. His ability to advise is powerful due to his substantial experience in the luxury goods sector with a track record in creating commercial success in international markets including North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, China and Japan. From re-positioning the jewellery category at Montblanc, to leading the Swarovski Group team to achieve the fastest turnaround of a company ever recorded, Antonio was even awarded by HRH Princess Royal with the UK Fashion Export Award for services rendered to the industry. Besides his commercial activities and interests across sectors, Antonio is a public speaker and also served as a professor at the International University of Monaco (INSEEC) besides having lectured at a number of universities and professional bodies. Here, in an interview with Rough&Polished, Antonio Cerere assesses the global economy in terms of the changes in the diamond industry occurring currently and the impact it will have on the world. Some excerpts The diamond markets have been stagnant in the last few years and are recently experiencing adjustments that are redefining the industry. What is this phenomenon due to? It is a complex scenario. There are a number of factors that are influencing these shifts. There have been signals of markets recovery in some economies after several years of lethargic trade; scarcity and the increased extraction costs are starting to have measurable effects; the repercussions from the pandemic are now evident and affect cutters; and the global geopolitical instability renders more acute the widening gap between supply and demand. With the present state of the economy, how is the polished diamond sector faring in consuming markets across countries? If we analyze US imports of polished diamonds as they are the largest retail market, their intake in 2021 increased compared to the previous year with a 21% pick in December and an overall growth by 64% year-on-year which is beyond expectation. The net polished import grew by almost 50% according to US Trade Data and this increase is reflective of the growing domestic demand which in turn absorbed a larger portion of the global output affecting pricing. Shortage of rough diamonds has been the norm of late and has affected manufacturing centres across the globe. According to you, what is the current scenario in terms of rough diamond production? I explained this process in detail during a lecture at the Bicocca University of Economics in Milan. During this decade we would start seeing a decline in global output as mines are running out of diamonds and some are starting to shut down Argyle closure is an example. The almost 20% decline in output in the last couple of years is not the only factor that caused a surge in rough diamond prices; the cost of extraction has also risen as diamonds are becoming increasingly more difficult to locate and mine, Petra Diamonds further investment of $173 million in the Cullinan pit is not an isolated case. The combination of these two factors impacted rough diamond prices and we have seen a recent increase in revenue by all producers, from DTC to Rio Tinto to Lucara. All this corrodes the margins of the cutters despite the price increase of the polished diamonds which will eventually be capped by the consumers willingness to pay (WTP). Growing demand is an encouraging sign after the slowdown caused by the pandemic. How is the diamond manufacturing being affected? The pandemic caused many cutters, particularly in Surat where most diamonds are processed, to either close down or temporarily leave the busy cutting plants. For safety reasons the workers returned to their villages and many did not come back yet, either for health concerns or because the companies they worked for did not survive the low prices and limited demand during the pandemic therefore closing down. So, with a decline in productivity and a recent rise in demand, prices have increased in the most sought after smaller diamonds that have a broader appeal for cost-conscious consumers and are more widely employed in both the jewelry and watches sectors. How are the recent geopolitical events affecting the prices? The sanctions inflicted on Russia invariably affect Alrosa both in its ability to export and to transact; index of this is the recent decision by the Russian miner to suspend its membership from the Natural Diamond Council (NDC). The impact will be profound and affect global output; the effects will be felt by the cutters particularly in India and influence lower grade diamond production with a broader distribution. The international traders will consequently struggle to meet demand at a competitive price which may consistently rise in the near future. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished COLOMBO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- A total of 16 Sri Lankans were hospitalized when wasps attacked a funeral procession in Vavuniya in the country's Northern Province on Sunday, local police said. Friends and relatives of a deceased person in Vavuniya were carrying out his final rites when the accident occurred. Wasp attacks are relatively frequent in different parts of Sri Lanka. Recently, 60 students were hospitalized after being attacked by wasps in eastern Sri Lanka on March 14. TIRANA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Major cities across Albania kicked off on Sunday a new initiative to go car-free every first Sunday of the month, a national plan decided by the government, in a bid to improve air quality and reduce the use of cars amid an ongoing energy crisis. The Albanian government last month decided to make every first Sunday of the month a car-free day, starting first in major cities and then expanding throughout the country. On Sunday, the movement of vehicles was banned on several parts of streets between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time in 12 main cities across the country, including the capital city Tirana. Lindita, 43, a middle school teacher from Elbasan, a city some 30 kilometers away from Tirana, told Xinhua: "I would agree with the car-free initiative if cities in Albania would have alternative means of public transport such as subway, train and tram." Shaban, a retired man, told Xinhua that he was happy to see Elbasan is holding a car-free day like other major cities. "I am an aged man and today reminds me of older times when we used to have less cars and use more bicycles," Shaban said. Meanwhile, Liljana, 56, who worked for over 25 years in the metallurgic factory of the city, expressed her hope that this initiative "would help improve the air quality of the city." "This is a very good step towards cleaner cities," she added. The national car-free day initiative comes amid the energy crisis that has hit Albania hard as fuel prices reached some of the highest in the Balkan region. Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, fuel and gas prices in Albania have increased significantly. Massacres de Boutcha : La Russie accuse larmee ukrainienne Le ministere russe de la Defense a assure dimanche que ses forces n'avaient pas tue de civils a Boutcha, une ville proche de Kiev recemment reprise par les forces ukrainiennes. Pendant la periode au cours de laquelle cette localite etait sous le controle des forces armees russes, pas un seul resident local n'a souffert d'actions violentes, a declare le ministere dans un communique. A mass shooting in Sacramento early Sunday left at least six people dead and 12 wounded, according to the Sacramento Police Department. Here is what is known so far: When and where did the shooting take place? The shooting occurred around 2 a.m. Sunday near the area of K and 10th streets, which is about two blocks from the state Capitol and four blocks from the Golden 1 Center, which hosted a concert by Tyler, the Creator on Saturday night. The exact location where the gunfire erupted was not immediately known, nor was it clear whether any of the victims had attended the nearby concert. Several stores, restaurants, bars and nightclubs line the streets that were blocked off early Sunday Ninth to 13th streets and L to J streets as law enforcement officials investigated and collected evidence. The public was asked to avoid the area. How many people were killed and injured? At least six adults three women and three men were confirmed dead as of Sunday afternoon, Sacramento police said. All were identified Monday morning by the coroners office. Their names are: Johntaya Alexander, a 21-year-old woman; Melinda Davis, a 57-year-old woman; Yamile Martinez-Andrade, a 21-year-old woman; Devazia Turner, a 29-year-old man; Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, a 32-year-old man; and Sergio Harris, a 38-year-old man. An additional 12 with injuries either took themselves or were transported to nearby hospitals. As of Monday morning, seven were discharged from area hospitals. The conditions of the remaining five individuals were not immediately known. Who is the shooter? Sacramento police chief Kathy Lester confirmed Sunday afternoon that multiple shooters were involved, but no arrests had been made. Lester said investigators had found hundreds of pieces of evidence at the scene, including a stolen handgun. A motive for the shooting was unclear as the incident remained under investigation. Police asked the public for help in identifying the shooters and requested that those with information contact 916-808-5471 or the Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357. How are elected leaders responding? Many elected officials shared messages of condolences for the victims and their families on social media. Some decried gun violence. Words cant express my shock & sadness this morning, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said on Twitter. The numbers of dead and wounded are difficult to comprehend. We await more information about exactly what transpired in this tragic incident. Rising gun violence is the scourge of our city, state and nation, and I support all actions to reduce it. Our new Police Chief, Kathy Lester, has made it a top priority, and I stand firmly behind her, said Steinberg. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said in a statement that her office will aggressively prosecute those responsible for these horrific crimes. This is a shocking tragedy in our community. We are in contact with Sacramento Police Department and monitoring the investigation closely, Schubert said. Gov. Gavin Newsom said his office was working closely with local and state law enforcement officials to monitor the incident. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Sadly, we once again mourn the lives lost and for those injured in yet another horrendous act of gun violence, the governor said. The scourge of gun violence continues to be a crisis in our country, and we must resolve to bring an end to this carnage. Jessica Flores (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Berkeley decided last month to put a consultant in charge of a nascent reparations effort, it represented the start of a long public journey for the city and the end of a lengthy private one for Council Member Ben Bartlett. The fifth-generation Berkeley native doesnt talk about this often, but back in 2015 when he was a first-time council candidate canvassing for votes, Black residents would regularly express their desire for the city to establish a formal process to compensate local African American descendants of slavery and segregation. Bartlett vowed to make it a priority and, on March 22, put forth a proposal that amounts to a first step: The city will spend $350,000 to hire a consultant charged with engaging local stakeholders and coming back with policy recommendations. We have the consensus here locally to do something, Bartlett told me. What that is, its hard to say just yet. Other California cities are charting similarly new courses as they try to put things right with those harmed by systemic racism and institutionalized displacement. In 2020, the city of Compton in Los Angeles County launched a guaranteed income initiative called the Compton Pledge, which gives 800 low-income residents direct cash payments $300 to $600 each month for two years. Unlike other guaranteed income pilots, including those in San Francisco , Oakland and Marin County , Compton explicitly linked its program to reparations. Compton leaders have said the pilot program is the largest of its kind in the U.S., and through its funding, it will allow government actors and philanthropists to invest directly in the path towards economic justice and reparations, according to the Compton Pledge website. While not formally a reparations effort, Santa Monica last year updated its housing guidelines to add Black residents to the citys priority waitlist for below-market-rate housing. The right to return pilot program looks to atone for how city leaders in the 1950s and 1960s used eminent domain to bulldoze largely Black neighborhoods to facilitate the construction of Interstate 10 and the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Santa Monica opened its application process for the program in January with a cap of 100, due in part to its limited availability of below-market-rate housing. Any Black person who could prove that they, their parents or grandparents were displaced from certain neighborhoods due to the construction was eligible for it. Id love to see this approach adopted and expanded upon in Berkeley, which talked about developing its own right to return policy specifically targeting African Americans in 2019, but hasnt taken the concept much further since then. Im not saying this would be easy. Both Bartlett and Mayor Jesse Arreguin explained how a race-based focus in housing means navigating a gray area within federal housing laws. And Californias Proposition 209 which keeps agencies from prioritizing one race or gender over another could make such a pursuit illegal if the language for any policy has holes. Still, these hurdles arent impossible to clear. Santa Monica has avoided tricky legal complications by focusing on properties in the citys private rental market. Berkeley still has to choose what path to reparations it wants to take, and that will involve a series of public educational events (and) truth-telling symposiums so the community can better understand the intergenerational trauma being addressed, according to Bartletts recommendation. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. According to Census data, Black people went from making up roughly 23% of Berkeleys population in the 1970s to around 8% in 2020. Fredrika Newton fondly remembers what it was like before displacement and gentrification pushed so many of her Black neighbors out of Berkeley. Newton, the co-founder and president of the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation and widow of Black Panther co-founder Huey Newton, spent much of her childhood in Berkeley hanging out in homes owned by Black families, shopping at businesses with Black owners and seeing the city as a hub for Black culture. It feels like theres no here in Berkeley anymore, Newton said. All of those reference points from when I was growing up arent there. Reparations have gone from being a fringe topic among Black scholars and activists to something progressive electeds on local levels are thinking critically about in recent years. Berkeley has a history of leading social justice movements. It now has the chance to show America that addressing the harms of chattel slavery doesnt have to be a zero sum game, and that reparations can be as multifaceted as the systemic racism that made them necessary. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Justin Phillips appears Sundays. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Money from ultra-wealthy political donors, many whove made their fortunes in the tech industry, is pouring into the battle to unseat San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin as the dueling campaigns enter a critical stretch. To date, nine weeks away from the June 7 election, the recall camp has a huge financial advantage, generating more than $2.7 million in donations, versus $1.05 million contributed to the two groups supporting Boudin. By far the most impassioned and embittered grounds for debate are rooted in what Boudin among the most progressive prosecutors in the nation is or isnt doing about crime in San Francisco. But Boudins supporters said some donors plunging money into the recall effort were motivated by Boudins clashes with gig economy companies over worker classification issues. Boudin is also receiving support from wealthy, tech-connected donors. And several tech investors seeking to oust Boudin from office said their financial support was intended as an expression of their beliefs that Boudins approach to criminal justice was making San Francisco less safe, rather than a material interest in the companies they support. Among the wealthy investors helping to funnel money to recall Boudin is investor Ron Conway, a tech industry investor and political fundraiser. In an email around the holidays, Conway painted a dire picture of San Francisco a city that he said was in the clutches of a crime wave with record highs in its homicides, assaults and burglaries. San Francisco crime data shows that overall violent and property crime rates are lower than they have been in recent years and in previous decades, though homicides have increased and burglaries have spiked since the pandemic began. Conway wrote, now is not the time to throw up our hands and walk away from the needs of our beloved city. Conway followed up with an urgent call to action, asking the emails recipients to contribute to the recall campaign of District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Those unable to donate to political campaigns, the email added, could instead contribute to an organization called Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy a super PAC that has to date funneled $1.8 million into the recall effort, according to the citys Ethics Department. Campaign finance records to date show that Conway has not personally donated to the recall effort. But as a local rainmaker in city politics, Conway is known for rallying support behind moderate Democrats and pro-tech causes behind the scenes. Conway was also an early investor in DoorDash, an online food-delivery company that Boudin sued in 2020. Along with the home repair company Handy, DoorDash is one of the two gig-economy firms that San Francisco prosecutors said were violating state law by classifying their workers as independent contractors instead of employees. This law, AB5, drew the ire of tech giants like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash, who pumped a record $200 million into a 2020 campaign to carve out exemptions for themselves. That 2020 measure, Proposition 22, would reclassify gig workers as employees, which could afford them access to a range of benefits such as company-sponsored health insurance, and would be costly for companies. While voters approved Prop. 22, the topic is still being fought in court. The district attorneys suits against DoorDash and Handy are still pending. Of course I support the recall of Chesa Boudin, along with San Franciscans from every background and every neighborhood, because hes incompetent as District Attorney and makes our beloved city less safe every day he remains in office, Conway said in an email to The Chronicle. As a native San Franciscan, grandfather, and homeowner who cares deeply about the city and its future, these are my sole motivations to support his recall, and theyre reasons enough! Conway wrote. Garry Tan, a top donor who has sunk $100,500 into the recall effort, frequently weighs in on Boudin-related issues on social media, and blames the prosecutor for what he sees as a more dangerous city where Asians are frequently targeted for crime. I am sick of seeing my elders robbed, stabbed, and maimed, Tan wrote in a recent Twitter post to his 238,000 followers. Tan, an investor in the grocery delivery company Instacart, which also operates within the gig economy, denied that his support for the recall was rooted in business interests. In an email to The Chronicle, Tan said the local government is not taking care of or protecting its citizens. I have respect for what Chesa Boudin is trying to accomplish, but I dont believe he is doing his best to protect and ensure those who commit violent crimes are held accountable for victimizing the poor, the disadvantaged and the general public, Tan wrote. David Sacks, a partner at Craft Ventures and former PayPal executive, handed over $75,000 to the first recall campaign, Committee Supporting the Recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin, which failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. There are plenty of people in the (tech) industry who support Chesa Boudin, who support criminal justice reform and have deeply immersed themselves in this issue, said Julie Edwards, a spokesperson for the campaign supporting Boudin. And then you do have people who may be involved in businesses who are subject to action by the office, who are being held accountable in a way that they dont like. Corey Cook, a political scientist and professor at St. Marys College of California, said the issue was more complicated than that, and that it was often difficult to draw a direct line between any donors motivations and their support of a campaign. There could be philosophical motivations or material ones, he said, and theyre not always mutually exclusive, he said. Its hard to tease out because those things are closely related, Cook said. The reason (Boudin) filed these lawsuits is reflective of how he operates as district attorney. The extent to which the political donations to date will affect the outcome of the race is difficult to measure. Recent polling by the recall team showed support for ousting Boudin was at 68%, while the anti-recall campaign reported different polling data that showed an even split at 44% yes, 44% no and 12% undecided. Tech executives are also some of the biggest donors to the effort to keep Boudin in office. Chris Larsen, a technology executive and investor, pitched in $100,000. Jessica McKellar, the founder and chief technology officer of bookkeeping software service Pilot, donated $50,000. McKellar wouldnt speculate on why others in the technology sector supported the recall, but said the reasons they publicly state dont check out to me. If you really care about health and safety, the District Attorneys Office is not where you should be focusing your attention, she said. Thats largely not where crime reduction happens. McKellar said if recall supporters were truly interested in public safety, they would be passionate about the city budget, and investing in addiction support treatment, creating job opportunities and mental health treatment. If you want to elect a new person next time, fine. Go for it, she said. But please dont waste even more money on a campaign that is clearly not about health and safety. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy NEW YORK, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths are likely to worsen if the U.S. Congress does not approve billions in new pandemic funding soon, major U.S. news portal Politico has reported. Due to a lack of support from Congress, the White House has no choice but to scale back or suspend programs that provide free testing, treatments and vaccinations, which will disproportionately affect the tens of millions of uninsured Americans, a majority of whom are people of color, said the report based on its interviews with public health experts, lawmakers and health officials. In the early days of the pandemic, the federal government decided to make COVID-19 interventions available to everyone free of charge, which temporarily helped level the playing field in a nation where access to health care is usually tied to employment and income and often correlated with race. However, the current congressional stalemate threatens to upend the fragile progress, according to the report. "I'm concerned that we'll go back to the status quo, which we know carries with it great disparities and suffering," Democratic Representative Raul Ruiz from California, a leader of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and an emergency physician, was quoted as saying. "And the hardest-to-reach communities will be the first to suffer and the most to suffer from the lack of funds." The Biden administration cautioned lawmakers in a meeting last week that without immediate new funding approved by Congress, the federal government will stop reimbursing doctors for testing, vaccinating and treating the uninsured. NEW YORK, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Black population in the United States was already more at risk than the white population of being exposed to gun violence, and the trend evolved in a disturbing way during the last few years, a recent study out of Boston University has revealed. The study showed that in the five years before the pandemic began, Black children, compared to white children, were already at a significantly higher level of risk of being exposed to firearm violence. During the pandemic, that disparity grew even wider, as gun violence across the country increased. Around 9 million U.S. children aged 5-17 lived in a neighborhood that experienced at least one fatal shooting each year from 2015 to 2019. Among those 9 million, the exposure risk for Black kids was 4.4 times higher than for white kids. For Hispanic kids, it was 2.1 times higher, according to the study. During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 9 million increased to 11 million and the majority of that increase was in Black and brown communities, according to the study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on March 14. "Not only were the disparities reproduced during the pandemic, they actually got more severe," Jonathan Jay, a professor at Boston University, was quoted by TIME magazine as saying in its report of the study. "The pandemic was just reproducing social disadvantages across multiple dimensions of marginalization, including race." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOS ANGELES After dramatic declines in coronavirus cases, Los Angeles County has hit another plateau this week that comes amid the spread of the highly infectious BA.2 omicron subvariant. BA.2 has led to new increases in cases in other areas, from a significant surge in Britain that has resulted in an increase in hospitalizations and deaths, and the apparent beginning of a wave in New York and Massachusetts. Similar trends have not yet been seen in Los Angeles County or in California overall, and officials cant say with certainty what will come next. Although it is possible that California could see an echo of what Britain is seeing, some experts have also said that the states winter omicron surge which brought many hospitals under pressure in Southern California and the Central Valley could help provide some protection against a possible BA.2-fueled surge. Nationally, the decline in new coronavirus cases may have ended in just the last few days, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting about 26,000 new cases a day, a number that has stayed essentially stable in the last week. Its the lowest figure since July, but still above the pre-delta surge number of about 12,000 cases a day in June. L.A. Countys public health director said the best way to prepare for the coming weeks is to get up to date on vaccinations and booster shots and to wear masks in indoor public settings. At some point, we knew that it was likely we were going to stop declining because we know that theres still transmission. We know that there are still people who are getting exposed, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said during a briefing Thursday. Personally, I wish we were at a lower level when were doing this plateauing, but we have seen a significant decrease, and that is the good news. BA.2 has already fueled a new wave of infections across other parts of Europe and Asia. It can still be quite deadly in areas where vaccination rates are relatively low, as is the case among Hong Kongs elderly population. A devastating spike in cases has led Hong Kong to run short on coffins. BA.2 is believed to be 30% to 60% more contagious than the original omicron variant that spread through California last winter. BA.2 is now estimated to be the dominant version of the coronavirus circulating nationwide, which underscores the need for continued caution, Ferrer said. Given the increased risk for spread of BA.2, it is important that we take steps now to maximize protection against spread, she said. Encouragingly, the (World Health Organization) reported that in countries with high levels of vaccination, especially among those most vulnerable to COVID-19, the recent increase in cases has not translated yet into high rates of hospitalizations or deaths. But Ferrer has warned that L.A. County still needs more people vaccinated and boosted. In L.A. County, 1.7 million people ages 5 and older havent received a single dose of vaccine, and an additional 2.8 million vaccinated residents age 12 and up who havent received their first booster. According to a county tally, which does not include cases reported late because of a backlog, L.A. County is averaging about 725 coronavirus cases a day, or 50 cases a week for every 100,000 residents considered on the edge between a moderate and substantial level of transmission. The last time cases were consistently this low was last summer, when California was still basking in the afterglow of its full economic reopening. The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients also has tumbled to one of the lowest levels of the entire pandemic. On Thursday, 287 such individuals were hospitalized countywide. At the height of the omicron surge in January, COVID-19 hospitalizations peaked at 4,814. However, the countys coronavirus case rate stopped consistently falling about a week ago. L.A. Countys most recent rate of 50 cases a week for every 100,000 residents was higher than the previous weeks rate of 44. The week before that, L.A. Countys case rate was 60; and before that, it was 77. A rate below 50 is considered a moderate level of transmission, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Below 10 is deemed a low level of transmission. Trends vary by region, and case rates in mid-March were influenced by a backlog of late-reported cases that reflected infections from the winter omicron surge. The California Department of Public Health is aware of these reporting delays, which affect case counts across many parts of the state, L.A. County health officials said March 21. Orange County is still seeing case rates fall. For the week ending Thursday, Californias third most populous county was reporting 26 cases a week for every 100,000 residents. The previous weeks rate was 47. The week before that, it was 52. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the case rate trend is essentially flat. The most recent rate was 64 identical to the previous weeks, but higher than the previous weeks rate of 53. Some parts of the country where BA.2 became dominant earlier have seen a sustained increase in cases. New York Citys case rate is 104; the previous week, the rate was 83. But hospitalizations are still declining there. Two bellwether states in the U.S. are New York and Massachusetts, where BA.2 comprises more than 80% of new cases, according to Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla. In a tweet, Topol said New Yorks and Massachusetts BA.2 wave was starting at a case rate about one-third of that seen when the first omicron wave began last fall. Topol said it was too early to know how big a BA.2 wave will ultimately be, but suggested itll be likely much less that the first omicron wave. In Britain, health officials estimated a record number of new coronavirus cases in a single week. Authorities project that 1 in 13 tested positive for the coronavirus in England between March 20 and March 26; while in Scotland, 1 in 12 tested positive. The BBC reported some hospitals in Britain coming under pressure, with facilities in Scotland seeing record high numbers of coronavirus-positive patients, although few of them are critically ill. But not all European countries are seeing a BA.2-fueled surge. Spains case rate has essentially been steady throughout all of March. Although a delta infection didnt necessarily provide much protection against omicron, recently surviving the earlier omicron subvariant BA.1 likely provides additional short-term protection against BA.2. L.A. Countys recent experience is not necessarily a surprise. As Ferrer noted: Every single time we have reduced the restrictions or the levels of protection that are required, we have always seen an uptick. Our job right now is to make sure that this doesnt lead to a significant increase in cases because that really would be, in some ways, a step that I think is avoidable, she said. Over the last month and a half, L.A. County has relaxed its outdoor masking rules, lifted an order for residents to wear masks in indoor public settings; and rescinded the requirement for patrons to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination at indoor bars, wineries, breweries, distilleries, nightclubs and lounges. Separately, the L.A. City Council on Wednesday voted to officially strike a set of far-more-expansive vaccine-verification rules, which also applied to indoor restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and numerous other businesses. California on Friday also lifted a requirement for attendees to show proof theyve been vaccinated for COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the coronavirus as a condition of entering indoor events with more than 1,000 people, such as concerts, conventions and sporting contests. Given how widely rules have been relaxed, officials say its vital to closely monitor metrics that could point to a coronavirus resurgence. An early indication of a potential rise in confirmed coronavirus cases involves detecting viral levels in wastewater. So far, theres no clear indication of an elevated increase of the virus in sewage in L.A. County, Ferrer said. One bit of data shows a potential rise in coronavirus levels in wastewater coming from the city of Los Angeles recently, but its also possible the data just represents a lot of fluctuation and may not be indicative of a trend. Theres been a lot of variation in wastewater concentration that was noted over the first two weeks in March. And its unclear to us right now if this is really an upward trend, Ferrer said. If we see these continued increases, she added, it may provide us with an early alert that cases could soon be rising. Ferrer said another early sign of trouble would be a sudden increase in coronavirus-related visits to emergency rooms, which in the past have preceded increases in reported coronavirus cases. The good news is that as of Sunday, only 3% of emergency room visits in L.A. County were related to the coronavirus, Ferrer said. This is another positive sign of lower transmission that despite the BA.2 increases that were starting to see theyre not resulting yet in increases in COVID-19 related (emergency department) visits, Ferrer said. Ferrer urged that people get up-to-date on their vaccinations, including seeking a second booster shot for those age 50 and up who are at higher risk of COVID-19 complications should they get infected. There continue to be significant complications that survivors of a coronavirus infection can face, such as long COVID-19 and increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. That really should give all of us another reason to double down on efforts to avoid getting infected as much as possible, Ferrer said, including wearing a mask in indoor public settings, which remains strongly recommended by L.A. County and state health officials. LONDON - Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the self-exiled Russian oligarch and vocal Kremlin opponent, has called on Russian billionaires and officials who have fled Russia to publicly denounce President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine as criminal. "Public figures cannot leave quietly and then sit quietly. If you have left, then you should publicly dissociate yourself or we should be forced to suspect that you are acting on [the Kremlin's] behalf," Khodorkovsky said in an interview last week in his London office. "You should step up to the microphone and say that Putin is a war criminal and that what he is doing is a crime, that the war against Ukraine is a crime. Say this, and then we'll understand that Putin doesn't have a hold over you." Khodorkovsky - who was Russia's richest man before he was arrested in 2003 and imprisoned for 10 years while his Yukos oil company was taken over by the Russian state - was referring in particular to the high-profile Russian oligarchs Mikhail Fridman and Pyotr Aven of Alfa Group. They were once his comrades among Russia's seven original oligarchs of the 1990s, who then controlled much of the country's economy. Fridman and Aven left Russia in the immediate aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine only to be put under sanctions by Britain and the European Union over alleged close ties to the Putin regime. Khodorkovsky was also referring to Anatoly Chubais, the Kremlin special envoy whose departure from Russia late last month made him the highest-ranking official to step down from his post and leave the country since the invasion. Chubais had overseen the 1990s-era privatizations of state-owned enterprises, which were the source of Khodorkovsky's, Fridman's and Aven's fabulous wealth. They are among many in the Russian urban elite who have left the country in the aftermath of the invasion. While Chubais has not made any public comment since his departure, Fridman and Aven have both given interviews in which they have complained about the impact the sanctions have had on their daily lives. They have said that the sanctions reflect a Western misunderstanding that Russians like themselves could have any influence over Putin's policies. Both have refrained from directly criticizing Putin over his invasion of Ukraine, though Fridman, who grew up in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, told journalists after the imposition of E.U. sanctions that the war was "a huge tragedy" that "should be stopped as soon as possible." Fridman said he did not want to speak against Putin directly because it would not have any impact on political decision-making in Russia, while at the same time it would endanger the hundreds of thousands of his employees who remain in Russia. Khodorkovsky said he agreed that it was naive to think that either Fridman or Aven could influence Putin to end the war. Putin has completely overturned the workings of power in Russia since the 1990s, when Russia's richest oligarchs were able to influence President Boris Yeltsin's government. But Khodorkovsky said that if any of these billionaires want the sanctions against them to be lifted, they need to demonstrate their independence from Putin. He urged them to say they regret ever having anything to do with Putin and will never do so again. The suggestion that Putin could arrest the employees they'd left behind in Russia if they spoke out against the president, Khodorkovsky said, was no more than "cover." "This is ridiculous to even hear. It means Putin has some kind of hold over you," he said. "And if there is a hold on you, then it means your resources are dangerous during the war." Suspicions would remain that they could be carrying out Kremlin orders, such as "paying for supplies," including goods officially under embargo. He said the tycoons could direct their associates to make these payments, and he warned that these individuals could also seek to influence European policymakers on Putin's behalf. Khodorkovsky's comments could strike a nerve with Russian billionaires under sanctions who have been trying to deny connections with Putin. Khodorkovsky has long been seen by the wealthiest Russians as an outsider who paid a high price for his political ambitions at a time when Putin, early in his presidency, was seeking to eradicate any challenge. While Khodorkovsky languished in a Siberian prison camp, others - including Fridman, Aven and Chubais - adapted to and then benefited from the Putin regime. Fridman and Aven made a point of steering clear of politics at a time when Russia's billionaires became increasingly beholden to the Kremlin. Khodorkovsky said these men and others should shake off their fear and speak out, even if it means putting their own lives in danger. "This is a real war. People are dying every day," he said. "The regime for which you worked is killing people. Your personal fate compared to this does not mean so much. Take the risk." He said that Russia's oligarchs bear a responsibility for not doing more "to stop the war criminal" and now must pay by taking that risk. Khodorkovsky blamed Putin's decision to invade Ukraine on the president's increasing isolation and said a small number of people who did have access to him had been able "to distort his view of reality." As a result, Khodorkovsky predicted that Putin would eventually face a widespread backlash and that it could ultimately be his turn to pay. "It was a mistake for him, because I don't know how long he could have remained in power had he behaved more calmly, but now it will be much more difficult for him," he said. MUKACHEVO, Ukraine -- Ukrainian troops recaptured territory around Kyiv on Saturday as Russian forces pulled back from towns they had seized in the opening days of the war and left in their wake scenes of destruction and horror, including the abandoned bodies of dead civilians. Journalists entered the town of Bucha, a suburb northwest of the capital, and saw numerous corpses strewn on the streets. Video posted to social media and verified by The Washington Post showed what appeared to be at least nine dead, including one child. Bucha's mayor, Anatoly Fedoruk, said in an interview that around 270 local residents had been buried in two mass graves. He estimated that 40 people were lying dead in the streets. Some had been bound and executed -- shot in the back of the head, he said. The mayor added that officials are worried that the bodies could be booby-trapped with explosives. In a video address to Ukrainians early Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was "mining the whole territory." "They are mining homes, mining equipment, even the bodies of people who were killed," he said. The Post has not verified those claims. Revelations of atrocities and alleged war crimes, including reports of soldiers firing on civilian protesters in the east, cast a pall over what has in some ways been a hopeful period for Ukrainians as they resist the Russian invaders. The capital appears safe for the moment, but at the same time, shelling and intense fighting in the east and south of the country are continuing. Efforts to rescue civilians in besieged cities have been slowed by the extremely dangerous conditions on the ground. The war, in its 38th day, remained a grinding conflict with no clear resolution in sight. The Russian strategic pivot may foreshadow a long war of attrition. That would prolong the already severe humanitarian crisis in which millions of Ukrainians have fled their homes, becoming refugees in neighboring countries. A cease-fire in the largely destroyed coastal city of Mariupol has been in place for several days, creating a corridor to leave the city. A team from the Red Cross failed to reach the city Friday or Saturday, citing the unsafe environment. A Red Cross spokesperson emailed a note with few details saying that teams are en route but have yet to reach Mariupol. Western military analysts are still trying to interpret the decision by Russian military commanders to reposition their forces. Russian officials have said they are concentrating their forces in the eastern part of the country. The repositioning could signal an intense battle for control of the Donbas region. It appears that, at least for now, Russian President Vladimir Putin has recalculated what he can and can't achieve with his invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine's deputy defense minister, Anna Malyar, said late Saturday that the entire Kyiv administrative region is fully under Ukrainian control. Zelensky had said earlier that the movement of Russian forces was "slow but noticeable." But he continued his ongoing appeal to allied nations to do more to aid his war-scorched country. He cited the suffering in Mariupol, where tens of thousands of residents have been trying to survive amid the rubble. "Europe has no right to react in silence to what is happening in our Mariupol. The whole world must react to this humanitarian catastrophe," Zelensky said in his video address. Zelensky's demand for help came amid significant battlefield developments that potentially could alter the geography of the war. If, as some Western analysts believe, Putin focuses on expanding his control of territory in the east, it would open a broad corridor between Russia and the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. But a more limited strategic goal could undermine support within Russia for the war effort. But after Moscow's negotiators agreed in talks with Ukraine to deescalate the fighting around Kyiv and Chernihiv, and focus instead on the eastern Donbas region, propagandists and pro-war politicians expressed dismay. Prominent state television anchor Vladimir Solovyov said Thursday that "that any negotiation with the Nazis until the boot is on their throat is weakness. You shouldn't shake hands with this creep," he said, apparently referring to Zelensky. Another pro-Kremlin journalist and blogger, Semyon Pegov from the outlet War Gonzo, which reports from the Russian side of the war, said the invasion was just beginning and that Russia would continue "to the end." He called Russian soldiers "real Russian heroes." "No one and nothing will take away their feat from them," he posted to Telegram on Friday. "It's already gone down in history." As part of their retreat, Russian forces abandoned an airport seized at the start of the invasion. Near the border with Belarus, Ukrainian forces regained control of the disabled Chernobyl nuclear power plant that had been attacked and captured by Russian forces. The national flag once again was raised over the plant. The repositioning of troops so far has been relatively modest and is possibly a tactic to fool the Ukrainians into lowering their defensive posture in the capital, Brookings Institution defense analyst Michael O'Hanlon said Saturday. He added the Russians may be hoping that Zelensky reveals his whereabouts. "If they can get the Ukrainians to lower their guard, that would be for them potentially an opportunity to make a strike against Zelensky and/or his inner circle and the top tier of the government," O'Hanlon said. "I still think there's a possibility that they're trying to lure the Ukrainians into making a mistake." On-and-off negotiations for a broad cease-fire have been on again in recent days, but the sincerity of the Russians at the table has been questioned by their Ukrainian counterparts. They fear, as do security analysts in the West, that Russian gestures toward a cease-fire and a negotiated peace could be a diversion to help the attackers reposition their forces after the initial thrust of the invasion yielded disappointing results. According to Ukrainian media reports, David Arakhamia, the head of the Ukrainian delegation to the talks, said officials are preparing for a possible meeting between Zelensky and Putin in Turkey. Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych told national television that Ukrainians should prepare for "difficult fights" ahead in Mariupol and in the southern and eastern regions of the country. In the east, four people were "injured and severely burned" after Russian forces fired mortars at protesters in a city near Zaporizhzhia, the site of a nuclear plant that Russia captured last month, according to Ukraine's human rights ombudswoman. Residents of Enerhodar, a satellite town of Zaporizhzhia, which has been occupied by Russian forces for nearly four weeks, held a rally in support of Ukraine on Saturday. Russian soldiers used light and noise grenades to disrupt the protest and opened mortar fire on residents, the ombudswoman, Lyudmyla Denisova, said in a statement posted to Telegram. "Such treatment of civilians is a crime against humanity and a war crime as defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court," Denisova said. The Washington Post verified two videos recorded by witnesses and posted to Telegram. The images were filmed at the same time from separate angles and show at least nine flashes followed by large booms. Gunfire is audible as people run away from the site of the protest. "There is a fight in the city center!" a man yells in a third video, verified by The Post, while rushing away from multiple loud booms. "Russian occupiers attacked civilians. There was a peaceful protest here." Tens of thousands of people in recent weeks have fled Ukrainian cities under attack by Russian forces after Kyiv and Moscow agreed on fragile evacuation deals. Across Ukraine, seven humanitarian corridors have been established, according to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, including the one from Mariupol. She said in a Telegram post that more than 6,000 people were evacuated from front-line cities to other parts of the country on Friday. Vereshchuk said those evacuees included more than 1,400 people who left in their vehicles along planned routes from the southern cities of Berdyansk and Melitopol, which are under Russian control, to the nearby Zaporizhzhia region. Among them were hundreds of people from Mariupol who had managed to escape in private vehicles. Separately, she said, a convoy of 42 buses carried Mariupol residents to Zaporizhzhia from Berdyansk, which they had previously reached on their own. In southern Ukraine, the death toll from a missile strike that hit a main government building in the city of Mykolaiv this week has risen to 32, the governor of the region, Vitaliy Kim, said Saturday on Telegram. Dozens of people remain unaccounted for after that attack blasted a hole through part of the building, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a press officer of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, said earlier. More than 30 people were injured, he said as rescue workers continued to clear rubble Friday and funerals were held for many of the victims. The war continues to stir tensions globally and could have ramifications in low Earth orbit: The director of Russia's space agency suggested he would submit a proposal to end his country's cooperation in the International Space Station program. In tweets on Saturday, Dmitry Rogozin, head of the agency Roscosmos, pointed to sanctions against a "number of enterprises in the Russian rocket and space industry." He said that he appealed to the heads of NASA, the Canadian Space Agency and the European Space Agency to lift sanctions and that in their responses, the "position of our partners is clear: The sanctions will not be lifted." "I believe that the restoration of normal relations between partners in the International Space Station and other joint projects is possible only with the complete and unconditional lifting of illegal sanctions," Rogozin wrote. Rogozin has frequently used threatening and blustery rhetoric, including to repeatedly suggest Russia could exit the partnership. His latest remarks came three days after two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut returned from the space station, a symbol of partnership in space even amid mounting tensions over the war in Ukraine. Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, NASA has maintained that the station has been operating as normal, unaffected by the conflict. NASA has said it would be unable to operate the space station without the Russians because the nation provides the propulsion necessary to keep the station in orbit. In China, officials on Saturday renewed their criticism of sanctions placed on Russia. The remarks came a day after a high-level virtual summit between China and the European Union. "We oppose sanctions, and the effects of these sanctions also risk spilling to the rest of the world," Wang Lutong, director general of European affairs at China's Foreign Ministry, told reporters on Saturday. Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine, E.U. leaders have taken a tougher stance on China, urging it to drop its tacit support for the invasion and work for peace -- but Beijing is pushing back. "China is not a related party on the crisis of Ukraine. We don't think our normal trade with any other country should be affected," Wang said. He added that China is contributing to the global economy by conducting normal trade with Russia. Pope Francis said Saturday that he is considering making a trip to Kyiv. While traveling from Rome to Malta, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church was asked by a reporter on his plane whether a visit to Ukraine was a possibility following invitations from Ukrainian political and religious officials. "Yes, it is on the table," Francis answered, but he offered no further details, according to Reuters. Zelensky has spoken twice with the pope by telephone, according to the Vatican, and along with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has extended invitations to Francis to visit Ukraine. The country has a sizable Roman Catholic population. However, most Ukrainian Catholics identify with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Francis has vocally condemned the war in Ukraine, calling it a "senseless massacre where every day slaughters and atrocities are being repeated." - - - Achenbach reported from Washington; Dixon reported from Riga, Latvia; and Suliman reported from London. The Washington Post's Dalton Bennett in Dnipro, Ukraine; Isabelle Khurshudyan in Odessa, Ukraine; Liz Sly and Ellen Francis in London; Amy Cheng and Andrew Jeong in Seoul; and Claire Parker, Meg Kelly, Frances Stead Sellers, Paulina Firozi, Lateshia Beachum, Christian Davenport and Zachary Nelson in Washington contributed to this report. Ukrainian officials said they have asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to visit the mass graves seen in Bucha, a suburb northwest of Kyiv, so experts can gather evidence of possible Russian war crimes. The request comes as Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said the discovery of the graves - made as Ukrainian troops recaptured territory and Russian forces pulled back from towns they had seized in the war's earliest days - could "only be described as genocide." Condemnation of the alleged assault on civilians resounded around the world, with numerous countries demanding investigations and accountability. Russia's Defense Ministry, however, questioned the authenticity of some of the photos from Bucha. Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, in a tweet Sunday accusing Russia of carrying out a "massacre," requested that the ICC visit the scene "to collect all the evidence of these war crimes" and use it to prosecute those responsible. On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian attacks on Ukraine amounted to a genocide. "This is genocide," Zelensky said in an interview on CBS News's "Face the Nation." "We are the citizens of Ukraine; we have more than 100 nationalities. This is about the destruction and extermination of all these nationalities." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," said "you can't help but see these images [out of Bucha] as a punch to the gut," but he avoided calling it genocide. "The most important thing is we can't become numb to this. We can't normalize this," Blinken said, noting that the United States will help ensure that relevant institutions have the evidence they need to determine what happened. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, on the same show, said the Bucha scenes reflected "brutality against civilians we haven't seen in Europe for decades. And it's horrific and it's absolutely unacceptable that civilians are targeted and killed." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, "Russia's despicable attacks against innocent civilians in Irpin and Bucha are yet more evidence that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his army are committing war crimes in Ukraine." Irpin, another suburb of Kyiv, also was the scene of fierce battles. Britain also called for a probe and said it would support any investigations by the ICC. "As Russian troops are forced into retreat, we are seeing increasing evidence of appalling acts by the invading forces in towns such as Irpin and Bucha," Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Sunday. "Their indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians during Russia's illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine must be investigated as war crimes," Truss said, adding that Britain would "not allow Russia to cover up their involvement in these atrocities through cynical disinformation." Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry reposted a Telegram message in its channel that claimed some of the footage of bodies in Bucha was "fake" and accused Ukrainian forces of killing people by shelling Bucha. Ukraine's leaders forcefully condemned what they characterized as Russian war crimes in Bucha. Klitschko, the Kyiv mayor, told Germany's Bild news outlet on Sunday that Putin was responsible for "cruel war crimes," including the shooting of civilians with their hands bound, in Bucha. Bucha's mayor, Anatoly Fedoruk, told The Washington Post that about 270 residents had been buried in two mass graves, and he estimated that 40 people were lying dead in the streets. Some, he said, had been bound and executed - shot in the back of the head. Human Rights Watch said in a statement Sunday that it had "documented several cases of Russian military forces committing laws-of-war violations against civilians in occupied areas of the Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions of Ukraine." In Bucha, the human rights advocacy group said, it spoke to a teacher who reported witnessing Russian forces executing a man on March 4. Video posted to social media Saturday and verified by The Post showed at least nine people, including one child, lying on the street of a residential area. They appear to be dead. Condemnation of the scenes rippled through Europe. European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said she was "appalled by reports of unspeakable horrors in areas from which Russia is withdrawing" and called for an "independent investigation." "Perpetrators of war crimes will be held accountable," she said. European Council President Charles Michel said the European Union would support Ukraine in gathering evidence to pursue charges against Russia in international courts. He said he was "shocked by haunting images of atrocities committed by Russian army in Kyiv liberated region." U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply shocked" by the images from Bucha. He said it is "essential that an independent investigation leads to effective accountability." German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the images "unbearable" and said those responsible should be held accountable. French President Emmanuel Macron said that "Russian authorities will have to answer for these crimes." Others called for fresh sanctions against Russia and more support for Ukraine. Latvia's foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics, said Russian troops committed "genocide" and "war crimes" in Bucha that "must be met with new sanctions & increased military assistance to Ukraine." Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis argued that the E.U. should stop buying Russian oil and gas. - - - The Washington Post's Amy B Wang, David L. Stern, Meg Kelly, Claire Parker and Sammy Westfall contributed to this report. The California Highway Patrol issued an Endangered Missing Advisory on Saturday afternoon for a 7-year-old at-risk Morgan Hill girl missing since Friday evening. According to the CHP, Ophelia Bushman was last seen at about 8 p.m. Friday. The girl is believed to have been taken by her biological mother, Samira Jabr. Bushman was last seen wearing a light blue sweater, navy glitter Vans shoes and a rainbow hair tie. she stands 4'4" tall, weighs 70 pounds and has blue hair and brown eyes. Jabr is 30 years old and stands 5'5" tall, weighs 125 pounds and has brown hair and brown eyes. They may be traveling in a beige 2017 Hyundai Elantra, California license plate 8ADN940. The Alameda County District Attorney's Office has filed charges against a former Fremont city manager for embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds, alleged to have occurred during his employment with the Bay Area's fourth-largest city. The charges were filed Friday against Mark Danaj, who resigned as Fremont's city manager last September. He had been with the city of 251,000 since 2018, after being fired as Manhattan Beach's city manager. In a statement, the city of Fremont was informed by the district attorney's office of the filing Friday. The city is actively monitoring the situation and will evaluate the impact of the criminal proceedings on the term's of Danaj's severance package. A fatal collision early Sunday has closed northbound U.S. Highway 101 in Santa Rosa in the city's south end, according to the California Highway Patrol. Officers are diverting northbound traffic off the highway at the Yolanda Avenue off-ramp, according to the CHP traffic website, which listed the collision as having been reported at 1:59 a.m. involving multiple vehicles just north of Hearn Avenue. The CHP provided little information about the collision and issued a SigAlert closing the northbound lanes at 2:15 a.m., with estimate that the highway may reopen two hours later. The coroner was contacted at 2:34 a.m. A suspect remains on the loose Saturday evening hours after being involved in the fatal shooting of a a man in San Jose near Aborn and Silver Creek roads. A San Jose police spokesperson said the shooting occurred just after 7 a.m. in the 1900 block of Aborn Road, east of Silver Creek Road. When officers arrived. the found the gunshot victim on the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The motive and the circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. The suspect is unidentified and remains at large Saturday evening. The victim's identity will be released by the Santa Clara County Coroner's Office after confirming his identity and notification of relatives. The fatal shooting is the city's fifth homicide of 2022. Santa Rosa police said the shooting death of a man at a park Saturday night appears to be gang-related. Officers and paramedics responded shortly before 8:30 p.m. to a report of a gunshot victim at Comstock Middle School in the 2700 block of West Steele Lane, according to a police news release. They found an unresponsive man with gunshot wounds at the adjacent Northwest Community Park. Although responders provided medical aid to the 25-year-old victim, he died at the scene. Police did not release his name but did say he was a resident of Santa Rosa. Detectives determined that the victim had been inside the park with some friends when they were approached to two suspects. An argument broke out between the victim and the suspects and gang challenges were made by the suspects. Police in Stockton are investigating a shooting Saturday in which a 9-year-old girl was injured when she was stuck by gunfire. Officers responded to reports of the shooting in the 2200 block of Van Gogh Lane in the city's Weston Ranch neighborhood west of Interstate Highway 5, according to a 6:09 p.m. tweet from Stockton Police Department. The short post reported that the girl is in stable condition at a local hospital and urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact the department at (209) 937-8377. The San Mateo Sheriff's Office arrested a 38-year-old San Carlos man Saturday morning after attempting to strangle his wife following a verbal argument. A sheriff's department spokesperson said the incident occurred at about 8:55 a.m. in the 2200 block of Howard Avenue in San Carlos. The husband and wife got into a verbal argument which turned physical. During the physical altercation, the husband grabbed his wife's phone and threw it away from her. The spokesperson said he then pinned her against a wall and grabbed her by her throat, strangling her for approximately 10 seconds. The woman had visible injuries and decided to go to the Keller Center at San Mateo County General Hospital for a strangulation examination. Sheriff's deputies contacted her husband at the residence, who gave a statement which ultimately supported his arrest on charges of domestic violence, a felony, as well as a misdemeanor charge of damaging wireless communication. Police in Berkeley are investigating a robbery that occurred early Saturday morning. The robbery occurred around 12 a.m. in the 2300 block of Ridge Road. Police said the suspects were wearing ski-type masks and were in a white Honda CRV. Additional details about the incident were not immediately available. Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to contact the University of California Police Department at (510) 642-6760. The National Weather Service forecast for Sunday for the greater San Francisco Bay Area calls for warm temperatures under mostly sunny skies with highs in the upper 60s to upper 70s. Overnight lows will range from the mid 40s to the mid 50s. Copyright 2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. Copyright 2022 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. A recently released geological study by a pair of Southern Methodist University researchers shook West Texas with news about whats happening underground but earthquakes werent the issue. In 1980, a sinkhole northeast of Wink formed suddenly, and ground collapsed in 2002 just east of the West Texas town, making an even larger hole. The Wink Sinks, as theyre called, are more than just geological curiosities. Several organizations have since researched areas around West Texas to see if sinkholes can happen in other parts of the Permian Basin. The latest study by SMUs Jim-Woo Kim and Zhong Lu in only looking at an area of about 60 miles by 60 miles has found six. The pair of professors used public data from the European Space Agencys Sentinel-1A/B satellites, which feature interferometric synthetic aperture radar, or inSAR. In simple terms, the radar can capture very fine changes to the Earths surface. What they found were areas of concern near Wink, Monahans, Grandfalls, Imperial and Pecos. Of particular concern is an area just east of Wink Sink No. 2 the larger one at the intersection of county roads 201 and 204 in Winkler County. The area has seen subsidence of 40 centimeters per year since 2014. Fissures across the CR 201 are visible on Google Earth. That area is sinking at half a meter per year, Lu told the Reporter-Telegram. I cannot predict when a hole will be produced in that area, but you can see cracks and fissures nearby. I havent seen that amount of subsidence anywhere. University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology geoscientist Jeffrey Paine has studied the Wink Sinks for more than a decade. Hes aware of the area east of Wink Sink No. 2. Some people call that Wink Sink No. 3 already, he said. It just doesnt have steep walls like the sudden collapses at Wink No. 1 and Wink No. 2. Paine noted that there has been a huge amount of subsidence at the site but said the SMU figure is probably the maximum rate. Were seeing something on the order of a couple of centimeters per month from topographic comparisons sustained over several years. Those rates are what we saw in our earlier radar interferometry study, as well. Not all areas in SMUs study are subsiding, however. A location west of Wink and one near Monahans are seeing uplifts, meaning the land is getting higher. The Wink spot is the site of a wastewater injection well. Near Monahans is a CO2 injection well. The reason for the uplifts isnt known. All of the areas in SMUs study and existing sinkholes including one near Imperial that already has caused the Texas Department of Transportation to reroute Farm-to-Market 1053 have a common factor: Theyre in a very specific area of the Permian Basin. Odessa-based hydrologist Gil Van Deventer, who is working on resolving several subsidence issues near Imperial, said the areas being researched are all on the rim of the Delaware Basin, a subbasin of the Permian, which abuts the Central Basin Platform. Above the water-rich San Andres formation is the Salado formation, a salt evaporate deposit. The water in the San Andres is under artesian pressure and can move up into the Salado by both natural and unnatural circumstances, eroding the salt in the Salado and causing voids that can lead to subsidence and sinkholes. When you look at Imperial, back in the 1940s through the 1960s, there were many well tests, Van Deventer said. They were looking for oil in the San Andres formation, for instance. They didnt find oil, but in many cases they left those wells behind for the landowners because it had water. The unique thing down there is the water is artesian flowing; its under pressure, so it flows to the surface without a pump. Those wells flow anywhere from 1,000 gallons per minute to 4,000 gallons per minute. When wells lose their integrity, water from below can flow into the Salado. Abandoned wells that havent been properly plugged can cause problems, especially when flowing unknown for decades. As a historical footnote, as the first flowing San Andres well in Pecos County near Imperial was drilled in 1926 by Carl Cromwell, Van Deventer said. Cromwell was the infamous driller who drilled the Santa Rita No. 1 in Texon back in 1923. Sure enough, he drilled one of these wells down there, and it was left there to be used by whoever owned the property then. That well might actually still be flowing out there, not that its being used. The abandoned wells near Imperial yielded brackish water when drilled in the middle of the last century in the hunt for oil. They were turned over to landowners and have since been orphaned. One such well corroded and has been spewing water for decades, creating a water feature known as Boehmer Lake, which is visible on satellite imagery. The Railroad Commission has plans to plug 3,000 abandoned wells across Texas over the next few years; however, those that arent on the books as oil and gas wells are excluded from the plugging program. The result is continued flowing water without a solution. The Railroad Commission will take action on any well to plug or repair it, when we have evidence the well is an abandoned oil or gas well, RRC spokeswoman Ramona Nye told the Texas Tribune in a 2016 article that featured Boehmer Lake. If the well has been transferred over for use by a private landowner for irrigation or for a water supply well, the Railroad Commission no longer has jurisdiction or authority to plug the well. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokesman Terry Clawson told the Tribune that his agency doesnt have any plugging responsibilities, water wells or otherwise. No state agency has such a role. Thats the biggest problem we have, said Van Deventer told the Tribune. No one wants to claim responsibility. Research about the causes and the state of the ground underneath is also lacking. (The rim of the Delaware Basin is) one area where there hasnt been as much research as there needs to be, Paine said. What are the specific causes and settings where a sinkhole formation occurs? Places like Wink have a favorable subsurface groundwater regime, and you have penetration through the salt by wells that allow water to get into the salt and dissolve it. But not every place is like that, and certainly not every penetration of salt has led to sinkhole formation. Conditions have to be uniquely suited for formation of something like that. Analysis of the Bureau of Economic Geologys 2017 airborne lidar data has been shelved as the bureau works on areas affected Hurricane Harvey. Right now, thats the most pressing geologic hazard affecting the state of Texas. Lu made clear to the Reporter-Telegram that even though his study tied wells to the areas where geological issues are occurring, he is not placing blame. I dont want people to say were pointing fingers toward the hydrocarbon industry. Analysis revealed wells at the sites, and research connected them with API numbers, but more research is necessary to find if and how the wells are affecting the areas. For his work around Imperial, I just want to go out and inventory all of those wells, categorize them and write a report so we have something on the shelf that identifies the well and its features, Van Deventer said. Then we would take the next step of fixing the problem. ** ** ** SMU STUDY AREAS Here are where the areas where Southern Methodist University researchers have found areas of subsidence and uplift in the Delaware Basin: Location Lat/Lon Basin Period Magnitude Size Cause Seismicity Wink, TX N31.78 W103.31 Delaware Basin 01/2016~07/2016 5 cm (uplift) 2.0 2.0 km Wastewater injection No Monahans, TX N31.51 W102.97 Midland Basin 11/2014~01/2016 3 cm (uplift) 6 4 km CO 2 injection No Grandfalls, TX N31.27 W102.96 Delaware Basin 11/2014~04/2017 23 cm (subsidence) 1.4 1.0 km Salt/limestone dissolution No Imperial, TX N31.21 W102.75 Central Basin Platform 11/2014~04/2017 9 cm/yr (subsidence) 650 350 m Impounded freshwater from abandoned wells No Wink, TX N31.78 W103.12 Delaware Basin 11/2014~04/2017 40 cm/yr (subsidence) 380 280 m Salt dissolution No Pecos, TX N31.35 W103.48 Delaware Basin 01/2017~04/2017 4.5 cm (subsidence) 2.5 1.0 km Hydrocarbon production Yes LINKS ::: Read the latest SMU study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-23143-6 ::: Learn more about the Wink Sinks: http://www.beg.utexas.edu/research/programs/near-surface-observatory/wink-sink The slap was seen across the world. Will Smith smacking Chris Rock on the Oscars stage Sunday, March 27 after a joke Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith has opened a more serious conversation about hair loss in women. Pinkett Smith has shared publicly her battle with alopecia an autoimmune disorder that causes sudden and unpredictable hair loss. It became the butting joke of Rocks dialogue in presenting an award. Many women are embarrassed to share publicly about their private struggles behind closed doors, but one local news reporter is breaking the mold and sharing her experience about the sensitive issue. The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. This article first appeared in The Conversation. It is doubtful the tragic devastation of the Russia-Ukraine War would surprise William Sherman were he alive today. The iconic U.S. Army soldier was a student of war at home and abroad. Sherman, who lived from 1820 to 1891, concluded that war what the Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz defined as an act of force to compel [an] enemy to do [ones] will is a fixture of human nature. Neither you nor any set of men have a right to say that your labors are lost, Sherman told graduates of the Michigan Military Academy in 1879, for wars have been, are now, and ever will be as long as man is man. Sherman also understood from experience what he regarded as the best of all possible schools that war is cruelty, and you cannot refine it. In December 1860, Sherman served as superintendent of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning, now Louisiana State University. After numerous professional setbacks in civilian life, Sherman had found his vocation: instructing cadets in the military art. Reared by foster parents, Sherman was also preparing a home of his own for his wife and children, whom he hoped to move from Ohio to Louisiana. But war came when southern states seceded from the Union and when insurrectionists shelled Fort Sumter in April 1861. Civil War At the outbreak of the Civil War, Sherman re-entered the U.S. Army as a colonel of infantry. He secured command of a brigade in the field, and led his unit well at the Battle of Bull Run, despite the victory for Confederate forces. From Bull Run, Sherman rose in rank until he commanded vast Union armies on campaign. Through it all, Sherman witnessed wars devastation. But contrary to popular myth, he was not indifferent to it or cruel himself. When Sherman captured Atlanta in September 1864, he insisted that civilians be evacuated from the city and offered assistance. City council members protested, deploring the hardships an evacuation would entail. A woman looks at engraved names of Argentinean soldiers killed during the 1982 Falklands war on a war memorial marking the 40th anniversary of the war between Argentina and Great Britain over the Falklands or Malvinas island in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, April 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) In his reply to the mayor of Atlanta, Sherman noted horrific losses civilians elsewhere had endured throughout the war, many of which were suffered at the hands of Confederate soldiers and resulted from Confederate policy. He cited the hypocrisy of the councils appeal: I myself have seen in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi hundreds and thousands of women and children fleeing from your armies and desperadoes, hungry and with bleeding feet. In Memphis, Vicksburg, and Mississippi we fed thousands upon thousands of the families of Rebel Soldiers left on our hands and whom we could not see starve. Now that war comes home to you, you feel very different. You deprecate its horrors, but did not feel them when you sent car-loads of soldiers and ammunition to carry on war into Kentucky & Tennessee, & desolate the homes of hundreds & thousands of good People who only asked to live in Peace at their old homes, and under the Government of their inheritance. After they evacuated Atlantas inhabitants, Shermans columns marched to the sea, captured Savannah, and established a new base of operations on the eastern seaboard. The campaign became infamous in the post-war South for atrocities Sherman and his men were alleged to have committed against civilians, but claims of war crimes are exaggerated. In fact, Sherman restrained his troops from committing greater depredations. The cruelty of war The historical omnipresence and cruel nature of war are facts even seasoned international relations experts now confront anew. The truth that war is hell as Sherman probably declared to veterans in 1880 is no less true in 2022 than it was in 1864. Newfangled concepts of hybrid, gray-zone and other theories of contemporary warfare in which lethal violence is less pronounced are proving flawed in theory and in fact. War on the ground still devastates troops, civilians and homes, and determines the destinies of nations. None feel these realities more severely than the Ukrainians, whose homes, hospitals, cities and villages Russian military forces are reducing to ashes through indiscriminate and lethal firepower. A woman covers her son with a blanket after fleeing the war from neighboring Ukraine at the border crossing in Medyka, southeastern Poland, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) The loss of any home was a terrible fact of war with which Sherman empathized. Writing in 1862 to his daughter, Minnie, from Memphis, Tennessee, Sherman described the cruel nature of war with poignancy: I have been forced, he wrote, To turn families out of their houses and homes and force them to go to a strange land because of their hostility, and I have today been compelled to order soldiers to lay hands on women to force them to leave their homes to go join their husbands in hostile camps. Think of this, and how cruel men become in war when even your papa has to do such acts. Pray every night, Sherman continued, that this war may end; not that you want me home, but that our whole people may not become robbers and murderers. It is a prayer, one suspects, uttered by many scores of Ukrainian and Russian children. A more perfect peace Because Sherman grasped wars inherent violence, he labored to end the Civil War swiftly. Sherman did not delight in human suffering. He did not revel in destroying enemy property. In fact, Sherman was a moralist whose use of state-sanctioned violence flowed from ethical and humanitarian concerns. Sherman believed that it was more ethical to destroy enemy infrastructure and materiel than to kill human beings. Just as he grasped wars cruelty, Sherman understood the need to wage war with overwhelming force, all with the purpose to end hostilities as quickly as circumstances might permit. Deeper knowledge of William Sherman and of armed conflict will better equip leaders in the West to confront the true nature of future war. Then, when war invariably comes, Americans will be better prepared to secure the more perfect peace for which Sherman hoped and which he believed was wars true object. Mitchell G. Klingenberg is a Postdoctoral Fellow and Instructor of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations at the United States Army War College. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This $2.950 million home, a short walk to the sea in the San Francisco Bay Area beach town of Montara, is one of a kind with a famous architect, a famous owner and fame in its own right. This is the first time 1241 Main Street has ever been on the public market. The modern and sculptural architecture of the house is that of world-renowned architect Michel Maltzan. Olga Soboleva Maltzan has had an illustrious career, winning some of the highest accolades available to his profession: five Progressive Architecture awards; 42 citations from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the 2016 AIA Los Angeles Gold Medal; and the Rudy Bruner Foundations Gold Medal for Urban Excellence. In 2015, Time Magazine included Matzan's work on L.A.'s Star Apartments as one of its 25 best inventions of the year. Olga Soboleva Before forming his own firm, Maltzan worked with Frank Gehry. Michael Matzan has designed buildings both internationally (such as Qaumajuq, the Inuit Art Centre in Canada and BookBar in the Jinhua Architecture Park in China), nationally (such as MoMa Queens, New York and the New Vassar Residence Hall at MIT in Massachusetts) and locally (the Disney Concert Hall and the Billy Wilder Theater in Los Angeles). Olga Soboleva As his firm is located in Los Angeles, the majority of his work in the state is also in Southern California. This home at 1241 Main Street is the only Bay Area private residence Matzan built. Olga Soboleva Matzan built the 2,470 square-foot home for his sister and her husband, designer Thomas Meyerhoffer. Olga Soboleva Meyerhoffer is also a star in his profession, the first designer hired by Apple's Chief Design Officer. He has since formed his own company, Latch, and has designed for both startups and global brands. Olga Soboleva From this seaside home, Meyerhoffer has also designed his alternative-shaped surfboards, "which he tested at the many world-class surf breaks from Santa Cruz to San Francisco," Compass listing agent Stephanie Sills told SFGATE. Olga Soboleva This modern, three-bedroom, two-bathroom ocean view abode has been in the same family since Matzan built it. Olga Soboleva Montara locals have probably walked right past the home, while architecture fans the world over may recognize the home from its feature in Dwell Magazine, California Style, Surfers Journal, ID Magazine, Outside Magazine and other publications. Olga Soboleva Olga Soboleva Anna Marie Erwert writes from both the renter and new buyer perspective, having (finally) achieved both statuses. She focuses on national real estate trends, specializing in the San Francisco Bay Area and Pacific Northwest. Follow Anna on Twitter: @AnnaMarieErwert. By the end of this month News Corp and Telstra will decide if they can float Foxtel, which also owns streaming services Kayo Sports and Binge, on the share market. Its been a busy week for Rupert Murdochs News Corp. The companys chief executive, Robert Thomson, flew into Melbourne to watch co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch decry the ABC and the media elite at an exclusive function hosted by a conservative think tank. The likelihood of a Foxtel float is the talk of corporate media circles. It is seen as a referendum on not just the growth prospects of streaming services in Australia but News Corps strategy. Most bankers, analysts and executives not tied to the potential deal dont think it can be done, arguing that it is too difficult to sell a content aggregation business when key contracts with HBO and ESPN/Disney may not be renewed in the coming years. Others working on the deal are, unsurprisingly, more confident. News has wanted to list Foxtel since 2016. But its a transaction that became more possible last year as the company dramatically cut costs as it tried to pivot to streaming from its declining cable TV roots. Since then News Corp, which owns 65 per cent, and Telstra, which owns 35 per cent, have been weighing up the risks and the implications of a deal that could help pay down the significant amount of debt owed to banks and shareholders (almost $2 billion as of December 31). Foxtel had bankers from Citi and Bank of America running meetings with fund managers late last year after its September strategy day. A prospectus is not finalised but will need to be in the next few weeks if the plan is to float before June 30. That final decision of whether to press go is likely to coincide with the completion of the long-awaited US$43 billion merger of Discovery and Warner Media, slated for April 11 (April 12 in Australia). This wont have any immediate impact on Foxtel, but could dramatically change what Australias streaming landscape looks like in the next three years. Lithium, rare earths, and iron ore miners provided strong support for the Australian stock exchange on Monday, while an opportunistic takeover bid between funds managers grabbed attention and saw target Pendal jumping as much as 24 per cent during the day. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed 0.3 per cent higher, up 19.9 points to 7513.7, just 75 points below Januarys high of 7589. Its really comforting to see that we are getting close to where the market was in January, before it fell, senior client advisor at Shaw and Partners, Adam Dawes, said. Perpetual chairman Tony DAloisio chose his moment to pounce. Credit:Steven Siewert Mr Dawes said Perpetuals $2.4 billion bid for Pendal was one way to grow funds in-flows. Consolidation in the sector has been well overdue and thats how these guys survive - they buy other businesses to keep things moving. The offer saw Pendal closing at an 11-week high of $5.29, while Perpetual ended the session at a 13-month low of $31.97, down 6.6 per cent. Overall the financial sector closed lower with the big banks declining ahead of Tuesdays Reserve Bank meeting, and a 3.2 per cent fall in Bank of Queensland. However, Magellan Financial gained 9.4 per cent to its highest close in eight weeks at $16.79. But it was the mining sector that underpinned Mondays gains, especially lithium producers. IGO gained 4 per cent, Pilbara Minerals gained 5.5 per cent, Allkem gained 7.3 per cent, and Liontown Resources gained 9 per cent. Iluka jumped to new highs of $12.50 after announcing it would spend up to $1.2 billion on a rare earth oxide refinery with help from a $1 billion government loan. And Lynas hit a decade high of $11.59, pushing its market cap over $10 billion for the first time after a rival highlighted the clear lack of (lithium) supply to meet the expected lift in demand on an investor call. Iron ore prices edged close to $US160 per tonne despite Chinas manufacturing index falling below 50 points, indicating contraction. This saw gains in Fortescue, BHP and Mineral Resources. A full lock-down of Chinese mega-city Shanghai dragged on oil prices late last week, but US crude firmed a little on Monday $US99.74 per barrel. Biggest gains: Pendal 18.1% Telix 10.1% Magellan 9.7% Liontown 9% Novonix 8% Biggest declines: There are no cats on Penguin Island but somehow their poo managed to kill several of the reserves namesakes. Thirteen otherwise healthy looking little penguins at the West Australian island just off Rockingham died in 2011-12 with necropsies the animal equivalent of an autopsy revealing parasite infection and enlarged organs including livers, spleens and hearts. A cluster of little penguin deaths from 2011-12 have been linked to cat faeces. Initial testing at the University of New Mexico led scientists to believe the birds had died from the mosquito-borne disease avian malaria, when four out of 10 samples sent to the institution came back positive. But further investigation by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development veterinary pathologist Kym Campbell has now found that toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by a parasite found in cat faeces, was also involved. People who pursue solitude of their own volition tend to report that it feels full like theyre full of ideas or thoughts or things to do, Thomas said. In this way, its distinct from loneliness, a negative state in which youre disconnected from other people and it feels empty. The key is to see solitude as a choice, not a punishment. In a 2019 survey, Thomas found that teenagers who deliberately sought out solitude showed higher levels of well-being and were less lonely than their peers who were alone just because of circumstances. The same was true in young adults ages 18 to 25, who also showed increased levels of personal growth and self-acceptance, and lower levels of depression. In fact, most research shows that we benefit more from solitude as we age, Thomas said, as we develop more control over our time, along with better cognitive and emotional skills to help us use it more constructively. If you want to connect with yourself or feel calm or creative, is scrolling social media going to get you what you need? You can learn to like it, even if youre not an introvert You might assume its just introverts who benefit from solitude, but research is mixed on whether they are actually more skilled at being alone, Thomas said. In her view, anyone, with any personality, can enjoy it with one caveat: if they know how to use it well. That means deciding what you want from your time, whether its processing a tough situation, tapping into creativity or just enjoying five cumulative minutes without someone under five asking you for something. Without a goal were just going to be throwing spaghetti at the wall, and that can elicit a false sense of failure, like Oh, Im just not good at being alone, said Gina Moffa, a grief and trauma psychotherapist in New York City. Solitude can have a calming effect on our minds and bodies, which may be off-putting to people who usually equate happiness with feeling energised, Thomas said. They often just feel bored or restless. The key to dispelling the discomfort is to replace it with something enjoyable. If you dont know where to start, think of something you like doing in general, and then try doing it by yourself, Moffa said. And no, doom scrolling Twitter doesnt count as healthy solitude. In a 2020 study, Thomas followed 69 participants for a week, concluding that they were more emotionally satisfied with their solitude when they were truly alone, without their phones, than when they were alone but still on their phones. If you want to connect with yourself or feel calm or creative, is scrolling social media going to get you what you need? she said. Most of the time, the answer is no. There are ways to make solitude easier Former NASA astronaut Jim Ox van Hoften has experienced a very particular solitude; during his missions to space in the 1980s, he was isolated from his family, his routine and, quite literally, the world. And yet, there were only a few times I felt like I was really on my own, van Hoften, 77, said. Although the crew could reach ground control for only 20 minutes out of every 90-minute orbit, he still felt bolstered by support. Even in outer space, youre never alone, you always have somebody helping, he said. That applies on Earth, too. Checking in with a friend can still be part of your solitude ritual, Moffa said. In fact, having the space to do that while were in this place of solitude can make the communication deeper and the connection more authentic, because were without the many layers of distractions around us. You can also do a solitary activity but share it communally. Moffa is part of a group chat with friends who text each other their Wordle scores every day. We all do this thing quietly on our own, but it becomes something that connects us when we share it, she said. Loading Solitude can also involve silence, which has been found to lower stress, improve sleep and help decision-making in some people. But without structure, it can feel intimidating, said Eloise Skinner, who spent a year training as a monk in a modern monastic community. Practice getting comfortable with silence during small moments in your day, first while actively doing something else like cooking or walking and then, for more of a challenge, while just sitting still. In the monastic community, all times of silence have a purpose to them, Skinner, 30, said. Adding a framework to your silence by writing in a journal or listening to your breath can make it more satisfying. You can find solitude anywhere Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein says the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state earlier this year left him completely drained and played a role in his departure from politics. Mr Gutwein told reporters he had nothing left in the tank and was looking forward to reading, gardening and spending time with family in his home in Launceston. Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein has announced he is resigning from politics. Credit:Sarah Rhodes I cannot wait to get back and spend some time in Launceston to be frank, the longest Ive spent in my house here in Launceston, in the last couple of years, was the seven days I had in isolation, he said. Mr Gutwein said his wife had set aside career ambitions to raise their children largely in his absence and it was now his turn to give some time back. Ive got a cabinet that Ive had a really strong relationship with, theyre good friends and colleagues and Ive worked with many of them for a long period of time, he said. And so its obviously with some sadness that I leave but I know that the foundations have been laid, the path that has been laid out is one that a new leader will be able to make their own. Mr Gutwein took the opportunity to thank Tasmanians. To Tasmanians, thank you for your support. Together we took the small state through a pandemic, we created one of the safest places on the planet to live and, importantly, one of the best economies and strongest job markets in the country, he said. Thank you for working with me. Mr Gutwein, who has been a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly since 2002, said he did not have a job lined up after politics. The states Liberal party will begin the process to choose a replacement for Mr Gutwein as Liberal leader and premier this week. During a press conference last month, Mr Gutwein revealed he was a victim of childhood sexual assault at the hands of a school teacher when he was 16. While the rest of the world is gradually finding a way to manage COVID-19 as a disease that circulates in the community, China is providing an example of the increasing costs of trying to suppress it completely. Under its COVID-zero policy, which involves mass testing of all citizens and widespread lockdowns, China has for the past two years been able to control the disease and save thousands of lives. According to official figures, China has suffered fewer deaths, about 4600, than Australia. It is a source of genuine pride for China which it says shows its concern for all its citizens. Yet the costs of this approach are growing ever more painful, especially since the arrival of the more contagious Omicron variants of SARS-COV-2. Last week China put Shanghai, a city of 26 million, into a suffocating lockdown, the biggest since the original lockdown in the city of Wuhan. The rolling shutdowns in Shanghai and other manufacturing Chinese centres are disrupting supply chains and causing shortages throughout the world. Over time, China will have to follow the rest of the world and allow the disease to circulate in the community, but it should first address its low vaccination rate, especially among vulnerable older people. Only about 20 per cent of people over 80 have received a booster and only half have had two doses. China should also reconsider its decision not to use foreign vaccines despite strong indications they are more effective than Chinese ones. Here in Australia, now Western Australia has reopened its borders, the whole country has abandoned a COVID-zero strategy. It is possible some states waited too long but, by waiting until we reached high vaccination rates before reopening, Australia avoided the stress on its health system and high death rates seen in other countries such as the US. Even with this cautious approach, tragically, already more than 4100 have died of COVID-19 this year. The federal government has expelled a millionaire businessman from Australia after accusing him of carrying out tasks for a Chinese intelligence operative and working covertly in a way that advanced Beijings interests. The recent expulsion of property developer Zheng Jiefu is one of several cases in which long-time Australian residents have been deported or barred entry into the country because of their suspected ties to Beijings security or foreign interference apparatus. Zheng Jiefu has been expelled from Australia. Credit:Joe Armao Over the past three years, spy agency ASIO has quietly deported several Chinese businessmen and journalists, accusing them of ties to the Ministry of State Security or Chinese foreign interference agencies. ASIO, the federal government and human rights groups have warned for a number of years that Beijing was directing its proxies to approach members of the Chinese diaspora in Australia to put pressure on their relatives in China. Official sources who cannot be named because they are not authorised to speak publicly, say ASIO accused Mr Zheng of engaging in foreign interference in Australia on behalf of China, a claim the wealthy businessman has denied. In the late afternoon of March 22, blue-eyed, blonde-haired Eli Michael Resnik made his entry into the world oblivious to the history-making nature of his birth. Eli is the first biological child born to a single man in Victoria through local surrogacy. His father, Shaun Resnik, was the first such man to be given official approval by the state government to have a baby under strict surrogacy laws last year. Shaun Resnik with baby Eli. Credit:Jason South Mr Resnik was in the delivery room as Elis surrogate mother, Melbourne woman Carla Pincombe, gave birth. Id hoped to be the one to catch him as he was born and I did, Mr Resnik said. I just held him in my arms with his little umbilical cord. He was screaming away. It was outstanding. It was pure joy. The freedom to protest to gather, to object, to call for change is an indispensable component of our democracy. Social change has never been inevitable. Aspects of Australian life we take for granted today womens vote, the eight-hour work day, protected wilderness areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land rights occurred because ordinary Australians took to the streets. Protest gives a voice to the voiceless; it gives political power to those unable to wield influence through money and lobbyists. The freedom to protest matters it goes to the heart of representative, democratic government. Last week, the NSW government critically eroded that freedom. The Roads and Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill, which passed the Legislative Council on Friday, significantly undermines the ability of people in NSW to protest. It is a draconian measure unnecessary, disproportionate, lacking oversight and containing only minimal safeguards. It should never have become law. Protestors tied to a pole push for climate change action on a cargo train line near Port Botany in Pagewood on March 24. Credit:Nick Moir The amendments radically expand an existing legislative provision that makes it an offence to cause disruption on the Sydney Harbour Bridge or other major bridges and tunnels. Under the new laws, causing disruption on any tunnel, road or bridge chosen by the government, or at railway stations, ports or infrastructure facilities, is punishable by up to two years imprisonment and a $22,000 fine. The new provision is so broad and vague that almost all protest activity without prior approval now risks criminal sanction. Imagine school children gathering at a park in Sydney to protest against inaction on climate change. Say the large turnout means that protesters spill out into the entrance of a nearby railway station. They do not pose any safety risk, but commuters have to walk around the children to access the station. Those protesters our children could be imprisoned, for the crime of causing commuters to be redirected. Well-off send kids away, leaving Walgett unloved I read with concern your article and confirm, having done reporting assignments in these far western towns a generation ago, that there does not seem a solution (Walgett High, the unsolvable problem school, April 2). But what does make itself apparent is that many of the residents of town and hinterland in the upper socioeconomic bracket, be they lawyers, graziers, doctors, business people virtually all white opt to send their children to boarding schools. That deprives the school in Walgett of children from that bracket, who are normally highly motivated, an example that other students might follow. It also deprives the school of the tacit backing and support of those in the upper socio-economic bracket who, having children at the school, would be motivated to support the school, belong to P&C committees, attend sporting events and so on. As it is, those with their children elsewhere ignore the local school. And that feeling of being sidelined, which has afflicted our Indigenous population from colonial days, is reinforced. That comes out in behaviour. Malcolm Brown, Ermington As someone well acquainted with Walgett High, I was not surprised to read of the dysfunction that has long existed at the school. The fact that 31 principals have resigned in 24 years is an indictment against many stakeholders in the school. I am certain that each of those principals took up their appointment in good faith and left only as a last resort. It would be of great benefit to the schools future to ask each of those principals to state the main reasons why they left and act on those reasons instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. John Adamson, Dulwich hill I taught for five years at Walgett High in the 1980s. It was a multicultural school with 55 per cent Indigenous students and the rest from a variety of backgrounds. Learning at the school was enriched by this cultural mix. Leadership at Walgett High at this time was exemplary through a strong female parent Aboriginal liaison officer who was most supportive of the staff and three separate committed principals over my five-year tenure. Unfortunately, structural systemic racism an Australia-wide problem underpinned by the local white population is apparent in extremis in places such as Walgett. Local landed gentry often choose private boarding schools far from Walgett. Unofficial apartheid in our country is an ongoing problem. Ian Muldoon, Coffs Harbour For any school to succeed, the most fundamental underlying principle is the agreed belief by all participants that the school is, first and foremost, a place of learning. Not withstanding the 200-plus years of white blindfold history creating huge inequities and social problems for Indigenous peoples, schools cannot succeed in producing quality learning if they are allowed to be the stage for playing out community disconnection and social discord. The Department of Education Connected Communities policies has implications for all players; the pointing of fingers by any group, within or without the school, is not appropriate. When players of the calibre of Richard Rule, a highly experienced and socially responsible principal, and Adrian Piccoli, one of our best state ministers for education, dont have the answers for schools such as Walgett High, maybe questions require answers from the broader local level right through to the national. Trevor Wootten, Petersham Your article presents a shocking and heart-rending indictment of the failures of federal and NSW governments to provide local communities with the consistent and well-targeted support they need to access the basics of education. Once again, money is thrown at the buildings, but not at the communitys services and needs. Walgett High is not the only community to be so disadvantaged. It is a classic example of inequality, cultural ignorance, social alienation and despair. Vanessa Tennent, Oatley Chinese vision caught us off guard How did China manage to negotiate an agreement with the Solomon Islands behind Australias back (Hard look needed at quality of ties to Pacific nations, April 2)? Why was our government unaware until the documents were ready for signing? This has been a massive fail by our various intelligence gathering departments. For the sake of several hundred of millions, Australia could have done a similar deal as the one inked by China. Instead, we have allowed a potential opponent to set up operations in our backyard, and will have to spend billions in new defence equipment to avert any threat that might arise. Tens of billions of dollars have been lost in cancelled defence projects, allowing JobKeeper to be paid to businesses that dont qualify, and in general government waste. Yet we refuse to spend a fraction of that to build strong relations with our Pacific neighbours. China builds stadia, modernises hospitals and grants scholarships for hundreds of students to study in China. They have a vision. Australia suffers from myopia. Colin Jacobson, Kirribilli When President Xi Jinping opens Chinas new naval base in Solomon Islands he might consider naming it the Morrison-Dutton base. It is a tribute to their inattention to our national interest and a catastrophic blunder which will affect our security for decades. Laurence Pearson, Castlecrag Aphasia challenges Jill, my beautiful wife of almost 50 years, was diagnosed in 2013 with primary progressive aphasia (Why am I here?: Concerns for Willis health swirled for years, April 3). From our family we send to Bruce Willis and his family our love and heartfelt best wishes. Believe me when I tell you, John McClanes worst day ever was a walk in the park compared to this gig. Mark Ferguson, Merewether Rotten to the core Malcolm Knoxs piece on Sydneys casinos knocks it on the head (When casinos are the problem gamblers, pity the punters, April 2). With so much corruption within this industry, its beyond belief that they have a licence. These are places that are promoted as a happy place to be in, when in fact we are continually bombarded with stories of mental health, welfare issues and bankruptcies being the only winners. How can this industry be allowed to operate in these times? Could it possibly be donations? Its time governance seriously put its foot down and closed these corrupt institutions. Peter Miley, Chatswood Barking mad Of course no one can tell another person how they should spend their money, yet I find it disturbing that we are spending over $30 billion a year just on cats and dogs to supply them with various vitamin supplements and allow them to indulge in yoga classes (Puppy love, April 2). According to one dog breeder dogs are under so much stress than they used to be. How do they know? Do they speak to them? Con Vaitsas, Ashbury Taxing matters Its easy to understand the philosophy of the Coalition when someone on $30,000 a year loses $1000, while someone on $250,000 gains $9000 and the Treasurer says this is part of a process that would make the system fairer (Expiry of tax offset will leave millions $1500 worse off next financial year, April 2). Charles Hargrave, Elizabeth Bay Taking the piazza It would be easy to say tell em theyre dreaming when one reads of pie in the sky future scenarios to give Sydney more character (Parks, pools, piazzas in new Sydney plan, April 2). Over the past 40 years many of these wish-list projects have been announced beginning with beautifying Parramatta Road and Oxford Street. The city square proposal opposite the Town Hall has been mooted many times. l am puzzled because the major old building on this block is currently being renovated to contain an expanded mid-city Woolworths. In which century will these proposals get underway? No development of a plaza could take place unless this building is removed. Seems like children being born today might be the only ones to ever see fruition of these proposals. From cleaning up Circular Quay so it does not have a freeway roaring through it, to a much announced fast train to Melbourne, Ill have to wait till my next life to ever see such plans realised. Greg Vale, Kiama Dumbledore adoration I am a student and was disappointed to read your article (Time to break the spell, Spectrum, April 2). I know that Albus Dumbledore is not only a beloved character across the globe, but is one that has changed the lives of millions. Dumbledore is a crucial part to the Harry Potter series, adding personality, style and plot to the story. Children who would never pick up a book in their lives delight in his fantastical tales. Without him, Harry Potter would cease to exist. Your article does not only crush the spirits of an incredible fan community, but also creates controversy about a much loved figure. Without Dumbledores impact, I would never have developed my passion for acting, due to hours of Harry Potter role play. I would never have had the creative boost I needed to build my interest in novels. And most importantly, I would never have learnt the importance of imagination. Saying that Dumbledore is overrated, and guilty of reckless child endangerment shows you do not appreciate the power of storytelling. He deserves all the love we can give him and more. So please, instead of breaking the spell, share its magic. Audrey Hayes, Balgowlah Heights Ambidextrous chalkie As a life-long left-hander, I read with some mirth the article by Richard Glover, especially with reference to those naughty left-handers in primary schools, back in the day (Penning a eulogy to handwriting, April 2). When I graduated from teachers college in 1966, we lefties had to demonstrate that, as good role models, we could write right-handed with chalk on the blackboard and with pen when marking students workbooks to pass college. As a primary teacher, I enjoyed writing on the blackboard, starting with my left hand then changing to my right, as I progressed, left to right across the board; the kids loved it too. Bruce Roberts, Mudgee Fowl play As Mark Twain didnt say, rumours of the death of irony have been greatly exaggerated (With a sense of plates, haute KFC flies the takeaway coop, April 2). Rob Baxter, Naremburn Timely perfection I got up on Sunday, reset the clocks, put the washing out in the sun and went to a picnic with friends. Apart from some mud left over from recent deluges, a perfect morning. There could be no better argument against daylight saving. Jim Donovan, Lindfield I awoke at dawn, as is natural. Bliss. Dave Horsfall, North Gosford Getting nowhere Guess what people say when introduced to me (Letters, April 3)? Matthew Flattery, Willoughby The damage bill from the swamping of Sydneys coastline on Saturday is expected to run into the millions and it could take beaches up to a year to recover from one of the worst coastal erosion events in NSW since 2016. University of Sydney coastal geomorphologist Andrew Short said the high tide was supercharged by a 50-centimetre storm surge in Sydney and an 80-centimetre surge further north in Port Macquarie. Beaches would take several months to a year under ideal conditions to recover fully after sand was swept away by the surging seawater. Erosion and damage to the shoreline at Queenscliff. Credit:James Alcock Professor Short said there was a very good chance we would see more damaging conditions in the coming weeks that could further erode beaches along the NSW coast as the water stayed warm and La Nina conditions persisted. This is what we can anticipate in the coming decades as sea levels rise permanently, he said. A 75-year-old man has been charged after allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage boy in a toilet at Central Station over the weekend. The 15-year-old boy was allegedly stopped by the man in the bathrooms about 3pm on Saturday and was assaulted in the Country Concourse toilets. A 75-year-old man is arrested in Mortdale in Sydneys south on Sunday evening, after allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage boy in a toilet at Central Station on Saturday. Credit:Police Media The boy told his mother who reported the alleged incident to police. As part of the investigation, police conducted a search warrant at the mans unit in Sydneys south, on Sunday evening. Clothing and electronic devices were seized. Former prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd have been telling anyone who will listen about the evil, election warping malign influence of Rupert Murdochs media empire. The former PMs have been hitting the talks circuit in a double act, cruelly dubbed by some as Statler and Waldorf in honour of the grumpy old Muppets, who would opine on everything. Credit:Joe Benke In March at the Adelaide Writers Festival, they were interviewed on their specialist subjects the pernicious power of Murdoch and the urgency of action on climate change on stage by AWF director Jo Dyer, standing for the government-held federal seat of Boothby. And Rudd is chair of Australians for a Murdoch Royal Commission, along with Luke Hilakari, secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, and the organisation is run by Sally Rugg. Even Father Rod Bower of the Gosford Anglican Church is getting in on the act. A subscriber reports to CBD that his recent church sign reads: Thanks Rupert but well choose our own government. The latest Commonwealth budget has raised doubts about the viability of the Victorian governments infrastructure strategy with the marquee $50 billion Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) being denied the $11 billion of Commonwealth funding reportedly requested over 10 years. Federal Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher has suggested the SRL doesnt stack up and that there wasnt sufficient evidence of the project costs being matched by benefits. This implies that the Commonwealth has undertaken an assessment of the project. Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher. Credit:Dominic Lorimer While the documentation has not been made public its possible to read between some of the lines. Under current infrastructure policy, state governments seeking funding for their projects are expected to submit project proposals to the Commonwealth Infrastructure Australia agency. The agency assesses projects on national criteria and if deemed worthy they are added to a priority list for support. Politicians can then pick from the list confident their decision is backed by rigorous assessment. This process was set up to depoliticise infrastructure decision-making. Its imperfect, as the Commonwealth support for the economically unviable 2014 East West Link demonstrates and Infrastructure Australias sidelining in the 2019 car park rorts. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size On July 16, 1945, just before dawn, the age of nuclear terror began. A fireball brighter than the sun lit up the New Mexico desert. The watching scientists cheered and shook hands. This was the worlds first test of a nuclear weapon, and, contrary to fears that it could ignite an unstoppable chain reaction setting the whole world on fire, it had worked. And yet, exactly what that meant was sinking in too. The lead scientist of Americas secretive Manhattan Project to build the bomb, Robert Oppenheimer, said that words of Hindu scripture ran through his mind as he watched the mushroom cloud over the explosion: Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds. Less than a month later, the United States dropped two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to force the countrys surrender and end World War II, killing hundreds of thousands of people. It remains the only use of nuclear weapons in war. Soviet espionage soon unlocked the secrets of that bomb, beginning a nuclear arms race that would spiral into the Cold War. But mutually assured destruction has long kept weapons locked away. Now, in invading Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has conjured the spectre of nuclear war for the first time in decades, threatening the West with extraordinary consequences if they interfere, and taking the rare step of putting Russias nuclear defences on alert. Though neither side wants nuclear war, analysts warn Russia may yet consider using smaller, localised nuclear weapons to beat Ukraine into submission. Even a nuclear bluff could rapidly spiral out of control, as could conventional attacks on Ukraines nuclear power plants. Addressing Australias parliament from Kyiv on March 31, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russias nuclear blackmail now loomed over all countries, the fears of the previous century reawakened. What is happening in our region has become a real threat to your country and your people as well, he said. So, are nuclear weapons likely to come into play? How would the West respond? And does nuclear deterrence still work today? The first test of a hydrogen bomb using nuclear fusion by the US during the Cold War in 1952. Credit:Getty Images Advertisement What are nuclear weapons and who has them? To understand the worlds most powerful weapon you have to start on a very small scale. Atoms are the building blocks of matter, and the nucleus of each is held together by a powerful force. In 1938, the race to harness this energy in an atomic bomb kicked off when two scientists accidentally split apart uranium atoms in Nazi Germany. Fears that the Nazis would be first to develop such a weapon inspired big investment by both the US and the UK (and interest from their then-ally the Soviet Union). The atomic bombs that the US unleashed in World War II work through a chain reaction known as nuclear fission by splitting the atom of isotopes such as uranium and plutonium. During the Cold War, America and Russia made hydrogen bombs thousands of times more powerful than those dropped on Japan using a process known as nuclear fusion which works in reverse binding together nuclei in the same way the sun produces energy. (Oppenheimers opposition to the development of more powerful bombs later cost him his job.) Modern nuclear bombs use both fission and fusion. Today nine countries have nuclear weapons the US, Russia, China, France, the UK, Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea but the US and Russia hold 90 per cent of the worlds nuclear arsenal. (Thats estimated at 6000 nukes for Russia and more than 5000 for the US compared to a couple of hundred held by China, France and the UK, and only a few dozen for North Korea.) Treaties designed to disarm and stop the spread of nuclear weapons (such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty) mean the worlds arsenal has shrunk significantly since the end of the Cold War, down from a peak of about 70,000 weapons in 1986 to an estimated 12,700 today, according to the American Federation of Scientists, although this is often due to the retirement of older missiles. Countries such as Libya and Iran, which have attempted to create their own nuclear weapons since (or, in the case of Iraq, were thought to be trying), have often faced harsh sanctions and even war from the US and its NATO allies. Under the logic of nuclear deterrence, the fact the great powers hold nuclear weapons is said to make major wars less likely. But groups pushing for disarmament and not just non-proliferation of nukes warn that some countries, including China, are again increasing their nuclear arsenals, and the risk of a catastrophic nuclear war remains so long as nuclear weapons do. The warheads on just one US nuclear-armed submarine have seven times the destructive power of all the bombs dropped during World War II, including the two atomic bombs, says the Union of Concerned Scientists. And the United States usually has 10 of those submarines at sea. Advertisement The major nuclear powers have long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (IBMs) designed to carry these warheads thousands of kilometres in minutes, as well as anti-missile defence systems to detect and shoot them down. In March, with the worlds eyes on Ukraine, North Korea broke its moratorium on testing IBMs and fired its most powerful missile yet, although the trial may not have been as big a success as it claimed. Nuclear arsenals have evolved to include less powerful or low-yield nukes too (sometimes called tactical or non-strategic nuclear weapons) and experts say this carries its own risks. If the effect of a nuclear strike can be contained to a more localised area, and the radioactive fallout reduced, will that make countries more willing to break the nuclear taboo, the do not fire first principle that stopped the Cold War spiralling into nuclear armageddon? In 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the US was housing nuclear weapons too close to Russia, as both sides accused the other of violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Credit:Sputnik Kremlin Could nuclear weapons come into play in Ukraine? Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 in exchange for a guarantee that Russia would not interfere in its sovereignty. That means this war is not between two nuclear powers (as conventional clashes between India and Pakistan have been, for example). And peace negotiations could yet stop it. But if Putin turns to a weapon of mass destruction to break through strong Ukrainian resistance, such as a chemical (poison) or a tactical nuke, he will be crossing a line that could drag him into conflict with nuclear powers in the NATO alliance, particularly the US. As well as putting its nuclear forces on high alert for the first time since the Cold War, Russia reports its nuclear submarines are running drills and mobile nuclear missile launchers are roaming the forests of Siberia to practise secret deployments. Advertisement The prospect of nuclear war is now back within the realm of possibility, warned United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres on March 14. Retired Major-General Mick Ryan, formerly of Australias Defence Force, thinks it more likely Russia will unleash chemical weapons in Ukraine, but [the nuclear threat] is not zero. Experts say this is the worlds most dangerous nuclear moment since the Cold War. But the old Cold War had safeguards for most of it, says Dr Bobo Lo, a former Australian diplomat to Moscow. It wasnt perfect, but both sides felt they had an understanding on where the red lines lay. This new era has none of that. Fiona Hill, a former White House adviser on Russia, has said of the nuclear question: Every time you think, no, [Putin] wouldnt, would he? Well, yes, he would. And he wants us to know that, of course. Russian troops have already begun leaving the Chernobyl nuclear plant after getting significant doses of radiation. Yet nuclear weapons release not just huge explosive power but deadly radiation as well tens of thousands of people who survived the blasts in Japan later died of radiation poisoning. Breaking a city siege with nukes, even low-yield ones, would cause serious ecological fallout for Russian troops moving in, Ryan says, and cross the Rubicon on nukes for a job that could have been done with regular bombing. Advertisement Trying to disguise such an attack, say by instead deliberately destroying Ukraines nuclear power plants which include the largest in Europe would also make occupation more complicated, although recent Russian attacks on plants suggest it may happen accidentally. Russian troops have already begun leaving the Chernobyl nuclear plant they captured on the first night of the invasion the scene of the worlds worst nuclear meltdown in 1986 after getting significant doses of radiation from digging trenches at the contaminated site. Now, the one thing they might use nukes for is to destroy a significant concentration of the Ukrainian army, Ryan says. Because thats hard to kill. So that would probably be the most likely target, not a city. While the Cold War focused on shows of terrifying power that neither side dared unleash for real, many experts say smaller, tactical nukes are now the big threat as they could rapidly escalate a conflict. Both the US and Russia have been improving their designs in recent years Russian military doctrine allows for their use, as well as chemical weapons, to defend Russia. Speaking of the Ukraine invasion in March, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev reminded his audience that such a strike could be triggered even without an enemy using nuclear weapons first, adding that Russia was determined to defend the independence, sovereignty of our country, not to give anyone a reason to doubt even the slightest that we are ready to give a worthy response to any infringement on our country. Loading Given Putin has declared Ukraine is still part of Russia (despite the nation becoming independent in 1991), Ryan says the question of exactly what territory Russia considers its own is now crucial. Still, he thinks that Russian policy on tactical nukes is as much for show as anything else. The problem is when you call their bluff, and they seem to be not as tough as theyd been telling everyone kind of like the US in Iraq in 2003 what do they do next? Advertisement Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has conceded the NSW Liberal Partys preselection process has been less than ideal heading into the election as he denied accusations that Prime Minister Scott Morrison used racial vilification to help win a seat in Parliament. The NSW Liberal Party only on Saturday named candidates for nine seats across the state, despite the federal election due to be called in a matter of days amid a factional brawl inside the party. Josh Frydenberg says the NSW Liberal Partys preselection process has been less than ideal. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The candidates were chosen on Saturday morning by the three-person committee that took over the running of the NSW division - which comprises Mr Morrison, Premier Dominic Perrottet and former party president Christine McDiven. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed on Sunday that Mr Morrisons challenger to enter Parliament in 2007, Michael Towke, stood by his claim that the Prime Minister was directly involved in racial vilification against him. If someone actually won an election [by being] anti-Lebanese and anti-Muslim, they would not befriend me. Because they would look ridiculous. Dr Rifi said after the Christchurch massacre Mr Morrison embraced the community and he felt our pain, while he has also witnessed the Prime Minister comfort the El Baf family when their four sons joined Islamic State. When the El Baf family - all four of their kids - went to Syria with the Islamic State, Scott went to their house and he saw the agonising tears of a mother whose sons had erroneously joined Islamic State, Dr Rifi said. He was distraught. Sydney doctor Jamal Rifi says the allegations do not square with his dealings with the Prime Minister. Credit:Nic Walker Dr Rifi also raised concern that the Lebanese community was again being politicised in this case to attack Mr Morrison. To be honest, it does not reflect the man I have got to know since 2009. It hurts me to read that because there are people trying to get to him through my community, he said. Ive never found him divisive, Ive always found him uniting, and Ive always found him responsive. Danny and Leila Abdallah, who lost their daughters Sienna, 8, and Angelina, 12, as well as their son Antony, 13, when they were struck down by a drug-affected driver in western Sydney, said Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny had been a source of immense support since the tragedy. The Lebanese-Australian couple said what the Prime Minister was being accused of was out of character for him. Everything that was said about him and the Lebanese community its not correct from what Ive experienced and from what I know, Mr Abdallah said. From my experience during the tragedy I have been through there are two members of parliament who have checked in and made a massive effort off camera it is Scott Morrison and [NSW Labor MP] Jihad Dib. And both of them have enormous respect for one another. Former NSW MP John Ajaka, the first Liberal Lebanese member of an Australian parliament, said all of his family voted for Mr Morrison in the 2007 preselection and he thought the allegations were nonsense. It was late my mother who said to Morrison that she voted for him because she thought he would be prime minister one day, Mr Ajaka said. Sutherland Shire Liberal councillor Hassan Awada said he had known Mr Morrison since before he entered parliament and he was surprised by the allegations. When he first got elected it was his initiative that he and I do regular mosque visits he wanted to know the Lebanese Muslim community better, and since then we did it every single year, he said. One of the other candidates in the 2007 preselection, Mark Speakman, who is now the NSW Attorney-General and the state member for Cronulla, also defended Mr Morrison. Loading Locally, Scott has always promoted community harmony and Ive never seen him do or say anything racist, Mr Speakman said. Joseph Assaf, a Lebanese-born Australian businessman who started the non-profit Ethnic Business Awards Foundation, praised Mr Morrison and Senator Fierravanti-Wells and said both of them were genuine and loyal supporters of the Lebanese community. In fact, I had the privilege years ago of travelling with Mr Morrison to Lebanon and witnessed the great impact the country and its people impressed upon him, Mr Assaf said. Mr Morrison on Sunday said the claims were just simply untrue. Asked whether he would be prepared to sign a statutory declaration denying the allegations, he said Yes, of course I would but he hadnt been asked to as the matter was not before court. These are quite malicious, and bitter slurs, which are deeply offensive, and I reject them absolutely, he said. People will throw all sorts of mud at you particularly when you get up close to an election and theyll make all sorts of things up, because they have other motivations. My record of caring and loving the Lebanese community in this country speaks for itself and stands head and shoulders above all the other pretenders. The Victorian Ombudsman is investigating if the states public service has been undermined by the hiring of dozens of Labor apparatchiks for non-political positions. Parliaments upper house voted in February to call on Ombudsman Deborah Glass to look into facts outlined in an Age investigation that found more than 30 senior public servants were formerly advisers to Premier Daniel Andrews or his ministers. Adem Somyurek in State Parliament last year. Credit:Jason South The watchdog, tasked with investigating public sector wrongdoing, confirmed she opened a probe after former Labor minister Adem Somyurek who is the key subject of a live corruption inquiry garnered parliamentary support to refer the issue to the Ombudsman. The referral requested her to investigate allegations in the article published in The Age that ALP activists are stacked into the public service, thus compromising objectivity and professionalism and increasing the risk of corruption. Neither princess is believed to have had any knowledge of their parents dealings with Turk, nor knowingly corresponded with him in any way. The duchess is understood to be distraught that her daughters have been unwittingly dragged into the case, particularly as a result of their parents actions. However, the Telegraph understands that she does not plan to hand back the money she received because she believes it was paid to her legitimately, and that a company she was acting for as a brand ambassador is responsible for any debt. Turk is accused of taking the money from Isbilen when she was fleeing political persecution in her homeland and had put her complete trust in him to help her. Court documents show that the first payment to the Yorks which could have come from Isbilens missing millions may have been made to the Duchess of York in August 2019. A series of further payments were made through a third company Alphabet Capital Limited to the family over the next few months. This includes instalments adding up to 350,000 to the Duke and 225,000 to the duchess. Jonathan Tickner, head of fraud at Peters & Peters, representing Isbilen, has told the court that bank statements obtained by his legal team show that Princess Eugenie was paid 25,000 over the course of two days. The first 10,000 was paid on October 9, 2019 through Alphabet Capital and the next day a payment of 15,066.05 was made from Turks account to Eugenie York under the reference Birthday Gift. Sources close to the family say the payment of more than 15,000 listed as a birthday gift to Princess Eugenie made on October 10, 2019 was in fact to pay for a surprise birthday party for the Duchess. Princess Eugenies birthday is March 23, while the duchess is October 15. Isbilen did make a direct payment of 750,000 to the duke in November 2019 which she believed was for help obtaining a new Turkish passport after she fled her homeland. Mr Turk told me that he received help from the Duke of York to show or send the picture of my old passport to Turkey and that this service would normally be worth 2 million, but it would cost less if we made the payment by way of a gift, she told the High Court. When he contacted Mrs Isbilens bank, Turk said this money was a wedding gift for Princess Beatrice, who had got engaged two months earlier. Money given as gifts is not liable for tax, accounting experts said. Tickner said transcripts have since been obtained of telephone conversations between Mr Turk, Hampden Bank and Prince Andrews private office, in which this representation was repeated. Loading I have seen an email from Mr Turk to Hampden Bank explaining that this transfer was a wedding gift to Princess Beatrice owing to the close connection between our families, Isbilen added. This email is entirely false. There is no suggestion that Princess Beatrice was aware of the conversations. The 750,000 was transferred to the Duke days after he handed Turk an award at his Pitch@Palace event at St Jamess Palace. Tickner wrote to the Duke in March last year asking for an explanation. He did not respond to questions, but he repaid the 750,000. Turk, who has a worldwide freezing order on his assets and has surrendered his passport, denies the allegations. Loading A spokesman for the duke said they could not comment on ongoing court proceedings. A spokesman for the duchess said: The duchess was completely unaware of the allegations that have since emerged against Mr Turk. She is naturally concerned by what has been alleged against him. Last night, those close to her claimed she believes she has done nothing wrong. She was introduced to Turk through her ex-husband. The duchess claims she was owed 225,000 by renewable energy firm Pegasus Group Holdings for her role as brand ambassador, a job she was given in July 2019. She said at the time she hoped to be involved in a project to install Pegasuss mobile solar power units in Africa. Five days after the war began, power, water and telecommunications were cut and shops closed. The daily task of getting water from a nearby public fountain became potentially deadly, as residents darted from house to house, hiding from bombs along the way. The family slept in their jackets and shoes in the corridors at night but after the balcony and windows from the apartment next door were blasted off, they moved into an underground bomb shelter. They gathered enough food supplies to last two weeks, rationing their meals to a piece of cheese for breakfast, a vegetable soup for lunch and a pancake made from flour and water cooked over a homemade fire. But even preparing food became life and death. As the bombings got closer and became more frequent it became more and more dangerous to venture outside to scour for wood to get a fire going. Ruban recalls, with a laugh, the thoughts that dominated her mind during this dark time, a dream that her big sister Vita would rescue her. My dream was that Vita in Sydney would send a helicopter Vita was my one hope, she says. By March 15, some who had been able to get to higher points, like the tops of buildings, to establish a phone connection began to spread the message that everyone needed to get out as the Russian assault was about to get even worse. Mariia Ruban (right) with her 8-year old daughter Margo and her sister Vita. Mother and daughter arrived in Sydney last week after leaving Mariupol with little more than the clothes on their backs. Credit:Louise Kennerley But news had also got out that the Russians had been targeting and killing civilians trying to escape through the so-called green corridors. So Ruban decided to stay in the Mariupol bomb shelter until the end. But when a neighbour came and said he had three spots in his car and was leaving the city that day, Ruban says a spirit-like force told her to go. I had a strange feeling, some kind of god, some kind of spirit, not from this world was pushing me into the car, and without thinking I walked into the car. She left the city with nothing but the clothes on her back and a childrens backpack carrying little more than their passports. Driving out of Mariupol was the first time she saw the scale of destruction. There were tanks, the buildings were destroyed it was like an apocalypse. I think its like a dream, a terrible nightmare, and that I will wake up one day and that its not true, that it never happened, she said. I just hope this nightmare will finish, I still cant believe it. Loading The 84-kilometre drive to Berdyansk took 13 hours and required them to pass through five Russian checkpoints. I was very scared and every minute I prayed, she says. There they finally managed to squeeze on to a bus, standing for the 12-hour journey to Zaporizhzhia, as they passed through 10 more Russian checkpoints. She was finally able to reconnect to Vita, who immediately began organising a way to get her sister and niece to Australia. With great relief, Ruban and Margo flew via Poland, Helsinki and Bangkok before landing in Australia last week. Ruban and Margo are two of 10.5 million Ukrainians, according to the UNHCR, who have been displaced by Putins war. But while she has found refuge in Australia the trauma is near. Rubans toes are swollen and numb. She has not been able to feel them since spending nights in the freezing cold without heating in Mariupol. She has not slept through a single night since the war began and keeps waking up to air-raid sirens that do not sound but pierce her mind. Her parents will not leave Ukraine. But there is a scene that keeps replaying in her mind. When she and Margo were leaving Mariupol, Rubans cousin Marina swapped herself out and at the last minute pushed her elderly mother into the car. She sacrificed herself to save her old mum. Every day, every minute I replay this over and over in my head and in my head I change the situation, I force her to get into the car, it doesnt matter if theres space or not. Im in shock because I didnt do that on the spot, I couldnt think at the time, she says. With no communications in Mariupol, Ruban has not heard from Marina or her parents since. This dark silence clouds her every thought. Every second and every minute I think about them, how are they? Whats happening with them? Loading Ruban doesnt know how long she will stay in Australia. There is no more Mariupol, nothing. I am hoping to go back but for now I am too scared to go back to Ukraine. It is not safe. Margo is a little different. Ruban recalls her incredible strength throughout their ordeal, saying she never cried once during their time in Mariupol, even through the freezing nights when she slept on her mothers lap. A monthly feature in which we're trying to find the most compelling, best acted, written, directed and just generally great, memorable scenes that we've seen in the past month.As Rome's journey with depression continues it was beautiful to see his reaction to Tyrell's return. Romany Malco proves time after time how versatile and strong he is as an actor and how far his range of emotions go. Tyrell coming back to them was such a strong pull for Rome that his whole energy shifted. It was beautiful to see how such a small moment can induce Rome with so much energy to pull him out of his dark place.With every episode the cast and writers of Abbott Elementary are getting more comfortable with each other which translates to the screen in hilarious ways. The way the interactions between the cast members flowed and made this scene feel so natural and hilarious just made my day. All the accolades to them.I've decided to check out the latest season of Bridgerton after reading that it's better than season one. Four episodes in and it's been good. I've especially enjoyed episode three and finally getting to know Anthony. Despite the fact that his character has been around since the beginning of the series I feel like I didn't actually know much about him until this hour. It was an interesting deep dive, watching the impact his father's death had on him and understanding all the struggles he's faced since then. The fact that it was his mother's grief that really had him shut down and avoid love at all cost certainly added another layer to his character. Considering the setting and the episode title I've spent the hour expecting someone (likely Kate) to get stung by a bee. But it still didn't prepare me for Anthony's reaction. The absolute panic and desperation on his face, him being genuinely terrified to lose another person (and one that he's starting to develop feelings for) in the same way as he lost his father - all that certainly makes for a very memorable scene. Wonderful work by Jonathan Bailey. The moment also turns out to be a turning point in Anthony and Kate's story, both expected and surprising at the same time. Great interactions between these two so far. Excited to see the rest of the season. Kudos.: Kate opens up to Mrs. Landbury. What a crucial scene for Simone's Kate. She set such a strong and powerful foundation for Kate's whole character development throughout this season. Poignant and smart, strong but fragile, Ashley expressed a spectrum of emotions that defined her character for all future developments.After losing Macy, Mel and Maggie departed on separate paths. Isolating themselves from their feelings and grieving in their individual ways, avoiding their emotions and issues. The newly presented circumstances pushed them to each other again and created a beautiful sisterly moment. Seeing the two of them escaping their repetitive ways and letting part of their pain out was heartwarming and powerful. The two of them embracing each other in their pain showed what this show is really about.Watching Fiona Shaws stoic and reserved Carolyn cut loose with a wicked air guitar to Villanelles delight will go down as one of my favorite Killing Eve scenes, if not for this season surely for the entire series. Shaw has been killing it this season, saving a lackluster end of the series.Such a powerful closure to an episode. Danielle just excelled in this solo scene. Expressing her pain and sadness while containing all her emotions was just so brilliantly executed. When given the proper material and being far away from Landon Danielle's Hope excels and thrives with every moment.A very intriguing and strong beginning for the series. We are introduced to the world of Steven Grant, a quiet and mild-mannered man looking for stability and lasting connection, but struggling with his lack of social skills and more importantly suffering from blackouts and memory losses. Throughout the episode we follow his struggle to live an ordinary life with sudden and extreme interruptions, increasing in frequency as the hour progresses. The best example for what it feels like to be Steven has to be the car chase scene. The quick and unexpected cuts, the absolute confusion and shock on Steven's face every time his circumstances change drastically, the lack of patience and disappointment in Khonshu's voice... The music in the background, the editing and of course Oscar Isaac's incredible performance make this scene especially memorable. I do appreciate the creators' choice to start the story from Steven's perspective. Though confusing, it is also very effective and even immersive experience. Kudos!This show is filled with quirky characters. Frequently the quirk is over the top. (Which is one of the most fun things about the show.) The Sheriff has been so off the wall (with a lot of unexpected dialog) that I feared there would be no way to give the character depth without removing his uniqueness. Most shows that I've watched have made that mistake. The writers here have managed to infuse the character with depth without sacrificing his quirk. In this scene, Corey Reynolds delivers a heartbreaking recount of 20 years of friendship that ended with a death he blames himself for, all while staying true to his unique character. It's not that they added any of his dialogue shenanigans to this scene, but that the dialogue still felt true to the character. Great performances and great writing.To the delight of Star Trek fans everywhere season two of Star Trek: Picard has paid homage to its history and heritage by peppering great Easter eggs throughout the episodes. The best one so far came when the show recreated an iconic Kirk/Spock scene from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Jeri Ryans Seven of Nine and Michelle Hurds Raffi replace William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy having to take public transportation on a city bus and deal with a punk rocker and his obnoxious music. The beauty of this Easter egg is that the producers reached out and hired the original punk rocker from Star Trek IV, Kirk Thatcher to reprise his role.Jordan's character has really grown on me this season. Watching his transformation into a hero has been a challenging and interesting journey. After defending his brother in the previous episode, he's now faced with the world without Superman and it's clear how much he wants to help everyone in his dad's absence. His growth is especially prominent when he joins his mother and grandfather in their search for an X-K manufacturing hub. Despite the severity of the situation he doesn't jump into action at the first sight of danger. Instead, he listens to Lois and stays behind in the car, waiting for her to reach out to him when the help is truly needed. He enters the building just in time to save Sam's life and when confronted by an X-K user, Jordan proves just how much more powerful and in control he is by comparison. He takes his time (using the superspeed), plans his next steps and de-escalates the situation. He even shares the same moves that Clark used back in season one. What a great reference. Also, loved the part where everything goes quiet for a few seconds and then, just as Jordan takes control of the fight, the heroic music follows his rise to victory. Calm, collected and stronger than ever. A wonderful character and action moment all in one scene. Kudos!After initially looking equally frumpy and frazzled, and being called out on it by Apple's former designer, Elizabeth realizes that to be taken seriously, she is going to need to look (and sound) the part as Elizabeth Holmes: CEO of Theranos. With Sunny's reluctantly accepted green juice in hand, the uniform she'll come to be known by is finally, and slowly, revealed: dressed in black from head to toe with a nod to Steve Jobs's turtleneck sweaters, a (fraudulous) star is born. While the first three episodes were intent on showing Elizabeth's early struggles as she set off to create Theranos, this scene truly marks the point when things are going to change. Her demeanor, her voice, and her ruthless business strategy.After his performance, Lenny has a serious talk with Midge on the stage of Carnegie Hall - Season four of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel at times seemed distant and maybe even uneven, but the last two episodes brought things together in a rather emotional way I was not expecting. Yes, Lenny & Midge finally get together, but the biggest emotional blow was that Lenny was so disappointed that Midge didn't accept his offer after he pulled some really big strings to get Midge out of the strip club and back doing real gigs. The fact that both of the characters whom have more progressive views would each succumb to going against what they preach with Lenny being rather capitalistic and Midge using feminism as an excuse to not challenge herself and move forward in her career was one of the most interesting gambits the show has done and feels so right, as the next season will be the show's last. I chose this scene, because I was not expecting such emotion depth, especially from Luke Kirby's Lenny Bruce --- it drove the whole season home!This was a terrific episode, featuring the stunt casting of Michael Biehn as Ian - the leader of a group of people. As he interrogates Carlson, Gabriel, and Aaron it seems like he's the leader of a violent group and a psychopath or possibly religious zealot. The way the episode was structured led us to have this reading on the scene, so when Carlson suddenly goes from being abjectly on his knees apparently begging for his life to disarming Ian and shooting him and killing his guards, it's a shocking surprise and the turning point of the entire episode. In fact, it's also the turning point of the season as it also reveals the hidden underbelly of the Commonwealth. As Lydia points out in the next episode, they wear masks every bit as much as the Whisperers did. Everyone is fabulous in this scene as Aaron and Gabriel try to difuse the situation and persuade Ian they aren't a threat to Biehn's performance and Harner's swift turn from seemingly merely incompetent to the true psychopath in the room.Adam Neumann is a family man first, a CEO second. Rebekah Neumann's idyllic life has come to a screeching halt as she learns that her father needs her help in yet another trial, and then becomes the subject of millenial ire when she declares that a woman's role is to help her man fulfill his potential. Desperate, unable to sleep as the Summer Camp party rages on a few hundred feet away, Rebekah sets off to look for Adam. As she weaves her way around the wasted WeWork teams, Adam is nowhere to be found and her face says it all: she's expecting the worst (as one would, when faced with this kind of debauchery, all instigated by Adam). Defeated, she heads back to their mansion and suddenly stumbles upon him in the garden, carefully rocking their newborn daughter. Not partying, not cheating on her with one of the many WeWork fangirls in his teams, just spending time with their child. He doesn't notice her and after watching him for a few seconds, she quietly heads back to the house, obviously relieved. The Adam/Rebekah courtship is an odd one, and I'm not saying this makes it all okay, but if there's one thing that's undeniable about their relationship, it's that Adam would do anything for Rebekah. Ultimately, his family is more important to him than anything else, including WeWork's frenzied rise (and subsequent fall). Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (471) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (808) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (694) Feb 2022 (654) Mar 2022 (740) Apr 2022 (745) May 2022 (138) Romania and its allies have the most solid security guarantees in the context of the war in Ukraine, Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu said in a message on the occasion of NATO Day. "NATO's fundamental role in ensuring the security of all allies, in defending the democratic values and peace on the entire allied territory becomes more obvious and more topical than ever. Today, when the use of illegal armed force becomes once more the instrument of an illegitimate attempt to influence the future of the European continent, Romania and its allies have the most solid security guarantees," Aurescu underscored, according to a Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) release sent to AGERPRES on Sunday. He brought to mind that at NATO's Extraordinary Summit of March 24 the allies reconfirmed the primordial nature of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. "Deepening cooperation in the security and defence are within the strategic partnership between NATO and the European Union represents an essential element in the transatlantic relation. Faced with the most serious security crisis of our generation, NATO has acted firmly and promptly. There have been activated NATO's Defence Plans and the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force. Several allies deployed troops to Romania, either bilaterally or under NATO command," said Aurescu. He highlighted an upcoming important period for advancing strategic projects of the Alliance, which Romania is involved in. "The Madrid Summit of June represents an important moment for ensuring a consolidated, efficient and coherent posture of NATO, particularly on the Eastern Flank, on the long run. In the perspective of this Summit, we are playing an active role in the negotiation of NATO's new Strategic Concept. NATO's strategic vision on the next 10 years, at the minimum, must reflect, of a proper manner, the new security realities that NATO is confronted with, as well as the fact the Russia represents the main threat to the Alliance. At the same time, this vision must highlight the priority the Alliance grants to collective defence, as NATO's main task, for the long-term protection of the Euro-Atlantic security," Bogdan Aurescu conveyed. The head of the Romanian diplomacy said that the new strategic concept must develop NATO's role as crisis manager. "We'll grant special attention to the conceptual and practical increase in resilience and consolidation of the partners' defence capabilities, especially of those in the Eastern Neighbourhood. Moreover, we'll continue to allot a special importance to the consolidation of the transatlantic relation in the new Strategic Concept," Aurescu added. He announced that, aiming at reaching these objectives, the Bucharest 9 (B9) Format Summit, which President Klaus Iohannis will host in Bucharest, ahead of the Madrid Summit, together with his Polish counterpart, will represent an opportunity for consultation and coordination among the allies on the Eastern Flank, in view of the important decisions to be made at the NATO heads of state and government meeting at the end of June. "In the same direction, in a few days' time, at the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, I will endorse the significant transformation and consolidation on permanent grounds of NATO's deterrence and defence posture on long term, especially on the Eastern Flank and at the Black Sea. At the same time, the demarches to ensure security are endorsed on a national level, included, Romania being one of the allies earmarking 2% of the GDP to defence and, as Romania's President Klaus Iohannis announced, in the current security context we'll increase this contribution to 2.5% of the GDP," Bogdan Aurescu also said. NATO Day will also be marked by the Foreign Affairs Ministry by illuminating in blue the institution headquarters on Sunday, between 20:00 and 21:00. The accession to the North Atlantic Alliance has brought Romania the most solid security guarantee in the country's history, as a member of the strongest political-military alliance in the world, Defence Minister Vasile Dincu said. "The accession, 18 years ago, to the North Atlantic Alliance has brought Romania the most solid security guarantee in the country's history. We are today members of the strongest political-military alliance in the world, which is particularly important in the current security context. As a community based on values such as liberty, democracy and rule of law, NATO has generated profound transformations in the Romanian society. Thus, April 2004 stays in the country's history as the moment when the Romanian flag was hoisted for the first time at the NATO headquarters, the moment when Romanians understood the collective defence concept within the founding treaty of the Alliance: "All for one, one for all!," Vasile Dincu said in Cluj on Sunday at the ceremony devoted to NATO Day. According to him, this expression is so much more significant in the current period, when we see every day the effects of a ruthless war taking place so close to Romania's borders. "The accession to NATO has brought about important changes on the level of the military body as well. We have today a professional, experienced army, which has exercised its capacities in missions in the theatres of operations. Moreover, the Romanian troops are operating today based on modern procedures and concepts of conducting military actions, which are kept at an optimal interoperability level, through a great number of exercises and applications organised in the allied format. Ever since the Russian Federation invaded Crimea in 2014, Romania has sustained the geostrategic importance for NATO of the extended Black Sea region, constantly proposing measures to strengthen the Eastern Flank. And the Alliance has favourably responded each time, therefore today we benefit in Romania of a complete and permanent security architecture, starting from the South-Easte Multinational Brigade in Craiova, continuing with the South-East Multinational Division in Bucharest and ending with the South-East Multinational Corps in Sibiu," the Defence Minister added. Dincu reiterated that Romania needed credible military capabilities, with a proper endowment and well trained military. "NATO can further count on Romania in the common efforts to develop the strategic defence. At the same time, NATO represents for Romania the strongest guarantee of security that we can count on in times as, unfortunately, we are living now. NATO is Romania, Romania is NATO!," Dincu concluded. The National Defence Minister participated on Sunday in the military ceremony that took place at the headquarters of the 4th Gemina Infantry Division in Cluj-Napoca, on the occasion of NATO Day. "Our countries cooperate excellently within NATO, in the EU-Canada format (established under the EU-Canada Strategic Partnership and the Comprehensive EU-Canada Economic and Trade Agreement), but also within the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the International Organisation of La Francophony and other multilateral cooperation formats. An important contribution to the strong ties between Romania and Canada is the well-integrated and professionally valued community of Romanians in Canada, which also has a significant contribution to the welfare and development of the Canadian society," the Foreign Affairs Ministry says in a release sent to AGERPRES.In the 55 years of diplomatic relations, the dynamics and substance of bilateral cooperation have developed continuously, currently gaining strategic importance, the quoted source added.According to MAE, the relation of trust developed in the defence area, including through close cooperation at NATO level, contributes to the maintenance of the rules-based international order, essential for the maintenance of international peace and security and for the protection of democracy and freedom."Canada has consistently participated with military aircraft in NATO air policing missions in Romania. In the context of Russia's large-scale illegal aggression against Ukraine, Romania and Canada have a convergent approach to the importance of further strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence on the Eastern Flank included, especially at the Black Sea. The traditional cooperation between our countries in the area of civil nuclear energy continues to be relevant for Romania's energy security, including in the current context," MAE highlights.The visit to Romania on March 7, 2022, of Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie, at the invitation of Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu, reaffirmed the commitment of Romania and Canada to deepen bilateral relations and reflected the close coordination in managing the situation created by Russia's illegal military aggression in Ukraine, MAE brought to mind.Following in-depth political consultations, Minister Bogdan Aurescu and Minister Melanie Jolie signed a Joint Declaration on the results of the visit and the joint action in the coming period, available here: http://www.mae.ro/node/58008"The 55th anniversary of bilateral relations offers the opportunity to reiterate the common goal of adopting a Declaration on a Consolidated Partnership between Romania and Canada and a Roadmap for the bilateral relation, as a strong expression of the mutual commitment to strengthen and expand the close ties between our countries," the MAE release concludes. Romania is mature, influential and respected in NATO, and the entire transatlantic space is vigilant, coherent and prepared to deal with any challenges, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana said. "Romania's full and profound integration in NATO is happening in these dramatic moments, and in military and strategic terms there will no longer be a qualitative difference between the allies in the West and those in the East of Europe. We are NATO. The entire transatlantic space is vigilant, coherent and prepared to deal with any challenges," Mircea Geoana said on Sunday at a ceremony celebrating NATO Day in Romania, at the headquarters of the Romanian National Defence Ministry. According to him, there is no prosperity, democracy, "national and Euro-Atlantic transformation" without security, and the Army represents the spinal column of the Romanian state and the foundation of the nation. Geoana underscored that Romania is to NATO "a first rank partner," whose strategic relevance in the area of the Black Sea, South-Eastern Europe and the transatlantic space is respected. "A few days ago we celebrated 18 years since our country, together with other currently allied nations, joined NATO. (...) Romania and the new allies have reached today their true strategic and political maturity," Geoana pointed out. He also brought to mind that there are eight battlegroups on NATO's Eastern Flank. "We shall do even more, and, at the Madrid Summit, our leaders will adopt decisions with historic effects for the permanent, robust, sustainable and coherent presence of NATO on the Eastern Flank," Mircea Geoana added. AGERPRES Romania is not a poor country, but one with a well-trained and dynamic population, but this potential has not been used so far in the development of the country, said the European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, in an interview with AGERPRES National News Agency. It's not normal for people to close the heat in the winter and put two blankets on, this means poverty, the European official says. Romania now has the opportunity to enhance its real potential at an economic and social level, with support of the billions of euros coming from the European Union through the National Recovery and Resilience Programme. In front of the recent price hikes lately for energy and food, the best measures are to support the vulnerable consumers and to enforce certain measures to increasing the energy efficiency, the Commissioner says. He doesn't believe that a single definition of the vulnerable consumers at European level could exist, due to the large differences among countries. Nor a single pension system could exist either, from the same reason. As regards the refugees crisis from Ukraine, the European Commission is in a process to activate the Temporary Protection Mechanism, and the Member States receiving refugees will be supported with European money. AGERPRES: How was the visit in Romania and which are the main conclusions after the talks with the Romanian authorities? Nicolas Schmit: Well, the visit to Romania was very fruitful, very interesting, we had very stimulating discussions with the Government, obviously, but also with NGOs, but also with social partners, I'm just coming from meetings with social partners. Personally, I learned a lot but also we took the opportunity to explain what are the priorities now in terms of European policies given the crises we are facing now, with Ukraine, but also the difficulties in some areas, be it the energy prices, food prices and the overall economic situation we are confronted with. AGERPRES: And which are the conclusions, how can we do that, how can we help people manage with the increasing prices? Nicolas Schmit: Well, there are different approaches, the short term approach, certainly is, we, if there is a possibility, we have especially to support those households who are really in difficulties to pay their energy bill, this is what the Commission has, by the way, proposed, I know this is sometimes in national context not so easy to support, and we have, in a longer perspective, become more autonomous in terms of energy production, this is by the way the case a bit in Romania, where you have a high level of national production in energy and this should take place at a larger European level, where Europe has to be less dependant through own production, renewables, but also I know you have gas reserves which still are considered to be a transition energy for the next 20 years. So I think these are the ways, short term and longer term. AGERPRES: So we are a good example... Nicolas Schmit: Well, I think you are lucky to be a country where at least you have a very large autonomy in terms of energy which is not the case of older Member states, even bigger Member States are very dependant, especially on Russian gas and you know that this is now a big issue and a big problem. AGERPRES: So we should protect everybody or just the vulnerable customers? Nicolas Schmit: First, I would say there has to be a protection for the most vulnerable, for those households who are really in difficulty to pay their bill, to pay their energy bill. But there is also another issue I want to mention because we are very much proposing, also in relation with climate change, but not only in relation with climate change, is to invest much more in building renovation, because unfortunately, we have buildings that consume very much energy and then provoke energy poverty because people have difficulties to pay their energy bill. So I think we should propose, and that is what the Commission is doing, to invest more in building renovation, you have less CO2, so better for climate, better for the economic situation of households and so you create jobs in the construction sector, because these buildings have to be renovated, so there are a lot of opportunities to create jobs and help also very often smaller and medium-sized enterprises. AGERPRES: Maybe other measures in energy efficiency... Nicolas Schmit: Yes, this means energy efficiency for houses but also at other levels, energy efficiency is important, be it industry or other activities. AGERPRES: Could there be a unique definition of the vulnerable energy consumer at EU level? Nicolas Schmit: Well, I think the situations are quite different between the Member States but I think you know exactly when persons have, given their income, they have difficulties to pay their energy bills. So, if suddenly the proportion you have to pay for heating or for other purposes, this proportion is going above a certain threshold, then you start to be vulnerable and people are in difficulty to pay for that. So I think this is something which has to be defined nationally, because these levels are different from one Member State to another. AGERPRES: How would you describe the pension system in Romania? Nicolas Schmit: Well, the pension system, you know, normally reflects also the economic situation, the level of wages, when you have low wages, you have low pensions, so I think this has to be looked at in a broader context of the economy, and in the broader context of wages. So, as far as I know there are pensions in Romania which are very low and which do not prevent people to be at risk of poverty. AGERPRES: What about the 9.4 percent of the GDP, could it become more flexible? Nicolas Schmit: Well, we had a lot of discussions here on this issue, I think what is important now is less to look what might happen in the next 10 or 20 years, what is important now is to implement the Recovery and Resilience Plan, this is for me extremely important because this allows the Romanian economy to be strengthened, to invest in different areas, including also social areas and in the medium term and longer term, certainly, you always have to show some flexibility. So I think this is something we are always dealing with, flexibility, especially when you look at issues in a longer perspective. AGERPRES: Here in Romania, the average pensioner is kind of struggling with paying the bills, with buying food, with heating in the winter, they put on two sweaters or two blankets at night and switch off the heating, is it normal? Nicolas Schmit: Certainly it is not normal, I think one of the objectives of our policies, also at European level, and one of our targets is to reduce poverty because what you are describing, it's not just energy poverty, we have discussed that just now, but also, in a larger sense, poverty. And eradicating poverty means that people can have a dignified life, this includes also elderly people who have worked hard, very often hard for low salaries during their professional life and end up when they retire in poverty and this is a real issue. I think this has to be reflected on and as much as possible also corrected. AGERPRES: Do you think Romania is a poor country? Nicolas Schmit: No, I wouldn't say that Romania is a poor country. It's a country with a certain history, it's a country with enormous potential, but this potential has to be valued now, investing a lot, especially in skills, we have a lot, what I noticed this, we discussed a lot about the millions of Romanians who have left the country, very often very well skilled people, so this shows that it is a country with very dynamic and well skilled population and so there is potential that has to be valued in the development of the country or better valued in the development of the country. So I think there is an enormous potential in this country. I think there are now the possibilities from Europe to support this potential. The Recovery and Resilience Fund offers Romania billions of euros to be invested precisely in different areas, precisely to modernise the economy and to improve the different infrastructures, but also to improve the social infrastructure, be it education, be it health, be it child care, very important also investing in children, so I think this is a unique opportunity with the support of Europe to foster economic and social progress in the coming years. AGERPRES: Could there be a unique pension system in the EU? Nicolas Schmit: In 200 years you mean ... I do not believe in this kind of things. Pension systems are very much related to the national context and saying, well, we will uniformise and harmonise the pension system, even in a longer term perspective is not realistic. Now what we have to make sure is that pension systems have two major elements: the first one is to guarantee sustainability of pension system because if your pension system is not sustainable, if it cannot be financed, well, you are taking an enormous risk that finally you will have generations who won't get adequate pension. The second one is precisely adequacy, so you have to make sure that pensions are at a level where people can have a dignified life of and this is something which is not easy to create because, certainly, as I said, low wages do not produce high pensions, low wages with low contributions very often produce also very low, even much lower pensions, and this is a balance you have really to work on and to find the right balance in order to allow people when they retire to have a level of adequacy in their pension which allows them to have a dignified life. AGERPRES: And about the crisis that is developing right now, the Ukrainian refugee crisis, could you tell us how many of them already came in EU countries and what is happening with them? Nicolas Schmit: Well, you know that according to the statistics given by UNHCR, more than 3 million people left Ukraine, probably we are close now to 4 million and they have gone first to the bordering countries. The highest number is in Poland, with more than 2 million and the second highest is Romania, because Romania has a long border with Ukraine, and this close to this border you had that terrible things in Mariupol and other places. So what we, what the Commission has, with the support of the Member States, unanimous support of the Member States, has decided is to activate what we call the Temporary Protection, it is the first time we activate this Temporary Protection Directive system which gives the refugees rights, social rights, also the access to labour market and we are now working on that, how can we implement this protection, you know that the majority of refugees are women and children. And especially these women and children who left very often in very dramatic conditions, first is to protect them, to give them all the guarantees and the protection not to become victims of all kinds of threats or trafficking and so on. This is a very important issue. The protection of these people, of women and children. The second one is, I would say, very important for the children, to assure they have not an interruption in their education, because we do not want to have a lost generation of Ukrainian kids provoked by this criminal war. So I think, in doing everything possible to give these kids education, maybe in schools, special schools or online, but if it's online you have to provide these kids with the devices to be educated online. Among these refugees, there are many teachers also, because there are many women teachers coming here, to organize with these teachers also courses for these children. So this is very important. The third one certainly is to allow, as much as possible, those who can work, those who have skills, and many of them have good skills are very well educated, the possibility to access to the labour market and find jobs. So this is a third one. So I think all this will be supported by the European Union because we know that this is a challenge for the countries who welcome refugees, be it Poland, be it other countries, be it Romania, be it Estonia, be it Slovakia, the Czech republic who have received a lot of refugees. So we have now put into place emergency measures where these countries are also supported financially, because it cannot be that the refugees are supported and we would stop now supporting all those in these countries, including in Romania, who need the European support, who need the European projects to improve their own life, to improve their own conditions, working conditions or other, education and so on. This should not be taken away from them. So we have to have this balanced approach, supporting the refugees but also supporting those in the countries who receive these refugees, who need the support or already get the support from the European Union. AGERPRES: Is there a specific budget for this? Nicolas Schmit: Well, we have now mobilised in the different budgets which are available at the level of the European Union, money which is there, which has not been used yet, to provide the Member States with this money, in a very flexible way, in a much more simplified way, not with co-financing because with the financing at 100 percent level, so it's not 50 percent European Union, 50 percent the member State. No, these are projects which can be financed 100 percent directly with EU money. And then maybe there is a next step but this depends on how the situation will involve, where we have to reflect what EU money could eventually be mobilised. AGERPRES: Do you expect some of the refugees to remain in the EU countries and start a new life? Nicolas Schmit: A lot depends on the situation on the ground, nobody knows how long this war will last, I fear that it may last longer than anybody hopes, and this means that when people have to stay outside the country, because this is a devastated country, what has been done there is really a criminal devastation and so, probably part of these people start to make a living, start to have a job or even, I have heard, to create their own business, and they will probably, they may stay in the place where they have been welcomed. AGERPRES: Do you have an estimation, how much all this has cost by now? Nicolas Schmit: This is very difficult to estimate, I know that the cost for, first from one Member State to another, but we are talking obviously, the more this lasts, the more people need support, this is quite a huge cost, certainly, but I think it is just an obligation we all have, to support and it's also an obligation by the European Union to support those countries who are now shouldering the costs. I think this is the value of Europe, to support those people who are victims, who are refugees, who are victims of a terrible war and I think it is very difficult now to evaluate the cost because every day adds more refugees and adds also more money which has to be spent but certainly it is something which is quite important, and therefore, the support is also, including the financial support from the European Union, is quite important. President Klaus Iohannis says in a message on the occasion of NATO Day that he would continue to strongly support the consolidation of the transatlantic relation, which he sees as the spinal column of the Alliance and the community of democratic and security values Romania is part of. "Romania reiterates the full support for each sovereign state to make its own foreign policy and security decisions. I will continue to strongly support the consolidation of the transatlantic relation, which is the spinal column of the Alliance and our community of democratic and security values. On the occasion of NATO Day, I reaffirm with confidence that our country and its citizens benefit from the most solid security guarantees in history, the largest and most sustainable concrete protection, day by day. Today's reality is asking us to act of a joint and decided manner both on national level and within NATO, the European Union and all relevant multilateral structures, to ensure the security and welfare of the Romanian citizens," Iohannis said in the message sent by the Presidential Administration. He brought to mind that Romania marks, on Sunday, NATO Day, which this year takes place in a special security context, generated by the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. "18 years ago, on April 2, 2004, the Romanian flag was hoisted for the first time at NATO's headquarters in Brussels, our country having become a member of the strongest politico-military Alliance in history. In its 73 years of existence, the North Atlantic Alliance has proved its crucial role in ensuring the Euro-Atlantic security, guaranteeing the security of the member states, including Romania. Collective defence has been and must stay the central element of the Alliance, as provided by Article 5 of the Washington Treaty," he said. President Iohannis said that these principles were "firmly and eloquently" reaffirmed in Brussels at the Extraordinary NATO Summit on March 24, when decisive steps were taken to achieve the long-term consolidation of the Allied position of deterrence and defense on the Eastern Flank, "as Romania has demanded and argued." "We have shown that we have the capacity, as Allies, to act together, to strengthen the transatlantic relation and to implement, without hesitation, the mission of collective defense of common values and principles," the head of state said. According to him, the decision to create the NATO Battlegroup in Romania, along with three other such structures on the Eastern Flank, "reflects exactly the allied determination and solidarity." "Today, more than ever, NATO is proving to be highly relevant by providing protection to member states and their citizens against increasingly diverse and increasingly complex risks and threats. Romania is, in turn, a major supplier of security and stability at regional and Euro-Atlantic level, a responsible and involved member, as evidenced by the efforts made in the international missions in which it participated or is participating. Consolidating the defence capacity further represents a priority of our country, also reflected in the decision to increase defense spending from 2 to 2.5% of GDP starting 2023," Klaus Iohannis also said. He stressed that Romania remains committed, "through substantial conceptual contributions" to the NATO adaptation process. In this regard, says the head of state, an important moment will be the NATO Summit in June in Madrid, when a new Strategic Concept will be approved and important decisions will be made for the further implementation of the objectives set out in the NATO Agenda 2030. President Iohannis also assured that Romania will continue to promote the partnership between NATO and the European Union, "based on complementarity and synergy" and will support its partners - the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia or Bosnia and Herzegovina, in their resilience growth efforts. Romania will make all efforts for the allied and U.S. military presence to be enhanced and consolidated, to guarantee the citizens' security, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca says, in the context of celebrating NATO Day in Romania. "The illegal military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and NATO's response to this unjustified invasion have proven the essential role of the Alliance, which acted swiftly and at a fact pace to consolidate the security of the Eastern Flank and Romania. Romania is an important NATO member and the allied measures adopted recently in the context of the Russian invasion in Ukraine place us under the umbrella of the strongest political-military alliance in history. We are the first allied country where NATO has activated its Rapid Response Force as a first," the Prime Minister's message reads. He mentions that over 3,000 troops from NATO countries, out of whom approximately 2,000 are Americans, are deployed on Romanian soil, and over 20 allied aircraft ensure air policing missions on Romania's skies together with the Romanian Air Force. "Equally, NATO decided at its extraordinary Summit of March 24 to set-up a battlegroup on Romania's territory, headed by our ally France. All these are immediate and short-term measures. On long-term, we are preparing the widest transformation of NATO's defence concept, as well as that of the Romanian Army alongside the one of the alliance. To guarantee the security of all our citizens we'll make all efforts for the allied and US military presence to be enhanced and consolidated," Ciuca pointed out. He hailed the results of the most recent NATO poll, published within the Secretary General's annual activity report, that places Romania among the first allied nations whose citizens show the highest confidence level in the NATO affiliation. According to Nicolae Ciuca, the accession to NATO on March 29, 2004, was preceded by a de facto affiliation to the Euro-Atlantic family in the previous years, when Romania joined the US and the Alliance in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Legally and politically, we became NATO members 18 years ago. Nonetheless Romania's Army acted as an allied military force years before, smoothing the path of our accession, which we are always grateful for to our soldiers and their sacrifices on the battle field. Today, when our allies are by our side, in their turn, guaranteeing Romania's security, we know 'Defence starts at home.' We are determined, especially in the context of the current war at Romania's and NATO's borders, to transform the allied defence posture on the Eastern Flank and develop Romania's Army defensive capabilities to strengthen our role of security provider in the region," Ciuca pointed out. He brought to mind, as announced by President Iohannis, that the defence budget would increase 25%, from 2% of the GDP, to 2.5% of the GDP. NATO Day is marked in Romania each year on the first Sunday of April. This year Romania marks 18 years of NATO membership, and NATO celebrates 73 years of existence on April 4. As many as 1,429 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the last 24 hours in Romania, down 745 from the previous day, with more than 15,800 RT-PCR and rapid antigenic tests performed, the Health Ministry informed on Sunday. Of the new cases, 147 were in re-infected patients, who tested positive more than 90 days after the first time they recovered from the disease. Most of the newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in Romania since the previous reporting were recorded in Bucharest City - 417, and in the counties of Cluj - 87, Timis - 132, Ilfov - 94 and Iasi - 54. As of Sunday, 2,860,094 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania. - Hospitalisations - As many as 2,537 people with COVID-19, 144 less than the previous reporting, including 158 children, are hospitalised in Romania at specialist care facilities. Out of the total number of hospitalised patients, 385 patients, down 1, are in intensive care. There are no children are in ICUs. Of the 385 patients admitted to ICU, 335 are unvaccinated against COVID-19. - Deaths - According to the ministry, another 11 Romanians infected with SARS-CoV-2 - 9 men and 2 women - are reported dead in the last 24 hours. Out of the total 11 patients who died, 10 were unvaccinated and 1 vaccinated. The vaccinated patient who died was between 70 and 79 years old and had comorbidities. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 65,090 people diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 infection have died in Romania. AGERPRES Tony Messenger Tony Messenger is the metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today On the penultimate day of candidate filing in Missouri, Trudy Busch Valentine turned the political world upside down. An heiress to the Anheuser-Busch fortune and a registered nurse by training, Valentine entered the Democratic primary for the race to be the next U.S. senator from Missouri. She was the old guards answer to populist Lucas Kunce, the ex-Marine who has proven a strong fundraiser but hasnt warmed up to Democratic Party leadership. Conventional wisdom gives Democrats little chance to win the seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican who is not running for reelection. A passel of GOP candidates led by former Gov. Eric Greitens, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, are competing in their own primary. Insiders suggest the one chance Democrats have is if Greitens wins the primary because so many Republicans and independents are horrified by the accusations that he abused his ex-wife and children, threatened a woman with whom he had an affair and allegedly stole donor lists from a veterans charity he founded. Enter Valentine, a candidate with deep pockets and no record to criticize. Or so it seemed. One day after filing closed, Valentine issued an apology. Online news publication The Intercept had reported that as a young woman, Valentine then Busch had been crowned queen of the Veiled Prophet Ball, igniting a long-simmering controversy of the racially divided past and present of St. Louis. I failed to fully grasp the situation, Valentine said in a written statement. I should have known better, and I deeply regret and I apologize that my actions hurt others. My life and work are way beyond that, and as a candidate for Missouris next US Senator, I pledge to work tirelessly to be a force for progress in healing the racial divisions of our country. For the uninitiated, the Veiled Prophet Ball is one of the longest-running controversies that ties the historically white civic leadership of St. Louis to the citys racially divided past. Author and historian Walter Johnson walks through the history of the organization in his book The Broken Heart of America. The Veiled Prophet organization was started as a celebration to the end of the citys general strike in 1877, and its roots were insidiously racist. The citys leading men celebrated with a midnight parade the following year, Johnson writes. Clad in a white hood and robes, the Veiled Prophet first patrolled the streets of St. Louis on the night of October 5, 1878, a revolver in one hand, a rifle in the other, a bowie knife looped through his belt. In 1972, civil rights activist Percy Green and his ACTION organization famously unveiled the secretive prophet generally a CEO of a major St. Louis company in an attempt to shame the historically racist organization for its ongoing secrecy and refusal to acknowledge its past. Just a few years later, Valentine was the queen of the ball. Her apology echoes another one just last year from actress Ellie Kemper, who similarly said when she was involved in the ball, she should have known better. Its progress, perhaps, but the organization persists, and its secrecy is a constant. When the Post-Dispatch reported on Kempers apology, quoting members of the current Veiled Prophet organization, not a single one of them would attach their name to the defenses of the organization, which didnt accept Black people as members until two years after Valentine was queen. The secrecy says something about the shame of the past that has yet to be erased. If you cant talk about your organization with your name attached to it, then that organization probably shouldnt exist. Indeed, thats what Green believes should happen: After Kempers apology, he said the only real solution to the never-ending controversy is for the Veiled Prophet organization to go away once and for all. Johnson, the historian, agrees. But beyond that, he believes Valentines new elevated public role as a Senate candidate offers an opportunity: What about really listening to those whom the system that the Veiled Prophet symbolizes has wronged and finding out what they might imagine as concrete and consequential restorative steps? he says. A genuinely curious and humble response could model for the citys elite a new way of approaching the past one characterized by a willingness to listen and learn, rather than denial and defensiveness. Valentines role in a remnant of the citys past should not define her candidacy. But what if she stood arm and arm with Percy Green demanding the sort of real change that has escaped St. Louis for far too long? That would be something. From City Hall to the Capitol, metro columnist Tony Messenger shines light on what public officials are doing, tells stories of the disaffected, and brings voice to the issues that matter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. LOUIS Police on Friday released the name of a woman shot alongside two men in the Central West End. Nineteen-year-old Kayla Washington was pronounced dead early Thursday at the scene of the shooting, along with one of the men who was also shot. Police said another man survived the shooting and was taken to a hospital. St. Louis police said the shooting happened just before 2:30 a.m. in the 4000 block of Laclede Avenue, near the campus of St. Louis University. Officers found two people who had been shot sitting in a car and a third person lying in a nearby alley, reports said. One of the people in the car survived, the other did not. Police did not say whether Washington was found in the car or alley. An incident report noted officers have not identified either man who was shot, nor have they named a suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 314-444-5371, or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477). CLAYTON St. Louis County voters on Tuesday will decide whether county executives should be barred from any secondary paid work. Proposition B, one of four countywide proposals on the ballot, would amend a county charter provision that the county executives entire time shall be devoted to the duties of the office by specifying the executive shall hold no other employment nor shall the county executive perform work as an independent contractor during the term of office. A county executive who violates the provision would be required to forfeit office. The change is aimed at County Executive Sam Page, an anesthesiologist who is running for reelection to a four-year term that would begin next year. A County Council majority voted 4-3 in December to propose the charter change. The sponsor, Councilman Tim Fitch, R-3rd District, argued Page was violating the county charter by continuing to work as an anesthesiologist and accused him of taking time away from his public role. Page, who has served as county executive since 2019, has said his medical work is conducted during his free time during evening hours and on weekends and does not interfere with his duties as county executive. He has declined to disclose how many hours he works and how much he is paid. In addition to Fitch, other council members who voted in December to put the proposal on the ballot were Rita Days, D-1st District, Mark Harder, R-7th District, and Shalonda Webb, D-4th District. The four have sued to subpoena records of Pages part-time work hours and compensation from Mercy Hospital and Western Anesthesiology, where Page practices. The litigation is ongoing. Council members Lisa Clancy, D-5th District, Kelli Dunaway, D-2nd District, and Ernie Trakas, R-6th District, voted against approving the ballot measure. Jane Dueker, a local police union attorney and registered lobbyist running against Page in the the August Democratic primary, and state Rep. Shamed Dogan, a Ballwin Republican running for county executive, have both endorsed Proposition B. This will force him (Page) to choose between his outside work and the job that voters elected him to do as county executive, Dogan said in a campaign video Thursday. I promise to the voters that Im going to be a full-time county executive, because thats what you deserve as voters, and thats what the county charter and the law requires. Page campaign spokesman Richard Callow said the incumbent has already made that choice. Dr. Page is a full-time county executive who hangs out with his family and friends, goes to Cardinals and Chiefs games, works on his truck and keeps up his medical certification by helping out at hospitals and medical missions occasionally, Callow said. The county executive is paid $140,000 a year; the salary is set by the county charter. County appointees salaries A second ballot measure, Proposition A, asks voters to decide whether the county executives office should be required to pay out of its own budget for executive appointees assigned to other departments. The measure would require the county budget list all executive appointees under the executive offices budget. State Auditor Nicole Galloway recommended the move in a 2020 audit of county government that slammed a longstanding practice of county executives to stack their staffs with political appointees, then charge their salaries to other departments in which they work. The practice had allowed executives to shift about $1 million per year in personnel expenses to other departments, according to the audit. The County Council voted 6-1 in December to approve the proposed charter change. Harder, who sponsored the proposal, said it was meant to make the county budget more transparent by making it easier to track the cost of political appointees. Use tax Proposition C asks voters to approve a use tax on purchases from online out-of-state vendors. The rate, 3.38%, would be the same as the county sales tax rate on purchases made at brick-and-mortar stores in the county. County residents would not pay both a sales tax and use tax on the same purchase. If any of the countys sales taxes were to increase or decrease, the use tax rate would reflect the change. Missouri applies a 4.2% state use tax on internet purchases from out-of-state vendors, and allows cities and counties to add use taxes equal to their local sales taxes, if approved by voters. The council voted unanimously in December to place the question on the April 5 ballot. If adopted, the county would join St. Louis, St. Charles County and other area governments in levying use taxes. Thirty-eight of the 88 municipalities in St. Louis County have use taxes, according to Pat Kelly, director of the Municipal League of Metropolitan St. Louis. Voters on Tuesday will also consider use taxes in 26 additional county municipalities, including Florissant, Chesterfield, Webster Groves and Ballwin. The tax is listed as Proposition 1 in Bellefontaine Neighbors and Proposition U in the other 25 county municipalities. Supporters say the use tax levels the playing field for brick-and-mortar retailers and gives governments much-needed revenue from internet sales. Missouri had been the last state in the country without online sales taxes following a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2018 that allowed such collections. St. Louis County government would net an estimated $10 million in revenue, Budget Director Paul Kreidler said. The estimate was based on a state fiscal note anticipating $60 million in revenue statewide, because there is no clear data on internet purchases from out-of-state vendors, Kreidler said. The use tax proceeds are distributed in the same manner as sales tax proceeds, funding general purposes, parks, public transit, emergency communications, public safety and childrens services. A political action committee seeking to convince voters to support the proposition spent at least $110,000 on a campaign funded by Realtors associations and local businesses. The committee, Local Jobs for STL, received $20,000 from Schnuck Markets, $15,000 from Centene, and $25,000 from Civic Progress Action Committee, a limited fund left over from the organization of local CEOs. The largest contribution came from the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors, which gave $84,557 in February. The St. Louis Association of Realtors contributed $10,000. The campaign was run by Democratic consultant Michael Kelleys firm Show Me Victories, which has worked on most major local ballot propositions in past years. There was no organized opposition to Proposition C. Queeny Park lease Proposition D asks county voters to consider leasing buildings and surrounding acres in a public county park to a private school. If approved, the county would lease three buildings and surrounding 3 acres in Queeny Park to Raintree School for $2.8 million over the next 40 years, or $5,833 a month, plus utilities and maintenance. The school plans to build a playground, cafeteria and gymnasium on the site, which would open to students in the fall of 2023 and would be rented outside of school hours to benefit the county. The site includes Jarville House, a vacant carriage house listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the former American Kennel Clubs Museum of the Dog, which moved to New York City in 2018 after more than 30 years in the park under a lease for $1 a year. Voter approval is required for the use of parkland for commercial purposes, under a 2018 ballot proposal voters adopted in response to failed efforts to build an ice rink complex and St. Louis Blues practice facility at Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park. Raintree School beat out two other bids for the property when St. Louis County Parks and Recreation called for proposals in late 2019. The ballot proposition, unanimously approved by the County Council, was originally scheduled for the April 2020 election but was delayed by the pandemic. Neighbors who oppose the proposition said they are concerned about school traffic, architectural integrity of the buildings and the county relinquishing a section of the public park. Groups endorsing the proposition include the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation, Open Space Council for the St. Louis Region, St. Louis Audubon Society, St. Louis County Parks Advisory Board, St. Louis County Historic Building Commission and the St. Louis County Parks Foundation. Blythe Bernhard and Mark Schlinkmann of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. Originally posted at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 3. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. LOUIS About 25 people gathered in Grand Center on Saturday to urge the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra to save a 19th century home slated to be flattened for a $100 million expansion of the orchestras Powell Hall. They said they hoped the symphony could be more creative with its plans, given the history and artistry of the vacant house at 3514 Delmar Boulevard. I am not really against the expansion of the symphony, said St. Louis architecture enthusiast Nathan Jackson, 25, who organized the event. They need to expand and update their building, but I want to see the house preserved in the process. This is a very significant house. A police officer told Jackson that Powell Hall contacted authorities before the event to make sure they didnt go onto the property. The protest was peacefully held on the nearby sidewalk, and lasted about an hour. Jackson said the house, right behind the symphony hall, is among the 100 most significant historic buildings left in the city. It was built around 1886 for Lucius L. Culver, a wrought iron stove company executive. Architect Jerome Bibb Legg designed the Queen Anne-style house around the same time that he helped create the famed St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall, a destination for national political party conventions that was eventually torn down to build downtowns Central Library. There were hundreds and hundreds of houses that lined these streets, Jackson told the group about the area. Now we only have a couple dozen. Jackson said he was baffled that the house is not on the National Register of Historic Places, while Powell Hall, built in 1925, is. The houses limestone block foundation supports an array of brick and stone work, including arched entryways and a turret. According to Landmarks Association of St. Louis, the interior contains a potpourri of exceptional finishes. It was magnificent, Robert A. Powell, founder of Portfolio Gallery and Education Center, said by telephone of the building he rented and later owned from 1989 to 2015. When his African American arts organization was starting out on the second floor, he said there was a small business on the first floor that fixed violin bows. I would not like to see it torn down, but then who wants it? he said. Who wants to buy it and take care of it? Last week, Steve Smith, who redeveloped much of the Grand Center area, offered to donate nearby land to relocate the building. So far, no one has publicly said they would pay for such a move. At the protest, Vivian Gibson, author of the memoir, The Last Children of Mill Creek, said tearing the building down would be disrespectful to the neighborhood and those who grew up there. Its a shame. There is so little left, she said. I grew up in the city, and I remember a lot of these beautiful buildings. Richard Reilly, 63, agreed. He looked at all the open parking spaces around the house and Powell Hall. To me, there is a lot of space around here to build an addition to Powell Hall, he said. Theres a lot of creative ways to use and be integrated into what Powell Hall has going on here. Some suggested restoring the house into a residence for visiting musicians or a restaurant. Its up to the symphony to not drop the ball after it being here so long, said Imran Hanafi, 49, holding a sign that read: Need Vision Not Demolition. The Preservation Board on Monday evening gave preliminary approval for Powells 65,000-square-foot expansion, which would raze the historic home. The vote was 3-2. Michael Allen was one of the two who opposed it. They still have a lot of hoops to jump through, he told the group Saturday. He encouraged them to contact the citys Cultural Resources Office. They are being lazy, he said of the symphonys expansion plans. I am glad to see everybody out here. Keep fighting. They are raising $100 million. They could do anything they want with this. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The pandemic showed that work-from-home arrangements are workable and often advantageous to many employers and employees. That includes state government employees, which is why an effort in the Missouri Legislature seeking to expand remote-work options for state employees makes sense. There arent many global crises that fundamentally alter American society going forward. Arguably the only events of the past century that qualify were the Great Depression, World War II and, now, the pandemic. It clearly will be ranked at that level of epochal importance. Americas economy, its politics, health care, social habits and more have been transformed in ways that are unlikely to revert to previous form anytime soon, if ever. For average Americans, the changes in how we work have been especially profound. Working remotely, a relatively rare luxury before the pandemic, suddenly became, for millions of workers and their employers, a necessity. Obviously, a great many types of work dont lend themselves to being done from a table at home. But a great many do, especially in the bureaucratic enclaves of government. At one point earlier in the pandemic, an estimated 25% of Missouris state workers were performing their jobs remotely. How those various workers and their supervisors experienced that arrangement no doubt ran the gamut between good, bad and indifferent. But for many employees, it opened new quality-of-life possibilities, while many of their bosses no doubt saw an opportunity for increased efficiency. Another effect of the pandemic has been to shine light on aspects of societys infrastructure that are lacking. Many workers in Missouri who mightve been eligible to work remotely werent able to efficiently do it because internet availability isnt as reliable in some areas of the state as it should be. That and other issues would be part of the agenda for a new Missouri State Employee Work-From-Anywhere Task Force proposed in legislation by Rep. Louis Riggs, R-Hannibal. The task force would include members from the Legislature, government departments and the technology industry. They would come up with policies aimed at enabling many state workers to work remotely not just in emergency situations like a pandemic, but permanently. A crucial part of that endeavor would be other pending legislation addressing Missouris broadband weaknesses, an effort that should be made easier with the current availability of federal dollars. Whether most workers who can work from home should is a broader debate, one that necessarily involves issues like employee collaboration and the sense of community that office culture can bring. But just as the charm of the horse and buggy wasnt going to prevent the transformative rise of the automobile, the argument can be made that, like it or not, a significant and permanent work-from-home culture is the reality of the post-pandemic future. The more Missouri government prepares for that future, the better. Regarding the letter Senators behavior wouldnt be tolerated elsewhere (March 28): In my youth, I remember how glued to the TV my parents were during the Vietnam years and then during Watergate and how, for the first time in my life, I realized that my country had a government that directly impacted the people. When I was a young teen in St. Louis, my parents got involved in local campaigns, supporting candidates from both party affiliations. They got my brothers and me to pass out campaign literature, go to debates and attend election-night gatherings. I remember personally talking and getting to know these candidates. What I remember about those times was the way the candidates spoke to their opponents. It seemed back then that there was a moral code that candidates followed of being decent to each other, refusing to personally attack each other, on paper, on television or in person. I am sad today that young people may never know a time when politicians treated each other with decency, no matter their party. In the media, we see how divided our politicians and their parties are, and it grows worse each day. We witness so much verbal fighting and nastiness between these elected officials, from every level of government. My children and grandchildren may never know a time when our government was filled with all good, decent politicians. Diane Luth Ballwin The American defense budgets for 2023 have been set and the Ukraine War has provided some useful lessons to apply. For the navy this means more aggressively retiring the failed LCS (Littoral Combat Ship) vessels. For the air force the lesson has been that they need only one stealth fighter and the F-35 stays while the older F-22 is retired to the boneyard. The air force is also leaving the elderly A-10s alone because the Ukrainian experience shows that the A-10 could still be very useful in a situation where the control of the air was contested. The U.S. Navy has made it official that its ambitious but poorly implemented LCS program is rapidly fading away after more than a decade of effort to build at least fifty of them to replace 51 very successful Perry-Class frigates and 26 smaller mine warfare ships. By April 2022 only seventeen LCS ships will be in service with only eleven fully capable. Six have operational limitations because of engine problems and are unable to go overseas or do much more than act as patrol ships in the Caribbean, interdicting illegal drug smuggling. By early 2022 six of the older LCS ships will have been retired early, four of them of the type that have debilitating engine (combining gear) problems. It appears that the navy is going to end up with about 18 LCS ships rather than the 55 originally planned. The failure of the LCS was not unusual because the U.S. Navy has, since the 1980s, had an impressive and disastrous number of new ship designs that failed. The LCS failure was not sudden, but the result of a growing number of construction defects and design flaws that have caused the planned number to be produced or kept in service revised downward five times. The latest reductions may be the last, because a replacement ship has already been selected and ordered. The problems began to appear when the navy was unable to decide which of the two competing LCS designs to select. One was the Lockheed-Martin monohull Freedom-class and the other the General Dynamics trimaran Independence-class. The first LCS built, the traditional monohull USS Freedom, completed its sea trials and acceptance inspections in 2009. The ship did very well, with far fewer (about 90 percent fewer) problems (or "material deficiencies") than is usual with the first warship in a class. USS Independence (LCS-2) was laid down by General Dynamics in late 2005 and commissioned in January 2010. There were problems. The corrosion and hull cracks were expected eventually but appeared much earlier than anticipated. The fatal flaw in the monohull Freedom-class was not confirmed until 2020 when two Freedom-class ships had engine failures at sea and had to return to port at slow speed. The problem was with the ball-bearings in the combining gear, which was needed to achieve top speed by combining the power of both the diesel and gas-turbine engines. Currently all the Freedom type LCS ships can only use the diesel engines. The navy believes it has a fix, but implementing it takes several months and involves removing a lot of equipment from the engine space to reach the combining gear for ball-bearing replacement and other adjustments. This was just a temporary fix. Because of the uncertainty four Freedom class ships that were under construction or launched and ready for sea-trials, were indefinitely delayed until the full extent of the combining-gear problem could be determined. Warships using diesel (for economical slow cruising) and gas turbine (for rapid acceleration) engines have been around for decades and a bad combining design should not have happened. Both types of LCS had their own problems as well as problems common to the overall LCS concept. The navy is already producing a new class of frigates, based on the proven Italian FREMM design and built in the United States using a shipyard owned by the Italian developer of FREMM. The LCS became too expensive and too unreliable to keep in service. Only the best of the more reliable and useful twin-hull Independence class ships will remain in service until the end of the decade when dozens of the FREMM Constellation class frigates are entering service. The air force wants to retire the F-22, the first stealth fighter and arguably still the most advanced and capable in the world. It is also very difficult and expensive to keep flying. The F-22 was also way over budget, which is why 195, instead of 75o, were built. The F-22 is expensive to maintain with the cost per flight hour for maintenance over $70,000. Thats about three times what it costs for the F-16. The new F-35 stealth fighter is cheaper to build and maintain. Reducing the maintenance costs of the F-22 proved insurmountable. While it requires 19-man hours of maintenance for each F-16 flight hour, the F-22 requires 34 hours. The manufacturer originally said it would be less than ten hours. Most of this additional F-22 expense (and man-hours) is for special materials and labor needed to keep the aircraft invisible to radar. The main problem is the radar absorbent material used on the aircraft. The B-2 had a similar problem, which was eventually brought under control. But even then, the B-2 cost more than twice as much to operate than the half-century-old B-52. The B-2 and F-22 use different types of radar absorbent materials, so many of the B-2 solutions will not work for the F-22. But some of the F-35 materials did. The F-22 cost more than three times as much as the aircraft it was to replace. The air force wants to build more than 187 production models and has allies in Congress who want the jobs (and votes) continued production will generate. But the Department of Defense was reluctant to spend that kind of money, especially when there are so many other programs, like electronic warfare aircraft, UAVs and upgrades for F-15s and F-16s, seeking funds. In 2010 the Department of Defense decided to terminate F-22 production at 187 aircraft. This resulted in each aircraft costing (including development and production spending), $332 million. Just the production costs of the last F-22s built was $153.2 million. Added to the cost of the last few aircraft was a $147 million fee the Department of Defense agreed to pay if the production line was shut down. This goes to pay for shutting down facilities and terminating contracts with hundreds of suppliers. The F-22s will be sent into retirement at AMARC (Aerospace Maintenance and Recovery Center) and stored at a high level of readiness, so F-22s can be restored to service in a few months. The United States has been storing retired aircraft in air bases located in dry desert areas since the 1940s when it had the largest air forces on the planet. That meant lots of still usable aircraft could be retired inexpensively for later return to service or use as a source of spare parts. It was noted that since World War II most military aircraft ended up being scrapped, not shot down or lost in accidents. Some nations, particularly the United States, created an intermediate status for retired aircraft; storage. The main American storage site is AMARC. This is the boneyard, and aircraft stored at AMARC would, if armed and operational, be the third largest air force in the world. This facility, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base out in the Arizona desert, stores nearly 5,000 military aircraft no longer needed for active service. Every year, some are recalled, refurbished and sent back to work. But most get "harvested" for spare parts until what's left is chopped up and sold for scrap. Stored aircraft that are revived have to meet strict standards similar to those applied to new aircraft. AMARC was set up in 1985, consolidating boneyard operations already there and from other locations in the United States. In that first year, it delivered spare parts worth half a billion dollars. While the airframes, stripped of all their more valuable parts, are worth only about 25 cents a pound as scrap, some of the parts are worth their weight in gold. Engines, which often comprise a third (or more) of an aircraft's value, are the most valuable single items. And each engine consists of thousands of parts, some of which are worth quite a bit, even if the engine is no longer in use by any aircraft. Other nations cannibalize their retired or obsolete warplanes, but few have organized the operation as efficiently as the United States. Spare parts from AMARC have kept the ancient A-10 ground attack aircraft flying. Entering service in 1977, the A-10 was not able to demonstrate its effectiveness until the 1990s and ever since the army and marines have been able to block air force efforts to retire all A-10s. Instead, the A-10 was upgraded and received new wings to replace the ones weakened by decades of flying, often in combat. The upgrades included the ability to use smart bombs and the latest upgraded involved new bomb racks that enable each A-10C to carry sixteen GBU-39 smart bombs that are laser guided and the most popular weapon used to support ground troops. The A-10 can carry seven tons of bombs and the sixteen GBU-39s, with their new bomb racks only weigh less than five tons. The second favorite weapon is the built-in A-10s 30mm autocannon. Originally designed to use armor piercing shells, these were replaced with high-explosive shells for ground support. Just the sound of the low-flying A-10 firing its 30mm autocannon was considered a useful weapon by the ground troops as it would demoralize the enemy troops who survived the firepower. The air force could not justify using any other fighter to replace the A-10 and efforts to find a substitute have failed. Some designs, like the B-52 heavy bomber, are irreplaceable and the A-10 is another one of them. The army doesnt have to worry about retiring anything because they tend to wear out equipment or lose it in combat. The air force and navy have lots of big-ticket items that often dont work well enough to keep. (Tribune News Service) When USS Harry S. Truman took on supplies and fuels this week in the Adriatic Sea, it was up to its chief petty officers, such as Senior Chief Brian Epling, to organize the nerve-racking work on the hangar deck. It meant catching and securing lines sent flying over from USNS Supply as it and Truman steamed along side by side, just yards apart, and then safely unloading the supplies swinging over along those lines. When ships pull into a port, it is the chiefs who orchestrate working parties and carry out the plan of the day to ensure the smooth operational tempo, said Senior Chief James Colley, recalling last weeks port call at Souda Bay as he reflects on the Navys annual Chief Week celebration and the role of chief petty officers on deployment. For the port call at Souda, Trumans chiefs organized the line handlers sailors who can throw a ball attached to a light rope hard and accurately enough so that others on a pier can haul over the heavy hawsers that hold a 100,000 ton carrier in place. At the end of a port visit, the chiefs make sure sailors are stowing those hawsers just as the chiefs had trained them, to make sure there are no hitches the next time the ship needs to moor. Before arriving at Souda, the chiefs organized work parties to load stores, connect to shore-based water and power, assign deck-watches and security watches. Ships, aircraft and weapons systems do not operate themselves, Colley said. Its the Navys sailors who fascinate me. Mentoring junior sailors to become resilient young men and women is what its all about, teaching sailors to hone their craft and to take pride in ownership. Being on deployment with Truman during the Navys celebration of Chief Week, was a chance for Chief Petty Officer Rafael Martie to reflect on what the job really entails. I interact with my sailors daily, he said. But not just with his team. You are everyones chief. On a ship on deployment at any moment a sailor can come up to you and ask you a question he needs answered ... We will stop on a dime and assist that sailor be it a sailor from my department, repair locker or any sailor on the ship. Its about being able to ask anyone how they are doing, and show them they are not in this by themselves. Chief Petty Officer Gregory L. Daniel, charge of all the new sailors who inspect, wash, launch and recover helicopters. Thats to establish the credibility that ensures sailors listen when they need to, he said. And credibility flows up the ladder, too. Senior and junior officers alike really do listen to a chiefs advice, Martie said. It is common for chief to brief XOs, COs and divisional officers. Its demanding work, and Truman chiefs are typically the last in their department to hit their racks at the end of the day. Talking with the more than 300 sailors of Helicopter Maritime Squadron 72, embarked on Truman and hearing their stories builds connections, said the units Command Master Chief, Joel C. Brand. I love watching our sailors work on the aircraft, and knowing that all of their hard work has an impact on world events. Truman has had a high profile impact on those events since deploying from Norfolk in December: Its air wing has been flying air policing missions to bolster NATOs eastern flank as Russia threatened, then invaded Ukraine. We set out to prove that this dynamic employment of an aircraft carrier in pretty restrictive waters could be done, and in doing so, we have demonstrated the enduring U.S. commitment to allies, said Rear Adm. Curt Renshaw, commander of the Truman carrier strike group. Carriers usually operate in miles and miles of open water, so working in the Aegean and Adriatic dotted with islands and largely within nations territorial waters posed bigger-than-usual demands on Eplings team of helmsmen and lookouts. Being a chief means that I am here to set the standard and uphold it, said Chief Petty Officer Timothy Dabbelt. dress@dailypress.com 2022 Daily Press. Visit dailypress.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. TBLISI, Georgia (Tribune News Service) In the hilly, cobblestoned capital of the Black Sea country Georgia, a Russian IT worker made his latest of multiple attempts at what would normally be a mundane task: opening a bank account. A branch manager, sounding skeptical about Artyom Smirnovs reasons for being in Tblisi, asked what would happen if he just went home to Nizhny Novgorod, a city in western Russia. I could be put in jail just for saying Im against the war! said Smirnov, 25. His request for an account was rejected, along with those of a Russian couple at the bank branch. Russias invasion of Ukraine has sparked Europes biggest refugee flow since World War II, with millions of people driven from bombed-out homes and devastated cities. Roughly a quarter of Ukraines 44 million people are either internally displaced or have sought safety outside the countrys borders. But the war has also spun off a smaller diaspora: Russians, in numbers estimated to be approaching a quarter-million, have chosen to leave their homeland rather than remain under President Vladimir Putins rule. These exiles are mainly young, well-educated and relatively affluent. Many are from the tech sector or have other portable remote-working skills; others are journalists, activists or academics, or worked for progressive nongovernmental organizations. Such affiliations have been essentially criminalized under repressive measures enacted by Putins allies soon after the Feb. 24 invasion. Those include the shutdown of independent media outlets and a ban on criticizing the special military operation, as it is officially called not a war. By the tens of thousands, these expatriates arrive daily in cities like Istanbul, Turkeys commercial capital, or make their way to the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, or cluster in the capitals of other ex-Soviet republics such as Georgia, Armenia and Kazakhstan. Almost the first thing many of them will say is that they recognize that they are immensely privileged, that there can be no comparison between their plight and that of war-traumatized Ukrainians. But they acknowledge, quietly, that they left behind entire lives apartments, jobs, relatives and have little idea what the future might hold. And they also understand that theyre far from welcome everywhere. As elsewhere, Russians arriving in Tblisi more than 25,000 in just the first three weeks after the war began, according to Georgian authorities have taken to social media to exchange tips and warnings: about balky landlords and suddenly skyrocketing rents, about circumstances under which its unwise to speak Russian in public, about feelings of guilt and shame over the war Putin is waging in their names. The Russian leader, for his part, has gone out of his way to vilify those who have left, likening them to gnat-like insects. The Russian people will always be able to distinguish the true patriots from the scum and the traitors, Putin said in a bilious March 16 speech. And just to spit them out like a midge that accidentally flew into their mouths. Many of those who fled made their decision precipitously, in the days or hours after the invasion began. With European airspace closing, and with cash and flights hard to come by, many seized an opportunity to depart for places such as Georgia, where they could travel without a visa. American author and journalist Masha Gessen, who visited Moscow days after the wars start, described a startlingly swift uprooting. People that I know in Moscow started to feel panicked, like really panicked, Gessen, who was born in Russia, said in an interview last month on the public radio show Fresh Air. Gessen reported a distinct sense that the borders were likely to close, that the country was just spiraling into some kind of North Korean scenario in which it would become impossible to leave. That was the experience of Dasha Takk, a 30-year-old who made a comfortable living in Moscow directing TV commercials and is attempting to settle in in Tblisi. We were watching the news and deciding where and how to go, she said. Then a friend reported that two other acquaintances had been taken off a flight by Russian security officials and prevented from leaving. We realized we need to go fast while we still can, and took the first flight to North Caucasus to cross to Georgia, Takk said. Bad weather held them up for five days, but they arrived safely and found a place to stay. The welcome has been muted, though, in part because of Georgians unhappy history with Russia. Putins forces invaded in 2008 and occupied about a fifth of the countrys territory. The fact that nearly all the arriving Russians share Georgians sympathies with Ukraine, the exiles say, does not entirely remove the stigma and some Georgians worry that the influx could again make them a target. Smirnov, the IT worker, says he understands that mistrust. Some think we just want to avoid sanctions; some say we must go back and fight Putin, he said. I have this feeling Im a bad guy by default now, and I have to prove Im normal. Russian authorities are showing signs of worry over the tech-heavy demographic of those who are leaving the country. One industry lobbyist, Sergei Plugotarenko, told Russian lawmakers last month that April alone could bring the loss of 100,000 technology workers, who are eagerly welcomed elsewhere in the region. On channels on the encrypted app Telegram, those who want to leave Russia, particularly if they work in the tech center, are being warned to take steps such as purchasing a round-trip ticket, traveling light and deleting as much information as possible from phones and other devices. Travelers have reported being forced to unlock their phones and being interrogated by security service operatives about why they are leaving. Even after reaching safety, some emigres report falling prey to depression and disorientation. At first, I was enthusiastic to start something new, said Sima Kondratenko, a 19-year-old photography model who left Moscow with two friends. But reading the news from Ukraine, you get deeper and deeper in this dark abyss you just dont understand how all this could happen. Kondratenko, whose mother is Ukrainian, said she and other exiles had found solace in throwing themselves into volunteer work with Helping to Leave, an international organization that remotely provides Ukrainian refugees with logistical and other assistance. From Georgia, it runs around-the-clock chat forums to provide information and advice. One of the groups Russian founders, Egor Eremeyev, 34, said relief work helped expat volunteers put their own upheavals in perspective and envision a future that might not lie in Russia. When they come to us, they get this new self-identity Im a normal person, I help other people, help to overcome the humanitarian crisis that is going on, he said. Eremeyev, a longtime activist before he left Russia for Georgia, was pessimistic about whether antiwar protests could truly threaten Putins rule. Public opinion polls suggest that most Russians, particularly older people who get their news from state TV, accept the Kremlin narrative that Ukraine, not Russia, was the aggressor, and that the West deliberately provoked the conflict. He can last for a long time, he said of the Russian leader. If there are 100,000 people protesting, they can arrest them and pack into their detention centers and police stations they were getting ready for this for years. Kolotilov is a special correspondent, and King is a L.A. Times staff writer. 2022 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. TBILISI, Georgia The presidents effigy was propped up on a stake, stuffed with straw and clad in a suit bursting with bank notes. Dozens of people gathered around, some with flaming torches. Within moments, they set Vladimir Putin ablaze. We want him to burn for a long time, said Lada Titova, a performance artist from Lviv, Ukraine. Titova was visiting Tbilisi when Russian forces launched their assault on her homeland, and over the past month, she has staged events to protest a war that already has claimed thousands of lives including seven of her friends. Many of her collaborators here come from the country that invaded Ukraine. Almost everyone helping me is Russian or Belorussian, Titova said. The majority are in their 20s and 30s. Even before the war, most were fighting Putins regime. Some had been imprisoned for their efforts. They were chased out of Russia, she said. Yet their current activism is not insulating them from public anger and animosity in Georgia, which spent most of the 20th century under the rule of Russia or the Soviet Union. The country declared its independence in 1991 but less than two decades later was attacked again by its powerful northern neighbor. The scars of that conflict are still raw, and even today Russian troops remain deployed in the secessionist enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia a de facto occupation of a fifth of Georgias territory. About 35,000 Russians have arrived since the wars outbreak in Ukraine in late February, according to government estimates. The vast majority are in Tbilisi, a city of 1.1 million residents where they are now all too conspicuous and, increasingly, unwelcome. Thousands of people have signed an online petition demanding a visa regime for Russian nationals and tougher immigration rules. Others are taking a more direct approach, with signs declaring Russians not welcome and profane graffiti about them visible on many central Tbilisi streets. Airbnb hosts regularly post that Russian occupiers are not welcome. Even the countrys most famous nightclub, Bassiani, renowned for its ultraliberal, pro-diversity stance, bans anyone with a Russian passport. Anna Kuzminikh has been in the city since last summer. A film director and a member of Pussy Riot, a punk and performance band that has protested against Putins government for almost a decade, she fled Moscow after she and others in the group became locked in a cycle of arrest, detention and release, followed almost immediately by another arrest. She says she was physically mistreated while behind bars. Though life in Tbilisi was unbelievably nice and comfortable at first, her nationality now makes her a target. Two landlords refused to rent her an apartment. She twice was kicked out of taxis. In one case, I was coming home late from volunteering to help Ukrainian refugees find a place to stay. I was exhausted. But as soon as the driver found out I was Russian, he stopped the car in the middle of the street and shouted at me to get out, she recounted recently. I tried to tell him about the activism we were doing in Russia, about the protests, the detentions, she continued. He said he didnt believe me. It was like it was all white noise to him. Lera Sokova, a journalist from St. Petersburg, came to Tbilisi in 2021 after quitting her job in protest of her employers pro-government editorial stance. A few weeks ago, she was verbally attacked while standing in a bank queue, where she had been careful to only speak English. A man suddenly started shouting and swearing at me, Sokova said. He wouldnt stop. Even the guards had to intervene. She ran out of the bank, doubled over on the pavement and threw up. I couldnt leave my house for four days. I kept thinking, how can I live in this reality? She is in the midst of finishing an antiwar film and, with others, planning what is envisioned as an antiwar festival of arts in Tbilisi. Any Russian person who is against the government is now a foreigner everywhere, Sokova said. No one wants us anywhere. Its very easy to give up. These activists admit their anti-regime views arent shared by all Russians in Tbilisi and certainly not all of their relatives and friends back home, who Kuzminikh said dismiss the destruction in Ukraine as just a few bombs. Still, they want to return to their country at some point and rebuild it post-Putin. We hope that theres regime change. We need to start again, to reform our country, said Egor Stoskov, an actor from Moscow who crossed the border several weeks ago. For the past year he had been evading a court hearing over his social media posts, including a TikTok video that poked fun at Putins press secretary, Dmitry Peskov. I realized I could no longer stay while [the war] was going on, he said. These days shares a small Tbilisi apartment with five friends, two of them from Ukraine. Sitting in a cafe within sight of another recent performance protest where she had knelt in cold wintry winds clutching a bundle of blankets that represented a young child killed in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol Titova talked about the work to come. It keeps her going, she said, and counters some of her feelings that she is betraying her country by not being there to fight back. She has no idea when she will return. My aim is to make sure that Putin becomes recognized as a war criminal not just for what he is doing in Ukraine but what he has been doing around the world killing people in Russia, his war in Georgia, poisoning people in the U.K., she said. The list is very long. Friends have told her the Putin effigy burning was the best event of the spring. It was staged on the shores of a lake in Tbilisi, and as the effigys head tumbled into the flames, the crowd cheered, applauded and chanted. Titova smiled brightly: Any day for burning evil is a good day. Russia has failed in its efforts to take Ukraines capital, but the suburbs around Kyiv have been decimated in the assault. Among the rubble: The remains of the massive Antonov AN-225 airplane also called Mriya, or dream in Ukrainian which had set a Guinness world record for being the largest aircraft by weight. This was the world's largest aircraft, AN-225 'Mriya' ('Dream' in Ukrainian). Russia may have destroyed our 'Mriya'. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail! pic.twitter.com/TdnBFlj3N8 Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 27, 2022 Ukrainian troops toured the planes charred remains Saturday at Hostomel airport on the outskirts of Kyiv and positioned themselves at the airports entrance in a sign that they were in control, the Associated Press reported. Kyivs forces have recaptured territory near the capital as Russian troops pull out of the area as part of an apparent shift in strategy to focus on the countrys south and east. Russian forces had hoped to use that airfield in their assault on Kyiv, 20 miles to the southeast, and it was captured in the earliest days of the war. Mriya, weighing some 705 tons with a wingspan of 290 feet, was reportedly destroyed as Russian forces fought to seize the airport in late February,. The Russian military held this area for weeks until Ukrainian forces claimed it back. The battle for Kyiv has been brutal, and civilians in the cities around the capital have born much of the brunt of war. As Russian troops retreat from cities and towns they briefly conquered, incoming Ukrainian forces are finding complete devastation from burned-out vehicles to bodies lining streets left behind. Other planes left the airport when the war began. But the Mriya had been at the airport undergoing maintenance and could not fly out, according to Ukroboronpromm, the Ukrainian company overseeing it. The firm estimated it would take five years and 3 billion dollars to rebuild it a cost it said Russia should bear. The Antonov AN-225 was finished shortly before the former Soviet Unions collapse and was said to be the worlds biggest. The cargo plane was originally built to transport a Soviet space shuttle. In 2009, it was recognized by Guinness World Records for airlifting the heaviest item of any plane: a power plant generator weighing 375,200 pounds. Your browser does not support the video tag. WASHINGTON Tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border in early February, Western intelligence officials warned of an imminent invasion and key senators worked furiously to assemble a sanctions package that they hoped would deter Russian President Vladimir Putin or at least demonstrate bipartisan U.S. resolve to oppose him. A sanctions deal, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters on Feb. 8, was getting closer and closer after weeks of negotiations. Instead, the talks fell apart. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters that same day that President Joe Biden had all the authority he needs, and the GOP withdrew from talks and introduced its own sanctions bill a week later. When Russian forces crossed the Ukrainian border on Feb. 24, virtually every U.S. lawmaker condemned the invasion, but Congress as an institution took no immediate action to respond. In fact, five weeks later, Congress has yet to send a piece of stand-alone legislation to Biden punishing Russia or aiding Ukraine. Lawmakers did approve a $13.6 billion package of military and humanitarian aid last month, but that legislation which was included in a massive must-pass federal spending bill has been the exception proving the rule. Efforts to pass measures banning Russian oil imports, removing trade preferences for Russia and Belarus, denouncing Putin as a war criminal and giving the federal government more tools to go after Russian apparatchiks and oligarchs have all stalled on Capitol Hill this year. Not so much as a symbolic resolution condemning the invasion has passed both chambers despite the broad bipartisan support for the Ukrainian cause and a long-distance plea from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The reasons for the legislative inaction are myriad, according to interviews with more than a dozen lawmakers, aides and observers. They start with the workaday challenges of getting things done on Capitol Hill, such as clashes of egos, partisan politicking, and Senate rules that can work to complicate even simple matters. But they also involve a long-term withering of a once-assertive congressional role in foreign affairs and national security, and a concomitant increase in political polarization around those issues. While there is hope the legislative logjam could break as soon as next week, the raw facts of the situation have astonished some longtime foreign policy hands who recall an era when lawmakers and presidents worked hand-in-hand across party lines during international crises. If not this, then what? If you cant get your act together on legislating on something where there is so much unanimity, you know, when can you ever do it? said Dan Diller, a former aide to Richard Lugar, a longtime Republican senator from Indiana who died in 2019, who is now policy director of the Lugar Center, which focuses on global issues. The old Washington adage that politics stops at the waters edge has clearly faded in relevance since its Cold War heyday, added Diller: Its simpler for the opposition party to sit on the sidelines and criticize on cable news or whatever than it is to put their ideas on the line, he said, and the party of the president knows in this time of reduced congressional authority in national security policy that the president can get his or her way, so they dont have to legislate. Those dynamics have been on full display in recent months on Capitol Hill. In short, congressional Democrats have been loath to bigfoot or undercut Biden as he embarks on a strategy of assembling a global coalition led by a reinvigorated NATO to mount the response to the Russian invasion. Republicans, meanwhile, have been determined to outflank Biden, casting his approach as weak and feckless with some clearly seeing the opportunity to create a political wedge ahead of Novembers midterm elections. McConnell, for instance, has accused the Biden administration of emboldening Putin by withdrawing from Afghanistan and having pulled their punches on Ukraine. Republican lawmakers have lined up to demand that Biden do more, and faster, and the pressure campaign has played a clear role in shaping the administrations response. But that rhetoric has been undermined by GOP maneuvers both past and present. Republicans have been largely unwilling to reckon with the impact of President Donald Trumps skeptical relations with NATO or his infamous ultimatum to Zelenskyy, threatening to withhold key defensive arms unless he shared compromising and politically useful material about Bidens son Hunter. More recently, scores of Republicans voted against the bill containing the billions of dollars in Ukraine aid, complaining it was attached to a much broader bill that funded domestic programs they oppose. And for two weeks GOP senators have held up quick passage of a House-passed bill that would raise tariffs on goods from Russia and Belarus while also reauthorizing and expanding a federal law allowing the government to impose sanctions on foreign officials who engage in serious corruption or human rights abuses. That together has fueled sharp Democratic attacks on the GOPs posture on the Ukraine crisis and added mounting pressure on Republican leaders to break the impasse. I think many of them really do want to help Ukraine, but they are so used to opposing a Democratic president on everything and anything that they cant figure out how to get out of their own way, said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). There are crisis moments where both parties have to get behind the president of the United States. Democrats did that after [the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks]. Republicans, by and large, are not doing that. Sen. James E. Risch (Idaho), the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in an interview that the legislative stalemate was the nature of the beast, unfortunately referring to the ability of any one senator to block quick action on legislation. Other side issues, like politics and people running for office and those types of things, he said, sometimes get in the way of the objective. When the House trade-and-sanctions bill came to the Senate last month, it immediately encountered objections from Sen. Mike Crapo (Idaho), the top Republican on the powerful Senate Finance Committee, who was concerned the bill did not include a provision banning Russian oil imports. Senate Democrats agreed to placate Crapo by moving a separate piece of oil legislation. But then Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., objected to the portion of the bill dealing with human rights sanctions, arguing that the changes could make it too easy for a president to slap sanctions on a foreign leader who simply had unpopular views about abortion, sexuality or other social issues. The lawmakers who crafted the new language insisted that it would do nothing of the sort, but Paul held his ground and won an agreement to change the wording of the bill. With the text of the legislation now reopened, more than a half-dozen other senators have emerged to seek other amendments. That has complicated any hopes of passing the bill through the Senate, sending it back through the House and putting it on Bidens desk before a two-week recess begins Thursday. All 100 senators have a right to say, no, Im not going to do that until you deal with my issue, Crapo said Thursday. And there are more than just one or two issues here. While it is largely Republican politicking that has created the present logjam, Democratic imperatives are dictating just what sort of legislation even starts moving in the first place. The trade and oil-ban bills, for instance, simply codify executive orders that Biden has already implemented, and the human rights elements an expansion of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act - deal with sanctions that are applied and withdrawn solely by the president. More-provocative pieces of legislation - such as a bipartisan resolution calling on Biden to supply Ukraine with MiG-29 jets under NATO-member control have been ignored by Democratic congressional leaders. That has frustrated Republicans who have wanted to act much more aggressively, slapping sanctions on Russian officials and organizations that cannot simply be withdrawn by presidential fiat. That underlying philosophical clash sparked the breakdown of the preinvasion negotiations: Democrats would not accept congressional action that would bind Biden as he seeks to navigate the crisis. A mother of all sanctions bill introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., aimed at decimating the Russian economy was written to act as a sword of Damocles, taking effect only if Russia chose to invade Ukraine. Rischs GOP alternative the Never Yielding Europes Territory, or NYET, Act would have levied immediate sanctions including an effective cancellation of a key Russian-owned gas pipeline under the theory that a punch in the nose would be a more effective deterrent for Putin. In the end, neither bill passed, and Biden acted in concert with allies after the Russian invasion to impose virtually all of the sanctions lawmakers had contemplated. And, as far as most Democrats are concerned, that is just fine. Weve moved with incredible speed when it was necessary, said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, citing the $13.6 billion in aid. But a lot of these other bills are about the legislative branch trying to insert itself in foreign policy in ways that are redundant with what the Biden administration and the international community is already doing. This is a lot of people wanting to display their own leadership, and one of the reasons that these bills are not passing is they are not, in fact, essential for our response. Even smaller, more targeted bills have had trouble gaining traction. A resolution condemning alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine and calling for an international investigation passed the Senate unanimously last month, but it has not been called up for a vote in the House. Other bills such as one aimed at freezing Russias use of its gold reserves and another allowing the government to liquidate seized Russian assets and use the proceeds to help Ukraine have bipartisan sponsors but no immediate path to becoming law. Meanwhile, Democrats have seethed as Republicans have blocked quick confirmations for some nominees who would play key roles in the response to the conflict. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., for instance, objected Tuesday to Bidens nominee to head the Pentagons logistics branch, demanding that the Senate first hold a hearing on the Afghanistan withdrawal. The ongoing legislative inaction has especially exasperated a small bipartisan group of senators who have long been engaged in Ukrainian relations and have pressed their colleagues to get over their partisan hangups and leave a clear congressional imprint on the response to the crisis. The opposition has been driven by both ends of the political spectrum in a way that has made it hard to get an agreement, said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who was barred from entering Russia in 2017 due to her long advocacy for tougher measures against Putin. But with the Ukraine conflict now on a trajectory to continue for months, if not years, Congress still has time to get its act together. Lester Munson, a former Republican staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that it was reasonable for lawmakers to give Biden a free hand as the crisis unfolded but that the time has now come for them to set a more coherent and durable strategic policy on punishing Russia and aiding Ukraine. Members of both parties have been saying the right stuff thats good, thats important, he said. But were getting about to the time where Congress needs to show that its thinking long-term. ... Its time to come together and show that there is a broad base of support for a tough line here. The Washington Posts Marianna Sotomayor contributed to this report. (Tribune News Service) The body of a U.S. Marine Corps pilot who was killed in a crash during a training flight exercise in Norway last month was returned to his Massachusetts hometown this weekend. Capt. Ross Reynolds, 27, of Leominster, Mass., was one of four Marines who died when an Osprey aircraft crashed during a NATO exercise on March 19. Reynolds body arrived at Bostons Logan International Airport at about 1 p.m. Saturday, where he was greeted by family members and public officials. Reynolds wife, Lana, along with his parents, sister and brother-in-law, spent a moment by the case carrying the Marines body after it was loaded into the hearse by fellow members of the U.S. Marine Corps, WCVB reported. Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito were also present for the dignified transfer ceremony. Following the crash, the Republican governor said Reynolds and the Marines who tragically passed in the accident are all heroes. We honor his service to our nation and pray for his family. The other Marines who perished in the crash were: Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy, 30, of Cambridge, Ohio; and Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, 24, of Catlettsburg, Kentucky. Reynolds was a graduate of Leominster High School and Worcester State University. He served as an MV-22B Osprey pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261. Reynolds was approaching five years of service in the Marines, during which he earned the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. He piloted Ospreys and was based at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina. In a statement, the Reynolds family said they were broken-hearted and left trying to imagine life without their son. We are in shock and are devastated by his loss. We will miss his smile, his hugs, his laughter. We will miss his energy and goodness. Ross was so caring, compassionate and committed, not only to his country, but also to being the best son, brother, husband, son-in-law, nephew, cousin, uncle, brother-in-law, friend and Marine that he could be. We appreciate all those who have reached out to support us at this difficult time. We pray for Ross and the other Marines lost in this tragic accident, the family said, according to WCVB. 2022 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit masslive.com . WASHINGTON Biden administration officials have discussed intensifying their sanctions campaign against Russia as evidence emerges of the apparent execution of civilians in a suburb near Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, according to two people familiar with the matter. Reports of civilian massacres in Bucha led to swift international condemnation and claims of war crimes from world leaders, as well as pledges to escalate the Wests economic measures against Russia. Ukrainian officials have asked for an investigation by the International Criminal Court into mass graves in Bucha that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called brutality against civilians we havent seen in Europe for decades. The scope of the potential U.S. retaliatory measures was not exactly clear, but senior Biden officials have previously discussed potentially devastating secondary sanctions that would target countries that continue to trade with Russia. The Biden administration could also impose sanctions on sectors of the Russian economy that it has not hit so far, including mining, transportation and additional areas of the Russian financial sector. The world continues to buy billions of dollars worth of Russian oil and gas, giving the Kremlin a direct financial lifeline. Officials stressed that planning was preliminary and no decisions had been made about potential responses. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN on Sunday that the United States and its European partners are discussing new sanctions to impose on Russia every single day. Blinken stressed that the measures so far are already projected to cause Russias economy to contract by 10% this year, but condemned Russias brutality and said more measures are likely to be necessary. These sanctions are having a big bite now. Theyre going to have a big bite going forward as long as this lasts, and we are every single day making sure that theyre not only tightened, but increased, Blinken said. Blinken added about evidence of Russian war crimes: There needs to be accountability for it. A Treasury Department spokeswoman declined to comment. State Department spokesman Ned Price said: Well continue to escalate the pressure until and unless the Kremlin relents, but were not going to preview specific sanctions. Buchas mayor, Anatoly Fedoruk, told The Washington Post that roughly 270 local residents had been found buried in two mass graves. Roughly three dozen were found dead in the streets, including some who had been bound and executed, Fedoruk told The Post. Bodies of at least 20 men in civilian clothes were found lying on a single street, according to Agence France-Presse journalists. Some sanctions experts urged the administration to move quickly to respond to these reports. This should open the eyes of those in the West that we should push harder on sanctions. There is no excuse to continue funneling billions of dollars to Putin through oil and gas sales, said Edward Fishman, a former State Department official who worked on Russia sanctions policy during the Obama administration. Im confident we will end up with maximalist 10 out of 10, Iran-style sanctions on Russia. Events like this galvanize the West to do so. I dont see any rationale in waiting. Many European officials have openly began calling for new sanctions to be imposed as soon as Wednesday. Both Germany and Frances foreign ministers have already vowed to push for strengthened sanctions, citing the atrocities in Bucha, according to the Financial Times. We need a 5th round of strong E.U. sanctions as soon as possible, said Kaja Kallas, Estonias prime minister, on Twitter. The Ukrainian government has for weeks been urging the White House to expand its sanctions campaign to more dramatically cut Russia off from the global economy. Ukraine has pressed the administration to curb Russian vessels access to international waterways, to choke off its energy exports and to sanction far more government officials and allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Europe continues to depend on Russian energy, and cutting off that vital financial lifeline could devastate European economies. It is not clear what escalatory matters would be proportional to the atrocities emerging in Ukraine. Richard Nephew, a senior research scholar at Columbia University, said it has been long understood that human rights violations would trigger more sanctions. But he pointed out that Russian military tactics do not appear to be driven by U.S. sanctions, and it would be hard to design new measures commensurate with the damage done. The real problem theyre going to have with the sanctions response is it will be seen as insufficient pretty much no matter what you do. The humanitarian atrocity committed will always be much worse than a sanctions response, Nephew said. Theres nothing proportional to a massacre being committed. ALAMO, Texas (Tribune News Service) Enrique Gonzalez is on a mission much different from those he undertook during his time in the military. Gonzalez, 77, is seeking information about a fellow Alamo native, James Dale Earnest, who, like himself, piloted helicopters during the Vietnam War. Unlike Gonzalez, however, Earnest did not make it home. Earnest was an Army warrant officer in the 1st Aviation Brigade, 175th Assault Helicopter Company, who died on July 24, 1969, in Kien Tuong when the helicopter he was piloting hovered over a seed bomb. The bomb exploded and destroyed Earnests helicopter. He was 22-years-old at the time of his death. Gonzalez said he intends to honor Earnest with a memorial, ideally one at the city of Alamos Veterans Memorial Park, located in the 300 block of North Alamo Road. The only problem is that he has hit a roadblock in his efforts to memorialize Earnest. Its not about me, its about a combat soldier who got killed in Vietnam, Gonzalez said. Alamo fails to honor him. Nothing. Gonzalez recently took his case to Alamo city officials and asked to have Earnest memorialized. The city wants to have a proclamation made honoring Earnest, but they are seeking more biographical information about the helicopter pilot. When (Gonzalez) brought this to me initially, I met with the city manager to see what we could do for him, Commissioner J.R. Garza said. Obviously, wed love to recognize these heroes. We want to do a proclamation during a city meeting a proclamation under (Earnests) name. The only thing is we would need a bio of this gentleman. Gonzalez has made multiple attempts to reach out to family, friends, or anyone who may have known Earnest during his short 22 years of life. Unfortunately, Gonzalez has yet to reach anyone. The little that is known about Earnest is that he was born May 18, 1947, lived in Alamo and served in the U.S. Army and is buried at Roselawn Cemetery in McAllen. What we would want, if we could obtain, is just a brief biography or some history on him so that we can put a proclamation together under his name and honor him, Garza said. In addition to the proclamation, Gonzalez is also seeking to add a memorial for Earnest at Alamos Veterans Memorial Park. Gonzalez said he is willing to fund the memorial out of his own pocket. Until then, Gonzalez hopes to reach anyone who may have more biographical information about Earnest. We want to honor him, Gonzalez said. If we get some feedback, well put it to good use. We have to work with the city for this. ... He died. I dont know if the city wants a plaque or something like that, but what are we doing to honor him? Thats the thing, we want to honor this man. Its been too long. Lets start somewhere and lets welcome him home. Lets bring him home. Anyone with information about Earnest can call the city of Alamo at (956) 787-0006, or the city of Alamo Museum at (956) 961-4398. (c)2022 The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) Visit at www.themonitor.com Cheyenne Christensen-Field, a researcher at Massey Universitys Joint Centre for Disaster Research, found that knowing your tsunami risk doesnt always mean preparing for it, in her recent study of the Hawkes Bay, Bay of Plenty and Eastern Auckland areas. Last year, Cheyenne launched an online questionnaire, which was shared by East Coast LAB and Civil Defence and Emergency Management groups, to study levels of perceived tsunami risk and levels of tsunami preparedness in each of the three regions, as well as investigating what motivated people to prepare, or not prepare. While respondents were mostly aware of their tsunami risk, many of them had not taken steps to prepare. For most people who have not prepared, they just havent thought about it said Christensen-Field this was most often the case in Auckland where seismic activity is less frequent, so tsunami risk isnt front of mind for many residents, despite being at risk of tsunami from regional sources, like the Kermadec trench. Having a potential local tsunami source, like the Hikurangi Subduction Zone, on your doorstep could be a key factor that encourages people to stay prepared. For Hawkes Bay, the Hikurangi Subduction Zone is a constant reminder of their tsunami risk, and recent tsunami warnings in 2021 could have emphasized the risk for residents in the Bay of Plenty," says Cheyenne. Residents who did not live in tsunami zones often reported this as their reason for not preparing, but Cheyenne says it is important for them to prepare as well. Although they may not be directly impacted by the tsunami, damage to local infrastructure may still affect them. Everything from roads, water and telecommunications to emergency services and food supply chains could be impacted by a tsunami, so it is important that every household takes steps to prepare. The results of this study will be valuable to emergency managers as it will help them improve disaster awareness and encourage preparation. People surveyed were also more likely to say that a region had a lower tsunami risk if they didnt live in or around that region. This could mean that people are not taking the same level of awareness and preparedness with them as they travel around the motu. With many kiwis travelling to coastal areas over the holidays, it is important that they understand the tsunami risk in that area and consider what steps they could take to stay prepared during that time, such as keeping a grab bag in the car in case they need to evacuate. One way to prepare for a tsunami is to know your tsunami evacuation route and practise it through a hikoi, or walk, during East Coast LABs Tsunami Hikoi Week. Knowing where to go means that you and your whanau can act quickly to evacuate following a long or strong earthquake. The Ministry of Health is reporting 8,810 new community cases of Covid-19, 690 hospitalisations and 18 deaths. There are 26 people in ICU with the virus. There are 414 new community cases in Bay of Plenty and 226 in Lakes, with 39 people being cared for in Bay of Plenty hospitals and 13 in Lakes DHB hospitals. There are 94,780 active community cases in total across New Zealand; these are cases identified in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered. There have been 31 new cases identified at the border during the last 24 hour reporting period. Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 18 people with Covid-19, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. The deaths being reported today include people who have died over the past five days. Delays to reporting can be associated with people dying with Covid-19, rather than from Covid-19, and Covid being discovered only after they have died. These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 396 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 20. Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, two were from Northland, seven from the Auckland region, three from Waikato, one from Whanganui, one from Hawkes Bay, one from the Wellington region, two from Canterbury, and one from Southern. One person was in their 30s, three in their 60s, eight in their 70s, three in their 80s, and three were over-90. Twelve were men and six were women. Out of respect, we will be making no further comment, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. The seven-day rolling average of case numbers continues to decline. Today's seven-day rolling average is 13,543, while the seven-day rolling average of cases as at last Sunday was 16,325. While it is encouraging to continue to see case numbers and the seven daily rolling average of cases drop, its not unexpected as we generally see lower testing and reporting over weekends. Its also an important reminder to remain vigilant. My Vaccine Pass From 11.59pm on Monday night, there is no requirement to use My Vaccine Pass. Businesses will still be able to use the system if they would like to. As restrictions around the pass ease, it is important for people to continue to follow public health advice to stay at home; away from school or work if youre feeling unwell. Another way to protect you and your whanau is to get vaccinated if you havent already done so, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. Please if you are due for a vaccination, whether it be a second shot or booster make an appointment today. There is a much lower risk of being hospitalised or developing severe illness if you are up to date with your vaccinations. Vaccinations administered in New Zealand Vaccines administered to date: 4,025,727 first doses; 3,974,893 second doses; 34,381 third primary doses; 2,588,367 booster doses: 259,383 paediatric first doses and 89,410 paediatric second doses Vaccines administered yesterday: 75 first doses; 139 second doses; 8 third primary doses; 1,975 booster doses; 223 paediatric first doses and 3,872 paediatric second doses People vaccinated All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,055,356 first dose (96.3%); 4,002,823 second dose (95.1%), 2,586,290 boosted (72.7% of those eligible) Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,406 first dose (91.1%); 502,946 second dose (88.1%), 229,678 boosted (57.5% of those eligible) Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,565 first dose (98.2%); 276,432 second dose (96.4%), 136,875 boosted (59.3% of those eligible) 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 257,344 first dose (54%); 87,438 second dose (18.4%) 5 to 11-year-olds - Maori: 40,426 first dose (35%); 9,761 second dose (8.4%) 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,303 first dose (47.2%); 4,709 second dose (9.5%) Note that the number for People vaccinated differs slightly from Vaccines administered as it includes those that have been vaccinated overseas. Vaccination rates for all DHBs* Northland DHB: first dose (90.1%); second dose (87.9%); boosted (69.4%) Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (71.2%) Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (68.3%) Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (67.8%) Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (68.4%) MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (74.1%) Tairawhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (90.9%); boosted (68.2%) Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (73.4%) Hawkes Bay DHB: first dose (97.1%); second dose (95.4%); boosted (71.9%) Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (70%) Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (94.9%); boosted (74.7%) Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (81.1%) Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (76.8%) Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.1%); boosted (75.4%) West Coast DHB: first dose (92.6%); second dose (91.2%); boosted (73.3%) Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.7%); boosted (75.9%) South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.9%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (76.3%) Southern DHB: first dose (98.3%); second dose (97.2%); boosted (74.8%) *Partially and second doses percentages are for those 12+. Boosted percentages are for 18+ who have become eligible 3 months after having their second dose Percentages are based on 2020 HSU data - a health-specific population denominator. As the population continues to change over time, coverage rates can exceed 100%. Hospitalisations Cases in hospital: total number 690: Northland: 27; Waitemata: 106; Counties Manukau: 135; Auckland: 98; Waikato: 73; Bay of Plenty: 30; Lakes: 13; Tairawhiti: 3, Hawkes Bay: 37; Taranaki: 19; Whanganui: 5; MidCentral: 22; Hutt Valley: 18; Capital and Coast: 14; Nelson Marlborough: 17; Canterbury: 44; Southern: 29 Average age of current hospitalisations: 59 Cases in ICU or HDU: 26 Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (48 cases / 13%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (7 cases / 2%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (75 cases / 21%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (102 cases / 29%); unknown (124 / 35%) Cases Seven day rolling average of community cases: 13,543 Seven day rolling average (as at Sunday last week): 16,325 Number of new community cases: 8,810 Number of new community cases (PCR): 186 Number of new community cases (RAT): 8,624 Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (385), Auckland (1,555), Waikato (729), Bay of Plenty (414), Lakes (226), Hawkes Bay (420), MidCentral (502), Whanganui (222), Taranaki (342), Tairawhiti (102), Wairarapa (91), Capital and Coast (635), Hutt Valley (389), Nelson Marlborough (364), Canterbury (1,463), South Canterbury (172), Southern (735), West Coast (57), Unknown (7) Number of new cases identified at the border: 31 Number of active community cases (total): 94,780 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered) Confirmed cases (total): 691,742 Please note, the Ministry of Healths daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO. Tests Dr Martin Earles is turning his veterinarian expertise to new, exciting and exotic challenges by caring for Taurangas more unusual pets and birds. On Tuesday and Fridays, birds, rabbits, reptiles and rodents are able to pay him a visit for exotic and avian consultations and surgery, and to receive some much-appreciated expert care. The unusual pets are different from what most vets would tend to deal with. Over the last few years, Ive put some time into studying and finding out more about them, says Martin. Ive always been interested in slightly different sorts of pets, and weve had birds, guinea pigs and rabbits when I was younger. We started to keep them at home, so it was natural to want to learn as much as you can to look after them. Dr Martin Earles with a Flemish rabbit. Photo: John Borren. Martin is a Tauranga-raised veterinarian and Massey University graduate. He started in a small animal practice in Auckland, before moving back to Tauranga where he has worked since 2000. He started developing a special interest in avian and exotic pet medicine and surgery since 2010. This interest grew into something more, involving courses and study; and in 2019 he passed exams to become a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in the subject of Medicine and Surgery of Unusual Pets. He is a member of the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians, the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, and the Association of Avian Veterinarians Australasian Committee. Dr Martin Earles wtih a bearded dragon. Photo: John Borren. Now with letters after his name, hes offering a place and opportunity for pet owners to be referred from other clinics as well as those who come direct to see him at The Referral Centre in Greerton. The pets he sees cover a wide variety of species. There are giant Flemish rabbits among the hugely popular rabbits, and rodents such as guinea pigs, chinchillas, rats and mice. There are also reptiles such as lizards, turtles and tortoises; and amphibians, ornamental fish and bird species which include aviary birds, backyard poultry and pigeons. At home, he has his own guinea pigs, a rabbit, some tropical fish and two dogs. Theres quite a lot of rabbits out there, and some live to a similar age to a cat. Theres also guinea pigs, and a few chinchillas around little soft cuddly furry creatives, very cute. Chinchillas seem to break their legs easier than other pets. Theyre little rodents from South America, with a long tail and long legs. Very soft with a plush coat. We had one little chinchilla, which was only about six weeks old, and it broke its back leg. The bone was like cardboard, very soft. Unfortunately, we had to amputate, and then it got bigger and about a year later broke its other back leg, so we put a pin and some wire in it and it healed up. Hes like a cat with nine lives. Chinchillas are quite active and will climb, and theyve got long skinny legs. A bearded dragon. Dragons, turtles and tortoises are also popular. They all have their own special requirements for looking after them and feeding them. So you help to try and prevent a lot of problems that may arise. Just like humans, pets can have respiratory infections and digestive problems, says Martin. They can hide things and look fine, and then one day they can look really sick all of a sudden, and need a lot of extra care and fluids. Martins avian and exotic pet service is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays at The Referral Centre, which is located at the Bay After Hours Veterinary Hospital, 1450 Cameron Rd, Greerton. Bay of Plenty Ever thought of joining the civil construction industry? if so then this is your chance to get a foot in the door. We are... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Tasting and chasing cheese, and touring the factory it was made in is on a platter for those signed up to one of 19 events in the Flavours of Plenty Festival, taking place from April 7-10. Spanning from Waihi Beach to Ohope, the festival is a Tourism Bay of Plenty initiative inspired by feedback from the local food industry, offering a mouth-watering menu of events. Just like the UKs traditional Gloucester cheese rolling competitions, Mount Eliza Cheese factory will host visitors on April 10 offering a similar event instead focused on having fun than breaking bones. Husband-and-wife team, cheesemakers Chris and Jill Whalley of Katikati, produced their first cheese in 2007 and from 2014 have been making raw milk cheese, winning many prestigious producer and cheese awards along the way. We celebrated our first year [in 2014] of making raw milk cheese with a mini cheese rolling event among friends and it was lots of fun. We always thought wed do it again then the festival came up. Jill says big wheels of cheese will be rolled downhill at their Katikati farm, with visitors able to chase, stroll or even walk after it. Well have a kids race, an adults race, and a teams relay race. What cheese will roll will be a surprise, and the event includes a tour of the Mount Eliza Cheese factory. We also hope to have trainee chefs from Toi Ohomai creating some magic food with our cheese, says Jill, who with Chris produce a Red Leicester, a Farmhouse cheddar both raw milk and a pasteurised Blue Monkey cheese. Flavours of Plenty Festival organiser Rae Baker says the overarching aim of the festival is to celebrate our regional food story. There are other objectives that come under this including showcasing the amazing restaurants, event providers and producers we have, encouraging our communities to engage with our food story and to attract domestic visitation to the Bay through our food story. We have some incredible people doing amazing things here, and we feel its about time we celebrated what we produce in the Coastal Bay of Plenty. The Whalleys event is one of 19 including from a Mediterranean Escape, a plant-based Kings Feast Luncheon, and a hangi with celebrity chefs Karena and Kasey Bird to name just a few. Jill says the festival will be fabulous for the region. All the events look incredibly luscious and tantalising. The festival takes in foods and produce from around the BOP and the way the organisers have brought it all together has been fantastic. Jill says the festival will put many local food places on the map, and has already brought many places to peoples attention. Its been pretty hard for everybody in the hospitality trade over the last few years and nobody is whining about it. So many are on the ground just keeping on going and keeping the ball rolling, reinventing themselves as walk-in takeaways and then re-opening up as restaurants when they canconstantly having to adapt. My biggest hope is that all that colour and life we have in the Bay food sector will hang in there and emerge well at the end of it. To view the Flavours of Plenty festival programme, see: https://flavoursofplentyfestival.com 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. Amazon makes it easy for customers to place an order. If you have accidentally ordered the wrong item or just changed your mind, you can cancel your order and get your money back. Cancel an Amazon Order on Your PC If your order has not shipped or is still in the process of shipping, you can cancel before you are charged. If Amazon has placed a hold on your card, it should disappear after your order is canceled, according to HowtoGeek. To cancel an order on your computer, open the website and sign in to your Amazon account. Once you have signed in, choose "Returns and Orders," located in the window's top-right corner. Search for the order you want to cancel and select the "Cancel Items" button on the right side. Next, choose the items in the order that you want to cancel. Also Read: Amazon Web Services Down: Is the Retailer Already Fixing the Outage? Disney Plus, Alexa, and More are Affected Cancel an Order Using Your Phone or Tablet If you have an Amazon app on your tablet or your phone, all you need to do is open it. If you do not have the app, just open the Amazon website in your phone or tablet's web browser, according to Business Insider. Make sure that you are logged in to your Amazon account. In the app, tap the user icon at the bottom of the screen. Next, tap the "Your Orders" button. On the website, tap your name that is next to the user icon in the top-right of the screen, then tap the "Track and Manage Orders" button. Tap the order that you want to cancel, then scroll down and choose "Cancel Order." Choose the items you want to cancel and select a reason for the cancellation from the dropdown menu. Tap the "Cancel checked items" options at the bottom of the screen so you can finish the cancellation of your order. Get a Refund on an Order After it Ships To start, go to your Amazon orders page on the web or in the Amazon app. Look for the order that you want to return. On a computer, choose the "Return or Replace Items" button. On a mobile device, tap the order, then tap the "Return or replace items" button at the bottom of the screen. Choose the items you want to return, then choose why you are returning the item. Click "Continue" and choose how you want to receive your refund. You can either refund the payment to your payment method or towards your Amazon balance. Choose "Continue" again, then follow the instructions to print a return label and finish the return process. Once this is done, you will have a window to return your items for a refund. Remember that Amazon offers a return window that closes roughly one month after the initial purchase, so if you wish to return items, you will need to act fast, according to Tom's Guide. To get a refund on an accidental digital purchase, go to the "Your Orders" page on the website, either on your PC or your phone. Click "Digital Orders," then search for the item you accidentally purchased. You can also change the language and security features of your Amazon website. If you experience an Amazon AWS outage, you can get it fixed too before you continue going through your account. Related Article:Amazon Questioned About Third-Party Sellers Listing Preservatives Tied to Self-Harm This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Instagram iPhone scam is now starting to appear. If you ever received a message from an unknown contact saying that you received a free Apple smartphone, it's definitely a scam. You may also be tagged in some posts regarding the free iPhone 13 and other models. Once this happens, you need to take extra safety measures to avoid becoming victims of these scammers. iPhone scams on Instagram usually contain a lot of users. In the post, you will see a link containing many numbers. Once you see these details, the best thing you can do is avoid clicking the link or responding to the unknown IG contact. Instagram iPhone Scam 2022: How To Avoid It? According to CNET's latest report, one of the best things you can do about the iPhone scammers on IG is to avoid interacting with them. Also Read: Experts Claim Apple App Store's Top-Grossing Apps Contain Some Scams: How To Avoid Them? If you have any contact with cybersecurity authorities, you may also inform them regarding the suspicious activity. Since avoiding them is already a given action, here are other tips you can try so that you'll not become their victim: Control Instagram users who can message you (Profile icon > settings bar > Settings > Messages) Limiting tagging on IG (Profile icon > settings bars > Settings > Posts > Allows Tags From Everyone / People You Follow / No One) Making your account private (Profile icon > settings bars > Settings > Privacy > Private Account) Reporting a malicious or suspicious comment (Comment section > speech bubble > Report This Comment > Block Account) Some Instagram Users Were Already Targeted HT Tech reported that the rising IG iPhone scams have already attacked some Instagram users on the platform. Most of them complained that they were tagged in various posts and comment sections, saying they are among the winners of free iPhones. Some of the IG users said that they clicked the links provided, which redirected them to another website. They were asked to provide their personal details, including their bank accounts and debit and credit card information. Previously, Verizon users were warned about self-spamming texts that could steal their personal details. Meanwhile, the new Norton phishing scam can steal money from victims through their sensitive user data. For more news updates about iPhone scams and other malicious online activities, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Apple Urges US Senate To Junk Sideloading App Bill-Saying Can Lead To Scams, Malware, Other Data Exploitation This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple, Microsoft, and other tech firms are now being questioned by their employees regarding the return of work-from-office situations. Many companies are still allowing their staff to work within the vicinities of their houses. Many people actually like this situation since it will enable them to spend more time with their families and loved ones. Aside from this, it also saves them time since they no longer need to travel from their houses to their offices. Meanwhile, tech firms also experience revenue growth even when their employees are working remotely. "Google made record profits through the pandemic," said Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, via CNBC's latest report. Apple and Other Tech Employees Question Work-From-Office One of the current complaints of employees regarding the WFO scenario is the worsening fuel price hikes in various countries. Many tech staff said that the hassle they experienced two years ago is now more irritating. Also Read: Equifax Collects, Stores Payroll Data Without Tech Employees' Consent? Google Staff Now Worried Although this is the case, Google is still planning to bring back its workers to their physical offices. The search engine giant already announced this decision at the start of the pandemic, saying that it wants employees to return to offices once the health crisis eases. But, just like other companies, Google also allows employees to have a hybrid working activity still. This means that there are some days they are required to report to their buildings, while the remaining days can be done at home. This is also the same situation with Apple, Amazon, and other tech firms. Is WFH Really Beneficial? Harvard Business Review explained that WFH offers many benefits and a reduced carbon footprint. Since many people are still working remotely, they don't really need to use their vehicles, which can help reduce carbon emissions. On the other hand, the waste footprint of workers also decreased. Compared to WFO, individuals who work at home tend to practice more efficient waste management habits since they are at their houses. However, there are also some negative effects. Some studies explained that the number of emails sent per year increased ever since WFH became the new norm. On the other hand, many individuals also tend to stress more at work, especially since the problems in their jobs are also brought into their homes. This is why there's a saying that you don't bring your work to your house. Recently, TechTimes reported that business owners could do five things to enhance their hybrid workplace. On the other hand, ChartHop's Gather acquisition is expected to enhance employee experiences. For more news updates about tech employees and other business tech topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Meta Employees No Longer Required To Get COVID Boosters To Return To The Office This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Unsplash/Mufid Majnun) COVID A 60-year-old man from Germany was arrested after he was caught selling forged vaccination cards with real vaccine batch numbers. The man was allegedly getting vaccinated against COVID-19 multiple times so he could sell the vaccination cards that he got to those who do not want to get vaccinated themselves. German Man Caught Forging Vaccination Cards The man from the eastern German city of Magdeburg is said to have received a total of 90 shots against COVID-19 at different vaccination centers in the eastern state of Saxony for months, according to ABC News. The man, whose name was not released due to Germany's privacy rules, was caught by the criminal police earlier this month. The suspect was not detained, but he is currently under investigation for unauthorized issuance of vaccination cards and document forgery. Also Read: Apple Health, Wallet: How to Add COVID Vaccination Cards on iPhone Apps for Digital Integration German authorities caught the man at a vaccination center in Ellenburg in Saxony when he shoed up for a COVID-19 shot for the second day in a row. The police confiscated dozens of blank vaccination cards from the suspect and began criminal proceedings. Germany's medical professionals did not reveal what 90 shots of COVID-19 vaccines would do to the body, especially since the shots were from different brands. German police have conducted several raids in connection with the forgery of vaccination passports in the past few months. Many COVID-19 deniers refuse to get vaccinated in Germany, but they still want to have the coveted COVID-19 passports that allow them to enjoy public life and freedom to enter venues like theaters, restaurants, and swimming pools, or workplaces. Nurses Made $1.5 in Selling Fake Cards Earlier this year, nurses from Long Island, New York, were arrested and were accused of making more than $1.5 million in selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards. The suspects were Julie DeVuono, the owner of Wild Child Pediatric Healthcare, and employees Brooke Hogan and Marissa Urraro were accused of handing out COVID-19 vaccination cards and charging $220 for adults and $85 for children. The prosecutors stated that Hogan was a receptionist at the facility, but since Urraro is a licensed practical nurse and DeVuono is a nurse practitioner, the two of them were able to enter false information into the immunization database of New York. CBS New York reported that the business owners near the facility suspected that something illegal was happening when they noticed the number of people going in and out of the building. According to USA Today, the scheme was discovered when an undercover detective was given a vaccine card even though he did not get a vaccine. The police searched DeVuono's home and revealed that they found $900,000 in cash and a ledger showing more than $1.5 million in profits dating back to November 2021. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said that he hopes this sends a message to others who are considering cheating the system that they will eventually get caught and that the authorities will enforce the law to the fullest extent. Commissioner Harrison also criticized the nurses for their actions. He said that the nurses should understand the importance of legitimate vaccination cards as everyone should work together to protect public health. In 2021, Facebook and eBay reported a sudden increase in fake COVID-19 vaccination cards. In the same year, experts warned the public to prevent posting their COVID-19 vaccination cards online. Related Article: COVID-19 Vaccine Card: Here Are Ways You Can Store it Digitally To Prevent Misplacing It This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 14:21 | Lima, Apr. 3. The resignation was accepted by Supreme Resolution No. 120-2022-PCM , which was published today in the Official Gazette El Peruano The plenary of magistrates of the TSE announced the first provisional results of the elections in a solemn session broadcast on television and social networks at 20:00 local time (02:00 GMT on Monday, April 4), declairing Rodrigo Chaves in the lead of the 2022 elections in Costa Rica. According to Eugenia Zamora, with 89.05 percent of the ballots processed (6,097 votes), the candidate Rodrigo Chaves of the Partido Progreso Social Democratico obtained 918,040 votes (equivalent to 52.90 percent), while Jose Maria Figueres for Liberacion Nacional obtained 817,319 votes (47.10 percent). At the same time, the TSE authority specified that the participation in the presidential second round was 57.15 percent and abstention reached 42.85 percentage points, "there were 38,821 null votes, 7,055 blank votes and the total number of votes received is 1,781,235", she detailed. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Costa Rica announced this Sunday the closing of the polling stations, after the election day where citizens decide the new president for the period 2022-2026. The authorities of the TSE emphasized that the day was carried out calmly and there were no setbacks, "the only thing that occurred was the unfortunate death of a citizen after casting his vote", added the president of the TSE, Eugenia Zamora. For this second round, the right-wing Rodrigo Chaves and the centrist Jose Maria Figueres are competing for the presidential seat. At the same time, preliminary results from the TSE itself are expected in the next hours. Video: Costa Rica decides between 2 candidates who will become its next president - #CostaRicaDecide2022 #CostaRica pic.twitter.com/CZOWICDAde teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) April 3, 2022 Jose Maria Figueres aspires to a second presidential term, while Rodrigo Chaves is postulated as the figure of change in the country. Voting continues in the Central American territory, however, no clear sign of a winner has surfaced yet. The winner of these presidential ellections will be facing mayor social and economic challenges. However, Costa Rica, unlike some neighbouring LATAM countries, has a secure environment that can be condusive to the prosperity with good reforms. Regarding the elections in Costa Rica, teleSUR interviewed Yhamir Chabur, analyst of "Nacion Troika", who gives his opinion on the electoral panorama facing the country. More than eight hours after opening, Costa Rica's polling stations have received a good number of voters to elect in second round the new president for the 2022-2026 period, between the right-wing Rodrigo Chaves and the centrist Jose Maria Figueres. This was witnessed in the schools and colleges that welcome voters this Sunday, also confirmed by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), in its first conference of the day. "We expect that as the day progresses people will have greater affluence to the different voting centers. We urge people to exercise their right to vote. We remind that there is time until 18H00 hours and that if they lost their cedula today we will be working to deliver them so they can vote", urged Hector Fernandez, director of the Electoral Registry. The previous round of electios was marked by lack of majority vote among candidates; while the economic crisis and social problems require committed solutions, the fragmented political scope responds to growing issues in the country. Chaves calls for "tsunami" of votes to sweep Costa Rica's presidential ballot Economist Rodrigo Chaves, presidential candidate for the Social Democratic Progress party of Costa Rica, said this Sunday after voting that he will sweep the ballot with a "tsunami of votes". "Go out to vote, go out to vote, go out to vote.... We are going to win, this is going to be a tsunami, we are going to sweep", declared Chaves while leaving the polling station located in the Napoleon Quesada high school, in San Jose. Costa Rican Electoral Court confirms that voting progressed without incidents Costa Rica's polling stations are working in their totality and the day of the presidential runoff between Jose Maria Figueres and Rodrigo Chaves is progressing without incidents, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) explained in a press conference. "It has been a very calm morning in terms of incidents; we have the report that 100 percent (of the voting tables) were open at 6:30 in the morning (12:30 GMT)," assured Hector Fernandez, director of the electoral registry of the TSE, who denied rumors about alleged warnings of electoral crimes. According to Fernandez, the TSE has already identified the company that circulated the rumors and requested the corresponding invoice to know who financed the referred message about alleged institutional alerts to the electoral prosecutors participating in the process. The official added that seven consulates abroad had already closed the voting and acknowledged that there were fewer lines at the voting centers this Sunday than on the morning of February 6, when the first round of these elections took place. Magistrate Eugenia Zamora, president of the TSE, emphasized that the first preliminary results of this runoff will be released at 20:00 local time (02:00 GMT on Monday, April 4), two hours after the official closing of the polls. Zamora added that on Tuesday, April 5, the definitive scrutiny will begin, and only when it is finished the TSE will declare the final result of the presidential election. President Carlos Alvarado calls on people to vote "We are an example in the world of freedom, democracy and peace, which are the pillars on which our country has consolidated its history and is building its future. Congratulations, Costa Rica, for the new democratic day we will live today, " tweeted the Republic President, Carlos Alvarado. Somos ejemplo en el de libertad, democracia y paz, que son los pilares sobre los cuales nuestro pais ha consolidado su historia y construye su futuro. Felicidades Costa Rica por la nueva jornada democratica que hoy viviremos! Carlos Alvarado Quesada (@CarlosAlvQ) April 3, 2022 Figueres told local media that he barely slept three hours and called on citizens to exercise their right to vote early in a message to reporters stationed in front of his house. "I hope we all go with the civility, cordiality and culture that we have always had as a Costa Rican family to vote," said Figueres, who also called on his Twitter account to participate in what he defined as a "historical date" with the country. The foreign vote, enabled in 52 consulates in 42 countries, began in Australia, in the diplomatic representation of Costa Rica in Canberra. This ballot is part of the eighteenth presidential and legislative elections organized by Costa Rica since the Political Constitution of 1949 came into force, which enables every citizen over 18 years of age to vote. The winner of these elections will take office next May 8 to face challenges such as the fight against corruption or the approval of a millionaire debt with the International Monetary Fund. Data transmission will begin at the closing of the polling stations through mobile devices, telephone call center operators and laptops with the internet. The plenary of magistrates of the TSE will announce the first provisional results of the elections in a solemn session broadcast on television and social networks at 20:00 local time (02:00 GMT on Monday, April 4). Since April 1, the restrictions on the capacity of the polling stations dictated to stop the spread of the covid-19 pandemic were eliminated. Therefore no physical distancing will be required at the polling stations, although the mandatory use of masks will be maintained. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Costa Rica decreed this Sunday at 6:00 local time (12:00 GMT) the opening of polls to define between Jose Maria Figueres and Rodrigo Chaves the president of the Republic for the period 2022-2026. "As of this moment, the polling stations open", informed the electoral entity in its Twitter account. #EleccionesCRTSE Acerquese a su centro y vote. No olvide su cedula de identidad. pic.twitter.com/nzyBvhhFVI TSE (@TSECostaRica) April 3, 2022 Around 3.5 million Costa Ricans are called to participate this Sunday in the second round of elections to choose the next president of the Central American country between candidates Jose Maria Figueres and Rodrigo Chaves. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) said that everything was ready for the electoral day that began the day before with the opening of the electoral centers abroad. In this sense, the electoral authority pointed out that the only two polling stations that will not open are in Shanghai, China, due to the confinement due to the covid-19 pandemic, and the one in Moscow, Russia, due to the conflict with Ukraine. According to the TSE, voting centers will be open between 06.00 and 18.00 local time (12.00 and 00.00 GMT), and the first results will be published in a solemn session at 20.00 local time (02.00 GMT on Monday). According to the Costa Rican Constitution, the winner of the second round will be the candidate who obtains the majority of votes, in case of a tie, the oldest candidate wins. In this case, Figueres. Jose Maria Figueres, candidate of the Partido Liberacion Nacional - National Liberation Party (PLN, which defines itself as a center or center-left party), and who governed the country between 1994 and 1998, won in the first round on February 6 with 27.3 percent of the votes, but failed to reach the 40 percent of the votes needed to avoid a runoff. Rodrigo Chaves of the Partido Progreso Social Democratico - Social Democratic Progress Party (PPSD, Centre to center-right) made it to the second round, coming in second place with 16.7 percent of the votes. The winner will have to face an economic and social crisis resulting from the two-year pandemic that has exacerbated discontent among the population. Currently, the main concerns of "Ticos," as Costa Ricans are also known, are the rising cost of living, unemployment, poverty and a public debt equivalent to 70 percent of GDP. In Latvia, they said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have the opportunity to "strike at the Crimean bridge" on May 9 Presidente @PedroCastilloTe: "Buscando la tranquilidad y estabilidad social, emitimos un Decreto Supremo para exonerar el impuesto selectivo al consumo a la gasolina de 84 y 90 octanos para ayudar al sector transportes y evitar el incremento de productos de primera necesidad". pic.twitter.com/UHTZWrTGdA Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission A a number of representatives stand at the back of the Senate chamber watching the action, Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, center, wears a somber expression during testimony against the veto override in the Senate Wednesday. Republican majorities in House and Senate successfully overrode a governor's veto for the first time against an executive's will since 1991, to ensure Black voters would not have the possibility of electing a second African American to Congress. En cumplimiento de los compromisos del Gobierno durante la mesa de dialogo realizada en Huancayo, desde hoy, se ha dispuesto que las gasolinas y gasoholes de 84 y 90 octanos y los tipos de diesel, esten excluidos del Impuesto Selectivo al Consumo hasta el 30 de junio. (1/2) Whether it was good luck, a penchant for self-promotion or the perfect timing of a probe into digital platforms, Rod Sims rode a wave of global discontent towards Big Tech during his five year stint leading Australias competition regulator. There was the digital platforms inquiry, which raised concerns about an imbalance of bargaining power among Facebook, Google and news publishers for whom, the regulator argued, the platforms were unavoidable. That led to the landmark media bargaining code and unprecedented news-content licensing agreements. The US FTCs Lina Khan says global regulators are increasingly working together following Australias lead. Credit:Graeme Jennings While Sims willingness to use competition and consumer law to go after Big Tech attracted headlines around the world, he may end up being best remembered for something else: Getting antitrust agencies around the globe to work together. Just as digital platforms are transnational I think competition agencies need to work in a transnational way as well, Sims said. I think thats really important. Each country just looking inwards at itself is not going to deal with these issues. If the writers of the dark but deliciously hilarious American comedy The Righteous Gemstones, currently screening on Foxtel and featuring a dysfunctional family of televanglists, are looking for inspiration for upcoming storylines, they need look no further than Baulkham Hills and our very own Houston dynasty of Hillsong fame. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny with Hillsong Church Pastor Brian Houston. While the Gemstones are a source of much humour, these days the laughs around the Houston household, a palatial gated multi-million-dollar spread in nearby Glenhaven, have been somewhat muted thanks to a string of scandals. So dire is the once untouchable familys current position it has left many of us to wonder if Team Houston - comprising husband and wife Hillsong founders Brian and Bobbie Houston and their three adult children - has entered its own End of Days? Health economist Professor Martin Hensher warns that long COVID poses a serious public health threat and critical data is missing. At the moment we really have no idea of the extent of long COVID in Australia, he said. We are flying pretty blind. Professor Hensher, who worked alongside a team modelling long COVID at Deakin University, estimates that at 12 weeks post infection, anywhere between 80,000 and 325,000 of the more than two million Australians infected during the first Omicron wave alone will have ongoing symptoms. And, while a large proportion are predicted to recover within six months, thousands are expected to experience persistent symptoms. He is part of a growing chorus of experts calling for the urgent rollout of a national survey to measure the scale of long COVID in Australia and a database to track symptoms. Loading In Australia, up to 30 per cent of seriously ill COVID-19 patients have reported at least one symptom persisting after six months. The most common symptom was shortness of breath, but others included fatigue, headaches and a loss of taste or smell. Ms Costello, who was double vaccinated six months before contracting the virus, and before boosters were approved, is one of an estimated more than 90,000 Australians who have a smell or taste disorder after six months. The figure in Australia is far below other parts of the world where Delta was the prevalent variant. Studies have found up to 60 per cent of people who had Delta lost their sense of smell and/or taste, compared to one in five with Omicron, the most common variant in Australia. About two per cent of those people will have impaired senses long term. Peoples experiences range from complete or partial loss to distorted and imagined senses. Some people complain certain foods taste like garbage or rotting meat, while others can smell faeces or smoke when neither are nearby. Ms Costello often gets phantom garbage smells. Exactly why this occurs is still unknown, but there is an emerging consensus, including by a team studying the phenomena at Harvard Medical School, that smell loss occurs when the coronavirus infects cells that support neurons in the nose. To the frustration of sufferers, there is no easy cure for olfactory dysfunction. Smell training, which involves sniffing several potent scents twice a day to stimulate the olfactory system, is the recommended treatment. But it will not help everyone. There arent robust studies on its efficacy among COVID-19 survivors and earlier studies show it works to some degree on about half of sufferers. Chrissi Kelly, who founded UK charity AbScent after losing her smell due to a sinus infection and now is a published researcher in the field, said it took dedication and at least four months to see results. Simon Carney, a spokesperson for the Australian Society of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, said smell training kits should be included on the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Steroid nasal sprays and vitamin A drops have also shown some efficacy. Professor Carney said the area had long been neglected, but that COVID-19 had spurred promising research in the UK and elsewhere, including a trial of a drug to stimulate olfactory nerve growth. Ms Kelly, who regained her sense of smell after eight years before losing it again from COVID-19, said most peoples senses would return in time. Susanna Vitikainen, who lives in Ocean Grove on Victorias Bellarine Peninsula, gets phantom smells (phantosmia) and has lost her sense of taste on and off since contracting COVID-19 in January. Susanna Vitikainen, who suffers from long-COVID with a variety of symptoms including loss of taste, phantom smells, fatigue, nerve pain and brian fog. Credit:Luis Ascui But more distressing for her is the severe nerve pain, chest pain, heart palpitations, fatigue and brain fog, which forced her to resign from her job as a chef. I will spend days in bed, and Ill be lucky to go to [the] kitchen or shower or get dressed, said the 54-year-old, who was double vaccinated and booked in for a booster when she was infected. At The Alfred hospital in Melbourne, senior clinical neuropsychologist, Dr Leonie Keall is treating an increasing number of people with perplexing symptoms lingering many months after their coronavirus diagnosis. Some were infected as far back as July last year. Demand for neuropsychological treatment is soaring to record levels nationally and Dr Keall says there is a growing need for more services to help treat increasing numbers of people experiencing brain fog post COVID. Some people describe it as feeling like theyre hung over every day, they have greatly reduced mental clarity, they feel less sharp, theyre forgetful, Dr Keall said. One woman said she felt like her whole world had been thrown out the window and another said it was like her brain had been cut in half. Its been really tough on a lot of people. Some of her patients describe absent mindedness, like putting objects in the fridge mistakenly. Others have trouble remembering words or their phone numbers. For most people, fatigue fuels their cognitive difficulties, so her job is to help them manage their sleep and to regain their concentration through cognitive rehabilitation therapy. Most of the patients she treats are aged in their 20s to 50s and many were high-achieving people with fast-paced jobs before being struck down with coronavirus. For some, treatment can be easily adapted into their daily life; keeping a whiteboard in their kitchen to trigger their memory, setting timers to ensure to take regular breaks at work and keeping a diary to remind them of what they need to do each day. But it is the unpredictability and uncertainty of the condition that distresses people the most. Its confronting, and it is a scary thing for people, Dr Keall said. They want answers on when they will be better, but the research is still in the early stages. The hardest thing is that we cant give them those definitive answers. Professor Carney said smell and taste loss could lead to a significant reduction in quality of life. The loss of taste can make people extremely depressed and suicidal, he said, especially in a country like Australia where we are so food and drink culture orientated. Loading Ms Kelly said there was also a biological component to the depression as the smell sense was located in the same part of the brain that governed emotion and memory. Disruption to the mechanisms of smells, in this very important, central part of the brain, of course is going to affect the way we feel and think and act, she said. A 2021 study, co-authored by Ms Kelly, found health care professionals often overlooked the serious consequences of smell and taste loss, including malnutrition, reduced psychological wellbeing and impaired relationships. New COVID-19 cases have fallen again with WA Health recording 6439 cases on Sunday. The report also includes three historical deaths dating back to March 26 - a man in his 80s, a man in his 90s and a woman in her 90s. There were 3661 positive RATs reported on Sunday. Credit:Getty There are now 221 people with COVID-19 in hospital and seven are in intensive care. There were 10,338 PCR tests administered yesterday with more than a quarter returning a positive result. Australian academics are calling for the voting age to be lowered from 18 to 16 years of age, as the push for young people to have a say about issues like climate change gains momentum around the world. Chair of adolescent health at Melbourne University Susan Sawyer believes its only a matter of time before Australia lowers the voting age. Secondary student Brigid Potter, 17, supports lowering the voting age. Credit:Jason South Professor Sawyer, one of the worlds leading authorities on adolescent health, says the rise in social media combined with a more politically active younger population demonstrated that 16-year-olds were aware of their political clout. In this age of social media, young people have realised that they can be much more politically active and can influence political decision-making through the range of activities that they have been engaged in, she says. " " A trio of Appaloosas show off the variation in markings that is characteristic of the breed. Photos by By Deb Alperin/Getty Images Appaloosa horses with their stunning spotted coats have caught eyes and captured hearts pretty much since the beginning of time. Meticulously bred centuries ago by the Nez Perce people indigenous to Washington, Oregon and Idaho to preserve the traits that make them unique, the Appaloosa has become one of the most popular breeds in America, and even holds the title as the state horse of Idaho. With more than 630,000 Appaloosa horses registered around the world, according to the Appaloosa Horse Club, it's hard to believe the breed would likely have fallen into oblivion almost a century ago had it not been for the keen intervention of a few dedicated horse enthusiasts. Advertisement What Is the Appaloosa Pattern? Appaloosas come in a variety of base colors including bay, black, chestnut, palomino, buckskin, dun and grulla. And they have equally diverse spotting patterns that range from light or dark spots to snowflakes (white spots or flecks on dark bodies). Those spots can be distributed throughout the entire body or can "blanket" just a portion of the body from the tail up to the base of the neck. Some foals are born without classic Appaloosa spots but develop them over time, requiring their owners to update their horse's registration to reflect the new coloring. To make matters even more confusing, not all spotted horses are Appaloosas, and not all Appaloosas are spotted, "Thanks to DNA," says Crystal White, director of the Appaloosa Museum in Moscow, Idaho. What makes a horse an Appaloosa is the Leopard Complex, or LP gene, a mutation of the TRPM1 gene discovered in 2013 by the Appaloosa Project. All horses have the TRPM1 gene, but only Appaloosas have the LP mutation, which affects the pigment of the coat and allows for the expression of white patterns and other characteristics. A horse can also appear to be a solid color without spots but still be registered as an Appaloosa if it has mottled skin and at least one other Appaloosa characteristic. " " Two Appaloosa horses looking eye to eye and head to head while exchanging breath in a trusting bonding behavior. catnap72/Getty Images Advertisement What Are the Appaloosa's Other Distinguishing Features? There are three characteristics besides the spotted coat that identify an Appaloosa, White says. These traits are not exclusive to the breed, but most have at least two: Mottled skin . Different from pink or non-pigmented skin, mottled skin usually contains small, round, dark spots usually around the muzzle, eyes, anus and genitalia. Striped hooves . Rather than hooves that are solid white, solid black, or a combination of the two, Appaloosas often have hooves with bold vertical light and dark stripes. White sclera. The sclera is the outer layer of the eyeball that surrounds the colored iris. Most horse breeds have dark sclera, but Appaloosas often have white ones, giving them "humanlike" eyes. It is unusual for other horse breeds to have white sclera, making this trait most unique to the breed. Advertisement The History of the Spotted Horse "Spotted horses go back to antiquity," White says. But the lineage of the Appaloosa traces back to the 18th century when the Spanish brought them to Mexico, California and Oregon. The Nez Perce obtained the horses around 1730 and, admiring their physical beauty as well as their courage in battle, developed strict breeding practices to promote desirable traits. Inferior males were gelded and those deemed unsuitable for breeding were traded away. By the turn of the century, the Nez Perce had developed a reputation among Native Americans and Europeans for their high-quality horses. In 1877, tensions between the Nez Perce and the U.S. government grew violent as settlers pushed the Native Americans from their traditional land in the Palouse. By the war's end, the U.S. Army had taken more than 1,000 of the tribe's surviving horses, selling many and shooting the rest. Surviving Nez Perce settled on reservation lands in north central Idaho, and were allowed only a few horses. But the Army forced the Nez Perce to mate their stallions with draft horse mares to create more suitable farm horses. Some Appaloosas were captured by settlers and used as ranch horses or were used in circuses and shows, such as Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. English-speakers began calling the spotted horses "Palouse horses" after the Palouse River, which ran through the former Nez Perce lands. The name went through several iterations, including Apalousey, before most settled on Appaloosa. " " The lineage of the Appaloosa traces back to the 18th century when the Spanish brought them to Mexico, California and Oregon. John McAnulty/Getty Images It wasn't until 1937, when France D. Haines, a history professor from Lewiston, Idaho, wrote an article about the Appaloosa horses in Western Horseman magazine, calling for the protection of this special breed of horse. "That was the alarm for people who loved the horse, so they began registering them as a breed," White says. In 1938, a small group of horse breeders formed the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) in Moro, Oregon. Soon after, the club moved to Moscow, Idaho, where the headquarters remains today. The ApHC has become one of the top equine breed registries in the world, with more than 33,000 members. Advertisement What Are Appaloosa Horses Best Suited For? The Appaloosa was bred for strength and endurance, and are useful for everything from ranch work, show horse, stock horse, racing and long-distance riding. But they are also considered friendly, gentle horses who are especially loyal. "They can be especially attached to one person," White says, "or they can want to be around everyone." One thing she's noticed about the Appaloosa that roam the pasture at the museum is that they are attracted to kids. "Sometimes groups will come and the horses will stay at the far end of the pasture. But if there are kids in the group, they'll come right up to the fence," she says. Now That's Interesting Appaloosas have earned starring roles in many Westerns, including playing Cojo Rojo in the Marlin Brando film "The Appaloosa," Zip Cochise in the 1966 John Wayne film "El Dorado," and Cowboy in the 2010 remake of "True Grit," featuring Matt Damon. But the horse with perhaps the most noteworthy role was that of Pay N Go, a bay leopard Appaloosa and Grand Prix dressage horse who performed at the 1998 New York memorial service for Linda McCartney, wife of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. Shanghai: Esther Zhao thought she was doing the right thing when she brought her 2-year-old daughter to a Shanghai hospital with a fever on March 26. Three days later, Zhao was begging health authorities not to separate them after she and the little girl both tested positive for COVID-19, saying her daughter was too young to be taken away to a quarantine centre for children. A woman wearing a face mask to help protect from the coronavirus brings a masked child visit to a park, in Beijing on Sunday. Credit:AP Doctors then threatened Zhao that her daughter would be left at the hospital, while she was sent to the centre, if she did not agree to transfer the girl to the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre in the citys Jinshan district. Since her daughter was sent to the centre Zhao has had only one brief message that she was fine, sent through a group chat with doctors, despite repeated pleas for information from Zhao and her husband, who is in a separate quarantine site after also testing positive. The opposition arrived in Parliament ready to vote Khan out of power. They needed a simple majority of 172 votes in Pakistans 342-seat Parliament to unseat Khan, a cricket star turned conservative politician. Khans small but key coalition partners along with 17 of his own party members joined the opposition to oust him. The no-confidence vote had been expected some time after Parliament convened on Sunday, but parliamentary rules allow for three to seven days of debate. The opposition had said it has the numbers for an immediate vote. Giant metal containers blocked roads and entrances to the capitals diplomatic enclave and to Parliament and other sensitive government installations in the capital. A defiant Khan called for supporters to stage demonstrations countrywide to protest the vote. Khan has accused the opposition of being in cahoots with the US to unseat him, saying Washington wants him gone over his foreign policy choices that often favour China and Russia. Khan has also been a strident opponent of the US war on terror and Pakistans partnership in that war with Washington. Khan has circulated a memo which he insists provides proof that Washington conspired with Pakistans opposition to unseat him because America wants me, personally, gone ... and everything would be forgiven. A loss for Khan would have given his opponents the opportunity to form a new government and rule until elections, which had been scheduled to be held next year. Pakistans opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif, left, arrives to attend Sundays National Assembly before a no-confidence vote for Prime Minister Imran Khan was cancelled. Credit:AP Residents of Pakistans largest province, Punjab, were set to vote on Sunday for a new chief minister. Khans choice faced a tough challenge and his opponents claimed they had enough votes to install their choice. With 60 per cent of Pakistans 220 million people living in Punjab, it is considered the most powerful of the countrys four provinces. On Sunday the government announced the dismissal of the provinces governor, whose role is largely ceremonial, further deepening the political turmoil. Pakistans main opposition parties, whose ideologies span the spectrum from left to right to radically religious, have been rallying for Khans ouster almost since he was elected in 2018. Khans win was mired in controversy amid widespread accusations that Pakistans powerful army helped his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (Movement for Justice) Party to victory. Asfandyar Mir, a senior expert with the Washington-based US Institute of Peace, said the militarys involvement in the 2018 polls undermined Khans legitimacy from the outset. The movement against Imran Khans government is inseparable from his controversial rise to power in the 2018 election, which was manipulated by the army to push Khan over the line, said Mir. That really undermined the legitimacy of the electoral exercise and created the grounds for the current turmoil. Pakistans military has directly ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 75-year history, overthrowing successive democratically elected governments. For the remainder of that time it has indirectly manipulated elected governments from the sidelines. The opposition has also accused Khan of economic mismanagement, blaming him for rising prices and high inflation. Still, Khans government is credited with maintaining a foreign reserve account of $US18 billion and bringing in a record $US29 billion last year from overseas Pakistanis. Khans anti-corruption reputation is credited with encouraging expatriate Pakistanis to send money home. His government has also received international praise for its handling of the COVID-19 crisis and implementing so-called smart lockdowns rather than countrywide shutdowns. As a result, several of Pakistans key industries, such as construction, have survived. Khans leadership style has often been criticised as confrontational. Khans biggest failing has been his insistence on remaining a partisan leader to the bitter end, said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Washington-based Wilson Centre. He hasnt been willing to extend a hand across the aisle to his rivals, said Kugelman. Hes remained stubborn and unwilling to make important compromises. As a result, hes burned too many bridges at a moment when he badly needs all the help he can get. Khans insistence there is US involvement in attempts to oust him exploits a deep-seated mistrust among many in Pakistan of US intentions, particularly following 9/11, said Mir. The 4th Guards is so synonymous with Russian military prowess a Moscow metro station is named after it. It played a key role in two of the most momentous battles in modern history: the great Soviet defence of Stalingrad, which turned back the Nazi advance at a cost of more than a million lives, and the Battle of Berlin where the Nazis were finally defeated. Yet last weekend Ukraine humbled the legendary division in a shocking illustration of how badly the war is going for Russia. The bad news kept coming for Moscow, as Ukraine pushed its forces 32 kilometres back from Kyiv. On Wednesday Ukraine clawed back the devastated remains of the key suburb of Irpin, and on Thursday it recaptured Hostomel airport, which Russia seized at the start of the war, when Moscow believed it could take Kyiv in a matter of days. It is Ukrainian tanks that are making history now, as the countrys 1st Tank Brigade broke Russias siege of Chernihiv in the north on Thursday. Kyiv looks out of Putins reach. Even the much-discussed 65-kilometre convoy of Russian armour that spent weeks waiting outside the city has dispersed, melted away in the fog of war. And Russias humiliation continued when Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader who has been called Putins attack dog, was shown to be lying after he claimed he was in Ukraine. Kadyrov claimed a picture of him praying to Mecca with a heavy machine gun at his side that he posted on social media had been taken outside the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol. But the tell-tale logo of a Pulsar petrol station in the background, of which there are none Ukraine, gave him away: the picture had been clearly taken in Russia. Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of the Russian province of Chechnya, pictured in Grozny in March. Credit:AP The Kremlin looks in increasing disarray, with senior commanders under house arrest and officials appearing to contradict each other. Sergei Shoigu, the defence minister, finally turned up on Tuesday, ending to speculation over his whereabouts after he disappeared for two weeks. Looking distinctly greyer than the last time he was seen in public, Gen Shoigu confirmed Russian forces were pulling back from Kyiv and the north to focus on the Donbas. The move had been announced by Gen Sergei Rudskoi of the general staff last week, but at the time it was contradicted by the Kremlin. The return of Gen Shoigu appeared to suggest some form of internal struggle over strategy. He was the one member of Putins inner circle who appeared to have a personal relationship with the President: the two have been pictured together on hunting and fishing holidays in Siberia. But US intelligence this week claimed that Putin was angry as he believes his defence minister has lied to him about the war. That view was echoed by British intelligence, which said senior Russian officials were afraid to tell Putin the truth. We have information that Putin felt misled by the Russian military. Loading There is now persistent tension between Putin and the ministry of defence, stemming from Putins mistrust in the ministry of defence leadership, a source in US intelligence said this week. Declassified intelligence claimed Putin didnt even know his military was using and losing conscripts... showing a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information. They are afraid to tell him the truth, Sir Jeremy Fleming, the head of GCHQ, said this week. But he added: Whats going on, and the extent of these misjudgments, must be crystal clear to the regime. Fleming claimed Russian troops were so demoralised they were refusing to obey orders, sabotaging their own equipment and accidentally shooting down their own aircraft. Unusual aircraft activity before his appearance at a Moscow rally last week fuelled speculation Putin may be spending most of his time in a nuclear bunker somewhere near the Urals, adding to his isolation. Senior officials, including General Roman Gavrilov, deputy head of the national guard, and General Sergei Beseda, head of foreign intelligence in the federal security service, have reportedly been sacked and are under house arrest. Loading In Ukraine, reports that Russian forces have withdrawn from Kyiv and the north appear to be accurate. They continue to fire on civilian targets, including a cancer hospital in Chernihiv, and Ukrainian officials said the situation remained dangerous, but it is not unusual for armies to fire to cover a retreat. Attention is shifting to the Donbas, where Russia says it will concentrate its attack. Tens of thousands of battle-hardened Ukrainian troops are preparing to face them in First World War-style trenches and military experts fear a battle on a single front could be brutal and drag on for three years, or more. What happened in Bucha demands a new round of sanctions and very clear measures, Macron added. Those new sanctions should target coal and oil, said Macron, who faces a re-election battle this month. Soldiers walk amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv on Sunday. Credit:AP The reports of atrocities are severe enough that European officials would have to talk about halting gas supplies from Russia, German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said on public broadcaster ARD. Such crimes must not go unanswered. Europe gets 40 per cent of its gas and 25 per cent of its oil from Russia, while such sales are the Kremlins main source of export revenue. Governments have been scrambling to find ways to reduce that reliance. Estimates of the impact of a gas boycott on European countries vary but most involve a substantial loss of economic output. For its part, Russia is temporarily enjoying a windfall as global prices surge due to anxiety over possible supply disruptions. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called on nations to end Russian gas imports. He said they were funding the killings. On Saturday, Lithuania announced it had stopped imports of Russian gas and urged other European governments to do the same. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too! President Gitana Nauseda said on Twitter, referring to Russia as the aggressor. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement on Monday that he was appalled by the reports of the atrocities in Bucha. The targeting of innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure are war crimes. Russia must and will be held accountable for the actions of its armed forces, he said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the images of dead civilians as a punch in the gut. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his government would step up sanctions. Putin and his supporters will feel the consequences, said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, adding that Western allies would agree further sanctions in the coming days. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that we strongly condemn attacks on civilians. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called reports of rape and other atrocities by Russian soldiers beyond reprehensible. Russias foreign ministry said that footage of dead civilians in Bucha had been ordered by the United States as part of a plot to blame Russia. Who are the masters of provocation? Of course the United States and NATO, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview on state television late on Sunday. Zakharova said the immediate Western outcry over the images of dead civilians indicated the story had been part of a plan to sully Russias reputation. In this case, it seems to me that the fact that these statements [about Russia] were made in the first minutes after these materials appeared leaves no doubt as to who ordered this story. Ukrainian officials said bodies of 410 civilians were found in towns around the capital, Kyiv, that were recaptured from Russian forces. Associated Press journalists saw the bodies of at least 21 people in various spots around Bucha. One group of nine, all in civilian clothes, were scattered around a site that residents said Russian troops used as a base. They appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two had their hands tied behind their backs, one was shot in the head, and anothers legs were bound. A Ukrainian serviceman uses a piece of wood to check if the body of a man dressed in civilian clothing is booby-trapped, in Bucha. Credit:AP Ukrainian officials laid the blame for the killings squarely at the feet of Russian troops, with the President calling them evidence of genocide. But Russias Defence Ministry rejected the accusations as provocation. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said the mayor of the village of Motyzhyn, in the Kyiv region, was murdered while being held by Russian forces. The images of the bodies of mayor Olga Sukhenko, her husband and son and that of a man believed to be a Ukrainian serviceman, half-buried in a pit are too distressing to show. The pit sits behind a plot of land with three houses where Russian forces had slept and the killings appeared to be executions from close range in retaliation for not collaborating with the occupiers. Vereshchuk added there were 11 mayors and community heads in Russian captivity across Ukraine. In a video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the allegedly targeted killings of civilians in towns the Russians occupied and called them freaks who do not know how to do otherwise. He warned that more atrocities may be revealed if Russian forces are driven out of other occupied areas. Zelensky said a new package of Western sanctions on Russia was not enough of a punishment. In Russias first public comment on the allegations, the Defence Ministry in Moscow described photos and videos from Bucha as another staged performance by the Kyiv regime for the Western media. Loading Russia has previously denied targeting civilians and has rejected allegations of war crimes in what it calls a special military operation. Ukraine says it was invaded without provocation. On Saturday, Reuters saw bodies in a mass grave and still lying on the streets, while on Sunday the mayor of Bucha, Anatoliy Fedoruk, showed reporters two corpses with white cloth tied around their arms, one of which appeared to have been shot in the mouth. Oleksiy Arestovych, an aide to Zelensky, said Ukrainian troops had found the bodies of women who had been raped and set alight as well as the bodies of local officials and children. Reuters could not immediately verify the allegations by Arestovych and Fedoruk. Ukraines foreign minister called on the International Criminal Court to collect evidence of what he called Russian war crimes, while the foreign ministers of France and Britain said their countries would support any such probe. A journalist films footage of a mass grave in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv. Credit: However, legal experts say a prosecution of Putin or other Russian leaders would face high hurdles and could take years. Human Rights Watch said it had documented several cases of Russian military forces committing laws-of-war violations in the Ukrainian regions of Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv. Fighting was reported on Sunday in several parts of Ukraine. The governor of the eastern Donetsk region said shelling had continued throughout the night and day. There was little sign of a breakthrough in efforts to negotiate an end to the war, although Russias chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said talks were due to resume on Monday via videoconference. Medinsky said that while Ukraine was showing more realism by agreeing to be neutral, renouncing nuclear weapons, not joining a military bloc and refusing to host military bases, there had been no progress on other key Russia demands. I repeat again and again: Russias position on Crimea and Donbas remains UNCHANGED, he said on Telegram. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and has recognised declarations of independence by the self-proclaimed republics of Luhansk and Donetsk in the Donbas area of eastern Ukraine which rose up against Kyivs rule. Ukraine evacuated 2694 people from conflict zones in Mariupol and the region of Luhansk on Sunday, the Deputy Prime Minister said on Monday. She said Ukrainian officials were in talks with Russia to allow several Red Cross buses to enter the city of Mariupol. Elsewhere a series of explosions were heard in the Russian-occupied southern city of Kherson and in the port city of Odesa. Heavy fighting continued in Mariupol, British military intelligence said. Russian shelling in Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, killed seven people and injured 34, the regional prosecutors office said. The governor of Ukraines eastern Donetsk region said shelling had continued throughout the night and day, and described a turbulent situation in the area. " " A young seal point Siamese cat. Siamese are very affectionate and can develop separation anxiety if left alone for long periods. Werner LAYER/Getty Images Beautiful, affable and smart as a whip, a Siamese cat has it all. More than a few artists have been wooed by their charms, which have earned these graceful animals a place in temples and palaces all over the world (even the White House played host to one). Here's everything you should know about the companionable critters. Advertisement 1. The Best-Known Variety of Siamese Is the "Seal Point" Remember the singing felines from Disney's "Lady and the Tramp"? They're what breeders call "seal point" Siamese cats. Animals of this color scheme have whitish bodies with dark brown patches of fur on the tail, paws, ears and facial area. Those extremities are known as "points." 2. But Other Color Morphs Are Available "Chocolate point" Siamese resemble their seal point brethren, but the brown markings on the former are a bit lighter. Conversely, "blue point" cats have blue-grey extremities. And on the stunning "lilac point" color morph, the same parts of the body display pinkish-grey hair. 3. The Breed's Had a Long History The "Tamra Maeo," also known as "The Cat Book Poems" and "The Treatise on Cats," is a manuscript written during Siam's Ayutthaya Period that might date all the way back to the 14th century C.E. It describes numerous cat breeds and at one point, the text mentions a pale-furred feline with dark hair on some of its extremities. Historians think this could be the oldest written description of a Siamese cat. At all rates, the felines would become popular wedding presents in Siam (which now goes by the name Thailand). Foreign dignitaries used to receive these cats as gifts. By the 1870s, this breed was making appearances at European cat shows. 4. They're Quite Vocal Siamese cats meow loudly and often, especially when they want something from you. Some owners find their talkative nature endearing, but if it's a quiet pet you're after, this probably isn't the right fit. Advertisement 5. One of Them Lived in the White House In 1878, an American diplomat named David B. Sickles shipped a female Siamese cat to Washington, D.C. as a gift for Lucy Hayes, the sitting First Lady of the United States. (Her husband, Rutherford, was America's 19th president.) The cat was named "Siam" and she used to freely roam the White House until her sudden, tragic death in late 1879. 6. Being Gregarious by Nature, Siamese Cats Love Company Endlessly affectionate, the cats like to follow their humans around and jump into open laps. Because they crave interaction, experts warn that these animals may develop separation anxiety if left alone for prolonged periods. 7. This Was One of the First Breeds Recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association The world's largest pedigreed cat registry, the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) launched in 1906. At the onset, it only recognized half a dozen breeds: the Persian, the Russian Blue, the Manx, the Burmese, the Abyssinian and of course, the Siamese cat. But today, cats of over 30 additional breeds are also eligible for CFA registration. " " The bright blue eyes of the seal point Siamese are characteristic of the breed. MyLoupe/Getty Images 8. They Display Partial Albinism Siamese cats have those "pointed" fur patterns because of a gene which renders most of their hair colorless. But this only works at high temperatures; the gene doesn't kick in until after a fetal Siamese cat has left the warmth of its mother's womb. Even then, the fur on the tail, paws, snout and ears stays dark because those portions of the body don't retain heat very well. 9. Cross-Eyed Specimens Used to Be the Norm Genetics can be a cruel mistress. The same gene responsible for the whitish fur and dark extremities gives Siamese cats beautiful blue eyes. Unfortunately, because of the unusual pigmentation in their retinas, cross-eyed Siamese cats were once commonplace. In recent years, however, selective breeding has resulted in fewer cats with this particular trait. Advertisement 10. Kinked Tails Are Also Getting Bred Out of Them Perpetually bent tails are another trait that's fallen out of favor with Siamese cat breeders. Once upon a time, they were a distinguishing characteristic of the breed, but show-ready cats no longer possess them. 11. A Related Breed is Known as the "Thai Cat" Western breeders slowly molded the Siamese cat into an extremely sleek animal with an elongated skull, bigger eyes and very little body fat. During the 1950s, some fanciers reacted to this trend by producing heftier cats designed to more closely resemble the ancestral stock. Thus, a new breed dubbed the "Thai cat" was born. 12. One Cranky Siamese Cat Inspired a Beloved Comic Strip Character "Get Fuzzy" is a popular (and hilarious) strip that graces hundreds of newspapers across the country and won the National Cartoonists Society Award in 2002. One of its key players is Bucky Katt, a disaffected Siamese cat with a mile-wide mean streak. Creator Darby Conley said the character was modeled after an unfriendly feline of the same breed that was owned by a personal friend. Andy Warhol was a noted Siamese cat enthusiast; at one point, the artist shared his living space with 10 of these animals. He named most of them 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. ABUJA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said Nigeria stands poised to welcome more initiatives and investments in digital technology while welcoming the 200 million U.S. dollar African Development Center, an engineering hub set up in the west African country by Microsoft. Buhari, while receiving a team from the Microsoft Corporation led by its president Brad Smith, at the State House in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, said that the training initiative by Microsoft aims to train 5 million citizens and provide 27,000 jobs over the next three years. "These initiatives are commendable, and I urge you to expand them and continue to prioritize Nigeria as you roll out your global initiatives," he said. As the largest economy and most populous country in Africa, he said Nigeria was positioned to play a strategic role in the global technology ecosystem and seek the right partnerships to harness its potential. One of such key partnerships, Buhari said, was in the area of capacity building. Apart from the partnership in the area of skills building, the Nigerian president said he looked forward to enhancing partnerships that will support the digital infrastructure and innovation ecosystem, with regard to emerging technologies. Yemenis shop at a market in the old city of the Yemeni capital Sanaa on April 2, 2022. (Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images) 2-Month Truce in Yemen Begins After Warring Parties Come to Agreement CAIROA tanker carrying badly needed fuel arrived in Yemens blockaded port of Hodeida on Sunday, as a cease-fire meant to stop the fighting in the war-torn country for two months entered its first full day. The truce agreement, which took effect Saturday evening, allows for shipments of fuel to arrive in Hodeida and for passenger flights to resume from the airport in the capital of Sanaa. Both Hodeida and Sanaa are held by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The agreement comes after a significant escalation in hostilities in recent weeks that saw the Houthis claim several attacks across the countrys borders, targeting the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Essam al-Motwakel, spokesman for the Houthi-run oil corporation, said the Saudi-led coalition allowed the vesselcarrying mazut, a low-quality fuel oilinto the port at Hodeida. The port handles about 70 percent of Yemens commercial and humanitarian imports. He called on U.N. envoy Hans Grundberg, to work with the coalition and accelerate the arrival of other vessels to ease a longtime fuel crisis in Houthi-held areas. During the two-month truce, the Saudi-led coalition will allow 18 vessels carrying fuel into the port of Hodeida, and two commercial flights a week from the Yemeni capital to Jordan and Egypt, according to a copy of the truce obtained by The Associated Press. The U.N. envoy has called for both sides to agree on opening roads around Taiz and other provinces, the cease-fire document said. Taiz, which remains partially held by the forces fighting on behalf of the internationally recognized government, has been blockaded by the Houthis for years. The success of this initiative will depend on the warring parties continued commitment to implementing the truce agreement with its accompanying humanitarian measures, Grundberg said Saturday in announcing the truce had taken effect. As the truce entered its first full day on Sunday, the AP spoke to a half dozen Yemenis who hoped the truce would not collapse as other cease-fires have. Its good, but we learned from past experience that it could collapse anytime, said Amer al-Hubani, a civil servant in the city of Taiz. We hope things move smoothly this time. Arafat al-Sabari, a 32-year-old laborer who lives with his six children in the Sweida displaced persons camp near the central city of Marib, was also skeptical. We hope it stands, but unfortunately ground fighting continued until late at night after the truce, he said. The Houthis have tried to seize Marib repeatedly over the past year. The U.N.-announced cease-fire, supported by both sides, is the first time since 2018 that the two sides have publicly agreed on such an initiative. At a meeting in the Swedish capital of Stockholm, leaders set a framework that called for a halt in fighting in Hodeida and an exchange of more than 15,000 prisoners. The deal, seen as an important first step toward ending the conflict, was never fully implemented. The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 takeover of Sanaa by the Houthis. A Saudi-led coalition allied with the government has been fighting the Houthis since March 2015. The war in Yemen has spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, leaving millions suffering from food and medical shortages. It has killed over 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, according to a database project that tracks violence. Separately, a fire broke out Sunday in a camp for displaced persons near Marib, killing at least seven people including five children, said Saleh Nasser, head of a local coordination office for displaced people. He said the fire in the Shabwani camp was caused by an electric short circuit. It also injured another person, and destroyed the shelters of two families, he added. Police officers work the scene on the corner of 10th and L street of a shooting that occurred in Sacramento, Calif., in the early morning hours on April 3, 2022. (David Odisho/Getty Images) Sacramento Shooting Leaves 6 Dead, 12 Injured, Officials Say Six people were killed and 12 were injured after gunfire erupted in Sacramentos downtown area early on April 3, officials confirmed. Officers located at least 15 shooting victims, including 6 who are deceased, the Sacramento Police Department stated on social media, adding that the incident unfolded around 9th and K streets. Later, officials told local media outlets that 12 people were injured. Officials also announced that downtown streets located near the site of the shooting were shut by police as an investigation continues. Authorities didnt provide details about a suspect or suspects, or a possible motive. A video that was apparently captured at the scene showed a group of people attacking one another as several gunshots were heard in succession. Police had been patrolling the area at about 2 a.m. when they heard gunfire, Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said at a news conference. When they arrived at the scene, they found a large crowd gathered on the street and six people dead; another 10 either took themselves or were transported to hospitals, she said. No information was given on their conditions. This is a very complex and complicated scene, she said. Lester issued a plea to the public, asking for witnesses or anyone with recordings of the incident to contact the police. ADVISORY: 9th St to 13th St is closed between L St & J St as officers investigate a shooting with multiple victims. Conditions unknown at this time. Please avoid the area as a large police presence will remain and the scene remains active. Please follow this thread for updates. pic.twitter.com/lGhUJCnLWe Sacramento Police (@SacPolice) April 3, 2022 Berry Accius, who works with Sacramentos Voice of the Youth, told news outlets that he arrived on the scene at 2:30 a.m. A lot of victims with blood, just watching some of the families that didnt know if their loved one was alive, running, trying to figure out what was happening, people distraught, people discombobulated, Accius said. It was just horrific. Kay Harris, 32, said she was asleep when one of her family members called to say they thought her brother had been killed. She said she thought he was at London, a nightclub at 1009 10th Street. Harris said she has been to the club a few times and described it as a place for the younger crowd. Words cant express my shock & sadness this morning. The numbers of dead and wounded are difficult to comprehend. We await more information about exactly what transpired in this tragic incident, Mayor Darrell Steinberg wrote in a Twitter post. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 600+ Lawsuits Alleging Syngenta Knew Weedkiller Causes Parkinsons Set to Move Forward A hearing last month in federal court will set the stage for upcoming litigation against Syngenta, manufacturer of Paraquat. More than 600 lawsuits alleging the agrochemical giant knew its flagship weedkiller causes Parkinsons were combined into what is known as multidistrict litigation. As Yogi Berra might say: Its deja vu all over again. Five years ago, the once seemingly invincible Monsanto Co. was dealt its first searing courtroom loss over allegations that its glyphosate weed killer causes cancer and Monsanto worked to hide the risks. That loss was followed by another, and another and the global recognition of damning internal Monsanto documents that ultimately led Monsanto owner Bayer AG to agree to pony up more than $11 billion to settle thousands of cancer claims. The litigation still lingers as Bayer wrestles with angry investors and plans to remove glyphosate-based products, such as the widely used Roundup herbicide, from the U.S. consumer market. Now its Syngentas turn. The mass tort machine that took down Monsanto has set its sights on the Chinese-owned, Switzerland-based agrochemical giant and its peddling of a weedkiller called paraquat. Numerous research studies have linked paraquat to the development of Parkinsons disease, and plaintiffs attorneys representing people from around the U.S. allege Syngenta has known of these risks for decades but failed to warn users. A case management conference in the litigation was set in federal court in March 2022 That comes after several of Syngentas top executives have been forced in recent weeks to sit down for hours of questioning under oath by plaintiffs attorneys. The topics of questioning include: What, if any, efforts Syngenta has taken to identify safety concerns with paraquat. Syngentas knowledge of certain paraquat studies. Syngentas policies and procedures relating to complaints or health effects reported by users. Safety procedures used in the manufacturing process. Syngentas knowledge of alternative chemicals. Syngentas marketing efforts around paraquat. The group of executives being deposed includes: Philip Botham, principal science advisor for Syngentas Product Safety Group. Montague Dixon, U.S. regulatory portfolio lead, Herbicides Regulatory and Stewardship North America. Clark Ouzts, product marketing lead. Clive Campbell, Syngentas chief medical officer. On the plaintiffs side are many of the same lawyers who helped lead the Roundup litigation, including lawyers from The Miller Firm, which brought the very first Roundup trial to a $289 million verdict against Monsanto. As happened in the Roundup litigation, there are so many plaintiffs filing lawsuits against Syngenta that the litigation has been corralled into what is known as multidistrict litigation, or an MDL. According to court records, more than 600 lawsuits are pending now in the paraquat MDL under the direction of Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. A separate but similar group of paraquat lawsuits are being handled through Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings (JCCP) in Contra Costa County Superior Court. Among those suing are people who developed Parkinsons after working on farms and ranches, at schools or in jobs for municipalities where they say they were exposed to paraquat. An Incurable Disease Parkinsons is an incurable progressive nervous system disorder that can cause tremors and loss of balance and leave victims severely debilitated until death. Paraquat is commonly used in agriculture and is known as a particularly effective, though hazardous, herbicide. Regulators and the companies selling it warn users that ingesting even small amounts can kill a person quickly. Because of the poisonous quality to paraquat, its use is restricted in the U.S. to trained applicators. But while the toxic nature of the chemical is well established, allegations that it causes Parkinsons disease remains hotly debated. Dutch neurologist Bastiaan Bloem recently authored a book about Parkinsons, blaming widespread exposure to herbicides such as paraquat, along with other toxic chemicals used in agriculture and manufacturing, for the spread of the disease. Syngenta and co-defendant and former paraquat distributor Chevron USA assert there is no link between the chemical and the disease, and they argue that newer and more robust research has actually discounted a tie between paraquat and Parkinsons. Looking for the Bellwether While the litigation focus currently is on discovery and other evidence gathering, a key question still to be determined is which of the many plaintiffs bringing claims will be the first to go to trial. Lawyers for Chevron have recently questioned the validity of some of the plaintiffs specific exposure claims, calling them dubious, and pointing out that some plaintiffs seeking trial dates have said they were using paraquat and/or were otherwise exposed to the chemical at times and in places where paraquat was not allowed. One plaintiff, Chevron pointed out in a court filing, alleged exposure in 1940, fully two decades before the chemical was introduced to the market. In the MDL, Rosenstengel has set a first trial date for November of this year, though that date is expected to change. In the JCCP, the first trial is not expected until May of next year. Political commentator and China analyst Gordon Chang speaks during a discussion hosted by The Committee on the Present Danger: China, at the CPAC convention in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 27, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) American People Need to Actively Push Back Against CCP Threats: Gordon Chang The Chinese Communist Party is working to subvert the United States and the American people should step up to fight back against such threats, according to China analyst and author Gordon Chang. China exploits every point of contact with us to overthrow our government. Theyre overwhelming us: law enforcement is overwhelmed, academia is overwhelmed, everyone is overwhelmed, Chang said at an event hosted by the New York Young Republican Club on March 15. To advance its interests, the Chinese regime has courted political elites and other U.S. business entities in the United States, Chang said The expert pointed to the well-publicized case concerning a suspected Chinese spy who had links to Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif), when he was still a local city council member. In December 2020, an Axios report revealed that the alleged Chinese spy, Christine Fang, had built up an extensive network of contacts with up-and-coming politicians in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Swalwell. Swalwell reportedly cut ties with her after FBI investigators gave him a defensive briefing. Yet, given his position as a member of the House Intelligence Committee, a number of House Republicans still raised serious concerns over the risk of the leak of classified intelligence to the CCP. Chang stressed that the American people are in a good position to repel threats from Beijing. He took the probe into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic as an example. In May 2020 the Biden State Department quietly ended an inquiry launched by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to investigate whether the virus had stemmed from a leak out of the Wuhan Institute of Virology. According to the expert, the decision sparked an immediate outrage just across the United States. Consequently, Chang said, by the afternoon, Biden had to charge the intelligence community with this investigation of the origins to come back in 90 days. Even though the probe ultimately did not reach a conclusive finding, Chang insisted that American individuals should take more action to push back against harms from China. He suggested several measures that ordinary Americans can take. We can tell our brokers to sell Chinese stocks and to sell mutual funds that hold Chinese stocks .We can demand our candidates to talk about China, he said. The expert underlined that each American should raise awareness about this issue among friends and neighbors, describing this process as a person by person battle. What weve got to do is organize ourselves because we have to take back our country; were going to lose it, he said. This includes maintaining pressure on the Biden administration to enact tough policies against the Chinese regime. It is our country and were going to lose it unless we actually start making sure that people like Biden start defending ourselves, Gordon said. Baltimore Doctor Shot in Attempted Carjacking on Way to Work: Officials A Baltimore-area doctor was shot during an attempted carjacking incident last week and was taken to the hospital where he works. Dr. Madhu Subramanian, 38, was at around 7 a.m. on Friday, said officials with Johns Hopkins University, where he works as a surgeon. Johns Hopkins spokeswoman Kim Hoppe told the Baltimore Sun that Subramanian was treated for a gunshot wound at Johns Hopkins Hospital and later released. Police officials told the news outlet that he was shot while on his way to the hospital to work. Subramanian specializes in trauma surgery, burn care, general surgery, acute care surgery, and surgical critical care, says Johns Hopkins website. With his permission, we can share that Dr. Madhu Subramanian, a trauma and acute care surgeon, was on his way to work at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center when the incident occurred near the 3600 block of Loch Raven Boulevard, Johns Hopkins Medicine CEO Paul Rothman and Johns Hopkins Health System President Kevin Sowers said in a statement, according to the news outlet. Thankfully, Dr. Subramanian was not seriously injured and has been treated and released. Councilwoman Odette Ramos told news outlets that the shooting resulted from an attempted carjacking. Im really sorry this happened and I am really mad, she told the Sun, but there are so many other positive things are happening as well. In recent months, Baltimorewhich has one of the highest murder rates in the United Stateshas seen a rise in carjackings. According to local media, there have been 137 carjackings across the city so far in 2022, representing a 67 percent increase compared with the same time last year. Those with information can call detectives at 410-396-2444 or call the Metro Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-866-7LOCK-UP. Hunter Biden walks to Marine One on the Ellipse outside the White House in Washington on May 22, 2021. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Biden Confident Son Hunter Biden Didnt Break the Law: White House Chief of Staff President Joe Biden believes that Hunter Biden, his son, didnt break the law, said White House chief of staff Ron Klain in an interview on Sunday. Of course the president is confident that his son didnt break the law, Klain told ABC News This Week in response to renewed discussion about his overseas business ties and the content of a laptop hard drive that belongs to him. There have long been questions swirling around the Biden family and their ties to businesses in China, Ukraine, and other countries. Documents and messages from Hunter Bidens laptop referenced a deal that Biden pursued with a Chinese Communist Party-linked emergency firm for which he was paid $5 million, according to a recent article for the Washington Post, which hired two security experts to authenticate the laptop. Other emails related to his work for the Ukrainian gas company Burisma Holdingswhose founder Mykola Zlovchesky is under investigation by Kyiv for alleged corruptionwas also detailed. The laptop story was broken by the New York Post in late 2020 before Twitter, Facebook, and other social media companies moved to limit its reach. Twitter also locked the NY Posts account for more than two weeks, claiming the outlet published hacked material. However, the contents of the laptop were referenced during a debate at the time between President Donald Trump and candidate Joe Biden. Biden told Trump that his son did not receive millions of dollars from a Russian woman who was the wife of former Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov: Thats not true. None of that is true. White House chief of staff Ron Klain attends a briefing in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., June 30, 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP) Totally discredited, Biden also remarked at the time. Look, my son did nothing wrong at Burisma. Klain said Biden has had no contact with the Justice Department regarding the laptop. The president is confident that his family did the right thing, Klain told ABC host George Stephanopoulos, former press secretary for President Bill Clinton, on Sunday. But again, I want to just be really clear. These are actions by Hunter and his brother. Theyre private matters. They dont involve the president. And they certainly are something that no one at the White House is involved in. Additionally in the interview, Klain said that Biden isnt seeking to pressure the Department of Justice on any matter. One reason why Joe Biden got elected, the chief of staff continued, was he promised he would take the decision over who got prosecuted and what away from the White House and put it in the Justice Department. Foreign secretary, Liz Truss leaves 10 Downing Street, London after attending a weekly Cabinet meeting hosted by the Prime minister Boris Johnson on March 29, 2022. (Stefan Rousseau/PA) British Foreign Secretary: Indiscriminate Russian Attacks Must Be Investigated as War Crimes The British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, says that indiscriminate attacks by Russian forces against innocent Ukrainian civilians must be investigated as war crimes. In a statement on Sunday, Truss referred to the appalling acts carried out by Russian forces in the towns of Irpin and Bucha. The Associated Press said its journalists in Bucha, north-west of Kyiv, watched as Ukrainian soldiers used cables to drag bodies off a street, done so from a distance due to fears they may be booby-trapped. AP said its journalists counted at least six bodies, adding that locals said they were civilians killed without provocation by Russian soldiers. Truss said As Russian troops are forced into retreat, we are seeing increasing evidence of appalling acts by the invading forces in towns such as Irpin and Bucha. Their indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians during Russias illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine must be investigated as war crimes. We will not allow Russia to cover up their involvement in these atrocities through cynical disinformation and will ensure that the reality of Russias actions are brought to light. She said the UK will fully support any investigations by the International Criminal Court, adding that the UK-led effort to expedite and support an International Criminal Court investigation into crimes in Ukraine was the largest State referral in its history. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the world must take note of what has happened in Ukraine. Asked if alleged war crimes should be brought to the International Criminal Court, he told Sky News: I think it is absolutely right that this is all properly documented. This matters. Weve seen in war before, it matters that this is documented and that cases are capable of being brought to international justice. President Volodymyr Zelenskys spokesman, Sergey Nikiforov, said authorities in Ukraine have found what looks exactly like war crimes, including the bodies of executed civilians and mass graves. Mr Nikiforov told the BBCs Sunday Morning show the scenes that have been discovered in de-occupied territories such as Bucha are really hard to describe. He said: We found mass graves. We found people with their hands and with their legs tied up and with shots, bullet holes, in the back of their head. They were clearly civilians and they were executed. We found half-burned bodies as if somebody tried to hide their crimes but they didnt have enough time to do it properly. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson spoke with Mr Zelensky on Saturday evening. A Downing Street spokesperson said: He congratulated Ukraines brave armed forces for successfully pushing back Russias invading army in a number of areas, but recognised the huge challenges that remain and the immense suffering being inflicted on civilians. The Prime Minister updated Mr Zelensky on the progress made at the recent military donor conference, convened by the UK with 35 countries, No 10 said, and committed to continue to step up defensive support. The spokesperson added: President Zelensky underscored the urgency of Ukraines fight for its survival as a free and democratic nation, and the importance of international assistance. President Zelensky also updated on the status on peace negotiations and welcomed further UK involvement in these diplomatic efforts. Both leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to ratchet up sanctions to increase the economic pressure on (Vladimir) Putins war machine, so long as Russian troops remain on Ukrainian territory. They committed to remain in close contact and speak again in the coming days. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said welcome hubs are being set up at airports, ports and train stations across the country to welcome Ukrainians. A total of 27 local authorities will receive a share of 1.87 million to run 31 different hubs across the country. The hubs will provide food, clothing and sanitary products, as well as being a meeting point for matched families to meet one another. A Carnival Cruise Line ship is seen on March 27, 2020 in a file photo. (Greenwood/Getty Images) CDC Drops COVID-19 Health Warning for Cruise Ships The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dropped its COVID-19 health warning for cruise ship travelers. The federal health agency said it will leave it up to travelers to determine whether they feel safe getting on a cruise ship, although it still issued a warning about going on a cruise. While cruising will always pose some risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers will make their own risk assessment when choosing to travel on a cruise ship, much like they do in all other travel settings, CDC spokesman Dave Daigle said in a statement to news outlets last week. Daigle added that the CDC decision was based on the current state of the pandemic and decreases in COVID-19 cases onboard cruise ships over the past several weeks. Since mid-January, COVID-19 cases have been falling across the United States. Hospitalizations have also dropped to a new low on April 1, according to data from the agency. After the CDCs decision, cruise companies and industry groups praised the move. The Cruise Lines International Association stated that the federal agency finally recognizes the effective public health measures in place on cruise ships and begins to level the playing field between cruise and similarly situated venues on land. Were very excited about it, Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin told Yahoo Finance. We finally see that the CDC has been listening to what weve been saying for a long time: that cruising is the safest way to travel. Of course, they have a tough job, but I think that they finally realize that cruising is safe. Cruise operators had also said the health agency was discriminating against the industry when hotels and airlines could operate with limited or no restrictions. Last week, a Princess Cruises ship returning from the Panama Canal saw several passengers and crew members test positive for COVID-19 before it returned to San Francisco. The cruise operator told outlets that 100 percent of crew members and passengers were vaccinated. The guidelines for traveling on cruise ships on the health agencys page no longer shows a scale for its warning. Instead, it now only says guests should make sure they are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before boarding the ships. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the cruise industry has been battered by lockdowns and restrictionsamid early speculation that cruise ships were super spreaders of the virus. Industry data suggests that cruise companies collectively lost $63 billion in 2020 and 2021. COVID-19 is caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Reuters contributed to this report. Rocco Defilippi with his daughter Francesca at the Shen Yun performance in Boston, on April 2, 2022. (Sherry Dong/ The Epoch Times) BOSTONIn a test-heavy schooling landscape, the richest of educational experiences for young children often come in the form of the arts. On the afternoon of April 2, some wise parents brought their kids to enjoy Shen Yun, a New York-based classical Chinese dance and music experience that explores traditional Chinese culture, a culture that came before the age of communism. For young audiences, its a journey to a faraway and colorful world filled with humor and whimsy. For adults, it offers food for deep thoughtShen Yun touches upon foundational topics of faith, freedom, and the meaning of life. Rocco Defilippis, an attorney for criminal defense, attended the show with his daughter Francesca. Its a great experience for us because this is the first time Im taking my daughter to a performance like this, and its exciting for her because ever since she was a little girl, shes really enjoyed Chinese culture, and so now shes getting to see it unfold before her eyes, said Mr. Defilippis, who had been aware of Shen Yun for years, but had been waiting for his daughter to be old enough to sit through a performance. At Francescas age, the biggest takeaway she could articulate was that she liked the pretty dresses. But the beauty of the dance and music reaches every viewer, no matter their age or background. Its been really pleasant to just watch the color and the movement of the dance unfold, Mr. Defilippis said. Im just finding myself enjoying the moment and its very beautiful. The name Shen Yun translates as the beauty of divine beings dancing, an allusion to the long-held belief that Chinas culture was bestowed by the divinenaturally, a respect for gods shows through in the performance. Mr. Defilippis reflected on this aspect: I find myself thinking a lot of the similarities between my own understanding of how the modern world has been paying the consequences of ignoring an immaterial world. Theres something that comes out from behind the material world, and if you dont believe in that immaterial world, you find that slowly, as the culture ignores the immaterial world, you find that beauty slipping away. Its very inspirational, he said. And Im glad that my daughter can see it, because the beauty will speak to her. The beauty comes from that immaterial space, its not something that you can articulate, you have to experience it. Adam and Jennifer Desrosiers with their son at the Shen Yun performance in Boston, on April 2, 2022. (Sally Sun/The Epoch Times) Adam Desrosiers, art director, and Jennifer Desrosiers, medical office assistant, brought their son to Shen Yun because of an exhortation passed down through generations: My grandmother, who is not with us anymore, she always said, when children are in middle school they should go to the theater, said Mrs. Desrosiers. And its his first year in middle school. We wanted to pick a show that we thought my grandmother would really enjoy. It turned out to be a performance all the generations enjoyed. It was great! Mr. Desrosiers said. I appreciated the movement through time, too. I didnt expect that. To go from present-day to the ancient pastI liked that variation and what they were addressing. The couple met in college, as students at Montserrat College of Art. The last two years of a pandemic were tough for the arts as shows were canceled due to virus fears. Mrs. Desrosiers reflected: I was telling him last night, I said, if you dont support the arts, they will disappear. We need to do our parts. Though Shen Yun expresses the culture of China, those traditions are under attack by the Communist regime. Shen Yuns mission is to revive the culture and awaken the worlds conscience. Its an important mission, especially as we see the rise of totalitarianism not just in China but in other countries, including threatening our own, Mr. Desrosiers said. It can be a scary time and we want to see the end of regimes like that; we want to see more freedom to the people to express their culture and to shake off communism and other totalitarian forms of government. Reporting by Sherry Dong and Sally Sun. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. A person looks toward snow-topped mountains behind the Los Angeles downtown skyline following heavy rains, as seen from the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in Los Angeles on Dec. 15, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) Court Rules Californias Corporate Diversity Law Unconstitutional A Los Angeles court determined on April 1 that a California law requiring certain workplace boardroom quotas of underrepresented communities is unconstitutional. Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit (pdf) in early October 2020 arguing that any spending of taxpayer funds or taxpayer-paid resources on the quota law is illegal under the California Constitution. The lawsuit was filed days after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law. The measure required publicly traded companies to have a minimum of one director from an underrepresented community on its board by the end of last year and potentially more such directors by the end of 2022, depending on the number of members on a given board. According to the law, a director from an underrepresented community refers to an individual who self-identifies as Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Native Hawaiian, or Alaska Native, or who self-identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to reporters at AltaMed Urgent Care in Santa Ana, Calif., on March 25, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Californias Assembly Appropriations Committee has noted that AB 979 will result in ongoing costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to gather demographic information and compile a report on this data on its internet website, Judicial Watch stated in its complaint. Judicial Watch stated in its motion for summary judgment (pdf): Laws that explicitly distinguish between individuals on racial or ethnic, sexual preference, and transgender status grounds fall within the core of the prohibition of the equal protection clause. The group stated that the laws quotas requirement is immediately suspect and presumptively invalid and triggers strict scrutiny review. Because it classifies directors by virtue of their race, ethnicity, sexual preference, or transgender status, AB 979 can only be justified by a compelling governmental interest, and its use of race and ethnicity must be narrowly tailored to serve that compelling interest, the motion reads. As Defendant cannot make these difficult showings, AB 979 is unconstitutional and any expenditure of taxpayer funds or taxpayer-financed resources in furtherance of, ensuring compliance quotas required by AB 979 is illegal. Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, in Washington on Oct. 31, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) This historic California court decision declared unconstitutional one of the most blatant and significant attacks in the modern era on constitutional prohibitions against discrimination, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in an April 2 statement. In its ruling today, the court upheld the core American value of equal protection under the law. Judicial Watchs taxpayer clients are heroes for standing up for civil rights against the Lefts pernicious efforts to undo anti-discrimination protections. Californias governor, secretary of state, and attorney general didnt respond to The Epoch Times requests for comment by press time. Explosion at Nightclub in Azerbaijan Injures Dozens, At Least 1 Dead An explosion hit a nightclub in Azerbajian in the early hours of Sunday morning, killing at least one person and injuring at least 31, according to local officials. A gas leak is suspected to have caused the blast, at LocationBaku club in the capital city Baku, but the investigation was ongoing, Interior Ministry spokesman Ehsan Zahidov told The Associated Press. Firefighters were called to the club at 3 a.m. Sunday local time and extinguished a fire after the explosion took place, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The ministry reported that at least one person died and 31 people suffered injuries. The ministry posted photos of emergency workers digging through the rubble. Health Ministry spokesman Parviz Abubekirov told AP that 24 people were taken to the hospital with burns. Video posted on Twitter TRT World showed multiple cars damaged and dozens of people outside the club, some injured on the ground, appearing to panic as flames burn nearby. A woman wearing a face mask as a preventive measure against COVID-19 walks on a path carrying a baby in her arms in Wuhan, China's central Hubei province, on Jan. 22, 2021. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) Forced Parent-Child Separations Fuel Outrage in Locked-Down Shanghai Toddlers are lumped in threes or fours on adult hospital beds in one ward, crying out for attention with no adults around. In another room, the size of a large conference hall, long stretches of beds lined up from wall to wall, with only a few adults trying to soothe the wailing babies who far outnumbered them. In a third snapshot of a Shanghai hospital, a groaning boy in green shirt makes his way out of a small room with five other children of his age in teetering steps, into a hallway where bags of trash have been piled up. Similar photos and footage have been circulating online, shared by frantic parents in Shanghai who have had their children forcibly taken away from them as they quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19. The accounts of forced separation have shocked the country, with families across China now worrying whether they will be the next to go through such painful separations under the regimes tough COVID-19 measures. Footage of babies left crying at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center emerged on the Chinese internet in early April. (Screenshot via Weibo) May I ask who will not have a breakdown when they see this? a mother surnamed Zhu, whose two-year-old daughter was placed in the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center in Jinshan district where the videos allegedly emerged, told The Epoch Times. Shanghai, Chinas wealthiest and most populous city, is in the middle of Chinas largest citywide lockdown in a bid to tame the Omicron variant-fueled outbreak. The restrictions came even as some Chinese officials repeatedly dismissed such measures as being too costly. The day before the lockdown, officials had said that they werent considering taking such a step. The abrupt reversal in policy caught the citys 26 million residents off-guard. Unprepared and in a panic, locals plucked store shelves bare in the hopes of getting enough food to sustain themselves for an unknown length of time. Meanwhile, patients in critical condition have been calling for help online in the hopes of getting needed care. Across China, government mandates require anyone with a positive COVID-19 test result and their close contacts be taken away for quarantine regardless of the severity of their symptoms. As of March 26, at least 305 infected children under six have been placed in government quarantine centers, with a great majority of them being asymptomatic, according to city health officials. But the plight of the children in the videos is a far cry from the assurances given by the authorities, who promised parents that their sick children taken for quarantine would be well taken care of in rooms decorated with cartoon designs, along with toys and supplies for drawing and handicrafts. One mother, using the alias Zhao Qian, told Chinese state-run magazine China Philanthropist that roughly every 10 minors are cared for by only one nurse. How can they possibly manage such a workload? Zhao asked, adding that a lack of transparency from the hospitals has been frustrating. The government-affiliated Shanghai Womens Federation on Saturday told the magazine that they were looking into the issue. A health worker takes a swab sample on a girl to be tested for the COVID-19 coronavirus in Beijing on March 14, 2022, amid a record surge of infections across China. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) Please Send My Daughter Back Before her toddler daughter was transferred to Jinshan, Zhu had been staying together with her in Shanghai Tongren Hospital after they both tested positive for COVID-19 about a week ago. She had a light cough while her daughter was asymptomatic. Three days later, they were told they would be sent to different facilities: she would be sent to a makeshift hospital and her daughter to the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center. Zhu pleaded to accompany her child but to no avail. If she refused, a doctor told her in a phone call, she would be thrown into the makeshift hospital while her daughter would stay behind at Tongren. She had no choice but to acquiesce, she said. A worker wearing a protective gear walks next to barriers that separate from the street a neighborhood in lockdown as a measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus in Jingan district, in Shanghai on March 30, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) After her daughter was sent away, the panicked mother repeatedly asked for updates from hospital staff in a group chat that had other parents. She wanted to know whether her baby had a fever or not, and if she was taking her medicine. The workers, to both questions, replied that her daughter was fine. Everyone was telling me that the Jinshan hospital was the best facility for childrens care and that I should set my mind at ease, Zhu said, sobbing. She said the videos put an end to all her illusions. Please send my daughter back. I have no trust in them whatsoever right now, she said. With so many children and not enough healthcare workers, you still want to take my daughter away rather than having her mother take care of her? What is the city government thinking? Zhus husband also became sick and was sent to another makeshift hospital where he has been receiving some traditional Chinese herbal remedy. But he is an adult, Zhu said. It pained her to think that her two-year-old would find no familiar faces around when she wakes up each morning. My daughter has been sent to a place where I dont even know how well she sleeps, she said. Hospital Responds The hospital on Saturday released a statement in response to parents concerns following the viral videos. It said staff were in the process of transferring the children to an expanded facility that formerly provided emergency outpatient care. A worker from the hospital who answered the phone on Saturday declined to say how many children were being quarantined at the center. The hospital has made a response. It will improve, the worker told The Epoch Times. She hung up when asked about the sanitation concerns and whether the separation of minors from their guardians constitutes a breach of law. People queue to be tested for the COVID-19 coronavirus in Beijing on March 14, 2022, amid a record surge of infections across China. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) It Broke My Heart Zeng Qun, the deputy director of the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, acknowledged that heart-wrenching separations may happen in the event that parents fall sick or are prevented from going home due to the governments lockdown rules. He said that local authorities have arranged for designated children welfare workers to provide assistance at the district and township level. On Chinas popular microblogging site Weibo, where a hashtag on the topic is viewed 130 million times a day, more Shanghai parents have shared their stories of forced separation. Some children separated from their parents have been as young as three months old. One mother said her three-year-old child was taken from her for 16 days. Her child was also receiving care at the Jinshan center, where the toddler developed a high fever of 104 Fahrenheit due to hospital neglect and was coughing nonstop, the mother said. Another reported that her hospital had been uncommunicative about her sonnot yet twofor four straight days and only sent her one photo on Saturday. His eyes were full of tears, she wrote. As a mother, it broke my heart. Inhumane Ou Xi, a pediatrician based in the southern port city of Guangzhou, said the way the hospital had handled the children in the videos posed at least five mental and physical health risks. The toddlers could fall from the adult beds or get their heads or limbs stuck in the metal bars of the bed frame, she wrote in an article to her nearly 2.5 million Weibo followers. Many Weibo users further highlighted one clip where a babys entire head had disappeared under a white blanket. This could be life-threatening for babies just a few months old who havent learned how to flip themselves over, Ou wrote. The infant could choke from having fabric pressed against their mouth and nose, she said. Putting multiple children on the same bed could see them falling on each other, increasing the risk of suffocation; those who are older may fear that their parents have abandoned them; and a lack of showering or care could give rise to skin problems and expose the children to other infectious diseases, she added. Only infants needing critical care should be separated from their parents, the pediatrician said. A woman pushes a child on his bike as a health worker wearing a protective suit loads medical waste on a truck to be removed from a community that was recently opened after it was locked down for health monitoring when cases of COVID-19 were found in the area, in Beijing, China, on March 31, 2022. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) A human rights lawyer from southern China, who asked to have his name withheld for safety reasons, was angry upon learning of the childrens situation. For the authorities, containing the outbreak is now above all else, he told The Epoch Times, calling the measures very inhumane. They are using the name of outbreak control to do whatever they please, without any legal basis, he said. This is sabotaging the law and moral values. Its creating a humanitarian disaster. Other mothers whose children are in the same age group are no less outraged. As the mother of a one-year-old, I dont dare to imagine how these childrenand their parentsget through every day. They are so little! Who can bear the responsibility if something happens, one wrote online, ending her post with multiple exclamation marks. The Shanghai Municipal Health Commission and Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control & Prevention could not be reached over the phone on Saturday for comment. Hong Ning contributed to this report. This film is only available in North America and Europe because of territorial licensing. In the third century AD, five Christian missionaries arrive in Abruzzo from Apulia in Southern Italy. Their task is to spread the Christian message in that region heavily oppressed by the pagan Romans. To curb the proliferation of Christianity, the Roman priest of Offidio, in todays LAquila City, is obligating people to sacrifice a victim in the temple, on pain of death. Three of the five missionaries are captured, forced into submission, but they refuse to betray their faith, paying with their lives. The only two who manage to run away from this sad fate are the old Justin and his niece, Giusta. They both flee deep into the forest where soldiers cannot find them. Aurelio is a young slave who survived the persecution and managed to take refuge into the forest. He is looking for Giusta, who he has never met. Eager to become a Christian, he wants to persuade the woman not to abandon his land and continue her mission. Everyone loves her for the miracles the Lord works through her prayers, and only she can convince the people to resist. But try as he may, he cant find her. While still in the forest, he meets a girl who lives confined in a cave, a kind of healer rejected by all, and that seems to hate Christians Only she can lead her to Giusta. Feature Films: Cinema collection: http://epochcinema.com Epoch Original content: http://epochoriginal.com Feature Films: https://www.theepochtimes.com/featured-films Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV Hunter Laptop Story Confirms: Rein In Big Tech or Cease to Be a Free People Commentary On the precipice of the regime-defining 2020 presidential election, Facebook and Twitter committed their Pearl Harbor attack against the incumbent president, Donald Trump, and in dutiful favor of the regnant regimes favored candidate, Joe Biden. In an October move that would presage the collapse of the publicprivate distinction during the Biden presidencyas seen in press secretary Jen Psakis open bragging last summer of collusion with Mark Zuckerberg to censor COVID misinformation, and Eric Schmidts recently revealed role helping shape administration science policyBig Tech oligarchs dropped the hammer on the New York Post, a high-circulation newspaper, for its reporting on Hunter Bidens now-infamous laptop from hell. The laptops files demonstrated the notoriously troubled Hunters venality, abuses of power, and general sketchiness of his foreign dealings. He and some of his cronies remain under federal investigation for possible tax and money-laundering violations. In response to the Posts reportage, Twitter locked the paper out of its own account for over two weeks. Both Facebook and Twitter, moreover, heavily limited or outright blocked disseminating the Posts URL for the laptop story. Crucially, the entirety of this sordid affair transpired less than a month away from a momentous Election Day. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) correctly demanded that the Federal Election Commission investigate whether Facebook and Twitter illegally issued in-kind contributions to the Biden campaign; he was rebuffed. There are myriad problems with this picture. Most notable, perhaps, was the undoubted nature of the laptops authenticity; no one, not even anyone in the Biden clan, denied at the time that Hunters computer was genuine. One might normally deem such a detail important. But the Big Tech powers, uninterested in something as mundane as truth, immediately grasped the greater imperativeto discredit the story in, and even to memory-hole it from, the collective public conscience. The entire saga was eye-opening. Purportedly private companies worked hand in hand with their favored presidential candidate, evincing the lie of the public-private distinction and exposing the sprawling, pan-institutional nature of Americas Ruling Class. The Ruling Classs ends sought were clear: Elect Joe Biden to be president of the United States. The means were then retrofitted after the ends were established. Big Tech knew its role and executed it flawlessly. Never mind that, if such shenanigans were to recur in 2024, with Biden as sitting president, such collusion would run afoul of the Supreme Courts 1973 admonition in Norwood v. Harrison that the government may not induce, encourage or promote private persons to accomplish what it is constitutionally forbidden to accomplish. Over the past few weeks, both The New York Times and The Washington Post, Americas two leading amplifiers of homogenous Ruling Class thought, corroborated and acknowledged the authenticity of Hunter Bidens laptop. A day late and a dollar short doesnt quite cut it here; a year and a half late and trillions of dollars (in national indebtedness) short is more like it. Given the exceedingly close nature of the 2020 presidential election, Big Techs protection of the Biden family likely cost Trump a second term. (Which also means Big Tech cost Ukraine a Russian invasion; no sane person thinks Vladimir Putin would have invaded under Trumps watch.) Uh, can we deplorables get a redo? A look back at LAffaire Hunter, with the clarity of both hindsight and the Times and Washington Posts recent self-serving admissions, ought to provide a clarion wake-up call. There are few more pressing imperatives in American political life in the year 2022 than to rein in the Big Tech oligarchs and to reclaim We the People-rooted democracy from Silicon Valley technocracy. The Big Tech debate is often aired in the rhetoric and phraseology of censorship and speech, but the better way to view the debate is through the lens of sovereignty and republican self-governance. When it comes to the Big Tech wars, the most fundamental question is a version of who decides?: Who, that is, will watch the watchmen? The collapse of the public-private distinction, at least in the context of the Big Tech robber barons, resolves the question. We the People must decide; We the People must watch the watchmen. The rules by which the 21st-century public square operates cannot be written in private by shadowy Birkenstock-wearing computer science Ph.D. dweebs. The underlying issues here are far too fundamental to our republic and our way of life. We must write the rules; we must reclaim our sovereignty from the woke titans of industry champing at the bit to impose an American social credit system. If Big Tech can sway an election and ban a president of the United States, there is nothing it cannot do. All policy options must remain on the table to put Big Tech in its place once and for all. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. An Arkansas man who spent nearly two decades in a coma before waking up and regaining his ability to speak has died at the age of 57. Terry Wayne Wallis died on Tuesday, according to an obituary first reported by The New York Post. Mr Wallis story became semi-famous in 2003 when a handful of news organisations, including CNN and the BBC, reported on his shocking recovery and revival. Mr Wallis was 19 years old when he and a friend, who was driving, were in an automobile accident that left him in a coma while the driver was killed. A second passenger emerged from the devastating wreck unscathed. Mr Wallis would go on to spend nearly 19 years in a comatose state before opening his eyes and stunning his care team by regaining his ability to speak less than a month lather. He started out with Mom, and then it was Pepsi, and then it was milk, an employee with the Stone County Rehabilitation Center told news outlets at the time. After that, his ability returned quickly, they added: And now its anything he wants to say. Mr Wallis is survived by his daughter Amber, who was born shortly before the wreck, as well as his grandchildren. His mother Angilee Wallis described her sons recovery in 2003 as a miracle. I couldnt tell you my first thought, I just fell over on the floor, she said of the day he awoke from the coma. According to his obituary, family members would regularly visit him during his period of unconsciousness and even bring him home from the hospital on alternate weekends, about which they noted: Doctors believe that this stimulation contributed to his awakening period. Terry was a great teaser and loved to tease his sister, Mr Walliss obituary continued. His wonderful sense of humor will be greatly missed by his family. Iga Swiatek of Poland reacts after a breaking serve against Naomi Osaka of Japan (not pictured) in the women's singles final in the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on April 2, 2022. (Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports via Field Level Media) Iga Swiatek Cruises Past Naomi Osaka for Miami Open Title Iga Swiatek of Poland defeated Japans Naomi Osaka 64, 60 on Saturday to win the Miami Open. The No. 2 seedand soon to be World No. 1won her 17th consecutive match and third straight title. Swiatek converted four of her 10 break chances and never faced a break point in the one-hour, 17-minute match. Only one game in the second set went to deuce. Im pretty glad that we could play this match and I think its the start of a great rivalry, Swiatek said after her second career matchup against Osaka, and she told Osaka: Youre really an inspiration and this sport is better with you, so keep going. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner and former World No. 1, was vying for her first trophy since the 2021 Australian Open. She served seven aces, but Swiatek won 20 of the 30 points on Osakas second serve. I know I havent been in this position for a little while, Osaka told the crowd after playing in her first final since the 2021 Australian Open. The outcome wasnt what you wanted, but hopefully I can keep working hard and be in a position to do this again soon. Swiatek, 20, is the youngest of the four women ever to win the Sunshine Double, sweeping the WTA 1000 finals at Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. The others were Steffi Graf (1994, 1996), Kim Clijsters (2005), and Victoria Azarenka (2016). I feel pretty privileged that I can be amongst those players, because I wouldnt even dream of it a few years ago, Swiatek said of joining the club. I knew its going to be tough playing these two tournaments in a row. I realized at the end its just another match and I took it step by step. Swiatek will be the new No. 1 in the rankings on Monday, replacing the recently retired Ashleigh Barty of Australia. Osaka won the first meeting between the two in straight sets in the round of 16 at Toronto in 2019. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (L) talks with Japan's Ambassador to Australia Shingo Yamagami (C) after a virtual summit with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Canberra on January 6, 2022, to mark the opening of a new chapter of defence and security cooperation between the two countries, with the signing of a Reciprocal Access Agreement. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images) Japanese Ambassador Encourages Australia as It Continues Efforts to Downsize China Trade Australia has started to follow Japans footsteps in diversifying trade away from China, according to Japans ambassador to Australia, who said he expects a closer partnership between the two countries in the metals and mining sectors as Australias second largest export market. Yamagami Shingo, who assumed the post of Ambassador of Japan to Australia in December 2020, said Japan also had first-hand experience of Chinas economic coercion 12 years ago, when the communist regime restricted exports of rare earth metals that were crucial for Japans high-tech industries. He noted that following Chinas rare earth exports ban, Japan searched for alternative sources and was able to reduced its dependence on Chinese suppliers from around 90 percent to 60 percent of its imports. The move has, in turn, strengthened the economic relationship between Japan and Australia, as it involved the development of Western Australias Mount Weld mine that is operated by local mining company Lynas Corporation. I think this is a great testament to the importance of not putting all the eggs in one particular basket, Shingo said during a visit to Western Australia. And this is, I think, exactly something that our friends in Australia are learning throughout the recent lessons of wine or coal or barley, timber, lobster all those products which have been subjected to economic coercion. Certainly, we would like to reduce our dependency more, and in that regard, any help coming from Australia would be more than welcome. He further added that as Japan is seeking a future with a hydrogen economy, Australiawith its ample land, sunshine, and proximitywould be perfectly placed to be a big exporter of hydrogen to Japan. If you are a student of history, throughout human history, eyes of doubt and suspicion have been cast upon the development of, for example, steel, oil, coal, LNG, whatever, he noted. I firmly believe that hydrogen is the future. This is not in abstract terms, its in concrete terms. His comment comes as Australia continues to diversify its trading partners and decouple from China. On Thursday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison praised a historic trade deal with India as being good for producers of seafood, wine, and other produce and resources as the country inks a deal. This is great news for lobster fishers in Tasmania, wine producers in South Australia, macadamia farmers in Queensland, critical minerals miners in Western Australia, Morrison said. He said the agreement with India builds on the two countries security partnership and their joint efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, along with Quad partners America and Japan, in the face of Beijings aggression, belligerence, and ambitions to reshape the region. Caden Pearson contributed to this report. Second PBS installment, 'An American 17751790' For any trivia question that asks, who was the first American to do X, answering Ben Franklin is always a good guess. He was a true renaissance man, who was the most internationally renown colonist (and eventually American) of his day. Of course, he was complex, but he ended up on the right side of history, in pretty much all respects. All of the commentators more-or-less agree with that (some a bit more grudgingly than others) when appraising the Founding Fathers life and legacy in Ken Burns two-part documentary Benjamin Franklin. Franklin is indelibly associated with Philadelphia, but he was born in Boston and maintained family ties to the New England city, which was a major hub of revolutionary Patriot sentiment (along with the City of Brotherly Love). In fact, Franklin was one of the few Founding Fathers who traveled widely through the original 13 colonies, due to his work developing inter-colony mail systems. New Appreciation In some ways, Burns presents Franklin as the relentless self-improver with an impish sense of humor that popular opinion generally holds him to be. However, unless viewers have poured through substantial Franklin biographies (like that of Walter Isaakson, who appears as a talking head and is credited as an advisor to the documentary), they are likely to pick up a fresh, new appreciation for the man. For instance, everyone has heard a little bit about his experiment with the kite during a lightning storm, but Burns and his battery of experts make it clear Franklins research investigating the properties of electricity was the equivalent of Nobel Prize-worthy work, for his era. Benjamin Franklin in the studio of French sculptor Jean Antoine Houdon, by Leon-Marie-Constant Dansaert. Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State. (Public Domain) Furthermore, Burns and company draw a convincing line from Franklins droll Poor Richards Almanac to the deceptively folksy humor of Mark Twain and Will Rogers. You could also see him as a forerunner to down-home common-sense commentators like Paul Harvey. Yet, despite his accessible plain-speaking, Franklin was an enormously literate early American, who gets due credit throughout for founding Philadelphias first lending library and philosophical society. The way Burns structured Benjamin Franklin really emphasizes how long his subject labored in good faith to maintain the unity of the colonies and the British empire, initially as a loyal subject and then as Pennsylvanias agent to the British court. The first episode, Join or Die, 17061774, culminates with the scathing public dressing-down Franklin received from Alexander Wedderburn, the Lord High Chancellor (whose speech is read with appropriately snide contempt by Liam Neeson). The second installment, An American 17751790, chronicles Franklins embrace of independence, for which Burnss experts place a lot of blame on the British. They also give considerable attention to his late-in-life conversion to abolitionism. Yes, he is sometimes criticized by talking heads for his own history of slave-ownership, but even his most vehement detractors give him credit for putting the abolitionist cause permanently on the national agenda. Celebrity Voices Employing his customary techniques, Burns casts celebrity voices to read the letters and speeches of Franklin and his contemporaries throughout the film. Frankly, Mandy Patinkins voice might not exactly be how you might have imagined Franklin to sound in your minds ear, but he nicely captures the Founders sly wit. Yet, Josh Lucass voice is nearly as dominant as Patinkins, reading the words and statements of Franklins estranged loyalist son William, who turned out to be a bit of a disappointment to his father. Fittingly, Paul Giamatti once again plays John Adams (whom he portrayed in the 2008 miniseries). Adams joined Franklin for a time as Americas war-time ambassadors to France. Franklin was reportedly much more effective, because the French found him considerably more fun. A detail of Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity From the Sky, circa 1816, by Benjamin West. Oil on slate; 13.4inches by 10.1 inches. Philadelphia Museum of Art. (Public Domain) Anyone who enjoyed Burnss Civil War should also appreciate his Benjamin Franklin, because it gives the icon Founding Father similar treatment (classy music, soothing voiceovers, and evocative images from primary sources). His chronicle of Franklins life runs nearly four full hours, but it never drags because the man was so amazingly productive. He led an amazing life, which Burns mostly does justice to. Recommended for general audiences and history buffs, Benjamin Franklin airs April 4 and April 5 on most PBS stations nationwide. Benjamin Franklin Director: Ken Burns Stars: Mandy Patinkin, Josh Lukas, Paul Giamatti, Liam Neeson Running Time: 2 episodes MPAA Rating: Unrated Release Date: April 4, 2022 Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Lithuania Ceases All Russian Gas Imports Lithuania has stopped all Russian gas imports, becoming the first country in the European Union to do so. The countrys gas transmission system has been operating without Russian imports since the start of the month, the Lithuanian Energy Ministry stated on April 2. Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys said Lithuania is the first EU country among those supplied by Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom to gain independence from Russian gas supplies. He said the move is the result of a multi-year coherent energy policy and timely infrastructure decisions. The shift is a response to Russias energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, according to Kreivys. Russia recently demanded that payments for gas shipped to Europe be made in rubles, the official currency of Russia. The demand is now meaningless, as Lithuania no longer orders Russian gas and no longer plans to pay for it, the ministry stated. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda encouraged other EU countries to do the same. From this month onno more Russian gas in Lithuania. Years ago, my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the aggressor, he wrote on Twitter. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too! Lithuania also previously announced that it wouldnt allow any Russian liquified natural gas imports because of Russias invasion of Ukraine. The former Soviet states LNG terminal, Independence, was inaugurated in 2014 to end a Russian gas supply monopoly, which then-President Dalia Grybauskaite called an existential threat to the country. However, Lithuania isnt ending the transit of Russian gas to the Kaliningrad exclave of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to its southwest. Lithuanias gas grid website showed on April 2 roughly the same amount of gas entering from Russian-ally Belarus as was being exported to Kaliningrad. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on March 31 that he signed a decree requiring unfriendly foreign buyers of Russian gas to pay in rubles starting on April 1, threatening to halt contracts if the payments werent made in the required currency. A number of European countries rely heavily on Russian gas and oil. A potential halt in Russian gas exports to those countries could cause a significant energy crisis. The Group of Seven advanced countriesthe United States, France, Germany, the UK, Canada, Italy, and Japanhas so far refused to meet Russias demand to pay for gas in rubles. Germany and Austria have already started making preparations to deal with a possible gas crisis, activating emergency plans to deal with any disruptions. Jack Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report. People react as they gather near a grave site in the town of Bucha, just northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, on April 3, 2022. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images) Russia-Ukraine War (April 3): Ukrainian Military Says Some Towns in Chernihiv Region Retaken to Reopen Aid The latest on the RussiaUkraine crisis, April 3. Click here for updates from April 2. Ukrainian Military Says Some Towns in Chernihiv Region Retaken to Reopen Aid The Ukrainian military says that its forces have retaken some towns in the Chernihiv region and that humanitarian aid is being delivered. The news agency RBK Ukraina says the road between Chernihiv and the capital of Kyiv is to reopen to some traffic later Monday. Chernihiv is a city 80 miles north of Kyiv and it had been cut off from shipments of food and other supplies for weeks. The mayor said Sunday that relentless Russian shelling had destroyed 70 percent of the city. Russian forces also withdrew from the Sumy region, in Ukraines northeast, local administrator Dmitry Zhivitsky said in a video message carried by Ukrainian news agencies Sunday. The troops had occupied the area for nearly a month. In other areas recently retaken from Russian troops, Ukrainian officials say they have recovered hundreds of slain civilians in the past few days. Ukraines prosecutor-general says the bodies of 410 civilians have been recovered from Kyiv-area towns. ___ Ukraines Leader Asks Help in Grammys Video Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appeared in a video at the Grammy Awards asking for support in telling the story of Ukraines invasion by Russia. During the message that aired on the show Sunday night, he likened the attack to a deadly silence threatening to extinguish the dreams and lives of the Ukrainian people, including children. Zelenskyy told the audience: Fill the silence with your music. Fill it today to tell our story. Tell the truth about the war on your social networks, on TV, support us in any way you can any, but not silence. And then peace will come to all our cities. Following Zelenskyys message, John Legend performed his song Free with Ukrainian musicians Siuzanna Iglidan and Mika Newton and poet Lyuba Yakimchuk as images from the war were shown on screens behind them. ___ Ukraine: 410 Civilian Bodies Found Near Kyiv Ukraines prosecutor-general says the bodies of 410 civilians have been removed from Kyiv-area towns that were recently retaken from Russian troops. Iryna Venediktova says on Facebook that the bodies were recovered Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. She says 140 of them have undergone examination by prosecutors and other specialists. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk says the mayor of the village of Motyzhyn in the Kyiv region was murdered while being held by Russian forces. Vereshchuk adds that there are 11 mayors and community heads in Russian captivity across Ukraine. Russias Defense Ministry has rejected the claims of atrocities against civilians in Bucha and other suburbs of Kyiv. ___ UN Chief Calls for Independent Probe of Civilian Deaths in Ukrainian Town United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday said he was deeply shocked by images of dead civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, and he called for an independent investigation that leads to effective accountability. Guterres posted his comments on Twitter a day after witnesses and officials said that Russian troops killed almost 300 civilians as they withdrew from the town near Kyiv. I am deeply shocked by the images of civilians killed in Bucha, Ukraine, Guterres said, joining Western officials in expressing outrage. It is essential that an independent investigation leads to effective accountability, he said. The Russian defense ministry denied that Russian forces killed civilians in Bucha, saying that videos and photographs of bodies were yet another provocation by the Ukrainian government. ___ West Promises More Sanctions Against Russia Amid War Crime Allegations Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States is seeking accountability after photos emerged over the weekend that allegedly showed a massacre near Ukraines capital as European Union officials promised more sanctions. We will make sure that the relevant institutions and organizations that are looking at this, including the State Department, have everything they need to assess exactly what took place in Ukraine, whos responsible, and what it amounts to, Blinken told CNN on Sunday. Top Ukrainian officials on Sunday said that Russian forces massacred civilians in Bucha, located near Kyiv, while Russias Ministry of Defense denied those charges. Ukraines Ministry of Defense posted a Twitter video allegedly showing the deceased civilians while claiming they were executed with their hands tied behind their backs. The Epoch Times could not verify either Ukraines or Russias claims. Read the full article here ___ Slovakia Economy Minister Says Country Willing to Pay for Russian Gas in Rubles Slovakia cannot stop buying natural gas from Russia and is willing to pay in rubles as demanded by Moscow, said the central European countrys top economy official. The statement comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered ruble payments for natural gas purchases by companies registered in unfriendly countries. Slovakia, which imports approximately 87 percent of its natural gas and two-thirds of its oil from Russia, is on a list of 48 countries the Kremlin considers unfriendly. Richard Sulik, Slovakias minister of economy, said his country is willing to comply with the demand. Read the full article here ___ Russia Says Peace Talks Not Ready for Leaders Meeting: Chief Negotiator Russia said on Sunday that peace talks with Ukraine had not progressed enough for a leaders meeting and that Moscows position on the status of Crimea and Donbass remained unchanged. The draft agreement is not ready for submission to a meeting at the top, Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said on Telegram. I repeat again and again: Russias position on Crimea and Donbas remains UNCHANGED. The two sides have held periodic talks since Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24 but there has been no breakthrough and they remain far apart on the question of territory. Medinsky said that Ukraine had started to show a more realistic approach to peace talks. He said Ukraine had agreed it would be neutral, not have nuclear weapons, not join a military bloc and refuse to host military bases. But on the questions of Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and two Russian-backed rebel regions in the eastern Donbass that President Vladimir Putin recognized as independent in February, Medinsky indicated there had been no progress. ___ Lithuania Ceases All Russian Gas Imports Lithuania has stopped all Russian gas imports, becoming the first country in the European Union to do so. The countrys gas transmission system has been operating without Russian gas imports since the start of the month, the Lithuanian Energy Ministry stated on April 2. Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys said that Lithuania is the first EU country among those supplied by Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom to gain independence from Russian gas supplies. He said the move is the result of a multi-year coherent energy policy and timely infrastructure decisions. The shift is a response to Russias energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, the energy ministry said. Russia recently demanded to receive payment for gas shipped to Europe in rubles, the official currency of Russia. Read the full article here ___ Russia Denies Killing Civilians in Ukraines Bucha Russia on Sunday denied Ukrainian allegations that it had killed civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, describing footage and photographs of dead bodies as a provocation and a staged performance by Kyiv. Ukraine has accused the Russian military of massacring residents of Bucha, a town northwest of the capital Kyiv, an area Ukrainian troops said they recaptured on Saturday. All the photos and videos published by the Kyiv regime, allegedly testifying to the crimes of Russian servicemen in the city of Bucha, Kyiv region, are another provocation, Russias defense ministry said in a statement. It called the footage another staged performance by the Kyiv regime for the Western media. Images of dead civilians strewn across the town prompted Western countries to call for those responsible for war crimes in Ukraine to be punished. The Russian defense ministry said that all Russian military units had left Bucha on March 30, and that civilians had been free to move around the town or evacuate while it was under Russian control. During the time that Russian armed forces were in control of this settlement, not a single local resident suffered from any violent actions, it said. Moscow has previously denied allegations that it has targeted civilians, and has rejected accusations of war crimes. ___ Ukraine Says Russian Troops Have Completed Their Pullback From the Countrys North The Ukrainian military says Russian troops have completed their pullback from the countrys north. The militarys General Staff said in Sundays statement that Russian units have withdrawn from areas in the countrys north to neighboring Belarus, which served as a staging ground for the Russian invasion. The Ukrainian military said its airborne forces have taken full control of the town of Pripyat just outside the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the section of the border with Belarus. It posted a picture of the Ukrainian soldier putting up the countrys flag with a shelter containing the Chernobyl reactor that exploded in 1986 seen in the background. ___ US Fully Backs Sending Ukraine Weapons, Aid White House chief of staff Ron Klain says the United States remains fully committed to providing a full range of economic and military support to Ukraine in its war against Russia, which he describes as far from over. Klain credits Ukrainians for fighting off Russian troops in the northern part of Ukraine and says the United States and its allies are sending weapons into the country almost every single day. But he also tells ABCs This Week that there are signs that Russian President Vladimir Putin is redeploying Russian troops to the eastern part of Ukraine. Klain says while it will be up to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to decide if the political endgame is to allow Russia to occupy the eastern part of Ukraine, from the U.S. standpoint, the military future of this attack has to be push back. ___ Poland Open to Permanent Stationing of US Nuclear Weapons in Eastern Europe Polands most powerful politician says he is open to the permanent stationing of U.S. nuclear weapons in Eastern Europe. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of Polands ruling conservative party, Law and Justice, said Sunday in an interview with German weekly Welt am Sonntag that in principle, it makes sense to extend nuclear participation to the eastern flank. Kaczynski added that if the Americans asked us to store U.S. nuclear weapons in Poland, we would be open to it. It would significantly strengthen deterrence against Moscow. Kaczynski acknowledged that at the moment, this question does not arise, but that may change soon. The Polish leader also called for a much stronger presence of U.S. soldiers in Europe in the future, especially on NATOs eastern flank. ___ Russia Says Its Struck Odesa Fuel Depot, Oil Plant The Russian military says it has struck an oil processing plant and fuel depots around the strategic Black Sea port of Odesa. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj.-Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Russian ships and aircraft fired missiles on Sunday to strike the facilities, which he said were used to provide fuel to Ukrainian troops near Mykolaiv. Konashenkov also said Russian strikes destroyed ammunition depots in Kostiantynivka and Khresyshche. The Russian Defense Ministry also shared footage of what it said was attack helicopters Ka-52 of the Russian Aerospace Forces claiming to destroy camouflaged positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. ___ Kremlin Says Western Sanctions Beyond Reason The Kremlin says that by imposing sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin the West has demonstrated it has abandoned its sense of reason. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in televised remarks Sunday that the sanctions against Putin were going beyond the edge of reason, adding that they showed that the West is capable of any stupidities. Peskov added that Putins meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is hypothetically possible once negotiators from the two countries prepared a draft agreement to be discussed. ___ Lithuanian Film Director Kvedaravicius Killed in Mariupol Lithuanian film director Mantas Kvedaravicius was killed on Saturday in Ukraines Mariupol, a city whose fate he had documented for many years, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministrys information agency and a colleague. While trying to leave Mariupol, Russian occupiers killed Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravicius, the agency wrote on Twitter on Sunday. The Epoch Times could not immediately verify the report. We lost a creator well known in Lithuania and in the whole world, who until the very last moment, in spite of danger, worked in Russia-occupied Ukraine, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Sunday. Kvedaravicius, who was to turn 46 this year, was best known for his conflict-zone documentary Mariupolis, which premiered at the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival. The film paints a portrait of Mariupol, a strategic port is in the breakaway region of Donetsk where pro-Russian fighters have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014. ___ Ukraine Accuses Russia of Civilian Massacre Ukraine on Sunday accused Russian forces of carrying out a massacre in the town of Bucha. The images from the town, 37 kilometers (23 miles) northwest of Kyivs city centre, emerged after Ukraine said on Saturday its forces had reclaimed control of the whole Kyiv region and liberated towns from Russian troops. Bucha massacre was deliberate, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter. The mayor of Bucha said 300 residents had been killed by the Russian army. Mimi Nguyen Ly, Bill Pan, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A 2002 Family photo of Terry Wallis (C) his wife Sandra (L) and daughter Amber (R) in a rehabilitation hospital in Mount View, Arkansas. (Photo courtesy of family/Getty Images) Man Who Woke From 19-Year Coma Dies at Age 57: Obituary A man who survived a deadly car crash and awoke from a 19-year coma nearly 20 years ago has died, according to an obituary last week. Terry Wayne Wallis, 57, died last week in Searcy, Arkansas, the obituary confirmed. It noted that Wallis was in an automobile accident in 1984, just six weeks after the birth of his daughter, Amber, which left him comatose for 19 years. But Wallis, in the summer of 2003, woke and started to speak, drawing international attention. His mother and all of his family cared for him relentlessly during his coma and afterwards. His family would bring him home on alternate weekends for years. Doctors believe that this stimulation contributed to his awakening period, the obituary said. When Wallis woke up, reports at the time claimed that he asked for a Pepsi. He started out with Mom, and then it was Pepsi, and then it was milk, said Alesha Badgley of the Stone County Rehabilitation Center, told the New York Post in 2003. Now, its anything he wants to say. His mother, Angilee Wallis, said that her sons recovery was miraculous. I couldnt tell you my first thought, I just fell over on the floor, she said of the day when he awoke, according to reports at the time. When he woke up 19 years ago, according to the Post, Terry Wallis had believed that Ronald Reagan was still president and spoke to his grandmother, who died several years before he emerged from his coma. A Mayo Clinic editorial noted that doctors had told his family that Wallis would probably never emerge, and doctors also ignored his mothers assertion that Terry is in there, he just cant communicate. They did not believe it, they just [said he is] in a coma and that is what he is going to be, she added in a 2005 documentary on his case, according to the Mayo Clinic. The article further noted: Some of these miracle patients (like Wallis) may not have been in a coma but in a variant of a locked-in syndrome. Some of the news coverage of these cases highlights that communication was possible through eye blinking even before speech returned. His survivors include father Jerry Wallis; daughter Amber Wallis; grandchildren Victoria, Blazen, and Arrow Wallis; and several siblings. A funeral was held for Terry Wallis on April, the obituary said. Terry was a great teaser and loved to tease his sister, his obituary read. His wonderful sense of humor will be greatly missed by his family. Dahlia Rizk, 47, mother of three from New Hampshire and inventor of Buckle Me Baby Coats, just might have made your winter car ride a little bit easierand a lot safer for children. When Rizks oldest child was 5 years old, she attended a child passenger safety check and, to her surprise, a technician informed her that it was dangerous for children to wear puffy winter coats under their car seat harnesses. Skeptical at first, Rizk set off to do her own research. When you have a child in the car seat, they have their harness on. Their harness should be right on the chest and shoulders, because in a crash when everything is thrown forward, the harness and your childs body, they travel together, and the harness slows the childs body down, she said. However, when the child has a puffy coat between the harness and their body, the effectiveness of the harness is thwarted. Instead of the harnesswhich stretches slightlyand the child moving forward together at high velocity, the child speeds forward through the distance of the coats padding and then slams into the harness, resulting in the impact that can cause critical back, neck, and spinal injuries. The Innovation After learning all of the risks over 18 years ago, Rizk started taking her daughters coat off to buckle her in the car, but always found it to be a struggle. Then, one day she had the idea to redesign childrens coats so that a harness could be buckled properly without their winter coats coming off. This was a long time before Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and I had no way to tell parents directly, Rizk said. When she tried to find manufacturers to produce her coats, Rizk was met with apathy. Nobody thought it was a problem, she recalled. With no one willing to manufacture her product, the mother shelved her ideas and focused on raising her three children. Then, in 2017, Rizk witnessed a mom struggling with her childs jacket and she thought she would try again. With no factory lined up and no pattern established, the aspiring mother posted her first video on social media. She had only a sample of her idea, which she demonstrated using her nephew as a model. In response to the video, she said, people went crazy. She set up a Kickstarter campaign to receive orders while she scrambled to find a factory to make her coats. It was all really very fast, Rizk recalls. Since then, demand for Buckle Me Baby Coats has been nonstop. So, why are they so great? Most coats buckle or zip straight down the middle. Rizks Buckle Me Baby Coat opens along the side and shoulder seams, which are set further back on the shoulders than in regular coats. This allows a front panel to be unzipped and opened, and the car seat harness to sit right on the shoulders and chest where it is most effective. Additionally, the back of the coat is thinner than the padding on the front, which allows for car seat harness settings to remain the samewith or without a heavy winter coat. Now, kiddos can wear their comfy Buckle Me Baby Coat to the car, keeping them warm and toasty. Then, once a child is seated in a car seat, the coats front panel can be opened and the harness buckled properly. No more shivering children on the way to the car; no more struggles to remove coats once kids are seated inside. So far, parents have loved the results. Rizk hears comments akin to this has made my life so much easier, theyre so cute, and this has taken away all of my worries. Just recently, Rizk received a message from a thankful customer, which reads: Hi. I wanted to reach out and thank you directly for making such amazing coats. We were hit by a semi-truck. Between the amazing safety of his click car seat and him being safely buckled in his seat, with his Buckle Me Baby coat, my son walked away from this horrible crash with only minor injuries. It also kept him super warm in the cold while we waited for first responders, and I cant thank you enough. These are the stories I remember, said Rizk. Its a very big blessing to be able to help people. A Growing Business What started as a concerned mothers small business with zero funding has now grown exponentially, and growth shows no sign of stopping. Early in her endeavor, Rizk built her own website, ran her own ads, and made her own videos in order to save money to make the coats. She thought the business would be a fun little weekend side hobby. The first year, four years ago, I was shipping everything out of my kitchen. I was maybe selling 10 coats a day, and I thought that was so cool and crazy, she said. Now, Rizk ships the coats to stores all over the world, including to Germany, Canada, Brazil, and the United States. Buckle Me Baby Coats can be found at Bye Bye Baby, Walmart, West Coast Kids, Snuggle Bugs, on Amazon, and at a number of small retailers. Its grown more than I could have ever imagined, said Rizk, who hopes to see her business reach other countries in the future. Fulfilling Her Mission The dedicated mother, inventor, designer, and CEO says that she truly wants parents to have one less thing to worry about. I just know that parenthood is hard, said Rizk. Were working or were staying home with the children and there are so many things to juggle. I dont think that moms also should have to worry about their childs winter coat. With a solution ready for parents, Rizk is finding that many still dont know that winter coats in the car seat are dangerous. A lot of her work is to communicate the essential reasons why her product is so important. One of the biggest challenges is that its a brand-new product that nobodys ever heard of, so theres a lot of explaining thats involved, she said. Buckle Me Baby Coats come in sizes that range from zero months to 12 years. While age 12 might sound a little old for a car seat, many parents with children in wheelchairs find the coats helpful for older children. Aware of many children who dont have warm coats, or whose parents cant afford winter coats, Rizk offers a trade-up program at Buckle Me Baby Coats. Parents in the United States can send back their gently used coats and they will receive a $15 credit toward a new coat, she says. The used coats are then given to children in need. My mission has always been just to make winter car seat safety easier for parents, she said. Being the thoughtful parent and good Samaritan she is, Rizk is fulfilling her missionand much, much more. (Courtesy of Dahlia Rizk) Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Bright newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter Children are seen walking, on the first day of lifting the indoor mask mandate for DOE schools between K through 12, in Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S., March 7, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly New York Will Mandate Masks for Children Under 5 Years Old New York Mayor Eric Adams has said that the city will mandate that 2- to 4-year-old children must continue wearing masks after a judge issued an order in favor of his administration. Every decision we make is with our childrens health and safety in mind. Children between 2 and 4 should continue to wear their masks in school and daycare come Monday, Adams, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter on April 1. The announcement comes after State Supreme Court Justice Ralph Porzio struck down the citys mask order for young children earlier that day. However, an appellate court issued a stay in the lower courts ruling, allowing the mask mandate to remain intact amid the appeals process. Porzio said the mandate was absurd after it was lifted for children aged 5 and older and characterized it as arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable. That ruling was handed down in response to a lawsuit from a group of parents who sued Adams and city agencies. Universal masking, therefore, presents one of the strongest, if not the strongest defense against COVID-19 for settings with children ages two to four, New York attorneys stated in court records. However, numerous studies have shown that young children have exceedingly low COVID-19 death and hospitalization rates compared with other age groupseven compared with older children. For these reasons, throughout the pandemic, both the City and New York State had more stringent rules in place for this setting, the attorneys wrote. New York Mayor-elect Eric Adams speaks during a press conference in New York on Dec. 15, 2021. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) Amid the appeals process, it isnt clear how much longer New York, which has employed some of the strictest COVID-19 rules in the United States, will keep the mandate intact. Dr. Ashwin Vasan, the citys health commissioner, said at an April 1 press conference that officials are recommending to wait a little bit longer before making masks optional for this age group, referring to young children. Over the past several months, federal and state data have shown that hospitalizations, cases, and deaths from COVID-19, the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, have fallen dramatically. In response, other Democrat-led states and municipalities have dropped mask and vaccine mandates, while some Democrats have even voiced criticism about those rules. Michael Chessa, an attorney who represents the group of parents suing Adams, said they were pleased when Porzio agreed with their arguments. However, they were disappointed when his ruling didnt go into effect pending the appeals process, he told Gothamist. On Monday morning, when parents send their children to school, they wont have that choice, Chessa said, noting that the appellate court hasnt set a date for arguments. No Criminal Charges Against Texas Man Who Shot and Killed Ex-Girlfriends Husband A Texas man who was seen on video shooting and killing a man during a custody fight wont be criminally charged, officials said. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday that a grand jury voted not to indict Kyle Carruth, who shot and killed Chad Read late last year. Evidence presented to the jury included several eyewitnesses, family of Chad Read, and additional evidence that was not previously released to the public, a statement on the Attorney Generals website read. After several days of thorough inspection of the evidence, the Special Grand Jury concluded their investigation into the matter and deliberated on whether the evidence supported the filing of criminal charges against Kyle Carruth. Paxtons office had been tapped to investigate the case after the Lubbock County District Attorneys Office recused itself after it was revealed that Carruths ex-wife, Ann-Marie Carruth, is an elected judge, according to local reports. The Buzbee Law Firm, which is representing Chad Reads widow, criticized the grand jury decision. The criminal justice utterly failed Jennifer Read, the widow of Chad Read. Chad Read was involved in a heated discussion with his ex-wife concerning custody of his son. The video shows that Kyle Carruth injected himself into that discussion, the statement said. It added: We believe there was no legitimate reason for Kyle Carruth to bring a deadly weapon to an argument that he wasnt even a part of. Chad Read died unarmed, shot, and killed while simply trying to determine the whereabouts of his son. The civil matter has been on hold awaiting the outcome of the criminal proceedings. We will now aggressively pursue Jennifer Reads claims in civil court. Carruths lawyers previously said that he fired in self-defense. Several graphic and profanity-laden videos show a confrontation with Carruth, Read, and Carruths girlfriendwho was identified as Reads ex-wife Christinabefore Read was shot. Carruth can be seen telling Read to leave the premises before he stepped away to grab a gun while Read and the woman scream at each other. One video of the shooting and dispute was also released by Jennifer Read, who was identified as Reads wife. Later, Carruth is seen returning with his gun and telling Read to leave. The video then shows Read telling Carruth to use it, saying he would take it from Carruth. Numerous Health Problems More Likely Because of COVID-19 Vaccines Than Coincidence: VAERS Data Analysis Various health problems reported by people after receiving one of the COVID-19 vaccine shots are more likely to have been caused by the vaccines than to be coincidental, according to an analysis of data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). VAERS has been flooded with more than 1 million reports of various health problems and more than 21,000 death reports since the introduction of the vaccines in late 2020. Some experts and public officials have downplayed the significance of the reports, noting that just because a health problem occurs after getting the vaccine doesnt mean the problem was caused by it. However, a deeper analysis of the data indicates that many of the adverse effects are more than just a coincidence, according to Jessica Rose, a computational biologist whos been studying the data for at least nine months. The safety signals being thrown off in VAERS now are off the charts across the board, Rose told The Epoch Times. There are multiple ways to parse the data in order to flesh out whether the causal link between an adverse event and the vaccination is real or illusory. For example, multiple COVID-19 vaccines come in two doses. A random adverse event unrelated to the vaccine should be dose-agnostic. A stroke randomly coinciding with a vaccination shouldnt be picky about which dose it was. In the VAERS data, however, a number of the reported problems are dose-dependent. Myocarditis in teenagers is reported several times more often after the second vaccine dose than after the first dose. Following a vaccine booster shot, in contrast, the frequency is significantly lower than after the first dose, Rose found. Other researchers and health authorities have already acknowledged that the shots are associated with an elevated risk of myocarditis, especially in teenage boys, although they usually also say the risk is low. Yet dose-dependency shows up in the VAERS data for other problems as well, including fainting and dizziness, which are more common after the first dose. Rose acknowledged that statistical analysis seldom provides definitive answers. For instance, there could be some unknown factor that leads to more reports of unrelated health events after the first or second vaccine dose. In her view, however, the data leans away from such a conclusion. Previous research shows that the majority of VAERS reports are filed by medical staff, who shouldnt fail to report adverse events based on which dose is being administered. To Rose, it seems more likely that if people suffer health problems after an injection of a novel substance and if the problems substantially change between the first and the second shot, the substance probably had something to do with it. In lieu of being able to explain this happening for any other reason, it satisfies the dose-response point quite well, in my opinion, she said of the myocarditis results. As for why the reports dropped after the vaccine booster shots, Rose said she hasnt found a definitive explanation. It could be that people who didnt feel well after the first two shots would think twice about getting more. As such, those most at risk for an adverse reaction would be less likely to get the booster. She arrived at the results after she evaluated the VAERS data from the perspective of the Bradford Hill criteriaa set of nine questions that are used by epidemiologists to determine whether any given factor is likely the cause of an observed health effect. She said she found evidence to answer all of the questions positively. Rose encountered resistance in the establishment science circles when she first tried to publicize her analyses. Last year, right before her paper on VAERS myocarditis data was printed, the publisher pulled the paper for unclear reasons. Mel Gibson had his interview ended awkwardly after he was asked a question about Will Smith. The actor-director was speaking about his new film, Father Stu, when conversation steered the way of the incident that saw Smith slap Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars ceremony last Sunday (27 March). Fox News anchor Jesse Watters said: You understand it probably better than a lot of people, with your career. I was wondering if, you know, you had been the one that jumped up out of his seat and slapped Chris Rock, if you would have been treated the same way, Mel? A smiling Gibson can be seen laughing and pointing at the camera. Clearly wishing to avoid a media firestorm, his publicists voice can be heard saying: Hello Jesse, thank you thats our time. Watters gives it one more go, asking: Have you ever thought about that? However, Gibsons publicist repeats: Thank you, Jesse. Uh, we that is our time. In what has become one of the most-talked about moments in Oscars history, Smith hit Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke about his wife, actor Jada Pinkett Smith. The incident came after Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smiths shaved head. She has been open in the past about her alopecia diagnosis. Smith went on to win Best Actor for King Richard at the came ceremony, receiving a standing ovation from many celebrities in the crowd. Mel Gibsons publicist swooped in the moment he was asked about Will Smith (Fox News) The actor, following criticism, has since resigned as a member of the Academy, but faces disciplinary action. He also issued an apology to Rock, with the comedian saying during his first stand-up show since the incident on Wednesday (30 March) that he was still processing what happened. In 2006, Gibson was arrested for suspected drink driving in Malibu and made anti-Semitic remarks to a policeman, which he later apologised for, stating that the comments were blurted out in a moment of insanity. According to a police report, Gibson asked the officer if he was Jewish and said: F***ing Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. The actor was blacklisted by Hollywood for a short time, but, in 2017, he was nominated for Best Director for Hacksaw Ridge starring Andrew Garfield. Art travels through time to show how life might have been Like a bulldozer, industrialization plowed into Victorian England in the 19th century. Along with its positive impacts, such as rising incomes for some, new consumer goods for those who could afford them, and automated services for the rich, there were drawbacks. The Industrial Revolution changed the way Victorian society lived and worked as people moved from pastoral settings to overcrowded cities. Charles Dickens and others wrote about the downside. To make a living and feed their families, people who farmed or ran their own shops were forced to work in factories. They were asked to accept great change. This was Victorian Englands version of the new normal. A Sculpture Gallery,1874, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Oil on canvas; 86.5 inches by 67.5 inches. Hood Museum of ArtDartmouth College. (Public Domain) Many in Victorian society yearned for a return to a simpler way of life. A Dutch painter arrived in England around 1870 who imagined an ancient culture that gave just that. With a mastery of carefully researched details and scenes of what life might have been like millennia ago, Lawrence Alma-Tadema (18361912) showed daily life during the Roman Empire that Victorian England could relate to. Roman Life The artist understood that people need to satisfy basic physical needs, but he was also aware that people needed more for a happy life. He painted people in communities who moved about freely, enjoying the pleasures of daily life. He painted scenes of people interacting socially and culturally. He made paintings of people working in the arts, such as painters, sculptors, and poets, as well as people who supported and appreciated them. Instead of a worker maintaining a printing press, his piece A Roman Scribe Writing Dispatches shows the importance of the skill of writing. Writers were important to society, even those who could only transcribe or write what they were told to write. The scribe was the pipeline between thought and speech, between the one who hired the scribe and those who read what the scribe had written. A factory worker in the Victorian era would labor for hours and then return to crowded quarters to sleep, only to begin the same grind the next day. The Discourse, on the other hand, depicts a scene showing how Romans may have used the hours in their day. In a comfortable domestic setting, two men discuss some important topic of the day. They sit forward, giving their full attention to each other, their minds actively involved in working out a problem. They appear healthy, rested, and well-dressed. Their time is their own. An exchange of ideas is happening and this is what makes the scene vibrant and alive. The Discourse (also known as A Chat), 1865, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Oil on panel. Private Collection. (Public Domain) Alma-Tademas painting The Sculptor shows a sculptor chiseling a monument. With his own hands, he is able to create a work of art that is greater than himself. Each day for a sculptor is different, unlike the days wherein a Victorian worker does the same work for hours on end. Each stroke of his tool puts his imprint on the sculpture. Factory workers do not experience the satisfaction of adding a piece to a days worth of many finished products, but the painting shows the sculptor and his assistants working together to make something that they and the public can see when finished. The 19th century changed the position of women in society. Factory owners wanted to hire women for their perceived dexterity and willingness to work for less money. But Alma-Tadema presented scenes of women given respect and honor in society. Boating shows a man ready to assist his lady into a boat for a ride. He brings his boat to the edge, waiting for her to descend. Victorians could see a culture in this painting that honored and protected women rather than profited from them. Boating (also known as The Embarkation), 1868, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Oil on canvas; 32.5 inches by 22.2 inches. The Mesdag Collection, Netherlands, The Hague. (Public Domain) The Flower Market shows a shopkeeper open for business. This contrasts with a flower girl of the Victorian era, like a fictional Eliza Doolittle, pressing people to buy a clump of flowers from her basket. The shopkeeper beams as shop visitors admire his rich assortment of plants. The sun shines in the open area. The environment in this Roman community is clean, sunny, warm, and welcominga big difference from the dreary English city where the flower girl sells her small blooms. Marbellous Artist In his paintings, Alma-Tadema presented Romans in light-filled structures of marble and stone. At an early age, he apprenticed to a former instructor at the Royal Academy of Antwerp (Belgium), Louis Jan de Taeye, who trained him in historical accuracy in painting on hard substances. The artist then worked with a highly regarded Belgian painter, Baron Jan August Hendrik Leys, who encouraged him to master the painting of marble and granite. Interior of Caius Martius House, 1901, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Watercolor with pencil and bodycolor on paper; 14.4 inches by 19.8 inches. Private Collection (Public Domain) The publication Punch called Alma-Tadema a marbellous artist for his mastery of painting marble. The Interior of Caius Martius House gives a wonderful insight into the look of marble and how it was used in a Roman house. The hard surfaces used for dwellings were marked by exactness and a smooth finish. Movie makers in the early 20th century also noticed. Directors and set designers looked to Alma-Tademas paintings for source material in constructing the sets for Ben-Hur (1925), Cleopatra (1934), and most notably of all, Cecil B. DeMilles epic remake of The Ten Commandments (1956). Two modern blockbusters show the influence of his architectural accuracy: Gladiator (2000) and 2005s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (in the set design of Cair Paravel castle). The Roman society of Alma-Tademas paintings did not rely on the fortunes of factories, much less on computers or smartphones. His Romans enjoyed the good life. Their homes were great places to live. Worthington Galleries website states that Alma-Tadema imagined a Rome of splendor, sunlight, and gentle sentiment. Victorians loved how Alma-Tadema brought them a time when people lived free of poverty and want. His paintings were hugely popular and made him a wealthy man. Self-Portrait of Lawrence Alma-Tadema, RA, 1896, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. (Public Domain) With a gentle sweep of his brush, Lawrence Alma-Tadema scraped away the dirt and cleared the smog of the Industrial Revolution to show Victorians, and us, what life could have been like in the old normal of ancient Rome. Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) speaks with his press secretary Dmitry Peskov (2nd R) in a file photo. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images) Putin Spokesman: Peace Talks Should Continue, Ukraine Hostile Towards Russia The Kremlins chief spokesman said over the weekend that Russia-Ukraine peace talks should continue but asserted that Ukraine has been a hostile country against Moscow for years now. Ukraine is a very difficult country for us. It is in its current state a country hostile towards us, Dmitry Peskov, the chief spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told the Belarus state media over the weekend, according to RIA Novosti. It is a country that, de-facto, has completely banned any Russian-language Russian media outlets. It is a country that has turned Russian into a second-class language, Peskov said, while adding that the government allegedly has backed and promoted Ukrainian nationalists. We still expect and hope that, one way or another, manifestations of nationalist ideas will get banned in Ukraine, we hope that the Russian language will restore its position in Ukraine, he continued. Moscow and Kyiv have held several rounds of negotiations in Turkey, by video conference, and elsewhere since the start of the conflict on Feb. 24. Few results, however, have been produced so far. The main thing is that the talks continue, either in Istanbul or somewhere else, said Peskov, adding that these negotiations are not easy. Russia would like to continue talks in nearby Belarus, Peskov said. Ukrainian officials have rejected the idea, however. On April 1, Peskov said that Putin ordered the countrys military to provide more support to Russias western borders to prevent an attack or counterattack. Of course this will be done in a way to make us secure and ensure we reach the required level of parity so that it wouldnt cross anyones mind to attack us, he said, according to state-run media. Moscow has said that Ukraine needs to declare itself a neutral country and never join NATO, while Ukraine has said Russias offensive in the country was unprovoked. Meanwhile, on Sunday, top Ukrainian officials accused Russian forces of carrying out mass executions in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. The mayor of the town alleged that Chechen fighters loyal to Russia may have been responsible, as they were the ones who controlled the suburb for the past several weeks. Ukraines Ministry of Defense posted footage that allegedly showed dead civilians, including some with hands tied behind their backs, their bodies scattered in the streets of the city. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba similarly wrote that war crimes were committed. European Union officials expressed alarm and said the bloc is readying even more economic sanctions against Russia. A man stands behind barriers during lockdown as a measure against COVID-19 in Jing'an district, Shanghai, on March 31, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) Shanghai Residents Want CCP Officials to Bring Them Food Amid Draconian Lockdown Chinas continued insistence on implementing a strict zero-COVID policy to snuff out the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus is drawing widespread anger. In Shanghai, where residents have been under lockdown for days, some locals are displeased that officials havent given them enough food. Tian Bei (a pseudonym), a resident of the Pudong district thats located east of Shanghais Huangpu River, told The Epoch Times he received a bag of rice, a small container of cooking oil, and a pack of powdered milk from his community officials on April 1. He lamented that his package of supplies didnt include vegetables. Based on what he had seen and heard, Tian said that there were no set requirements for what Chinese officials must bring to residents confined to their homes. For example, he said he saw some people get a single carrot as the only vegetable in their grocery supplies. He said he was told by officials to buy vegetables online, but said the price was high and the quality was poor. People hate it, Tian said, referring to how little residents have received from authorities. Some people have been confined to their homes for over a month. Can you preserve vegetables for a month? Even if you have an empty refrigerator, there is only so much food you can store. Tian said the issue creates major challenges for big families, saying that a family of five or six people could finish all their food in just days. He criticized local officials for being disorganized, saying they should have put in place necessary measures ahead of the lockdown. At the same time, on April 2, a video began trending on Chinas Twitter-like Weibo, with a man claiming to be a Shanghai resident saying he and those in his neighborhood all received a huge gift bag of meat and vegetables from local authorities. The man also claimed that he hears the sound of many residents chopping meat through his window. The video has since been shared by many state-run media outlets and party agencies, including the prosecutors office in the eastern Chinese city of Jinan. The Epoch Times is unable to independently verify the claims made in the clip. The video angered many netizens in Shanghai. On Weibo, one person asked when his community might receive such a huge gift bag. Another person wrote: Why do others have meat to eat, but we only have rice and oil. Drinking porridge is not going to be enough to fill the stomach. A health worker (C) wearing personal protective gear gestures to residents on a street during the second stage of a COVID-19 lockdown in the Jingan district of Shanghai on April 1, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) Mass Tests For more than a month, China has encountered a new wave of coronavirus cases because of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the CCP virus. On April 3, Shanghai health officials reported a total of 8,226 new daily cases for April 2. However, the actual number of infections in Shanghai and elsewhere in China could be much higher. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts and Chinese residents have repeatedly asserted that Chinese officials were covering up infection and death figures. Residents in Pudong were supposed to return to normal life on April 1, after a lockdown that began on March 28. Hours before the lockdown ended, local authorities extended lockdown measures for most of Pudong and nearby areas, without a clear end in sight. Tian said his community was sealed off long before the official lockdown began on March 28. He currently suspects the lockdown in his area will end around April 10. If lockdown continues after that, there will be trouble and residents will rebel, he said. He says that he has been tested four times for coronavirus, with nucleic acid tests and antigen kits. Tian thinks that requiring asymptomatic people to take these tests has been a waste of money and medical resources. Whats worse, he suspects that many of the new infections were caused by people coming in close contact when they lined up to take government-mandated nucleic acid tests. On April 3, Shanghai health officials announced a new order, demanding that its 26 million residents self-test using antigen kits before they undergo a new round of citywide compulsory nucleic acid tests that is set to begin on April 4. Mass testing and draconian lockdowns are part of Chinas zero-COVID playbook to stamp out outbreaks. On April 2, Sun Chunlan, one of the Chinese regimes vice premiers, reaffirmed Beijings commitment to such an approach by stressing unswerving adherence to these methods, according to Chinas state-run media. Currently, residents living in western Shanghai are encountering a four-day lockdown that began on April 1. Chinese officials have said they plan to test 16 million residents in this region during the lockdown period. Luo Ya and Ning Haizhong contributed to this report. Robert King at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance in Toronto, on April 2, 2022. (The Epoch Times) TORONTOFilm writer and director Robert King said Shen Yun Performing Arts was an inspiring experience following two years of pandemic lockdowns. I was very glad to see something so beautiful, especially after the last two years of all of us being locked up because of COVID, so I took some energy from it. It was inspiring, he said after seeing Shen Yun at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto on April 2. Its great to be in a room full of people who are all being sort of taken away and inspired by the performances and the colors and everything that was happening on the stage, and to do it as a collective group. Shen Yun, a New York-based performing arts company, presents classical Chinese dance and music to audiences worldwide. The company, which displays the line China Before Communism in its literature, has taken it as its mission to revive the traditional culture of China. Mr. King said the Chinese society was a more beautiful place before communism, one where people could enjoy their cultural traditions without fear of reprisal. I think its [Shen Yun is] inspiring. But its sad that this sort of thing isnt really allowed in China, he said. Each of Shen Yuns many dance pieces carries storylines from Chinas legends and history, portraying virtues and values from the Middle Kingdoms ancient cultural heritage. Mini-dramas vividly depict cherished stories of the past. Their heroes embody the most exalted virtues of Chinese civilization, and convey morals still relevant in our day, says Shen Yuns website. Mr. King cited some of the virtues that he interpreted from the performances. Its always great when something is promoting being kind, and promoting peace and tolerance, those sorts of values, which I think Shen Yun is doing. I think its extremely important to have those kinds of messages in the world today. Also, I know that the cultivation processthe arts play a very important part in humans cultivating themselves into being better, kinder, wiser people, he said. I think its a message of retaining traditional values, and celebrating traditional culture in a way that all people can appreciate, and be inspired by and share. Commenting on the artistic aspects of Shen Yun, Mr. King said he found the performance to be amazing. I thought it was beautiful. The artistry, the costumes, the interplay between the screen and the characters on the stageIve never seen that before, he said. I was really impressed by the precision of the dancers. Beautiful Production, Says Ballerina Valentina Enikeeva and her family at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance in Toronto, on April 2, 2022. (The Epoch Times) Valentina Enikeeva, a ballerina and ballet instructor who now runs her own ballet school, said she was really excited to see Shen Yun. It was something really new for me, and at the same time very graceful and beautiful, Ms. Enikeeva said. If you want to see something really professional, beautiful production I would suggest to come and watch this show. Ms. Enikeeva said very often in the performance there was something new that made her go wow, and noted even her children were captivated for the entire performance. I think this is the peak compliment for the show, because even the little kids can watch and enjoy the show, not just adults, she said. She added that she appreciated learning more about China through the performance. Its very interesting. It Really Captured My Soul Chad Messier and Negin Mastouri at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance in Toronto, on April 2, 2022. (The Epoch Times) Chad Messier, a vice president with Canadian Tire, said he found Shen Yun to be a fabulous performance. I loved the color, loved the gracefulness of the dance, loved the cohesion of the team, he said. I thought it was captivating. It was mesmerizing. Watching the performance, Mr. Messier said he wondered how the world would be a different place if everything was just like you saw [in Shen Yun]. It was happy, and everybody was together, and everybody wants peace and harmony, and enjoy the earth while youre here, he said. Negin Mastouri, a family doctor, said she enjoyed both the cultural and artistic aspects of the performance. I loved the dance. I loved seeing the culture. I loved seeing the colorful dresses, the music was excellent, the [tenors performance] was like a dream. It was wonderful, she said. Dr. Mastouri said she particularly enjoyed the performance of the tenor and the meaning of the lyrics he sang. Shen Yuns vocalists sing Chinese lyrics using the bel canto style. During their performance, translations of the lyrics are projected on the backdrop. It really captured my soul. I was just really thinking about what he was singing, and I was absolutely absorbing word-by-word what he was trying to express, Dr. Mastouri said. You come to this world, youre alive to find your way and be saved, she said, reflecting on the meaning that she saw in the lyrics of Shen Yuns songs. Elaborating more broadly, Dr. Mastouri said she saw good values in the Shen Yun performance, including kindness, forgiveness, generosity, happiness, being helpful. I watched all of that in the show, so it gave me all that positive meaning, she said. It was beautiful. Reporting by NTD. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Victoria Diaconescu and Jeff Dewolf at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance in Toronto, on April 2, 2022. (The Epoch Times) TORONTOVictoria Diaconescu, the chief financial officer of a transportation and warehousing company, said she had tears in her eyes after seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts. Its so emotional, its so colorful, and its so uplifting. We need shows like this, especially now, in our lives. [It] brings happiness and love and compassionit brings it on stage, Ms. Diaconescu said after seeing Shen Yun at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto on the afternoon of April 2. New York-based Shen Yun has a mission to revive the culture of China as it was before the communist regime all but destroyed it. The performing arts company presents classical Chinese dance and music, travelling the globe every year to showcase its exhilarating performances to audiences worldwide. Ms. Diaconescu took note of the passion and dedication that she saw in Shen Yuns performers, saying that it elated the audience as well. I see that in their eyes. They were happy to be there. And it was a joy to see that, she said. The performance was particularly special after two years of the pandemic, Ms. Diaconescu noted. Its something very positive, I just love that. After all this time and everything thats happened in the world, I had a good day, I had a lovely day. I had a day filled with music and love and passion, and it was perfect for me. Ms. Diaconescu said Shen Yuns artistic director is a brilliant man, bringing something that as humans, we need every day. We need joy, we need happiness, we need positivity. And I think thats what he brought to us, and I thank him because he was able to connect to everyone. Shen Yun, Ms. Diaconescu added, is a performance that everyone needs to see in their lifetime. You have to see it. Youre going to find a connection to it, she said. When you see a perfect thing in front of you, it doesnt matter what it is if youre lucky that you get the opportunity to see it. Shen Yuns Orchestra It was really impressive, said Bogdan Jokel after seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto on April 2, 2022. (The Epoch Times) Bogdan Jokel, a former principal oboist with a philharmonic orchestra in Poland, was very impressed by the Chinese instruments in the Shen Yun orchestra. Shen Yuns orchestra is unique in its masterful blend of traditional Chinese instruments and Western instruments within a classical Western symphony orchestra. The orchestra performs original compositions to accompany the dances on the stage. I loved the music, loved the arrangement, and also the musicians, he said. It was really impressive. Mr. Bogdan said he was impressed by multiple aspects of Shen Yun, including the dances, choreography, and presentation of traditional Chinese culture. It makes me amazed, he said. Oh, the Colors! The Kazemi family at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto on April 2, 2022. (Andrew Chen/The Epoch Times) Karla Kazemi, a social media lifestyle influencer, said she and her daughter were really taken in by all the colors in Shen Yun. Oh, the colors! Its so bright and vibrant and beautiful, she said. I really enjoyed bringing my daughter here and we both enjoyed the beautiful colors, the music, the costumes. Ms. Kazemi added that she was in awe of the talent of Shen Yuns dancers who presented a perfect performance. Everything was just fantastic, she said. Bruce Kazemi, who works in the real estate sector, said Shen Yun was breathtaking from the start. The costumes, the colors, the sounds, the artistry are just absolutely wonderful, he said. It was an absolutely fantastic show. Reporting by NTD and Andrew Chen. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Singapore Airlines planes sit on the tarmac at Changi Airport in Singapore, on Dec. 8, 2020. (Edgar Su/Reuters) Singapore Moves Toward Living With COVID-19, Eases Border Restrictions for Fully Vaccinated Travelers Now optional to wear mask outdoors and groups up to 10 allowed Singapore joins other countries in easing its border restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers with the introduction of its Vaccinated Travel Framework. Effective April 1, travellers who have received the full regimen of World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing vaccines at least 14 days before arrival in Singapore and children who are aged 12 years and below would be eligible under the Vaccinated Travel Framework to be exempted from on-arrival tests and quarantine, Singapores Ministry of Health (MOH) announced in a press release on March 31. Such travellers arriving in Singapore by air or sea would, however, still be required to submit to a pre-departure test within two days before they depart for Singapore. But for travellers entering Singapore via land (Malaysia), pre-departure tests are not required. Pre-departure tests are also not required for children aged two and below. The Vaccinated Travel Framework (VTF) supersedes the Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) that were introduced in September 2021. The VTLs marked the first phase of Singapores reopening of its borders and have since expanded to 32 VTLs by air and two VTLs by sea (pdf). The sea VTLs were with the Indonesian islands Batam and Bintan. During the VTL phase, visitors could enter Singapore without having to undergo quarantine via designated VTL flights or ferries. But passenger quotas were imposed, and short-term visitors also had to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass before their trip. Both pre-departure and on-arrival tests were also required for travellers. However, under the new VTF, non-fully vaccinated travellers are generally not allowed to enter Singapore unless they are medically ineligible for vaccines or have exceptional reasons. Entering a New Phase in Fight Against COVID-19 MOHs announcement came after a live broadcast of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the subsequent press conference by Singapores Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) on COVID-19 on March 24. In what Lee described as a major turning point for Singapore, the authorities launched a slew of measures to mark Singapores decisive move towards living with COVID-19. Masks would no longer be mandatory outdoors and group sizes would be doubled from five to ten, although the one-meter safe distancing requirement would remain when masks are off. Up to 75 percent of employees could now return to their workplaces (instead of 50 percent), and the capacity limit of events would be increased to 75 percent as well. These measures would take effect starting March 29. Cross-border travel would be managed under the VTF, and travel would be almost like before COVID-19. This will reconnect Singapore with the world, Lee said. It will give a much-needed boost to businesses, particularly the tourism sector. And help Singapore reclaim its position as a business and aviation hub. A worker walks among pipes and valves at the Dashava natural gas facility on Sept. 18, 2014 in Dashava, Ukraine. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) Slovakia Economy Minister Says Country Willing to Pay for Russian Gas in Rubles Slovakia cannot stop buying natural gas from Russia and is willing to pay in rubles as demanded by Moscow, said the central European countrys top economy official. The statement comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered ruble payments for natural gas purchases by companies registered in unfriendly countries. Slovakia, which imports approximately 87 percent of its natural gas and two-thirds of its oil from Russia, is on a list of 48 countries the Kremlin considers unfriendly. Richard Sulik, Slovakias minister of economy, said his country is willing to comply with the demand. The gas supplies [from Russia] must not be stopped. This is why I say, although this might sound too pragmatic for some, if there is a condition to pay [for Russian gas] in rubles, then lets pay in rubles, Sulik said, as quoted by Slovakian public news agency TASR. It is in the former Soviet republics interest to diversify sources of gas supplies, but it would take several years to achieve that goal, Sulik added. Slovensky Plynarensky Priemysel, Slokavias state-owned energy supplier, paid off its most recent Russian gas bill at the end of March, and the next one is due May 20. Sulik said this gives his country about six weeks, possibly in coordination with other members of the European Union (EU), to resolve the issue around gas payments terms. Im in favor of working within the EU to find a common solution to this problem. We cannot, however, be cut off from gas, he said, reported TASR. Under the rubles-for-gas decree signed by Putin, European buyers of Russian gas must open ruble accounts with a designated Russian bank and make payments in euros or U.S. dollars, which the bank will then convert into rubles and settle the transactions in line with the new rules. If such [ruble] payments are not made, we will consider this to be the buyers failure to perform commitments with all ensuing implications, Putin said, reported Russian state-owned news agency TASS. The ruble plunged to historic lows as Russias conflict with Ukraine prompted the United States and its allies to remove Russia from global payment systems and freeze hundreds of billions of dollars of its reserves. The currency, however, has reportedly recovered following Putins gas payments decree. On March 31, the currency was trading at about 85 to the U.S. dollar, almost at the level right before Putin launched what he called a special military operation in Ukraine. Southwest Airlines Apologizes After Thousands of Flights Canceled or Delayed Southwest Airlines, one of the worlds largest low-cost carriers, issued a public apology after thousands of flights were canceled or delayed early on April 2. The airlines operations were affected by an intermittent technology issue as well as ongoing weather challenges in Florida, Southwest said in a travel advisory. We offer our heartfelt apologies for any inconvenience, and we will continue to work with customers who experience a disruption in their travel plans. According to data from FlightAware, Southwest faced 1,562 flight delays and 520 cancellations on April 2. Systems went down around 4 a.m. but came back shortly at around 6 a.m., a spokesperson from Houston Airports told KPRC 2. Customers who purchased their itinerary through the airlines website or mobile app were allowed to reschedule travel plans online. Others were asked to call customer service to resolve their issues. In order to provide maximum flexibility, Customers holding reservations to/from any Southwest destination from Saturday, April 2, through Sunday, April 3, may rebook in the original class of service or travel standby (within 14 days of their original date of travel between the original city-pairs and in accordance with our accommodation procedures) without paying any additional charge, the airline said in the advisory. Southwest customers shared their struggles online, as some had to endure lengthy customer service calls, exorbitant airfares, and double cancellations. This has been the worst day of traveling I have ever experienced, said a Twitter user. 3 canceled flights. Zero support. Now I am stuck in Chicago for two days and having to pay for a hotel! This is going to cost you a loyal customer because it is costing me a ton! Some U.S. carriers have been facing operational challenges as the airline industry braces for a busy summer season. Air travel is rebounding to pre-pandemic levels and demand is rising as Americans plan for vacations. On April 1, Alaska Airlines was forced to cancel more than 100 flights, a decision that affected 15,000 passengers on the West Coast, according to the Daily Mail. Roughly 9 percent of the flights were canceled that day, with Seattle topping the list with 66 cancellations, followed by 20 in Portland, 10 in Los Angeles, and seven in San Francisco. The airline apologized for failing to serve its customers and tried to place the blame on pilots for operational delays. But the Alaska Airlines pilots union blamed the company, in turn, for shortcomings in properly planning ahead for the rise in demand by attracting and retaining pilots. Three men have now been charged after 100kg of meth was found inside a commercial dough mixer in Sydney, Australia on April 3, 2022. (Australian Defence Force) Sydney Freight Worker Charged Over Meth Import A Sydney freight worker will face court accused of involvement in the attempted importation of 100 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside a dough mixer. Australian Federal Police will allege the 39-year-old from Beecroft used his role at a freight forwarding company to facilitate importing the drugs from Canada. He is the third Sydney man charged after a transnational drug trafficking investigation, which began when 100 kilograms of meth was found inside a commercial dough mixer by Canadian border police. The shipment was seized and the drugs replaced with a harmless substance before being sent to NSW and delivered to a property in Wentworthville. A Punchbowl man, 37, who allegedly organised the importation, has been charged and will face Sydney Central Local Court on April 13. The Beecroft man will face Hornsby Local Court on April 13. AFP officers found a second consignment of 40 plastic bags, which contained about one tonne of a precursor used to manufacture methamphetamine and MDMA. A Liverpool man, 28, has been charged with providing material assistance to a criminal group and will face Campbelltown Local Court on April 20. Samuel Whittemore was well beyond retirement age when he took on multiple retreating British grenadiers at Concordand he lived almost 2 vigorous decades more Old Sam Whittemore was about 80 when he encountered a British army of about 1,700. If a standard retirement age or the right to claim disability had existed in colonial America, Samuel Whittemore would probably not have felt these things were right for him. He was just one of the many minutemen who dropped his plow to take up his musket after the first shots at Lexington and Concord were fired, but he differed from most of his fellow embattled farmers in at least one important respect: he was not young. Nor was he middle-aged. Or even close to the standard retirement age. He was, in fact, the oldest combatant to serve in any American war. And despite sustaining terrible wounds from British soldiers that day, he survived to live for another 18 years. Among the many firsthand accounts that have come down to us from April 19, 1775, Samuel Whittemores story stands out as a testament to resilience, longevity, and sheer toughness. As straggling, exhausted British soldiers were retreating from Concord on their way back to Boston, they entered the town of Menotomy, where an elderly man was working in his fields. Although approximately 80 years of age and crippled, Samuel Whittemore did not hesitate. He exhorted his fellow townsmen to stand up to the British, ending his speech with the words, If I can only be the instrument of killing one of my countrys foes, I shall die in peace. Gathering a musket, sword, and brace of pistols, he then entered the fray as his wife fled to seek refuge elsewhere. He crouched behind a stone wall and began shooting at the passing British with his musket. Taking notice of this apparent fly, a party of grenadiers was sent to swat him. As they closed in, Sam reloaded, aimed his musket, and killed one. He drew his pistols, shooting a second soldier, then a third. When he attacked with his sword, another grenadier shot him in the face, blowing off part of his cheekbone. More regulars charged forward, impaling him with their bayonets multiple times. Deeming this insufficient to do him in, they proceeded to brutally beat him with their musket butts. At that point, the redcoats seem to have considered him reasonably dead and moved on. Hours later, however, when local residents found Whittemores mangled body, he was not only still alive but (according to some accounts) still trying to load his musket. They carried him to a surgeon, who initially hesitated to treat his woundshe was too old, he had simply sustained too many injuries. But at the behest of neighbors, Sam was patched up and carried home. Not only did he defy expectations and pull through, but within a year of recovering he enlisted for active duty in the continental army and served for short periods during the war. The muster rolls of several regiments bear his name, and at one point he held the rank of lieutenant. He witnessed his country emancipate itself from British rule, ratify its own constitution, and elect George Washington to a second term as president before finally expiring at the age of nearly 100. Vintage engraving of the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775. The battles of Lexington and Concord marked the outbreak of open armed conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Thirteen American Colonies. (Public Domain) Over the centuries, Samuel Whittemore, like many admired historical figures, has been subject to some mythologizing. As his fame has grown, his badges of courage have multiplied. His obituary in the Columbian Centinel from February 6, 1793, recounting his story, places the amount of stab wounds he received at 6 or 8. By 1995, when Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Hackett Fischer gives his version of Whittemores story in Paul Reveres Ride, this time around, the old man is carried to the doctor, bleeding from at least fourteen wounds. The 19th-century accounts that Fischer drew on for this fact had inflated Whittemores injuries to double the number originally recorded. Whittemores true age has also been a subject of debate. His obituary, the plaque on a monument to him, and later genealogical accounts written by descendants, all give different ages for him. Modern historians agree with the descendants accounts that have him at 78 during the Concord battle and 96 at death. The Battle of Lexington in 1775. The painting is from 1910. (Public Domain) A Lifetime of Service Although Samuel Whittemore is most famous for actions undertaken in extreme old age, his response at Menotomy was only the culmination of a long life devoted to public duty. He was born sometime around 1696 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Little is known of his early life, but by the 1740s he was serving as a captain of dragoons and fought in King Georges War. His name is listed among soldiers of the Third Massachusetts Regiment during the Siege of Fort Louisburg in 1745, when he was nearly 50 years old. Although his first recorded conflict occurred long after the time when most soldiers hang up their uniforms today, Whittemore was present when the fort fell and went home with an ornamental French sword he had taken from an enemy. Over a decade later, now in his mid-60s, Whittemore returned to fight in the French and Indian War, besieging and taking Fort Louisburg for a second time. Four years after thisnow in his late 60she served in Pontiacs War, a vicious three-year conflict against confederated tribes in the Great Lakes region. It was here that he acquired his pair of pistols, apparently taken from the body of a dead native. After serving in this third war, Sam retired from military life. By this time he had already married twice and raised 10 children, and at 70 years of age he began taking a leading role in local politics. For several years following the Stamp Acts repeal in 1766, he was elected to different committees to advocate on behalf of his fellow citizensfirst for Menotomy, then for Cambridgeregarding Massachusetts grievances against acts of Parliament. His signature survives on a letter written by the Cambridge Committee of Correspondence, showing that he took part in protesting the Tea Act not long before the Boston Tea Party. A monument to Samuel Whittemore in Arlington, Mass. (Public Domain) A Telling Set of Lawsuits Prior to his service on revolutionary committees, there is only one well-documented event in his lifealthough it is one where his personal character shines through. In January 1741, the court records for Middlesex County describe Whittemore being sued by a Colonel John Vassall. The offense? The Colonel had been chosen to be a Selectman for Cambridge, and Whittemore publicly expressed his opinion that Vassall, was no more fit for a Selectman than his horse was. Whittemore was arrested and jailed for a short period of time, but the court concluded his words were not actionable and dismissed the allegations. Whittemore then turned around and counter-sued Vassall for false and malicious imprisonment. The court agreed with Whittemore and awarded him 200 pounds in damages. Although this event is not a strictly heroic one showing Whittemores battle prowess, it demonstrates two things about his character: that he was not willing to tolerate men selected for public service whom he felt were lacking in virtue or ability, and that he would certainly not put up with being slighted or accused of libel by such men. The legal matter with Vassall allows us to glimpse the man behind the legend and sets a precedent for understanding why a crippled 80-year-old would try taking on professional killers much younger than himself: Whether dealing with redcoats or a pompous local official, Samuel Whittemore didnt like bullies. While he is not quite famous enough to earn his own HBO miniseries like John Adams, or, like Alexander Hamilton, a Broadway musical (though we may keep our fingers crossed here), the status of Old Sam Whittemore is greater now than it has ever been at any point in the past. In 2005, a state Senate bill was passed declaring him the official hero of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. His memory is commemorated every February 3, the day after his death. Perhaps the best summary of Samuel Whittemores life is given in his obituary: The manly and moral virtues, in all the varied relations of brother, husband, father, and friend, were invariably exhibited in this gentleman. He was not more remarkable for his longevity and his numerous descendants than for his patriotism. And how numerous were his progeny, exactly? Extraordinarily, his obituary places this number at no less than 185 at the time of his death in 1793, including one great-great-grandchild. The figure far exceeds that of his battle wounds, and it arguably represents his greatest legacy of all. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. In this special episode, we sat down with Keith Krach, former under secretary of state and 2022 Nobel peace prize nominee, to talk about Taiwan. Is the island going to war with China? And if it does, how would the conflict impact life here in America? Krach said, There will always be a need to defend Taiwan. And the reason is, they are a role model of democracy in that region. As a matter of fact, theyre a role model of democracy for the entire world. They also dispel Xis myth that the Chinese culture cannot survive a democracy and it needs an authoritarian government. Krach gives an example of what the United States and allies are doing to counter the China threat. The United States is proposing partnering with Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. So this is unified and rallying those allies, its also leveraging that private sector, and its based on these democratic trust principles. Thats really, really an important thing. And if you think about it, this trusted technology, where the definition of trusted technology is that it meets those trust principles. So in other words, if theres a company that comes from a country that has a national intelligence act, that requires any company, state-owned, or otherwise, or a Chinese citizen, to turn over any data, any information, any proprietary technology upon requestthe Chinese Communist Party or the PRC government or the PLAor suffer the consequences, then that doesnt meet that criteria. So at the end of the day it is all about trust, said Krach. In the second half, we hear from real estate analyst Greg Isaacson. He touches on the effects of Shanghais lockdown on real estate and business, and what the impacts of more capital flowing into China means going forward. Isaacson said, If theres a wider financial and economic crisis in China as a result of the failure of these developers, then you couldnt see sort of a deflationary event in China, where the stock market could crash, property prices could crash. That could lead to less demand from China for overseas goods. And that could have global, macroeconomic implications. Have other topics you want us to cover? Drop us a line: chinainfocus@ntdtv.org And if youd like to buy us a coffee: https://donorbox.org/china-in-focus Subscribe to our newsletter for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit us on Gettr and Twitter. The damaged block of flats after a small plane crash in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England on April 3, 2022.(Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service) UK: Plane Destroyed and Pilot Injured After Crashing Into Block of Flats in Oxfordshire A small plane has been destroyed and the pilot injured after crashing into a block of flats in Oxfordshire, England emergency services have said. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it arrived at the scene of the collision in Upper Heyford, near Bicester, at around 12.18pm on Saturday. The service shared a dramatic photograph of the crumpled aircraft beside the damaged exterior wall of a property, which Thames Valley Police (TVP) said was an empty block of flats near Camp Road. A spokesperson for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said one person was taken to hospital following the crash, which TVP identified as the pilot. The fire service said: At 12.18 today crews from Bicester, Deddington and Banbury supported by our specialist rescue tender crew from Kidlington fire station and water carrier from Wheatley attended to support our colleagues from Thames Valley Police and South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust with a light aircraft crash at Upper Heyford. Crews worked closely with our colleagues from other agencies to bring the incident to a safe conclusion with one person being taken to hospital. TVP urged anyone with footage of the crash or information to contact the force. A spokesperson said: The aircraft crashed into an unoccupied block of flats near Camp Road in Upper Heyford at about midday, The pilot is in hospital but no-one else was injured. Anyone with footage or info, call 101 quoting 857. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it has launched an investigation and inspectors have begun searches at the scene. The branch said: An accident in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, involving a light aircraft has been notified to the AAIB. An investigation has been launched into the accident and a team of inspectors are at the accident site gathering evidence. A destroyed building in Bucha, Ukraine, northwest of Kyiv, on April 2, 2022. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images) Ukraine Accuses Russia of Executing Civilians; Moscow Denies Claim Russia says Kyiv's allegations are 'provocations,' questions authenticity of photos Ukrainian officials on April 3 claimed that Ukrainian civilians were massacred by Russian forces in the city of Bucha, located near Kyiv, as Western powers said they were preparing more sanctions against Moscow. The Bucha massacre proves that Russian hatred towards Ukrainians is beyond anything Europe has seen since WWII, Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter as he posted photos of dead civilians that were allegedly targeted by Russian forces. The Epoch Times couldnt immediately verify the photos. The only way to stop this: help Ukraine kick Russians out as soon as possible. Partners know our needs. Tanks, combat aircraft, heavy air defense systems. Provide them NOW, Kuleba wrote, adding that the Bucha massacre was a deliberate attack on civilians. Hours later, the Russian Ministry of Defense, however, denied Ukraines allegations. All photographs and video materials published by the Kyiv regime, allegedly showing some kind of crimes by Russian military personnel in the town of Bucha are yet another provocation, the ministry said on April 3, according to state-run media. Its particularity concerning that all the bodies of people whose images were published by the Kyiv regime, after at least four days, have not stiffened, do not have characteristic cadaveric spots, and have fresh blood in their wounds, it added. The ministry said that the incident apparently involving bodies was staged by the Kyiv regime for Western media, as was the case with the [fake news from the] Mariupol maternity clinic. The Epoch Times couldnt independently verify Russias claims. Meanwhile, Bucha Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk showed a Reuters team on the ground two corpses who had their arms tied with cloth. Fedoruk suggested that Chechennot ethnically Russianfighters were responsible for the alleged massacre as they controlled Bucha for the past month. Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnyaa mostly Islamic region in Russias Caucasus regionconfirmed that Chechen troops were sent to Ukraine after the Feb. 24 invasion started. A local man walks past a damaged armored personal carrier, as Russias attack on Ukraine continues, in the town of Makariv, in the Kyiv region of Ukraine, on April 1, 2022. (Serhii Mykhalchuk/Reuters) One corpse appeared to have his hands bound with the white cloth, and to have been shot in the mouth, according to Reuters, which didnt upload or provide the photos. The news agency also said that it was not immediately able to verify the mayors allegations. Any war has some rules of engagement for civilians. The Russians have demonstrated that they were consciously killing civilians, Fedoruk said. Ukraines Ministry of Defense posted footage that allegedly showed dead civilians, including some with hands tied behind their backs, their bodies scattered in the streets of the city. Previously, the Kremlin has denied allegations of war crimes in Ukraine, while pointing out that some Ukrainian nationalist factions have committed crimes and tortured Russian prisoners of war during the conflict. Human Rights Watch said last week that allegations of Russians being tortured or abused would be tantamount to war crimes. Last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a conference call that we categorically deny this, when questioned about allegations that Russian forces had targeted civilian infrastructure with certain types of munitions. As allegations of the massacre spread online, top European officials indicated that more economic warfare is needed. Shocked by haunting images of atrocities committed by Russian army in Kyiv liberated region, Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, wrote on Twitter, adding that there is an effort underway in gathering [the] necessary evidence for pursuit in international courts. Further EU sanctions [and] support are on their way, he said. It isnt clear what type of sanctions are being readied. Several U.S. Congress members suggested further sanctions. War crimes. We cannot turn away from this horror, Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) wrote on Twitter. We cannot let those who perpetrated such unspeakable violence against civilians escape justice. Ukrainian officials on April 2 asserted that their forces took over areas around Kyiv, including Bucha, and had complete control of the region for the first time since Feb. 24. About a week before that, Russian Defense Ministry officials said Moscow would pull its forces from Kyiv and Chernihiv to focus on the Donbas area in eastern Ukraine. Russias Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasnt responded to a request for comment. This story has been updated to include a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense. Ukrainians Hold Theater Performances Underground Ukrainian refugees have taken up shelter in a theaters machine room, where they also hold daily performances with live music to help lighten the mood. NTD spoke with director Rostislav Derzhypilskyi to learn more. Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin smile during the welcoming ceremony on the final day of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on April 27, 2019. (Valery Sharifulin/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images) US Needs to Focus on Beijing to Break China-Russia Alliance: Expert Washingtons policies in recent years have pushed China and Russia to rally with other adversaries of the United States across Asia and Europe to form a deepening alliance, according to China expert and author Brandon Weichert. For the first time, really, we are seeing the fusion of Eurasian power under China and Russia, Weichert recently told EpochTVs China Insider program. Because Beijing is as convinced as Moscow is that America means to do to them what we did to Saddam Hussein, and that scares them. And so they are now looking for allies, he said. One of those allies, according to Weichert, is Iran, which has become a quasi colony for both Russia and China. He also described North Korea as a cats paw for Beijing. Russia is also trying to get more influence with Kim Jong Un to also make them into a potential lever to use against us as a distraction, he added. The expert believed that it was China or more probably Russia that equipped North Korea with hypersonic capabilities as North Korea claimed its first successful test of a hypersonic missile in September 2021. Weichert described such actions as an attempt to basically create a shield of autocracy on the outer periphery of Eurasia and the Middle East by giving some medium-sized powers capabilities and guidance in challenging American power. I think these entities are operating together as one and their mission is to roll back American military power projection, he added. He referred to a warning by 20th century English geographer Halford Mackinder, known as the father of geopolitics, to illustrate the harm of such engagements. Back then, Mackinder alerted the then British Empire that as a maritime power on the edge of Eurasia, it had to make sure to prevent any major military rival or group of rivals from aligning on the Eurasian mainland, Weichert said. Mackinder reasoned that by keeping the Eurasians divided against each other, Britain prevent a major threat from arising, he added. Weichert said that this applies to the United States today and stressed that Washington needs to work to break this deepening Eurasian bond. Countermeasures To that end, the analyst noted that America should put constraining the Chinese regime as its first priority rather than confronting Russia. He reasoned that China, as the second-largest economy in the world, has bigger resources to expand its worldwide influence, which it can also use to further its alliance with Russia. China, with its economy, its linkages to the world system is able to basically fund a large export project for pushing autocracy to the rest of the world, he said. Meanwhile, Russia is going to rely increasingly on those economic linkages that are growing with China, he added. Consequently, the expert suggested that President Joe Biden negotiates with Russian President Vladamir Putin to work on a diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine war. Further, the United States should shift away from the frontlines of Europe and let our allies there deal with the Russian threat on their own, because, he said, We have bigger fish to fry. And that is China. To counter the Chinese Communist Party, the United States should move to decouple from China economically, according to Weichert. What we should be doing is going after Western tech companies attempting to do tech transfers to get business in China [and] classify those as bribes under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. We can start building the next industrial revolution here rather than outsourcing it to China, he said. If we can contain China and go after China over the next decade, we might not only be able to preserve Americas dominant role in the world, but we might actually be able to undermine Russia as well, he added. Hannah Ng China Reporter Follow Two person push their bicycle as they cross a street in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 2, 2022. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images) West Promises More Sanctions Against Russia Amid War Crime Allegations Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States is seeking accountability after photos emerged over the weekend that allegedly showed a massacre near Ukraines capital as European Union officials promised more sanctions. We will make sure that the relevant institutions and organizations that are looking at this, including the State Department, have everything they need to assess exactly what took place in Ukraine, whos responsible, and what it amounts to, Blinken told CNN on Sunday. Top Ukrainian officials Sunday said that Russian forces massacred civilians in Bucha, located near Kyiv, while Russias Ministry of Defense denied those charges. Ukraines Ministry of Defense posted a Twitter video allegedly showing the deceased civilians while claiming they were executed with their hands tied behind their backs. The Epoch Times could not verify either Ukraines or Russias claims. European officials, meanwhile, promised that more sanctions would be issued against Russias economy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also renewed his calls to sanction Moscow during an interview with CBS News on Sunday morning. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on Twitter: The images from Bucha are unbearable .. those responsible for these war crimes must be made accountable. We will tighten the sanctions against Russia and will assist Ukraine even more in defending itself. The president of the European Commission, Charles Michel, similarly wrote on Twitter that Ukraines government and NGOs are gathering evidence and further EU sanctions [and] support are on their way. Neither Michel nor Baerbock elaborated on the nature of the sanctions. Russias economy has already been heavily targeted by the EU, United States, and aligned countries since the start of the war on Feb. 24, prompting Russias government to demand that European countries pay for Russian gas with rubles instead of other currencies. But Russian officials, including Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, dismissed the allegations on Sunday afternoon. Its clear to the naked eye that there are a lot of fakes and staged shots, Peskov told Bloomberg News about the images that allegedly showed dead civilians in Bucha. The Russian Ministry of Defense similarly denied Ukraines allegations. All photographs and video materials published by the Kyiv regime, allegedly showing some kind of crimes by Russian military personnel in the town of Bucha are yet another provocation, the Russian Ministry of Defense said via state-run media, claiming the bodies were staged by the Kyiv regime for Western media. Its particularity concerning that all the bodies of people whose images were published by the Kyiv regime, after at least four days, have not stiffened, do not have characteristic cadaveric spots, and have fresh blood in their wounds, the agency continued to say. NORWALK After Tracey Magnets principal was suddenly reassigned last week, some parents are calling for more stability at the school, which will install its fourth principal in the past year in June. Marie Allen temporarily transferred from Brien McMahon High School last week to serve as Traceys principal through the end of the school year. Allen replaced Barbara Brush, who has moved to the districts Central Office after seven months leading Tracey. A district spokesperson has not responded to questions about Brushs move to Central Office and why the transfer was made last week. In a statement to Hearst Connecticut Media, the Board of Education acknowledged that these types of personnel changes are usually made at the end of the school year, but there are times and circumstances when mid-year shifts become necessary. The board said it is not involved in the day-to-day school operations and decisions, since those responsibilities fall to Superintendent Alexandra Estrella and her team. At all times, Dr. Estrella does an excellent job at keeping the board aware and informed as needed, and in notifying families about any changes as soon as possible, the board stated. Lynne Moore will become Traceys permanent principal and fourth person to lead the school in the past year when she transfers from Norwalk High School on June 20. The series of changes has been unsettling for some Tracey parents. My daughter is in second grade. She will have had four principals by the time she enters third grade, Michelle Tiani, the vice president of the Tracey Magnet School PTA, said in an email. A student should have a total of three in their entire cycle in the Norwalk Public Schools system by the time they graduate. Its very unsettling. My other daughter will enter kindergarten next year. We need a consistent, capable and confident individual who can uphold the school's principles and mission, she added. Norwalk Public Schools hired Brush in August. She replaced Theresa Rangel, who left the school last June after six years to join Naugatuck Public Schools as its director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Under her leadership, Tracey was named a National School of Character and a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in 2019. Any principal was going to have big shoes to fill after the fantastic leadership of Theresa Rangel, said Courtney Brooks, who has two children at Tracey. Brooks said the school has suffered recently without a strong person at the helm. She said a lack of communication and vision has left parents and students feeling adrift. Hopefully, the school will bounce back with a new leader, Brooks said. Allen and Moore bring decades of experience to Tracey. Allen came to Norwalk in 2008 after working in the Houston Independent School District in Texas. Allen, who had been an assistant principal at Brien McMahon, previously served as an assistant principal at Ponus Ridge Middle School and principal of Norwalk Pathways Academy at Briggs. Allen will work with Tracey Magnets Curriculum and Instruction Site Director Lindsay Esposito and the entire school staff to ensure a positive finish to the school year for all students, Estrella said in her email to parents last week. Allen will then work with Moore over the summer to prepare for the 2022-23 school year. Moore joined Norwalk Public Schools in 1998 as principal of West Rocks Middle School. In 2018, she was reassigned to Norwalk High School as an assistant principal. Before moving to Connecticut, she was an elementary reading teacher for more than 15 years in Wisconsin and Missouri. She also served in various leadership roles across the Midwest and New York state. With the appointments of Dr. Allen and Dr. Moore, the Board of Education is confident that Tracey Magnet School has experienced and effective leadership in place, the Board of Education said in its statement. emily.morgan@hearstmediact.com NORWALK While an efficiency study determined there were no inefficiencies in the citys public schools Central Office, it recommended restructuring several positions to avoid redundancies. We felt the roles and responsibilities of the individuals were appropriate, said Betty Ressel, project manager for Evergreen Solutions, which conducted the study. Norwalk Board of Education Chairman Colin Hosten asked Ressel about the Central Office structure Thursday during a meeting held for board members and the public to hear more details of the study that was released last week. Hosten said the board often hears criticism that the central administration is too big and asked Ressel how it compares to similar-sized districts in the country that Evergreen Solutions has evaluated. In other school districts of your size, it is normal to see the structure that you have in place. It is not unusual, Ressel said. In any school district, when there is a change of administration, the number of administrators fluctuates up and down, and some of that fluctuation is because of realignments. In Superintendent Alexandra Estrellas second year, the number of administrators is starting to trend down and flatten out, Ressel said. The study recommends eliminating the three roles of chief of staff and communications, communications manager and an executive assistant for a savings of $497,000. Under the deputy superintendent, the district would hire a director of communications and communication specialist at a cost of $347,000. The net savings would be about $150,000. The benefit is to refocus communication efforts. The world is changing. Communication is changing. Its not just issuing a press release, Ressel said. The study noted the priority of Norwalk Public Schools is social media and digital communication. Hosten also asked Ressel if the large turnover of teachers and staff is unique to Norwalk or part of a larger trend across the United States due to the pandemic. Ressel said COVID opened a Pandoras Box and the pandemic was the straw that brought the camels back for many teachers who were already considering leaving the profession pre-pandemic. I did not see any evidence that Norwalk was different, Ressel said. Ressel based her opinion on survey results sent to Evergreen Solutions from the district. She noted several issues, including a principal who she said was identified as not being supportive to staff. However, Ressel said the results showed nothing that was a major red flag. Questions from the public included seeking further explanation of the recommendations for Labor Relations Legal Counsel to take responsibility for Freedom of Information Act requests, what school activities are still using the districts tax ID number for their fundraisers, and whether the recommendation for a staff adjustment of teachers in paraprofessionals in elementary classrooms would lead to a budget increase rather than savings. Anything is possible, Ressel responded to the latter. What that recommendation and all of the findings around it are trying to point out is the need to focus the staff where theyre needed the most. The full report of the efficiency study of the City of Norwalk and the school district is available online. emily.morgan@hearstmediact.com The Trade Union Congress (TUC) under the leadership of the National President, Quadri Olaleye, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign his position if he cannot secure Nigerians from terrorist attacks. TUC President made this call on Friday in Okene, Kogi State, during the burial of the TUC National Secretary, Musa Ozigi who was among those killed at the terrorist attack on the Abuja-Kaduna bound train on Monday. The TUC National President stated that the President was elected primarily on his promises to tackle insecurity. He said however asked the president to either resign or step aside to allow capable hands to handle the situation of country. In his words; We know we cant change what has happened but we are pained because Government failed to rescue the situation. If the Federal Government had listened and been proactive when we started shouting that Nigeria is no longer save, it would have rescued this reoccurrence. Nigeria is no longer safe and we cannot continue with this situation. Our children are kidnapped on their way to school, our wives are abducted on their ways to the market. A breadwinner of a family will leave home to move around and fend for his family, only to be killed in their prime. I remember vividly that majority voted for Buhari in 2015 on his promises to curb insecurity, but look at where we are today. If he can no longer secure us, then he should resign. I call on the Governmemt to take a very drastic step to address these insecurities. But if President Buhari led Federal Government does not have strategy, the ability and stamina to combat insecurity them he should resign. Nigerias political party dominance has often revolved around a two-pod and a tripod. Since the 1960s it has been so. In the First Republic, under a parliamentary system, there were Nnamdi Azikiwes National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC); Obafemi Awolowos Action Group (AG) and Ahmadu Bellos Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) as the leading political groupings. There were a few other viable political entities like Aminu Kanos Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), but none had the puissance of the big three. In the Second Republic (1979), under a presidential system, there were the National Party of Nigeria (NPN); the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), and the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) as the three leading political structures. The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), an ideological rebirth of Aminu Kanos NEPU was also reckonable -- but only for its ideological leanings which appealed to the educated elite. But it did not have the stature and spread of the famous three. In the still-birthed 1993 presidential election, there were the National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as the two contending political blocs. The Babangida regime which midwifed the election principally ensured that only two political parties subsist. But the Third Republic suffered a miscarriage under the impingement of the military. In 1999, it was an all-comers affair initially but eventually natural selection happened. Only two political parties stood out at the centre the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Alliance for Democracy which transmogrified into the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Today, there are only two leading political camps the PDP and the APC. Darwins theory of evolution is manifestly evident in Nigerias political progression. The parties that have the resources, capacity and structure to adapt, merge, and re-merge have been able to survive the tempestuous political milieu. In 2021, INEC deregistered 22 political parties those unable to achieve advantageous mutations. And more will die out after the 2023 elections. The reality is that only the APC and the PDP are viable political vehicles. It is easy to theorise and sermonise about the deficiencies of these parties but the peculiarities of our political cosmos give them the oxygen and nourishment to survive. Both parties have functional advantage over other parties in elections. In the recently concluded area council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the winnings were split between the APC and the PDP three each out of six councils. It is intellectual torment to keep debating the ideological grounding and morality of these parties. Sheer self-purgatory. As I said earlier, these parties subsist because that is what our present political evolutionary curve guarantees. But the outcome of the 2023 elections may cause a seismic jolt in the political terra firma. Atiku Abubakar, PDP presidential hopeful, had said the party would pass into oblivion if it did not win the 2023 presidential election. This is likely for both the APC and the PDP after 2023 whichever group that loses the election. Natural selection will happen, and there could be alliances, mergers and re-alliances. The 2023 presidential election is an open ticket. The incumbency element is absent. So, candidates of the APC and the PDP will be going into the election as underdogs. Time has shown influencing elections is not President Muhammadu Buharis interest. He has told APC leaders again and again that he is not interested in who succeeds him and that he is not prepared to influence elections for any candidate. When asked if he has a preferred candidate for the 2023 presidential election in a Channels Television interview in January, he said: "I'm not interested. It is not my problem. It is not my interest. I cannot say who succeeds me. In fact, in 2019, Buhari warned that no candidate should campaign with his name for the 2023 elections. His words: Well, what I want to promise Nigerians is that I will work very hard on ensuring free and fair elections. All those that are going to succeed the National Assembly and the presidency, they better work very hard because I will make sure I use the law enforcement agents to ensure that elections are free and fair (and that) nobody uses his office or his resources to force himself on his constituency. The pattern and outcome of elections in Edo, Anambra and elsewhere have shown that Buhari is principled about allowing fair-play in elections. So, any candidate banking on incumbency influence or interference may be seeking the holy grail. Essentially, Nigerians will be voting for the candidates these two political parties present. This is the clincher. The popularity of the candidates will determine where the votes swing. The APC and the PDP will be the vehicles for the elections, but the candidates will be the drivers. The APC has the potential of winning as much as the PDP. Nothing is discounted. Any of the parties can win. The 2023 presidential election is a contest for survival. By Fredrick Nwabufo; Nwabufo aka Mr OneNigeria is a writer and journalist. Students in Ogun State have appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun of the state and all security agencies to urgently take measures in combating the menace of cult killings in the state before the cultists spread to all higher institutions in the state. The students made the appeal at a joint congress of the Senate of the Ogun Joint Campus Committee (JCC), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) which was held at Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Omu Ijebu. Earlier, it was reported that some suspected cult members clashed in the state and led to the death of about 15 lives in less than two weeks in Abeokuta and Sagamu. In its action, the Ogun State police command announced on Saturday that it had constituted a special operation squad to tackle cultists headlong, even as Gov Dapo Abiodun ordered the relocation of security operations to Sagamu. Even though the recent cult clashes happened far from campuses and no evidence had emerged to show that victims of the killings are students of any higher learning institution. However, the students expressd their concerns, saying that it could spread to campuses if nothing is done urgently to curtail it. In their appeal to the security agencies, they urged the state police command, the Department of State Security (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security operatives to put a halt to the cult killings right away, while warning that it could escalate to a full-blown crisis that may thwart the tertiary education in the state. According to NANS Chairman, Comrade Kehinde Damilola Simeon, who read the resolution, said; We all know Ogun State is a volatile state that is prone to cult clashes because of the high number of tertiary institutions in the state. But we are urging the government and all the security agencies to immediately weigh in on the recently renewed cult battle. We want the security agencies to immediately swing into action and arrest the situation before it spreads to the campuses of our tertiary institutions. They must prevent this issue from escalating. We also call on those involved in this dastardly act to stop in the interest of peace. We are also using this medium to appeal to the state government to help rehabilitate roads leading to our tertiary institutions and the various health care centres in the state. A former media aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, in his reaction to campaign vehicles branded with photos of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He said Godwin Emefiele is innocent of the 2023 elections campaign flying around. He noted that that there were some other persons behind the move. Earlier, it was reported that photos of vehicles branded for the 2023 presidential ambition of Emefiele emerged yesterday which generated mixed reactions on social media. Similarly, a group had earlier urged the CBN governor to run for the presidency in 2023. However, according to Remo Omokri, the campaign vehicles for Emefiele which flooded the social media were only a red herring by a fifth columnist and were attempts to taint the CBN governor. In his words; It has come to my knowledge that those vehicles purportedly for the campaign of Emefiele are a red herring by a fifth columnist. The man is innocent and his detractors just want to taint him. I will not allow myself to be the instrument of someone elses mischief! He stated. The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, on Saturday stated that a phone call saved him from boarding the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train that was attacked by bandits on Monday. The attack left some of the passengers dead, others injured and the assailants abducting some of the stranded passengers. Speaking when Igbo leaders under the aegis of Ahamefuna Socio-cultural organisation converged in Enugu, Igwe Achebe said he did not board the train because of a phone call inviting him for an emergency. He said, I was among the passengers meant to be on the train last Monday because I had a meeting I was supposed to be attending. I was already at the train station when I got a call over an emergency and I had to leave the station to attend to it. The monarch decried the increasing insecurity situation in the country.The event, tagged The need for Nigerian Presidency from Southeast Nigeria come 2023, featured Southeast leaders and elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and Chief Achike Udenwa, former governors of Enugu and Imo States; former ministers, senators, clerics, traditional rulers, women leaders and youth leaders. They charged Southeast politicians to stand firm in demanding that their political parties zoned 2023 presidential tickets to the region. In a resolution read by the former chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, the leaders said a Nigerian president of Southeast extraction will end agitations for a separate republic.The leaders also said a Nigerian president of Southeast extraction will usher in unity, peace and progress in the country. They asked all the political parties, especially the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, to zone their presidential tickets to the Southeast, in demonstration of equity and fairness, adding that without that, efforts at nation-building would be futile.The resolution reads: A president from the Southeast will usher in unity, peace and progress in Nigeria. A president from the Southeast will guarantee the cessation of agitation by youths for a break-up of the Nigerian state. That our case is sufficiently self-evident and persuasive to jolt the conscience of the Nation to do justice to our people.That citizens of the Southeast, across all parties, must work in unity to achieve the objective of Southeast Presidency in 2023.That political leaders of the Southeast should not, under any circumstances, compromise the determination of the Southeast to get the Presidency of Nigeria in 2023.That the people of the Southeast shall view with sternness, any Southeasterner who works against this resolve.They noted that the Southeast had supported other zones to produce the president of Nigeria and, in fairness, other zones should reciprocate by supporting the region in 2023 to produce the president. (The Nation) No fewer than ten persons have been reportedly killed after some suspected bandits attacked celebrants at a cultural festival in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State. It was also confirmed that 19 other persons sustained injuries. The incident, The Nigerian Voice learnt, occurred as the people of Irigwe ethnic nationality of the state were celebrating their annual festival, Zerreci, which was to usher in the rainy/farming season. The gunmen invaded the ritual ground at Chando Zerreci community and killed their celebrants at the scene. Lawrence Zongo, the National Publicity Secretary of Irigwe Youths Movement, who confirmed the killings to newsmen in Jos on Sunday, said the incident happened around 11 pm on Saturday. According to him; We have a tragedy in our land right now as our people have been attacked and killed again. This time, during our annual ritual festival Zerreci the festival that will usher them into the rainy and farming season. They were attacked by Fulani militants normally referred to by Government authorities as Unknown Gunmen on 2nd, April 2022 at 11 pm at the ritual ground Chando Zerreci in Bassa Local Government of Plateau State. 10 people were killed and 19 people survived with bullet wounds, they are undergoing medical treatment at Enos Hospital Miango, while others have been moved to Jos. He also noted that last month, over 10 people were killed within Rigwe village in Bassa Local Government, where houses and food crops were destroyed. He accused the Fulani as perpetrators of the the attacks while urging the government to rise up to its responsibility of protecting lives and property of the people In his words; Brutal attacks on Rigwe communities are becoming rampant and frequent. This is unacceptable. The government must take more concrete steps to protect lives and property across Rigwe chiefdom and neighboring communities. Nigeria authorities both at federal and state levels failed to protect the lives and properties of the Rigwe people allowing them to be at the mercy of gunmen. The government must as a matter of urgency investigate the attack in Rigwe land and bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure families and other victims are adequately compensated. Meanwhile, Ubah Ogaba, the state Police Public Relations Officer has not confirmed the attack. However, residents disclosed that policemen have arrived in the community and were trying to douse off the situation. Latest Omicron variant arrives in Thailand BANGKOK: Thailand yesterday (Apr 2) reported its first case of Omicron XE, a combination of two previous versions of the Omicron variant, shortly after the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned about the new hybrid. CoronavirusCOVID-19health By Bangkok Post Sunday 3 April 2022, 11:07AM People wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic exercise on an unusually cool morning at Sanam Luang yesterday (Apr 2). Photo: Apichart Jinakul The finding of XE, a mutant hybrid of the BA.1 and BA.2 variants, was reported by the Center for Medical Genomics, Ramathibodi Hospital, reports the Bangkok Post. In a post on its Facebook page, the centre said the XE recombinant was found through genomic sequencing of a swab sample taken from a Thai patient. The XE recombinant is not the Deltacron variant, according to the centre. The WHO warned on Tuesday that XE could be the most transmissible strain of the new coronavirus although its severity is still being investigated. Citing information from the WHO, the centre said another new variant, Deltacron, a hybrid of the Delta and Omicron strains, does not spread quickly or cause severe symptoms following the unverified finding of another case via Massarray Genotyping. Omicron XE was first detected in the United Kingdom on Jan 19 this year and more than 600 sequences were reported and have been confirmed since. Citing reports from the UK Health Services Agency (UKHSA), the centre said Omicron XE is 10% more transmissible than BA.2 and 43% more transmissible than the original Omicron (B.1.1.529). It remains to be seen if Omicron XE will become the dominant strain, the centre said. According to Phylogenetic Assignment of Named Global Outbreak Lineages (Pangolin), there are two recombinants of Delta and BA.1, which are XD and XF, and there are six recombinants of BA.1 and BA.2, which are XE, XG, XH, XJ, XK and XL. Meanwhile, the country registered 26,840 more COVID-19 cases and 97 new fatalities during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Sunday morning. Yesterday, the country logged there were 28,029 new COVID-19 cases with 96 more deaths, according to the ministry. The figures did not include 14,229 positive results from antigen tests which would have raised the total to 42,258. Bangkok continued to report the most daily cases with 3,373, up 23 from the 3,350 announced on Friday, followed by 1,507 in Chon Buri, 1,128 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, 936 in Samut Sakhon, 930 in Samut Prakan, 762 in Songkhla, 735 in Chachoengsao, 688 in Nakhon Pathom, 665 in Ayutthaya, and 652 in Khon Kaen. On Campus: My journey to the West When it comes to the word leadership, most individuals are probably more familiar with it within the context of the workplace; however, you must be a leader in your own life first before inspiring others. Our parents and teachers were leaders, providing guidance, support and motivation. As we grow up and enter society, we have to take on our own responsibilities in self-leadership to accomplish our objectives in life. Sunday 3 April 2022, 11:00AM Lee Yan Yee. Journey to the West is a well-known Chinese literary work and classified as one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Perhaps you are familiar with the storys intriguing plot, which involves a journey from China to the West in order to obtain sacred Buddhist scriptures. It features five interesting characters: a monk named Tang San Zang and his four disciples: a monkey named Sun Wu Kong, a pig named Zhu Ba Jie, an ogre named Sha Wu Jing, and a steed, one of the Dragon Kings sons, ridden by Tang San Zang. As a child I never considered the deep hidden meaning of this story, but as I grew older I realised that it actually reflects our inner world. The monk refers to our human nature, which is our fundamental character and traits. For instance, we understand that the only way to improve is to put forth effort in self-improvement, so we never stop learning. As you gain strength, you will be able to make more informed decisions. The monk also refers to the emptiness, the true nature of everything, such as being aware of changes. Change is the only constant in life; and once you understand the inner meaning, you will always be prepared you wont experience various extreme emotions when confronted with change, such as agitation, frustration, disappointment and so on. The faithful steed that never leaves the monk refers to our human bodies because our thoughts and deeds are interrelated. The monkey represents our actual intention, which is our goal to accomplish something worthwhile, while the gold hoop worn by the monkey represents the obstacles that hinder us in real life, such as morality, practices and customs. The monkeys special abilities represent our awareness through sight, smell, hearing, taste, body, consciousness and uncertainty in the future. The transformation of the monkey into other objects or subjects can be referred to as human characteristics changing with time, environment, and experiences. You will be able to lead yourself down different paths if you keep an open mind and make allowance for changes in order to improve. The pig symbolises our instinct, the human desire to gain something. When you have desire, you are driven to achieve it and are willing to go to any length to achieve it. However, the pigs appearance is ugly because when people have extreme desire, they can appear to be ugly in appearance and in behaviour. This serves as a reminder to us to maintain control over our desires when undertaking any accomplishment in our lives. The ogre could be a metaphor for purity of heart, peace and logic. As you can see from the story, the monk always consults with him and they have in-depth discussions. Meanwhile, the evil spirits, demons, and monsters in the story reflect the allurement of life; they appear fascinating and appealing, but we should not give in to their temptations. Though you may not be a leader right now, you can start your journey by cultivating self-leadership in your daily life. Just like the story in Journey to the West, once you fully realise yourself, you will be ready to empower others. By Lee Yan Yee NOTE: The view and opinion expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of PSU Phuket and its employees or official policies of PSU Phuket. This article was featured in The Phuket Collegiate Magazine, the university magazine published by Milla Budiarto at PSU Phuket. For more information, visit: https://www.phuket.psu.ac.th/en/magazine or to share ideas with Milla email: magazine@phuket.psu.ac.th. Phuket Opinion: The road to greater autonomy PHUKET: Phuket being formally designated a Special Administrative Area finally hit the official agenda this week, marking that Bangkok officials after decades are now at least recognising the issue, if nothing more. opinionpoliticseconomicstourism By The Phuket News Sunday 3 April 2022, 09:45AM Prof Kowit Phuangngam, Chairperson of a House of Representatives Extraordinary Committee established to consider the problems and obstacles in the provision of public services and public activities, was in Phuket on a two-day visit this week, during which he sought feedback on the idea of Phukte being designated a Special Administrative Area. Photo: PR Phuket Phuket needs to have more autonomy to serve the needs of the island, as former Democrat Korn Chatikavanij, now of the Kla Party (Brave Party), pointed out last year. The inability of Phuket to residents to elect their own Governor, as is done in the Special Administrative Area of Pattaya, has hampered the islands ability to direct efforts where they have been needed most. No other province in the country has been as deeply affected as Phuket by the COVID-19 impact on tourism, yet Phuket has not been permitted any special status to help support the islands tourism-dependent industries devastated by the economic impact of the pandemic. In terms of direct authoritarian control, it is difficult to see what Bangkok has to lose by declaring Phuket a Special Administration Area. Any elected Phuket Governor would have no more authority than the Governor of Pattaya. As evidenced all throughout the COVID pandemic, because of the continually extended state of emergency, Pattaya business operators and residents themselves have had to repeatedly appeal, often with sharp language, for Bangkok to provide assistance for their battered industries. What Bangkok would lose is the extent of control it would have over provincial budgets, and not much speaks more loudly to national politicians than money. The current system was instituted under the Thaksin administration, making sure all major budgetary decisions were left to those in the capital. The reason given publicly by the Thaksin government for tightening control over the budgetary decisions was so that it could be better allocated to priority projects. Yet in all the years since then regardless of who has been in power very little has come Phukets way, other than ludicrous mega-billion-baht projects that have taken decades to get rolling. The reinvestment in Phukets tourism infrastructure development has been lacking. As Bill Barnett pointed out in reporting the sentiment at the Thailand Tourism Forum held last month, You cant just take from tourism and say we want more tourists, we want to have more, more, more without re-investing. Yet that is exactly what has happened. Before Bangkok commandeered greater budgetary control, the primary vehicle for implementing policy in Phuket was the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO, or OrBorJor). At that time, the PPAO was under the leadership of Phummisak Hongsyok representing the local chapter of the Young Turks party. But since then, the PPAO withered. It became so overcome with problems that even control over the contracts issued for providing lifeguard services at our tourist beaches was taken from them. Only in the past year have Phuket residents finally been able to witness again what an effective OrBorJor can achieve. Since former Phuket MP Rewat Areerob took office as PPAO President in February last year the PPAO has incredibly active, rolling out project after project to help Phuket residents with food relief, job training initiatives, ensuring care for disabled and the elderly throughout the pandemic and even securing the purchase of Moderna vaccine doses (through the Thai Red Cross, not the national government). The list goes on. A more empowered PPAO is what Phuket stands to gain from being designated a Special Administration Area. The current role of the Governor, as a Bangkok-appointed official of the Ministry of Interior, is to ensure central government policy is implemented across the island. Officially, thats the job. The rest is just extra, including appeasing mobs and keeping up appearances. With an elected governor, at the very least Phuket would have someone at the top who would not have remain silent when Bangkok is making the decisions for him. Phuket does not need another Bangkok lackey, we have plenty of those already. Ukraine claims Kyiv region as Russian pullback reveals horror KYIV: Ukraine said yesterday (Apr 2) it has regained control of the Kyiv region, with Russian troops retreating from around the capital and Chernigiv city, as evidence emerged of possible civilian killings in areas the invading forces have been occupying. RussianUkrainedeathviolencepoliticsmilitary By AFP Sunday 3 April 2022, 11:38AM A playground with bullet holes is seen in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv yesterday (Apr 2), where towns mayor said 280 people had been buried in a mass grave and that the town is littered with corpses. Photo: Ronaldo Schemidt AFP reporters saw at least 20 bodies on a single street in the town of Bucha near the capital city, including one with his hands tied, and the body of a missing photographer was discovered in a nearby village. All these people were shot, Buchas mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told AFP, adding that 280 other bodies had been buried in mass graves in the town. Meanwhile, in an attempt to raise economic pressure on Russia, the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania announced yesterday that they had stopped all imports of Russian natural gas. As it withdraws from some northern areas, Russia appears to be focusing on eastern and southern Ukraine, where it already holds vast swathes of territory. What is the aim of the Russian forces? They want to seize both Donbass and the south of Ukraine, Zelensky said in a video address late yesterday. What is our goal? To defend our freedom, our land and our people. But Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak warned on social media that without heavy weapons we wont be able to drive (Russia) out. Ukraine authorities nevertheless offered citizens elements of good news yesterday in claiming progress against the Russians more than five weeks after Moscows invasion triggered Europes worst conflict in decades. Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region were liberated from the invader, deputy defence minister Ganna Maliar said on Facebook, referring to towns that have been heavily damaged or destroyed by fighting. Putin ordered tanks into Russias pro-Western neighbour on Feb 24, and Ukraine estimates 20,000 people have been killed in the war so far. More than 10 million have had to flee their homes. Pope Francis spoke of icy winds of war again sweeping over Europe as he brought up the conflict yesterday at the outset of his trip to Malta - and made what appeared to be a barely veiled reference to Putin. Once again, some potentate, sadly caught up in anachronistic claims of nationalist interests, is provoking and fomenting conflicts, the pope said, adding he was still considering a visit to Ukraines capital. Journalist killed with two shots Ukrainian authorities said yesterday the body of a well-known photographer, Maks Levin, had been found near a village in the region around Kyiv that had been caught up in the fighting. Levin became the sixth journalist killed in the war, according to Reporters Without Borders. Prosecutors said Levin, who was unarmed, was killed by servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces with two shots from small fire arms. Levin, a 40-year-old father of four, had been reported missing on Mar 13; the body was found on Friday (Apr 1). In Bucha, 16 of the 20 corpses found on one street were lying either on the pavement or by the verge. Three were sprawled in the middle of the road, and another lay on his side in the courtyard of a destroyed house. An open Ukrainian passport lay on the ground next to the person who had his hands tied behind his back with a piece of white cloth. Two other people had white cloth tied around their upper arms. All were wearing civilian clothes - winter coats, jackets or tracksuit tops, jeans or jogging bottoms, and trainers or boots. These are the consequences of Russian occupation, said Fedoruk, Buchas mayor. Ukrainian troops, meanwhile, were seen patrolling in armoured vehicles and on foot through the ravaged town, where some women wept as they stood outside their homes. The International Criminal Court has already opened a probe into possible war crimes committed in Ukraine, and several Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have accused Putin of being a war criminal. And in Russia, hundreds of people gathered across the country yesterday to protest the war in Ukraine. Police detained 211 people in several cities, including more than 20 people in a Moscow park under heavy snowfall, according to OVD-Info, a group that monitors arrests. Verbal agreements Russias efforts to consolidate its hold on southern and eastern areas of Ukraine have been hampered by the resistance of Mariupol despite devastating attacks lasting weeks. At least 5,000 residents have been killed in the besieged southern port city, according to local officials, while the estimated 160,000 who remain face shortages of food, water and electricity. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its team left for Mariupol yesterday to make another attempt at conducting an evacuation, after being forced to come back the day before. In another southern city, Enerhodar, which is under Russian control, a Ukrainian official said Russian forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrators, injuring four with severe burns. In his video address, Zelensky thanked the residents of Enerhodar, the site of Europes largest nuclear power plant that had been seized by Russian troops in early March, for their bravery. When people protest, and the more they protest, the harder it is for the occupiers to destroy us, to destroy our freedom, Zelensky said. In a potential sign of progress, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia told local television channels that Russia had verbally accepted most of Kyivs proposals in peace talks - except on the issue of Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Among the agreed-upon points was that a referendum on Ukraines neutral status will be the only way out of this situation, Arakhamia said. EDWARDSVILLE A 16-year-old Granite City youth was indicted Thursday on multiple weapons charges. Kevin E. Carmona, 16, of Granite City, was indicted March 31 for aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony; aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony; and aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony. Carmona was originally charged as an adult on March 7. At the time a second person, Abbigale A. Dooley, 21, of Granite City, was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony, and aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony. The case was originally presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on March 4 Carmona allegedly shot a person in the upper chest with a 9 mm handgun after firing at a vehicle occupied by the victim and a second victim. He allegedly was carrying a Smith & Wesson 9 mm M&P handgun without a Firearm Owners Identification Card or concealed carry permit. Dooley was charged for being legally accountable for Carmona, and discharging a firearm in the direction of the vehicle. Other indictments issued March 31 include: Louis A. Reed, 39, of Wood River, was indicted for armed violence and unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, both Class X felonies; unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 2 felony and improper lane usage, a Class P misdemeanor. The case was originally presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on March 10 Reed allegedly had 15-100 grams of methamphetamine and a Sig Sauer P238 .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun, and was operating a 2010 Dodge on Illinois 3 when he failed to maintain control of the vehicle in a single lane. The armed violence charge stems from the possession of the handgun while in possession of the drugs. Aubrey J. Ramsey, 38, of Shiloh, Illinois, was indicted for home invasion, a Class X felony. According to court records on Sept. 1 she allegedly entered a home in Wood River, carrying a knife, and made threats against the occupant. Jason W. Pellazari, 20, of South Roxana, was indicted for armed robbery, a Class X felony. A second suspect was also charged March 17. The case was originally presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on March 15 Pellazari and the other unnamed suspect allegedly used a Bryco Arms .25 caliber handgun to steal a metal chain from a 17-year-old youth. Carlos E. Watson, 23, of East St. Louis, was indicted for aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony, and aggravated assault and aggravated unlawful use of weapons, both Class 4 felonies. The case was originally presented by the Wood River Police Department. On March 20 Watson allegedly shot at a person and was carrying a loaded firearm without a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card. Scranton, PA (18503) Today Periods of rain. High 56F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 48F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. Ms M.D. writes: I hope you can assist my son Jack. In 2017, when he was 17, he had his Barclays account unexpectedly closed. When we pressed, Barclays explained that someone had deposited money in his account from an account which was 'flagged'. Since then, Jack has been blacklisted by every financial institution in the country. He cannot have a bank account. Fraud prevention body the Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (Cifas) confirmed there is some - thing recorded against his name, but will not remove it as it feels Barclays acted with a valid reason. Checks: Jack appeared on the Cifas database which tracks fraud Tony Hetherington replies: Intentionally or unintentionally, your son was a young, naive money launderer. He is now paying the price for letting other people pass thousands of pounds through his bank account so their dodgy dealings would be traced back to Jack and not to them. Your letter says that 'someone' deposited money in his account, which makes it sound as if the cash was never withdrawn and came as a complete surprise to him. But when I asked for details, you explained that Jack had been operating a small business with a friend, buying clothing that they reckoned they could sell online at a profit. Jack decided to try this on his own, and found himself doing business with someone who asked for his bank details. Jack gave his full online bank account details, and even his address and phone number everything that was needed to allow deposits and withdrawals to be made. Within 24 hours, thousands of pounds had been paid into his account and then broken down into different sums that were transferred out to people whose names meant nothing to Jack. This was classic money laundering. Every time stolen money or drug money is passed from one account to another, with the amounts changed each time, it becomes more and more difficult for the police to prove that the money at the end of the trail is the same as the money at the beginning. Jack did not even get a decent payoff from the crooks. Professional money launderers take a percentage cut. Small-time amateurs might settle for a reasonable lump sum. But out of thousands of pounds, all Jack was left with was 6, which does suggest that he did not know what he was doing. Cifas holds a database of suspects, and Jack is on it. The entry made by Barclays says he had a personal current account not a business account which was fraudulently misused. But the database is not a blacklist. If a bank or building society decided to let Jack open an account, then it could. I know that Jack has applied to NatWest, Nationwide and HSBC, and all have turned him down. No company is forced to do business with someone it decides to reject, and in your son's case they probably decided he might be more trouble than he is worth. Imagine the reaction from financial watchdogs if a bank let your son through the door and his account was again used to launder money. The victims might well sue the bank for giving Jack an account, knowing what he had done in the past. Your son may be able to relax a bit in a year or so, though. Cifas records are mainly held for no more than six years, so Jack's 2017 misconduct will drop off the system in 2023, which should make it easier for him to rebuild his banking arrangements. Why did my car cover suddenly leap from 233 as I looked online? A.J. writes: I was searching online for car insurance, and Hastings Direct quoted 233 for comprehensive cover, though the policy mandated that a black box had to be fitted. I was unsure what this entailed, so I called them to enquire about installation costs. While the staff member was looking into this, out of curiosity I looked online at what difference it would make if I lowered my excess from 250 to 150, but it appeared to make no difference. I decided to proceed with the policy and was told to proceed online, only to find the 233 quotation had risen dramatically. Finger of blame: Hastings said there was a technical fault Tony Hetherington replies: You had been told that the original quotation was valid until mid night that day, but when you asked Hastings Direct why the premium had risen, you were told that because you had considered lowering the excess, the original quotation had automatically been cancelled, even though a change to the excess would make no difference to the premium. I asked Hastings Direct to explain, and staff blame a 'technical issue' that meant customers who applied for the company's YouDrive product were incorrectly shown a much higher price if they experimented with possible changes, such as a lower excess. The system should have taken you back to the original figure of 233. This does not, of course, explain why staff did not correct this when you complained, before you contacted me. You have told me you have now taken out cover elsewhere. If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. Cruise operator Carnival faces a backlash from shareholders over its chief executive's bumper pay deal despite the company receiving Government support and laying off staff. Investors in the world's largest cruise company which owns lines including Princess Cruises, Seabourn and P&O Cruises are preparing to vote against its pay policy at its annual meeting on Friday. It is likely to be among the first in a wave of shareholder rebellions as Britain emerges from the pandemic. Carnival's chief executive Arnold Donald was given a package that could pay out as much as $15million (11.4million) including a $6million bonus, according to the annual report. Troubled waters: Carnival's chief executive Arnold Donald was given a package that could pay out as much as $15million (11.4million) including a $6million bonus One fund manager said she was uncomfortable with the pay arrangements after the company took 25million in Government-backed Covid loans in June 2020 and furloughed staff. Other bosses facing scrutiny over pay last night include: Alison Brittain, chief executive at Premier Inn owner Whitbread, who is set to be handed a bonus of more than 700,000 deferred from last year. The company received 370million from the taxpayer during the pandemic; Barclays' outgoing finance chief Tushar Morzaria who is facing calls for his bonus to be clawed back after an 'error' that cost the bank 450million; Sebastien de Montessus, boss at Endeavour Mining, who was awarded $10million in financial assistance as the company moved to its new London HQ. Carnival was badly affected after cruises ground to a halt in 2020. It also came under the spotlight when 3,500 passengers were stuck on its Grand Princess liner due to Covid. The company plunged into a $10.2billion loss in the year 2020. That shrank to $9.5billion last year. One of Carnival's biggest shareholders told The Mail on Sunday that she would vote against the pay plan. She added: 'I wouldn't be surprised if they got a high vote against them. They have laid off employees, they've taken money from Government and they've not paid dividends.' Institutional Shareholder Services, one of the biggest advisers to large pension funds, said it had 'material concerns' with Donald's pay package. Carnival said: 'Our required filingsdo not represent what our CEO actually received in any given year since we operate in a pay for performance model where most of his CEO pay is at risk.' However, a company filing last month suggests he earned at least $11million. Whitbread's Alison Brittain has come under fire for her deferred 729,000 bonus, which was delayed last year amid uproar from shareholders, politicians and activists. She defied calls to scrap the bonus entirely, despite huge losses and taxpayer support. Her company has claimed around 370million from taxpayers in furlough cash and business rates relief none of which has been paid back. She is in line to receive the bonus in the coming weeks on top of her 895,000 salary. She may also receive a separate bonus based on the most recent year's performance. Whitbread said the bonus is 'subject to board approval' this month and it is 'too early to comment'. Luke Hildyard, of the High Pay Centre, said: 'It's truly staggering that the Whitbread board sees nothing wrong with taking hundreds of millions of pounds of public money with one hand and then doling out a multi-million pound pay package to an already extraordinarily wealthy CEO with the other.' It comes as the FTSE 100 group kicked off a search for Brittain's replacement. It has held talks with candidates who could replace her as soon as next year. Elsewhere, Tushar Morzaria at Barclays is facing calls for his bonus to be stripped. The bank revealed last week it had exceeded its limit on selling certain investment banking products in the US. The blunder cost it 450million and forced the lender to defer a 1billion share buyback. A longstanding shareholder told the MoS that Morzaria should have his bonus clawed back. Barclays declined to comment. FTSE100 gold miner Endeavour Mining almost doubled the pay packet of its boss last year to keep him in post. President and chief executive Sebastien de Montessus whose takings for 2021 hit 17.3million was granted a $10million 'one-off award' when the firm relocated from Toronto to London. It said this was to prevent him being 'financially disadvantaged' by the relocation. Additional reporting by Calum Muirhead Marks & Spencer is expected to confirm next month that its joint food delivery venture with Ocado is meeting performance targets, triggering a payment of almost 200million to Ocado. The agreement was struck three years ago and launched in September 2020, despite the pandemic. The next financial hurdle must be met by November 2023. But bosses at both M&S and Ocado, the joint owners, already believe that the goals will be met. In the pink: The Ocado Retail joint venture has benefited from lockdowns It means M&S will be obliged to pay an estimated 190million to Ocado under the terms of the joint-venture agreement. The payment will not need to be made until the performance deadline has passed at the end of next year. At around that time, M&S will take control of the board of the joint venture. There has been speculation M&S may also try to raise its existing stake in Ocado Retail above 50 per cent. One source suggested such a move would be a signal that M&S is ready to accelerate its turnaround strategy under newly appointed co-chief executive Stuart Machin. However, company sources have dismissed the idea that increasing the stake is a consideration. M&S declined to comment. The joint venture has helped to lift the prospects of the high street stalwart. The service benefited as locked-down shoppers turned to delivery firms. The operation raked in 28million profit for the group in the six months to October 2 as shoppers continued to buy online. Last year, three new distribution centres opened in Bristol, Andover, in Hampshire, and Purfleet in Essex. That will add a capacity of around 170,000 orders a week to the Ocado Retail business when the centres are fully operational. It brings the total capacity for Ocado Retail to more than 600,000 orders a week. Last month, M&S said Machin, who is food managing director and chief operating officer, and joint-chief operating officer Katie Bickerstaffe would become co-chief executives. They will replace current chief Steve Rowe in July. City grandee Allan Leighton has weighed into a row over the 'toxic' culture at Scottish beer company BrewDog. The brewer, which is considering a 1billion stock market flotation, is trying to mend fences with employees after it was accused last year of creating a 'rotten culture of fear'. But in the latest twist, Leighton, the chairman, has launched an extraordinary tirade against a Berlin-based human resources consultancy Hand & Heart that had offered to help mediate with disgruntled staff. Fury: Chairman Allan Leighton accused the agency of fuelling the fire In a letter seen by The Mail on Sunday, he accused the consultancy of making the problem worse and criticised a request by the firm for payment. Leighton said BrewDog would not be engaging the company to run a proposed 'reconciliation' programme and accused it of 'amplifying' criticism on social media. The latest stand-off threatens to derail attempts to repair relations with staff. The original complaints against the company emerged in a letter last summer from 60 former employees calling themselves Punks with Purpose. Earlier this year, co-founder James Watt threatened to take legal action against the BBC over a documentary which he said included personal attacks on his character. The company commissioned an independent review into its management culture. It committed itself to leadership training, gave staff a pay rise and introduced a whistleblowing hotline. Earlier this year, Watt told The Mail on Sunday the accusations against him had triggered a 'period of reflection on my leadership'. Leighton, who is also chairman of the Co-op and an ex-boss of Asda, said in a memo to staff that BrewDog's people director, Karen Bates, had spent a 'considerable amount of time' speaking to Hand & Heart's managing director Kate Bailey. He said the board took its proposal to help 'very seriously'. Even though it had not been formally hired, the consultancy launched an 'affected worker registration platform' online in conjunction with the Punks with Purpose group, where staff were invited to air complaints. But in a letter sent to Bailey last week, Leighton lambasted Hand & Heart, accusing it of fanning the flames. 'The unavoidable impression is that of H&H charging the company to extinguish a fire it is fuelling itself,' he wrote. He added: 'We believe it is impossible for you to be a neutral mediator in a sensitive private setting.' Leighton said: The BrewDog Affected Workers Registration Platform states that H&H is receiving zero-point-zero-cents for its work. It adds that the platform has zero connection to our for-profit activities as a company. We find it hard to reconcile these statements with your proposal made to our people director that H&H be paid a ballpark fee of 100k. 'Indeed, this appears entirely contradictory. We are concerned that you have encouraged people onto the platform under the false impression that you have zero financial interest in the administration of the reconciliation program. A source said 'Bailey has presented herself as a woke warrior but seeking financial gain from this feels hypocritical'. Stand-off: Kate Bailey of H&H described Leighton's letter as 'offensive' Bailey replied in a letter to Leighton that Hand & Heart acted 'in good faith' and added that his missive was 'filled with unfounded accusationsand frankly, is unbecoming of a leader of your stature and position in the business community'. She also described Leighton's letter as 'offensive, uninformed and inconsistent'. 'I do not work to 'save BrewDog', I work for the justice of those your workplace has impacted,' she said. 'I have a duty to respond when public accusations arise, especially the ones relating to the chief executive of late. If you're looking for fuel and fire start there.' Bailey said she would continue to gather submissions and support those affected. Last month, The Guardian newspaper reported that Watt had hired private investigators to obtain information about people who he believed were taking part in a smear campaign against him. BrewDog has enjoyed a rapid rise as the popularity of craft beer has exploded in Britain. A flotation has also long been promised for the 200,000 'equity punks' brought on board through crowdfunding rounds since the brand's launch in 2007. Watt and his co-founder Martin Dickie led a series of eye-catching stunts which helped burnish its image as an upstart rival to mainstream beer brands. These included dropping stuffed 'taxidermy cat bombs' on the City in a protest against corporate fat cat greed, and Watt and Dickie dressing up as red light district sex workers for a crowdfunding advert. Nikolay Storonsky, the founder of cash-transfer app Revolut, approached a senior Bank of England official in a rare move last week amid his company's drive to become a bank. Storonsky, 37, is understood to have attended an event led by Sam Woods, deputy governor of the Bank, and City Minister John Glen, who dialled in virtually. Revolut has yet to receive a UK banking licence partly owing to a backlog of applications at the Bank despite applying for one early last year. Drive: Revolut has yet to receive a UK banking licence partly owing to a backlog of applications at the Bank despite applying for one early last year Storonsky was making noises as far back as 2017 about applying for one, which the Bank would be responsible for granting. Two sources said Storonsky was seen talking to Woods, who is the most after governor Andrew Bailey. They suggested this reflected his ambition to secure a licence. Revolut said: 'He spoke to various attendees.' The app works with large high street banks to hold customer deposits, but a licence would allow Revolut to hold customer cash on its own balance sheet, with protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in case it collapses. Senior leaders of Britain's upstart lenders were also at the meeting to discuss how the Bank could foster their growth. Revolut fetched a valuation of $33 billion (25.2billion) after a fundraising last year, making it the most expensive tech firm in the UK. It has amassed more than 18million customers. P&O Ferries' reputation has been dealt another blow after English Heritage put its ties with the company on hold. The British charity, which issues the famous blue plaques, told The Mail on Sunday that it was 'pausing and reviewing' its association. It has already removed details of the relationship from its website. P&O is the largest operator of ferries from Dover to Calais. But criminal and civil investigations have been launched into the company following its controversial decision to make nearly 800 employees redundant during a pre-recorded Zoom call. On hold: English Heritage has collaborated with P&O since 2018 as part of a rewards scheme for its members The company's chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite admitted to a joint hearing of the Commons' Business and Transport Committees that his firm failed to consult with trade unions before it ditched workers. English Heritage has collaborated with P&O since 2018 as part of a rewards scheme for its members. An English Heritage spokesman said: 'P&O is a Members' Reward Partner meaning English Heritage members could enjoy offers and discounts with the company but given the recent developments, we are pausing and reviewing this partnership.' The charity, which cares for more than 400 historic sites across the country, has also removed any reference to the partnership from its website. A webpage that is now missing described P&O Ferries as the 'perfect choice for a leisurely journey', and also cited the company's accreditation with Visit Britain, the brand name of the tourist board of Great Britain. In a letter sent on Friday to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, the Insolvency Service said it would take 'prompt and appropriate action' where the law had not been upheld. Kwarteng tweeted last week that he and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps would 'continue to follow this matter closely as the investigations progress'. The Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O'Grady said the investigation must not 'shy away from serious sanctions and big financial penalties'. 'P&O must not be allowed to get away with its scandalous and unlawful treatment of staff. Firms who behave like corporate gangsters deserve far more than a slap on the wrist,' she said. P&O Ferries was contacted for comment. You would think that a rising share price could only be good news for a company and its shareholders. But not always. In some cases shares can get so costly that it is difficult for new investors to buy in. If you wanted to buy a single share in investing guru Warren Buffett's company Berkshire Hathaway, for example, you would have to fork out $500,000 (380,000) more than the average cost of a house if you bought one of the original A class shares. Even its cheaper B class shares cost more than $350 each. To counter the problem of rocketing prices, companies sometimes carry out a share split, which means slicing each share into smaller bite-size pieces. Divided: California-based giants Google and Amazon are doing a share split In a five for one share split, for example, every shareholder would receive five shares for every one they already hold. The value of their total holding would not change. So, for example, if an original share was worth 100, each of the five new shares would be worth 20. Amazon is planning a 20-for-1 share split in June. The cost of one share is currently $3,260. At this price, the new shares would cost $163. Google's parent company, Alphabet, is carrying out a similar share split in July. The cost of one share is currently $2,781. At this price, the new shares would cost $139. In the UK, investment trust Temple Bar is planning a five-for-one share split next month. Shares are currently trading at 11.60 so at this rate the new shares would cost around 2.32. What does it mean for existing investors? A share split cannot take place until it has been approved by shareholders. Even then, it can take some weeks or even months to get the go-ahead. Investors who hold shares on an online platform will not notice any difference as the value of their holdings should not change. However, anyone who holds shares directly may wonder what is going on. Jason Hollands, managing director at wealth manager Bestinvest, says: 'Investors who hold paper share certificates will receive new ones in the post and might wonder what is going on if they haven't followed the news.' Annabel Brodie-Smith, communications director at the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), says that there may be a small disruption in the availability of information while the split takes place. 'It can take data providers up to 24 hours or so to process a share split,' she says. 'There is a lot of data to get right and it can take some time.' How do shareholders benefit from the split? New investors may find that a lower price makes buying shares more affordable. But a share split can also be good news for existing shareholders. Many investors like to grow their wealth by reinvesting dividends they receive from their holdings to buy new shares. However, this is out of the question when the share price is particularly high. Joe Bauernfreund is manager of investment trust AVI Global Trust which carried out a share split in January. 2 He says: 'When investors choose to reinvest their dividends, if the unit price is high then a portion may be left not reinvested as it is not enough to buy a whole share.' James Carthew, head of investment companies at financial information group QuotedData, adds that one of the trusts he holds in his own investment portfolio Personal Assets has a high share price (just below 504). It means he does not reinvest his dividends. He adds: 'Investors might reasonably want to tick a box to say 'please reinvest my dividends' but with the share price that high it just doesn't work. I take my dividend as cash and invest it in other shares Personal Assets loses out as a result.' Does a split mean it's a good time to buy? Opinion is divided on whether a company splitting shares is a signal to buy or sell. Some believe that a share split can push up the value of a company because it broadens its appeal to a greater number of investors who were previously priced out. Investment trust Pantheon International split its shares in November last year when they reached 30. Helen Steers, senior manager, says: 'Investors should think of it as a mechanism through which the directors were able to try to broaden the appeal of the trust.' Pantheon shares are now trading at 3.21 after a ten-for-one stock split. However, other investment experts warn that investors should proceed with caution as a decision to split shares tends to come once they have already risen sharply in value. 'The danger is that share prices tend to get bloated after long upward runs, so stock splits can sometimes be a signal of a stock market top,' says Russ Mould, investment director at wealth manager AJ Bell. As always, your decision to buy should be based on your happiness with the company's strategy and financial strength or underlying investments and expertise if it is an investment trust. The unit price of an individual share should not be a signal to buy or sell. A high share price doesn't equal quality As Mould infers, a high share price can be a sign that a company has become successful. However, QuotedData's Carthew believes it should be taken with a pinch of salt. 'Prices, especially in the US, can become a bit ridiculous, especially when a company has been popular for a long time,' he says. 'Some see a high share price as a badge of honour. Berkshire Hathaway has created an overly complex share structure that penalises small investors just to maintain the vanity of having a high share price.' Carthew adds that share prices in the UK tend to be more restrained, usually in the range of about 50p to 20. 'When share prices get too big, companies tend to subdivide their shares, and when they get too small, they often consolidate them,' he says. Other ways to buy expensive shares Buying into a fund or investment trust allows you to own a small holding in companies with high share prices without forking out for a whole share. Your money is pooled with thousands of other investors to buy a portfolio of tens, hundreds or even thousands of holdings. Some share-dealing platforms now allow you to buy fractions of shares. They are more popular in the US, where high share prices are more common. However, a few, such as Freetrade and Trading 212, have entered the UK market. If you buy fractional shares, you should be able to sell them again on the same platform. You will also be entitled to a corresponding share of dividends. Not all providers that allow trading in fractional shares let you hold them in a full range of tax-efficient wrappers. For example, trading 212 does not offer a self-invested personal pension. Kingsport, TN (37660) Today Scattered thunderstorms, some locally strong to perhaps severe. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High near 70F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Thunder possible. Low 56F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. EDEN A town supervisor in rural western New York said someone threw a partial pipe bomb into her home in an apparent effort to persuade her to drop her bid for Erie County Clerk. Eden Supervisor Melissa Hartman said Friday that the device, on which several threats were written, was thrown into her home about 3 a.m. March 28 while her family was sleeping. It did not explode. One of the written messages indicated that, unless I drop out of this race for Erie County clerk, the next pipe bomb would be live, Hartman said at a news conference. Hartman is the Democratic party's endorsed candidate for the county-wide office. If anything, this incident signals to me that I must continue marching forward, reaffirming my commitment to public service, said Hartman, who has been supervisor since 2016. The Erie County Sheriffs office said it is assisting Eden police with the investigation. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Local villager Hasan Osman (2nd L) chats with workers at the drilling site of deepwater wells dug by the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC) in the Siwa Oasis, west of Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2022. In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) SIWA, Egypt, April 2 (Xinhua) -- In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water. "I offered a sheep to the Chinese drilling team on behalf of the whole village as a thank-you gift for drilling water wells for us," Hasan Osman, a 30-year-old villager, told Xinhua, looking at the huge drilling platform of the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC). The village where Osman lives is called Malol, located in the Siwa Oasis about 560 km west of the capital Cairo. Being close to the Egyptian border with Libya, Siwa is the most remote and inaccessible desert oasis in Egypt. "The water we have been drinking is salty and insufficient for drinking, let alone for growing crops," Osman said. With the arrival of the ZPEC drilling team comes the potential access to potable water. Like a long-awaited rain in the desert, the drilling site has become a magnet for villagers who talk about the promising project and make friends with the workers. "We're very happy that the Chinese company is digging a well for us! What a pleasure!" Osman said with an expectant grin. Li Wei, general manager of the ZPEC branch in Egypt, told Xinhua that the village heavily relies on underground water, but the existing wells are mostly shallow with a depth of 300 to 400 meters, offering water of high salinity well below ideal drinking water par. In February, the Egyptian authorities decided to stop drilling shallow wells in Siwa and contracted ZPEC to drill two deepwater wells with a depth of about 1,200 meters to tap quality water sources for the local people. This is not the first time for ZPEC to provide deep drilling services in Egypt. Since 2016, the Chinese company has been providing drilling services in Sinai Peninsula, where its highly efficient work quickly won recognition from the Egyptian government and resulted in more projects by contract in the North African country. The project in Siwa has never been easy. The team managed to transport a 550-horsepower drilling rig from Cairo all the way to Siwa for the project, before being put to the test of difficulties in technical work and management. "Due to the remote location of the project and some geological problems, the company's technical department has assigned specialized experts to study and implement leak prevention and plugging measures at the drilling site," Li said. Pointing to a well being drilled at hand, Fahmy Abdel-Hamid, a project manager who has been working for ZPEC for nearly five years, said the well has been drilled to a depth of over 400 meters so far, with 28 workers manning it in two shifts round the clock. Abdel-Hamid also praised the Chinese professional and technical expertise in the drilling field, noting he has gained a lot of experience from his work at ZPEC. "We're not only bringing a couple of deepwater wells to the village but also hope for the local people to live a better life," Li, the general manager, told Xinhua. Li Wei (L), general manager of the ZPEC branch in Egypt, talks with workers at the drilling site of deepwater wells dug by the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC) in the Siwa Oasis, west of Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2022. In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water.(Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Laborers work at the drilling site of deepwater wells dug by the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC) in the Siwa Oasis, west of Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2022. In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water.(Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Photo taken on March 25, 2022 shows the drilling site of deepwater wells dug by the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC) in the Siwa Oasis, west of Cairo, Egypt. In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Aerial photo taken on March 25, 2022 shows the drilling site of deepwater wells dug by the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC) in the Siwa Oasis, west of Cairo, Egypt. In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water.(Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Photo taken on March 25, 2022 shows the drilling site of deepwater wells dug by the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC) in the Siwa Oasis, west of Cairo, Egypt. In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water.(Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Local children visit the drilling site of deepwater wells dug by the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC) in the Siwa Oasis, west of Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2022. In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Aerial photo taken on March 25, 2022 shows the drilling site of deepwater wells dug by the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC) in the Siwa Oasis, west of Cairo, Egypt. In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Local villager Hasan Osman (2nd L) chats with workers at the drilling site of deepwater wells dug by the Chinese firm Zhongman Petroleum and Gas Group (ZPEC) in the Siwa Oasis, west of Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2022. In a remote village in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert, part of the Sahara Desert, a Chinese drilling company, commissioned by the Egyptian authorities, is digging deepwater wells for the villagers in efforts to bring them sustainable and sufficient access to drinking water.(Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Long-awaited laws requiring minimum staffing levels and investment at New York's nursing homes went into effect Friday, a move applauded by labor unions but criticized by facility operators who had been hoping for another postponement amid a difficult hiring climate. The mandates, passed last year by the state Legislature and signed by then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in an effort to address understaffing in nursing homes, were originally scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1 but were delayed three months due to staffing challenges exacerbated by the Omicron surge. Trade associations representing the state's nursing homes argue that many of its members still won't be able to meet the ratios. "More than 80% of nursing homes in NYS cannot meet these requirements," LeadingAge New York President and CEO James W. Clyne Jr. said in a statement. "By enacting a law that is impossible to comply with, the governor and the Legislature have made a false promise to our nursing home residents," he said. "This mandate will only drain nursing homes of the very resources they need to recruit and retain more staff, by forcing them to pay heavy penalties due to conditions beyond their control." Understaffing still cited at nursing homes as state gears up for new standards A day before the state Legislature adopted a long-debated law requiring nursing home staffing levels, horrible staffing levels were reported at a Buffalo facility. The staffing law calls for the state's more than 600 nursing homes to provide 3.5 hours of nursing care per resident per day. Of those 3.5 hours, no less than 2.2 hours of care must be provided by a certified nursing assistant or nurse aide and at least 1.1 hours of care must be supplied by a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse. To meet those staffing requirements, LeadingAge, a nursing home trade association, said more than 12,000 new nurses and aides are needed across the state. Another state law adopted last year requires nursing homes to spend at least 70% of revenues on direct resident care, of which 40% must be on "resident-facing staffing." Health Department spokesperson Jeffrey Hammond said that when Gov. Kathy Hochul issued executive orders that postponed through March 31 the enforcement of the staffing requirements, it was "with the understanding that the delay would be temporary." Two Safire nursing homes fined $56,000 for violations The one-star rated facilities were cited for failing to test workers for Covid-19, failing to ensure workers washed their hands properly, failing to report possible abuse cases and more. Major labor union, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, and consumer advocates on Friday praised the decision by Hochul to put the staffing rules into effect. Milly Silva, the union's executive vice president, said hiring challenges won't improve until nursing homes invest in caregivers, which will help recruit and retain staff. "If employers actually invest and agree that they are going to do everything they can to retain those committed workers, they won't lose them," she said. "It means that you have to confront issues around wages, issues around benefits, issues around working conditions and what it means to have a safe working environment for the caregivers." New York is one of several states that have minimum staffing standards in place, said David Grabowski, a health care policy professor at Harvard Medical School. Depending on how the staffing standards are designed and enforced, he said, researchers have found they help increase staffing and overall quality of care for residents. The concern remains, however, the cost - and the challenge - of trying to attract more workers in a tight labor market. "Since the start of the pandemic, nursing homes have lost the greatest share of workers in spite of the largest relative increase in wages," Grabowski said. "Thus, it is going to take higher wages and better working conditions to attract more staff to the workforce. The idea that New York nursing homes can meet the staffing standards at the existing wages is farfetched at best." The Healthcare Association of New York State, which represents nursing homes, hospitals and other health care organizations, planned to talk to the Health Department on Friday to understand the mechanics of how enforcement will work, said President Bea Grause. "At this time, nursing homes should appropriately document their efforts to comply with the law," the Health Department said in a statement. "Mitigating factors can be considered by the department when assessing penalties for non-compliance at a later date." In terms of the staffing law, Helen Schaub, director of policy and legislation at 1199SEIU, said nursing homes will be required to report their staffing on a daily basis through the federal Payroll-Based Journal. The state, Schaub said, can then download the data on a quarterly basis and use it to impose fines on homes that fail to meet the minimum staffing. To meet the staffing standards, Grause anticipates some nursing homes will curtail new admissions, which could tighten up the supply of available beds. What Grause and Clyne, of LeadingAge, hope to see is an increase in New York's Medicaid rates for nursing homes, which would help operators offer wages necessary to compete for a limited pool of job applicants. LeadingAge points out that New York's Medicaid program covers nearly 75% of the days of care nursing homes deliver. The problem, they say, is the rates have long been stagnant, while costs have rapidly increased. As it stands, the one-house budgets agreed with Hochul's proposal in planning a 1% increase in Medicaid rates. LeadingAge and HANYS are calling for more. Jon Harris can be reached at 716-849-3482 or jharris@buffnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByJonHarris. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY - In the not-to-distant future, artificial intelligence, or AI, is likely to be ubiquitous in almost every device and system we use in both our professional and everyday lives. And Thenkurussi "Kesh" Kesavadas wants to make sure that the University at Albany - and the Capital Region - take full advantage of all the opportunities and technological advances that are coming with the widespread use of AI in society - a tech revolution that is taking place whether we are ready or not. Kesavadas is the new vice president for research and economic development for UAlbany, taking over for James Dias, who retired late last year as the longest-serving research director ever at UAlbany, having started in 2009. Kesavadas has impressive credentials and beat out "an impressive array of candidates from across the country" to win the job, according to UAlbany president Havidan Rodriguez. Before he accepted the job at UAlbany, Kesavadas was the founding director of the Health Care Engineering Systems Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The center was started in 2014 as part of the university's engineering school. It develops simulation training systems for medical students and professionals and medical robots used in surgery. It also runs a health care analytics program that brings together medical researchers with engineers, AI experts and data scientists. And it has the highest amount of endowed funding of any research center in the University of Illinois system. "I am very confident that Dr. Kesavadas will provide the strategic vision and leadership necessary to successfully grow the Universitys research enterprise and economic development capacity in the years to come," Rodriguez said in a letter to the university community when Kesavadas was hired back in November. Kesavadas started Jan. 24. And Kesavadas, who as director of research holds one of the most important jobs at the university, is not wasting any time making his mark on the university. He has a bold vision for UAlbany and its use of AI technology in both research and basic studies starting with students in their first year at the school, regardless of their major. Kesavadas says the AI revolution has already started, and those who embrace the technology will succeed - and those who ignore its power will fall behind. "It's going to be part of everything we do, if not already everything we already do," Kesavadas, who goes by Kesh, told the Times Union in an interview. "We already deal with AI without realizing that we do." AI is really about the intersection of big data, advanced software and ultra-fast computing. That includes things like robotic surgery, which has been in use for decades, allowing surgeons to complete precision procedures they wouldn't otherwise be able to do by hand. Companies like General Electric Co. have already developed "digital twins" of power plants they build that can be used to predict when parts and systems will break down and need to be replaced. And electric utilities are using AI to help them predict how severe weather will impact where outages will likely happen on their electrical grids, a process that used to be largely done with guesswork and luck. UAlbany's climate and weather prediction centers are already working with IBM, a leader in AI and data analytics, to help companies predict how weather and climate changes are impacting transportation, renewable energy systems, and water, which is rising across the globe due to climate change. The use of AI and machine learning for weather prediction and forecasting is rapidly evolving, said Chris Thorncroft, who heads UAlbany's Atmospheric Sciences Research Center and Center of Excellence in Weather & Climate Analytics. With AI being such an important part of the future economy, Kesavadas says its even more important that students at UAlbany be prepared for that future that will require a workforce skilled in using AI, from engineers to English teachers. "There's not enough graduates (able to use AI)," Kesavadas said. "There's not enough being done by universities. My vision is to change that in the Capital Region." What's needed is access to supercomputing power in order to crunch the amount of data needed for software and machines to think like humans. UAlbany is totally behind that effort. The program is envisioned as New Yorks Next Generation AI Supercomputer Cluster for Education and Research. UAlbany has already pitched the idea to state officials and says it will take $200 million in private and public funding, some of it from the state. The effort will include wrapping AI instruction into all majors, what UAlbany called its AI+X program, and a workforce development program called Albany AI Academy. And UAlbany's AI initiative has plenty of local support to build this educational and research program of the future. That's includes Albany Nanotech, which is home to IBM's AI center, as well as Renssealer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, which hosts one of IBM's supercomputers at the Rensselaer Technology Park in North Greenbush. And of course there is the state's public health lab, the Wadsworth Center, which is located in Albany as well. Even scientists at Albany Nanotech could benefit from UAlbany's new AI program, which would obviously have a large presence at UAlbany's new College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. That would only be enhanced with the move of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering from SUNY Polytechnic Institute back into UAlbany, where it originated, a plan supported by Gov. Kathy Hochul. AI, Kesavadas said, can even make better, faster and more intuitive computer chips, which is the constant goal of companies like IBM and Applied Materials that are tenants at Albany Nanotech. "What AI can do is, you can create more efficient chips," Kesavadas said. "You can also build systems that continuously learn from themselves." Its a bridge locals love to complain about. The Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, home to years of traffic jams as cashless tolling was implemented amid a major construction project on the bridge spans, is also a heavily used passageway connecting the east and west banks of mid-Hudson Valley Before the bridge opened in 1963, a ferry was the main form of transportation to connect residents between Dutchess and Orange counties, and a ferry still runs between Newburgh and Beacon on weekdays to ease transportation demands on the bridge. In February 1951, a New York State assemblyman representing Cornwall introduced a bill calling for test borings for a bridge between Newburgh and Beacon. After many years of planning and construction, the Hamilton Fish Newburgh-Beacon Bridge opened in 1963. Heres what to know about the Newburgh-Beacon bridge. 1. How long is the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge? The north span is the older of the dual spans, stretching 7,855 feet from shore to shore as it carries westbound I-84 traffic across the Hudson River from Beacon to Newburgh. The south span is slightly shorter at 7,789 feet, or just under a mile and a half, and wider as well. Construction first began on the north span in March of 1961 and opened in 1963. The south span opened in the early 1980s and had its deck replaced between 2012 and 2014. The span connects the New York State Thruway (I-87) and Route 9W in Newburgh on the western bank with Route 9 in Fishkill on the eastern bank. 2. How many cars does the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge carry? The bridge is the most traveled of the New York State Bridge Authoritys spans, carrying more than 26 million crossings a year. In 2019, an average of 77,000 cars headed westbound over the bridge every day, while eastbound traffic from Orange County towards Beacon averaged just under 50,000 vehicles a day. Before its construction, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge was estimated to carry 25,000 cars each day, requiring a four-lane design. However, due to funding limitations, then-Gov. Nelson Rockefeller decided to start with a two-lane bridge, thinking the span would never need to carry as many vehicles as projected. By 1964, 25,000 vehicles were driving the bridge on a daily basis, and traffic jams became an issue even back then. Eight years later, the state considered an expansion and approved construction of a new costing $94 million. 3. Is the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge under construction? Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter. The Bridge Authority began construction on the bridge in 2020, to replace the deck of the north span and implement cashless tolling. This resulted in new traffic patterns, with nearly all eastbound and westbound traffic being routed to the wider southern span, and westbound traffic coming from Route 9D being temporarily routed to the northern span. The project is pacing to be complete by the first half of 2023. Cashless tolling was also implemented on the bridge. 4. Can you walk over the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge? Opened in 1981, a designated path along the bridges south span accommodates both pedestrians and cyclists. This walkway currently closes at dusk, but some transportation advocates are pushing for it to stay open longer to serve workers without vehicles, as well as recreational walkers and bikers. The walk over the bridge is approximately 2 miles. 5. Is the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge toll both ways? Eastbound drivers heading from Newburgh to Beacon pay a toll to cross the Hudson River. There is no toll in the opposite direction. New toll rates will go into effect May 1 this year: $1.55 for EZ Pass drivers and $2 for those paying cash. Cashless tolling went into effect on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge on Dec. 1, 2021. New York's Onondaga, Oswego and Cayuga counties were among only 16 counties nationwide that were marked as at "high" COVID-19 transmission risk by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Sunday. And those portions of Central New York were the only counties in high risk east of two counties in Arkansas, according to the CDC's latest tracking map. The risk level, which was calculated Thursday, takes into account not only percent of positive cases, but new hospitalizations and local hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients. While those three counties are at high risk, there is a swath of counties from the Pennslyvania border north through New York's Southern Tier that are also in "medium" risk - the only part of the mid-Atlantic region that is at more than a low risk for COVID-19 transmission. The only other states with counties at high risk Sunday were Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Montana. Experts have noted there is a new omicron strain, BA.2, that has taken over at the same time mask mandates have ceased. But health officials have said they expect this new variant will only pose a risk to the unvaccinated. But what these hotspots of COVID-19 cases signify - and if it will mean spread to other areas and increased severity of illness - is still unclear. Onondaga County officials told the Post Standard Thursday that its rising positive test number could be partially attributed to the county erroneously submitting at-home test data to the health department's lab-based test database. However, even with that data taken out of the county's rate, Onondaga still has the highest percent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive statewide. On Friday, Onondaga reported it received 449 positive test results, the highest it has seen since the January height of the omicron surge. Hospitalizations are also ticking up there. The New York state Department of Health recommended Friday that people should wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status, in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties. The health department said Friday that Central New York's seven-day average positivity rate was 37.7 per 100,000 people, compared to the statewide average of 15.6 positive tests per 100,000. That region's hospitalization rate is 1.7 people per 100,000, compared to 0.7 per 100,000 statewide. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. Statewide as of Saturday 2.9 percent of COVID-19 tests are coming back positive, based on a seven-day average. The Capital Region it is still slightly higher than the state average, at 3.7 percent. To compare, Central New York's positivity rate stood at 9.6 percent as of Saturday. "The high number of COVID-19 cases in Central New York suggests that transmission of the virus is widespread throughout the region, and levels remain above the state average, State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said in a statement Friday. The good news is we have tools to address this. I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant and take steps to protect themselves and their families by getting a COVID-19 vaccine and booster dose when eligible, getting a test following exposure or when developing symptoms, staying home and isolating when symptomatic, talking to your healthcare provider about treatment if you do test positive, and recommend wearing a mask regardless of vaccination status in public indoor places. Treatment is widely available and works best if taken within five days of symptom onset, so get tested quickly after symptoms arise. ALBANY The news was disconcerting. Reports said a man had tried to lure kids from an Albany district school with candy. An arrest was made. There was neighborhood outcry calling for change. The December incident caused the most recent flare-up in tensions routinely sparked by troubling behavior from people who access government and social services around South Pearl Street. It underscored once again the challenges the Giffen Elementary School community must confront due to its proximity to the Capital City Rescue Mission, one of its South Pearl neighbors. Police never said if the accused was a client of the mission, a nonprofit that has been taking care of homeless people in Albanys inner city for decades by providing meals, emergency housing and other services. Still, that's where people focused their anger, fears and frustrations. Some of the missions clients struggle with mental health and addiction issues. They loiter, urinate in the streets, sometimes scare the Giffen students and make their parents fear for their childrens safety. No one argues about the importance of the agencys work. But critics note that the short distance between school and shelter is a situation that would never happen in a suburban neighborhood. When people list the obstacles to South Pearl Street's revival an inventory that includes vacant storefronts and quality of life issues the mission tops the list. South Pearl Street struggles with a variety of problems that keeps it back, said Albany County Legislator Sam Fein, whose 6th District encompasses the South End and a large swath of downtown. But some of the problems presented by the missions clients are at the front of his concerns. Its a really unacceptable situation, Fein said. After the December incident, parents, local residents and representatives wrote a letter to officials protesting the missions proposed expansion. Community organizations have since discussed the issue at meetings with residents, but have yet to find a solution to their problems beyond halting the expansion. Sherman Stovall, a co-owner of the holistic health studio Root3d and a longtime mental health counselor, said there is some truth fueling peoples negative sentiments about the mission, which is a block from his storefront. He can see how others wouldnt feel comfortable in the area due to some of the shelters clients. Stovall and his partner recently took over Root3d. He previously spent many years working at the county health department just one street over from the mission working with similar clients. He hopes to provide services to the missions clients and help them, although that could create some discomfort for patrons who come to Root3d from places like Clifton Park, where Stovall and his partner also have a behavioral health practice. For someone whos fresh (as a client) and going to Root3d for the first time, of course, they would say to themselves, This is not the area that I think of when it comes to healing, he said. But Stovall believes thats precisely why Root3d is needed in the community, and why he and his partner would like to keep their business on South Pearl Street. Were all working on this Perry Jones, the missions executive director, said he prays the mission will be permitted to expand; it disappoints him when people criticize it. He invites all people to take a tour of the facility and observe how it operates beyond giving homeless people a place to sleep. The center, he notes, offers all of its neighbors resources including free clothing and a health clinic. Jones touted a 75 percent success rate for its transitional living members, those who have surpassed emergency needs and risen through a recovery program to obtain a job and live in an on-site apartment while they attend classes and map out their futures. I just want people to know that were all working on this together our donors, the community, he said. And yes, schools and other places are helping, but we also want to keep people safe, and we do that. He acknowledged the outflow of the mission's clients who he said are all background-checked onto the street can be problematic, but said he has deploys street ambassadors to monitor their activities and clean up garbage in the neighborhood. Still, some contend the mission struggles to manage the population it already serves at its current capacity; an expansion, they believe, is not reasonable. Albany County has a vested interest in seeing improvements on South Pearl Street. The Board of Elections office is a neighbor to the school and mission, while its housing authority is a few blocks to the north and its health department is one block east on Green Street. Employees have complained to county legislators about feeling unsafe in the neighborhood. The countys Department of Social Services refers to people to the mission, although the facility does not accept government funds, the county said. In 2020, a county task force issued a report about safety issues for county employees working around South Pearl Street but it wasnt focused on solutions for the greater community. Jennifer Whalen, a county legislator for the suburban 21st District, who worked on the task force, said little has been done to implement its recommendations. County Executive Dan McCoy confirmed a report was received and said certain recommendations have been addressed. Additionally, we have a contract with an architect and engineer currently evaluating, among other things, safety and security in the area around the county offices on Pearl Street, a county spokesperson said in an email. We have requested input from community partners to assist the architect and engineer with the overall strategy that will focus on any safety concerns with a goal of promoting future prosperous economic development in the area, the statement added. Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins said in an email that his department is working with social service agencies to enhance public safety and the quality of life in the area by assisting those dealing with homelessness, addiction or mental health challenges. Hawkins said officers from the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program, which aims to steer people in crisis to the best social services, have worked with community partners to address the issues by not only diverting multiple individuals in that area, but providing necessary resources and services to anyone who may be in need. He emphasized that officers patrol the neighborhood on foot, in vehicles and on bikes regularly. When and if individuals are engaged in criminal activity, officers have also taken appropriate action and have made many arrests, Hawkins said. Clear solutions elusive Despite these efforts, city Councilman Derek Johnson finds that South Pearl Street remains dominated by the ills of the mission and continues to be neglected by other city and county leaders. We need our mayor to be creative and responsive to the needs that the South End (has), he said. What were looking for is a leader, someone whos going to run their city, thats going to be mindful of the whole city and not just the things that make them smile. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan declined requests to be interviewed for this story. For several months, the mayor has refused to answer questions from the Times Union on any subject outside of live news conferences. Jones said Johnson doesnt visit the mission to see what they are working on, even though he lives up the street and many of his constituents use its services. Community members and Fein have made several proposals to the city to help ameliorate community concerns starting with a halt to the missions expansion. Other solutions offered included adding more light to school grounds, stationing a police officer at Giffen during drop-off and pickup, additional county resources for homeless people, and identifying options outside of the South End to locate social services. Community stakeholders have requested the mission join the Albany County Coalition on Homelessness and engage in open conversations about how to better address safety and quality of life in the neighborhood. Fein said some have suggested relocating the mission away from South Pearl Street, but he thinks thats unrealistic. Its a Band-Aid for the larger problems in our county and in our state overall with homelessness, he said. Anthony Gaddy, CEO of the Upstate New York Black Chamber of Commerce, traces some of South Pearl Streets inadequate economic stimulation to the heavy presence of social services and nonprofit organizations. While he and others recognize that such agencies play an integral role, their presence can act as an impediment to investment and businesses looking for a home and once again, its a concentration youre far less likely to find in wealthier areas. What parents and residents see every day in front of the mission is exactly what investors and small business owners wont be able to ignore, Gaddy explained. Such conditions, underscored by boarded-up buildings, will force them to look elsewhere because they fear how the streets aesthetics could impact their business and worry about whether theyd have to self-police the area. It is difficult to nearly impossible to open up businesses in their communities, Gaddy said. Fein concurred: These are much-needed services, but they cant all be concentrated in one small area, he said. It really hurts the prospects of that area. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD Company announced today it had stopped the production of oil-fueled vehicles in March and will make battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles only. BYD said the discontinued production of oil-fueled vehicles was to align with its strategic development requirements. Meanwhile, it will continue to produce and supply the components of oil-fueled vehicles, so as to continuously serve its existing customers. On the same day, BYD announced it produced and sold no oil-fueled vehicles in March 2022. For the first quarter of the year, its oil-fueled vehicle outputs and sales reached only 4,635 units and 5,049 units respectively, nosediving 91.18% and 89.78% from a year ago. However, the company still scored a three-digit year-on-year growth in overall Mar. automobile sales thanks to the 333.06% hike in its NEV sales. Of the NEVs sold last month, 104,338 units were passenger vehicles, representing a 346.16% surge year-over-year. The monthly new energy passenger vehicle (NEPV) sales were composed of 53,664 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 50,674 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). As to specific models, the sales of the BYD Han reached 12,359 units in March. Notably, the Han DM recorded a 524.9% month-on-month leap. The company also saw the sales of the Song, Qin and Yuan families, and the e series reach 26,729 units, 24,797 units, 12,881 units and 4,164 respectively. Besides, there were 10,501 Dolphin BEVs sold in March, up 22.6% from the previous month. New York leaders and lawmakers have a once-in-a-decade, perhaps once-in-a-generation chance to finally create a credible ethics oversight body. And theyre blowing it. Gov. Kathy Hochul promised serious ethics reform, but whats emerging from negotiations with a shamelessly recalcitrant Legislature is a transparent attempt to pass off an illusion of change as the real thing. Its a waste of even the staff time it would take to draft the legislation. Its simple: Get rid of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, and put in place an independent body to oversee lobbying and investigate alleged breaches of ethics in state government. Emphasis on independent. JCOPEs lack of independence has made it the object of disrespect and scorn for years. It was designed as a tool of the governor and legislative leaders, who appointed the members of the very commission that was supposed to keep an eye on them and their colleagues. Convoluted voting rules ensured that loyalists of the governor or partisan factions could block investigations, and secrecy provisions made it illegal to divulge how commissioners voted on investigative matters, keeping the cronyism from coming to light. It speaks volumes about JCOPE that of its three architects, two Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Republican Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos went to prison for corruption that JCOPE didnt catch. The third, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, resigned last year amid multiple scandals that included misleading the public on COVID-19 deaths of nursing home residents, using state employees to help with a memoir that netted him $5.1 million, diverting Health Department resources to give family members priority COVID-19 testing, and allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct. Ms. Hochul came up with an unusual but certainly more credible blueprint for a new ethics body: Populate it with a rotating board of five members drawn from the deans of the states 15 accredited law schools, or their designees. A variation on that theme was to have the deans provide a list of nominees from which the boards members would be selected. But that took a critical part of the selection process hand-picking the individuals away from the Legislature and governor, a measure of control the Legislature is reluctant to surrender. So instead, what has emerged is a plan to have the legislative leaders, the governor, comptroller and attorney general nominate potential members of a new ethics panel. The state's law school deans would vet the nominees to determine if they are qualified, and the state officials who nominated the members in the first place would appoint from the final pool. Sign up for the Observation Deck newsletter Read the latest Times Union opinion, perspective and letters to the editor on Mondays by signing up for our Observation Deck newsletter. Oh, come on. This is not, as Ms. Hochul promised, blowing up JCOPE. Its the bureaucratic equivalent of shooting it with one of those clown guns that pop out the word BANG! and pretending its dead. Little better than that proposal, unfortunately, is one hatched by good government groups that involves a committee, appointed by all those state officials, to pick the members of the ethics panel. Having the hand-picked cronies of politicians stand in for the politicians is hardly an improvement. We share the frustration of Democratic state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, the chair of the chambers Ethics Committee, who last week declared, It's so easy to get this right. Ms. Biaggi said she may vote against the plan as its shaping up. Good for her. Every lawmaker who believes government integrity isnt an oxymoron should follow her lead. ALBANY More than three years ago, the state attorney general's office announced it was launching an investigation into the handling of child sexual abuse by New York's Catholic dioceses. Since then, no cases have been pursued by the district attorneys who were encouraged at that time to pursue any related criminal allegations that were uncovered and fell within applicable statutes of limitations. The lack of any apparent grand jury investigations which could also produce reports detailing the dioceses' handling of child sex abuse even if criminal charges were not possible has occurred despite increasing evidence that church leaders routinely covered up the allegations to protect those priests and their institutions. That practice also led to the additional abuse of children when accused priests were later allowed to return to ministry without bishops or others notifying congregations of their histories, according to court records. "I am not aware of any (criminal investigations), and I would imagine it would capture the attention of the media if that, in fact, had happened," said Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan, president of the District Attorneys Association of New York. Still, many of the details of the Catholic church's handling of abuse committed by priests or other employees have been laid bare as a result of pretrial proceedings in thousands of civil lawsuits filed under New York's Child Victims Act legislation that was passed after then-Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced her office's investigation in the summer of 2018. The recent disclosure of former Albany Bishop Howard J. Hubbard's testimony in a pre-trial deposition taken last year as part of multiple lawsuits filed against him and the 14-county diocese confirmed that he had concealed incidents of child sexual abuse to avoid "scandal" and to preserve "respect for the priesthood." The admissions by Hubbard, who acknowledge he did not contact police when he learned of child sexual abuse allegations, raise questions about whether his actions have exposed him or the diocese to any potential criminal fallout. Most of the sexual abuse in the Albany diocese took place decades ago, outside the reach of New York's criminal statutes, but Hubbard did not retire until 2014 and only recently acknowledged that he systematically hid the abuse from the public and the congregations that he served. Jordan, who was appointed president of the district attorneys association in June, said state law is complicated on when the statute of limitations would begin for certain criminal conduct, including allegations involving concealment of wrongdoing. New York's statute of limitations generally requires that charges for felony offenses be filed within five years from the end of the alleged criminal conduct. "The statute of limitations, and when does it start, is always a challenging legal issue to resolve," Jordan said. Although no criminal cases have been pursued, the state attorney general's investigation resulted in that office filing a civil complaint in November 2020 against the Buffalo diocese and former Bishop Richard J. Malone, as well as Edward M. Grosz, who was an auxiliary bishop for the western New York diocese. In the complaint, which is pending in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, the Buffalo diocese's former leaders are accused of systematically covering up child abuse and violating state nonprofit laws in doing so. Malone also is alleged to have destroyed records documenting sexual abuse and of listing priests accused of sexually abusing children as "unassignable," which allowed those priests to remain in holy orders without any supervision or monitoring. Others were allowed to retire. The attorney general's civil complaint seeks an independent review of the Buffalo diocese's response to alleged sexual abuse; mandatory reporting on its operations to the attorney general for five years; and a remedial and compliance plan with external oversight. It's unclear whether the attorney general's office is considering filing a similar civil complaint against the Albany diocese or other dioceses in New York. A spokeswoman for the state attorney general's office said they are reviewing Hubbard's testimony as part of their now 3-year-old investigation of New York's Catholic dioceses, which has produced no action other than the complaint filed against the Buffalo diocese. The office of the attorney general is continuing to actively investigate the Albany diocese and others around the state for how they responded to credible claims of sexual misconduct by their priests," said Morgan Rubin, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Letitia James. The attorney general's office has referred complaints and other information they have received in their investigation to various district attorneys across the state. Kevin A. Keenan, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, declined to say whether Hubbard or any other current or former officials or employees of the diocese have been contacted or interviewed by the attorney general's office. "The Diocese of Albany is complying and cooperating with the request issued by the office of the New York state attorney general as part of its Sept. 6, 2018, subpoena," Keenan said. "It is our policy not to comment further regarding an ongoing investigation." Jeffrey R. Anderson, whose law firm represents hundreds of alleged child sexual abuse victims in New York, said the conduct admitted to by Hubbard in his sworn deposition outlines conduct similar to Malone's in Buffalo, and leaves the Albany diocese "heavily exposed." "There (are) now two bishops exposed in a way theres never been before in New York and Hubbard even more fulsomely so because we put him under oath," Anderson said. "I think that the Catholic bishops and Bishop Hubbard in the Albany diocese should face the full weight of the law, and all aspects of it, because they have escaped consequences under the law for so long and they have hidden behind the statute of limitations and conducted themselves in secrecy." Attorneys for hundreds of alleged victims of child sexual abuse in New York said they have not seen any indication that the attorney general's office is actively investigating other dioceses outside of the case filed against the Buffalo diocese. "We have been making available to the attorney general all of the information we have been excavating across the state," Anderson said. "About four months ago, I turned over to the attorney general box after box of files that we have excavated, and complaints that we have filed statewide, not just in Buffalo, not just in Albany. ... I got no response to that and ... I cant tell you precisely what they have been doing." Keenan, the spokesman for the Albany diocese, said that Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger's recent trip to Rome and the Vatican was a "regularly scheduled visit to meet with priests of the diocese who are pursuing further studies while on diocesan assignment. He also consulted with various Vatican congregations and attended Pope Francis consecration of Russia and Ukraine at St. Peters Basilica on March 25." Keenan declined to say whether Scharfenberger discussed the details of Hubbard's recently disclosed deposition with anyone at the Vatican. Scharfenberger, a Brooklyn native, was appointed as the 10th bishop of the Albany Diocese in 2014 following the retirement of Hubbard, who was later accused of both sexually abusing children and covering up similar misconduct by other priests. Hubbard, who became bishop of the Albany diocese in 1977, has denied the sexual abuse claims against him. Three days after Hubbard's deposition was made public on March 25, Scharfenberger issued a statement addressing the testimony, which he described as "hard to bear." "We have a profound responsibility to survivors of abuse in the church and to their families and friends who suffer with them," Scharfenberger wrote in The Evangelist. "We must not hesitate to recognize that their pain is multiplied by this news, even as we acknowledge the real and historical failures coming to light." Dozens of priests from the Albany diocese have been accused of sexually abusing children, and those who are still alive have faced little virtually no criminal fallout for their alleged conduct. One of the exceptions was former priest Gary Mercure, who is serving up to 25 years in a Massachusetts prison for raping two altar boys from Warren County that he drove across state lines on ski trips. Massachusetts' 15-year statute of limitations for sex crimes enabled prosecutors to indict him there. Mercure's case exposed criminal conduct that mirrored that of many other priests with the Albany diocese, including when he was sent away for "therapy" by Hubbard after he was accused of having a sexual affair with a young man in the early 1990s. Mercure's sexual abuse of young boys while working as a priest in Albany, Queensbury and Glens Falls was outlined in the diocese's internal records that showed he preyed on young boys as early as the late 1970s, not long after being ordained as a priest. The records portrayed Mercure as a rogue priest who eluded criminal prosecution and was returned to ministry with no restrictions regarding his contact with children. His alleged abuse of young boys began at St. Teresa of Avila in Albany, where a former church receptionist told the diocese that when she worked there, as a teenager, Mercure escorted a "constant procession" of young boys to his second-floor bedroom and kept them behind closed doors for hours. The abused included her younger brother. Thanks to some of the most KICK-ASS TKC READERS our blog community reported an upcoming homeless crackdown FIRST. Our main takeaway today . . . If the Kansas City Star is asking critical questions about the idea, it must be halfway decent. To be fair . . . The Mayor's activist endorsement of MILLIONS worth of taxpayers subsidy for the local homeless population has created an inordinate amount of animosity toward this vulnerable population. Meanwhile . . . The reality is that very few homeless people are activists and most of them don't have a political agenda. They're desperate people in dangerous circumstances. To make matters worse, so many attention starved activists are desperate to advance their profile and look to use any cause to latch onto . . . And so . . . Here we are . . . KCMO is soon to make a 180 degree tactical change to clean up the local homeless crisis just in time for campaign season. Accordingly, the newspaper offers only obstacles from the relative safety of JoCo where most of their staffers live sheltered lives far away from urban core reality . . . Check their money line: The ordinance says that no person shall put or keep and maintain or occupy any tent, lean-to, tarpaulin or other structure for purposes of habitation or place of living or lodging, either temporarily or otherwise, upon any privately-owned grounds within the city. As tents arent allowed on any public property, either, where are people with nowhere to go supposed to sleep? Another proposed ordinance would make it unlawful for any person, either alone or in concert with another or others, to stand or otherwise position themselves in any public place in a way that obstructs or impedes street traffic. City Manager Brian Platt says both proposals apply only to the homeless population . . . But as well-intentioned as the citys plans are, the housing options and services remain too few, and community opposition to some proposed interim solutions, like the pallet homes, remains too strong. We cant both complain about encampments and then refuse to support alternatives, can we? Answer . . . Campaign season is coming up . . . This is just the first of many silly ideas we'll see from city hall. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Special thanks to our KICK-ASS TKC BLOG COMMUNITY for proposing topics that don't always follow the company line . . . Tax Questions From TKC Reader . . . April 5th KCMO residents have a tax issue and bond issue on the ballot. Sewer and water are higher than our other utilities combined, and continue to increase every year, yet the infrastructure improvements promised never occurred. Where did the money from 2012 go? And just a few months ago, our city government was praising our federal government for providing a hue infrastructure funding package to KC that was going to upgrade our sewer and water system. Where did that money go? For the sales tax that has no end and was supposed to provide a dedicated road repair fund, were still dodging potholes and paying for vehicle repairs caused by poor road conditions. Where did that money go? I urge all voters to ask themselves if the 2012 tax and bond issues passed by voters was used appropriately and improved our city as promised before going to the polls on Tuesday. Whether your vote is to approve the tax and bond issues or vote against them, please get out and vote. Voter apathy is rampant on non national election dates, and local governments use that to their advantage to push through more tax and spend initiatives. ######### You decide . . . Here's the aftermath of today's community conversation amongst people who spent this glorious day inside gabbing rather than enjoying the sunshine. What we notice according to our blog community . . . Reporting downplays urban neighborhood requests for more cops and repeats the political activist narrative about reform & local control. Here's a relevant passage . . . Community members gathered Saturday morning at Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center to discuss what they want in the next chief of police. The majority-Black crowd said they want a chief that looks like them, lives in or spends time engaging with their neighborhoods and someone who isnt afraid to call out or own up to wrongdoings in the police department. Steve Young is an organizer of Friday Night Protest, a group that gathers every Friday outside the Kansas City Police Department headquarters to protest police brutality and call for justice for victims. Young was spokesperson for his table at the listening session. He said he and the people at his table hope to see a leader recruited from outside the department. Right now, KCPD has so many issues. I would not trust somebody who came up in the ranks whos gonna be my chief of police. I cant trust it, said Young, eliciting applause from the crowd. Several community members said they hoped the next chief of police would push for local control of the department. Currently, KCPD is overseen by a five-member Board of Police Commissioners, composed of Mayor Quinton Lucas and four other members appointed by the Missouri governor. Many attendees said they want more say in what happens with the police department. Even better or worse . . . There's more opportunity to speak out on a decision that doesn't really have much voter input on this point in the process and has otherwise been dominated by activists. Take a look . . . There are three more listening sessions this month sponsored in partnership with the Urban League & Greater KC Chamber Of Commerce: - Wednesday, April 6: 6 p.m. 8 p.m., Mattie Rhodes Cultural Center, 1701 Jarboe St. (Bilingual) - Thursday, April 7: 6 p.m. 8 p.mm, Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, 2657 Independence Ave. (Multilingual) - Thursday, April 14: 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., KC Chamber Board Room, 1st floor of Union Station Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . First off . . . NOBODY wants or should have to defend the worst kind of creeper in order to debate the jr. Senator from Missouri. His recent legislation and criticism of Prez Biden's Supreme Court nominee is an easy and uncontested victory because it starts with a nasty topic . . . Honestly, we notice that even Fox news seems to demure given the disgusting topic that all decent people decry. Take a look . . . Sen. Hawley introduced the Protect Act of 2022, which would prevent judges from sentencing offenders below federal guidelines. Hawleys office says the new legislation intends to toughen the sentences for child pornography offenders. The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Mike Lee and Rick Scott. I think its time to curb the discretion of judges, like Judge Jackson, to say No, listen, if you commit a child pornography offense, you need to go to jail, said Hawley in an interview earlier this week. The best way to stop this danger to our children is to send the criminals to jail. Now . . . More interestingly . . . The Kansas City Star has been teasing a series of articles attacking Senator Hawley and connecting with him with Prez Trump's alleged "insurrection" in a way that might be more fun than just a candid raised fist shot. It's unclear if the paper lambasting over a failed panty raid will have any impact or merit national conversation. In the meantime, we offer a quick review of all things Sen. Hawley this week . . . Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley introduces bill over sentences for child porn offenders (KY3) - The Senate could vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the U.S. Supreme Court as soon as next week. One source of contention during her 20 hours of confirmation hearings is her record on sentencing child porn offenders. Recently, Missouri U.S. Sen. The QAnon Style of Politics Is Taking Over America Naturally, what matters more than contending with the historical roots of this constantly updating Fake Panic Engine is confronting its aims in the here and now. Hawley: Jackson's nomination shows Democrats have become 'radical pro-crime party' Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told members of the largest conservative caucus in the House that Supreme Court nomination hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson revealed Democrats' passivity on crime, particularly concerning child pornography, and charged their allies in Big Tech are helping promote the exploitation of kids. Developing . . . The Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival is back after a year of social distancing to celebrate 20 years of community, creativity and filmmaking. The festival is a multi-day showcase of thought-provoking social, environmental and Indigenous-directed and produced documentary films from around the world. It features art exhibits, lively music and panel discussions, as well, all of which coalesce into an experience that seeks to amplify artistic expression and cinematic enjoyment, but it wasnt always like this. In the beginning, FMFF was a casual gathering of Canadian expats trying to recapture their sense of home in this small, far-away mountain town. A sense of home Annie Walton, the creative programming director of the festival, began her journey to Flagstaff as a downhill mountain bike racer in the 90s who realized there was a glaring omission in the genre of outdoor-adventure films. We never had films that showed women mountain biking, Walton said. It was always gnarly hucksand we couldnt really relate to that. In order to remedy this, Walton decided to produce her own film about the women she raced with. Dirt Divas, as she would eventually name it, broke many of the genres conventions; it was a story made by women, for women and about women, but it also caught the attention of fellow Canadian and Flagstaff resident, Geoff Cross. Being such a fan of the film, Cross asked to show Dirt Divas at a local bike week event, and as fate would have it, Walton just happened to be preparing for a move to Flagstaff to support her partners post-doctoral pursuits. I said, I can let you show it, and I can present it because were moving down there. And that was the start of a beautiful friendship, she said. It was from this beautiful friendship that the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival would be born. The two often reminisced about their favorite Canadian festivals like the Banff Mountain Film Festival and the Vancouver Film Festival until one night, at one of Crosss parties they thought, Why dont we just make one here? Walton said, this town is the right size and demographic for people to appreciate that stuff and thats how it all began. Growing pains The first festival was a quiet, two-day event that only half filled the Orpheum, but every year since, the festival has grown tremendously, adding more programs, days and venues to host the growing number of participants. One of the most important additions came in 2006, when John Tveten, the executive director of the festival, joined after becoming friends with Walton and Cross following a full moon ski at Snow Bowl. They basically said, Hey, will you take this over? Tveten recalled, And I said, Sure, not knowing really anything about what it takes to run a festival. Despite his lack of festival-director knowledge, Tvetens prior experience as a doctor in the ER and on Mount Everest prepared him for the pressure that this new challenge offered him. During his time with the festival, he has made it a vital facet of the Flagstaff community by securing grants, integrating educational programs and fostering many essential partnerships; however, one of his most difficult challenges was the pandemic. In February of 2020, the 18th annual Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival barely squeaked in before shutdowns began the next month, and due to the persistent spread of new variants, Tveten, Walton, and the rest of the board decided to reduce the size of 2021s festival and push it online. For Tveten, its not really a festival if youre at home watching it by yourself. The actual festival, he said, the actual getting together is really the vital aspect that makes it the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival. In this milestone year, the theme for FMFF will be Coming together, and Tveten sees that as an invitation to celebrate. We have the opportunity to make it a festival again, he said, to get together because it makes a difference when you gather a few hundred people around these films and the stories these filmmakers tell. You have that discourse and that sharing, and to me, its not a festival without that. The future of the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival When the festival first started, Walton saw it as a place to expose people to a wide variety of film types and make it affordable. We wanted to be able to show an eclectic mix of films that your average Joe Blow wouldnt go see, she said. For Tveten, the festival has always been about being a canvas more for filmmakers who are just establishing themselves. He said. Theres not a lot of rewards in regards to compensation. Its a labor of love telling these real stories and to honor that labor is why we keep doing it. Together, the pair has preserved the parts of the festival that make it so important to the audience and filmmakers who participate, but after 20 years of success, the festival is closing in on a turning point. John and I have put a lot of years into it, Walton said, and were probably ready for somebody else to steer the ship a little bit. She is confident that if the right person comes along, whoever it is will be able to carry the festival further into the future, to allow it to evolve past what theyve already done. Both Walton and Tveten are surprised that the festival has lasted two decades, and they are grateful to the people who have supported them each and every year. I feel super happy that a very committed group of people have kept it going, Walton said, They do the bulk of the work, the groundwork, and its all volunteer hours and hundreds of volunteer hours. So they have kept it alive, it really gives you that warm fuzzy feeling. Though the long-term future of the festival seems uncertain, it will return this year with a slate of films that highlight the importance of learning about our world and the necessity of film in a rapidly changing culture. These stories are bigger than all those other challenges, Tveten said. The festival sustains itself because its needed. The Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival begins on April 7 and ends on April 10. Visit www.flagstaffmountainfilms.org to learn more about the film lineup, showtimes and venues. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Peterborough Public Health has partnered with Peterborough Public Library to lend out CO2 monitors to residents so they can evaluate their indoor air quality. - Becky Waldman / Peterborough Public Library PUBLIC SERVICE NOTICE: Toronto police are searching for a 31-year-old man who went missing more than a month ago from the downtown east area. The health of healthcare workers -- both mental and physical -- has also been affected by the pandemic. Local behavioral health practitioners and medical organization leaders are working on ways to address these, making a number of changes that vary in scale. Helping employees through the surge Shoshanna Jensen is the employee health lead at North Country HealthCare, a job that so far has focused on pandemic response. NCHCs employee health team was created in 2020 to establish a screening system for COVID symptoms or exposures in employees and determine when it would be safe for them to return to work. It also handles things like vaccination records, or work incidents such as accidental needle sticks. I guess in some ways, it was a way of taking something as difficult and challenging as a pandemic and turning it into something that in the end will have lasting positive effects for the organization as well, she said. The way the omicron surge differed from other parts of the pandemic, Jensen said, was how quickly it happened. It took close to six months for NCHC to have its first employee COVID case. We kind of knew it was going to happen really fast, but it was just remarkable how quickly we saw omicron cases just skyrocketing in northern Arizona, just barely lagging behind some of the big cities throughout the country, she said. Jensen said the employee health team was very busy at the start of 2022, with rates increasing alongside those in the county overall. They were fortunate to have had practice from earlier in the pandemic and a high employee vaccination rate, she said. NCHCs vaccine requirement went into effect Feb. 28. About 90% of employees are vaccinated, Jensen said, with the other 10% (having either religious or medical exemptions) being tested for COVID on a weekly basis. While receiving a booster dose was encouraged, but not part of the requirement at the moment, she estimated that over half of staff had received a third dose. Even though we still had a lot of breakthrough infections for folks that were vaccinated and even boosted getting positives, [the] severity and duration of illness was so much less than what we experienced with the other surges, she said. It just made it slightly less intense because I wasnt talking to people in dire illness every day in the way that we were in the prior surges. As with other healthcare workers, Jensen said the majority of people she's seen whod contracted the omicron variant werent getting as sick as those with other variants. What was remarkable was the rise in cases, which shed heard described as an icepick spike on the epicurve. The team also saw more reinfections with omicron, including of vaccinated individuals. At one point, almost 25% of NCHCs staff was unable to work in-person, due to COVID infection or exposure. Despite this, Jensen said, NCHC was able to see patients at a similar rate as they had pre-pandemic (the number of patient visits had gone down throughout the pandemic, she said, due to fear of going out among other reasons). [It's] amazing because NCHC is often the only healthcare option for a lot of underserved communities, under- and uninsured folks. We have clinics throughout northern Arizona in a lot of small, rural towns and areas where we may be the only healthcare in town, she said. So the fact that we were able to keep seeing patients, keep filling those needs, Im proud of it, for sure. Telemedicine was a large part of the reason for that success, she said, as well as staff pulling from their own personal reserves and as a team just somehow finding a way to make it work. Numbers just went up and up and up and up, she said. "Luckily, it was short lived and the numbers started to drop almost as quickly as they had gone up. The frequency and type of NCHCs screenings has changed over the course of the pandemic, she said. At the beginning employees were screened at building entrances daily, before switching to an app and then to the self-reporting system they currently use. The team has a Smartsheet where employees report symptoms and exposure. Once an employee reports either, the employee health team will call them to determine their situation and potential next steps. Sometimes, the symptoms are nothing more than a chronic condition or allergies, but they interview the staff to make sure and err on the side of caution, Jensen said. After that process, employees are put on a work hold until they are cleared, which can include testing (both rapid and lab) and an isolation period. While we hold people back from work, we do try to have them work from home as much as possible, even if thats not normally their position, she said. Just to keep us having staff available, work happening...we dont have people work from home if theyre truly ill, but if youve got someone who has a very mild case or is just home because a family member is sick from COVID, we try to have folks work from home and that's another thing that helped probably alleviate some of our staffing shortages. With case rates down, NCHCs employee screenings have been less frequent lately. Instead of every single morning having to answer questions about what symptoms you might be having, you just have to go in there and report if you are having any symptoms, she said, adding that the earlier screenings are still ready to go if we need to bounce back into a more responsive mode." Jensen said the team will continue to screen employees for COVID symptoms and exposures as far into the future as we need to. We kind of have to see what happens with COVID and with the pandemic, she said, as it looks like it's becoming a little bit more of something that we'll be having to deal with for years and years to come. We'll have to fold that in a little bit so that we're not always in crisis mode with COVID. But right now, we don't have any plans to stop what we've been doing. We do kind of adjust a little bit during the worst days of the pandemic and throughout the pandemic. After they finish catching up, Jensen hopes to be able to bring an occupational health program to Coconino County, which could be challenging because of how NCHCs clinics are distributed across northern Arizona. Employee health is the medicine of employees -- what's your vaccination status, keeping you healthy while you're at work, that sort of thing -- whereas occupational health gets more into the medicine of work, injuries that can occur in the workplace and making sure that people are staying healthy and preventing workplace injuries, she said. We're going to be putting attention to the employee wellness side of things, especially, I think, being able to have basic wellness checks at work and advocating for employee wellness in the workplace. She said the employee health team plans to continue its COVID response as well. We are constantly striving to make sure that we are prepared for whatevers coming next. Unfortunately, the risk for pandemics like COVID, whether its COVID, new COVID variants, or just other pandemics like COVID is greater and greater in the modern day world that we live in. Were going to be able to take a lot of our planning and safely plan from COVID and apply that to other pandemics that unfortunately come our way. New ways to address burnout The Guidance Centers chief medical officer and vice president of medical affairs at the NARBHA Institute, Teresa Bertschs focus has been on burnout among healthcare workers. Bertsch listed three main symptoms of burnout: exhaustion, detachment and lack of personal efficacy. Most employers have an individualized response to this problem using self-care tactics like taking time off or meditation. Research shows this approach only really works for exhaustion, she said, and can actually worsen other symptoms, such as cynicism. The other two symptoms are better treated with an other-focused approach. This can mean doing small compassionate acts, such as expressing appreciation or encouraging a coworker. Efficacy can also be treated through acts that increase a sense of personal value, for example, taking steps towards a personal goal. This is the approach Bertsch and other providers have been taking with their staff. In practice, it's a lot of small actions that theyre hoping will lead to broader results. The idea is simple and one Bertsch has had as a personal philosophy even pre-pandemic: be sure to spread kindness. I think that some of that more recent research gives people better tools to be able to cope and so then as leaders in healthcare organizations, if we can model that and practice it ourselves, that can actually make an organization more resilient, she said. An example she gave is modeling the use of non-stigmatizing language, which creates a welcoming environment and helps the next generation of healthcare workers feel more comfortable with their patients. Bertsch also referenced a professional development framework developed by Stanford that addresses three factors of personal resiliency: efficiency of practice, personal resilience and work culture. Focusing on all these different things as a part of professional fulfillment has been shown to be the best way to go about it and a lot of healthcare worker wellness programs have only focused on personal resiliency -- eat right, sleep right, those kinds of things, she said. The Guidance Center has been working on remodeling its facilities and upgrading its technology and electronic medical records as ways to make it easier for employees to do their work efficiently and help them feel good about at work, Bertsch said. Its open door policy is similarly meant to help with work culture, as are other practices, like retention bonuses and celebrations. I think a lot of it is more just how we talk to each other and try to give each other the benefit of the doubt that everybodys trying their best and sometimes you just have a bad day or a bad week, she said. Supporting healthcare workers' mental health At the beginning of the pandemic, healthcare workers had to make a choice whether to stay in a profession that required more risk than ever before, said NCHCs integrated behavioral health manager, Jonathan Benitez. I didnt want to look back on my career and say I didnt serve during the biggest pandemic that weve had in the last century, he said of his own decision to continue practicing. As the pandemic has gone on, the public reception of healthcare workers has been declining. Ive seen a lot of people leave the field or retire, because that hurts, Benitez said. ...You put your life on the line to help folks and now youre the villain because you support vaccinations. You hear that over and over with healthcare workers. Healthcare workers have been doing their best to care for each other, he said, giving NCHCs employee assistance program (EAP), which started in January 2021, as an example. Through the program, staff and their family members have the option to speak with counselors. NCHCs current focus is on supporting its staff internally, he said. I speak to a lot of groups among our 500 employees on de-escalation, because when youre getting screamed at when youre asking somebody to wear a mask inside a medical clinic, you can take that stuff home with you. ...We advise them how to approach it, how to navigate that, how to take care of themselves. Thats what we can control within our clinic, is to take care of our own. Collaborating through the pandemic The Guidance Center switched to telehealth within 10 days of the start of the pandemic, according to Bertsch. They still staffed three 24-hour units on site and continued responding to changing guidelines -- frequently, as there wasnt as much information on best practices in behavioral health. There was a lot of turnover, PPE was limited (at one point, they were numbering the masks they issued to their staff and only had enough to exchange them weekly) and they needed to reduce their rooms to single occupancy. The center joined a statewide collaborative, the Wellbeing Collaborative, as a way to share best practices between organizations. These include NCHC, the Guidance Center and NARBHA, as well as Banner and Dignity Health. The coalition is focused on a longer-term plan to address healthcare worker distress, she said. Weve developed a lot of relationships that have continued and, I think, made our public health system much stronger, Bertsch said. ...People who knew each others agencies but didnt know each other as individuals came together and we could all see what each others struggles were and provide support. The Guidance Center also provides teaching to nursing and medical students from NAU and CCC as well as residents from A.T. Still University. They continued to offer in-person rotations during the pandemic, drawing in applications from across the U.S. because this was so rare. I saw that impact of medical education and felt that we could keep the medical students safe, Bertsch said. Since we're still operating in person, having them be able to come in person, with safeguards, it's just better for their education. They're making a lot of sacrifices, financial and personal and I didn't want to cut that short. Bertsch wanted people to know there is help available, if they are struggling with their mental health. Among other services, they offer peer support, case management and 24-hour crisis services on a sliding fee scale. More information can be found on the Guidance Centers website, or by calling 928-527-1899. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are repelling attacks by Russian troops in the east of the country. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the head of the President's Office, said this at a briefing on April 2, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "In eastern Ukraine, the enemy is trying to surround a grouping of our troops in the area of the Joint Forces Operation - from Izium to the south and from Volnovakha to the north. [] Yesterday, south of Volnovakha, the enemy tried to launch an offensive, but it was repulsed," he said. Arestovych said that Russian forces are also attempting to attack Ukrainian troops near Avdiivka and Yasynuvata, but they were also stopped and they suffered heavy losses. At the same time, he warned that fierce fighting was expected in eastern Ukraine, but added that after these battles the Russian Federation will unlikely have reserves for active offensives. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops have been shelling and destroying infrastructure and residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns and villages, using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and ballistic missiles. After Kyiv Region was liberated from Russian invaders, the head of the village of Motyzhyn, Olha Sukhenko, and her family members were found dead. The relevant statement was made by Makariv Village Head Vadym Tokar on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Sad news. The head of the village of Motyzhyn, Olha Sukhenko, her husband Ihor Sukhenko and son Oleksandr Sukhenko, who were taken hostage by Russian invaders 10 days ago, have been found dead. Their fate has been unknown, until now, the report states. The village of Motyzhyn is situated in Kyiv Region. On March 23, 2022, the Russian military came to Olhas house. They conducted searches, seized a car and left. Later, according Olhas relative Vladyslav, Russian invaders returned to take her and her husband away. Kyiv Regional Council Deputy Head Tetiana Semenova was first to report on the abduction of Olha, as they usually kept in touch. They [the Russian military Ed.] wanted to take Olha only, but her husband insisted he would go with her. After six hours, they also took her son away. Twenty more residents of Motyzhyn are being held captive. There is a suspicion that a traitor was acting in the village, who told the occupiers, where the head and active villagers lived, Semenova noted. A reminder that, on April 2, 2022, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that the entire Kyiv Region had been liberated from Russian invaders. mk Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces Valeriy Zaluzhnyi has told U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley about the needs of his countrys Army. That's according to Zaluzhnyi's Facebook post. I keep in touch with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark A. Milley. During todays telephone conversation I have shared my assessment of the operational environment and emphasized the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for success in the defence operation. I have expressed my sincere gratitude for the support and protection of democracy, the commander-in-chief wrote. He noted that the Ukrainian military servicemen manifested that we are fighting and will be fighting for freedom, democracy, and the right to live in the civilized world we are protecting today. With western support, we are capable to eliminate the evil, because we don't want a repetition of the scenarios in Europe that we have in Ukraine: the murder of women and children, the destruction of infrastructure. Humankind has a chance for a peaceful life. I hope that the entire world understands this. We are ready to get the job of the evil elimination done, the commander-in-chief stressed. As Ukrinform reported earlier, the U.S. Department of Defense had submitted to Congress a request to provide a new batch of defense aid to Ukraine, worth $300 million, which includes a powerful package of various weaponry and equipment for the Armed Forces. To date, the United States has delivered more than $2.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, including more than $1.6 billion since Russia went for a full-blown invasion. Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky has said he is deeply shocked by the Russian military's killing of civilians in Bucha which is a war crime. "Deeply shocked by the photos from Bucha. Killing of civilians is a war crime and cannot be justified," the Israeli ambassador tweeted. Earlier reports said that a mass grave had been found in Bucha, a commuter town northwest of Ukraine's capital Kyiv, where almost 300 people were buried, with dozens of corpses lying on the streets, some of them with their hands tied. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on missions from the International Criminal Court and international organizations to arrive in Bucha and other towns and villages in the Kyiv region as soon as possible to gather evidence of Russians committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. Kuleba said this on Sunday, April 3, in an interview with the UK's Times Radio, Ukrinform reports, referring to the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. "I call on the International Criminal Court and international organizations to send their missions to Bucha and other liberated towns and villages in the Kyiv region to gather all evidence of Russian war crimes as closely as possible in cooperation with Ukrainian law enforcement agencies," Kuleba said. He added that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had already sent a respective request to the International Criminal Court. Kuleba stressed that this evidence will be used in international and foreign courts to bring to justice those who committed these atrocities. He also spoke about the mass crimes of the Russian army in Ukraine, including murder, torture, looting, rape, and noted that hundreds of civilians had already been killed by the Russian occupiers. "We are still collecting and looking for bodies, but there are already hundreds of them. Corpses are lying on the streets. They [Russian troops] killed civilians while staying in these villages and towns and while retreating from them," he said. According to Kuleba, it was impossible to imagine this in the 21st century, but "it is happening before our eyes." "Russia is worse than ISIS," he said. Kuleba stressed that bringing the perpetrators to justice is a matter of his life, which he will deal with until his last breath. The Ukrainian servicemen of the 128th Separate Mountain Zakarpattia Brigade have seized a trophy armored personnel carrier (APC) and found laptops and money stolen from local residents inside. The relevant statement was made by the 128th Separate Mountain Zakarpattia Brigade on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. During a battle with the Russian army, the attackers of the 128th Separate Mountain Zakarpattia Brigade seized a trophy APC, whose crew fled after the wheels of the vehicle were damaged with grenades. Several laptops and hryvnia banknotes were found inside, the report states. The laptops were recognized by local residents in the village, near which the battle was taking place. According to them, Russian soldiers took their household appliances, money, clothing and food. The Russian military also searched the abandoned houses (whose owners fled from the hostilities area) for valuable items and alcoholic beverages. Russians took carpets and mattresses, canned food from cellars, even the curtains from windows. A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting a war. Russian troops are shelling and destroying the key infrastructure facilities, launching missile and air strikes on residential areas in Ukrainian cities and villages, killing civilians. mk About 40,000 Mariupol residents have been taken by Russian invaders to the so-called DPR or the Russian Federation, according to the data from local authorities. The relevant statement was made by Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. The calculation of deportees is complicated, as they [Russian invaders - Ed.] seize Ukrainian documents from people, Denisova noted. In her words, ruscists separate parents from children. A total of 17 children were taken by Russian invaders from a hospital in Mariupol, while their parents were left in Mariupol and evacuated to Zaporizhzhia. Some of Mariupol residents, who had been forcibly deported, were found in Estonia, as they came there from the territory of Russia. Similarly, people from Kherson Region, Kharkiv Region and Luhansk Region got to Estonia via the territory of Russia, Denisova told. Some people noted they decided to go via Russia, as they were not able to leave for western Ukraine. But, there are also people, who were forcibly taken to Russia and then allowed to go elsewhere on their own. According to Denisova, Russia deliberately violates the provisions of Article 49 of the Geneva Conventions relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, based on which forcible transfers and deportations from occupied territories are prohibited. I appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross to make every effort and assist in bringing the Ukrainians illegally taken to Russia back and opening safe humanitarian corridors from the areas of hostilities, Denisova stressed. Denisova also urged the UN Commission established to investigate violations committed during Russias military attack on Ukraine and the OSCE expert mission to consider the evidence of Russias violations of human rights in Ukraine. Photo: AA mk Today Russian troops have launched another missile strike on the city of Vasylkiv, leaving several people wounded. The relevant statement was made by the Center Air Command on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Some missiles were destroyed by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense units. The same area was hit with Russian missiles a month ago. There were massive destructions, and almost all premises burnt out. Russian orcs again hit a building of the headquarters, which had already been destroyed. A training center and a civilian college were also stationed within this area, and the local community began to rebuild the college after the fire. But, Russian occupiers fire insidiously, without giving up the practice of making civilians frightened. The missile hit the area, where college employees were cleaning the street and buildings, the report states. According to the preliminary data, several employees were wounded and taken to hospital. One of them is in critical condition. Rescuers are dismantling the rubble and searching for survivors. mk President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky paid a visit to the wounded border guards undergoing treatment at the Main Military Medical Clinical Center. Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with Head of the State Border Service of Ukraine Serhiy Deyneko and the management of the clinical center, inquired about the needs in the medical field and the measures taken to help defenders during the war, the press service of the Head of State informs. For personal courage and selfless actions in defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath and in accordance with decrees, the President presented state awards to eight border guards from various units. They were wounded in battles for Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Hostomel, as well as in clashes with enemy sabotage groups. In addition, the state award was given to an orthopedist-traumatologist of a medical institution. The medical service officer is a leading military traumatologist in Ukraine and conducts complex surgeries, saving the lives and health of defenders. The servicemen were awarded medals "For Military Service to Ukraine" and "Defender of the Homeland". On February 24, Russian president Putin declared war on Ukraine and launched a large-scale invasion. Russian troops shell and destroy infrastructure, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, and ballistic missiles. Photo credit: Presidents Office ol More Russian equipment is coming to Gomel region of Belarus, located on the border with Ukraine, which could indicate a rotation of Russian troops. More Russian equipment is coming to Gomel region of Belarus, which indicates a rotation of troops, rather than their withdrawal from Belarus. Therefore, the demand of Ukraine and other countries should be the withdrawal of Russian troops both from Ukraine and Belarus, journalist Anton Motolko, author of Belarusian insider project MotolkoHelp, posted on Twitter. More Russian equipment is coming to Gomel region of Belarus, which indicates a rotation of troops, rather than their withdrawal from Belarus. Therefore, the demand of Ukraine and other countries should be the withdrawal of Russian troops both from Ukraine and Belarus. 1/2 MotolkoHelp (@MotolkoHelp) April 3, 2022 16:35 A column of equipment with V marks was seen on the M8 highway at the Gomel bypass road. There were 18 KamAZ trucks (incl. transport loading vehicles for Tor systems and cluster munition with missiles to it, Orlan UAV), 4 Ural trucks, and Tigr armored vehicle. pic.twitter.com/4psJ6ldjlI MotolkoHelp (@MotolkoHelp) April 3, 2022 In numerous reports on Sunday, he reported the active movement of Russian equipment on their own wheels, by rail, by military aircraft in Gomel and Brest regions of Belarus. On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It has been carried out including from the territory of Belarus. Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced. The country is repelling the invaders. The international community has imposed sanctions on Russia and Belarus. ol Vel Murugan is the program and technical director for Arizona State Universitys (ASU) BioDesign clinical testing laboratory (ABCTL), which processes tests from sites it runs across Arizona. This includes the Fieldhouse site at NAU, which still offers testing by appointment on a daily basis. According to its website, the lab has processed a total of 1,329,542 tests across Arizona as of March 29, with an average turnaround time of 25.69 hours. Before COVID, ABCTL primarily focused on developing diagnostic tests, which meant that when the pandemic hit, it was the one able to turn around molecular tests faster than other labs in Arizona. When the pandemic hit, we looked at the labs around the state and we found out that the turnaround time for these molecular tests was a couple of weeksat the beginning of 2020," Murugan said. "So at that point, we decided that we should set something up, so that we can provide fast turnaround time to people, so we can analyze the samples really fast using high throughput testing capabilities that we had in the lab." The lab began testing for COVID in April 2020 and has been operating 24/7 for the majority of the past two years. It was primarily run by BioDesign Institute volunteer staff for the first few months, before they began hiring dedicated staff. It began doing statewide testing based on need, Murugan said. Even through the end of 2020, he said, there werent many testing locations in Arizona. There was a need in Arizona, so we decided to step up and fill the gap, return results to people as soon as possible, he said. ABCTL returns results in 48 hours of sample collection, from the time somebody activates their kit to when they receive results. Usually, Murugan said, the process is faster, taking 8 to 12 hours. A test from Flagstaff, for example, comes to ASU with the sample inside a tube. These are put into an incubator before opening, so that the heat inactivates the sample, killing the virus particles and making it safe to handle. The sample then goes to the lab, where automated instruments open the tube, remove a small part of the sample and process it. From that point onward, everything is automated, Murugan said. Machines prepare the sample and do a qPCR reaction to detect the viruss presence in the sample. This is the point where results are returned to the test-taker. As with Coconino County, testing went up at ABCTL at the beginning of this year. It happened more or less at the same time across Arizona, he said, though the states rise was a few weeks behind more densely populated areas of the United States. Murugan said Thanksgiving and December 2020 was when the lab saw its highest volume of tests, close to 7,000 a day. Omicron was somewhat similar, he said, reaching between 6,000 and 7,000 tests a day at its height. During omicron, the increase was a little bit more sharp on the ground compared to earlier surges, he said. The BioDesign Institute has pretty high capacity automation capabilities, he said, with the ability to process as many as 15,000 to 20,000 samples each day. They did need to hire additional staff in high volume periods, Murugan said, as theres also a parallel need for the number of people to process the samples and be in the lab. Whenever a surge like this comes along, we do have to increase the number of people and then when the surge goes down, we might have to reduce the staff in the lab," he said. The lab now processes an average of 1,000 to 2,500 tests each day, he said (its website lists 918 on March 29, for example), he said. Its website lists a total of 918 tests processed on March 29, for example, with similar rates throughout March. NAU reported a total of 310 tests conducted on its campus the week ending March 19. Its highest testing rate this semester was January 15, with a total of 5,115 tests conducted, 25.8% of which had positive results. The week before had the highest positivity for the semester so far (30.4%), though with slightly fewer tests overall (4,963). The current positivity rate of on-campus testing is 3.1% (10 positive tests). Murugan said he expects this level of testing to continue and that the lab would continue processing tests as there was still demand. In parallel, we have a high vaccination rate, [or] at least the vaccination rate does keep on inching upwards in Arizona, he said; 74.7% of eligible Arizonans are fully vaccinated, as are 68.2% of eligible Coconino County residents, according to Arizona Department of Health Services data accessed March 31. Unless some other variant comes along, I feel like we are in a good place and I think probably this level of testing may go on for some more time but eventually come down," he said. More about the NAU Fieldhouse site, including appointment registration, can be found at in.nau.edu/campus-health-services/covid-testing/. Testing locations across Coconino County are listed at coconino.az.gov/2338/COVID-19-Testing-Information. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Russia redeploys some units of the Kaliningrad-based 37th Separate Air Assault Brigade to Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine. As of 18:00, the Russian Armed Forces started to withdraw units from Sumy region. Having not achieved the goal of the operation, the enemy probably decided to abandon the offensive in Siversky and, in part, Slobozhansky directions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted on Facebook. According to the General Staff data, the withdrawal of units of the occupying forces to the territory of Belarus is nearing completion in the Siversky area. Belarusian border guards do not carry out any control, including radiation control. The occupiers continue to deliver stolen vehicles and other property from Ukraine to Belarus without hindrance. The situation in Slobozhansky direction did not change significantly during the day. The General Staff notes that the enemy is taking measures to regroup and strengthen the existing troops in Donetsk direction. In particular, the redeployment of some units of the 37th Separate Air Assault Brigade (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad region) to the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is confirmed. It is reported that the invaders suffered manpower and equipment losses. In particular, in Kharkiv region, the motorized infantry company of the 59th Tank Regiment lost almost 80% of its personnel. Due to significant personnel losses, about 25 servicemen of the 31st Separate Assault Brigade from Ulyanovsk refused to take part in the war with Ukraine and wish to resign. In addition, Deputy Commander of the 83rd Guards Air Assault Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Vitaliy Slabtsov, was eliminated. According to the General Staff, the enemy's violation of international humanitarian law is confirmed daily by numerous civilian casualties in the liberated localities. All facts are documented and submitted to international judicial institutions. As reported, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian Federation lost about 18,000 personnel, 644 tanks, 143 planes, 134 helicopters, and many other weapons and equipment from February 24 to April 3. ol President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and said that the Ukrainian authorities had not seen any effort by him to stop the war. I want to address another person who does not seem to fully understand what is happening. Not only in Ukraine, but throughout Europe. The Prime Minister of Hungary. He is virtually the only one in Europe to openly support Mr. Putin. We did not ask for anything special from official Budapest. We didn't even get what everyone else is doing! Doing for the sake of peace. We did not receive the vital transit of defense aid, we did not see moral leadership. We saw no effort to stop the war! Why so? Zelensky said in his address. He also noted that Ukraine had not received the vital transit of defensive aid from Budapest, had not seen moral leadership The whole of Europe wants peace. The whole of Europe does not want the battlefield to be moved from Mariupol to Budapest or from Kharkiv to Krakow or from Chernihiv to Vilnius. The whole of Europe is trying to stop the war, to restore peace. Then why is official Budapest opposed to the whole of Europe, to all civilized countries? For what? the President of Ukraine said. At the same time, he noted that the main thing was the opinion of the people. The Ukrainian people support the Hungarian people, and the Hungarian people support the Ukrainian people. We value peace equally, we value freedom equally. It will always be so. We will always live in good neighborliness. And I am convinced that our minorities should be the bridges that unite us even more, Zelensky added. The President of Ukraine noted that Orban could have lost his honesty somewhere in his contacts with Moscow. As reported, the parliamentary elections in Hungary will be held on April 3. Incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who will run for elections, said he would not support European Union sanctions on imports of Russian energy. In addition, Hungary refuses to provide Ukraine with weapons to fight the aggressor and has not even allowed the transit of weapons from other countries. Budapest also opposes the rapid granting of EU membership to Ukraine. Photo credit: Presidents Office ol British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she was appalled by the atrocities committed by Russian occupiers in Bucha and other Ukrainian cities. Truss wrote about this on Twitter, Ukrinform reports. "Appalled by atrocities in Bucha and other towns in Ukraine. Reports of Russian forces targeting innocent civilians are abhorrent. The UK is working with others to collect evidence and support the International Criminal Courts war crimes investigation. Those responsible will be held to account," the statement reads. As Ukrinform earlier reported, 280 bodies have been discovered in mass graves in the town of Bucha just outside Kyiv after the Russian invasion forces retreated from the area. The liberated town has been heavily destroyed, with its streets literally covered with the bodies of local civilians. Ukraine could sit down at the negotiation table with Russia once it has security guarantees from other nations. Thats according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke with CBS, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Now we're interested in real, enforceable guarantees. Can be five countries, guarantors. Maybe even three will have a full-fledged defense for Ukraine will be involved to protect Ukraine. Then we can sit down around the table with Russia and then only I understand what this dialogue is about with Russia, Zelensky said. According to the president, security guarantees should include a circle of countries who will be supporting Ukraine, and in case Russia goes for another act of aggression against his nation, these leaders in these countries will be assisting Ukraine in different capacities, following certain security conditions that have to be agreed between these security guarantor states. As noted by the president, Ukraine will take a non-nuclear, non-bloc status, neutral status, but at the same time, gain membership in the European Union. I need legal, powerful guarantees where there was a description about the weapons, human factor, sanction policy and preventive type of response, Zelensky explained, adding that sanctions really are important but they are unable to stop Russian aggression. Because if tomorrow the war starts again, and only sanctions will have been introduced, well, that's about nothing, the president stressed. Zelensky noted that as of today, we have not received them (security guarantees - ed.) yet from anyone and we have to get them. "I would like to thank the United States and Biden administration and their bipartisan support in everything they're doing for us. But nevertheless, the United States has not provided the security guarantees to us," Zelensky said. Read also: Russia to seek at least some kind of victory in Ukraine by symbolic date of May 9 At the same time, the Ukrainian leader underlined that the United States is our strategic partner and they are supporting us. But security guarantees is when you have an enforceable document. As Ukrinform reported earlier, on March 29, a live round of talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations was held in Istanbul. The Ukrainian side put forward a number of proposals toward ending the war, among which is signing an international agreement laying down security guarantees for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who led the nations during the 2008 Bucharest NATO summit, to visit Bucha to see what policy of concessions to Russia has led to. The president stated this in his latest video address, Ukrinform reports. "I invite Ms. Merkel and Mr. Sarkozy to visit Bucha and see what Russia's policy of concessions has led to over the past 14 years. See with your own eyes the tortured and slain Ukrainians," Zelensky said. He reminded that today is the fourteenth anniversary of the NATO summit in Bucharest, when a chance was out there to take Ukraine out of the "gray zone" in eastern Europe, out of the "gray zone" between NATO and Russia. "The gray zone, where Moscow thinks its allowed to do anything. Even the most terrible war crimes," the president stressed. He said that behind optimistic diplomatic statements assuming that Ukraine could become a NATO member, then, in 2008, a refusal was hidden to accept Ukraine into the Alliance, as well as a "senseless fear of Russia on the part of some politicians," who Zelensky says believed that, by rejecting Ukraine, they would be able to calm Russia down and convince it to respect Ukraine and live along with us. "Over the 14 years since that miscalculation, Ukraine has gone through a revolution and eight years of war in Donbas. And now we are fighting for our lives in the worst war in Europe since World War 2," the head of state said. Zelensky assured that he did not blame the West or anyone else except the specific Russian military servicemen, who committed crimes against Ukrainians, and those who gave them orders. "But we have the right to talk about indecisiveness. About the path that led to such Bucha, such Hostomel, such Kharkiv, and such Mariupol. We have no indecisiveness. Whatever bloc were part of or beyond, we understand one thing: we must be strong," the president added. As Ukrinform reported earlier, Irpin, Bucha, Hostomelm and the entire Kyiv region were recently liberated from Russian invaders. Mass killings of Ukrainian civilians by Russians have been recorded in liberated towns and villages. In particular, a mass grave was discovered in Bucha, with almost 300 bodies buried in it, while dozens of bodies were seen laying in the streets, some with their hands tied. Memo: The 2008 NATO Bucharest Summit, or the 20th NATO Summit, took place in Bucharest April 2-4, 2008. The agenda included the recognition of Kosovo, a military campaign in Afghanistan, the alliances enlargement through the accession of Croatia, Albania, and Macedonia, as well as the MAP for Ukraine and Georgia. At the time, the Ukrainian government hoped to obtain the said MAP, but the move saw no support from a number of allies, including Germany and France. An unsuccessful blitzkrieg by the Russian forces will end in an international tribunal similar to that held in Nurnberg where the Nazis were tried. Thats according to Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, who wrote about this on Facebook after visiting Hostomel, a town outside Kyiv, recently granted a Hero title, Ukrinform reports. The liberators came with their Russian world to a peaceful, free Ukrainian city with happy families. Today, the whole world sees the results of this liberation," the minister said. "The pain of our people is unimaginable. But I know for sure: our only national dream will become a reality. We will restore and rebuild everything, and all those involved in the crimes against humanity, led by the Kremlin's main actors, will be held accountable not only to the Ukrainian people but also to the international court, added Reznikov. Russian fascists will be held responsible for every Ukrainian life taken and maimed. An unsuccessful blitzkrieg will end in a successful Nuremberg. And the phrase I was just following orders at the Nuremberg Trials will not save any criminal," the defense minister stressed. As reported earlier referring to the Office of the Prosecutor General, a Ukrainian An-225 Mriya aircraft, the multiple record-holding cargo giant, was destroyed in Russian shelling at the Antonov airfield in Hostomel. Virtual reality film On the Other Side features the story of Arianna, a young woman from Venezuela who fled her country in search of safety in Ecuador. UNHCR/Iman Transmedia UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the European Union launched today an innovative 360-degree interactive film that tells the story of a young woman from Venezuela who fled from her country in search of safety in Ecuador. On the Other Side is a virtual reality film that aims to create empathy among the European and global public about the situation of Venezuelans who have left their country due to insecurity, persecution and widespread shortages of basic goods and services. With more than 6 million refugees and migrants, the exodus from Venezuela is one of the largest external displacement crises in the world. Over half a million Venezuelans have found a home in Ecuador. "We hope that this project will help the public to better understand the courage and resilience that refugees and migrants need to show during the dangerous journeys they embark on," said Jose Samaniego, UNHCR Director for the Americas. "This film highlights the need to continue providing emergency assistance to Venezuelans on the move, while also investing in solutions to ensure they can contribute to their host communities." Some of the countless risks that refugees and migrants face are portrayed in the film through the story of the protagonist, Arianna. She had to leave Venezuela and, after crossing Colombia on foot, she is now trying to join her older sister in Ecuador, where she hopes to resume her studies and achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. Hundreds of Venezuelans like Arianna endure hardship every day during their journey, braving the cold weather and exposed to dangers such as exploitation and abuse. After several years of a crisis that continues to force Venezuelans to flee their country, it is necessary to remember that humanitarian needs persist and are even worsening, says Alvaro De Vicente, Head of DG ECHOs regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean. I hope that this project will help us not to forget the critical situation suffered by all Venezuelans on the move. The time that has passed since the beginning of the crisis has not helped to find a solution, rather the opposite, and this must be shown. Throughout the film, viewers will help Arianna make three key decisions that will shape her future. This interactive film is fictional but based on true stories. Written jointly with dozens of refugees and migrants in Ecuador, On the other side will allow the audience to walk a mile in their shoes and face the difficult choices they have to make on a daily basis. Note to editors Virtual launch event UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in partnership with the European Union, is pleased to invite you to the virtual launch of the 360 interactive film On the Other Side, about the Venezuelan displacement, and to the High-level Panel on Venezuelan Displacement on 24 March 2022 (1600 CET; 1000 EST). Speakers at the event include Mr. Gonzalo Vargas Llosa (UNHCR Representative EU Affairs), Ms. Andrea Koulaimah (Director of Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and Pacific, DG ECHO), Mr. Jose Samaniego (Director, UNHCR Regional Bureau for the Americas), Ms. Rosa Ortiz (Actress and Venezuelan displaced in Ecuador) and H.E. Charles-Michel Geurts (EU Ambassador in Ecuador). To register: click here Watch the trailer here Under embargo until 0800 CET on Thursday 24 March 2022 Watch the film here Under embargo until 0800 CET on Thursday 24 March 2022 For more information contact: About UNHCR UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. UNHCR, together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), co-leads the Regional Inter-agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (R4V). With about 200 partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, the R4V Platform seeks to strengthen protection of the rights, improve access to services, and expand integration opportunities for refugees, migrants and host communities. About EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises. Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Kabul, April 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Apr, 2022 ) :The Taliban's supreme leader on Sunday ordered a ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, warning that the hardline Islamist government would crack down on farmers planting the crop. Afghanistan is the world's biggest producer of poppies, the source of sap that is refined into heroin, and in recent years production and exports have only boomed. "All Afghans are informed that from now on cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," said a decree issued by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The order was read out by government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid at a gathering of reporters, foreign diplomats and Taliban officials. "If anyone violates the decree the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be treated according to the sharia law," it added. It is not the first time the fundamentalist group has vowed to outlaw the trade. Production was banned in 2000, just before the group was overthrown by US-led forces in the wake of the September 11 attacks. During their 20-year insurgency against foreign forces, the Taliban heavily taxed farmers cultivating the crop in areas under their control, experts have said. It became a key resource for the group to generate funds. Poppy farmer Abdul Rahman told AFP that Sunday's ban was a blow to his livelihood. "We have taken loans to cultivate this... If these crops are destroyed our income will be gone," said Rahman, who is from the southern province of Kandahar -- the Taliban's de facto power centre. "We too are not fond of cultivating this crop and are fed up with it. We know our future generations will be addicted to it but we are compelled to cultivate." - Tough to enforce ban - The United States and NATO forces tried to curb poppy cultivation during their two decades in Afghanistan by paying farmers to grow alternative crops such as wheat or saffron. But their attempts were thwarted by the Taliban, who controlled the main poppy-growing regions and derived hundreds of millions of Dollars from the trade, experts have said. Author David Mansfield, who has written a book on Afghanistan's opium trade, said the Taliban would find it difficult to enforce the latest ban, as farmers had invested considerable resources in a crop that was ready to harvest. "It's not just opium (farmers) smell, it's cash & what it buys after a cold winter of rising food prices & economic crisis," Mansfield tweeted. Afghanistan's economic and humanitarian crisis has deepened since foreign donors cut off aid to the country in the aftermath of the Taliban's takeover of the country in August last year. Mansfield said the ban was an attempt by the Taliban to divert the political debate in the country away from issues such as "girls education & human rights". Last month the Taliban shut all secondary schools for girls, just hours after reopening them for the first time since seizing power, triggering international outrage. Afghan media reports, meanwhile, have said poppy production has increased in two southern provinces, Kandahar and Helmand, since the Taliban returned to power, but did not provide data. Afghanistan has a near-monopoly on opium and heroin, accounting for 80 to 90 percent of global output, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The amount of land used for planting poppies hit a record high in 2017 and has averaged around 250,000 hectares in recent years, roughly four times the level of the mid-1990s, UN figures show. According to a UN survey in 2020, poppies were grown in 22 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd April, 2022) The United States is exercising "terrible pressure" on every state and rare countries could find the strength to express their sovereign position, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday. "Of course, the US is threatening with secondary sanctions. Of course, everyone is under terrible pressure from the US, and not all countries find the strength to clearly define their sovereign position," Peskov told Rossiya 1 broadcaster. Peskov also noted that in the modern world, the complete isolation of Russia is "technically impossible. " He added that Europe will have to build a dialogue with Russia despite Washington's wishes. "Sooner or later we will have to build a dialogue, whether someone across the ocean wants it or not," Peskov said. He praised Turkey for daring to stand up for what it believes is in its interests despite existing differences with Russia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan belongs to "a minority atop the modern political Olympus," the spokesman said. LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd April, 2022) The United Kingdom could have seven nuclear power stations by 2050, as part of its new energy security strategy, British Secretary of State for business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng said. Kwarteng told The Telegraph that "there is a world where we have six or seven sites in the UK" by 2050, as part of a push for the expansion of domestic energy production and boosting self-reliance. The energy secretary said that nuclear power plants could account for 15-25 percent of all electricity production in the UK. For now, the British government is ready to back only one new nuclear power station by 2024, according to The Telegraph, but the government is aiming to increase the UK nuclear capacity from the current seven gigawatts to 24 GW by 2050. All but one of the nuclear power plants in the UK are due to be decommissioned by 2030, but the country's new energy security strategy expected to be unveiled next week, should commit the British government to supporting the construction of at least two new plants by 2030, The Telegraph said on Saturday. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday that the European Union is moving toward energy independence from Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin's new decree says that all contracts for pipeline gas deliveries with companies registered in countries that have sanctioned Russia be settled in rubles. (@FahadShabbir) BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd April, 2022) Over a dozen people have died as a result of heavy rains in the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil that resulted in flooding and landslides, Brazilian media report. The death toll currently stands at 14, while at least five people are missing, the G1 news portal reported on Saturday. There are reportedly eight children among the dead. El Financiero said citing local authorities that a mother and six of her children are among the fatalities. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Twitter on Saturday that the Federal government was deploying military aircraft to help with the rescue efforts in Rio de Janeiro. "National Secretary of Civil Defense and Protection, Colonel Alexandre Lucas, is traveling to the most affected regions," Bolsonaro said in another tweet. More rain is expected in the Rio de Janeiro area in the coming days, according to forecasts cited by Brazilian media. Heavy rains and flash floods hit the state of Rio de Janeiro earlier this week. In February, heavy rainfall and subsequent landslides killed over 200 people in the Brazilian town of Petropolis, located north of the city of Rio de Janeiro. A two-month truce has started in war-torn Yemen, the UN special envoy said on Saturday, in a rare sign of hope for a country battered by seven years of conflict Dubai, April 2 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Apr, 2022 ) :A two-month truce has started in war-torn Yemen, the UN special envoy said on Saturday, in a rare sign of hope for a country battered by seven years of conflict. "The two-month truce started at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) tonight. As of tonight, all offensive ground, aerial and naval military operations should cease," Hans Grundberg said in a statement. The renewable truce, which takes effect on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, will allow 18 fuel ships to access the port of Hodeida, and two commercial flights a week in and out of the capital Sanaa's airport, both under rebel control. The Huthi rebels and Saudi-led coalition will also meet to agree on opening roads in parts of the country, including Taiz governorate, "to improve civilians' freedom of movement", the statement said. "The success of this initiative will depend on the warring parties' continued commitment to implementing the truce agreement with its accompanying humanitarian measures," Grundberg said. "I also hope the goodwill that we saw from all sides in public will translate into long-term de-escalation of inflammatory media rhetoric and hate speech."The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 after Iran-backed Huthis took power in the capital Sanaa the previous year, ousting the government. Idaho and Montanas successful recovery of the gray wolf was a significant achievement in species conservation. In less than 10 years, not only were biological recovery targets for gray wolves met, they were exceeded. Unfortunately, delisting of the wolf has been mired in politics rather than informed by science. Last month, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland authored an editorial, devoid of facts but flushed with alarmist rhetoric, perpetuating the false narrative that Idaho and Montanas wildlife management policies are driving gray wolves to extinction. Whats more, the Secretary disregarded both the spirit and procedure of the Endangered Species Act by explicitly threatening emergency listing. The Secretarys editorial demands a response. Gray wolves were brought to the Northern Rockies in 1995, and by the mid-2000s, their rapid population growth had far outpaced expectations. With the gray wolf fully recovered, Idaho and Montana resumed state wildlife management authority in 2011. However, three scenarios are written into the states post-recovery plans outlining the conditions that could lead to a species status review: One: if wolf populations in the Northern Rockies Management Unit fall below 100 wolves during one year. Both states far surpassed this number with an estimated 1,177 wolves in Montana and 1,543 in Idaho last year. Two: if wolf populations in either state fall below 150 wolves for three consecutive years in a row. Gray wolf populations have consistently remained above 1,000 wolves for over ten consecutive years in Montana. Similarly, Idahos wolf populations have significantly exceeded the target number for more than 20 years, remaining above 1,500 in the last three consecutive years. Three: if a state law or management objective makes changes that significantly increases the threat to the wolf population. Idaho expanded hunting licenses in 2021, not to endanger wolf populations but to reduce their growing threat to the ecosystem. The Fish and Wildlife Services 2009 delisting rule warned that a Northern Rockies population above 1,500 wolves, which Idaho alone currently exceeds, would result in eventual habitat degradation. Like Idaho, Montana adopted new hunting regulations this year. This plan was adjustableallowing the Commission to respond to changing conditions mid-seasonand maintained science-based quotas, which even if fully met, assured wolf populations were maintained at a level nearly five times the recovery threshold. Montanas wolf season concluded last week and the total harvest was on par with past seasons and actually less than the previous four years. The Secretary wrote that we must find solutions that allow wolves to flourish. We agree, and are proud that Idaho and Montana succeeded in doing just that. If the gray wolf doesnt meet the criteria for a status review, it certainly does not meet the criteria for an emergency listing. Those pushing for such action are relying on emotional appeals, red-herrings, and fear tacticsnot science or the law. If the Secretary is serious about following the science and the law and recognizing decades of hard work by states, the Secretary must promote, rather than disparage, state management authority. She must acknowledge Idaho and Montana have demonstrated a pertinent ability to sustain a healthy wolf population for over a decade. This is the true mark of success for species recovery, and we cannot afford for Secretary Haaland to undermine this legacy for political, partisan gain. Montana Senator Steve Daines and Idaho Senator Jim Risch. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 5 Music Time in Africa is VOAs longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on whats happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music. No media source currently available The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Colombian authorities seized more than 140 tarantulas being smuggled to Mexico City via Bogota's International Airport, officials said on March 31, 2022. (Reuters) Russia faced mounting international condemnation amid reports of possible war crimes committed by Russian forces in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha and other parts of Ukraine. In a post on Twitter on April 3, European Council President Charles Michel said Moscow will face "further EU sanctions." Michel said he was shocked by haunting images of atrocities committed by Russian army in Kyiv liberated region. U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement that her government has seen increasing evidence of appalling acts by the invading forces in towns such as Irpin and Bucha. Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk said on April 2 that some 300 local civilians had been shot during the time the town was occupied by Russian forces. About 280 were allegedly dumped in a mass grave, while the rest were left in the streets. Moving and graphic images of the bodies have been distributed on social media. These are the consequences of Russian occupation, Fedoruk was quoted as saying. GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - The following tweet contains sensitive content which some people may find offensive or disturbing. Russia has not responded to the reports. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko told Germanys Bild newspaper that what happened in Bucha and other suburbs of Kyiv can only be described as genocide. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin bore responsibility. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dymtro Kuleba said the Bucha massacre was deliberate. I demand new, devastating G7 sanctions NOW, Kuleba wrote in an April 3 post on Twitter, referring to the Group of Seven leading economies. The accusations of alleged atrocities have emerged as Russian forces pull back from positions around Kyiv and the northern cities of Chernihiv and Kharkiv. The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on April 3 that it had documented several cases of Russian military forces committing laws-of-war violations against civilians in occupied areas of Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions of Ukraine. The NGO said that, on March 4, Russian forces in Bucha shot at least one man in the back of the head. Truss said on April 2 that she was appalled by atrocities in Bucha and other towns in Ukraine and promised that perpetrators would be prosecuted. In his post on Twitter, Michel said the European Union was assisting Ukraine in gathering of necessary evidence for pursuit in international courts. The International Criminal Court had earlier opened an investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. The Human Rights Watch report included several allegations of rapes, two cases of summary executions involving seven victims, and other instances of threats and violence against civilians. The cases we documented amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians, Hugh Williamson, HRWs Europe and Central Asia director, was quoted as saying. Media watchdog groups are expressing concern over the fate of journalists who have disappeared in Ukraine after a Ukrainian photojournalist was found dead Saturday. Maks Levin, a Ukrainian photographer who had been missing for more than two weeks, was found dead near the capital, Kyiv. He went missing in the conflict area on March 13 in the Kyiv region. His body was found near the village of Huta-Mezhyhirska on April 1, presidential aide Andriy Yermak said Saturday in a post on Telegram. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned Levins death, calling on both sides of the conflict to investigate the killing. Russian and Ukrainian authorities must ensure that those responsible are held accountable and guarantee the safety of journalists covering the war from the ground, CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna said in a statement Saturday. The Washington-based National Press Club said Levin was killed by Russian forces while working north of Kyiv. It added that Levin is the ninth journalist to have been killed covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine which began February 24. We ask that his death be investigated as a war crime. Targeting of civilians, including journalists, is a war crime, Jen Judson, President of the National Press Club and Gil Klein, President of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, said in a joint statement Sunday. Russia is denying the targeting of civilians or journalists, saying such reports are fake news. A Lithuanian filmmaker, Mantas Kvedaravicius, was killed Saturday in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, according to the Ukrainian military. Mariupol, in southeast Ukraine, is besieged by Russian forces. Since the beginning of the conflict, several journalists have also been wounded in attacks by Russian forces. Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsaplienko, a correspondent for the 1+1 news channel, was hit by shrapnel March 25, when he was covering a humanitarian corridor near the northern city of Chernihiv. Several other Ukrainian journalists have been reported missing in recent days. The CPJ reported Friday that Ukrainian journalist Konstantin Ryzhenko has been missing since March 30. On the same day, Russian soldiers searched in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson for Ryzhenko, and since then his family has lost contact with him. Kherson is currently under the control of Russian forces, according to media reports. A day after his disappearance, a note appeared on Ryzhenkos Telegram account, saying if you are reading this text, it means that something has happened. The post apparently explained that Ryzhenko, who works as the chief editor of the Kherson Newscity local news website, had scheduled that post for publication in case he had been detained or lost access to his phone or to the internet. Ryzhenkos disappearance adds to a growing list of Ukrainian journalists who have gone missing since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Gulnoza Said, CPJ Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, said in a statement Friday. Another Ukrainian journalist, Iryna Dubchenko, was detained March 26 by Russian forces and taken to the eastern city of Donetsk, according to the Ukrainian National Union of Journalists, and members of her family. Donetsk is controlled by Russian-backed separatists. Dubchenko, who has worked for several Ukrainian outlets including the news website Depo.Zaporizhzhia, newspaper Subota and the UNIAN news agency, was reportedly arrested in the town of Rozivka, where she was caring for her grandmother. Her sister, Oleksandra, told the Ukrainian journalists union that when Russian soldiers searched her home March 26, they said they knew everything about [Dubchenkos] journalistic activities. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sharply condemned Russia on Sunday, accusing it of committing war atrocities in Ukraine as the world saw its first glimpse of the bodies of dead Ukrainians left behind like trash in the streets of the Kyiv suburb of Bucha after Russian troops departed the area. You cant help but feel a punch to the gut, the top U.S. diplomat told CNNs State of the Union show. We cannot become numb to this. We cannot normalize this. Blinken said the United States would be looking hard to document Russian war crimes throughout Ukraine even as Ukraine is claiming it has retaken control of the north-central region around the capital. Moscows troops have pulled back from the Kyiv territory to concentrate new attacks in southern Ukrainian cities along the Black Sea and in the contested Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Reflecting on the bodies found in the streets, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CBSs Face the Nation show, Indeed. This is genocide. He said Ukraine is being destroyed and exterminated by Russian forces. Watch related video by Arash Arabasadi (Warning: Graphic Content): NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN, It is a brutality against citizens we have not seen in decades in Europe. It is [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putins responsibility to end the war. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Twitter, I am deeply shocked by the images of civilians killed in Bucha, Ukraine. It is essential that an independent investigation leads to effective accountability. Russias Defense Ministry contended in a statement Sunday that it had not killed civilians in Bucha and claimed that video footage and photographs showing the dead were yet another provocation by the West. Russia has asked the U.N. Security Council to convene a meeting Monday to discuss the actions of Ukrainian radicals in Bucha. Both Blinken and Stoltenberg voiced skepticism about the immediate implications of the Russian military pullback from fighting near Kyiv, which Moscow once appeared to think might be captured within days of launching its Feb. 24 invasion of eastern Ukraine and aerial bombardment of numerous targets. They could be regrouping and then coming back to Kyiv, Blinken said, but added that the resistance of the Ukrainian fighters over the last five-plus weeks has shown that the will of the Ukrainian people will not be subjected to occupation by Russia. Stoltenberg said, This is not a real withdrawal but a shift in strategy to the east and south. Blinken said Western economic sanctions are taking a toll on Russia and predicted its economy would shrink 10% this year compared to a projected 3% year-over-year U.S. advance. He said the U.S. and its allies are looking to tighten sanctions they have already imposed on Russia and add more. Blinken is traveling to Brussels for meetings this week with other NATO foreign ministers, looking to highlight the military alliances resolve to hold Russia responsible for continued fighting in Ukraine. The Reuters news agency reports that Ukraine has retaken more than 30 towns and villages around Kyiv. Zelenskyy, however, warned that what Russia has left behind in Kyiv and its nearby areas is a complete disaster, a territory with mined land, houses and equipment. The president claimed even the bodies of the dead have been mined. Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address, We should not cherish empty hopes that the Russians will simply leave our land. He said peace could only be gained through hard battles, negotiations and daily vigorous work. Reports from Odesa, on Ukraines Black Sea coast, say a Russian missile strike on an oil refinery there has destroyed the facility. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, "This morning, high-precision sea- and air-based missiles destroyed an oil refinery and three storage facilities for fuel and lubricants near the city of Odesa, from which fuel was supplied to a group of Ukrainian troops. British military intelligence said Sunday that reported mines in the Black Sea are a serious risk to maritime activity. The agency said that the origin of the mines is disputed and unclear but is likely to be due to Russian military activity. Ukraines chief negotiator has indicated, however, that talks between Zelenskyy and Putin could be possible after Moscows negotiators informally agreed to most of a draft proposal discussed during face-to-face talks in Istanbul last week, according to an Associated Press news report. In the besieged southeastern port city of Mariupol Sunday, residents continued to wait for an International Committee of the Red Cross humanitarian convoy designed to evacuate residents and bring humanitarian aid. The Associated Press reports that as many as 100,000 people are thought to be trapped in the city that has been surrounded by Russian troops for more than a month. Hong Kongs freedoms have been extinguished in the last two years according to a March 31 report by the British government. Since Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997 the British government has released two reports a year about Hong Kong and its progress under the Sino-British Joint Declaration. In its latest semiannual report, the British government said Hong Kong's Beijing-imposed national security law has continued to undermine the rights of Hong Kong residents. Experts who spoke to VOA both welcomed the report and accused Britain of tarnishing Hong Kongs rule of law. The report points to some of the changes to Hong Kongs framework and structural way of life. It highlights major Hong Kong political developments between July and December of last year, including the first person to be tried under charges from the national security law, the first patriots-only set of elections and the closure of civil society unions and independent media outlets. Political analyst Joseph Cheng, formerly of Hong Kong, but now living in New Zealand, told VOA that the report represents Britains commitment to Hong Kong. Two or three years before the [pro-democracy] Umbrella Movement [in 2014], the British diplomats in London and Hong Kong were tempted to terminate the series of six-monthly reports on Hong Kong. Today all those concerned with the situation in the territory are grateful for this series of reports as an authoritative and informative source on Hong Kong. This represents a commitment which may sometimes be neglected by ordinary people. But the willingness to accept hundreds of thousands of BNO [British National Overseas] passport holders from Hong Kong in the recent two years or so and in the foreseeable future has been most appreciated by Hong Kong people who plan to emigrate, he added. Benedict Rogers, co-founder of Britain-based Hong Kong Watch who was recently warned he would face imprisonment if he ever returned to Hong Kong welcomed the latest report. We welcome the report which is much more robust, detailed and unambiguous than previous reports. It describes the dramatic deterioration in the situation in Hong Kong, which looks set only to intensify further, he told VOA. US report sent to Congress The U.S. Department of State submitted its Hong Kong Policy Act Report to Congress on Thursday, covering conditions in Hong Kong from March 2021 through last month. The report, the U.S. Consulate General for Hong Kong and Macao said, found that China took new actions to erode rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, in direct contravention of its obligations under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which promised Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy. As a consequence, the State Department determined that Hong Kong does not warrant treatment under U.S. law in the same manner as U.S. laws were applied to Hong Kong before July 1, 1997. The report said Beijing took new actions directly threatening U.S. interests in Hong Kong under the National security law. The report also highlights how both Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have targeted civil society groups, media companies, and labor unions associated with the territorys prodemocracy movement. Hong Kong, Beijing government response Both reports have since angered the Hong Kong government, which said in an April 1 statement that the reports constitute interfering in internal affairs. "We strongly oppose the unfounded and ridiculous allegations against the HKSAR [Hong Kong Special Administrative Region] Government made by foreign countries through various reports. The HKSAR Government urges foreign countries to stop interfering into the internal affairs of China through Hong Kong affairs, part of the response stated. Beijing told Britain to abandon its colonial mindset in response to the report. The British report said support for Hong Kong should not be constituted as foreign interference. As a co-signatory of the Joint Declaration, we have a duty to speak out when we have concerns, and will continue to do so. It is regrettable that the mainland Chinese and Hong Kong authorities suggest our actions constitute 'foreign interference.' The U.K.'s response to the situation in Hong Kong is consistent with normal diplomatic practice, it said. Holden Chow Pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmaker Holden Chow told VOA he believes the British report contains many falsehoods. Again the British report expressed falsehoods against Hong Kong SAR, smeared our national security law. Furthermore, to my dismay, the two U.K. judges resigned their positions as non-permanent judges of Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, for the purpose of discrediting our judicial system. They simply compromised their integrity and judicial independence by accommodating the unscrupulous actions to suppress China taken by [the] U.K. government, Chow told VOA in a WhatsApp message. Indeed I don't any see alleged changes, namely the removal of rights and freedom as accused by western pundits. In fact, since the enactment of [the] National Security Law (NSL), it has restored stability and safe environment for Hong Kong, as opposed to the chaos and deeply divided status before enactment of the NSL. Our rights and freedom are robustly guaranteed by our Basic Law, he added. Chow is referring to two British judges who tendered their resignations last week in Hong Kongs high court because of the effects the national security law has had. Robert Reed and Patrick Hodge stated that the Hong Kong administration had departed with political freedom and expression since the enactment of the law. British judges have long served among the foreign jurists appointed to Hong Kongs highest court in an arrangement to maintain confidence in the citys legal apparatus. Under the "One country, two systems" signed agreement, Beijing promised that Hong Kong would retain a high degree of autonomy until 2047. But following Hong Kongs 2019s pro-democracy protests, Beijing implemented the national security law to bring back stability to the city. Among other things, it prohibits secession, subversion, and collusion with foreign forces. The law has seen authorities enforce a political crackdown with dozens of civil society groups closing and several independent media outlets also shutting their doors. At least 150 dissidents have also been arrested, including dozens of democratic lawmakers and political figures. Some dissidents have been tried in court without a jury and presided over by enlisted national security judges. Britain has stated it believes China is no longer in compliance with the agreement since the security legislation took hold. The Bismarck-area search for a missing West Fargo man was called off Sunday after a potential lead did not pan out, Bismarck police said. Daniel Olson, 38, was reported missing to West Fargo police last Oct. 28. Bismarck police on Nov. 4 found his vehicle in the Cottonwood Park parking lot. Authorities have said there is no indication of a crime. A Saturday search effort covered a ton of area and produced a promising lead, said Bismarck Police Sgt. Mike Bolme. Bismarck police, two search-and-rescue teams and volunteers on Saturday searched the Cottonwood Park area, Lincoln Oakes Nursery and other locations along the river. The effort lasted about 12 hours and included several dogs, three horses, a North Dakota Highway Patrol airplane, drones and underwater sonar. More than 50 people volunteered, including members of Olsons family. Another two-hour search on Sunday focused on areas search experts felt deserved special attention. By late Sunday afternoon crews had exhausted everything, Bolme said. Prior searches of the area were unsuccessful. Cottonwood Park was not closed during the search. Olson is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs. The Forum has reported that Olson has been active in raising awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder. Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 3 Angry 1 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Cameroon observed World Autism Awareness Day Saturday with rights groups advocating for autistic children to be given an education. Supporters say autistic children often cant go to school because autism is falsely believed to be a result of witchcraft. The Timely Performance Care Center, a school for disabled children in Cameroons capital, Yaounde, organized a campaign for parents and communities to stop the stigma that autistic kids often are subject to. The center has an enrollment of 70 autistic children. The schools manager, Betty Nancy Fonyuy, said autistic children are frequently kept at home because of stigma. She said many communities and parents abuse the rights of autistic children by refusing to educate them or give them the freedom to socialize with other children. "We want parents to accept the children that God has given them and to be able to educate the society that these children are not a form of divine punishment for witchcraft or a class of any evil thing. These children have a lot to offer to society if given a chance. Give them the chance. The world needs to know what autism is. Accept individuals born and living with autism," she said. Fonyuy said in January 2021, the center organized a door-to-door campaign to urge parents to send their autistic children to school. She said the response was encouraging, but that many parents still hide their autistic children at home. To mark World Autism Awareness Day on Saturday, scores of community leaders, parents of autistic children and heads of educational establishments in Cameroon's economic capital, Douala, emphasized at an event that autistic children, like any other children, need love, care and education. Among the speakers was Carine Bevina, a psychologist at the University of Douala. Bevina said parents should enroll their children in school because the parents would find it difficult to train their autistic children on their own. Bevina spoke by a messaging app from Douala. She said autism level one means that a child needs regular attention and help to surmount difficulties initiating social interactions and maintaining reciprocity in social interactions. She said autism level two means that a child has repetitive behaviors and requires substantial support, and autism level three means the child's communication skills are regressing. Ndefri Paul, 45, is the father of an 11-year-old autistic child. Paul said he came out on World Autism Awareness Day to tell anyone who doubted it that autistic children can compete with other children if well educated. He says in 2021, his autistic son, like many children without autism, wrote and passed the entrance examination to get into secondary school. The educational talk at the Douala city council courtyard on Saturday was part of activities marking World Autism Awareness Day. Similar activities were held in towns, including Bafoussam, a western commercial city, Garoua and Maroua on Cameroon's northern border with Nigeria, and Yaounde. Officials in Cameroon say there are 750,000 autistic children in the central African state. Sixty-five percent of them are denied education. Cameroon's Social Affairs minister, Pauline Irene Nguene, said communities should stop stigmatizing autistic children with the erroneous belief that autism is divine punishment for parents of autistic children. She said communities should denounce parents who hide autistic children at home and schools that refuse to teach children with the disorder. The U.N. says that autism is genetic and families with one child with autism have an increased risk of having another child with autism. The U.N. says family members of a person with autism also tend to have higher rates of autistic traits. World Autism Awareness Day celebrates the resilience of people affected by the disorder and supports causes that promote awareness of autism. Children in schools are educated about autism and encouraged to accept it. The U.N. launched World Autism Awareness Day for the first time in 2007. To her 1.4 million followers on social media, Vica Li says she is a "life blogger" and "food lover" who wants to teach her fans about China so they can travel the country with ease. "Through my lens, I will take you around China, take you into Vica's life!" she says in a January video posted on YouTube and Facebook. But that lens may be controlled by CGTN, the Chinese-state run TV network where she has regularly appeared in broadcasts and is listed as a digital reporter on the company's website. While Vica Li tells followers she "created all of these channels on her own," her Facebook account shows at least nine people manage her page. That portfolio of accounts is just one tentacle of China's growing influence on U.S.-owned social media platforms, an Associated Press examination has found. As China continues to assert its economic might, it is using the global social media ecosystem to expand its already formidable influence. The country has built a network of social media personalities who parrot the government's perspective in posts, operating in virtual lockstep as they promote China, deflect criticism of its human rights abuses and advance Beijing's talking points on world affairs like Russia's war against Ukraine. Some of China's state-affiliated reporters have posited themselves as trendy Instagram influencers or bloggers. The country has also hired firms to recruit influencers to deliver carefully crafted messages that boost its image to social media users. And it is benefitting from a cadre of Westerners who have devoted YouTube channels and Twitter feeds to echoing pro-China narratives on everything from Beijing's treatment of Uyghur Muslims to Olympian Eileen Gu, an American who competed for China in the most recent Winter Games. The influencer network allows Beijing to proffer propaganda to social media users around the globe. At least 200 influencers with connections to the Chinese government or its state media are operating in 38 different languages, according to research from Miburo, a firm that tracks foreign disinformation operations. "You can see how they're trying to infiltrate every one of these countries," said Miburo President Clint Watts, a former FBI agent. "If you just bombard an audience for long enough with the same narratives people will tend to believe them over time." Russia's war with Ukraine is but one example. While the invasion was being condemned as a brazen assault on democracy, Li Jingjing presented a different narrative to her 21,000 YouTube subscribers, posting videos that echoed Russian propaganda and promoted misleading claims including that the U.S. and NATO provoked Russia's invasion. On YouTube, Li Jingjing says she's a "traveler," "storyteller" and journalist." But she does not reveal in her segments that she's a reporter for CGTN, articulating views that are not just her own but also familiar Chinese government talking points. Neither Vica Li nor Li Jingjing responded to questions from AP. The AP identified dozens of similar accounts, which collectively have more than 10 million followers and subscribers. The profiles often belong to Chinese state media reporters who have transformed their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube accounts platforms largely blocked in China and begun identifying as "bloggers," "influencers" or non-descript "journalists." "They clearly have identified the 'Chinese lady influencer' is the way to go," Watts said of China. Foreign governments have long tried to exploit social media to stealthily influence users, including during the 2016 U.S. election. In response, tech companies like Facebook and Twitter promised to better alert American users to foreign propaganda by labeling state-backed media accounts. But the AP review found most of the Chinese influencer social media accounts are inconsistently labeled as state-funded media. The accounts, like those belonging to Li Jingjing and Vica Li, are often labeled on Facebook or Instagram, but aren't flagged on YouTube or TikTok. Vica Li's account is not labeled on Twitter. Last month, Twitter began identifying Li Jingjing's account as Chinese state-media. CGTN did not respond to interview requests. CGTN America, which is registered as a foreign agent with the Justice Department and has disclosed having commercial arrangements with international news organizations including the AP, CNN and Reuters, did not return messages. A lawyer who has represented CGTN America did not respond either. A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said "Chinese media and journalists carry out normal activities independently, and should not be assumed to be led or interfered by the Chinese government." China's interest in social media influencers became evident in December when filings with the Justice Department revealed the Chinese Consulate in New York paid $300,000 to New Jersey firm Vippi Media to recruit influencers to post messages to Instagram and TikTok followers during the Beijing Olympics. Vipp Jaswal, Vippi Media's CEO, declined to share with AP details about the posts. English-speaking influencers have also cultivated a niche by promoting pro-Chinese messaging on YouTube and Twitter. Last April, CGTN invited English speakers from around the world to join a months-long competition that would end with jobs as social media influencers in London, Nairobi, Kenya or Washington. British video blogger Jason Lightfoot raved about the opportunity in a YouTube video and has accrued 200,000 subscribers with headlines like "The Olympics Backfired on USA Disastrous Regret" and "Western Media Lies about China." The video topics are in sync with those of other pro-China bloggers like Cyrus Janssen, a U.S. citizen in Canada. During the Olympics, Janssen and Lightfoot shared identical images on the same day of Gu in posts celebrating her three-medal win and blasting the U.S. Janssen told AP he's never accepted money from the Chinese government. But when pressed for details about some of his partnerships with Chinese tech firms, Janssen responded only with questions about an AP's reporter salary. YouTubers Matthew Tye, an American, and Winston Sterzel, who is from South Africa, believe, in many cases, China is paying for content. They were included last year on an email pitch to numerous YouTube influencers from a company that identified itself as Hong Kong Pear Technology. The email asked them to share a promotional video for China's touristy Hainan province on their channels. Pear Technology followed up in another email with a pitch for them to post a propaganda video that asserted COVID-19 originated from North American white-tailed deer, not China. Sterzel and Tye didn't hear anything further after they requested the company provide evidence to support that claim. "There's a very easy formula to become successful," Sterzel said in an interview. "It's simply to praise the Chinese government, to praise China and talk about how great China is and how bad the West is." A high-profile Indian journalist failed to obtain interim relief from the Delhi High Court that would have allowed her to travel to Europe to speak about harassment and intimidation of journalists in the worlds largest democracy. Rana Ayyub is a prominent investigative journalist and fierce critic of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Hindu nationalist ideology of his Bharatiya Janata Party. She was stopped from boarding an international flight at Mumbai airport Tuesday. Ayyub was scheduled to fly to London to address a conference organized by the International Center for Journalists or ICFJ and deliver a speech at the editorial meeting of The Guardian newspaper April 1. She was then due to fly from London to Rome to take part in the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, where, as the scheduled keynote speaker, Ayyub was to deliver a lecture titled, When the State attacks: journalism under fire in the world's biggest democracy, April 8. The April 1 programs in the United Kingdom were canceled after Ayyub failed to fly to London. According to Ayyub, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which investigates financial crimes, issued a summons while she was already at Mumbai airport to catch the flight to London. Known as a Look Out Circular (LOC), the summons that prevented her from flying Tuesday was related to an investigation the directorate is conducting into the alleged misuse of donations collected by Ayyub for relief work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The journalist denies the charges. Ayyub petitioned the Delhi High Court Thursday, seeking permission to travel outside of India. Following opposition from the ED, however, the court refused to quash the LOC, meaning she cannot travel abroad for now. While the court directed the ED to file a status report on its case against Ayyub, the matter has been listed for a new hearing April 4. Ayyub, 37, is an independent journalist who also writes for The Washington Post. She has faced social media harassment including rape and death threats, from Hindu right-wing groups, that mostly began when her book Gujarat Files was published in 2016. In the book, she alleged that officials of the BJP-led government of Gujarat had been complicit in an anti-Muslim massacre that shook the state in 2002. Ayyub is often critical of the activities of the Hindu right-wing groups and political leaders. In social media, far-right Hindu supporters of Modi regularly abuse and threaten her for her write-ups highlighting the [alleged] harassment and persecution of Muslims in India. Attacks against Ayyub have escalated since the ED froze her bank accounts and accused her of laundering money in February. Ayyub has denied the allegation that the ED leveled against her. She has called the actions by the agency an attempt to intimidate her. Lawyer Vrinda Grover, who represented Ayyub in the Delhi court said, that her client was being harassed by the ED because she was a critic of the government. The Washington Post recently put out a full-page advertisement in support of Ayyub, saying that free press in India is under attack. In February, rights experts at the United Nations sought that the judicial harassment against her [be] brought to an end at once. Media watchdogs have condemned the Indian governments actions against Ayyub. Preventing Rana Ayyub from traveling abroad is another incident in a growing list of unjustified and excessive actions taken by the Indian government against the journalist, Steven Butler, Asia program coordinator of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement. Indian authorities should immediately cease all forms of harassment and intimidation against Ayyub. Julie Posetti, vice president of global research at ICFJ and an expert in online attacks against women journalists, said that Indian authorities are trying to criminalize Ayyubs practice of journalism. Not only is Rana Ayyub subjected to the most prolific orchestrated online violence Ive ever witnessed or studied, shes experiencing state-linked legal harassment, and now shes had her right to freedom of movement violated. These acts are clearly a form of retaliation for her critical reporting and commentary on the ruling BJP party and PM Modis government, Posetti told VOA. Ayyubs attackers want to silence and isolate her from the international journalism community, Posetti noted. But we are standing at her side and demand that she be allowed to travel to Italy to deliver her keynote address at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, she said. To administer this COVID test, Todd Kautz had to lay on his belly in the snow and worm his upper body into the narrow den of a hibernating black bear. Training a light on its snout, Kautz carefully slipped a long cotton swab into the bear's nostrils five times. For postdoctoral researcher Kautz and a team of other wildlife experts, tracking the coronavirus means freezing temperatures, icy roads, trudging through deep snow and getting uncomfortably close to potentially dangerous wildlife. They're testing bears, moose, deer and wolves on a Native American reservation in the remote north woods about 5 miles from Canada. Like researchers around the world, they are trying to figure out how, how much and where wildlife is spreading the virus. Scientists are concerned that the virus could evolve within animal populations potentially spawning dangerous viral mutants that could jump back to people, spread among us and reignite what for now seems to some people like a waning crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has served as a stark and tragic example of how closely animal health and human health are linked. While the origins of the virus have not been proven, many scientists say it likely jumped from bats to humans, either directly or through another species that was being sold live in Wuhan, China. And now the virus has been confirmed in wildlife in at least 24 U.S. states, including Minnesota. Recently, an early Canadian study showed someone in nearby Ontario likely contracted a highly mutated strain from a deer. "If the virus can establish itself in a wild animal reservoir, it will always be out there with the threat to spill back into the human population," said University of Minnesota researcher Matthew Aliota, who is working with the Grand Portage Reservation team. E.J. Isaac, a fish and wildlife biologist for the reservation that's home to the Grand Portage Ojibwe, said he expects the stakes to get even higher with the start of spring, as bears wake from hibernation and deer and wolves roam to different regions. "If we consider that there are many species and they're all intermingling to some extent, their patterns and their movements can exponentially increase the amount of transmission that could occur," he said. INTO THE WILD Their research is meant to ward off such unwelcome surprises. But it carries its own set of risks. Seth Moore, who directs the reservation biology and environment department, recently almost got bitten by a wolf. And they sometimes team with a crew from the Texas-based company Heliwild to capture animals from the air. One chilly late-winter afternoon, the men climbed into a small helicopter with no side doors that lifted above the treetops. Flying low, they quickly spotted a deer in a forest clearing. They targeted the animal from the air with a net gun and dropped Moore off. Wind whipped at his face as he worked in deep snow to quickly swab the deer's nose for COVID, put on a tracking collar and collect blood and other biological samples for different research. The men capture moose in much the same way, using tranquilizer darts instead of nets. They trap wolves and deer either from the air or on the ground, and trap bears on the ground. They knew of the young male bear they recently tested because they had already been tracking it. To get to the den, they had to take snowmobiles to the bottom of a hill then hike a narrow, winding path in snow shoes. When Kautz crawled part-way into the den, a colleague held his feet to pull him out quickly if necessary. The team also gave the animal a drug to keep it sleeping and another later to counteract the effects of the first. To minimize the risk of exposing animals to COVID, the men are fully vaccinated and boosted and get tested frequently. The day after testing the bear, Isaac packed their samples to send to Aliota's lab in Saint Paul. The veterinary and biomedical researcher hopes to learn not just which animals are getting infected but also whether certain animals are acting as "bridge species" to bring it to others. Testing may later be expanded to red foxes and racoons. It's also possible the virus hasn't reached this remote location yet. Since it's already circulating in the wilderness of Minnesota and nearby states, Aliota said it's only a matter of time. LOOKING FOR MUTANTS Close contact between humans and animals has allowed the virus to overcome built-in barriers to spread between species. To infect any living thing, the virus must get into its cells, which isn't always easy. Virology expert David O'Connor likens the process to opening a "lock" with the virus' spike protein "key." "Different species have different-looking locks, and some of those locks are not going to be pickable by the key," the University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist said. But other locks are similar enough for the virus to enter an animal's cells and make copies of itself. As it does, it can randomly mutate and still have a key that fits in the human lock. That allows it to leap back to humans through close contact with live animals, scientists believe. Although spillback is rare, it only takes one person to bring a mutated virus into the realm of humans. Some think the highly mutated omicron variant emerged from an animal rather than an immune-compromised human, as many believe. Virologist Marc Johnson of the University of Missouri is one of them, and now sees animals as "a potential source of pi," the Greek letter that may be used to designate the next dangerous coronavirus variant. Johnson and his colleagues found strange coronavirus lineages in New York City sewage with mutations rarely seen elsewhere, which he believes came from animals, perhaps rodents. What scientists are most concerned about is that current or future variants could establish themselves and multiply widely within a reservoir species. One possibility: white-tailed deer. Scientists found the coronavirus in a third of deer sampled in Iowa between September 2020 and January 2021. Others found COVID-19 antibodies in a third of deer tested in Illinois, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania. Infected deer generally have no symptoms. Testing in many other wild species has been limited or absent. "It's possible that the virus is already perhaps circulating in multiple animals," said virology expert Suresh Kuchipudi of Pennsylvania State University, an author of the Iowa deer study. If unmonitored, the virus could leave people "completely blindsided," he said. CAN IT BE STOPPED? Ultimately, experts say the only way to stop viruses from jumping back and forth between animals and humans extending this pandemic or sparking a new one is to tackle big problems like habitat destruction and illegal wildlife sales. "We are encroaching on animal habitats like we have never before in history," Aliota said. "Spillover events from wild animals into humans are, unfortunately I think, going to increase in both frequency and scope." To combat that threat, three international organizations the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health and the World Health Organization are urging countries to make COVID surveillance in animals a priority. In Grand Portage, Aliota's collaborators continue to do their part by testing as many animals as they can catch. With icy Lake Superior sparkling through the evergreens, Isaac slipped his hand beneath the netting of a deer trap. A colleague straddling the animal lifted its head off the snowy ground so that Isaac could swab its nostrils. The young buck briefly lurched its head forward, but kept still long enough for Isaac to get what he needed. "Nicely done," his colleague said as Isaac put the sample into a vial. When they were finished, they gently lifted the trap to let the deer go. It bounded into the vast forest without looking back, disappearing into the snowy shadows. Lithuanian filmmaker Mantas Kvedaravicius, 45, was killed trying to flee Ukraine's city of Mariupol besieged by the Russians, the Ukrainian military said Sunday. "While trying to leave #Mariupol, the occupiers killed Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravicius, who is the author of the documentary Mariupolis," the defense ministry's information agency wrote on Twitter. Russian filmmaker Vitali Manski, who founded Artdocfest, a film festival in Moscow that had previously invited Kvedaravicius, also announced the death. Kvedaravicius "was killed today in Mariupol, camera in hand" in this "shitty war of evil against the whole world," Manski wrote on Facebook. Lithuania's Foreign Ministry said it was "shocked" by the news of Kvedaravicius' death in Mariupol "where he was documenting #Russia's war atrocities. His previous film "Mariupolis" (2016) told the story of a besieged city with a strong will to live," it added. Born in 1976, Kvedaravicius made his name with the documentary "Mariupolis," filmed in the Ukrainian city and which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2016. Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol has hampered Russian efforts to consolidate its hold on southern and eastern areas of Ukraine since invading on February 24. At least 5,000 residents have been killed in the southern port city, according to Ukrainian officials, while the estimated 160,000 who remain face shortages of food, water and electricity. In June 2021, an anonymous report began circulating in Canadian academic circles. It listed six faculty and staff members at Queen's College in Kingston, Ontario. "Queen's College is currently overrun with white Canadians making false claims to Indigenous especially Algonquin identity," it read. "We are confident that our thorough research has focused on six of the most prominent and harmful cases." The college rejected the allegations, prompting a written protest signed by more than 100 Indigenous scholars, condemning "white faculty claiming Indigeneity on the basis of family lore or one Indigenous ancestor from hundreds of years ago claiming both trauma and healing that never belonged to them as they enact what scholars and advocates recognize as the final stage of settler colonization: 'settler self-indigenization.'" In response, Queen's College promised to review its hiring policies. Native Americans complain that problem is widespread in U.S. colleges and universities. Dartmouth College in 2015 withdrew Susan Taffee Reed as Native American program director after learning that her "tribe" was a Pennsylvania nonprofit organization, some of whose members have no Native ancestors at all. Dartmouth shifted her to another position. As The New York Times reported in 2021, University of California, Riverside, scholar and activist Andrea Smith falsely claimed Cherokee identity for years and received fellowship awards meant for underrepresented groups in academia. Cases like these prompted journalist Jacqueline Keeler in 2021 to begin investigating the problem. So far, she has drawn up a list of 200 "suspects." "A lot of these people are names I've been hearing in tribal circles for a while and have been proven to be frauds," said Keeler, a citizen of the Navajo Nation whose father was Yankton Sioux. "As a reporter, I'd be working on a story about someone, only to find out that person wasn't actually Native." Keeler works with tribal enrollment departments, genealogists and historians. "We go back into their family histories as far back as the 1600s to try to find someone who was enrolled in or who lived in an Indian community and was clearly associated with a tribe." VOA obtained a copy of the list, which names artists, authors, actors and dozens of academicians. VOA is not publishing the list because we cannot independently verify the names. Keeler says the list is the product of decades of Native peoples' efforts at accountability. "Some of entries to the list have been independantly verified by major media, tribes, federal agencies and even in court cases." Some people have criticized Keeler for conducting a witch hunt. But she has strong support in Native circles. "I don't think Jackie intends to do anything with it," Ben Barnes, chief of the Shawnee tribe in Oklahoma, told VOA. "I think it's a place for Natives to come together and say, 'Hey, you're not crazy. We've been saying this all along, that academia is rife with paternalism!'" 'Step-offs' and high cheekbones Federally recognized tribes are sovereign nations that have exclusive rights to determine membership. Criteria vary; most tribes require documented lineage, historic rolls and/or blood quantum, a certain degree of Native American blood. Other factors are also important, such as a person's knowledge of his or her tribe's culture, knowledge system, history, language, religion, familial kinships and how strongly a person identifies himself or herself as American Indian or Alaska Native. Native Americans contend that pretendians often fabricate histories to explain "Indian" identity, claiming ancestors who refused to be included on government rolls or were misidentified on state census forms. Some cite high cheekbones or straight dark hair as evidence of indigeneity. Charles Gourd, a Cherokee Nation citizen and former director of the Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission, admitted to having been fooled by a pretendian. "He claimed to be Cherokee," said Gourd. "So, one day I asked him which one of the three Cherokee tribes he was from. And he said, 'No, no we were ' and he used a term I'd never heard before 'step-offs,' Indians who supposedly stepped off the Trail of Tears (forced removal to Oklahoma) and hid out in the mountains." Pretendians across the country have organized into phony tribes such as the "Southern Cherokee Agency" to access benefits and rights set aside for Native Americans or other minorities." Policy shapers In March, the University of Michigan launched an online forum series, "Unsettling Genealogies: A Forum on Pseudo Indians, Race-Shifting, Pretendians and Self-Indigenization in Media, Arts, Politics and the Academy." Chief Barnes participated, as did Kim TallBear, a Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate professor at the University of Alberta. "Non-Indigenous people with non-Indigenous community standpoints who pose as Indigenous and who rise through the professional ranks falsely represent our voices," TallBear said. "They theorize Indigenous peoplehood, sovereignty and anticolonialism. They become thought leaders, institutional decision-makers and policy advisers to governmental leaders with regulatory and economic power over our peoples and lands." Race shifting is particularly harmful in academia, she said. Pretendians write books and shape academic and public discourse about who Indigenous people are, how they live, and how Indigenous policy should be formulated. "Pretendians cut to the very trust we must have in academia, where much of what we know (about Native history and thought) originates," said David Cornsilk, a retired Cherokee Nation historian and genealogist. "If an institution is unwilling to vet their hires for authenticity, that speaks volumes about their scholarship." Race vs. citizenship But is vetting hires legal? U.S. civil rights law prohibits employers from considering race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in any aspect of employment unless they have a legitimate business need, such as meeting diversity guidelines. In such cases, the law allows employers to collect racial information on separate "tear-off" sheets but says the information may not be used in the selection process. The U.S. government recognizes as American Indian/Alaska Native anyone who has blood degree from and is recognized as such by a federally recognized tribe or village as an enrolled tribal member. Further, it says "Indian" is not a racial designation but a political one. "If someone asks me if I'm a resident of the state of Oklahoma, I pull out my driver's license," said Shawnee chief Barnes. "Why is asking somebody to show their tribal identification card a problem?" In March, the National Indigenous University Senior Leaders' Association and the First Nations University of Canada (FNU) held an online National Indigenous Identity Forum to explore the best ways to validate identity claims. Though the forum was closed to media, FNU president NIUSLA co-chair Jacqueline Ottmann later spoke to media via Zoom. "Self-identification isn't working, and the one reason that it isn't working is because it goes against that...community connection that most indigenous peoples are very familiar with," she said. "We've navigated these spaces of citizenship and identity for centuries, and we talk about our family connections when we meet each other." Britain is experiencing a record number of COVID-19 cases, with almost 5 million people, or 1 person in every 13 infected, according to official data. The news of the spike in infections came on the same day that Britain stopped giving free rapid COVID tests to most of its population, as part of Prime Minister Boris Johnsons living with COVID plan. Under Johnsons plan, people who do not have conditions that make them vulnerable to COVID-19 must pay for tests to find out if they have been infected. The uptick is blamed on the highly contagious omicron variant BA.2, which is also causing an increase in hospitalization and death rates. However, the number of infections is expected to start decreasing this month and next month, officials say. Any infection that spreads rapidly, peaks quickly and decreases rapidly on the other side, Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, told The Guardian. According to an Associated Press report, a University of Oxford biology professor said he believes most people in the country will be infected with the variant this summer. James Naismith said, This is literally living with the virus by being infected with it. Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reported early Sunday that it has recorded more than 490 million global COVID cases and more than 6 million deaths. Nearly 11 billion vaccines have been administered, according to Johns Hopkins. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has survived an opposition-led effort to remove him from office through a controversial no-confidence vote in parliament. As soon as the 342-member legislative National Assembly or lower house of parliament, began its much-awaited session to consider Khans removal, Law Minister Fawad Hussain urged the acting house speaker to outlaw the vote for allegedly being sponsored by the United States. The minister in his brief speech cited an article of the Constitution that says, Loyalty to the state is the basic duty of every citizen. Speaker Qasim Khan Suri ruled that he could not allow voting on what he said was an illegal no-trust motion against the prime minister. "No foreign power shall be allowed to topple an elected government through a conspiracy, Suri said, as he swiftly adjourned the special session amid protests by opposition lawmakers. The U.S. has denied any role in the effort to unseat the prime minister. A State Department representative while commenting on Sundays developments and renewed charges of U.S. interference told VOA there was no truth to these allegations. We are closely following developments in Pakistan. We respect and support Pakistans constitutional process and the rule of law, the representative said. Opposition members refused to leave the chamber and in a mock exercise arranged their own proceedings to vote on the no-confidence motion, in which they claimed 196 members voted against Khan, well beyond the simple majority need to oust the prime minister. Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif denounced Suris ruling and ensuing actions by Khan, saying they were in violation of the Constitution. It is nothing short of a high treason, he tweeted, saying Khan has pushed the country into anarchy. Sharif accused Khan of committing treason for subverting the Constitution and demanded treason proceedings against him under relevant constitutional provisions. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, leader of another opposition party, also accused the government of violating the constitution. Our lawyers are on their way to Supreme Court. We call on ALL institutions to protect, uphold, defend & implement the constitution of Pakistan, he tweeted. Shortly after the adjournment of Sundays session, Khan addressed the nation, saying he has advised the president of Pakistan to dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh elections. The president, Arif Alvi, dissolved parliament. Elections will be held in 90 days. Khan has dissolved his Cabinet and under the Constitution, he will act as a caretaker prime minister for the next 15 days. He has written a letter to the opposition leader, inviting him for mandatory consultations on forming a caretaker setup that will oversee the elections. The political crisis prompted the chief justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial, to conduct an emergency hearing into opposition allegations and adjourned the proceedings until Monday morning. Khan defended his actions in line with the Constitution. He reiterated his allegations that the no-confidence vote was a foreign-orchestrated conspiracy to bring down his government. Later Sunday, in a televised speech to his party leaders, Khan said the Pakistani ambassador in Washington was told by a senior U.S. official whom he identified as Donald Lu, in a March 7 official meeting that Islamabad would face serious consequences if the no-confidence vote fails. Lu is the assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of South and Central Affairs at the U.S. State Department. On Friday, Pakistani officials confirmed they had formally issued a demarche or official diplomatic note to the acting U.S. ambassador in Islamabad in protest over Washingtons alleged interference in Pakistani politics. When asked if the embassy had received the demarche, a State Department representative told VOA that as a standard practice, we dont comment on diplomatic correspondence. In terms of U.S. involvement in Pakistans internal affairs, there is no truth to these allegations, the representative said. The State Department also said, We are closely following developments in Pakistan, adding, We respect and support Pakistans constitutional process and the rule of law. The country's highest security body endorsed it [the conspiracy], Khan said, referring to a meeting he chaired Thursday of Pakistans National Security Committee comprised of top civilian and military leaders. Pakistans military spokesman, Major-General Babar Iftikhar, told VOA the military was not planning to issue any statement on the political upheavals, reiterating his institution had nothing to do with Sundays political happenings. The statement effectively dismissed widespread speculation that a military intervention was imminent. Khan came to power in the 2018 general elections as the head of a coalition government with a thin parliamentary majority because his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party fell short of winning a simple majority. In recent weeks, about two dozen PTI lawmakers have abandoned the government, along with key coalition partners, leaving Khan without enough votes to defeat Sundays no-confidence vote. Pope Francis visited the grotto Sunday where St. Paul lived after washing up on Malta, recalling the welcome the apostle received and urging better treatment of modern-day arrivals on the Mediterranean island. On the final day of his weekend trip to Malta, the 85-year-old pontiff will also hold open-air mass before visiting a migrant center that will soon host refugees from the Ukraine war. According to Christian tradition, Paul was shipwrecked on Malta in 60 AD while en route to Rome and performed several miracles in his three months there. Following in the footsteps of former popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Francis visited the holy grotto in Rabat, lighting a candle and saying a prayer. He recalled how Paul and his fellow travelers were welcomed, even though "no one knew their names, their place of birth or their social status. He called on God to "help us to recognize from afar those in need, struggling amidst the waves of the sea, dashed against the reefs of unknown shores" and grant that "our compassion be more than empty words." The pope, who last summer underwent colon surgery and canceled an event in February due to acute knee pain, appeared to have trouble walking during the visit, where he also met the sick and disabled at the connected Basilica of St. Paul. Safe harbor Russia's invasion of Ukraine has overshadowed the pope's first trip to Catholic-majority Malta, a voyage delayed two years by coronavirus. Addressing politicians and diplomats Saturday, he warned that "some potentate, sadly caught up in anachronistic claims of nationalist interests, is provoking and fomenting conflicts" in a thinly veiled accusation against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Asked by a reporter about a possible trip to Kyiv, he said a visit to Ukraine's capital was "on the table. The war has caused the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, which feeds into a key theme of Francis' nine-year papacy -- the need to welcome those fleeing war, poverty or the effects of climate change. Malta is on the frontline of the route from North Africa into Europe and thousands of people who risked the crossing in overcrowded boats have ended up here. But charity groups have accused Malta of turning a blind eye to desperate people in its waters, and the pope on Saturday reminded the archipelago of its status as a "safe harbor", while adding that other countries must also step in. "The growing migration emergency -- here we can think of the refugees from war-torn Ukraine -- calls for a broad-based and shared response," he said. 'Very tired' After visiting the grotto, the pope headed to Floriana, near the capital Valletta, where he was set to conduct mass for a 10,000-strong crowd of followers. Awaiting him among the crowd was 67-year-old Anna Balzan from the nearby city of Qormi and her extended family. Over her shoulders was draped a Vatican flag she purchased during John Paul II's visit in 1990. "I've seen Benedict and John Paul when they came to Malta," she said, expressing concern for the current pope's health. "I saw him as very tired yesterday... I think he is suffering." Later Sunday, Francis will return to the theme of migrants by visiting the John XXIII Peace Lab, a center inspired by the pope of that name, which is preparing for the arrival of Ukrainian refugees. Run for the past five decades by a Franciscan friar, now 91, it already hosts around 55 young men from different parts of Africa who arrived in Malta without any legal papers. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan when the faithful fast from dawn to dusk began at sunrise Saturday in much of the Middle East, where Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sent energy and food prices soaring. The conflict cast a pall over Ramadan, when large gatherings over meals and family celebrations are a tradition. Many in the Southeast Asian nation of Indonesia planned to start observing Sunday, and some Shiites in Lebanon, Iran and Iraq were also marking the start of Ramadan a day later. Muslims follow a lunar calendar, and a moon-sighting methodology can lead to different countries declaring the start of Ramadan a day or two apart. Muslim-majority nations including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates had declared the month would begin Saturday morning. A Saudi statement Friday was broadcast on the kingdom's state-run Saudi TV and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and de facto leader of the United Arab Emirates, congratulated Muslims on Ramadan's arrival. Jordan, a predominantly Sunni country, also said the first day of Ramadan would be on Sunday, in a break from following Saudi Arabia. The kingdom said the Islamic religious authority was unable to spot the crescent moon indicating the beginning of the month. Indonesia's second-largest Islamic group, Muhammadiyah, which counts more than 60 million members, said that according to its astronomical calculations Ramadan begins Saturday. But the country's religious affairs minister had announced Friday that Ramadan would start on Sunday, after Islamic astronomers in the country failed to sight the new moon. It wasn't the first time the Muhammadiyah has offered a differing opinion on the matter, but most Indonesians Muslims comprise nearly 90% of the country's 270 million people are expected to follow the government's official date. Many had hoped for a more cheerful Ramadan after the coronavirus pandemic blocked the world's 2 billion Muslims from many rituals the past two years. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine, however, millions of people in the Middle East are now wondering where their next meals will come from. The skyrocketing prices are affecting people whose lives were already upended by conflict, displacement and poverty from Lebanon, Iraq and Syria to Sudan and Yemen. Ukraine and Russia account for a third of global wheat and barley exports, which Middle East countries rely on to feed millions of people who subsist on subsidized bread and bargain noodles. They are also top exporters of other grains and sunflower seed oil used for cooking. Egypt, the world's largest wheat importer, has received most of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine in recent years. Its currency has now also taken a dive, adding to other pressures driving up prices. Shoppers in the capital, Cairo, turned out earlier this week to stock up on groceries and festive decorations, but many had to buy less than last year because of the prices. Ramadan tradition calls for colorful lanterns and lights strung throughout Cairo's narrow alleys and around mosques. Some people with the means to do so set up tables on the streets to dish up free post-fast Iftar meals for the poor. The practice is known in the Islamic world as Tables of the Compassionate. "This could help in this situation," said Rabei Hassan, the muezzin of a mosque in Giza as he bought vegetables and other food from a nearby market. "People are tired of the prices." Worshippers attended mosque for hours of evening prayers, or tarawih. On Friday evening, thousands of people packed the al-Azhar Mosque after attendance was banned for the past two years to stem the pandemic. "They were difficult (times) ... Ramadan without tarawih at the mosque is not Ramadan," said Saeed Abdel-Rahman, a 64-year-old retired teacher as he entered al-Azhar for prayers. Higher prices also exacerbated the woes of Lebanese already facing a major economic crisis. Over the past two years, the currency collapsed and the country's middle class was plunged into poverty. The meltdown has also brought on severe shortages in electricity, fuel and medicine. In the Gaza Strip, few people were shopping on Friday in markets usually packed at this time of year. Merchants said Russia's war on Ukraine has sent prices skyrocketing, alongside the usual challenges, putting a damper on the festive atmosphere that Ramadan usually creates. The living conditions of the 2.3 million Palestinians in the impoverished coastal territory are tough, compounded by a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade since 2007. Toward the end of Ramadan last year, a deadly 11-day war between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel cast a cloud over festivities, including the Eid al-Fitr holiday that follows the holy month. It was the fourth bruising war with Israel in just over a decade. In Iraq, the start of Ramadan highlighted widespread frustration over a meteoric rise in food prices, exacerbated in the past month by the war in Ukraine. Suhaila Assam, a 62-year-old retired teacher and women's rights activist, said she and her retired husband are struggling to survive on their combined pension of $1,000 a month, with prices of cooking oil, flour and other essentials having more than doubled. "We, as Iraqis, use cooking oil and flour a lot. Almost in every meal. So how can a family of five members survive?" she asked. Akeel Sabah, 38, is a flour distributor in the Jamila wholesale market, which supplies all of Baghdad's Rasafa district on the eastern side of the Tigris River with food. He said flour and almost all other foodstuffs are imported, which means distributors have to pay for them in dollars. A ton of flour used to cost $390. "Today I bought the ton for $625," he said. "The currency devaluation a year ago already led to an increase in prices, but with the ongoing (Ukraine) crisis, prices are skyrocketing. Distributors lost millions," he said. In Istanbul, Muslims held the first Ramadan prayers in 88 years in the Hagia Sophia, nearly two years after the iconic former cathedral was converted into a mosque. Worshippers filled the 6th-century building and the square outside Friday night for tarawih prayers led by Ali Erbas, the government head of religious affairs. Although converted for Islamic use and renamed the Grand Hagia Sophia Mosque in July 2020, COVID-19 restrictions had limited worship at the site. "After 88 years of separation, the Hagia Sophia Mosque has regained the tarawih prayer," Erbas said, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. BANGKOK, April 2 (Xinhua) -- A special container depot near Thailand's largest port began operation on Saturday, which is expect ed to facilitate the transportation of cargo through the China-Laos Railway. After the China-Laos Railway started operation in December last year, cargo transported to Thailand via railway would be offloaded at the Vientiane Station of the Lao capital, before being further transported to the destinations in Thailand by road. However, the empty containers will have to be returned to the Vientiane Station, increasing logistics costs. The depot near the Laem Chabang Port, set up by China Railway Container Transport Corp. (CRCT), would allow logistics companies to return the empty containers to the Thai logistic hub, hence lowering the cost by 20 percent compared to returning them to the Vientiane Station. The depot received the first container for return on Saturday. The container left Chongqing in March and arrived at Vientiane via the China-Laos railway, before being transported to Thailand, according to the CRCT. The CRCT Thailand Laem Chabang Depot would also allow customers to pick up empty containers to transport cargo to China through the China-Laos Railway, the company said. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said his country expected to see the transportation of more export products to China through the China-Laos Railway, with fruits, vegetables and other products being the prioritized items. The CRCT added that similar depots would be set up in other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) like Vietnam and Myanmar to further expand the service range of the China-Laos Railway. Eager to show it's trying to slow the steady flow of its people north to the United States, Guatemala recently tripled prison sentences for migrant smugglers. The day after Guatemala's legislature approved the measure in February, 18-year-old Yashira Hernandez left her home near the Mexican border for the trip north hiring a smuggler to help. A month later, Hernandez was back, deported from the U.S., fretting over her family's debt and contemplating a second attempt again with her smuggler. While the legal reform is supposed to dissuade smugglers and cast the government as a willing partner of the U.S. in managing migration, experts and lawmakers say it will only make the trip more expensive. The poverty, violence and other factors pushing Guatemalans to migrate remain strong and the smuggling networks continue to ply their trade sometimes with the help of public officials. Possible prison sentences hold little importance if those responsible rarely make it to trial. Guatemala's government says it is preparing for further increased migration after a decision announced Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to end a system limiting asylum at the southwest border May 23. That policy had been based on reducing the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic. Officials throughout the region expect migrant smugglers to seize on the policy change to drum up more business with misinformation about the sort of reception migrants will meet. Guatemala's immigration agency said it was forming a multidisciplinary group to respond to changes in migration flows, including securing the country's borders. In 2020, more than 21,000 Guatemalans were deported home from the U.S., but prosecutors only charged 12 people in connection with migrant smuggling, according to data from the Attorney General's Office, said lawmaker Andrea Villagran. Only four of the 12 were convicted. "You have to see the lack of capacity the Attorney General's Office has to bring these criminal structures to justice," said Villagran who voted against the reform. "The law change is only a show. What this law did was increase the price of smuggling. If the problem isn't really resolved, the people are going to continue wanting to migrate." Villagran also said there's little motivation for the government to slow migration. "The interest is in continuing to export Guatemalans so they can continue sending remittances and continue sustaining this country's economy," she said. Last year, despite the global pandemic, Guatemalans sent home $15 billion. Hernandez said she decided to leave last month to escape poverty. Her family scraped together thousands of dollars to hire a smuggler, but in a month's time she was back where she started, now with a massive debt that is virtually unpayable if she stays in Guatemala. She was unaware that the penalties for migrant smuggling had risen to 30 years from 10, now on par with sentences for kidnapping and murder. The tougher sentences were proposed by the office of President Alejandro Giammattei. His relationship with Washington has been tense, in part because the U.S. government has listed corruption as one of the root causes of immigration in Central America and has accused his administration of undermining Guatemala's justice system while inventing charges to prosecute anticorruption crusaders. Ursula Roldan, a migration expert at the Rafael Landivar University, said that while poverty and corruption remain rampant, emigration will continue. Guatemalans have featured prominently in recent high-profile and deadly smuggling cases in Mexico. In January 2021, the incinerated bodies of 19 people, including 16 Guatemalan migrants, were found in northern Mexico near the Texas border. Prosecutors said they were shot by a Tamaulipas state police unit and then burned. In December, 55 migrants were killed and more than 100 injured when a semitrailer carrying them crashed in southern Mexico. Again the majority were from Guatemala. This year, Guatemalan authorities, under pressure to show they're taking smuggling seriously, arrested 10 people allegedly involved in smuggling the migrants killed last year near the Texas border. "People keep migrating because the structural causes of migration are still there, they haven't changed," Roldan said. Stuardo Campos, the prosecutor charged with applying the new law, sees the increased sentences as a positive development and says smuggler arrests are up, but concedes that the factors driving migration are strong and says he lacks the resources to effectively tackle the problem. Campos noted that the new law requires prosecutors to show proof that moving, housing and helping migrants was done for an economic benefit. That's a tall order when migrants seldom agree to testify against their smugglers. Many smugglers offer a second or third try if the first fails, and migrants have almost no hope of paying off the original debt without reaching the United States. So there's a large disincentive to helping prosecute their smuggler. In the case of those killed in northern Mexico, Campos said the leader of the smuggling ring was a former mayor who is now a fugitive. "There are criminal networks within the government that facilitate the entrance and exit and even (false) documents for migrants," said Villagran, the federal lawmaker. "The whole system is so coopted that any popularly elected public official could be tied to these networks," she said. "Ultimately, they need political favors to survive and those favors translate to financing" of electoral campaigns. The Taliban have outlawed cultivation of drugs, including opium poppy, across Afghanistan, the worlds biggest opium producer, which accounts for 85 percent of global production. A decree issued Sunday by the ruling Islamist groups reclusive supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, also banned the production, usage, transportation, trade, export and import of all other drugs. If anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be treated according to the Sharia law, according to the order announced by the Taliban Interior Ministry at a news conference in Kabul. The hardline group seized power from the now-defunct Western-backed government days before the United States and NATO-led foreign troops withdrew from Afghanistan in August. Since then, the Taliban have been under pressure from neighboring and regional countries to combat the production as well as trafficking of drugs. The opium harvest in Afghanistan increased by 8 percent in 2021, compared to last year, to 6.800 tons, according to a report that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) released in November. The report warned that the output could lead to markets around the globe being flooded with around 320 tons of pure heroin trafficked from the country. The UNODC estimated in its report that income from Afghan opiates amounted to $1.8- to $2.7 billion in 2021 inside Afghanistan, but much larger profits are made in the illicit drug supply chains outside the country. Afghanistans humanitarian crisis and economic upheavals have worsened since the withdrawal of Western troops after 20 years. Years of war, persistent drought and financial sanctions imposed on the Taliban after the withdrawal of foreign troops are blamed for the unprecedented increase in humanitarian needs in the South Asian nation. Analysts say the dire economic conditions have prompted many Afghan farmers lately to stop growing legal crops such as wheat and instead cultivate the illicit opium poppy crops because it brings faster and higher returns. The Taliban had banned poppy growing when they were previously in control of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 and the move had significantly reduced the harvest, according to the UNODC estimates at the time. The removal of the Islamist group from power by the U.S.-led military invasion of the country after the September 2001 attacks on the United States led to a resurgence in opium poppy cultivation despite billions of dollars of investment by Washington to help Afghan authorities combat narcotics production. A U.S. government watchdog documented in a recent report that Washington spent nearly $9 billion on counternarcotics efforts since 2002, in part due to concerns that trafficking funded the Taliban insurgency at the time. Despite the investment, the cultivation of opium poppy in Afghanistan has trended upward for two decades, and insecurity has made it difficult to reverse the growth, said the report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR. Ukraines president has called Russias ongoing and unprovoked war a genocide while Western officials have condemned what they call atrocities committed by Russian forces in a Kyiv suburb. The U.S. secretary of state travels to Europe this week to meet with NATO allies. VOAs Arash Arabasadi has more. GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: The following video contains content which some people may find disturbing. ZAPORIZHZIA, UKRAINE Ukrainian forces were advancing on Saturday into areas north of Kyiv littered with debris and destroyed Russian tanks as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused departing Russian soldiers of leaving behind mines. Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said Ukrainian troops had retaken more than 30 towns and villages in the region since Russia announced this week it would scale down operations around the capital to focus on battles in the east. British military intelligence said Russian troops had abandoned Hostomel airport in a northwestern suburb of the capital, where there had been fighting since the first day of the invasion. In the east, a Red Cross convoy was again seeking to evacuate civilians from the besieged port of Mariupol after abandoning an attempt on Friday because of a lack of security guarantees. But that renewed mission was not expected to reach the port until at least Sunday. Russia has depicted its drawdown of forces near Kyiv as a goodwill gesture in peace negotiations. Ukraine and its allies say Russian forces have been forced to regroup after suffering heavy losses. "In the north of our country, the invaders are leaving. It is slow but noticeable. In some places they are being kicked out with fighting. Elsewhere they're abandoning the positions themselves," Zelenskyy said in a video address released on Saturday. "They are mining all this territory. Houses are mined, equipment is mined, even the bodies of dead people," he said, without citing evidence. Russia's defense ministry did not reply to a request for comment on the allegations. Reuters could not independently verify the allegations. n the village of Nova Basan, northeast of Kyiv, which was among those retaken by Ukrainian forces, the body of a man lay next to the carcass of a car. A woman wept as men brought a coffin to remove the body. The village showed signs of heavy fighting, with collapsed buildings and the wreckage of tanks and armored vehicles strewn around. Another dead body, apparently that of a Russian soldier, lay near a destroyed armored personnel carrier. Fleeing Mariupol Maksim (Maks) Levin, a Ukrainian photographer and videographer who was working for a Ukrainian news website and was a long-time contributor to Reuters, was killed while covering the war. His body was found in a village north of the capital Kyiv on April 1, the news website LB.ua where he worked said on Saturday. Russia denies targeting civilians in what President Vladimir Putin calls a "special military operation" aimed at demilitarizing and "de-nazifying" Ukraine. Ukraine calls it an unprovoked war of aggression and Western countries have imposed sweeping sanctions in an effort to squeeze Russia's economy. In encircled Mariupol, Russia's main target in Ukraine's southeastern region of Donbas, tens of thousands of civilians remained trapped with scant access to food and water. A convoy of about 54 Ukrainian buses and other private vehicles, accompanied by a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), was renewing its attempt to organize a mass evacuation from the city after turning back on Friday. ICRC spokesperson Ewan Watson said the team had not yet reached Mariupol, adding they left the city of Zaporizhzhia on Saturday morning and would spend the night en route. Some civilians who have escaped Mariupol and reached Zaporizhzhia said Russian soldiers repeatedly stopped them to check for the presence of Ukrainian fighters as they fled. "They stripped the men naked, looked for tattoos," said Dmytro Kartavov, a 32-year-old builder, adding that the troops paid particular attention to the men's knees. "I work, I do repairs, naturally my knees these are working knees. They say (you) climbed trenches, dug, and the like." Missile strikes Pope Francis came the closest he has yet to criticizing Vladimir Putin over the invasion. He did not name the Russian president but said a "potentate" was fomenting conflicts for nationalist interests. "Once again, some potentate, sadly caught up in anachronistic claims of nationalist interests, is provoking and fomenting conflicts, while ordinary people sense the need to build a future that will either be shared or not be at all," he said during a visit to Malta. Even as Russian forces pulled back from some northern areas, Ukrainian officials reported missile strikes on targets in various parts of the country. The governor of southcentral Dnipro region, Valentyn Reznichenko, said a Russian rocket hit a rail line, badly damaging the tracks and suspending train traffic in the area. He did not say if there were any casualties. In the early hours, Russian missiles hit the cities of Poltava and Kremenchuk in central Ukraine, Dmitry Lunin, head of the Poltava region, wrote in an online post. Before dawn, as sirens sounded across Ukraine, the Ukrainian military reported Russian airstrikes on the cities of Severodonetsk and Rubizhne in the Luhansk region. Russia's defense ministry said high-precision air-launched missiles had disabled military airfields in Poltava and Dnipro. It added later that its forces had hit 28 Ukrainian military facilities across the country, including two depots of rockets and artillery weapons and ammunition. Alcohol sales in Kyiv In Kyiv, people started buying alcohol again after Mayor Vitali Klitschko relaxed a monthlong ban. Olena, a psychologist who was buying beer in a supermarket, said it did not mean people had forgotten the war. "We are just supporting our country in this way. No one will be better off if we are depressed, doing nothing," she said. "I'm happy because for two weeks I've been walking around thinking 'I want a beer,'" she said, smiling. Wilfred Tebah doesnt begrudge the U.S. for swiftly granting humanitarian protections to Ukrainians escaping Russias devastating invasion of their homeland. But the 27-year-old, who fled Cameroon during its ongoing conflict, cant help but wonder what would happen if the millions fleeing that Eastern Europe nation were a different hue. As the U.S. prepares to welcome tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing war, the country continues to deport scores of African and Caribbean refugees back to unstable and violent homelands where theyve faced rape, torture, arbitrary arrest and other abuses. They do not care about a Black man, the Columbus, Ohio, resident said, referring to U.S. politicians. The difference is really clear. They know what is happening over there, and they have decided to close their eyes and ears. Tebahs concerns echo protests of the swift expulsions of Haitian refugees crossing the border this summer without a chance to seek asylum, not to mention the frosty reception African and Middle Eastern refugees have faced in western Europe compared with how those nations have enthusiastically embraced displaced Ukrainians. In March, when President Joe Biden made a series of announcements welcoming 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, granting Temporary Protected Status to another 30,000 already in the U.S. and halting Ukrainian deportations, two Democratic lawmakers seized on the moment to call for similar humanitarian considerations for Haitians. There is every reason to extend the same level of compassion, U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley, of Massachusetts, and Mondaire Jones, of New York, wrote to the administration, noting more than 20,000 Haitians have been deported despite continued instability after the assassination of Haitis president and a powerful earthquake this summer. Cameroonian advocates have similarly ratcheted up their calls for humanitarian relief, protesting in front of the Washington residence of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the offices of leading members of Congress this month. Their calls come as hundreds of thousands in Cameroon have been displaced in recent years by the countrys civil war between its French-speaking government and English-speaking separatists, attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram and other regional conflicts. The advocacy group Human Rights Watch, in a February report, found many Cameroonians deported from the U.S. suffered persecution and human rights violations upon returning there. Tebah, who is a leading member of the Cameroon American Council, an advocacy group organizing protests this month, said thats a fate he hopes to avoid. Hailing from the countrys English-speaking northwest, he said he was branded a separatist and apprehended by the government because of his activism as a college student. Tebah said he managed to escape, as many Cameroonians have, by flying to Latin America, trekking overland to the U.S.-Mexico border and petitioning for asylum in 2019. I will be held in prison, tortured and even killed if I am deported, he said. Im very scared. As a human, my life matters too. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TPS and other humanitarian programs, declined to respond to the complaints of racism in American immigration policy. It also declined to say whether it was weighing granting TPS to Cameroonians or other African nationals, saying in a written statement only that it will continue to monitor conditions in various countries. The agency noted, however, that it has recently issued TPS designations for Haiti, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan all African or Caribbean nations as well as to more than 75,000 Afghans living in the U.S. after the Taliban takeover of that Central Asian nation. Haitians are among the largest and longest-tenured beneficiaries of TPS, with more than 40,000 currently on the status. Other TPS countries include Burma, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen, and the majority of the nearly 320,000 immigrants with Temporary Protected Status hail from El Salvador. Lisa Parisio, who helped launch Catholics Against Racism in Immigration, argues the program could easily help protect millions more refugees fleeing danger but has historically been underused and over-politicized. TPS, which provides a work permit and staves off deportation for up to 18 months, doesnt have limits for how many countries or people can be placed on it, said Parisio, who is the advocacy director for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network. Yet former President Donald Trump, in his broader efforts to restrict immigration, pared down TPS, allowing designations for Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea in West Africa to expire. Although programs like TPS provide critical protections for vulnerable refugees, they can also leave many in legal limbo for years without providing a pathway to citizenship, said Karla Morales, a 24-year-old from El Salvador who has been on TPS nearly her whole life. Its absurd to consider 20 years in this country temporary, the University of Massachusetts Boston nursing student said. We need validation that the work weve put in is appreciated and that our lives have value. At least in the case of Ukraine, Biden appears motivated by broader foreign policy goals in Europe, rather than racial bias, suggests Maria Cristina Garcia, a history professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, focused on refugees and immigrants. But Tom Wong, founding director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego, said the racial disparities couldnt be clearer. The U.S. has responded without hesitation by extending humanitarian protections to predominately white and European refugees, he said. All the while, predominately people of color from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia continue to languish. Besides Cameroon, immigrant advocates also argue that Congo and Ethiopia should qualify for humanitarian relief because of their ongoing conflicts, as should Mauritania, since slavery is still practiced there. And they complain Ukrainian asylum seekers are being exempted from asylum limits meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while those from other nations are being turned away. Black pain and Black suffering do not get the same attention, says Sylvie Bello, founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Cameroon American Council. The same anti-Blackness that permeates American life also permeates American immigration policy. Vera Arnot, a Ukrainian in Boston who is considering seeking TPS, says she didnt know much about the special status until the war started and wasnt aware of the concerns from immigrants of color. But the Berklee College of Music sophomore hopes the relief can be extended to other deserving nations. Arnot says TPS could help her seek an off-campus job with better pay, so she doesnt have to rely on her familys support, as most in Ukraine have lost their jobs due to the war. Ukrainians as a people arent used to relying on others, she said. We want to work. We dont want welfare. For Tebah, who is staying with relatives in Ohio, TPS would make it easier for him to open a bank account, get a drivers license and seek better employment while he awaits a decision on his asylum case. Well continue to beg, to plead, Tebah said. We are in danger. I want to emphasize it. And only TPS for Cameroon will help us be taken out of that danger. It is very necessary. Some supporters of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) say they will never work with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Douglas Mwonzora, which recalled parliamentarians and councilors resulting in the holding of by-elections a week ago. They argue that Mwonzora should not be allowed to be part of the CCC machine that cruised to victory in the by-election even if Nelson Chamisas party did not win two crucial parliamentary seats. Thabitha Khumalo, one of the CCC leaders, said, Its frightening to hear some people suggesting that we should form a coalition with Mwonzora before the next elections. We are where we are today because of Mwonzora and Thokozani Khupe. We cant work with such people. People rejected them long back, they rejected them in the recent by-elections and continue rejecting them right now. We just had by-elections in which people expressed their feelings. Its important to have coalitions but people are saying we should not work hand in hand with Mwonzora and (Thokozani) Khupe. We cant do what people dont like. She said the current tense political situation was caused by Mwonzora and Khupe. We have a situation where a snake sneaked into the house, swallowed all the kids and when we attempted to kill it we did not finish it off And now we want it to be part of the family. No. You cant bandage a snake because when it heals it will bite you. Mwonzora was unavailable for comment as he was not responding to calls and messages on his mobile phone. But Witness Dube, information and publicity secretary of the MDC-T, said they are willing to work with all progressive people in Zimbabwe, including CCC, ahead of the general elections. The MDC-Ts foundations are on solidarity and togetherness in order to achieve our goals. Thats the reason we contested the recent by-elections as MDC Alliance which comprises six political parties. We have realized that when we go for elections, its important to work with other political parties or any organizations with the same vision of transforming Zimbabwe. We can work with any political party that opposes Zanu PF in order to bring change. Political commentators Nhlanhla Moses Ncube and Effie Dlela Ncube, agreed that its important for all opposition parties to form coalition ahead of the 2023 general elections, noting that it will be difficult for the MDC-T and CCC to work together in an attempt to unseat Zanu PF. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is observing National Work Zone Awareness Week April 8-12 to encourage safe driving through highway work zones. The week is an annual spring campaign to coincide with the start of road construction season. MnDOT officially kicked off the construction season April 4, although many construction projects started earlier. The theme for the week is Drive Like You Work Here, reminding motorists to use extra caution when driving in work zones. More than 200 active work zones are scheduled throughout the state this construction season. A work zone is defined as any area where highway construction, maintenance or utility work is being done. Work zones are identified by warning signs, signals, barriers, pavement markings and flaggers. Each year in the U.S., a work zone crash occurs once every 5.4 minutes, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Every day, 70 work zone crashes occur that result in at least one injury. Every week, 12 work zone crashes occur that result in at least one fatality. In Minnesota, during the past three years, there were 31 fatalities and 123 serious injuries in work zones. Drivers and passengers are more likely to be killed in work zones than workers, but maintenance and construction crew workers have also lost their lives, been injured or had close calls, said Brian Sorenson, state traffic engineer. Rear-end crashes are the most common type of work zone crash. Most of these crashes occur because of driver inattention and speeding, both behaviors we can change. Sorenson said MnDOT works to alert motorists in work zones and sets speeds that are safe for navigating through it. He said when entering work zones, motorists should obey the posted speed limits, pay attention to signs and flaggers, be patient and focus on driving. These work zones exist so we can make improvements safely. Were asking that people look for the work zones, slow down and put down their cell phones and avoid other distractions, Sorenson said. The 511mn.org website is a good resource to check for road closures, detours and traffic incidents. The National Work Zone Awareness Week observance is in cooperation with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the Federal Highway Administration and the American Traffic Safety Services Foundation. Jerrod Carmichael will not be addressing the elephant in the room, as he made very clear in his opening monologue on last nights Saturday Night Live. Im not going to talk about it, Carmichael said immediately after walking onstage. I want to be clear up top: Ive talked about it enough, kept talking about it, kept thinking about it. I dont want to talk about it, and you cant make me talk about it. No, hes not referring to the fact that he recently came out in his new HBO special Carmichael instead is opting out of the discourse surrounding the slap heard round the world. It feels like Ive been talking about it for so long, he elaborated. Doesnt it feel like it happened years ago? Like, doesnt it feel like it happened when we were all in high school? While admitting that the incident was fun to talk about the first couple days after the Oscars, Carmichael confessed that by Wednesday, I wanted to kill myself. Relatable! The comic wrapped up his monologue by making a direct appeal to Barack Obama: We need you back, because I think youre going to have to talk about it. The nation needs to heal. Watch the full monologue above. Related Have you ever wanted to know what's really going on in your network? Some free tools with surprising origins can help you to an almost ... Placeholder while article actions load The rise in sea levels is on track to increase highly destructive flooding fivefold in the U.S. by 2050, but a new study of home prices in coastal Florida suggests buyers are oblivious or indifferent to the risk. Governments need to take action to ensure that everyone has the right information about this critical threat. Freddie Mac researchers led by Ajita Atreya found that homes directly exposed to projected sea-level rise command no discount over those that arent. There were discounts for homes in designated flood plains, but thats probably to offset the cost of flood insurance they must carry if financed with a government-backed mortgage rather than future sea-level risk. The findings hold true for investment properties in addition to those bought as primary residences. In all, the markets willingness to look past sea-level risk amounts to a dangerous oversight. About 40% of the U.S. population lives in coastal counties, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and NOAA researchers now project an average of 10 to 12 inches of sea-level rise by 2050, even if the world manages to cut greenhouse gas emissions before then. Advertisement Yet many buyers are clearly lacking important information. Florida and many other states dont even require sellers to disclose past floods, let alone tell buyers that a home faces sea-rise risk. In a ranking from the Natural Resources Defense Councils website, Florida is among 21 states that receive an F in flood disclosure, meaning theres no statutory or regulatory requirement for flood disclosure at the time of sale. Even in the states that require disclosure, they often come at the 11th hour, when buyers are signing stacks of closing documents, according to Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School. Renters typically get fewer protections than buyers. As the Freddie Mac study showed, insurance premiums do influence behavior: Buyers in designated flood zones tend to discount property values. Unfortunately, the governments flood zones still dont consider the future impacts of sea-level rise. Not having forward-looking flood maps is like driving a car only looking into your rearview mirror, Joel Scata, a water and climate attorney with the NRDC, told me. Understandably, politicians and their constituents often fight flood-plain designations out of concern they will depress the value of properties in their area. Government leaders in vulnerable states and municipalities should instead take the long view: accurate, forward-looking maps would encourage needed mitigation efforts. Clearly, there have been some positive developments on addressing the so-called information asymmetries in flood risk for real estate. Realtor.com and Redfin Corp. have teamed up with nonprofit First Street Foundation to provide flood risk ratings for properties on their websites, and First Streets founder Matthew Eby said he would like to extend the resource to more government entities. Were just trying to get people the information so that everyone is on the same playing field, he told me by phone on Thursday. Meanwhile, Hawaii is set to become the first state to require sea-rise disclosures, effective on May 1. Others should follow suit.Of course, disclosure laws alone arent a solution to the worlds climate problems. Its very low hanging fruit, and yes its important, Abigail Fleming, an environmental justice lawyer and University of Miami School of Law professor, told me this week. As she pointed out, flood disclosures may also have adverse effects on housing prices for low- and middle-income households, some of which arent in vulnerable areas by choice but because they have no other options. Thats why climate action plans should combine disclosure requirements with mitigation efforts, voluntary home buyouts in vulnerable areas, relocation assistance and general education on flood risk that reaches people before theyre about to buy or rent a home. Advertisement Even then, some parts of the housing market are likely to keep ignoring reality. As a Florida resident, Ive seen firsthand how many homebuyers conclude (correctly or not) that their investment horizon is short enough that sea-level rise wont matter. Its also possible that near-term supply-demand dynamics are overwhelming analyses of the areas long-term prospects. Like other parts of the Sun Belt, Florida is experiencing an influx of new arrivals seeking year-round warm weather, nice beaches and a vibrant culture. The real estate taxes they pay may ultimately help communities adapt to the challenge of sea-level rise, but its important first that everyone acknowledge the size and scope of the problem and that includes the housing market. (Corrects the name of the Natural Resources Defense Council in the fourth paragraph and chart.) This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Jonathan Levin has worked as a Bloomberg journalist in Latin America and the U.S., covering finance, markets and M&A. Most recently, he has served as the companys Miami bureau chief. He is a CFA charterholder. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load Lawyers hope to stop woman's execution Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight During hours of relentless questioning, Melissa Lucio more than 100 times had denied fatally beating her 2-year-old daughter. But worn down from a lifetime of abuse and the grief of losing her daughter Mariah, her lawyers say, the Texas woman finally acquiesced to investigators. I guess I did it, Lucio responded when asked whether she was responsible for some of Mariahs injuries. Her lawyers say that statement was wrongly interpreted by prosecutors as a murder confession tainting the rest of the investigation into Mariahs 2007 death, with evidence gathered only to prove that conclusion, and helping lead to her capital murder conviction. They contend Mariah died of injuries from a fall down the 14 steps of a steep staircase outside the familys apartment in the South Texas city of Harlingen. Advertisement Lucios lawyers say jurors never heard forensic evidence that would have explained that Mariahs various injuries were actually caused by a fall days earlier. They also say Lucio wasnt allowed to present evidence questioning the validity of her confession. As her April 27 execution date nears, Lucios lawyers are hopeful that new evidence, along with growing public support including from jurors who now doubt the conviction and from more than half the Texas House of Representatives will persuade the states Board of Pardons and Paroles and Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to grant an execution reprieve or commute her sentence. The Cameron County District Attorneys Office, which prosecuted Lucio, declined to comment. Associated Press Guantanamo detainee transferred to Algeria The Biden administration said Saturday that it had completed the repatriation of another Guantanamo Bay detainee, sending Sufiyan Barhoumi from the U.S. military prison in Cuba to his native Algeria. Advertisement Barhoumi had been held at Guantanamo Bay since his capture in Pakistan in 2002. Officials suspected he had trained others how to make bomb components, according to a 2013 report in the Wall Street Journal. U.S. officials determined in 2016 that Barhoumis continued detention was no longer necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the United States, the Pentagon said in a news release Saturday that announced his transfer. Andrew deGrandpre Illinois woman challenges conviction in son's death: A suburban Chicago woman who pleaded guilty in her 5-year-old son's death is challenging her conviction and 35-year sentence, saying she had postpartum depression and psychosis when she killed her son, AJ. JoAnn Cunningham, 39, of Crystal Lake claimed in her petition for post-conviction relief that she did not receive adequate counsel. She claimed to have been seeing demons and believed that her son was possessed by a demon, and said she sought an exorcism from a priest, a chaplain and AJ's father, Andrew Freund, the Northwest Herald reported. McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt, who sentenced Cunningham, said Friday that he has 90 days to decide whether the post-conviction petition has merit. Advertisement Missing hiker's body found in L.A. park with dog by his side: A hiker who went missing two weeks ago was found dead in Griffith Park with his dog by his side, authorities said. Oscar Alejandro Hernandez, 29, was reported missing on March 16. His body was found Thursday night in a remote area of the sprawling urban park. His dog, King, was alive but emaciated. He apparently hadn't left Hernandez's side for two weeks, a relative told KNBC-TV. The family was there when the body was found, said Sgt. Ruben Arellano, a watch commander at the station in charge of Griffith Park. Hernandez was last seen near the park merry-go-round's hiking trails, according to a missing person flier posted by his family. There was no immediate word on the cause of his death. There is no reason to believe foul play was involved, Arellano said. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load PAKISTAN Khan accuses U.S. of trying 'regime change' Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan suggested Saturday that he might not accept a vote to oust him, a move he alleged was being orchestrated by the United States. Opposition parties have put forward a no-confidence motion set for a vote on Sunday. How can I accept the result when the entire process is discredited? Khan told a select group of foreign journalists at his office. Democracy functions on moral authority what moral authority is left after this connivance? The move to oust me is blatant interference in domestic politics by the United States, he said, terming it an attempt at regime change. Khan, who already lost his parliamentary majority after allies quit his coalition government and joined the opposition, urged his supporters to take to the streets on Sunday ahead of the vote. Advertisement Hours before he spoke, the head of the army, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, had said Pakistan wanted to expand its ties with Washington. President Biden has not called Khan since taking office, but the White House has denied that it is seeking to topple him. U.S. relations are strained in particular over Afghanistan, where Washington accused Pakistan of backing the successful Taliban insurgency that led last year to a chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces. Reuters YEMEN UAE welcomes truce, as do Houthis The United Arab Emirates on Saturday welcomed the announcement of a U.N.-brokered truce in Yemen and the halt of all military operations there and on the Saudi-Yemeni border, the UAEs state news agency WAM reported. The Iran-aligned Houthi group, which has been fighting a coalition including the UAE in Yemen, also welcomed the truce and said it was committed to it as long as the other side abided by it, a spokesperson said on Twitter. Advertisement The nationwide truce is the first for years in Yemens seven-year-old conflict and will allow fuel imports into Houthi-held areas and some flights to operate from the Sanaa airport, a United Nations envoy said on Friday. The U.N.-brokered deal between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis is the most significant step yet toward ending a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and pushed millions into hunger. The last coordinated cessation of hostilities nationwide was during peace talks in 2016. Associated Press Israeli security forces kill 3 Palestinian gunmen: Israeli security forces killed three gunmen from the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad in a shootout in the occupied West Bank on Saturday. Four Israeli officers were wounded. Tensions have risen over the past week after a string of deadly Arab attacks in Israel. Officials have warned about a potential surge in assaults in the run-up to Saturday's start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a period during which violence has surged in the past. Advertisement U.N. concerned over reported violence against civilians in Mali: The United Nations' peacekeeping mission in Mali voiced concern over reported violence against civilians, hours after the military said it killed more than 200 terrorists in a week-long raid in the country's center. Mali has intensified operations against armed groups with links to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in recent weeks, and the military has also boosted its capabilities with reported assistance by Russia's Wagner Group, a network of mercenaries. The statement from the army chief of staff, released Friday, didn't make clear which group was the target of the March 23-31 operation in the central Mali village of Moura that killed 203 militants. Another 51 terrorists were arrested, it said. Sri Lanka imposes curfew following unrest: Sri Lanka's government imposed a weekend curfew on Saturday, even as hundreds of lawyers urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to revoke a state of emergency introduced following unrest over fuel and other shortages in a deep economic crisis. Rajapaksa introduced a state of emergency on Friday, raising fears of a crackdown on protests. The Indian Ocean island nation of 22 million people is grappling with rolling blackouts for up to 13 hours a day as the government scrambles to secure foreign exchange to pay for fuel and other essential imports. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Just 35 miles from Buffalo, along Route 20 in Irving, the roadside is dotted with stores selling marijuana. Billboards promote pot businesses. One gas station along Route 20 has a sign with the slogan, Come for gas, leave with grass. It will be months before recreational cannabis can be legally sold in New York, but on Western New Yorks Native American lands, pot is already openly for sale. The shops are located on sovereign territory, which allows the stores to get around the plodding state rule-making process and get a jump on would-be competitors in the legal pot market. In Cattaraugus, Allegany and Genesee counties, members of the Seneca Nation of Indians and Tonawanda Seneca Nation have opened stores. Some shops are even in trailers and residences all trying to take advantage of what is estimated to be a $4 billion industry in New York. Just like gas stations and smoke shops on Native land, these businesses dont collect sales taxes, likely giving them a price advantage when their regulated competitors are allowed to open. And so far, store owners say, New York State has left them alone. Sales are through the roof, said Mike Jimerson, who opened The Lab Dispensary in Irving with his wife, Heidi, in October. Im very surprised how far we have come in four-and-a-half months. Not all New York tribes embrace the marijuana business. The Tuscarora Nation in Niagara County has outlawed the sale of recreational marijuana, according to a statement from its leadership. The Seneca Nation of Indians is creating rules, but for now marijuana business on Seneca territory are operating on their own. Seneca Nation leadership declined to comment. But elsewhere, Native American entrepreneurs are treating pot like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The analogy I have used, said Jesse Spring, who runs two dispensaries, at least with my family and close circle, was when that wave comes, we need to set ourselves up so that were riding that thing. 'If you sell a good product, theyre going to find you' The Jimersons opened The Lab Dispensary on Old Lakeshore Road in Irving, a bit off the beaten path from where most shops are selling recreational marijuana on the Cattaraugus territory. But it hasnt mattered. Mike Jimerson, also a judge in the Peacemaker's Court on the Cattaraugus territory, projects first-year sales to be around $2.5 million. His wife has since been able to quit her full-time job with Seneca Nation to work at the shop and his stepdaughter, sister and cousin have also come to the shop. We were kind of scared of it at the beginning to put up that much money and have to be willing to lose that money, said Jimerson, whose father owned TPS, a propane company in Silver Creek, and helped start Catt-Rez Enterprises, a gas station that his sister now owns. Jimerson isn't worried about his shop's rural location, about 35 miles south of Buffalo. "My dad always told me that if you sell a good product, theyre going to find you. Jesse and Ruby Spring, who run two dispensaries, one in Basom in Genesee County and the other in Irving, respectively, have prepared for years for this opportunity. When youre invested in this and live it, breath it and dream it, thats different as opposed to someone who says, Im going to open a shed around the corner and do this, and is only in it for the money, Jesse Spring said. Sales have gone up each week since the Springs started selling recreational marijuana last year, he said. Spring has taken some of his family and interested people from other nations to Oaksterdam University in Oakland, Calif., the first established cannabis college, where they learned about the flowering plant and how it is cultivated. His employees, or budtenders, have also taken a certification course available through the university. In addition, he took trips to some of the original states that legalized recreational marijuana, such as Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington and Massachusetts, to see how dispensaries there operate. In the process, he connected with the Paiute Indian Tribe, which operates a 1,600-square-foot dispensary in Las Vegas. We had that foresight and vision that this was coming whether people want to embrace it or not," said Spring, who owns Shaman Medicinal, while his wife runs Native Hypemart. Making many of the products sold in his store has been an education for Jimerson. He has had to learn about THC levels, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana; indica and sativa strains, species of cannabis, and hybrid, a combination of the two; as well as dominants that produce higher THC levels and percentages that determine marijuana strength levels. Hes also learned how to extract the flowering plant, how to use dabs to make a gummy and the difference in terpene level between live resin and concentrates. Shop owners are finding much of their sales is related to pain management. Spring makes an infused honey product that he said one of his clients drives from Pennsylvania to get. Native American leadership's stance Spring said he has a good relationship with the chief from Tonawanda Seneca Nation, independent of the Seneca Indian Nation. The two were able to agree upon and draw up rules and regulations for the sale of marijuana. Growing up with a smoke shop background, Spring said it has been an easy transition from the tobacco industry to recreational marijuana. The Seneca Nation has created a Cannabis Department and Hemp Compliance Administrator to help regulate the production of cannabis on Seneca Nation territory. On the Senecas website there are two forms, the first a 24-page ordinance governing the cultivation of hemp and licensing for sales on Seneca Nation territories and a seven-page hemp producer application. But, to this point, most businesses have taken it on their own to get started. Tuscarora nation leadership said it considered the creation of a cannabis industry but decided against it after hearing the concerns of the Tuscarora people. The transportation, sale and consumption of recreational marijuana is prohibited by the Tuscarora Nation, and all persons are prohibited from entering the territory of the Tuscarora Nation with the intention of participating in any illegal commerce, including cannabis. This process of self-determination can only be conducted by the Tuscarora Nation, the statement reads. Thus, individuals cannot invoke sovereignty without the informed consent of the Nation. As for the state, the Office of Cannabis Management can enter into agreements with Native American governments through compacts to integrate them into the state program if all parties can agree to terms, according to spokesman Freeman Klopott. No slowdown anticipated By next year, these Native American businesses are expected to have competition a lot of it from shops throughout the state as regulations are finalized by the states Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis Management. But shops on Native land will hold a distinct pricing advantage as is the case with the sale of gas and tobacco because the state will not tax marijuana sales on native territories. Spring said hell look to reinvent his business and stay ahead of the curve once competition opens up across the state. The only place I see us going is up from here, Jimerson said. I dont see anything but good things. Buffalo Next Must-read local business coverage that exposes the trends, connects the dots and contextualizes the impact to Buffalo's economy. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Daniel Airey doesnt recognise the person he was at 16. It was the year he survived the worst months of his life: he was suffering from panic attacks up to three times a day and his mind was plagued by suicidal thoughts. Its almost a feeling of losing control of everything like someone else has control of you, your actions and everything thats in your mind. Daniel Airey, 22, has come a long way since 2016. Credit:Simon Schluter Airey had been bullied over elements of his identity having a stutter and being gay through high school, which took a toll on his mental health. His inner self-critic would roar that he was mucking everything up. He gradually began to avoid social situations and attending school. For a while he would only communicate by writing on paper. It was just this sense of everyones watching me, everyones thinking about what I look like and all negative things, Airey says. In year 8 I just didnt talk because it was so bad. Airey, now 22 and living in the outer Melbourne suburb of Sunbury, recalls that experiencing suicidal thoughts and panic attacks was particularly frightening. I opened up to my mum and my partner and I said I dont know whats happening to me. Advertisement Airey, who tells his story for The Age and The Sydney Morning Heralds youth mental health podcast Enough, was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2016, and placed on suicide watch. For several months he stopped going to school and his mum stopped working. I felt like a burden, he says. Having her always there made me feel like I wasnt able to survive on my own, which looking back was true but when I was fighting all these demons inside me, it was overwhelming. I remember saying to Mum youll be much happier if Im gone, Airey says. Through a combination of medication and cognitive behavioural therapy, things slowly improved. He returned to school and was accepted into university. He hasnt experienced suicidal ideation since he was 17. It feels like your life is over in that moment Airey can relate to the many young people who struggled during COVID-19. Hes disturbed by the finding of a recent survey of Australians aged 16-24 that a quarter had experienced suicidal thoughts during the pandemic. That figure is about double the number of adults aged 25 and older whod felt suicidal. Advertisement There isnt enough help for all those individuals out there, Airey says. It feels like your life is over in that moment. Airey is relieved he didnt feel suicidal during the pandemic, but his panic attacks returned after he lost work. Without his usual support networks through multiple lockdowns, he had to find new ways to cope. Running became a big outlet for him. Beyond Blues chief clinical adviser Dr Grant Blashki says suicidal thinking is complex, but it commonly occurs with grief, break-ups, drug and alcohol use, unemployment, isolation and coming to terms with your identity. I remember saying to Mum youll be much happier if Im gone. Daniel Airey He says that suicidal ideation which is often associated with symptoms of depression should always be taken seriously. People who suffer from persistent suicidal thoughts are more likely to end their lives. Mental Health Australia this week called on the federal government to set a target to reduce suicide by 25 per cent by 2025. The latest available data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that in 2020, there were 480 youth suicides, the same as in 2019. Advertisement Blashki says that while its a relief the rate didnt go up that year, its clear that the pandemic has had a substantial impact on young peoples mental health. He adds that as society we have to do much better to bring down the suicide rate. Its just unacceptable that its higher than the road toll. Daniel and his partner, Andrew, have recently opened up their home to foster children. Credit:Simon Schluter Key to Aireys recovery was becoming OK with asking for help whenever suicidal thoughts returned. Theres no way I would ... even contemplate it [now]. Blashki says that people who are worried about a loved one should not be afraid to ask if theyve had thoughts of self-harm or taking their life. Theres no evidence that you put the thought in their head, he says. Pick a good time and place to open up the conversation and listen then you can point them to the right supports. Airey says that he does this with his friends who are struggling mentally. Advertisement I just ask them outright, are you experiencing suicidal thoughts?, he says. It helps to talk about it when youre in that place, and it reminds them that there are people who care about them. Loading Airey says that creating more awareness of speech impairments is a big motivator for his involvement in the Enough podcast. Growing up, he lacked role models he could relate to. Having a stutter throughout my schooling, I was really put down as stupid or not as capable as the other kids, Airey says. But now Im just like well, its a part of who I am. As his anxiety around his speech diminished, his stutter improved too. For Aireys partner of seven years, Andrew Grey, the transformation has been life-changing. We had times where his mum and I had to pin him down to stop him from harming himself, Grey says. Hes a different person ... Im really happy. Late last year, Airey and Grey became foster parents two of only six foster carers with Anglicare Victoria who are under 25. Advertisement When we realised wed be meeting up with my parents in Santorini in two weeks, we knew that was our opportunity to have the wedding we wanted and still have Mum and Dad there. I booked a celebrant on the spot. The wedding day itself was beautiful; I can still remember how breathtaking the scenery was as we said our vows and the way the locals clapped and cheered when we kissed. The celebrant could hardly speak English and we couldnt quite understand him, so we ended up laughing all the way through the ceremony. I discovered I was pregnant three days later. We returned to Australia to mixed reactions. Our friends understood that this was our wedding, but some of my family took the news hard. One aunt actually sat me down and said I would regret what I had done for the rest of my life. I dont know about that: six years and two children in [the couple have a five-year-old and three-year-old], were happier than ever. From left to right: Sara Layoun Ruri and Micah Ruri; Tahlia Gregori and Jackson Walkden-Brown; Angela and Loic Lemaitre. I chose our wedding destination by closing my eyes and dropping a finger on the page A red tape bungle led to an impromptu wedding for Angela Lemaitre, a 45-year-old DJ and spruiker, and Loic Lemaitre, a 48-year-old chef. Loic and I met in the funniest of ways. It was in 2000, and I was visiting the restaurant in Noumea, New Caledonia, where he was working, when he took issue with my order of a chocolate mousse topped with lemon sorbet. He came over to check my dessert choices and we ended up talking and talking. By the time I flew back to Sydney a week later, we knew we didnt want to be apart. In the months that followed, there was a little flying back and forth between Noumea and Sydney, but just as I was about to travel to Japan for work, Loic rang and asked me to marry him. He said, I know Im here in Noumea but I dont know why Im here without you. Lets get married. My friends and I joked that he must have been drunk, but I was thrilled. He quit his job and flew to Sydney so we could begin our lives together. He said, I know Im here in Noumea but I dont know why Im here without you. Lets get married. Loic and I spent two months getting the appropriate visa paperwork together so we could live as an engaged couple and organise a wedding later. I was due to fly out on a Tuesday for work in Japan, but on the Friday before, we went to Immigration to find wed been given the incorrect paperwork and Loic would have to leave the country within days. Right away we said, Nope, were getting married this weekend, and since you have to file your intention to marry one month and one day before the wedding date in Australia, we decided to elope overseas. I had a wedding magazine, and picked our destination by closing my eyes, flipping to a random page and dropping my finger on a spot: Navini Island Resort, Fiji. We booked a flight for the following day but the hours leading up to our departure were stressful: trying to find wedding rings, doing more paperwork and organising for a witness (our housemate) to fly with us. After we touched down, however, we embraced the island spirit. We spent our wedding day snorkelling and turned up to the sunset ceremony sunburnt but blissed out. When we flew back to Sydney the following morning, Loic went straight to Immigration to file the correct papers and I flew to Japan. Our spontaneous wedding took our families by surprise but they understood as many had relatives overseas. To make everyone happy we had a traditional church wedding in Sydney a year later. This year well be celebrating our 22-year anniversary with our three beautiful children by our side. Love always finds a way. It wasnt the wedding we planned but we loved it Border restrictions and lockdown wreaked havoc on Sara Layoun Ruri and Micah Ruris original wedding plans, so the 43-year-old marketing manager and 37-year-old FIFO worker chose Plan B. I dont know that Micah and I have taken the most traditional route to marriage. For a start, weve known each other for over 20 years as family friends but our relationship only became romantic in 2012 after we reconnected at a party. We had our son in 2017 and although Micah proposed in 2020, COVID-19 was overruling every plan we made so we didnt ever feel we could just say, Yes, this is what were going to do and this is how and when were going to do it. Micah and I both come from large families so we knew early on that if we were to have a traditional wedding, it would be very large and very loud. At first we toyed with the idea of eloping and getting married quietly in Fiji or Taormina [in Italy], but then we decided you only get married once so why not have all the bells and whistles? We set the date for October 2021 and booked the reception venue, ordered the dress and locked in everything from photography to the flowers. Then we sat through the 2021 lockdown not knowing how to proceed, or if we even should, with the wedding. It was so stressful not knowing if the borders would reopen and if family would be able to come, or even if my dress would be ready in time since everything was being held up by the pandemic. I dont know that anyone grows up thinking theyre going to one day get married with loved ones watching online, but despite the heavy rain on the day, it was a beautiful, relaxed occasion full of love and laughter. Finally, Micah said he didnt want to wait any more and that we should just get married at home. As soon as he said that, I agreed. For me, its all about marrying Micah, not about having a wedding. We quickly organised our celebrant, called my parents over and sent family and friends a message which more or less read, Surprise! Were getting married at 2pm this afternoon. Heres the Zoom link, wed love it if you want to join in. Loading I dont know that anyone grows up thinking theyre going to one day get married with loved ones including Micahs immediate family, who are in New Zealand and Perth watching online, but despite the heavy rain on the day, it was a beautiful, relaxed occasion full of love and laughter. We were aware of our friends and families watching in their homes (we were all still in lockdown), so we tried to include them as much as possible by speaking with them after the ceremony before we had a meal with my parents. We love being married and were happy we made the decision to marry when we did. But since wed already paid for everything that we had to put on hold, were still going to go ahead and will have our traditional wedding in May minus the ceremony. After the two years of lockdown weve just been through, it will be nice to finally be able to kick up our heels and have a good time. And who knows, maybe our loved ones overseas and interstate will be able to join us by then. Federal Labor and the Greens have called for a Tax Office investigation into allegations the Mormon church has been involved in a significant tax rort in Australia. An investigation by The Age and Sydney Morning Herald revealed that adherents of the Utah-headquartered Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (commonly called Mormons) were able to collect hundreds of millions of dollars in generous tax exemptions that are not lawfully available to followers of other religions. The Churchs Salt Lake Temple, at Temple Square Credit:AP Some of the churchs tax activities are run through a shell company with no paid employees that is in potential breach of a 2019 Australian Taxation Office ruling that the focal point in a legal or organisational sense of a charity must be in Australia for the money to be tax-deductible. Shadow assistant treasurer Labors Andrew Leigh said the allegations were serious and called for an immediate investigation. But when her break from Mormonism came, it called everything into question, including the origin stories of this 19th-century American religious movement, the institutionalised homophobia and the hefty time and financial commitments. Each year the Church reports to the charities regulator that it raises close to $100 million in Australia through a charitable trust fund, with nearly all of that thought to be income from tithes. It is an impressively large sum for a religion with only about 60,000 adherents in Australia, according to the Census. Yet it is not all it seems. An investigation by The Age and Sydney Morning Herald has revealed that the Church may have engaged in a tax evasion, allowing its adherents to collect exemptions not lawfully available to followers of other religions. Australia is unusual among English-speaking countries in that it does not allow tax deductions for tithing or church donations. Instead, it allows generous deductibility for charitable giving. The church appears to have structured itself to maximise that tax benefit through payments of $70 million a year through a charity with no paid staff. It has meant Mormons have been able to draw on $400 million in tax write-offs since 2015. There are serious questions about whether this is permissible, although a Church spokesman insists it complies with Australian tax laws and runs the charity from Australia, as required by the law. That $70 million a year in donations is completely out of step with what Mormons give in other countries, including the United States, where it has more than six million followers. It is also in stark contrast with what the Church said they had given previously from Australia, a total of $900,000 between 1985 and 2010. Givens experience of the LDS Church - along with other senior ex-Mormons interviewed for this piece - was one where charitable giving was limited. As far as helping people who were actually in need, theres just not a lot of that happening. The Mormon Church isnt providing soup kitchens, homeless shelters and the kind of aid which some other churches do, she says. A Church spokesman said it had been able to boost charitable spending from Australia as there was a desire and the ability to significantly increase the support. They did not elaborate further. Around the world the Church has extensive business interests, including shopping malls and some of the biggest farms in the United States. In 2020, it also emerged that the Church ran an investment fund, Ensign Peak Advisors, with more than $US100 billion ($133 billion) in assets, generating substantial tax-free returns. It was not always so. In the 19th century the Church was chased out of much of the United States and took up arms against the federal government. It settled, after a great migration, in frontier Utah, where it supported polygamy. University of Tampa sociology professor Ryan Cragun. University of Tampa professor of sociology Ryan Cragun, an expert on Mormonism who grew up in the religion, said the Church was vastly different then than it is today. Nineteenth-century Mormonism has polygamy, they still drink alcohol, they had all sorts of weird practices that all shifts with the end of polygamy, and then kind of the formalisation of the Word of Wisdom, which is, you know, no drinking coffee, no alcohol, no tea, no smoking, all of that, he says. By the mid-20th century - and till today - it represents a kind of all-American wholesomeness with its fresh-faced, clean-cut, suited missionaries. And if you look at it, its very much like a middle-class corporate church in an American Salt Lake City kind of way. Cragun says Church leaders live comfortably but all this wealth - the $US100 billion investment fund, the tax minimisation - is not about personal enrichment. Rather, he suspects, its about long-term corporate planning. Many of its current leaders - called apostles - have backgrounds in senior positions from the corporate world and run the Church as a business, he says. My sense is they know whats coming. As far as secularisation goes, theyre losing young people in droves. Theyre not really getting any converts in Australia or New Zealand, or most of Western Europe at this point. Even Eastern Europe, theyre not getting anybody, Africa, OK, theyre doing OK there. But even in South America, theyve kind of mined that, he says. My sense is theyre reading the tea leaves saying that donating members are going to begin to shrink. How are we going to maintain all the properties that we own, all the stuff that were doing? He surmises that the massive war chest is designed to allow them to just live off the revenue from that indefinitely into the future, thats my best interpretation. Cragun says Mormons were unusual in how much they paid in tithing. A North American study showed they paid more than 7 per cent of their income in tithes - slightly less than they are meant to, but a stunningly high amount compared to other religions. There are no comparable figures for the Church in Australia, but its financial accounts indicate that local Mormons are paying a high rate of tithing. There is considerable pressure on Mormons to pay tithes, he says, and once a year, they are required to meet with their bishop. This tithing settlement is important, determining, essentially, whether they are in good standing and can be recommended to go to Temple, an important step in the path to the afterlife. Despite the large financial commitment, another feature of Mormonism, Cragun claims, is how little the Church spends on charity; less than 1 per cent of its income (based on its own previously publicly released figures). It makes a situation like Australia - where tithing is not tax-deductible - tricky for the Church. Without the tax benefit, individual Mormons here would be substantially worse off financially than Mormons in the US, Britain or Canada. Cragun suggests that the Church may milk the system for every tax deduction they can, which is why youre seeing this. Getting a spokesperson to admit that is probably impossible... because that makes them look very ungenerous. Mike Perritt was born into the Church and became its national emergency response coordinator, working with the Red Cross and other agencies. Hed regularly work 25 hours a week on Church activities. To retain its tax status as a charity or religion it has to give money to charities, but it doesnt like to do that, he says. Now in his sixties, he left the Church in 2015 as he believed its origin stories were based on fraudulent claims. He had paid almost $400,000 in tithes. Perritt says he saw many people on low incomes struggle to afford the tithes and that tithing dropped off when tax deductibility was reduced to 75 per cent for a time. The Church is very focused on its wealth, it always has been, he says. The Churchs tax practices have resulted in a complaint being lodged last year with the Australian Charities and not-for-profits Commission. The regulator is legally prevented from providing information on the status of its response - if any - to complaints. Senior ex-Mormon, Dr Simon Southerton, has made a complaint to a regulator about the Churchs tax practices. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Senior ex-Mormon Simon Southerton alleges that the Church is involved in tax evasion through its practices. He is quick to note that it is the Church hierarchy and not ordinary Mormons who are to blame for any claimed tax evasion. Mormons are encouraged to be honest and truthful in their dealings. Its just dishonest, to make it look like the Church is so extremely charitable when its not, he says. I dont blame ordinary Mormons here this smacks of US lawyers exploiting legal loopholes to pull the wool over the eyes of the Australian government. Barrister Neville Rochow, QC, was until 2018 the Churchs representative to the European Union and served as a bishop and in stake (similar to an archdiocese) and missionary presidencies. He converted in his teens and served in missions in Tasmania and later Germany, where he met his wife. The church had many positives for him: I came from a fairly dysfunctional childhood and was really looking for a way to have a happy family. Dr Neville Rochow, QC, says the Church has structured itself to minimise tax. Rochow says he was so bloody faithful and was seen as a repository of all knowledge on doctrine. I was their pin-up boy; I was respectable and had letters after my name. The Church would trot me out when they needed someone respectable that could talk with anyone about anything. He spoke at the House of Lords, the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights. [The Church] opened a lot of doors for us, we derived a lot of benefit from it. The tax structure has meant that since 2015, Australian adherents have been able to draw on $400 million in tax deductions not available to followers of other religions or denominations. A Mormon Church spokesman did not respond to written questions about this discrepancy, but said the church operated in accordance with tax laws. Dr Neville Rochow, QC, says the church has structured itself to minimise tax. In the mid-2010s, Dr Rochow was involved in a Mormon-instigated econometric study used to justify its tax status and to ensure that religious trust properties of other churches were not taxed. Soon after, it started to direct substantial donations and tithing through its charitable trust a decision he was not involved in. Before that, in a submission it made to Treasury, the church said it spent just $36,000 a year, on average, on charitable donations between 1985 and 2010. There has been little to no growth in the 61,600 Mormon adherents in Australia over the past decade that could explain the reported 2000-fold increase in charitable giving. Each year, funds are transferred from the churchs charitable trust to a separate entity, Sydney-based LDS Charities Australia. From that entity, about $70 million a year is distributed to global charitable causes. The church spokesman said after LDS Charities Australia was created in 2012, there was a desire and the ability to significantly increase the support of global humanitarian and development projects. That $70 million a year is close to the amount the global church whose strongest following is in the United States itself says it gives each year on average throughout the world, according to its own annual reports. LDS Charities Australia has no paid staff, Australian website, expenses or infrastructure to run what purports to be one of the countrys major charities, collecting more in individual donations than Oxfam, Beyond Blue or Caritas Australia, the Catholic Churchs international aid charity. It runs in parallel with the Utah-based Latter-Day Saints Charities, which apparently directs the churchs charitable spending throughout the world and includes all its senior staff, management and infrastructure. A church spokesman denied LDS Charities Australia was run by Utah-based Latter Day Saints Charities and said it funded programs through other charities including the Red Cross, Water for the People and the World Food Programme, allowing it to keep costs low. All decisions about which projects are funded are made right here in Australia, the spokesman said. The programs it cited were also funded by its Utah-based charity. University of Tampa professor of sociology Ryan Cragun, an expert on Mormonism, said it was inconceivable that the church was making significant global charitable decisions from Australia. Its a stunningly hierarchical religion, Professor Cragun said. So, any big decisions like that are going to be made in Salt Lake City. In 2019, the Australian Tax Office made a binding ruling that for an Australian charity to have deductible gift recipient (DGR) status which allows tax write-offs for donors it must have Australia as the focal point of the DGR in a legal or organisational sense. University of Tampa sociology professor Ryan Cragun Krystian Seibert, a charities expert at Swinburne Universitys Centre for Social Impact, speaking in general terms, said the DGR rule meant the operations and management decisions of a charity needed to be made from Australia. It can, of course, engage and consult with partner organisations outside Australia, but if it effectively outsources operational and management decision-making to individuals or organisations that are outside Australia, that could raise issues under our tax laws. Mormonism is a US religious movement that began in the 19th century and has become incredibly wealthy. A Washington Post investigation in 2020 revealed the church was secretly running a $US100 billion investment fund, Ensign Peak Advisors, that was accumulating vast tax-free wealth by investing in hedge funds, Chevron, Visa, Apple and some of the biggest landholdings in the US. Professor Cragun said the church, for a time, disclosed its charitable giving, which equated to less than 1 per cent of its revenue. It is shocking how little they give, he suggested. But on the flipside, this is the part thats really interesting: they advertise it every single time. And thats where the ex-Mormon in me is like, Thats exactly what Jesus said not to do. He said many of the churchs current leaders called apostles had backgrounds in senior positions in the corporate world. The international church, he said, was run like a multinational corporation, with practices all but identical around the world. According to Cragun, the church is likely to milk the system for every tax deduction they can... And theyre very, very good at it. Senior ex-Mormon Simon Southerton has been involved in a complaint to the Australian Charities and not-for-profits Commission about the churchs tax practices. Loading I had one husband and four sons and Lydia had one son and four husbands! When she married the fourth one, Lydia was crying at the altar. I said, Lydia, were you moved? and she said, No, I already regret marrying this one. We are not similar at all. She likes a bit of a drink: scotch and champagne. I drink maybe a spoonful of Baileys in the evenings. I like blues and jazz; she likes classical. Lydia doesnt ring anybody and nobody rings her. Shes not crazy for the clubs like me; I like bingo. To everything, at first she says, No. I always say, Yes. Lydia lives around the corner. She comes every day at about 8am Do you need something, Liliana? then drives to Malvern Central to go shopping. At 2-2.30pm, I go to see her, then at 5.30pm she comes back with dinner for me: salmon with an egg on top. We both love Foyles War. I tape it and we watch it together. I love her generosity. And the closeness. LYDIA: My mother said, I wanted you both dead because I didnt have any milk and the wet nurses all had syphilis, so they imported two from overseas: I had one type of milk and Liliana another. Maybe because of this we are a bit different. I was a very naughty child I used to run away but Liliana was very good. In Roma, they put ads in the paper: Extras wanted. It was like living in Hollywood. And we were beautiful. They used to say, Lilianas got a bum like a guitar and Lydias is like a mandolin. The Italian men used to follow us. Our mother said, You want sex? Ill kill you, then Ill kill myself! We were terrified. She threw a knife at me once because I was talking to a Hungarian. We were virgins when we got married. Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese has launched a presidential-style pitch for Queensland votes in the partys most marginal state seat ahead of a federal election expected to be called within days. Mr Albanese arrived at the pre-campaign rally, held at the Kedron-Wavell Services Club in Chermside on Brisbanes north, to Albo 2022 signs and a sea of red T-shirts worn by about 350 of the party faithful. Labor has rolled out messaging centring leader Anthony Albanese in its pitch to Queensland voters, at a pre-campaign rally in Brisbane on Sunday. Credit:Matt Dennien Brisbane-based frontbenchers Terri Butler and Jim Chalmers then introduced him to the crowd, gathered in the Labor seat of Lilley held by Anika Wells on a margin of just 0.64 per cent as an honorary Queenslander. They were joined by other federal party MPs, senior state government figures including Treasurer Cameron Dick, along with national ALP president and Rudd government treasurer Wayne Swan. Australians would be able to choose from up to 11 presidential candidates and the directly elected winner would serve a five-year term, under proposed changes finalised by the Australian Republican Movement. The ARM, which released some of the details of its proposed model in January, has now finalised its proposed constitutional changes for an Australian republic. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles in 2019. Credit:Getty The proposed model and constitutional changes have been designed after extensive consultations with legal experts and are similar to the Irish Republic, which vests limited powers in a future president, who would replace the Governor-General the Queens representative in Australia. Each state and territory would be able to propose one candidate for president, with how that person was chosen up to the jurisdiction, while the federal government would propose up to three candidates - with a popular vote to follow. Budapest: Hungarys nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has scored a fourth consecutive landslide win in general elections, as voters endorsed his ambition of a conservative, illiberal state and shrugged off concerns over Budapests close ties with Moscow. Russias invasion of Ukraine had appeared to upend Orbans campaign in recent weeks, forcing him into awkward manoeuvring to explain decade-old cosy business relations with President Vladimir Putin. Hungarys Prime Minister addresses cheering supporters during an election night rally in Budapest. Credit:AP But he mounted a successful campaign to persuade his Fidesz partys core electorate that the six-party opposition alliance, United For Hungary, of Peter Marki-Zay promising to mend ties with the European Union could lead the country into war, an accusation the opposition denied. Surrounded by leading party members, a triumphant Orban, 58, said the victory came against all odds. A nearly 30-minute, high-speed chase. Three police officers and a suspect wounded. Dozens of rounds fired. Nine police cars shot up and 19 separate crime scenes. Five days after a wild police chase that stretched from the foot of Ferry Street on Buffalo's West Side all the way to the Cheektowaga border before ending in a hail of gunfire in front of the Ferry-Fillmore District police station, multiple investigations are underway into what happened. Among the many questions that remain to be answered: Were any of the officers wounded by friendly fire? Authorities cannot definitely say yet, but that possibility is under investigation. "I have no indication that anyone was hit by friendly fire," Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn Jr. told reporters last week. "But I'm certainly going to look into it because there was, obviously, throughout the course of this whole thing, numerous gunshots fired by officers and numerous gunshots fired by the offender." Three police officers were wounded during the chase, which began just before 6 p.m. in the parking lot of Broderick Park, next to the Niagara River. Two officers approached a Jeep Cherokee that had tinted windows. Authorities say the driver, Kente Bell, 28, of Buffalo was cooperative at first and provided his ID. But when he was questioned about issues with his registration, authorities said, he took off. In the Black Rock area, a female passenger bailed out of the car as it was still moving. Moments later, Flynn said, Bell allegedly fired at police who were pursuing him. Bell got on the Scajaquada Expressway and then headed east on the Kensington Expressway before exiting at Bailey Avenue. Moments later, by the Northeast District police station, police said Officer Trevor Sheehan was shot in the left bicep and the side of his ear. Then on Genesee Street near Doat Street, Officer Christopher Wilson and his partner came under fire. Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said last week that Wilson was "struck in the chest" but the bullet-resistant vest he was wearing stopped the round. The third officer, Joseph McCarthy, was shot at East Ferry Street and Fillmore Avenue, where the chase ended. He was shot in the lower abdomen and was still in Erie County Medical Center on Sunday. The other officers were treated and released. Bell remained hospitalized after being shot in the shoulder, neck, leg and finger. He was arraigned Thursday in his hospital bed after he awoke from sedation. He has been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Bell was on probation for a weapons possession charge stemming from his arrest in March 2020 in Amherst. In 2012, Bell was seriously wounded in a shooting in Buffalo that left him partially paralyzed. A cellphone video from the scene at East Ferry and Fillmore that was widely circulated on social media shows the chaos that unfolded as the Jeep approached the intersection. A police officer is seen getting out of a patrol car parked in the middle of the intersection and she points her gun toward the oncoming vehicle. Another officer is seen running past. A siren blares. Moments later, multiple gunshots can be heard but the view of the scene is blocked by a gas station pump that the cellphone user was behind. At least a dozen police officers could be seen converging on a smoking vehicle that ended up in a vacant lot. Several police cars could be seen driving past with their lights and sirens on. Flynn said investigators are trying to sort through mountains of evidence to get to the bottom of what happened. "So there are a lot of things I don't know at this time. I don't know how many shots were fired by officers. I don't know how many officers fired their shots. I don't know how many shots he fired," Flynn said. Bell allegedly was found holding a gun when he was pulled out of the vehicle, according to police. Flynn said the gun was loaded with an extended magazine. "I don't have exact numbers for you, but lots and lots of bullets can be put in that extended magazine. So he had the ability to shoot with lots and lots of bullets with the extended magazine," Flynn said. But it may be difficult to determine how many shots he fired, Flynn said, because the weapon was damaged during the exchange of gunfire. "His gun was hit," Flynn said. "So it's broken. It's damaged. I may not be able to tell how many rounds he fired." Flynn said his office is investigating the criminal case against Bell but also the conduct of the police officers. "It appears that everything was done properly here and they were all valid shots, you know, that were fired by the officers when he was shooting at them," Flynn said. He said Thursday he was "about 50% there" in clearing the police officers' conduct but that his investigation was continuing. He said it's possible that the investigation will show that Bell also opened fire on other police officers during the chase, which could lead to more charges against him. Recordings of radio transmissions during the chase that were archived by Broadcastify.com included repeated instances of police telling dispatchers that shots were being fired at them. Regarding the possibility of friendly fire, Flynn said, legally it may not matter. "If I can show that [Bell] was shooting in the vicinity of an officer who got shot ... and it turns out that he didn't get shot by him but was shot by friendly fire, it's still attempted murder," Flynn said of the charges Bell would face. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. A residential school survivor returned to her home province one day after the head of the Roman Catholic Church officially apologized for the role some members of the church played in Canada's residential school system. A residential school survivor returned to her home province one day after the head of the Roman Catholic Church officially apologized for the role some members of the church played in Canada's residential school system. Linda Daniels of Long Plain First Nation was exhausted after a long day of travelling from Italy, but overcome by emotion in a tearful embrace with her daughter Juanita Daniels Bunn and granddaughters Honey, Shaylynn and Jayda at the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport on Saturday evening. To read more of this story first reported by CBC News, click here. This content is made available to Free Press readers as part of an agreement with CBC that sees our two trusted news brands collaborate to better cover Manitoba. Questions about CBC content can be directed to talkback@cbc.ca. In her office at a nonprofit in central Nebraska, Karen Rathke routinely encounters residents still stung by the pandemic and hoping to get help with their rent. FILE - A "For Rent" sign is posted on a building, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, in Philadelphia. The federal rental assistance is running out in some places, which is putting pressure on the U.S. Treasury Department to shift remaining funds to the states and cities most in need. Treasury has shifted more than $2 billion mostly to states and cities with a higher concentration of renters and away from small, mostly rural states. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) In her office at a nonprofit in central Nebraska, Karen Rathke routinely encounters residents still stung by the pandemic and hoping to get help with their rent. Rathke, president of the Heartland United Way, was hoping to tap into an additional $120 million in federal Emergency Rental Assistance to help them. But that money, part of what's known as ERA2, is at risk after Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts said he doesn't want it. Many other states have in recent months returned tens of millions of dollars in unused rental assistance because they have so few renters but only Nebraska has flat out refused the aid. I'm very concerned about not having anything, Rathke said of the federal money, which can be allocated over the next three years for everything from rent to services preventing eviction to affordable housing activities. All these nonprofits, when people come to them asking for help, the bucket will be empty," she said. "It is hard to tell people no, to tell people that we dont have the funds to help them. The debate is playing out across the country as the Treasury Department begins reallocating some of the $46.5 billion in rental assistance from places slow to spend to others that are running out of funds. States and localities have until September to spend their share of the first $25 billion allocated, known as ERA1, and the second $21.55 billion, known as ERA2, by 2025. So far, Treasury says $30 billion has been spent or allocated through February. Treasury announced earlier this month that over $1 billion of ERA1 funds would be moved, for a total of $2.3 billion reallocated this year. Larger states like California, New York, New Jersey and Texas are getting hundreds of millions of dollars in additional money. Native American tribes, including the Oglala Sioux Lakota in South Dakota and Chippewa Cree in Montana, are also receiving tens of millions of dollars in additional help. Those losing money are almost all smaller Republican states with large rural populations and fewer renters. Many were slow to spend their share as required by program rules, so they either voluntarily returned money or had it taken. Some, like South Dakota, Wyoming and New Hampshire, unsuccessfully pitched to use the money for other things like affordable housing. Treasury officials, housing advocates and many Republican governors argue there is still plenty of money to help renters in these states and that the reallocation gets money where it's most needed. Montana, for example, returned $54.6 million but still has $224.5 million. West Virginia returned more than $42.4 million but still has $224.7 million, according to Treasury. We are trying to reallocate the best we can, said Gene Sperling, who is charged with overseeing implementation of President Joe Bidens $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package. This is a balancing act, but one that is rooted in commitment to getting the most funds to the most people in need as possible. North Dakota returned $150 million of its $352 million, saying it couldn't effectively spend all the money by the deadline. The state believes the remaining funds are sufficient to meet the needs of those who are eligible. Some Democratic lawmakers disagree. Outrageous and unacceptable: turning back rental assistance funds when applications are piling up and people are being evicted," tweeted Democratic Rep. Karla Rose Hanson, of Fargo. South Dakota was forced to return more than $81 million though more than $9 million went to Native American tribes in the state. Gov. Kristi Noem suggested the money was not necessary, adding: "Our renters enjoy something even better than government hand-outs: a job. But Democratic Sen. Reynold Nesiba said there was a lack of awareness about the rental assistance and criticized the state for not doing more to promote it. He pointed to a $5 million tourism advertising campaign that was paid for with coronavirus relief funds and questioned why that level of promotion didnt happen for pandemic relief programs. Meanwhile, organizations that are helping administer the rental assistance still available expect a continued need. The state has long faced a run on affordable housing, which has only been exacerbated during the pandemic. Housing costs are just too high, said Sandy Miller, who coordinates the rental assistance program for an organization called Community Action in the western half of South Dakota. Its harder for them to get in a home, its harder for them to stay in their home." Several states argued the reallocation addresses a flaw in the program, which created a funding formula based on population, not the number of renters in a state. Congress ... did not take into consideration Wyomings small population, income levels, actual renters needs, and that the majority of Wyoming households 70% are owner occupied, said Rachel Girt, the states rental assistance communication coordinator, after the state returned $164 million out of $352 million. Another $2.8 million was shifted to the Northern Arapaho Tribal Housing Program and Eastern Shoshone Housing Authority. Josh Hanford, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, noted that the $352 million it received far surpassed the $25 million given to Memphis, which has a similar population. As long as were able to serve all our eligible households, hopefully folks will see that there is greater need in other parts of the country that have received a lot less assistance per household, Hanford said when asked about the state returning $31 million. In Nebraska, the loss of funds is projected to hit rural areas hardest. The state program already reallocated $85 million of its $158 million in ERA1 to its biggest cities of Omaha and Lincoln and their respective counties. It still has nearly $30 million. Without the additional $120 million in ERA2 money, an analysis by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Center on Children, Families and the Law found that tenants in Omaha and Lincoln will still have help after September, but those in other counties will not. Ricketts, the Nebraska governor, defended the decision not to take the additional money. The state has received and distributed an unprecedented amount of federal funding to help Nebraskans weather the storm over these past two years, he wrote in an opinion column. But at a certain point, we must acknowledge that the storm has passed and get back to the Nebraska Way. We must guard against becoming a welfare state where people are incentivized not to work and encouraged to rely on government handouts well after an emergency is over. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. But housing advocates say his decision will leave many vulnerable tenants without a lifeline. Tenants in rural areas often have access to fewer resources, including affordable housing, internet access and reliable transport. Lawmakers passed a bill last month requiring the state to apply for the money. But Ricketts vetoed the bill, saying the state must guard against big government socialism. If lawmakers don't override his veto, the money is likely to be reallocated by Treasury to other states. We know from communities across Nebraska that the need is not only there, but is fairly severe, said Erin Feichtinger, director of policy and advocacy for the social service agency Together. There is really no good reason to pass up these funds. It's money that is allocated to Nebraskans," she said. "Nothing bad will happen if we accept this funding, but lots of bad things can if we dont." ___ Associated Press reporters Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; James MacPherson in Bismarck, North Dakota, and Lisa Rathke in Marshfield, Vermont, contributed. OTTAWA - The NDP is watching to see that spending pledges made in a deal with the Liberals are honoured by the government in this week's federal budget, says a finance spokesman. Elmwood-Transcona NDP MP Daniel Blaikie delivers remarks at the Canadian National Prayer Breakfast in Ottawa on Thursday, May 2, 2019. The NDP finance spokesman says his party is watching to see that spending pledges made in a deal with the Liberals are honoured by the government in this week's budget. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Kawai OTTAWA - The NDP is watching to see that spending pledges made in a deal with the Liberals are honoured by the government in this week's federal budget, says a finance spokesman. Daniel Blaikie said the budget is "the first important moment" for its confidence deal with the Liberals, which included a number of NDP policy priorities requiring government funds. The New Democrats want to see indications that the Liberals are moving on pledges in the deal, such as a $500 one-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit and funding for dental care for low-income families, starting with children, he said. Last month, Jagmeet Singh's party agreed to support the Liberals stay in power until 2025 with a confidence-and-supply agreement that includes support for the Liberal budget. In return they got Liberal backing for some of their priorities, including affordable medication in a pharmacare program. The deal includes more immediate measures, including scaling back subsidies for oil and gas companies. The NDP said a significant injection of cash in Indigenous housing is a priority. It also wants more funding in home energy efficiency to cut Canadians' bills and help the environment, it said. The NDP said it will be watching out for a surtax on the profits of banks and insurance companies in the budget, which is expected to be tabled Thursday. Blaikie said in an interview Sunday with The Canadian Press that the first budget following the deal "is an important moment for New Democrats and for Canadians." The NDP was disappointed there were not more "revenue raising" measures in the text of the pact, he said. "We would have liked to have seen more of the tax fairness measures." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The NDP said it favours raising taxes for the rich and to tax excess profits by companies, including oil and gas. But they could not get an agreement from the Liberals on their entire policy wish list, including proportional representation for elections, it added. The deal, however, did include an agreement to act in "the near term on tax changes on financial institutions that have made strong profits during the pandemic." It also pledged to make "early moves in 2022" to "phaseout public financing of the fossil fuel sector, including from Crown corporations." Under the terms of the deal, the NDP will have to vote for the Liberal budget even if they do not agree with all of it, and if it includes millions in military spending. Some Conservative MPs have expressed concerns that the NDP-Liberal pact will lead to a big increase in public spending in the budget to pay for NDP priorities such as subsidized dental care. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2022. OTTAWA Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux is rallying Winnipeggers to figure out how to welcome more displaced Ukrainians to Manitoba, which he fears is being outpaced by its peers. OTTAWA Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux is rallying Winnipeggers to figure out how to welcome more displaced Ukrainians to Manitoba, which he fears is being outpaced by its peers. "I do believe that were missing out," he told the Free Press. "There is so much goodwill in Manitoba that we need to capitalize on." Lamoureux is holding a Sunday evening forum to figure out how Manitobans can help Ukrainian citizens fleeing Russias invasion, such as by launching a publicity campaign or pooling money for charter flights. His concern stems from constituents wanting to help resettled Ukrainians but not finding any who have reached the keystone province. Two weeks ago, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba branch said 157 Ukrainians had contacted the organizations website for information on moving to the Prairie province, as of March 15. Meanwhile, 700 people offered to the group to open up their homes to Ukrainians, up until the group stopped taking offers because so many had flooded in. On March 28, Manitoba Immigration Minister Jon Reyes said only 25 Ukrainians are on their way to the province with help from his department, with another 100 in touch with officials. "The only people were really getting in Manitoba are those where theres a direct family connection," Lamoureux argued. The Liberals have launched an accelerated temporary residence program that allows displaced Ukrainian citizens to live in Canada for up to three years. The program sidesteps some of the cumbersome paperwork that a visa involves, but it appears applications are taking longer to process than Ottawas two-week target. Manitoba has the largest percentage of Canadians who claim Ukrainian roots. But it doesnt appear to be at the forefront of resettlement efforts. Last month, the Newfoundland and Labrador government announced it is opening an office in Poland to help Ukrainians move to the East Coast region. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Prominent Edmontonians pooled funds to charter a flight to take Ukrainians from Poland directly to the Alberta city. However, paperwork issues meant only 60 arrived on the March 28 flight. Lamoureux pondered whether its time to start organizing chartered flights to Winnipeg or set up an information booth at the city airport about opportunities in Manitoba. "We dont have any direct flights coming from Warsaw to the city of Winnipeg," he said. "If I have to pay someone to sit at the international airport in Toronto; Im prepared to do that; Ill come up with the money." The Liberal MP stressed he is not criticizing the provincial Stefanson government. The PCs said early in the crisis they want to welcome Ukrainians and has tasked its migration council will facilitating that. The virtual meeting takes place Sunday at 7 p.m.; those interested can register by emailing zoom@mpkevin.ca. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca SACRAMENTO, Calif (AP) Six people were killed and 12 injured before dawn Sunday in Sacramento when multiple shooters fired amid crowds as bars and nightclubs emptied for the night in the second mass shooting in five weeks in Californias capital city, the police chief said. A roadblock is set a block away from the scene of an apparent mass shooting in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) SACRAMENTO, Calif (AP) Six people were killed and 12 injured before dawn Sunday in Sacramento when multiple shooters fired amid crowds as bars and nightclubs emptied for the night in the second mass shooting in five weeks in Californias capital city, the police chief said. Three men and three women were killed, Police Chief Kathy Lester told reporters. Sgt. Zach Eaton, a police department spokesman, said investigators believe there were at least two shooters. The suspects were still at large and authorities said they had found a stolen handgun and were reviewing video footage posted to social media that showed what appeared to be an altercation before the gunfire erupted. Detectives were trying to determine the sequence of events before the shooting and Eaton said they dont know if that fight actually lead to the shooting. A police camera captured part of the shooting, Lester said, and investigators have located hundreds of pieces of evidence amid a scene that Lester described as really complex and complicated" so much so that the bodies of the victims remained on the street hours later. The crime scene stretched across multiple city blocks, with dozens of blue and yellow evidence markers dotting the pavement. At least four of the wounded battled life-threatening gunshot injuries in hospitals, officials said. Kelsey Schar was staying on the fourth floor of Citizen Hotel when she said she heard gunshots and saw flashes in the dark. She walked to the window and saw a guy running and just shooting, Schar told The Associated Press in an interview. Her friend, Madalyn Woodard, said she saw a crowd in the street scatter amid the gunfire and a girl who appeared to have been shot in the arm laying on the ground. Security guards from a nearby nightclub rushed to help the girl with what looked like napkins to try to stanch the bleeding. A video posted on Twitter showed people running through the street amid the sounds of rapid gunfire in the city of about 525,000 located 75 miles (120 kilometers) from San Francisco. The area where the violence occurred on the outskirts of the citys main entertainment district is packed with restaurants and bars. Nightclubs close at 2 a.m. and its normal for streets to be full of people at that hour. The district is anchored by the Golden One Center that attracts big-name concerts and is home to the NBAs Sacramento Kings, who are hosting a game Sunday night against the Golden State Warriors. City officials have invested heavily in the area to promote development in the area and police said there would be extra patrols downtown ahead of the basketball game. This morning our city has a broken heart, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said. "We dont know all the facts but we know there were mass casualties in a very short amount of time. Officers were patrolling the area near the shooting site two blocks from the State Capitol at about 2 a.m. when they heard gunfire and rushed to the scene, Lester told reporters. They found a large crowd gathered and six people dead in the street. Twelve other people were also shot and wounded in the melee. Police urged witnesses or anyone with recordings of the shooting to contact police. Were asking for the publics help in helping us to identify the suspects in this, Lester said. Pop duo Aly & AJ performed Saturday at Sacramentos Crest Theatre and their tour bus was caught in the gunfire, the musicians said on Twitter. No one in their touring group was hurt, the tweet said. Sundays violence was the third time in the U.S. this year that at least six people have been killed in a mass shooting, according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University. And it was the second mass shooting in Sacramento in the last five weeks. On Feb. 28, a father killed his three daughters, a chaperone and himself in a church during a weekly supervised visitation. David Mora, 39, was armed with a homemade semiautomatic rifle-style weapon, even though he was under a restraining order that prohibited him from possessing a firearm. Councilmember Katie Valenzuela, who represents the area where the shooting happened, said shes fielded phone calls reporting many violent incidents in her district during her 15 months in office. Valenzuela cried at a news conference as she told reporters that the latest phone call woke her up at 2:30 a.m. Sunday with details about the latest tragedy. Im heartbroken and Im outraged, she said. Our community deserves better than this. The city's downtown development effort was working until the pandemic hit and forced many businesses to close, according to Grant Gorman, a bartender who lives near the place the shooting happened. Just when we were reaching some semblance of it being a bustling downtown area that was safe and we had a bunch of open businesses to go to, the pandemic hit it and just crushed it, Gorman said. Steinberg, the mayor, said in recent years it has been a very difficult time in downtown Sacramento and Sacramento as a whole. He added that the shooting gives pause to our entire community but urged people to continue visiting the area despite the recent violence. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that his administration was working closely with law enforcement officials. What we do know at this point is that another mass casualty shooting has occurred, leaving families with lost loved ones, multiple individuals injured and a community in grief," he said. Kay Harris, 32, told AP she was asleep when one of her family members called to say they thought her brother Sergio Harris had been killed. She said she thought he had been at the London nightclub, which is near the shooting. Harris said she has been to the club a few times and described it as a place for the younger crowd. She spent the morning circling the block waiting for news. Very much so a senseless, violent act, she said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Pamela Harris, Sergio Harris' mother, told The Sacramento Bee the family has not heard from him yet. We just want to know what happened to him, Pamela Harris told the newspaper. Not knowing anything is just hard to face. Berry Accius, a community activist, said he came to the scene shortly after the shooting happened. The first thing I saw was like victims. I saw a young girl with a whole bunch of blood in her body, a girl taking off glass from her, a young girl screaming saying, They killed my sister. A mother running up, Wheres my son, has my son been shot? he said. __ Associated Press writers David Klepper in Providence, Rhode Island, and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles contributed to this report. BUCHA, Ukraine (AP) Bodies with bound hands, close-range gunshot wounds and signs of torture lay scattered in a city on the outskirts of Kyiv after Russian soldiers withdrew from the area. Ukrainian authorities accused the departing forces on Sunday of committing war crimes and leaving behind a scene from a horror movie. A Ukrainian serviceman checks the dead body of a civilian for booby traps in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha, Ukraine, Saturday, April 2, 2022. As Russian forces pull back from Ukraine's capital region, retreating troops are creating a "catastrophic" situation for civilians by leaving mines around homes, abandoned equipment and "even the bodies of those killed," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Saturday.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) BUCHA, Ukraine (AP) Bodies with bound hands, close-range gunshot wounds and signs of torture lay scattered in a city on the outskirts of Kyiv after Russian soldiers withdrew from the area. Ukrainian authorities accused the departing forces on Sunday of committing war crimes and leaving behind a scene from a horror movie. As images of the bodies emerged from Bucha, European leaders condemned the atrocities and called for tougher sanctions against Moscow. In a sign of how the horrific reports shook many leaders, Germany's defense minister even suggested that the European Union consider banning Russian gas imports. Ukrainian officials said the bodies of 410 civilians were found in Kyiv-area towns that were recently retaken from Russian forces. Crosses to honor civilians killed during the combats against Russia stand in the forest of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 2, 2022. As Russian forces pull back from Ukraines capital region, retreating troops are creating a catastrophic" situation for civilians by leaving mines around homes, abandoned equipment and even the bodies of those killed," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Saturday. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Associated Press journalists saw the bodies of at least 21 people in various spots around Bucha, northwest of the capital. One group of nine, all in civilian clothes, were scattered around a site that residents said Russian troops used as a base. They appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two had their hands tied behind their backs, one was shot in the head, and another's legs were bound. Ukrainian officials laid the blame for the killings squarely at the feet of Russian troops, with the president calling them evidence of genocide. But Russias Defense Ministry rejected the accusations as provocation. The discoveries followed the Russian retreat from the area after Moscow said it was focusing its offensive on the countrys east. Russian troops had rolled into Bucha in the early days of the invasion and stayed up until March 30. One resident, who refused to give his name out of fear for his safety, said that Russian troops went building to building and took people out of the basements where they were hiding, checking their phones for any evidence of anti-Russian activity before taking them away or shooting them. People watch as smoke rises in the air after shelling in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Hanna Herega, another resident, said Russian troops started shooting at a neighbor who had gone out to gather wood for heating. They hit him a bit above the heel, crushing the bone, and he fell down, Herega said. Then they shot off his left leg completely, with the boot. Then they shot him all over. The AP also saw two bodies, that of a man and a woman, wrapped in plastic that residents said they had covered and placed in a shaft until a proper funeral could be arranged. He put his hands up, and they shot him, said the resident who refused to be identified. A woman walks as smoke rises in the air in the background after shelling in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described bodies lying in suburban streets as a scene from a horror movie. He claimed some of the women had been raped before being killed and the Russians then burned the bodies. In a video address, Zelenskyy said Russian soldiers who killed and tortured civilians were responsible for concentrated evil." It is time to do everything possible to make the war crimes of the Russian military the last manifestation of such evil on earth, he said in remarks translated by his office. He directed some of his remarks at the mothers of Russian soldiers involved. A man stands as smoke rises in the air in the background after shelling in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Even if you raised looters, how did they also become butchers? he said. You couldnt overlook that they are deprived of everything human. No soul. No heart. They killed deliberately and with pleasure. Zelenskyy said his government would take steps to create a special justice mechanism to investigate every crime committed by the Russian forces in Ukraine. Zelenskyy also appeared in a pre-recorded video message at Sunday's Grammy Awards, contrasting the lives of those attending the award ceremony in Las Vegas with the lives of musicians in his battered homeland. Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who cant hear them, he said in English. But the music will break through anyway. Smoke rises in the air after shelling in Odessa, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement that photos and videos of dead bodies have been stage managed by the Kyiv regime for the Western media. The ministry said not a single civilian" in Bucha had faced any violent military action and the mayor did not mention any abuses a day after Russian troops left. Russia asked for a meeting Monday of the U.N. Security Council to discuss events in the city. The U.S. and Britain have recently accused Russia of using Security Council meetings to spread disinformation. In Motyzhyn, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Kyiv, residents told AP that Russian troops killed the towns mayor, her husband and her son and threw their bodies into a pit in a pine forest behind houses where Russian forces had slept. The hand of a corpse buried along with other bodies is seen in a mass grave in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Inside the pit, AP journalists saw four bodies of people who appeared to have been shot at close range. The mayors husband had his hands behind his back, with a piece of rope nearby, and a piece of plastic wrapped around his eyes like a blindfold. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk confirmed that the mayor was killed while being held by Russian forces. Some European leaders said the killings in the Kyiv area amounted to war crimes. The U.S. has previously said that it believes Russia has committed war crimes, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called images of what happened near Kyiv a punch to the gut on CNNs State of the Union. It is a brutality against civilians we havent seen in Europe for decades, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on the same show. A lifeless body of a man with his hands tied behind his back lies on the ground in Bucha, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. Associated Press journalists in Bucha, a small city northwest of Kyiv, saw the bodies of at least nine people in civilian clothes who appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two had their hands tied behind their backs. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called on nations to immediately end Russian gas imports, saying they were funding the killings. In a turnaround, Germanys defense minister said that the EU should consider doing just that. Ministers would have to talk about halting gas supplies from Russia, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said on German public broadcaster ARD. Such crimes must not go unanswered. Russia provides 40% of Europes gas and 25% of its oil, and until now many EU nations have resisted calls to scale back or fully end reliance on Russian fossil fuels. Giving them up would mean even higher prices at the pump and higher utility bills, potentially creating an energy crisis and a recession. The U.S. has previously announced a ban on Russian oil, but it imports only a small share of Russias oil exports and doesnt buy any of its natural gas. Ukrainian soldiers celebrate at a check point in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) As Russian forces retreated from the area around the capital, they also withdrew from the Sumy region, in Ukraines northeast, local administrator Dmitry Zhivitsky said in a video message carried by Ukrainian news agencies. The troops had occupied the area for nearly a month. They pressed their sieges in other parts of the country. Russia has said it is directing troops to the Donbas in eastern Ukraine, where Russia-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for eight years. In that region, Mariupol, a port on the Sea of Azov that has seen some of the war's greatest suffering, remained cut off. About 100,000 civilians less than a quarter of the prewar population of 430,000 are believed to be trapped there with little or no food, water, fuel and medicine. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday that a team sent Saturday to help evacuate residents had yet to reach the city. A dog drinks water next to destroyed Russian armored vehicles in Bucha, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Ukrainian authorities said Russia agreed days ago to allow safe passage from the city, but similar agreements have broken down repeatedly under continued shelling. The mayor of Chernihiv, which has also been cut off from shipments of food and other supplies for weeks, said that relentless Russian shelling has destroyed 70% of the northern city. The Ukrainian military said early Monday that its forces had retaken some towns in the Chernihiv region and that humanitarian aid was being delivered. The road between Chernihiv and the capital, Kyiv, was to reopen to some traffic later in the morning, according to the news agency RBK Ukraina. The regional governor in Kharkiv said that Russian artillery and tanks launched over 20 strikes on Ukraines second-largest city and its outskirts in the country's northeast over the past day. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The head of Ukraines delegation in talks with Russia said Moscows negotiators informally agreed to most of a draft proposal discussed during face-to-face talks in Istanbul this week, but no written confirmation has been provided. The Russian invasion has left left thousands dead and forced more than 4 million Ukrainians to flee their country. ___ Qena reported from Motyzhyn, Ukraine. Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Ukraine, and Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine The 44th running of the Fools Five Race took place in Lewiston on Saturday. But for everyone involved, the race is only a small part of the event. The race raises money for cancer research, with proceeds going to various organizations and clinics, and is the longest-running race of its kind in Minnesota. Started in 1979, the race has both a one-mile and eight-mile race for runners to partake in. Dan Goss, the president and co-race director of the Fools Five, has been involved with the race since 1983 in various ways. The race was back to its normal route this year for the first time in two years, something Goss was very excited about. Having the event this weekend will bring back a sense of normalcy to our community, Goss said. The race had an alternate route in 2021 due to it being moved to the fall and to allow for farmers to be able to transport their harvest, which is something very important as Lewiston is a farming community. And like most things in 2020, the race was moved to a virtual setting due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A tradition unlike any other, Goss loves just about every aspect of the race, but the part that means the most to him is the support from the community. And it isnt just the Lewiston community that gets involved with the race and its cause. We have folks come in from Indiana, we have folks come in from North Carolina. We have folks come in from Texas, from Washington State to come for that weekend to race in our one-mile or 8K and take part in the auction as well, Goss said. So we do have a broad scope of folks from around the country that do come back for the weekend. Goss did acknowledge as well that a majority of the support comes from Lewiston and surrounding communities, with Lewiston being a very tight knit town with a population of 1,620 people. Goss also stressed that this event was all about those who have battled cancer and continue to battle cancer, and helping to continue the research to hopefully someday eliminate cancer. One of those fighters who won their fight is Ashley Palubicki, a first-time volunteer at the event and a cancer survivor. Palubicki was diagnosed with leukemia in 2013 and had a bone marrow transplant during her treatment. Palubicki also noted how lucky the region is to have such great care at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where she basically lived after her transplant. Palubicki is now nine years cancer-free and felt that having an event like this is huge for research, adding that cancer is something that affects everyone in some way. Volunteers are a huge part of the race, making sure everything runs smoothly. Karen Schultz, the volunteer coordinator for the event, noted that the cause and sense of community are big parts of why volunteers continue to come back to the event. Schultz also added that some volunteers had the chance to tour Gundersen Health, one of the organizations that receives the money raised by the race, and it was very empowering to see where the money raised is going. One thing that all participants, organizers and volunteers agreed on is that the race can be a truly powerful experience, with one of the most moving moments being at the beginning of the race. All cancer survivors and those who are still fighting are asked to remain standing and everyone else takes a knee, so that all the survivors and fighters are the only people standing. What we have noticed is that over the years (is) more and more people are standing, which tells us that there are survivors and thats because weve done research to find cures for cancer, Goss said. In its 44 years, the race has raised over $2.5 million. They also had an auction take place on Friday that raised $75,000. Students at Lewiston-Altura High School, St. Johns Lutheran School and Emmanuel Lutheran School-Silo combined to raise $15,000 for this years race by themselves, and with matching donors that total was moved up to $23,000. All of us who are working it just said Wow look at these numbers. This year, we had four kids get over raise over $1,000 each, Goss said. The race was filled with families running for those they had lost or were still fighting, but if there was one element that fueled all the runners, it was hope. Its about us as a community and coming together and supporting and being there for folks, and raising money to to find a cure for cancer, Goss said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) "After leaving Suzhou, a traveler would find it hard to get a ride on a boat," Cantonese merchants said hundreds of years ago. In July 2017, at a meeting celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, Chinese President Xi Jinping cited the maxim to encourage the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) to seize opportunities arising from the nation's continuous and rapid development and focus on its own development. Back in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), Cantonese merchants in south China would travel northeastwards all the way to Suzhou, a busy cargo entry on the Grand Canal at that time, to sell goods further to the vast northern market. One of the experiences they acquired was that hiring a barge to load freight at Suzhou was imperative for the shipping business, for such an opportunity missed was indeed an opportunity lost. The insightful saying underscores the traits of ancient Cantonese. They were adept at calculating the time, sizing up the situation, and seizing opportunities in a shifting landscape. Cantonese-speaking people in Hong Kong have similar experiences. In the 1960s, they jumped at the opportunities when developed countries relocated their labor-intensive industries elsewhere. The economy took off as a result. Two decades later, they rode the wave of reform and opening up of China. The city's position as a global financial, trade, and shipping center has gone from strength to strength. After its return in 1997, Hong Kong embraced a new chapter for its development. In a world undergoing changes unseen in a century and being faced with challenges, the Hong Kong SAR wants a boat laden with opportunities more than ever before. Ancient Cantonese merchants might have shown them the way out. The Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development plan fall right at the doorstep of Hong Kong. (Source: Xinhua) 3:30PM As we bring the live election coverage to a close here is a run down of what just happened No party gained an overall majority in the local election as independents still held the most seats with 23. However, both Labour and Plaid Cymru, who were in opposition during the last administration, made inroads, with the former gaining three seats and the latter four. It takes their total number of councillors to 14 and nine respectively, with the Conservatives also winning nine seats, an increase of one, and the Liberal Democrats standing still on one. It leaves question marks over who will rule Wrexham Council for the next five years. Power previously lay with a coalition of two independent groups run by incumbent council leader Mark Pritchard and deputy leader David A Bithell, alongside the Conservatives. But before polling day on Thursday there were rumours of friction between the two independent groups, meaning a new alliance could be in the offing. Cllr Pritchard, who was re-elected in Esclusham after his seat was uncontested, has said talks would be held over the next few days over the future composition of the council. Meanwhile, Labour group leader Dana Davies, who had a tight result in Ruabon after winning by just four votes, also said she would be open to discussions with other groups. Several changes were made to ward boundaries in the area ahead of the election following a review by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission. It saw the overall number of councillors in Wrexham increase from 52 to 56 and the number of wards from 47 to 49. One of the shocks of the day saw Liberal Democrat Alun Jenkins lose his seat in Offa by just six votes after holding it for more than 50 years. He was defeated by Plaid Cymrus Katie Wilkinson who gained 212 votes compared to his 206. Independent executive board members Sonia Benbow-Jones, lead member for childrens services and David Griffiths, lead member for housing, were also beaten. Mr Griffiths, who has been a councillor for the last 23 years, was defeated by 37 votes by independent Tina Mannering. Before the boundary changes, the two had represented different wards in Gwersyllt. Ms Benbow-Jones lost by just six votes in Cefn West to Labours Stella Matthews, who is the mother of Labour leader Dana Davies. 3:15PM Just checking the figures we think it is Labour 14 and with all the independents in one, they are on 23. Independent 23 Labour 14 Conservatives 9 Plaid Cymru 9 Liberal Democrats 1 3PM A huge thanks to Rich and the team at Knew Productions, along with Marcin at Red Iris Videography for helping out local democracy coverage, with camera gear and expertise! Likewise, Wrexham Glyndwr University for internet connectivity, and of course Wrexham Council who facilitated the whole count. We are now polishing a quick summary and packing up from the count otherwise we will be in danger of covering the community council count that is due to start in ten minutes! 2:55PM No turnout or overall figures on voter registration yet, we will add them in later as / if and when they appear. 2:48PM It appears it was Ruabon being recounted possibly 3-4 times at the end there. 2:24PM Some new councillors floating around outside and some old ones, some group leaders as well. Word is talks will now take place over the coming days to see who offers whom what to form up an administration. Who has the biggest group? Who wants what job? Who gets to chair Scrutiny committees? and perhaps most important, who can work with who? 2:01PM A run down of the overall figures: Independent 22 Labour 15 Labour 14 Conservatives 9 Plaid Cymru 9 Liberal Democrats 1 Non stated 1 2PM The sports hall goes quiet The community council count will take place from 3pm but the main event is complete, and Wrexham has a new council, just how it will shape up is yet to be known as there is no overall control. pic.twitter.com/JQVvnX8KIl Wrexham.com (@wrexham) May 6, 2022 1:52PM That wraps up the County Council count! 1:50PM David A Bithell hangs on to his seat by 15 votes in Johnstown in what was a tight race. 1:47PM Just three more wards to go! So far our tally has 14 Independents, one lib dem, nine Plaid Cymru, nine conservatives, 13 Labour, one non-alligned and five Wrexham independents. 1:40PM Just inputted the data for that load of results. Looks like the Johnstown huddle has just taken place, so could see a result there soon. If you see winning candidates exiting sharply, they are going to get a picture taken and get given a welcome pack! 1:28PM COUNT COMPLETE apart from the one ward recounting. 1:25PM Possible recount on one ward underway or some ballots being reinspected 1:23pm Count still going on in Johnstown. No sign of one of the incumbents, David A Bithell. 1:20 PM .and there was the flurry of results. Wrexham council stalwart for decades Alun Jenkins loses his seat by 6 votes. 1:03pm Looks as though Johnstown is the only ward still counting. Results seem to be coming in a flurry after a few minutes break.. 12:44PM Big batch of results in Mr Bancrofts hands. 12:40PM Thought there was a sniff of a recount in Cefn West, two animated candidates talking to the returning officer. 12:28pm: Heres how the results are looking so far. Two new Plaid Cymru Councillors elected Emma Holland for Gwersyllt North and Pete Howell for Gwersyllt South. Conservative Beverley Parry Jones Holds Bryn Cefn for the Conservatives. Phil Wynn and Frank Hemmings both re-elected. Fred Roberts elected for the new Rhos ward as an independent 12:11PM Only four wards still counting. 12:05 PM It looks like the only wards counting now are the dual member ones so could be wrapped up by 1pm possibly with a pile of results this hour. 11:59am: Three more votes in Carrie Harper (Plaid) HOLDS Queensway, Graham Rogers (LAB) holds Hermitage and Paul Williams (Plaid) Regains Smithfield for Plaid from Labour 11:47am: Flurry of votes through, all incumbents holding their seats in those four announcements. Paul Blackwell, Marc Jones, Jeremy Kent and Brian Cameron all re-elected 11:40AM We have had a huddle for Grosvenor and now Gresford East. Results soon on those the latter being a head to head Jeremy Kent (Cons) v Aimi Waters (Plaid Cymru). 11:32AM The Returning Officer Ian Bancroft is walking around with lots of papers going to some candidate groups looks like things are picking up in terms of confirming results and possible further announcements shortly. Huddles of candidates some looking happier than others. 11:24AM: The first two results are in. Labour HOLD Wynnstay and Cefn East. Malcolm King and Derek Wright both re-elected. 11:15AM You might see some tables with big white sheets, they are being used in wards where there are two councillors being elected. People there have had two votes to use, so it makes things a little more complicated for the count. There does certainly seem to be inactivity on more tables, perhaps we are waiting for a fifth before the first declaration 11:03AM Looks like we could have a result soon, Wynnstay candidates being gathered 10:56am For those who are just joining us, welcome to the Wrexham Council count 2022! Results will be announced in groups of five and this time, due to covid, there will be no candidates going up to the stage. Once the winners are announced theyll be taken for the photos taken and given election packs. Interesting counting method going on for the dual councillor wards which you should be able to see on our livestream. 10:43am: It looks as though the counting on some tables has begun. Still no indication when results will start being announced. 10:40AM Lots of clear tables as the verification process draws to an end. 10:21: Neighbouring Flintshire has started to announce votes. Still at the verification process here in Wrexham. For coverage of Flintshire elections check out our sister site, Deeside.com 10:08am Apologies for the dodgy stream today connection issues meaning the feed is buffering a fair bit. 10am: Voting and verification is now underway. Clwyd South side of the hall, a few tables still waiting to be given votes to verify and count pic.twitter.com/hLldnVZrE2 Wrexham.com (@wrexham) May 6, 2022 9:40am: And were off! The counting and verification is about to get underway Returning Officer Ian Bancroft is just outlining how the count will take place. County council first and then the community councils will begin at 3pm There will be about five election announcements in one go, so theyre going to come through thick and fast today. 9:36am: Returning Officer Ian Bancroft has just announced the count will begin in five minutes time Current council leader Mark Pritchard who is also unopposed has just arrived pic.twitter.com/ddim6bSYB2 Wrexham.com (@wrexham) May 6, 2022 9:30am: We finally have audio on the election feed. For those watching the tables nearest the camera are the votes for Wrexham wards and the ones at the other end are Clwyd South: 9:26am: The counting room is starting to fill up, so far everyone seems in good spirits. Its a bit odd seeing some of these councillors in person for the first time in two years after all meetings were held remote since the start of the pandemic. 9:06am: The first of the candidates have started being left into the main count hall. Our live video coverage of the count has also started for all those who enjoy watching our live feed. 8:49am: We are live from the count! Another day time count so hopefully no one was sat waiting at 10pm last night for the results to start coming through. Candidates are starting to arrive but theyre being kept outside until 9am, when the verification and voting will take place. Good morning Wrexham! We have switched the site over to our live election coverage for todays count. Ballot boxes arrived at Glyndwr University sports hall from just after 10pm last night video below and have been securely held overnight. Today will see the verification process start some point shortly after 9am of ballots made yesterday and postal votes, and then a count will take place for each ward. There is no firm timetable due to the nature of counts, but we guess this could take all of this morning and into the early afternoon to complete for every ward in Wrexham. A day time count means there is no wait for boxes to turn up and so we think we could see the first ward result as early as just before 10am. This page should auto update, and hopefully the video feed will appear as the count process begins. Heather Steffen, left, Madie Skillman and Ari Albright traveled to Watertown to host the Barn Quilt Project: South Dakota Strong at Gather coffee on Thursday. The quilt backdrop was donated for the event by Krisma DeWitt, who is a member of the local quilters guild. A team of arts-in-health professionals traveled to Watertown on Thursday, providing the community an opportunity to heal and connect post-COVID through a free paper barn quilting project. The Barn Quilt Project: South Dakota Strong began in February and has made its way to nine communities within the state, including rural areas with low COVID-19 vaccination rates. Those nine communities consisted of Lemmon, Buffalo, Belle Fourche, Hot Springs, Martin, Pine Ridge, Chamberlain, Watertown and Vermillion. Quilt-making is a cross-cultural tradition in South Dakota that represents home, family, comfort and history. The Barn Quilt Project connects quilt patterns with stories of resilience by creating an opportunity to bring people together and provide some positivity to the darkness that the pandemic created for communities across the state. "Everyone is moving on, and this has become the new normal," said project leader Ari Albright. "This project comes with the intention to reach people in South Dakota and give them an opportunity to express what they did during the pandemic and how they are growing their communities in a positive way." Albright has been instrumental in creating a form of healing through the use of art within the state. Her early art career was spent as a painting instructor in South Carolina. When her parents were diagnosed with cancer, she returned to South Dakota to care for them. More: Watertown youth council awards grants to organizations that benefit young people Wanting to continue her talent and love of art, she became a rooster artist for the South Dakota Arts Council. Her activity within the arts council roused the interest of Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, which was seeking someone to bring art into the cancer center. "I thought there was an opportunity to bring some healing there," said Albright. Working within the healthcare field was intimidating, but Albright saw success in improving the wellbeing of people with mental and physical ailments by bringing art into their lives. Her career continued to evolve as she brought art to individuals with advanced dementia and special needs adults. Story continues "While working with clinical teams, we developed projects and started to see the results of our success. They were trying to reduce the use of antipsychotic medications, and the arts proved to be a positive distraction," said Albright. "The arts brought medication use rates down 26% across the state." Strong success rates like these spurred Albright to lead the evolution of arts in healthcare, which then became a certificate program at the University of South Dakota (USD). Albright helped grow a network of healthcare workers specializing in bringing arts and healing to various settings, including senior living, hospice, groups homes, prisons and detention centers and more. "Opportunity for students to come in and put their art to work. After covid, people are more receptive to arts and wellness," said Albright. The role of arts in healthcare has been so fundamental that these professionals have been termed essential workers and played a vital part in the healing process during the pandemic. That continues in the wake of COVID-19 through the Barn Quilt Project. Several individuals from the area partook in sharing their pandemic stories through their creativity. Watertown resident Jackie Abel was one of the participants of the event. The burden of COVID was felt through her daughter Erin Abel's struggles with the pandemic isolation as Erin began her journey in college at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn. "My daughter is an introvert, and as an only child, it was hard for her to move so far away home and try to make friends during the pandemic," said Abel. The lockdowns seriously impacted Erin's grades and mental health, but she has begun to heal and find success as life returns to normal. "Erin moved into a new suite and has roommates. She is going to class on campus now. Being able to see her professors has helped a lot," said Abel. Paula Bergan, left, and her granddaughter Brooklyn Founder to the free barn quilt event Thursday. Paula Bergan from Badger brought along her granddaughter to the event to make a paper barn quilt. Bergan is a skilled quilter and saw her at-home machine quilting business grow during the pandemic. "Many women were at home sewing during the lockdowns, so my quilting business has been doing well," she said. Heather Steffen was one of the volunteers for the traveling program. She was Albright's first intern under the arts in health discipline and graduated from USD in 2013 with a minor in art and art history. Her journey through mental health has led her to understand the importance of art and well-being. "Self-care is very important. You need to take care of yourself to help others take care of themselves," said Steffen. Her work across the state with the Barn Quilt Project has shown Steffen that community impact can change perspectives and plant the beginnings of a healthier tomorrow after the pandemic. "We start talking about the pandemic, and we hear a lot of negativities. But our project is all about community, coming together, positivity and showing people that the world can be healthy. The world can be strong again if we all work together," she said. The Vermillion Cultural Association with Creative Care, LLC was one of 30 organizations across the country that was grant funded by the CDC Foundation, a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to use the arts to build vaccine confidence. The grant provided the Vermillion Cultural Association $75,000 for the Barn Quilt Project. "South Dakota is strong," said Albright. "I have seen it in person, not on the news or social media, but by meeting people face-to-face and having these conversations. In seeing that communities are awesome at taking care of each other. That is what we've experienced doing this project. South Dakota is doing just fine." An exhibition of barn quilt projects will be displayed in the First Dakota Coyote Gallery in Vermillion. Visit Facebook.com/barnquiltprojectsd for more information. This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Barn Quilt Project helps build stronger communities after COVID Former President Trump Holds Campaign Rally With Michigan Political Candidates - Credit: Getty Images Donald Trump on Saturday night managed to come up with a lie that may be even more absurd than the idea that he actually won an election he lost by an Electoral College margin of over 70, and a popular vote margin of over seven million. We did win. We did win, Trump said during his rally in Washington Township, Michigan. And you know, if we didnt, Id be the first person to stand up and say we didnt. More from Rolling Stone Trump didnt win the election, but the delusion that he did was the theme of a speech that last nearly two hours. The speech made clear that in the 17 months since the 2020 election the former president has deluded himself not only into believing that the election was fraudulent (it was not), but that he actually won it in a landslide, and that re-litigating what happened two Novembers ago is the most important issue facing the nation ahead of both the 2020 midterms and the 2024 presidential election. Trump once again hinted that he plans to be on the ballot for the latter. I ran twice, we won twice, and we did much better the second time than the first, he said. Now, we may have to do it again. Trumps obsession with the 2020 election took many forms. He at one point implied that Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook CEO Trump says used to come kiss my ass at the White House (no lies detected there), should be in jail for giving hundreds of millions of dollars to help fund election administration. Trump drove his point home by lamenting that former Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry was convicted of lying to the FBI about receiving illegal campaign cash from a foreign billionaire. A congressman is being put in jail over a few dollars that he possibly didnt even know anything about, hes going to jail, Trump said. And yet this guy, he gives $417 million to all these states. Its passed around like pizza at a party, and nothing happens to him. Story continues Trump: In a great state Nebraska, a congressman is being put in jail over a few dollars that he possibly didnt know anything about. A few thousand dollars I dont know him well.. it was over a very small amount over a number of thousands, like 20 thousand pic.twitter.com/Rgqx26kvFm Acyn (@Acyn) April 3, 2022 Trump spent plenty of time on Saturday complaining about crime, but only the bloodthirsty criminals and vicious thugs he says have overrun cities controlled by Democrats. Republican politicians lying to federal law enforcement about financial crimes doesnt qualify, apparently. Trump later imagined a scenario in which he might concede to Biden, and how it would have been easy if hed have actually lost the election. He turned this bit into claiming the media edited the tape of him calling on Russia to find Hillary Clintons emails prior to the 2016 election. The tape is pretty clear, though so clear, in fact, that Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation found that Russia began attacking Clintons accounts on or around the same day Trump made the public call for the nation to find her emails. The clip has been in the news recently because Trump last month once again called on Russia to help him politically, this time by asking Vladimir Putin, who is currently waging war on an American ally, to give up dirt on the Biden family. Trump starts to do an impression of what his concession speech to Biden would be like and stops short because he claims the media will edit it like the Russia are you listening thing pic.twitter.com/0nMsIj1iZq Acyn (@Acyn) April 3, 2022 Trump covered a range of topics on Saturday night from the border, to gas prices, to the Green New Deal, to Joe Biden but the former president always found a way to ramble his way back to the 2020 election. He talked incessantly about massive and overwhelming voter fraud and the crime of the century. He bashed the idea of mail-in voting and how it took more than a single day to determine the winner in 2020. He claimed that thousands and thousands of times people went to the polls to vote for Trump but were denied the opportunity to do so, prompting them to get angry and cry. Were a third-world country, Trump said, referring to the nonexistent corruption within the nations election systems. None of this is true, of course, but reality is carrying less and less significance as Trump works to destroy the careers of anyone who doesnt buy into the Big Lie. Its why he was in Michigan on Saturday, promoting candidates who have been telling the same lies he has in an effort to convince people to support the end of democracy in the United States. We won big, Trump said toward the end of his speech, and we won big in Michigan, your state. Trump lost Michigan by over 150,000 votes. He could lose it again in 2024, but if hes able to get his cronies elected to positions that manage the states election systems, it might not matter. You elected a president twice, Trump said, and were going to possibly have to do it a third time. Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. This story covers news out of the war in Ukraine on Sunday, April 3. For the latest updates, click here. Ukrainians returning to Kyiv as Russian forces pulled out over the weekend found a shocking trail of destruction and death, including slain civilians lying on the streets with their hands bound. Iryna Venediktova, Ukraines prosecutor-general, said on Facebook that the bodies of 410 civilians were removed from Kyiv-area towns that were recently retaken from Russian forces. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said scores of the dead were found on the streets of Bucha about 35 miles northwest of Kyiv and the Kyiv suburbs of Irpin and Hostomel in what looked like a scene from a horror movie. Arestovych said some people were shot in the head and had their hands bound, and some bodies showed signs of torture, rape and burning. Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told Agence France-Presse that 280 people had been buried in mass graves in the city, and reporters from the news organization counted at least 20 bodies on one street. Zelenskyy said Sunday that the deadly attacks on civilians including evidence of a massacre in Bucha are more proof that Russia is committing "genocide" in his country. Noting that Ukraine's population includes more than 100 nationalities, Zelenskyy told CBS' "Face The Nation" that Russia's actions are "about the destruction and extermination of all these nationalities. We are citizens of Ukraine, and we don't want to be subdued to the policy of the Russian Federation." While Russia redeploys troops in the southern and eastern parts of Ukraine, Zelenskyy called for a total Russian withdrawal from Ukraine. There are no signs Russia would consider such a move as part of peace talks. "This is the bare minimum that we have to start the de-occupation with," he said. USA TODAY ON TELEGRAM: Join our new Russia-Ukraine war channel to receive updates straight to your phone. Story continues THE NEWS COMES TO YOU: Get the latest updates on the situation in Ukraine. Sign up here. People react as they gather close to a mass grave in the town of Bucha, just northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on April 3, 2022. Latest developments: The Russians are holding 11 mayors in captivity in the Kyiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Donetsk regions, and they killed another one, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchukf said in a social media posting. Enrico Letta, the leader of Italys Democratic Party, called for a boycott of Russian oil and gas in reaction to images of atrocities against civilians by Russian soldiers retreating from Kyiv. Italy gets 40% of its natural gas from Russia. At the conclusion of a two-day trip to Malta, Pope Francis urged about 20,000 people in attendance during a Sunday Mass to think of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in the martyred Ukraine, which continues to be bombarded in this sacrilegious war. The president of Lithuania on Saturday announced it would no longer import Russian gas, making it the first nation in the European Union to achieve independence from Russian gas supplies. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of Polands ruling conservative party, said he's open to the permanent stationing of U.S. nuclear weapons in his country as a deterrence against Russian aggression. Zelenskyy addresses Grammys: 'Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the 64th Grammy Awards Sunday, speaking in a pre-recorded segment shown at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena before John Legend performed a tribute to the war-torn country. Zelenskyy urged music artists assembled to "tell our story" of his country facing a humanitarian crisis since Russia's invasion in February. He described the devastating impact on life and music. "The war. What is more opposite to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people. Our children draw swooping rockets, not shooting stars," said Zelenskyy. Read more here. Bryan Alexander Blinken: US, allies collecting evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine Amid a flood of new pictures of murdered civilians in Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that allies are collecting evidence of war crimes by Russia. "We can't become numb to this, we can't normalize this," Blinken said on CNN's "State of the Union." "We will look hard and document everything that we see, put it all together," he said. Blinken did a round of Sunday show as news organizations flashed pictures of slain civilians and property destruction after Russian troops withdrew from Bucha, near Kyiv. He described the Bucha massacre as a "punch in the gut." The secretary of state expressed cautious optimism about signs of Russian withdrawal from areas around Kyiv. He noted that the Russians also appear to be redeploying to the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine. "They could be regrouping," Blinken said. Either way, Blinken said the war has already been a "dramatic strategic setback" for Russia, and that the Ukrainian people have made it clear they will not be subjugated by a Russian occupation. David Jackson Ukraine: Retreating Russians left boobytraps As Ukrainian forces moved to retake control of areas surrounding Kyiv from retreating Russians, they proceeded with caution to avoid unexploded ordnance and boobytrapped streets and homes, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Ukraine officials said. Zelenskyy said Russians were leaving behind a "catastrophic" situation: land mines in streets, civilian homes and even on dead civilian bodies. Ukrainian soldiers were removing bodies from the streets with caution. Residents of the town of Bucha said civilians were killed without apparent provocation. EU developing new Russia sanctions The European Union will level new sanctions in the wake of killings of civilians in Bucha, Ukraine, the president of the European Council said Sunday. Charles Michel, tweeting about "haunting images" out of Bucha, said "further EU sanctions & support are on their way." Several other European leaders condemned the atrocities, and Germanys defense minister even suggested the EU consider banning Russian gas imports, which many of the member countries depend on. The EU is helping Ukraine and nongovernmental organizations gather evidence for investigations of Russia by international courts for its actions in Ukraine, he said. The U.N.'s International Court of Justice last month ruled that Russia should "immediately suspend" its military operations in Ukraine. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko is among the officials accusing Russia of war crimes, telling the German newspaper BILD: "What happened in Bucha and other suburbs of Kyiv can only be described as genocide.'' In an interview published Saturday, the former chief prosecutor of the U.N. war crimes tribunals, Carla Del Ponte, called for an international arrest warrant to be issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin is a war criminal, she told Swiss newspaper Le Temps. Katie Wadington Konstyantyn, 70, smokes a cigarette amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 3. 'A different kind of war': Intelligence secrets revealed as weapon against Putin In the age of social media and widespread disinformation, a new weapon has emerged to counter aggression by a foreign power the revelation of intelligence secrets. The kind of assessments that were previously kept under wraps are now being shared by U.S. and British intelligence agencies in an effort to expose what is happening on the battlefield and inside the Kremlin during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Even before the war began Feb. 24, U.S. officials detailed Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans to attack Ukraine and create a false flag operation as a pretext for going to war. This past week, the U.S. publicized its findings that Putin was being misled by his military advisers, and Britain's spy chief said demoralized Russian troops were refusing to carry out orders and sabotaging their own equipment. Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert at University College London, said the public intelligence campaign reflects the fact that we now live in a different age, politically and internationally. And this is a different kind of war. Hike in gas prices comes with costlier cars as well Russia's war in Ukraine is widely blamed for a drastic increase rise in gas prices. The vehicles the fuel goes into are getting more expensive as well. The global auto industry has yet to overcome the pandemic-induced shortage of computer chips and other vital parts that has shrunk production, slowed deliveries and sent prices for new and used cars soaring. Now it faces another major challenge. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, a key producer of electrical wiring, has led to a scarcity of that vital component. And if Russian exportation of metals such as palladium for catalytic converters and nickel for electric vehicle batteries gets disrupted or halted, the cost of vehicles amid surging demand figures to continue rising. Mark Fulthorpe, an executive director for S&P Global, expects a tight supply and high prices well into 2023. Until inflationary pressures start to really erode consumer and business capabilities, its probably going to mean that those who have the inclination to buy a new vehicle, theyll be prepared to pay top dollar, Fulthorpe said. Kirby mum on Belgorod attack responsibility Pentagon press secretary John Kirby on Sunday dismissed questions surrounding Fridays explosion at a Russian fuel depot in Belgorod. The attacked facility housed civilian-used petroleum. While the Russians have pinned the attack on Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declined to take responsibility for it. The attack was the first inside Russia since it invaded its neighbor Feb. 24. Kirby, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," also declined to attribute the attack to the Ukrainians: "Ill let (Zelenskyy) speak to the operations that they conduct, thats the appropriate thing. We want to preserve as much of their operational security as we can. The Pentagon spokesman emphasized that the Ukrainians have a right to defend themselves and that the U.S. is focused on helping them do that. "Russia is the aggressor and they are attacking inside Ukraine, very very brutally," Kirby said. "Its not just that they're hitting oil and weapons depots and airfields, I mean theyre hitting residential areas, theyre killing civilians." Ana Faguy Russia targets Odesa fuel sites in new strikes Russian forces launched an airstrike Sunday on the Black Sea port of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, sending up clouds of dark smoke that veiled parts of the city. The Russian military said the targets were an oil processing plant and fuel depots around Odesa, which is Ukraine's largest port and home to its navy. "I live in that eight-floor building. At 6 in the morning, Russia launched an attack, and this piece of rock reached my house, said Maiesienko Ilia, who lives near one of the targeted facilities. The Odesa city council said Ukraines air defense shot down some missiles before they hit the city. Ukrainian military spokesman Vladyslav Nazarov said there were no casualties from the attack. The smaller port of Mariupol, located to the east on the Sea of Azov, remained cut off from the rest of the country as Russian and Ukrainian soldiers fought for control of the besieged city. About 100,000 civilians, less than a quarter of the prewar population of 430,000, are believed to be trapped there with little or no food, water, fuel and medicine. Associated Press Too soon for Zelenskyy, Putin to meet, Russia indicates Russia's top negotiator in talks with Ukraine says its too early to talk about a meeting between the countries leaders. Vladimir Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation in Tuesdays talks in Istanbul, said there is still a lot of work to do to finalize a draft agreement before Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could meet. In remarks carried Sunday by the Interfax news agency, Medinsky reaffirmed that the parties reached a tentative agreement on the need for Ukraine to adopt a neutral status and refrain from holding foreign military bases in exchange for international security guarantees. The Kremlin demands that Ukraine acknowledge Russias sovereignty over Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, and recognize the independence of Russia-backed separatist regions in Donbas, Ukraines eastern industrial heartland. Associated Press Zelenskyy: Troops shell retreating Russians Ukraine has regained control over some areas of the Kyiv region as Russian forces pulled back over the last few days. But leaders warn this does not signal that Russia is giving up; rather, forces could be refueling and shifting their strategy to the Donbas region and the south of Ukraine. In his nightly video address Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said troops were not allowing the Russians to retreat without a fight: They are shelling them. They are destroying everyone they can. Meanwhile, Ukraine's deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar, said Saturday that the capital was "liberated" from invading Russian forces. "Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region were liberated from the invader," she said in a Facebook post. US to facilitate transfer of Soviet-era tanks, reports say The Biden administration intends to work with allies to provide Soviet-made tanks to Ukraine to help its defense in the eastern Donbas region, according to a report from The New York Times. CNN confirmed the report, citing unnamed officials who said the T-72 tanks would be delivered within "days, not weeks." The report, citing an unnamed U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity, says the move was requested by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who held an hourlong phone call with President Joe Biden this week. The U.S. would act as an intermediary, according to the Times. The official said the tanks would allow Ukraine forces to conduct long-range artillery strikes on Russian targets in Donbas, which borders Russia. The White House declined to comment to USA TODAY. Joey Garrison Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukrainians returning home find death and destruction: April 3 recap Inventing Anna, I thought to myself, In what ways am I like Anna Delvey (portrayed by Julia Garner)? After binge-watchingI thought to myself, It was a scary thought. Jose Perez / GC Images / Via Getty Images For context, the love-to-hate con artist Anna Delvey (real name Anna Sorokin) fooled New York's elite into believing she was a German heiress. She mimicked all the worst traits of the rich and famous. Bravo / Via giphy.com What if I break down all the reasons why someone might actually be the Inventing Anna of their friend group? It takes a strong-willed, confident person to take a good, hard look at yourself and face the truth. Netflix / Via giphy.com If I'm going to get to the bottom of this, I'm not going down alone. You might be the Anna Delvey in your friend group, like it or not. Humor me, and let's unpack the reasons why together. Netflix / Via giphy.com 1. You're super connected. Netflix / Via giphy.com Anna Delvey knew everyone in New York, from the evil "Pharma Bro" to the "Fyre Fest guy." Likewise, your little black book is packed full of the biggest names. You know everyone, including your ex who only talks about crypto, the neighbor who is a mommy influencer, and the cute shift lead at the Starbucks in the bank. 2. You borrowed your best friend's outfit and never gave it back. Netflix / Via giphy.com Netflix Anna's wardrobe was something new, something borrowed, and something stolen from her Manhattan socialite friend Nora Radford. In your world, it's not like the outfits you borrow fit your friends now that they have gained so much weight. Everyone knows they were headed to a better home when you took 15 outfits over one week. 3. Your intimate relationships are tragic love stories. Anna didn't have the best love life because someone wasn't being sincere in the end. You know, it's not easy being a lot to handle. People can't handle all you have to offer. It may look like your relationship ended in shambles to the public. We know the real tragedy is you wasted your time on another loser. Netflix / Via Netflix 4. You make friends with everybody. Netflix / Via giphy.com Anna racked up friends, colleagues, and targets like they were Pokemon cards. By the same token, nobody is too big or too small to join your circle. Cops handing you the 25th parking ticket and the judge screaming at you all want the same thing to be your bestie. Story continues 5. You over-promise and under-deliver. Anna Sorokin was a master of embellishing the truth. Nobody is sure of what they really want, so it's in your best interest to promise the bare minimum. When you barely skate by with minimal results, the world is utterly impressed. When you're basically royalty, your time and energy are precious. Netflix / Via Netflix 6. You never miss a fashion moment. Anna had a fashion stylist for her court dates. You know there's a chance a paparazzo could accidentally snap you in a picture standing behind Donatella Versace's second assistant in line at The Container Store. You must always be on because the world is a stage, and you're the main performer. Netflix 7. You're avoiding therapy. Anna was absolutely dealing with some level of delusion. It would take an entire directory for licensed therapists to crack your complex intellect. Nobody will cash you outside a psychiatrist's office unless it's an episode of Dr. Phil launching your problematic rap career. Netflix 8. You never leave your friends alone. Netflix / Via giphy.com Anna was overstaying her welcome every chance she got. Fortunately, it's a shame how often your friends and admirers have to force themselves away from you after sleeping on their couch for 35 months for free. They needn't worry. You'll always be 10 missed phone calls, 5 voicemails, and 2 unread emails away. 9. Your friends are success stories because they're your friends. After surviving a $62,000 debt, Anna's former pal Rachel DeLoache was on the come-up. The second you bless anybody with a friend request, they see an increase in their likability. Convince them to spend their life savings on a destination trip of your choice, and they'll rise to the top. Your friends are famous by proxy, and they owe all their winnings to you. Netflix / Via Netflix 10. You borrowed obscene money from your family, friends, and credit unions. Netflix / Via giphy.com In Anna's case, she borrowed a little too much with no intention to pay it back. For you, it always starts out as a simple loan, but big visions and even bigger dreams cost money. A few maxed credit cards, a foreclosed house, two repossessed cars, and a mobster chasing you down are worth the trouble. 11. You're the most generous person you know. Anna Sorokin was always willing to pay if her credit card actually worked. You don't worry about waiting until birthdays or Christmas to give an extravagant gift to your admirers. Placing them in your debt in the early stages secures a long-lasting, loyal friendship. Netflix / Via Netflix 12. You're always the topic of conversation. Netflix / Via giphy.com Imagine lying to the world and getting news coverage and a Netflix deal? Similarly, the world can't keep your name out of its mouth. It's always, "OMG, I can't believe," or, "Did you hear?" Everyone is obsessed with you, and they just want to be you, or they're in love and want to be with you. 13. You can cry your way out of any situation. Every time Anna was almost exposed, she broke down in tears. You're something like an empath. This is the way you were designed. Suppose others can tap into your high-level emotional intelligence and understand that you're a decent person deep down. In that case, you won't get in the way of the synergy, and all is forgiven. Netflix / Via Netflix 14. You have big dreams and bigger ideas. Netflix / Via giphy.com The Anna Delvey Foundation would sound like a fantastic idea if it wasn't a complete scam. People need to know that you're taking steps to build an empire and be the ultimate change you want to see. Nobody understands how much work and how busy you are, a very intelligent business person and innovator. 15. Your wardrobe is outside your tax bracket. Anna clearly didn't have the money to be decked out in designer wear every day. You know it costs money to look this good. It's more important to visit your local fashion house daily, more so than a doctor. A $2,000 handbag a day keeps the "broke-ass" away. Shopping is a vital part of your diet. Netflix / Via Netflix 16. You know how to take control of the narrative. Netflix / Via giphy.com Anna's celebrity fitness instructor Kacy Duke was a great motivator for reclaiming your time. The road to the top is paved with a lot of haters. If you let them speak for you, your name will be tarnished. Take control of the story, and tell your truth even if it may sound unbelievable to almost everyone, including your parents. 17. There's always time for an Instagram photo op. Netflix / Via giphy.com Anna and her friends had a very strong social media presence. With a filter, a carefully curated caption, and a quirky hashtag, life's better. A night out with the girls can't be complete without standing pigeon-toed with one hand on the hip and holding a peace sign with the other. 18. You have a big mouth and need to put your foot in it. Anna was never one to hold her tongue. Somebody has to say it. We can't have our associates and friends out here looking foolish. Some people will say it's a little harsh, and others will call you a bully. At the end of the day, when they're done crying, they will appreciate your brutal honesty. Netflix / Via Netflix 19. You can't tell the difference between your ride-or-dies or your enemies. Netflix / Via giphy.com It didn't take much convincing for Anna's old associates to spill the tea. There's a fine line between love and hate and an even finer line between your friends and enemies. With this knowledge, your mains could betray you at any given movement, so you treat them all equally. 20. You always walk on the bright side to a major fault. Netflix / Via giphy.com At the end of the day, Anna Sorokin doesn't think she really did anything wrong. The world's on fire, and it's easy to point the finger at the misunderstood people as the problem. If everyone lived with more confidence, it wouldn't be such a sad story all the time. If you can relate to anything on this list, maybe you're not like Inventing Anna at all. You could be worse! Netflix / Via giphy.com A rendering of a planned $30 million expansion of Duncan Aviation at Battle Creek Executive Airport. Andy Richards sat in his office overlooking Kellogg Airfield when he noted "there's a lot going on" at the 1,500-acre Battle Creek Executive Airport. The executive vice president and chief operating officer for Duncan Aviation in Battle Creek was referring to the wave of investments and expansions at the joint civil-military airport owned by the city, including Western Michigan University College of Aviation, WACO Classic Aircraft Corp. and the Battle Creek Air National Guard. Duncan Aviation is adding to the the list of companies growing at the airport, announcing a $30 million expansion expected to create at least 61 jobs at its Battle Creek facility. "We feel like this is a home for us and we want to grow here," Richards said. "Not only because the community takes care of us and partners with us, but also because a lot of our business is on the east coast of the United States and it's closer to come here than Nebraska for your aircraft needs." MORE: How a drone park would change Battle Creek Executive Airport Photographer, spy, Hall of Fame airman: The amazing life of Battle Creek's Fred Zinn A rendering of a planned $30 million expansion of Duncan Aviation at Battle Creek Executive Airport. Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, Duncan Aviation claims it is the world's largest privately owned jet service provider, with 39 facilities across the U.S. In Battle Creek, Duncan is among the city's largest employers with 660 workers. Established as Kal-Aero Inc. in 1967, the current facility was built in 1992. Duncan Aviation acquired Kal-Aero in 1998. Following its 2017 expansion in Battle Creek, the estimated $30 million investment will result in an additional 200,000 square feet at its sprawling 335,000 square foot facility. It is expected to increase its capacity by 40% by adding an additional business jet maintenance and modification hanger, support buildings, and a new vehicle maintenance building. "These plans have been in the works for quite a while," Richards said. "Before the pandemic set in, we planned to start in 2020. A lot of those plans were put on the shelf because of the pandemic and the economic uncertainty that came with it." Story continues Andy Richards, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Duncan Aviation in Battle Creek, stands for a portrait on Monday, March 28, 2022. The project is receiving assistance from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. via a $488,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant. The Battle Creek Tax Increment Finance Authority and the city of Battle Creek have agreed to offer up to $2,500,000 in financial assistance toward the expansion of the public use apron needed to complete the project, which is projected to break ground this fall and be completed in 2023. Duncan Aviation is always at the table partnering with the city of Battle Creek, BCU, and community stakeholders to develop workforce and economic development solutions, Battle Creek Unlimited President/CEO Joe Sobieralski said in a release. We are thrilled they chose Battle Creek to expand once again, growing to nearly 700 employees in the city of Battle Creek. State Rep Jim Haadsma, D-Battle Creek, also expressed excitement toward Duncan's expansion. "This new facility will provide more high-wage jobs to the hard-working people in our community and give opportunities for the more than 600 employees at Duncan Aviation to grow their careers," he said in a statement. Four men sit inside the lounge at Duncan Aviation in Battle Creek, Michigan on Monday, March 28, 2022. Richards added he was excited for Duncan to be a part of all the recent expansions at the airport. "It's very rare to have an airport of this size, with a 10,000-foot runway, and vacant land. That's becoming rarer and rarer. There is such a need for hanger space because of the growing aviation industry." Reporter Greyson Steele contributed to this article. Contact reporter Nick Buckley at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Duncan Aviation plans $30 million expansion in Battle Creek The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Oklahoma City police were responding to a person barricaded in or behind a vehicle along the Turner Turnpike on Saturday. An armed robbery suspect out of Sedona, Arizona, was shot dead by law officers Saturday afternoon after a shooting chase through Oklahoma City and a standoff on the Turner Turnpike near Luther. The suspect was not identified, Trooper Eric Foster said at the scene, some 30 miles northeast of Oklahoma City on the turnpike, which is Interstate 44. Traffic was stopped both ways for hours, and was to be rerouted at least through Saturday evening, he said. Foster told TV reporters the chase started at about 12:30 p.m. at I-40 and Council Road in Oklahoma City. Arizona authorities tracking the suspected robber were in communication with local law officers earlier. When a trooper tried to stop the suspect on I-40, a pursuit began, moving to the eastbound Kilpatrick Turnpike. Between N Pennsylvania and N Western avenues, the suspect started firing through the back window, striking a highway patrol car several times, shattering the windshield, Foster said. State troopers, Oklahoma City police officers, and numerous others from other law enforcement agencies fell in with the pursuit, which then moved onto northbound Turner Turnpike. Troopers were able to disable the suspect's vehicle using a tactical maneuver near Luther. The suspect exited his vehicle, Foster said, and began firing at troopers and officers with a rifle. Officers used an armored vehicle to move other people to safety from their cars and trucks stuck near the standoff. They were moved "behind hills and trees," he said, to get something between the "people and people with guns." "At the end of this, the suspect was aggressive, and troopers returned fire, and the suspect was, unfortunately. deceased at that time," Foster said. The investigation will take some time, he said, because of the number of miles, states, and agencies involved, he said. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Shots fired at police traffic stopped on Turner Turnpike at Luther, OK Former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas. Samuel Corum/Pool via AP Ex-Rep. Will Hurd said Trump was unhappy after he revealed his stance on the Obamacare repeal bill. In the book "American Reboot," Hurd pointed to $800 billion in Medicaid cuts as a sticking point. Hurd wrote that while he opposed the GOP bill, he also didn't endorse the Affordable Care Act. Former Republican Rep. Will Hurd in a newly-released book said that then-President Donald Trump "exploded" at him in 2017 after he expressed his opposition to the Affordable Care Act repeal legislation put forward by the party. Hurd a former CIA officer who represented Texas' vast 23rd congressional district from 2015 to 2021 recounted that in his first one-on-one phone conversation with Trump, the then-president was seeking to rally support for the legislation. Before his talk with Trump, Hurd spoke with then-Vice President Mike Pence about his concerns with the bill, pointing to the Republican-drafted American Health Care Act's $800 billion in Medicaid cuts, which he said would hurt many constituents in his district. Pence was sympathetic to Hurd's position and told him that he was making "the right decision" for his district, despite the Trump administration's push to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which the former congressman detailed in "American Reboot: An Idealist's Guide to Getting Big Things Done." However, Trump who made the repeal and replacement of Obamacare a centerpiece of his 2016 presidential campaign was not as understanding as Pence in recognizing the dynamics of his district, according to Hurd. In his book, the former congressman stated that the cuts to Medicaid the public health insurance program largely for low-income people were a sticking point in his assessment of the legislation. "The Medicaid cuts were a major problem for me," he wrote. "In my largely rural district, many people worked low-wage jobs and qualified and benefited from the program. About one in every fifteen people in Texas 23 is covered by Medicaid, one of the highest rates in Texas." Story continues He added: "The AHCA plan also failed to include adequate protections for those with pre-existing conditions a big concern in a district with a high percentage of chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease." During Hurd's conversation with Trump, the then-president told him that he had a "beautiful voice" before launching into a campaign for the bill. "Look ... we've been talking about healthcare for a long time," Trump said, according to the book. "We're poised for a big win here. Big win. We'd really love your support." Hurd told Trump that he'd "like to be there" on the bill, but couldn't do so in its current form. "The president, who either hadn't been briefed on my concerns or didn't care, exploded," the former congressman wrote. "That's what's wrong with you Republicans," Trump said, according to Hurd. "You've been talking about this for four years, and we have a chance to do it and you're not going to do it." Trump then alleged that he had won Hurd's district, which currently includes more miles of the US-Mexico border than any other congressional district in the country. "I won your district," he told Hurd, which was incorrect. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton actually carried it 49.8%-46.4% in the 2016 presidential election. Hurd said: "Mr. President ... you actually lost my district by three points." Trump responded: "Well, I did better than anybody thought I was gonna do in your district." Representatives for Trump did not immediately return Insider's request for comment. Hurd didn't change his mind and opposed the bill on the House floor. While the legislation passed by a slender margin in the House, the full Obamacare repeal never took place. A "skinny repeal" bill was eventually defeated in the upper chamber after then-Arizona Sen. John McCain's "no" vote tanked the legislation. In the book, Hurd reiterated that his issues with the GOP legislation weren't rooted in an endorsement of the Affordable Care Act and argued that the 2010 law didn't adequately tackle health care. "President Obama's signature initiative failed to fix the root problems with our healthcare system," he wrote. "It was promised as a system to make healthcare more accessible and more affordable." He continued: "While its Medicaid expansion helped some adults who fell into the coverage gap within their state because they had incomes above their state's eligibility for Medicaid but below poverty, Obamacare led to expensive and confusing insurance coverage for American families while adding regulations at the expense of small businesses." Read the original article on Business Insider Morning view of Phi-Phi island, Krabi Province, Thailand. Travel vacation background - Tropical island with resorts Stefan Cristian Cioata/Getty Images Retiring to a quiet place by the beach is a dream for many Americans and others around the world. Perhaps the last two years of pandemic-related upheaval have intensified the dream of getting away from the daily grind to resettle in an ideal place. And for many, life by the beach is that ideal. In most of the U.S., property by the seashore comes at a premium, and home prices are out of reach for many retirees. However, quite a few countries around the world offer pristine beaches, low cost of living, and attractive lifestyles, making them affordable destinations for those whose hearts are set on beachfront living. These are some of the countries that make it possible to find that place by the sea and live comfortably for a fraction of what it would cost in the U.S. Most have expat communities, reasonably priced healthcare, affordable homes, and residency options. Related: 10 Best Places to Retire Around the World Ecuador Salinas beach with apartment buildings and yacht club in Ecuador, Pacific Coast Getty Images Five hundred miles of shoreline, quaint fishing villages, and moderate weather are good starting points for retirement in this South American country. Another big plus is that they use the United States dollar for their currency. Good quality healthcare is available at reasonable prices, and public transportation in many cities makes a car unnecessary. In the city of Cuenca, for example, the cost of living is 66% less expensive, and rents are about 88% lower, when compared with New York City. Nicaragua The beachside area of Punto Miramar by Puerto Sandino in Leon, Nicaragua Matthew Micah Wright/Getty Images Located in Central America, Nicaragua is nicknamed "The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes." The country faces the shores of both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, so there's plenty of beachfront to go around, in addition to rivers, lakes, and rainforests. The cost of living is low, and there are residency options for retirees requiring a monthly income of at least $600. In most places, U.S. dollars are accepted, and the Nicaraguan government offers tax incentives and encourages investment in the country. For example, out-of-country earnings are not taxable. Story continues Thailand Morning view of Phi-Phi island, Krabi Province, Thailand. Travel vacation background - Tropical island with resorts Stefan Cristian Cioata/Getty Images Retirees have their pick of beachfront locations in Thailand, including a number of tropical islands. The cost of living is low, the people are friendly, and the food is delicious making this country a great retirement destination. The overall cost of living is around 38% lower than in the United States, and rent is about 64% lower. Retirement visas are available for those at least 50 years old with a valid passport, background check, at least $24,500 in a Thai bank account, and monthly income of about $2,000. Related: 11 Best Cities to Retire in the U.S Vietnam Person on a swing at Bai Bien Sao beach, Phu Quoc island, Vietnam Andrea Pistolesi/Getty Images With 2,000 miles of coastline, finding a place to live near the beach should be relatively easy. Retirees will most likely rent since foreigners are restricted from owning land, with the exception of certain condo developments in large cities. For comparison, rent is about 69% lower than in the United States, and the cost of living is low about 47% lower than in the U.S. Most retirees opt for the private health care system where costs are low and quality is high. Food is delicious and prices are low. Belize A scenic beach view showing a wooden boardwalk at the waters edge, framed by palm leaves. The crystal clear water against a bright blue sky. Michael Godek/Getty Images While it's not the lowest cost option for retiring on the beach, Belize offers many advantages. First, there are miles of gorgeous coastline, and for a change of scenery, there's a dense rainforest on the mainland. The overall cost of living is about 28% lower than in the United States, and rent is 73% lower. Residents speak English, and both Belize currency and the U.S. dollar are accepted. The Qualified Retired Person Residency Program, an easy way to establish residency, requires income of at least $24,000 annually along with a background and medical check. Colombia Paradise beach of Playa Blanca on Island Baru by Cartagena in Colombia Getty Images This South American country offers coastline on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, so retirees seeking beach living have many options, and the Andes Mountains and Amazon rainforest are nearby for a change of scenery. The cost of living is about 61% lower than in the United States, and rents are a bargain at an average of 80% lower than in the U.S. Medical and dental care are high quality and affordable, with both public and private institutions available. Several visa categories are available, and the most common Migrant Pensionado Visa requires a minimum monthly income of about $717. Mexico Los Muertos Pier on the Malecon, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Jumping Rocks/Universal Images Group via Getty Images With borders on the Gulf of Mexico in the east and the Pacific Ocean in the west, Mexico offers around 6,000 miles of coastline. Baja California, Acapulco, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Rosarita, and La Paz are a few well-known beach areas, and quiet fishing villages might attract retirees with lower costs and casual atmospheres. Mexico's low cost of living, climate, and affordable healthcare are attractions, with rents about 70% lower than in the United States. Becoming a resident is relatively easy. For temporary residence, monthly income of about $2,100 is required, and for permanent residence, the minimum income is $2,700. Bank account requirements are about $36,000 and $149,000 respectively. Apr. 3JUNEAU With the state of Alaska struggling to hire and retain employees amid the "Great Resignation," state legislators are more earnestly considering new pension programs for state employees. Lawmakers abolished pensions for new employees in 2006 amid a multibillion-dollar shortfall in the pension fund, replacing them with a 401(k)-style retirement system. Proposals to reverse that decision have been introduced with regularity since then, but none have come close to becoming law. This year, unprecedented hiring problems and a shrinking pension liability are changing the equation. "The single biggest change is the desperate situation we have in recruiting and keeping everyone from troopers to teachers to firefighters to wastewater plant operators," said Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau. On Thursday, dozens of firefighters gathered on the steps of the Capitol to rally support for House Bill 55, a measure that would create a pension for police and firefighters. It passed the House last year and is now in the Senate. If it becomes law, HB 55 would create a new pension fund for police and firefighters, who would be required to contribute at least 8% of their pay and could retire at age 55 if they work for 20 years. An analysis published this month found the program would cost the state between $4 million and $7 million per year. Proponents say that's less than the cost of hiring and training replacements for public safety workers who leave the state because there's no pension. "I think a lot of legislators are starting to realize that when they hear from these chiefs and heads of these departments that this is a real problem," said Paul Miranda, president of the Alaska Professional Fire Fighters Association. In large part, the rally's goal was to convince Sen. Mia Costello, R-Anchorage, to advance the bill. Costello is the chair of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, which reviews pension legislation. Without her support, the bill won't move. Story continues She's scheduled the bill for a hearing on Monday but has no immediate plans to move it forward. "We have to make sure we're doing the absolute right thing, and I'm not in any hurry. And I want to do a thorough review," Costello said. That's a problem for proponents: Unless House Bill 55 advances, it will die with the end of the legislative session and have to start over from scratch at the start of 2023. "There has never been a riskless system. There never will be, and right now, we're the only state without a defined benefit, and that's biting us hard," Kiehl said. Right now, Alaska has what's known as a "defined contribution" retirement system. Employees pay a certain amount of money, the state pitches in a certain amount, and the retirement benefit depends on how well that money is invested. Pensions are known as "defined benefit" retirement the state assumes the responsibility for paying a certain amount of benefits, even if there's not enough money saved to pay for them. In the early 2000s, a stock market slump, changes in benefits and new actuarial estimates created a huge shortfall in the state's pension system. By 2013, the gap exceeded $12 billion, and the state faced the prospect of paying up to $1 billion per year out of the state budget in order to fill it. Improved investment returns, a $3 billion transfer from savings, and continued annual payments in the state budget shrank the shortfall by two-thirds, to $4 billion, in 2021. That progress has encouraged the state to reduce the amount it spends on shrinking the gap, and it's provided additional arguments for those who want to revive pensions. But Costello and other legislators, including Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, have deep memories of the shortfall. "In general, I want to make sure there's no risk to the state," she said. "You know, we have an unfunded liability right now, and I just want to make sure that, you know, for the next 50, 100 years, we're doing right by our responsibility to keep the state not exposed to undue risk." That view has been supported by libertarian antigovernment groups like the Reason Foundation, Alaska Policy Forum and Americans for Prosperity. The latter group also took out a Facebook ad thanking Costello for her position. In Thursday's rally, legislator-turned-lobbyist Chuck Kopp took aim at the three groups. "When tragedy comes and violence comes, it's not the Alaska Policy Forum, Americans for Prosperity, or Reason Foundation that's coming to stop the thieves, quench the flames and rescue the wounded," he said. Police and firefighters aren't the only ones seeking pensions. NEA-Alaska, the state's largest teachers' union, has been supporting House Bill 220, from Rep. Grier Hopkins, D-Fairbanks. That bill would reopen the state's now-closed pension programs. That bill is in front of the House Finance Committee, and Hopkins said he intends to make changes to the proposal; an initial analysis suggested it could cost as much as $70 million per year. Even that cost could be worthwhile, proponents argue. Teacher turnover the issue of teachers leaving and having to be replaced year over year is linked to poor performance by students. "What we have been seeing is what some have coined 'education tourists,' where educators come up for their Alaskan adventure, and work for five years and get vested in the defined contribution system. And then they'll go back home to Michigan, or Minnesota or Washington, where they can still work a full career and receive a defined benefit retirement there," said Tom Klaameyer, president of NEA-Alaska. In 2017, a study by the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Alaska Education Policy Research concluded that every teacher who left the state cost their district more than $20,000, the cost to recruit, hire and train a replacement. In May 2020, Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration formed a group to study the causes of teacher turnover and recommend solutions. A survey commissioned by the workgroup found that retirement was the No. 3 overall concern, behind salary and cost-of-living adjustments for rural teachers. In 2021, the group recommended six fixes. One of those six was a restructured retirement system for teachers. The big question for legislators: What form will that restructured system take? "I'm very hesitant to expose the state to a multiple-billion-dollar unfunded liability. That's just not a prudent thing to do," said Stedman, the co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee. "I recognize that the employees would like a defined benefit plan. But citizens around the state don't want to create an unfunded liability," he said. Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, is the author of House Bill 55 and said if it passes the Legislature this year and is successful when implemented, it could serve as a model for other state agencies and employees. Stedman said he has similar thoughts: If a system works for police and firefighters, why not offer it to all public employees? "I don't see why it wouldn't go out to the whole system," he said. U.S. President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on March 11, 2021, to provide assistance to communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Guernsey County will receive an estimated $7.6 million while Cambridge was awarded $1,006,000 and Byesville received $260,000. Signed into law just over a year ago, the American Rescue Plan Act will bring more than $8.8 million to Guernsey County for various water and sewer improvements projects in Cambridge, Byesville and the rest of the county. ARPA payments consisting of 50% of the total award are scheduled to be delivered in 2022 and 2023, one year after receipt of the first distribution. Locally, Guernsey County was awarded a total of $7,551,012 divided between the two payments while Cambridge received $1,006,000 and Byesville was awarded $260,000, also divided between the two payments a year apart. In Byesville, village officials will utilize the $260,000 to help fund the South Second Street waterline project estimated to cost $400,000. "Any time you can get that type of grant funding for any project where the grant covers more than 50% of the cost, it's a win for the village and our taxpayers," said Village Administrator Brennan Dudley. The project is expected to begin by the end of April. Cambridge and Guernsey County officials are pursuing multiple waterline and sewer-related projects, although none of them have been started by either entity and remain in the design stages. "We are going to be able to help with a lot of things," said Cambridge Mayor Tom Orr of the money awarded to the city. Guernsey County commissioners identified sewer-lining projects at Colonial Heights and Morgan Manor subdivisions on the western side of the county as the first projects to be completed with ARPA funding. Lining the sewers at both subdivisions is expected to save the county money in terms of the fees charged by the Village of New Concord for treating the waste water coming from those two locations. "In the case of the lining project, there is twice as much liquid being treated than what is being consumed in the subdivisions," said Commissioner Dave Wilson. "That's a serious problem and as we have a contract with New Concord to treat the liquid waste, we need to reduce that cost. Story continues "The lining project would go a long way to achieving that goal," added Wilson. The county has also identified improvements to a treatment facility at the former State Hospital grounds on Old 21 Road north of Cambridge and replacing a waterline that spans Interstate 77 on Eckelberry Road as other projects to be funded with ARPA revenue. Those projects remain in the planning stages. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan has distributed billions of dollars to help Ohio contain COVID-19 and build a strong, sustainable economic recovery, including: More than $5 billion for Ohios state and local governments, helping to preserve services, scale up testing, distribute vaccines, and keep essential workers on the job including health care workers, police officers, firefighters, teachers, and food, sanitation and transportation workers. More than $4 billion for Ohios schools, helping students safely return to in-person learning. Relief checks of $1,400 to more than 6 million Ohioans. More than $613 million in emergency rental assistance for Ohioans, keeping a roof over working families heads. More than $1 billion in child care funds for Ohioans helping early childhood educators and family child care providers keep their doors open. $1.2 billion supporting Ohio colleges and universities, including $126 million for colleges and universities in Ohios 13th Congressional District. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: ARPA funding more than $8.8 million in water, sewer projects locally Three years ago, when the Augusta National Womens Amateur first became a disrupting force for the Chevron Championship and the LPGA, the winner in Georgia was Wake Forests Jennifer Kupcho. She was the 2018 NCAA Womens Division I champion, and someone pegged to be a star when she turned pro. This week at the Chevron event, Kupcho is an accomplished LPGA member with a Solheim Cup berth to her credit. She still has no LPGA title on her resume, though that could easily change Sunday. As the Chevron Championship moves into its final round ever in the Coachella Valley on Sunday, the field will be chasing Kupcho for the chance to be the final golfer to celebrate a victory by leaping into Poppies Pond at Mission Hills Country Club. Sparked by a run of four consecutive birdies on the front nine, Kupcho fired an 8-under 64 on Saturday to reach 16-under-par 200 and forge a six-shot lead heading into the finale at Mission Hills Country Club. Jennifer Kupcho smiles after putting on the 9th green on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course during round three of the Chevron Championship at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Saturday, April 2, 2022. The numbers and records for Kupcho on the day were staggering. Her 16-under total sets a tournament 54-hole mark, two strokes better than Patty Tavatanakit last year and Pernilla Lindberg in 2018. The 64 tied Kupchos low round in an LPGA event. Kupcho is threatening the tournaments 72-hole scoring record of 19 under, set by Dottie Pepper in 1999. Her six-shot lead is short of the events 54-hole margin set by Karrie Webb in 2000. Kupcho is also trying to become the second player in two years to make the Chevron Championship not only her first major but her first LPGA win of any kind. Tavatanakit won the 2021 title and is still in contention this year at 10 under, alone in second after a 2-under 70 on Saturday. Jessica Korda is alone in third at 9 under after a solid 67 on Saturday in a tournament where her sister finished in the top three the last three years. Nelly Korda is not in the tournament this year because of a blood clot in her arm. Story continues Related Nelly Korda will not play in year's first major, Chevron Championship, after blood clot diagnosis Kupcho said the entire third round was a bit of a blur. The round was a vast difference from her second round, where she shot 70 with 14 pars to open her round. Everything was working. I think my putting is definitely the props, Kupcho said. I had it rolling well and youve got to make putts in a major. Entire game was on fire But it wasnt just Kupchos putter that was working, with the 2021 Solheim Cup member missing just one fairway and only three greens in the round. I hit the fairways and I hit the greens and was really just trying to put some putting strokes on them, she said. Kordas 67 enabled her to pass numerous contenders who struggled on a calm and warm afternoon on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course, including second-round leader Hinoka Shibuno, who shot 77 on Saturday. But Korda knows sitting seven shots back to start the day that shell need help to win the final Chevron Championship in the desert. Its a major, so you know the girls up front are going to be nervous, and were kind of chasing them down and they know that, Korda said. You always just kind of got to think that you have a chance no matter, and thats kind of the mentality you got to go in there with. Tavatanakit initially declined to talk to the media after her round, but later said she played a solid round and wasnt too disappointed to be six shots out of the lead. At the end of the day, I feel like Im out here on tour, Tavatanakit said. This is my counting third year, and my coach told me that you know how to play golf, so just go out there and play golf. Tavatanakits round featured six birdies but four bogeys, including bogeys on the 13th and 17th holes when Kupcho had slowed her own scoring. Tavatanakit also missed a six-foot eagle putt on the par-5 11th. Jessica Korda of the United States tees off on nine during round three of the Chevron Championship at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, Saturday, April 2, 2022. Kupcho started the third round at 8 under, two shots behind Shibuno. After a par on the first hole, Kupcho birdied the easy par-5 second hole, then rolled in birdie putts of 15, 30, and 4 feet on the next three holes to reach 12 under and sole possession of the lead. A birdie on the par-3 eighth gave her a 31 on the front nine. The back nine started just as hot with Kupcho making birdies on the 10th, 11th, and 12th, all from inside 10 feet. The assault on par slowed with a bogey on the par-4 13th, the only green Kupcho missed in her round, followed by three consecutive pars. But a birdie on the par-3 17th pushed Kupcho to the 64. Only Tavatanakits birdie on the par-5 18th prevented Kupcho from a larger lead. Kupcho, who missed just one fairway all day, said she hadnt really felt a great round coming on Saturday and had set a score of 68 for the day in her head. She was relaxed to start the round because as she drove to the course she listened to the final round of this years Augusta National Womens Amateur. I really was just coming out and playing this morning. I got to watch ANWA, so that was pretty cool, and just bring back those good memories, Kupcho said. Korda had four birdies in her first eight holes on her way to the 67 on a course she will miss when the tournament moves to Houston next year. Korda has finished fourth and sixth in the tournament in the last four years. I just like a lot of the layout. I love the grass. I dont know, Palm Springs is so nice, Korda said. Im definitely really sad that were leaving. Its one of the golf courses you always look forward to coming back to because you know it, and the more that you know it the better youre going to play out here. U.S. Supreme Court Im on record opposing both hate and crimes. (You can look it up.) But I also oppose the invented category of hate crimes. You can blame this on my white-male-hetero entitlement and you wouldnt be wrong. Or you can blame my undergraduate degree in psychology and my years with Mennonites that has left me seeing every hate crime as inherently redundant. Redundancy is both criminal and hated by writers, but lets not get distracted from the point here. We already have aggravated assault and degrees of murder to rank their heinousness and the appropriate punishments. Hate crimes delve into peoples minds a place where the state ought not to go. Its too late to warn our culture about the dangers of regulating intentions. Thought police already patrol faculty meetings, Twitter feeds and executive boardrooms. Those places are far removed from everyday life, but warped conversations are heading this way. Once hate becomes illegal, we all become criminals, whether we know it or not. I taught my children to hate only the devil. Hate cant resolve a problem on the schoolyard or in life. Hate is never heroic. The American Experiment mixes democratic governance with free speech protections. So-called hate crimes will poison this unique cocktail if we dont change the recipe quickly. The United States Supreme Court has that opportunity. They heard a case last month Ruan v. United States that could signal a necessary counterbalance. Xiulu Ruan prescribed opioids to all his patients who reported pain. Some of those patients he had never met. Many lived in other states. His practice did not guard against enabling addictions, as his profession recommends. But recommendations are not requirements. Was Ruan running a pill mill? Or did he genuinely want to help his patients? If his actions and intent fall within the second category, we should categorize his violation as a love crime. The court system should then be able to give him a slap on the wrist, a warning not to repeat and a referral to his credentialing profession for internal discipline. Story continues Im not saying it should be easy for Ruan to prove that his compassion dictated his actions. Im saying it should be possible. If we must cede territory to the state under thought crimes, can we at least counteract hate crime severity with love crime leniency? You know, just for symmetry? If the ratchet on thought crimes tightens in only one direction, none of us will be happy when it tightens around us. There is some precedent for rewarding good intentions with leniency or outright legal protection. We call them Good Samaritan laws. Australia in 1961 indemnified passersby who try to help a stranger in distress. The law protects those who help even if they accidentally make things worse. Has Australia become a nation of paraplegics, lacking recourse for botched medical treatments from strangers? No, quite the opposite. They have grown a culture where residents have developed a reflex to help one another. Good for them. We have some Good Samaritan laws in the United States, but the states write them. Oregon is not at the forefront of this movement, but not a laggard either. Oregon Statute 30.800 protects impromptu medical care unless it is alleged and proved by the complaining party that the person was grossly negligent in rendering the emergency medical assistance. The Supreme Court could this summer signal that states should offer more protections against lawsuits between strangers when benevolent intent can be demonstrated. If we must get tough on hate crimes, can we also show mercy for love crimes? Our laws should address the full range of human intent, if they must measure intentions at all. Don Kahle (fridays@dksez.com) writes a column each Friday for The Register-Guard and archives past columns at www.dksez.com. This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Counterbalancing hate crimes Space is important to us and thats why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. UPDATE: Axiom Space announced Sunday night that the target launch time for the Axiom-1 mission had been pushed back until no earlier than Friday, April 8 at 11:17 a.m. EDT. The company gave no specific reason for the delay but said the pre-launch processing work was continuing. The first completely private mission to the International Space Station is set to launch from the Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday. The mission is the result of a deal between NASA and Houston-based Axiom Space, a private company that is also building its own space station to eventually host more researchers and space tourists. The international crew members of the Axiom-1 (Ax-1) mission are scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule from pad 39A at KSC at 12:05 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 6. Not the first, but an important first step The AX-1 mission is not the first spaceflight mission to be funded completely privately. That distinction belongs to the SpaceX Inspiration4 three-day-long orbital journey that launched last year and was paid for by billionaire Jared Isaacman. The AX-1 crew members are also not the first private citizens to ever board the ISS. Since 2001, seven paying customers have previously visited the ISS flying with Russians aboard Soyuz rockets. Ax-1 is, however, the first privately funded mission of private astronauts that will be conducted under an agreement between NASA and its commercial partners. It is seen as a pivotal first step toward enabling the development of a commercial economy in space. A future where private companies can transport and host paying customers be it NASA, private researchers, or even rich space tourists on privately operated space stations. We are excited to see more people have access to spaceflight through this first private astronaut mission to the space station, said Kathy Lueders, NASA associate administrator for human exploration and operations. One of our original goals with the Commercial Crew Program, and again with our Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Program, is that our providers have customers other than NASA to grow a commercial economy in low-Earth orbit. Story continues A private mission led by a professional astronaut The four crew members of the first, all-private mission to the International Space Station, Axiom-1. Left to Right: Axiom Space Ax-1 Pilot Larry Connor, Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Mission Specialist Mark Pathy, Mission Specialist Eytan Stibbe For three paying customers and one former NASA astronaut, the Ax-1 mission will be a 10-day long venture to space with an eight-day stay aboard the space station to conduct research and outreach. The first private crew to visit the International Space Station is a watershed moment in humanitys expansion off the planet and we are glad to partner with NASA in making it happen, said Axiom President and CEO Michael Suffredini. Former professional NASA astronaut and Commander of the Ax-1 mission, Michael Lopez-Alegria, leads the crew of four. He was born in Madrid, Spain, and will represent both the United States and Spain during the Ax-1 mission. Axiom Space Ax-1 Commander, Michael Lopez-Alegria is a former professional NASA astronaut and four time space traveler. He was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2021 and is now a Vice President of Axiom Space, as well as, Chief Astronaut. He has flown to space four times, was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2021, and has extensive experience with various private space enterprises. Currently, Lopez-Alegria is a vice president of Axiom Space and serves as the company's chief astronaut. The goal for the Ax-1 crew is to set a standard for all future private astronaut missions in terms of our preparation and professionalism, Lopez-Alegria said. As the commander, I am proud of the work these crew members have put in to be ready to conduct meaningful work on the International Space Station and glad to see them meet the standards required of all astronauts flying to station since Expedition 1." Michael Lopez-Alegria Pamela Melroy and Scott Kelly are inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame in ceremonies at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK Meet the first crew of private astronauts Axiom has emphasized that their private-astronaut missions are more than just space vacations for wealthy tourists. Each Ax-1 crew member has partnered with various institutes to carry out scientific research or outreach in some capacity. "This mission is very different from what you may of heard of in some of the recent, especially sub-orbital, missions. We are not space tourists. I think there is an important role for space tourism, but it is not what Axiom is about," said Lopez-Alegria. The men accompanying him on the Ax-1 mission Mark Pathy, Larry Connor, and Eytan Stibbe are all wealthy entrepreneurs and investors who reportedly paid $55 million each for the experience. Pathy, Ax-1 mission specialist, is a CEO of a privately owned investment firm in Canada. He is also known for his philanthropy. He will be the 12th Canadian in space and Canada's second private citizen to journey beyond the planet. Axiom Space Ax-1 Mission Specialist, Mark Pathy, a wealthy investment firm CEO and philanthropist, will represent the country of Canada on the first, all-private mission to the International Space Station. During the Ax-1 mission, he will conduct a number of research investigations and Earth-observation activities. His plans also include educational activities to contribute to the STEM curriculum for more than a dozen high schools across Montreal. "I'm especially pumped about about the on-orbit activities and research. I've got a full slate of activities in areas that I'm deeply passionate about health sciences, innovation and technology, education, the environment," he said. In partnership with the Montreal Childrens Hospital Foundation and six Canadian universities, he will contribute to ongoing research that looks to understand chronic pain, sleep disturbances, and changes in sight during human spaceflight. He will also test drive a new method of mixed-reality communication between Earth and space. It involves two-way holoportation, or 3D projections, and special lenses. Speaking about the demonstration that will be conducted for the first time aboard the ISS, "you can't beat I guess the sort of cool factor of the tech demo," said Pathy. Finally, he will contribute Earth-observation data to the Royal Canadian Geographical Society to contribute to the understanding of climate change, specifically the environmental health of the Great Lakes. Larry Connor, Ax-1 mission pilot, is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of a real estate investment firm. Axiom Space AX-1 Mission Pilot, Larry Connor, is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of a very successful real estate investment firm. He is also an adventure-seeker and private pilot. He is also an adventure-seeker and private pilot who has climbed mountains and won multiple aerobatic and automotive competitions. In April 2021 he completed another impressive feat, diving down nearly 36,000 feet in a submarine to explore the depths of the Mariana Trench. According to Axiom Space, Connor will become the first private pilot not employed by NASA to board the ISS. He will also become the first person to reach space and the deepest depths of the ocean within 12 months. Former NASA astronaut, Kathy Sullivan, the first American woman to conduct a spacewalk is the only person to have previously reached space and the deepest ocean depths. She, however, accomplished the feats 36 years apart. In collaboration with the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, Connor will help to conduct in-space cellular research and ground-based biomedical research by participating in "pre- and post-mission high-resolution MRIs to study the effects of the spaceflight environment on spinal and brain tissue." Eytan Stibbe, Ax-1 mission specialist, is also a philanthropist, investor, and entrepreneur. He lives in Israel with his wife and three children and enjoys spending time with his four grandchildren. He spent more than 40 years with the Israeli Air Force, mostly as a reservist serving as a fighter pilot while also pursuing a business career. In 2010, he founded Vital Capital investment fund to aid underserved populations in developing countries. He also helped establish the Ramon Foundation to honor Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut who died in the space shuttle Columbia accident in 2003. Stibbe served under Ramon in the Israeli Air Force. Honoring his friend and one-time commander, he plans to take some personal items representing him and, "will be continuing an experiment that he started 19 years ago, mainly focused on observation of thunderstorms," Stibbe said. His mission, "Raika," is one that "wholly embraces peace, innovation, and social responsibility," on behalf of the Ramon Foundation and in collaboration with the Israel Space Agency in the Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, according to Axiom Space. Axiom Space Ax-1 Mission Specialist, Eytan Stibbe, is a philanthropist, investor, and entrepreneur. He will represent the country of Israel in Hebrew for the first time aboard the ISS. "One of the biggest obstacles of space development is the price, the cost, of bringing things up to space. So the idea of industrial production in space is exciting," he said. "The experiments that I'm more prepared for, those where I'm more involved, they have to work inside the glove box or they have to deploy some equipment or produce things in space." Trained to work and interact in space "My crewmates have worked very hard. I've been super impressed with their diligence and their commitment. They're busy people, and they've taken a lot of time out of their lives to focus on this. And it's definitely not a vacation for them," explained Lopez-Alegria. "We have been the first crew to ever go through NASA's private astronaut syllabus and we have checked all of the mandatory boxes. We did that here at the Johnson Space Center," he added. The training might not have been a vacation, but it has been rewarding the crew says. "I'm sitting here with my crewmates. And I've become really close with over the past year or so preparation. This close to launch, it's really exciting," said Pathy about the training he and his crewmates have undergone. "It's been really at times, a very intense year, but incredibly stimulating. And the best is yet to come." According to Suffredini, the private astronauts received "like eight weeks total training on the ISS. The other half of our training is done with our SpaceX friends and while we do endeavor to train to the same level as our NASA colleagues, I'm not sure that we do all the way up to that." SpaceX Vice President Bill Gerstenmaier said, "the training is very thorough. And in terms of what we train them, in terms of (Crew) Dragon, it's basically the same as the training for our government astronauts." Crew members of the Axiom Space private astronaut AX-1 mission are pictured in a SpaceX Crew Dragon training capsule before their launch to the International Space Station scheduled to occur no earlier than April 6, 2022. A big part of the training focused on what the crew can and can't do while on the ISS. "The crew has been trained on the systems they will need to interact with, including the research systems. So, they're fully trained on that. They're also trained on what not to interact with," said Suffredini. Ax-1 Crew in training with NASA and ISS teams at Johnson Space Center. From left to right AX-1 Mission Specialist Eytan Stibbe, AX-1 Commander Former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, AX-1 Mission Specialist Mark Pathy, Ax-1 Pilot Larry Connor. It still remains determined how much interaction the Ax-1 crew will have with the Russian cosmonauts and the Russian segment of the ISS. "The crew actually does have access to the entire International Space Station. However, they primarily will operate in the U.S. segment and in by invitation, the rest of the segments they'll be able to visit," said Suffredini. "Axiom doesn't have specific agreements for activities on the Russian segment," said NASA's Dana Weigel, deputy manager of the International Space Station program. "The way we handle it onboard is by invitation. And so if the crews want to share a meal, they'll invite each other over. It's very much managed by the onboard crew and what activities they have going on." NASA has already selected Axiom for a second private astronaut mission to the ISS. Former NASA astronaut and Axiom's current Director of Human Space Flight, Peggy Whitson, will command the second mission. That one is targeted to launch sometime between fall 2022 and late spring 2023, depending on ISS availability. Beyond its agreements with NASA, Axiom already has plans in the works to conduct a third mission and fourth private astronaut mission. Suffredini expects that the fourth mission will host only paying customers, rather than three with the accompaniment of an Axiom employee and former NASA astronaut. Were confident this mission will become not just a monumental moment in space travel, but the true beginning of making spaces potential for meaningful discovery available to private citizens and organizations for the first time, said Suffredini. Jamie Groh is a space reporter for Florida Today. You can contact her at JGroh@floridatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AlteredJamie. Michael Lopez-Alegria Occupation: Former NASA astronaut, Axiom Space VP & Chief Astronaut Known for: Has flown to space four times and was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2021 From: Born in Spain, raised in the United States Mission Designation: Axiom Space Ax-1 Commander Mark Pathy Occupation: Investment firm CEO and philanthropist From: Canada Mission Designation: Ax-1 Mission Specialist Larry Connor Occupation: Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of a real estate investment firm From: United States Mission Designation: Ax-1 Mission Pilot Eytan Stibbe Occupation: Philanthropist, investor, and entrepreneur From: Israel MIssion Designation: Ax-1 Mission Specialist This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA, Axiom, and SpaceX ready for first all-private mission to ISS Photo credit: LA County Museum of Art Artist Barbara Kruger's work is heavily type based and expresses a strong point of view, as does the wrapped Hyundai Ioniq 5 shown here. The car is part of an exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art that is part of an ongoing museum sponsorship by Hyundai. After running through July 17, the Kruger exhibition will later travel to the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Barbara Kruger is one of the most influential living artists, having developed an intentionally didactic and cuttingly acute linguistic, graphic, and visual style that has been endlessly copied and commodified. (Shepard Fairey's Obama HOPE posters and skate/streetwear brand Supreme's logos would not exist without her.) Her type-based work has a strong cultural critique, founded in feminism, anti-racism, anti-capitalism, and anti-homophobia (among other things), and remains resonant to this day. Photo credit: LA County Museum of Art Kruger is currently the subject of a compelling survey at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Barbara Kruger: Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You, which will travel to the Art Institute of Chicago and the New York Museum of Modern Art in the coming years. Dont worry, there's a car angle. Hyundai is a major corporate sponsor of this show (and the museum itself). For the event, Kruger created a new work, Untitled (Car), wrapping a Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric hatchback in text, all in her signature style. As it turns out, this isnt out of character. "Since the late 1990s, Kruger has wrapped city and school buses in New York, Los Angeles, and Cologne, Germany, with vinyl text works that address celebrity culture, art education, and power structures," said Rebecca Morse, the co-curator of the exhibition and curator of the Wallis Annenberg Photography Department at LACMA. "This car wrap refers directly to the LACMA exhibition with the use of Kruger's black and green title graphic Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You." Story continues The car will appear, as it did on the day we visited the exhibit, in front of a vintage Airstream food truck in the museum's courtyard, as well as in the museum's parking garage. It will also drive throughout LA during the run of the exhibition. The core goal of this is to publicize the exhibit, and to simultaneously provide some visibility for the Ioniq 5, which we don't mind at all since it happens to be one of our favorite new EVs. (Watch for it on the streets, Angelenos.) Kruger often surprises people with the locus of her work, so this mobility is aligned with her challenging and delightfully insidious practice. "From billboards to bus shelters, construction fences, and vehicles, Kruger often addresses the public in outdoor spaces," Morse said. "By adopting sites that are used predominantly for advertising, Kruger challenges the viewer's expectations and creates a powerful art experience." Unlike her contemporary Jenny Holzerwhose work also uses aphoristic-style type as cultural critiqueKruger has not made a BMW Art Car. But can such a thing be far behind? We can only hope. Though as Barbara would say, Whose Hopes? Whose Fears? Whose Values? Whose Justice? The Kruger exhibition opened March 20 at LACMA and runs through July 17, 2022. You Might Also Like Apr. 3City officials are seeking a third year of expanded outdoor dining in downtown Manchester this time at a cost to local businesses. For the last two summers, Manchester aldermen voted to join communities across New Hampshire in offering the outdoor dining option to businesses struggling in the pandemic. Similar measures met with success in other New England communities, including Nashua and Portsmouth, Portland, Maine, and Boston's North End. On Tuesday, members of the Aldermanic Committee on Public Safety, Health and Traffic will hear a request from Manchester Economic Development Director Jodie Nazaka for a third year of the expanded street seating program, to run from May 1 through Oct. 31. "For the past two years, the city has embraced outdoor dining and offered restaurants the ability to expand their footprint beyond their dining rooms, giving them a revenue boost when they needed it most," writes Nazaka in a memo pitching the proposal to city leaders. "As we enter a third season with the pandemic at our heels, we are hopeful as cases continue to trend downward. Yet, the reality is that the financial difficulties caused by the pandemic will continue to linger." In 2020 and 2021, the city offered expanded seating at no cost to businesses, but Nazaka says with the emergency order lifted, inside dining at full capacity, and the city's loss in parking revenues, "there is no justification to continuing offering this program at no cost." If the board approves, businesses interested in participating in the program would be charged $420 per space for the six-month season. City officials estimate each downtown space generates approximately $65 a week in parking revenue. Back in February, Portsmouth City Council members approved fees of $5 per square foot for cafe area (minimum $1,000) for outdoor dining area on city sidewalks, and $1,500 per city parking space. Businesses will have the opportunity to secure up to three spaces through the same application process through the City Clerk's Office used the last two years, with applications due April 29. Story continues In 2020 the first year of the program seven city restaurants expanded seating to include 38 additional tables with seating for 208 through the summer months. Parking spaces along Elm Street between Bridge and Merrimack streets were blocked off with concrete barriers. Manchester officials encourage businesses to apply for the Community Event and Activation Grant (CEAG) through the Planning and Community Development Department. Applicants can apply for up to $10,000 per grant for community-based projects and events contributing to community health and safety, economic development, and tourism, and officials say the grants can be used "to enhance the parking spaces to add to our vibrant downtown community." The proposed timeline for the 2022 expanded outdoor seating, contingent upon board approval, is as follows: Tuesday, April 5: Public Safety, Health & Traffic Committee review and approval; Tuesday, April 19: Final Board of Mayor and Aldermen approval; April 19 April 29: Businesses provide required information to the Clerk's Office (layout, number of parking spaces, use of barriers or other structures for protection, fees, etc.); May 2-3: Highway Department installs jersey barriers where requested; and October: Highway Department picks up jersey barriers. The Ukrainian Defence Ministry is reporting that Lithuanian film director Mantas Kvedaravicius was killed Saturday in Mariupol, the under siege Ukrainian city and subject of his documentary films. Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery More from Deadline While (he was) trying to leave Mariupol, Russian occupiers killed Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravicius, the ministrys information agency tweeted on Sunday. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda mourned the death in a statement. We lost a creator well known in Lithuania and in the whole world, who, until the very last moment, in spite of danger, worked in Russia-occupied Ukraine. Kvedaravicius, 45, was best known for his conflict-zone documentary Mariupolis, which premiered at the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival. Amnesty International had awarded Kvedaraviciuss 2011 film Barzakh, shot in the Russian region of Chechnya, a prize at the Berlin International Film Festival. Information on survivors was not immediately known. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. A Toledo man allegedly found with methamphetamine, cocaine and a stolen firearm in a July 2021 traffic stop is facing multiple felony charges in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court. PORT CLINTON A Toledo man allegedly found with methamphetamine, cocaine and a stolen firearm in a July 2021 traffic stop is facing multiple felony charges in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court. Ralphael Boyd, 35, of Toledo has been charged with possession and trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, receiving stolen property, carrying concealed weapons, and improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle. His charges were included in a list of Ottawa County grand jury indictments released last week. Boyd's charges stem from a July 24, 2021 traffic stop on Ohio 2 near Ohio 19. He was allegedly found in possession of the drugs, as well as a stolen firearm, when he was stopped by deputies of the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office. According to a sheriff's office incident report, deputies smelled the odor of burnt marijuana coming from Boyd's vehicle and initiated a probable cause search of the car. One deputy located a loaded firearm, a Smith and Wesson SD9 VE. Upon running the weapon through dispatch, it was learned the gun was listed as stolen in Wood County. Also found in the vehicle search was a Crown Royal bag containing a digital scale, cellphone, small baggies with white and pink powder inside, two small baggies with teal powder inside, a small baggie with marijuana inside and a small drawstring bag with a baggie of blue pills. The suspected narcotics were sent to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation for testing, according to the report. Deputies seized $5,610 in cash and brought it back to the sheriff's office. Suspect accused of fleeing police faces multiple charges Also indicted after a recent ession of the Ottawa County grand jury was Antwuan Dawson, who is being held in the Ottawa County Detention Facility. He faces multiple felony charges, including failure to comply, receiving stolen property, tampering with evidence, and assault of a corrections officer. According to reports of the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office, Dawson, along with four teenage females, fled from officers in a stolen car last month. Story continues Several days after his incarceration, Dawson allegedly assaulted a corrections officer. Ottawa County Prosecutor James VanEerten noted that an indictment is merely a formal charge in the common pleas court, and does not denote guilt or innocence. dacarson@gannett.com 419-334-1046 Twitter: @DanielCarson7 This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Ottawa County grand jury indictments released; Toledo man charged NATCHZ, Miss. Tana Archer said shes a nervous wreck. Mallory Archer, the daughter of Tana and Mark Archer and a registered nurse, is headed to the border of Poland and Ukraine on May 14. "I just have to go with it and pray for her," Tana Archer said. Her daughter, a 2006 graduate of Trinity Episcopal Day School, lives in Jackson and works as a traveling nurse. Ironically, since October, she has been assigned to Merit Health Natchez, her hometown. More: Mississippi pastor in Ukraine keeping faith with his mission She earned her bachelors in nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. After high school she played basketball for two years at Pearl River Community College. Mallory found out about the opportunity to help out with the suffering in Ukraine through a Facebook nursing group she is involved with. "This lady, who is a nurse, is the founder of a non-profit group and has worked in the past with children in Uganda. She was looking for anyone in nursing who was interested in volunteering to go help the Ukrainian people, she said. "I look at everything going on over there all these innocent people losing their lives and losing everything. The opportunity presented itself and I had no hesitation. Mallory, who is single, has only her dog, Lucy, an Australian Shepherd, to worry about when she is away, but Lucy is used to staying with her parents, who will take care of her while she is in Ukraine. "I just want to go help those people out. Everybodys life is important, she said. Im not nervous yet, but Im sure I will be. Im more excited than anything else. Im excited to go help. Im sure the nerves will hit me when I get ready to leave. Mallory said her parents have been very supportive. Mississippi to Ukraine: Exchange program opened the eyes of former Oak Grove students "I told my mother a while back that I had submitted an application to go. When I finally told her I was going, she took this deep breath. She is happy for me, and my father is the same. They are proud of me and they are happy Im doing what I love to do and that I can put that to use by going over there. Story continues Mallory said the non-profit group she is traveling with is raising funds on Facebook to help cover the cost of medical supplies and equipment. If anyone wants to make a donation, that money is strictly for medical supplies and equipment we will use once we get over there. It will not go to cover any other cost like traveling or anything else, she said. She warned others who would like to donate that the fundraisers name is Making a Difference in Uganda, which could prove confusing for some. The lady that has organized this is the founder of that organization and goes back and forth helping babies in Uganda. The fundraiser is through her foundation, but the donations are going to help Ukrainians, she said. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Traveling nurse in Mississippi headed to Ukraine border Apr. 2MINNEAPOLIS Christyn Williams, the former national high school Player of the Year from Little Rock, Arkansas, was asked Saturday afternoon what made her originally commit to being a part of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team. "First of all," Williams, the senior guard, said, "we have the most national championships and I like to win. So something (UConn coach Geno Auriemma) was doing, or is doing, works. ... I wanted to be a part of that. I love the whole coaching staff and I love everything that the program stands for." "We just have some of the same values and morals," she said. "So that's why." UConn will end its season Sunday night against South Carolina in the national championship game at the Target Center, which drew 18,268 fans for Friday night's NCAA Final Four semifinal doubleheader. It also will end the careers of UConn seniors Williams, Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Evina Westbrook. Playing in its unprecedented 14th straight Final Four, UConn advanced to the title game by beating defending champion Stanford 63-58, hitting 15 of 17 free throws in the fourth quarter. South Carolina defeated Louisville 72-59 behind 23 points and 18 rebounds from national Player of the Year Aliyah Boston. That set up a championship game, starting at 8 p.m. Sunday (ESPN), between the last two U.S. Olympic women's basketball coaches: UConn's Auriemma and South Carolina's Dawn Staley. UConn will be vying for its 12th national championship, previously 11-0 in title games. The Huskies have not won a title since capturing four straight from 2013 to 2016. UConn freshman Azzi Fudd tried to explain the emotions that coursed through the members of the team after Friday night's victory. "I was exhausted but wide awake," Fudd said. "I was still running on all those emotions and the energy from the game but once I hit the bed, I was knocked out. This is all super surreal. I can't believe it." v.fulkerson@theday.com Submit An Obituary Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Go to form To the editor -- Elected Republicans and their base now have two stands: Its my body, my choice re no-vaccines, but Its your body, MY choice for everything else. No abortion, no LGBTQ. They decide for you. Set up vigilantes, ignorant angry people, most with guns. No disagreement allowed. I can come into your house and tell you what you can and cant do, because I alone get to choose for you. Intimidation is REALLY important, since their plans are patently crazy, unconstitutional and rejected by a majority of Americans. No abortion for you, your kid cant be gay or trans (even if they are). And your neighbors can report you, spy inside your house, sue you -- like Soviet Russia. Republicans are baby fascists, complete with threats and physical violence. The theme: Be hate-filled. I can dictate what you do in your own state. Maybe a little insecure. So lets boycott. Totally. No business, no travel, no sales to Idaho, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, the rest. They are committed to following their own delusions -- lets oppose. Stop everyone coming into Washington from these crazy states. Search them, take their guns, quarantine them, and then turn them away. Let them know they are not accepted. MICHAEL MARTIN Selah Though polls and pundits are predicting nationwide doom for Democrats in this falls elections, leaders of the Washington Legislatures majority party dont seem worried. In separate talks with the Yakima Herald-Republics editorial board last week, Democratic leaders of the House and Senate say theyre focused on governing, not politicking. And coming off an ambitious 2022 session, they can point to a stack of legislation that backs up their story. They can also point to the fact that much of what they accomplished in the jam-packed 60-day session came with bipartisan support. We always try to be bipartisan, Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig of Spokane told us Wednesday, thats the first choice. With a 29-20 Democratic majority in the Senate and a 57-41 advantage in the House, however, they dont really have to be. Still, with Ds in the drivers seat and bipartisan commitment to a number of overarching state goals including efficient transportation, quality education and public safety lawmakers can rightly take credit for a list of accomplishments that many of them are calling historic. The list is long, but Democrats are particularly proud of a few that have already generated a great deal of public discussion: Expanding by $5 billion the states revised budget to $64.1 billion. Among other things, that helps extend state much-needed resources to school districts around the state for nurses, counselors and other non-teaching help. A sweeping 16-year, $17 billion transportation package will pay for building, repairing and roads and bridges including several big-ticket projects in the Yakima Valley. It also includes money for improving rail service, public transit, and numerous bike and pedestrian projects. The Legislature also revised earlier police reforms to address the concerns of law enforcement leaders who claimed those efforts to safeguard citizens civil rights had brought confusion and unacceptable risks to keeping the peace. New legislation seeks to balance the concerns of police and social activists. I think we did all right by folks, House Whip Marcus Riccelli of Spokane said during Tuesdays session with the YH-R editorial board. Given the political leanings on this side of the state, though, we suspect a lot of voters might be skeptical of Riccellis assessment. While many folks around here are grateful for the states help with schools, roads and other necessities, others recoil at new rules for gun safety, higher fees instead of lower taxes and an emphasis on greener energy that some see as excessive. Therein lies the dilemma of being an elected official these days: How to persuade the public that your party that either party, for that matter has the publics best interests at heart? And that strict party-line voting probably isnt in anyones best interests in the long run? We think Sen. Marko Liias, D-Mukilteo, is on the right track. No matter what party gets the credit, he said during Wednesdays talk, public trust in the state is the most important objective. I want people to know that their state government is there, he said. I want people to know: Were focused on making progress. You might not like everything the Legislature accomplished this session were not sure we do, either but were encouraged whenever we see governing win out over politicking. From where we sit, it looks like a lot of governing got done this time around. The stately and graceful tan brick walls of Kleinhans Music Hall have risen out of its image in the reflecting pond at the center of Symphony Circle at the heart of our city, Buffalo, for more than 80 years. I can trace much of my own life through the history of this remarkable edifice. The mens department at the Kleinhans Co. store supplied the suits, ties and shoes for the men in our family from as early as I can remember. Its boy scout department on the mezzanine balcony was my favorite place to browse. The Kleinhans family in the tradition of the J.N. Adam & Co. familys gift of the tuberculosis hospital in Perrysburg to the City of Buffalo left their million-dollar estate for the construction of a music hall for Buffalo. In those late Depression years of 1938-'40 the Works Progress Administration contributed another $500,000. Now architects from all over the world come to observe its superb acoustics and lighting systems. Its own architect, Eliel Saarinen, and his acoustical consultant Charles C. Potwin described in detail how these requirements decided the 1:1:3 shape of the auditorium, its elliptical ceiling, the texture of the ceiling, walls and floor covering, and even the colors used on walls and upholstery. Then followed symphonies, formal dances, graduations, Boy Scout pageantry, famous authors, Salman Rushdie We saw Bob Dylan there in November 1965, the faith-shattering year when he had moved from acoustic to electric guitars. All marked the passage of time, the aging of the great hall and our own aging as well. Now we and Kleinhans are in need of repair. I propose we do the job right, in the spirit of excellence and innovation that inspired its architects. Kleinhans Music Hall needs a new heating and air conditioning system; lets set an example for the world by using geothermal energy. Below the frostline, the earth maintains a consistent temperature of 50 degrees. By running water through pipes drilled into the earth we can tap the energy of this consistent temperature to both heat and cool buildings of any size, from single homes to well recently such a system was installed to heat and cool St. Patricks Cathedral in Manhattan. Geothermal energy is free and produces no greenhouse gases. New York State hopes to end the burning of fossil fuels by 2050. If all new construction in the state used geothermal energy, we might be assured of reaching that goal. Let geothermal energy spruce up that Grand Old Girl, Buffalos Kleinhans Music Hall, and lets eliminate greenhouse gases from New York State. If only geothermal energy could do the same for our poor, aging selves. Dr. Larry Beahan is conservation chair of the Sierra Club Niagara Group. Hyundai Creta is a popular SUV in India and the best selling mid-size SUV. After its introduction in 2020, it quickly became a popular choice among consumers due to its attractive design and features. The South Korean Car manufacturer Hyundai has now announced to launch 'Knight Edition' special edition of the Creta in an effort to keep the model fresh until the new Hyundai Creta is launched later this year. The special edition is expected to be priced between Rs 13.35 lakh and Rs 18.01 lakh. There are several cosmetic alterations to the outside and inside of the new 'Knight Edition' of the Hyundai Creta. There is a new front grille (gloss black with red inlays) on the special edition SUV, and the wheels will have a dark metal finish. These elements, as well as the ORVMs, will be painted a glossy black to match the bash plates (both on the front and the back). The callipers of the front disc brakes are also painted brilliant red for increased sportiness and there will be an all-black cabin with coloured inlays on the air conditioning vents, as well. Coloured stitching is added to the interior and leatherette-wrapped steering wheel. Read also: Royal Challenger Bangalore fan paints his vintage Fiat car to support IPL team The 'Knight Edition' insignia is placed on the tailgate of this vehicle to distinguish it from the ordinary model. For the Knight Edition, there are two options: S+ and SX (O). S+ variant will get the following upgrades above S: a panoramic sunroof, three-beam LED headlights (with crescent LED DRLs), 16-inch alloy wheels, and an LED reading light The Hyundai Creta comes with three engine options: a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol making 114 PS of power and 143 Nm of torque, a 1.5-litre diesel making 1113 PS of power and 250 Nm of torque and 1.4-litre turbo petrol making 140 PS of power and 242 Nm of torque. Hyundai Creta is available with manual and automatic transmission. Hyundai Creta is priced between Rs 9.99 lakh-Rs 17.2 lakh (ex-showroom). SOURCE Live TV #mute Riding on the recovery in 2021, the Indian auto industry is expected to release a variety of new vehicles in 2022. Also, with the rising incomes and interest of youths in premium segment, several automakers are planning to launch such premium bikes including ADVs, naked cruisers, sportsbikes among others. Several of these bikes have been making headlines for a while now and have been either spied testing or their specs got leaked. Here is a list of such upcoming premium bikes to buy in India- Triumph Tiger 1200 For the 2022 model, Triumph's flagship adventure tourer bike, the Tiger 1200, gets a lighter chassis and depending on the variant selected, features will include an adjustable front visor, keyless start, a 7-inch TFT display, cornering ABS, traction control, hill hold, cruise control, riding modes, heated grips and more. The Triumph Tiger 1200 is powered by a 1,160cc three-cylinder engine making 150 PS of power and 130 Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed transmission. In India, Triumph Tiger 1200 is expected to be launched by mid-2022. Also read: Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade price massively cut by Rs 10 lakh Royal Enfield Hunter 350 The Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is derived from the Meteor 350 that was launched in India in late 2020. It is expected to have smaller 17-inch alloy wheels and will likely be more affordable. In order to keep costs low, the company may also choose not to include the triple pod cluster found in Meteor. A single-cylinder, 349cc engine will likely power the Royal Enfield Hunter 350, just as it does on the Meteor 350. 2022 KTM RC390 KTM will soon launch its next-generation RC390 motorcycles in India. KTM's RC390 for 2022 will be made with a new split trellis frame that's completely different from the previous model. The upcoming RC390 is also expected to have dual-channel cornering ABS, TFT instrument cluster (with Bluetooth capabilities) and adjustable front and rear suspension. The KTM RC390 will be powered by a single-cylinder 373.27cc liquid-cooled engine producing 43.5 PS of power and 36 Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed transmission. Also read: How has technology changed the Indian Railways and made it better Explained Royal Enfield Meteor 650 According to spy-shots, Royal Enfield is also working on a 650cc cruiser for the Indian market and it will have a semi-digital instrument console, halogen headlamp, USD forks, alloy wheels, dual exhaust pipes and disc brakes on both wheels. Royal Enfield Meteor will be powered by the same engine found in Interceptor 650 and Continental GT650. The engine is a 648cc, air/oil-cooled, single-cylinder making 47.65 PS of power and 52 Nm of torque. Triumph Tiger Sport 660 Triumph 2022 Tiger Sport 660 was recently launched in the Indian market on March 29 with a sporty half fairing design and a tall visor at the front. Further, the premium bike has twin LED headlights, and an LED taillight. Additionally, the motorcycle comes with a TFT instrument console (with Bluetooth capabilities), switchable traction control and USD front forks. The Triumph Tiger Sport 660 is powered by a powered by a 660cc, inline-3 engine with 81 PS of power and 64 Nm of torque, mated with a 6-speed gearbox. Live TV #mute Etihad Airways will add four more A350-1000 (A6-XWB) airbus wearing the same livery as they join the fleet in the next few months. Airlines has also announced that new A350-1000s will be deployed on a number of short to mid-range routes in Q2, including Mumbai and Delhi in India. India is among the top destinations for the airline with services to top metro cities. Later, Etihad will deploy the aircraft on ultra-long-haul operations to Chicago and New York from July. The wide-body plane gets 44 Business Studios and 327 Economy seats. Wide-bodied planes like A350XWB have larger fuel tanks that allow them to travel longer distances as compared to narrow-bodied aircrafts. Airbus A350XWB aircraft can travel above 8,000 nautical miles, with flying time of approximately 18 hours in one flight. Also read: Kolkata-bound IndiGo flight grounded in Ranchi, develops snag while taking off President and MD of Airbus India & South Asia, Remi Maillard on March 21 said that Tata Group is in talks with Airbus for a deal regarding the procurement of its wide-bodied A350XWB planes. We are obviously in talks with all the airlines. The new owner of Air India, Tatas, are existing customers of Airbus, said Maillard when asked if the European aircraft manufacturer is in talks with Tata and other Indian carriers for the A350XWB aircraft deal. SOURCE Live TV #mute New Delhi: The country's wheat exports are likely is cross 100 lakh tonnes (10 million tonnes) during 2022-23, due to increasing demand for the commodity in the world market, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Sunday. The exports have crossed 70 lakh tonnes in 2021-22 (worth over Rs 15,000 crore) as against 21.55 lakh tonnes (over Rs 4,000 crore) in 2020-21. It was only two lakh tonnes (Rs 500 crore) in 2019-20. The minister said wheat exports have helped several countries in meeting the requirements of food security. "We will continue to export wheat in a big way and meet the needs of the countries that are not getting their supplies from the conflict areas, and my own sense is that this time we will probably exceed our wheat exports (of) over 100 lakh tonnes comfortably," he told reporters here. Russia and Ukraine together account for almost a quarter of the global wheat supply. Their wheat crop will mature in August and September this year. Farmers are focused on increasing production also, and regions like Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are exporting in a big way from last year, he added. India is in final talks to start wheat export to Egypt, while discussions are going on with countries like China, Turkey, China and Iran to begin the outbound shipments of the commodity. Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Santosh Kumar Sarangi said that there is also an effort on the part of the departments of commerce and food and public distribution to facilitate exports from other ports. Maximum exports are routed through Kandla port. Discussions are on with railways for facilitation of wheat exports from different ports, such as Vizag, Kakinada, and Nhava Sheva, Sarangi added. India exports wheat mainly to neighbouring countries, with Bangladesh having the largest share of more than 54 per cent in both volume and value terms in 2020-21. It has entered new wheat markets such as Yemen, Afghanistan, Qatar and Indonesia. Wheat exports to Bangladesh have crossed 3.5 million tonnes in 2021-22. The top ten importing countries for Indian wheat in 2020-21 were Bangladesh, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Afghanistan, Qatar, Indonesia, Oman and Malaysia. India accounts for even less than 1 per cent of world wheat export. However, its share has increased from 0.14 per cent in 2016 to 0.54 per cent in 2020. India is the second-largest producer of wheat. It had contributed around 14.14 per cent of the world's total production in 2020. Also Read: RRR and Indias economy have something in common? Piyush Goyal finds a connection - Watch India produces around 107.59 million tonnes of wheat annually, while a major chunk of it goes towards domestic consumption. Major wheat growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat. Also Read: India exports rise to record high of $418 billion in FY22 Live TV #mute New Delhi: India's merchandise exports spurted to a record high of USD 418 billion in the 2021-22 fiscal on higher shipments of petroleum products, engineering goods, gem and jewellery and chemicals, according to official data released on Sunday. Outbound shipments touched an all-time high of USD 40 billion in a month in March 2022, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters here. Exports stood at USD 34 billion in March 2021. Merchandise exports were worth USD 292 billion in FY2020-21. India's merchandise exports had breached the targeted USD 400 billion mark on March 23 this year. The key export sectors, which contributed to record healthy growth, include petroleum products, engineering, gems and jewellery, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The top five export destinations are the US, UAE, China, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Also Read: Why India makes most two-wheelers in the world? Anand Mahindra explains Hailing the country's success in achieving the goods export target, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that this is a key milestone in India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' journey. Also Read: Amazon Sale: Latest Samsung, OnePlus, Realme smartphones selling at up to 40% discount Live TV #mute New Delhi: After Raj Thackerays stern warning to the Maharashtra government against playing Azan on loudspeakers in the state, Hanuman Chalisa was heard being played on the loudspeakers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Senas Ghatkopar office. News agency ANI released a video of Hanuman Chalisa being played at MNSAs loudspeakers. #WATCH 'Hanuman Chalisa' being played from loudspeakers at the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena office in Mumbai's Ghatkopar MNS Chief Raj Thackeray yesterday said, "I am warning now...Remove loudspeakers or else will put loudspeakers in front of the mosque and play Hanuman Chalisa." pic.twitter.com/nERn23Vg7M ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2022 This comes after Raj Thackeray issued a stern warning to the Maharashtra government demanding the shutting down of loudspeakers in mosques. The MNS founder while speaking in a rally said that he is not against prayers but the government should take a decision on removing mosque loudspeakers. Thackeray also warned the government that if they fail to remove loudspeakers from the mosques, he will put loudspeakers in front of the mosque and play Hanuman Chalisa. "Why loudspeakers in mosques are played at such high volume? If this is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at higher volume," he added. Raj Thackeray also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raid the Madarasas at the Muslim shanties and claimed that Pakistani supporters are residing in these shanties. "I appeal to PM Modi to raid the Madarasas at the Muslim shanties. Pakistani supporters are residing in these shanties. Mumbai Police knows what`s happening there...Our MLAs using them for vote-bank, such people don`t even have Aadhar Card, but the MLAs get them made," he said. The MNS chief also hit out at NCP chief Sharad Pawar and said that he is responsible for the rise of casteist politics in Maharashtra after the formation of his party in 1999."NCP was formed in 1999, and since then castism in the state rose which was done by Sharad Pawar. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut responded to Thackerays remark to remove loudspeakers from mosques. He said that Maharashtra is the state where law still prevails. Live TV New Delhi: April 3 marks the death anniversary of great Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The legendary Maratha king was known for his bravery on the battlefield and was popularly known as the Moutain Rat for his speed. According to historians, Shivaji was a true leader and compassionate leader who felt for his people and motherland Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj died on April 3, 1680, due to severe fever and dysentery. On his death anniversary, here are some interesting facts about the great Maratha ruler: Shivaji was known as the Father of Indian Navy Chhatrapati Sivaji Maharaj was one of the few Indian leaders of his time who realised the importance of securing once water and deploying forces in the oceans. He believed that it would help him prevent foreign invaders-- Dutch, Portuguese and British- from coming into Indian territory. He also built some famous naval forts at Jaigarh, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg. Due t his tactics and contribution, Shivaji came to be called the Father of the Indian Navy. Shivaji Maharaj was secular Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj was open and welcoming to all religions and believed no one should be deprived on the basis of their religion. In fact, he helped people, who wished, to convert to Hinduism and even married off his own daughter to a converted Hindu man. Shivaji was the founder of Maratha Army While many may not know this but before Shivaji formed the Maratha Army, one of the strongest in the world, Marathas had no army of their own. It was Chattrapati Shivaji who formed an army of Marathas where many soldiers were paid for their services throughout the year. Both Hindus and Muslims were appointed to the army without any discrimination. An army of 2,000 men was converted into 10,000 soldiers by Shivaji. Shivaji Maharaj was a Feminist Chattrapati Shivaji was one of the few rulers of his time who fought for the honour of women and demanded equal rights for them. Born and raised by a strong Marathi woman, JeejaBai, Shivaji Maharaj opposed violence or harassment against women. It is also believed that under Shivajis rule women of the captured territories were never harmed or taken as prisoners. His name Shivaji wasnt inspired by Lord Shiva Chattrapati Shivaji's name was not derived from Lord Shiva but from a regional Maratha deity by the name Shivai. Live TV New Delhi: Hours after saying that the selling of meat will not be allowed in the open, near temples and in the bylanes where temples are located during the Navratra festival, the Ghaziabad Mayor on Saturday (April 2, 2022) said that only licensed meat shops with covered kiosks will be allowed to operate in the city. Earlier, Ghaziabad Mayor Asha Sharma had said that the selling of meat will not be allowed in the open, near temples and in the bylanes where temples are located during the nine-day festival. Later, in an amended letter, Sharma said licensed meat shops can operate in compliance with state government orders. District Magistrate (DM) RK Singh told PTI that the mayor has amended her order and meat shops in Ghaziabad will remain open as per the guidelines of the government. Only licensed meat shops will be allowed to operate in covered kiosks. Hygiene-related precautions near the shops will be ensured by the health department of the municipal corporation, he said, adding that nobody would be allowed to throw animal carcasses in open areas. "I have spoken with Municipal Commissioner Mahendra Singh Tanwar regarding the order of Mayor Asha Sharma which she gave in her first letter to the health department in connection with the closure of meat shops from April 2 to 10, in view of the Navratra festival," Singh said. The DM said he was apprised by Tanwar that there was no provision in the municipal act that gave the mayor or the municipal authorities the power to close down legal and licensed meat shops Meanwhile, the District Panchayat of Aligarh has passed an order for meat and the first shops to remain shut for nine days during the Navratri festival. "An order has been passed for Fish and meat shops to remain shut in view of Navratri festival for nine days," said Vijay Singh Jadaun, President, District Panchayat Aligarh. The District Panchayat president added that strict actions will be taken against those flouting the order. (With agency inputs) Live TV New Delhi: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant allocated portfolios to his eight ministers on Sunday (April 3), over a week after being sworn in for the top job for a second term. Notably, Sawant has retained key Home and Finance ministries among other departments. Three-time MLA Pramod Sawant had taken oath as the Goa CM for a second consecutive term in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on March 28. Heres the full list of Goa Cabinet portfolio allocation 1. CM Pramod SawantHome, Finance, Personnel, Vigilance and Official Languages departments 2. Rohan Khaunte Tourism, Information and Technology and Printing and Stationary departments 3. Vishwajit RaneHealth and Town and Country Planning, Urban Development, Women and Child, and Forest departments 4. Atanasio Monserrate-- Revenue, Labour and Waste Management portfolios 5. Mauvin Godinho Transport, Industries, Panchayat and Protocol ministries 6. Ravi Naik Agriculture, Handicrafts, and Civil Supplies portfolios 7. Nilesh CabralPublic Works Department (PWD), Legislative Affairs, Environment, and Law and Judiciary 8. Subhash ShirodkarWater Resources, Cooperation and Provedoria (Institute Of Public Assistance) portfolios Allocation of portfolios in Goa- CM Pramod Sawant gets Home, Finance, Personnel, Vigilance, Official Languages and several other departments pic.twitter.com/OUuO01hVoR ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2022 9. Govind Gaude Sports, Art and Culture and Rural Development Agency (RDA) ministries Three more berths can be filled in the Goa cabinet. Last week, Goa BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade had said that a decision on these vacant cabinet berths will be taken "within a month or two". The BJP had emerged as the single largest party in Goa by winning 20 seats in the Assembly polls, one short of the majority in the 40-member House. Three independent MLAs and two legislators of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) extended their support to the saffron party leading to Pramod Sawant's return to power in the coastal state. (With agency inputs) Live TV The U.S. Senate reached a tentative deal on funding for coronavirus vaccines and other treatments and supplies. The package is for about $10 billion, less than the $22 billion the Biden administration campaigned for. A compromise plan is better than none. Democrats and Republicans need to finish ironing out the details and get the bill signed before Congress goes on recess April 9. Then, if needed, Congress can approve additional funding. The rise of the BA.2 subvariant, a less deadly but more contagious form of Omicron, should remind us that the pandemic is not yet over, despite the wishes of the Covid-weary to declare victory and give up the fight. The fight requires funding. Just last week, federal regulators approved additional Pfizer and Moderna booster shots for individuals older than 50 or who are immunocompromised. A slowdown in funds will hamper the effort to deliver the new boosters to all who are eligible. The issue has regional implications. Cases have increased in Erie County recently, though hospitalizations have fallen and the mortality rate has remained about the same. Other Western New York counties show a similar trend. The region, and the country, are certainly in a better place than they were when the Delta, then Omicron variants swept the nation last year, but Covid-19 remains potent. Washington needs to treat it that way. With funding at risk, the U.S. has begun to pare down a program that covers the costs of giving Covid tests, treatments and immunizations to uninsured Americans. If those costs are shifted to health insurance providers, they can eventually be passed on to consumers in higher premiums. Republicans and Democrats last week remained divided on the amount in the package to support global vaccinations. The Biden administration had requested $5 billion, while GOP lawmakers indicated the bill would include about $1 billion for that category. Its an insufficient amount. Sen. Christopher A. Coons, D-Del., told the Washington Post he would keep pushing for a higher amount. There are 2.5 billion people unvaccinated in the world, and that is an ongoing daily risk to the United States, Coons said. Cutting back on the efforts to immunize populations in other countries would be short-sighted. Closing the vaccination gap between rich and poor nations isnt just a humanitarian imperative, it is in the best interests of the United States. Atul Gawande, who leads global health at the U.S. Agency for International Development, pointed out in a recent Washington Post opinion column that having insufficient vaccination coverage in poorer countries gives coronavirus more chances to mutate into a new variant. The world knows that happens because it has suffered its consequences. Helping all countries protect their populations by supercharging vaccination campaigns is our best hope to prevent future strains from emerging and ending this pandemic once and for all, Gawande wrote. The BA.2 subvariant has led to a surge of cases in Europe and is now the dominant variant in the United States, making up 55% of new cases. BA.2 cases in New York have increased 55% in the past 14 days. Vaccines are not the only weapon against coronavirus. Without continued funding, the federal government will be unable to keep purchasing monoclonal antibodies and antiviral treatments that reduce the severity of Covid-19, an illness that has killed close to 1 million Americans. The White House also needs additional funds for surveillance activities to catch future waves of the virus, including wastewater monitoring. The White House has been promoting the transition to a next normal, when Americans will learn to live with Covid-19. That requires managing the threat, not ignoring it. Preventing epidemics is more cost-effective than dealing with the outcomes later. The Senate should get this funding package passed, then plan to return to the table for more money down the road as circumstances evolve and the battle to contain the virus continues. Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. New Delhi: The residential sectors in Greater Noida named after Greek letters 'Alpha', 'Beta', 'Delta' and 'Omicron' could be replaced by numeric figures like Sector 1, 2, 3. According to the Greater Noida authority officials, after over 30 years of their existence, a section of residents has now demanded the authorities to rename the sectors. The officials also informed that a committee has been formed to take the decision. Earlier, on March 31, GNIDA CEO Narendra Bhooshan had held a meeting with senior officials of the Authority to discuss the issue and gave an "in-principle approval" to the proposal. In the meeting, the authorities decided that the special committee headed by Additional CEO Deep Chandra would take suggestions and feedback from local residents over changing of sectors' names, according to officials. CEO Bhooshan has directed the committee to submit its report at the earliest. The World Health Organisation has also been using Greek alphabets like 'Delta' and 'Omicron' to name COVID-19 variants. "The names of residential sectors of Greater Noida may be changed soon. Instead of Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta etc., the sectors would be renamed by numbers like one, two, three, four," the GNIDA said in a statement. "The Authority has also constituted a committee to implement this proposal. The committee will also take suggestions from the residents of Greater Noida. The final decision will be taken after that," it stated. The officials said that after the formation of Greater Noida in 1991, the sectors were named Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Omicron, Mu, Zu, Chai-Fi, Pai etc while 1, 2 and 3 were added to these names. However, there are some sectors named only with numbers in western part of Greater Noida. The area is known as Greater Noida (West) or Noida Extension, they said. For example, there are sectors near residential sector 'Swarnanagari' which have been named Sector 36 and Sector 37. Similarly Sector 1, 2, 3, Sector 10, 12 are in Greater Noida (West) although there are no other sectors which have numerical names. "Because of this, there is a lot of confusion in writing, speaking and understanding the names of sectors. The location of these sectors is not known. Keeping this in mind, the Authority is contemplating to change the names of these sectors," a GNIDA official said. In the meeting, it was agreed to change these names. It was also decided that all the industrial sectors will be named after 'Ecotech' and the names of the institutional and IT sectors will remain the same as Knowledge Park 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on, according to the official. "All 'Techzone' names will be removed while the names of residential sectors will be with numeric numbers like Sector-One, Two, Three, Four," the official said. "After the implementation of the decision, on the lease deed of the property, along with the new name, the old name will also be written in parentheses, so that no confusion arises," the official added. (With PTI inputs) Live TV Chandigarh: The Haryana government has summoned a special session of the Assembly here on April 5, days after neighbouring Punjab passed a resolution seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the AAP-ruled state. A decision to summon the one-day special session was taken at a meeting of the council of ministers, Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma told PTI over the phone. Sharma, who was in Faridabad, said he joined the meeting, presided over by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, through online mode. "A decision was taken to summon the special session of the Haryana Assembly on April 5. Several issues will be taken up in the special session, which has been summoned after Punjab brought a resolution..," Sharma said. Earlier on Saturday, Chief Minister Khattar had condemned Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for bringing a resolution seeking the transfer of Chandigarh to the state. Notably, the resolution was passed by the Punjab Assembly on Friday in the absence of two BJP members who had staged a walkout from the House. Khattar had also asked AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann to seek an apology from the people of Haryana. "What the Punjab government has done is condemnable," Khattar said while replying to a question on the resolution. "What they did is condemnable and it should not have been done," he said. Khattar said Kejriwal being the head of the Aam Aadmi Party should condemn it and apologise to the people of Haryana. Similarly, Punjab Chief Minister Mann too should apologise to the people of Haryana, he said. The AAP-led government in Punjab should first get the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal built and transfer Punjab's Hindi-speaking areas to Haryana, Khattar said. On Friday, Khattar said "Chandigarh is and will remain the capital of Haryana and Punjab". Notably, the SYL canal issue has been a bone of contention between Punjab and Haryana for several decades. In the past, Punjab had been demanding a reassessment of its share of the Ravi-Beas rivers water while Haryana had been seeking completion of the SYL canal to get its share of 3.5 million acre feet (MAF) of water. In 2020, the then Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh had warned that it was an emotive issue and "Punjab will burn" if asked to share water. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had on Saturday said the "issue of Chandigarh is there but it is not the only issue". "There are other issues which are connected to it. There is SYL water (issue), (the issue of) Hindi speaking areas. They have not spoken on those issues. Whenever there will be a decision, it will be a single one. There cannot be different decisions," Vij said. As the Punjab Assembly passed the resolution, Chief Minister Mann accused the Centre of trying to upset the balance in the administration of the Union Territory and other common assets. The resolution, which was moved by Mann, was passed by the House in the absence of the two BJP legislators, who had earlier staged a walkout. The Punjab government's move to bring a resolution in the state assembly came in the wake of the Centre's announcement that the Central Service Rules will apply to the employees of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Mann and many other parties including Congress and SAD had slammed the Centre's decision, claiming that it goes against the Punjab Reorganisation Act. Live TV New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended greetings to the nation on the commencement of the holy Muslim month of Ramzan. "Best wishes on the commencement of the sacred month of Ramzan," Modi said in a tweet adding that he hopes that the sacred month inspires and encourages people to help one another and especially those in need. Greetings on the commencement of Ramzan. pic.twitter.com/Q5YaWzaz38 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 2, 2022 The leader also wished for peace and harmony in the society as the holy month commenced. "May it also further enhance the spirit of peace, harmony and compassion in our society," the Prime Minister wrote. Ramzan is globally observed by Muslims as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community. The month ends with the celebrations of Eid after the sighting of the special holy moon. The moon was sighted in the country on April 2 and the Muslims have begun their fast. Ramzan falls in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and holds great significance for the Muslim community across the globe. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims observe the fast marking it as a gesture to revere the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Friday allowed the reopening of five floors of Masjid Bangle Wali at Nizamuddin Markaz premises for offering namaz during Ramzan. Justice Jasmeet Singh allowed the reopening of Masjid under the same condition as were laid down at the time of reopening for Shab-e-Barat for offering namaz by devotees. Live TV Indian Army Recruitment 2022: The Indian Army has announced over 180 vacancies and has invited applications from interested and eligible candidates. A detailed notification has been released on the Indian Army's official website at joinindianarmy.nic.in. According to the notification, applications have been invited from unmarried male, unmarried female Engineering Graduates and from the Widows of Indian Armed Forces Defence Personnel who died in harness for grant of Short Service Commission (SSC) in the Indian Army. The Course will commence in October 2022 at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Vacancies For SSC(Tech) - 175 For SSCW(Tech) - 14 For Widows of Defence Personnel - 02 Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Educational qualification Candidates should have passed the requisite Engineering Degree course or should be in the final year of the Engineering Degree course. Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Age limit SSC (Tech) and SSCW(Tech): 20 to 27 years as on October 1, 2022 (Candidates born between 02 Oct 1995 and 01 Oct 2002, both days inclusive). For widows of Indian Armed Forces Defence Personnel: A maximum of 35 years of age as on October 1, 2022. Indian Army Jobs: How to apply Candidates can apply ONLINE at www.joinindianarmy.nic.in. Indian Army Jobs: Last date The last date to apply is April 6 (3 PM). Candidates are advised to keep visiting the official website for the latest updates. Live TV Bandipora: Jammu and Kashmir police claimed to have busted two terror modules of Lashkar-e-Toiba arrested five terror associates in Hajin village of Bandipora district in north Kashmir. Jammu Police officer said "we have arrested five terrorist associates of Lashkar-Toiba who were providing logistics and transportation to the active terrorists of the district." Adding to that officer said, "In one case, on a specific input security force recovered two Chinese grenades in Bandipora from arrested associates identified as Irfan Ahmad Bhat and Sajad Ahmad Mir, Shariq Ahmad Mir and Irfan Ahmad Jan all residents of Bandipora, who were providing Sims and other logistic support to terrorists, incriminating material was also recovered from their possession." In another incident, "at a check post in Hajin village security forces arrested one more terrorist associate namely Irfan Aziz Bhat of Hajin and recovered one Chinese grenade from his possession," officer said, he was also in touch with Pak based LeT terrorist Umer Lala. The terror associates along with his Pakistan-based terrorists were planning to carry out terror activities in the Hajin area. Its pertaining to mention here that now with the arrest of these five terrors associates, security forces this year from January till now have arrested 166 terror associates. Live TV New Delhi: As Arvind Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) eyes a wild chase in Gujarat, Union Minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur took a jibe at the outfits national convenor and said that he creates a so-called wave on social media but has no presence in-ground, Thakurs comments came after Kejriwal, in poll-bound Gujarat, urged people to give his party a chance and called BJP dishonest. They create an atmosphere via the media but have nothing on the ground, said Thakur in response. Speaking to ANI during his visit to Chandigarh Thakur said, "Arvind Kejriwal has contested against Prime Minister Narendra Modi before, you had seen how he lost. He couldn`t win a seat in Uttar Pradesh, or Uttarakhand or Goa? Sometimes they create an atmosphere via media but have nothing on the ground, he added. The Union Minister also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s leadership, called him worlds most loved leader and said that the BJP gets votes "unilaterally" in his name wherever there are elections in the country. Thakur, who seemed confident of his partys return to power in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, said BJP will come to power again. Asked about the party`s huge defeat in the recently concluded Punjab Assembly elections, Thakur said that the party would win the 2027 Assembly elections in the state. "We started the campaign very late in Punjab but our seats didn`t reduce, our vote share has also increased. In 2027 Assembly elections in Punjab, we will come to power in the state," he said. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held a Tiranga Yatra in Ahmedabad and urged the people of Gujarat on Saturday to give one chance to his party in the forthcoming elections in the state. Live TV Lucknow: To ensure 100 per cent enrolment in primary and upper primary schools in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will launch the 'School Chalo Abhiyan' from Shravasti district on Monday. This will be an effort by the state government towards shaping the future of primary education and holistic development of primary schools, an official release issued here stated. The chief minister has instructed officials that districts with low literacy rate should be prioritised and primary schools in the state should be equipped with better facilities, it stated. The 'School Chalo Abhiyan' is being started from Shravasti district which has the lowest literacy rate in the state followed by Bahraich, Balrampur, Badaun and Rampur, according to the release. Government schools must achieve all the goals of 'Operation Kayakalp' which aims at giving schools a facelift, Adityanath said. He told officials that not only will public representatives be associated with the 'School Chalo Abhiyan', but also MLAs must adopt a school each, according to the release. In addition to this, officials should also adopt schools for their holistic development, the chief minister said. Adityanath also directed that all government schools must offer basic facilities such as toilets, drinking water, furniture and smart classes to students. Departmental officials must carry out a campaign to collaborate with alumni (of government schools) and private firms for transformation of state-run schools, he said. Directions have also been issued to the basic education department to gear up for the abhiyan and ensure deployment of teachers in all state-run schools, Adityanath said. Students will be provided with uniforms and shoes and socks under the campaign, the release said. Live TV New Delhi: Actress Malaika Arora who was hospitalised after a car accident near Khalapur Toll Plaza on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Saturday (April 2) has now been discharged from Apollo hospital in Navi Mumbai as informed by her sister Amrita Arora. As per an ANI report, the actress had suffered minor injuries and was admitted in Apollo Hospital in Navi Mumbai. Actor Malaika Arora received minor injuries after her car met with an accident near Khalapur Toll Plaza in Mumbai, earlier today. She was hospitalized at Apollo hospital in Navi Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/OeTJGOk1EJ ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2022 Talking about Malaika's health, Amrita told Hindustan Times, "She is home; recovering. She will be totally fine in a few days" For the unversed, Malaika Arora was admitted to the hospital in Navi Mumbai on Saturday (April 2) after she met with a car accident near Khalapur Toll Plaza in Mumbai. The photos of her damaged Range Rover car were shared by ANI's Twitter handle on Saturday evening. Malaika runs a yoga studio by the name of Diva Yoga centre and often urges people to either take to yoga or hit the gym to keep the body, mind and soul balanced. She has been a judge of several reality shows such as Supermodel 2 and India's Best Dancer. Mumbai: Actor Shraddha Kapoor sent an adorable birthday wish to her pet dog Shyloh to celebrate his special day. Taking to her Instagram handle on Sunday, the 'Ok Jaanu' actor has dropped a video where she can be seen spending good times with Shyloh. There were some glimpses of Shyloh also. Addressing her pet dog as 'babu', she wrote, "Let`s wish Shyloh. Happy Birthday my babu. Thank you for the best 11 years of my life." She also took to her Instagram stories and shared a scrumptious cake for Shyloh. Shraddha loves her pet dog and often shares pictures with him on social media. Talking about Shraddha's upcoming projects, she will be seen in Luv Ranjan`s untitled film alongside Ranbir Kapoor. Apart from this, she has `Chaalbaaz` which is a remake of the 1989 `Chaalbaaz`, `Nagin` and `Satyanarayan Ki Katha` alongside Kartik Aaryan in her kitty. New Delhi: In what could be good news for Himachal Pradesh government employees, the states chief minister Jai Ram Thakur has announced that employees working prior to January 3 and who were deprived of a higher pay scale would get salaries on a par with others. Such employees will receive the benefit on the completion of two years of regular service, Thakur said on Sunday (April 3). The move has been announced ahead of the state assembly polls. The Chief Minister said that most of the government employees have been given revised pay scales and on average, every employee has received the benefit of a 12 to 15 per cent hike in their salaries. Meanwhile, the state government has also increased the pension of about 1.50 lakh pensioners in the state. The state government has provided benefits worth Rs 7,801 crore to government employees and pensioners in years between 2018 and 2022. Himachal Pradesh state employees who retired before 2016 are now receiving the benefit of a 15 to 20% hike in pension. On the other hand, about 40,000 employees who retired after 2016 would be benefited soon. "Out of the total interim relief amount given to the employees and pensioners amounting to Rs 6,500 crore, Rs 3,500 crore has been paid during the tenure of his government," Thakur said. Moreover, Thakur has also announced a higher pay scale for the Junior Office Assistants (Information Technology). These employees will also receive increased salaries on completion of two years of regular service. Speaking on the sidelines of the Karamchari Maha Sammelan of the Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Federation, the Chief Minister thanked the federation for honouring him. Also Read: Amid Russia-Ukraine war, Indias wheat exports likely to cross 100 lakh tonnes Thakur said the federation and government employees have been playing an important part in the execution of the policies and schemes of the government at the grassroots in the state. He added that the state government has always given priority to ensure the welfare of its employees and has maintained cordial relations with them. Also Read: RRR and Indias economy have something in common? Piyush Goyal finds a connection - Watch Live TV #mute New Delhi: Mahindra & Mahindra chairman Anand Mahindra, who enjoys a huge fan following on Twitter, took to the microblogging platform to explain why India is the largest two-wheeler maker in the world. Sharing a photo of a couple riding on a two-wheeler overburdened with mats and plastic chairs, Mahindra said, Now you know why India makes the most two-wheelers in the world. In a post, which appears to be a Sunday Gyan from the billionaire, he said, We (Indians) know how to carry the highest volume of cargo per square inch of wheelWe are like that only #Sunday. Now you know why India makes the most two-wheelers in the world. We know how to carry the highest volume of cargo per square inch of wheelWe are like that only #Sunday pic.twitter.com/3A0tHk6IoM anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 3, 2022 In the photo, the driver appears to be driving a TVS XL Super Heavy Duty, a two-wheeler mostly used to ferry heavy loads. For the unversed, India emerged as the worlds biggest market for two-wheelers in 2016, surpassing China. Roughly about 15.12 million two-wheelers were sold in the financial year 2021. However, the sales of two-wheelers had reached an all-time high as of 2019. In that year, the countrys auto industry sold some 21 million units, according to industry estimates. Since then, there has been a slight dip in sales, majorly due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has hurt various aspects of mobility. Twitterati appeared to be amused with Mahindras tweet, with several users praising the industrialist. Anand really knows how to dive into treasure trove of such brilliant memes. Now, which company and model is this bike? Surely a winner USP.... till the time cops delve deep into Motor Vehicle Rules, said a Twitter user. Also Read: Twitter explores co-author tweet feature I appreciate their hard work.. But improper use of vehicles risking their lives as well as public.. They should be using some mini auto or trucks @anandmahindra. Still you have a huge untapped market sir :), said another Twitter user. Also Read: Unemployment rate decreasing in India: CMIE Anand really knows how to dive into treasure trove of such brilliant memes. Now, which company and model is this bike? Surely a winner USP.... till the time cops delve deep into Motor Vehicle Rules Sanjeev Gupta (@sanjg2k1) April 3, 2022 I appreciate their hard work.. But improper use of vehicles risking their lives as well as public.. They should be using some mini auto or trucks...@anandmahindra Still you have a huge untapped market sir :) https://t.co/OmH0RfN2qg Jay Ganesh (@1inherd) March 31, 2022 Live TV #mute New Delhi: Amazon is offering discounts on the purchase of smartphones during the ongoing Smartphone Upgrade Days sale. Customers can purchase smartphones brands such as Samsung, OnePlus, Realme and Xiaomi, among others during the sale that will last till April 4, 2022. Amazon is also offering exciting bank discounts and exchange offers to allow customers to buy the latest smartphone at discounted prices. Amazon Smartphone Upgrade Days sale: Card Offers Amazon is offering a 10% instant discount on purchases of smartphones via Citi Bank Credit and Debit Cards. Customers can also get a 5% cashback on buying phones via ICICI Amazon credit card. Also, using select cards, customers can get No-Cost EMI offers. Amazon Smartphone Upgrade Days sale: Exchange Offers Amazon is also offering customers a chance to get additional discounts on upgrading their old smartphones to new ones in the exchange offer. The value of the discount depends on the smartphone model and its condition. Here is the list of smartphones on sale: - Xiaomi 11T Pro is selling at a discounted price of Rs 36,999 with exchange offers and credit and debit card discounts. - Realme Narzo 50 is available at Rs 11,749, which includes a cashback of up to Rs 1,250. - Samsung Galaxy M52 5G is selling at a discounted price of Rs 23,749 during the Amazon sale. The discount includes bank cashback of Rs 1,250. - iQOO 9 Pro 5G gets a Rs 6000 discount on all bank credit and debit cards. The smartphone is selling at Rs 54,990 and customers can get additional discounts in exchange. - OnePlus Nord CE 2 is selling at a discounted price of Rs 21,999. Customers can get additional Rs 2,000 bank cashback on the purchase of the smartphone. - OnePlus Nord 2 is available at a discounted rate of Rs 28,499. Card exchange offer is also applicable on the smartphone. - OnePlus 9Pro has received a major price ahead of the OnePlus 10Pro sale in India. The smartphone is selling at Rs 49,199 on Amazon. Customers can get up to Rs 5,000 on the purchase of the flagship device during the sale days. Also Read: From OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite to Realme GT Neo 3, check out the list of smartphones launching in April - Lava Agni 5G is selling at Rs 15,740 with a Rs 1,250 cashback on select bank cards. Also Read: Twitter explores co-author tweet feature Live TV #mute New Delhi: Another instance has surfaced on social media, in which it is claimed that a OnePlus Nord 2 unit burst while the user was on the call, injuring the user. According to '@lakshayvrm' on Twitter, the OnePlus Nord 2 unit hurt his brother's palm and face after pieces of the phone "clinched" after the explosion. The incident occurred while the user's brother (the owner of the Nord 2 device) was on the phone, according to the user. OnePlus has also responded to the Twitter tweet, stating that it is looking into the situation. A video of a damaged smartphone unit, allegedly belonging to the OnePlus Nord 2, was also shared on Twitter by the user. The smashed screen and gases from the destroyed smartphone are also highlighted in the video. We don't know what caused the explosion because the footage was taken after it happened. OnePlus, on the other hand, has yet to provide any clarification on the tweet or social media channels. Several reports of OnePlus Nord 2 handsets exploding have surfaced on social media shortly after the device's release. A OnePlus Nord 2 unit exploded in September 2021, prompting the user (who is also a lawyer) to initiate a lawsuit against the firm and Amazon India. The unit had been purchased ten days prior to the claimed occurrence. The OnePlus Nord 2 5G smartphone "exploded" in the owner's coat pocket, according to the user. The user claimed that he had been injured and that his clothing had been severely destroyed. An incident identical to this occurred in Bengaluru in September 2021. The explosion, however, was caused by a unique incident involving external variables, not by any production or product defect, according to OnePlus. In July 2021, the OnePlus Nord 2 with MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC was released in India. Live TV #mute New Delhi: Micro-blogging site Twitter is reportedly adding the ability to select text within tweets to the Android version of its app. This upcoming feature was noted by leaker and hidden feature detective Jane Manchun Wong in a tweet posted early Saturday, reports Android Police. Twitter for Android has been lacking in terms of easy text selection but in the past, users have found a way to bypass this issue using Overview Selection (a useful feature that lets you select text from any screen to copy and paste). However, according to podcaster and Android expert Mishaal Rahman, this feature is only available on a small selection of phones. It is about time Twitter decided to work on a way for users to select and copy text from the Android version of its app (and not figuring out some way to make it a paid feature, as the company is considering with other tools), the report said. Also Read: Good news! Government employees to get higher pay scale; up to 15% salary hike It is also strange that it took so long to add, but good that it might be on the way. Now we just have to wait and see when this new update will actually be released, it added. Also Read: Amid Russia-Ukraine war, Indias wheat exports likely to cross 100 lakh tonnes Live TV #mute Mumbai: Popular TV couple Dheeraj Dhoopar and Vinny Arora are soon going to welcome a new member to their family. The `Kundali Bhagya` actor announced the news of the pregnancy in an Instagram Collab post with his wife and actor Vinny on Saturday. The post featured two pictures -- in the first one, the couple can be seen kissing each other while Vinny held pictures of the sonography. In the second photo, the `Laado` actor can be seen laughing, while Dheeraj holds her as they pose for the click."We`re expecting, a tiny miracle. August 2022," the caption read. The comments section flooded with congratulatory messages.`Kundali Bhagya` co-star Shraddha Arya wrote, "Wowwwww Yayyyy!!! Such Happy News!!! Congratulations!! And God Bless!!!" Actor Kishwer Merchant, who welcomed her son in August 2021, wrote, "I had a feeling, don`t know why .. congratulations. same month btw." Dheeraj`s `Sasural Simar Ka` co-star Avika Gor chimed in, "Congratulations u both!!!!" Dheeraj and Vinny met in 2009 on the sets of `Mata Pitah Ke Charnon Mein Swarg` and fell in love. They tied the knot in 2016. Sri Lanka's Cabinet of Ministers resigned with immediate effect late on Sunday night, as the country experiences its worst economic crisis of all time. Speaking to reporters, Education Minister and Leader of the House, Dinesh Gunawardena said the Cabinet Ministers handed over their resignations to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. He proffered no reason for the mass resignation. However, political experts here said the ministers came under intense pressure from the public over the government's alleged "mishandling" of the economic crisis, triggered by the shortage in the foreign exchange reserve. Wide spread public protests were seen throughout the evening in spite of the imposition of curfew which is due to end on Monday morning. The enraged public has been demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The government declared a state of emergency after an angry mob surrounded the private residence of Rajapaksa on March 31. A planned social media triggered mass protest was scheduled for Sunday. However, the government responded by imposing a 36-hour curfew. PM's son's tweet onresignation I have informed the sec. to the President of my resignation from all portfolios with immediate effect, in hope that it may assist HE & PMs decision to establish stability for the people & the govt of #LKA. I remain committed to my voters, my party & the people of #Hambanthota. Namal Rajapaksa (@RajapaksaNamal) April 3, 2022 Since evening, rumours have been floating to the effect that Rajapaksa may opt for an interim government to handle the economic crisis. Lviv/Odesa: - Ukrainian and European officials expressed outrage on Sunday at what they said were atrocities committed by Russian forces near Kyiv before they withdrew from the region to focus their attacks elsewhere. The mayor of Bucha, a town 37 km (23 miles) northwest of the capital, said on Saturday that 300 residents had been killed during a month-long occupation by the Russian army. Victims were seen by Reuters in a mass grave and still lying on the streets. Ukraine said on Saturday that its forces had retaken all areas around the capital, reclaiming complete control of the region for the first time since Russia launched its invasion on Feb 24. Russia has pulled back forces that had threatened Kyiv from the north to regroup for battles in eastern Ukraine. There was no Russian comment on the claim that the Kyiv region was entirely in Ukrainian hands and Reuters could not verify this. Russia has previously denied targetting civilians and rejected allegations of war crimes in what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine. The Kremlin and the Russian defence ministry did not reply to requests for comment when asked on Saturday about the bodies found in Bucha. The defence ministry did not immediately respond when asked about this again on Sunday. "There are murdered men whose bodies bear signs of torture. Their hands were tied and they were killed by shots to the back of the head," Oleksiy Arestovych told Ukrainian television. Sergey Nikiforov, aAn aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that Ukrainian troops had found the bodies of women who had been raped and set alight as well as the bodies of local officials and children. spokesman for Zelenskiy, told Britain`s BBC: "I have to be very careful with my wording, but it looks exactly like war crimes." Senior European officials said any potential war crimes should be investigated. "Shocked by news of atrocities committed by Russian forces. EU assists Ukraine in documenting war crimes," European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Twitter, adding all cases needed to be pursued by the International Court of Justice. Britain`s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said there was "increasing evidence of appalling acts by the invading forces in towns such as Irpin and Bucha and said London would fully support any investigation by the International Criminal Court. MISSILE STRIKES Missiles struck near Ukraine`s southern port of Odesa on Sunday with Russia saying it had destroyed an oil refinery used by the Ukrainian military. In Odesa, the city council said "critical infrastructure facilities" were hit. No casualties were reported. Russia`s defence ministry said strikes by its military destroyed an oil refinery and three fuel storage facilities near Odesa. It said the facilities were used to supply Ukrainian troops near the city of Mykolaiv. Odesa, on the Black Sea, is the main base for Ukraine`s navy. It has been targeted by Russian forces seeking a land corridor to Transdniestria, a Russian-speaking breakaway province of Moldova which hosts Russian troops. Dmytro Lunin, governor of the central Poltava region, said the Kremenchug oil refinery, 350 kilometres (220 miles) northeast of Odesa, had been destroyed in a separate rocket attack on Saturday. Two blasts were heard in the Russian city of Belgorod near the border with Ukraine on Sunday, two witnesses told Reuters, days after Russian authorities accused Ukrainian forces of striking a fuel depot there. Evacuation, Peace Talks Evacuation efforts in Mariupol and nearby Berdyansk, both on Ukraine`s southern shores, were due to continue with a convoy of buses being prepared with help from the Red Cross. The ICRC abandoned earlier attempts due to security concerns. Russia blamed the ICRC for the delays. Mariupol is Russia`s main target in Ukraine`s southeastern region of Donbas, and tens of thousands of civilians there are trapped with scant access to food and water. There was little sign of a breakthrough in efforts to negotiate an end to the five-week war, although Russia`s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said talks were due to resume on Monday. Medinsky said a draft deal was not ready for any meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine`s Zelenskiy. On Saturday, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia raised hope for negotiations with Russia, saying enough progress had been made for direct talks between the two. Medinsky said that while Ukraine was showing more realism by agreeing to be neutral, renouncing nuclear weapons, not joining a military bloc and refusing to host military bases, there had been no progress on other key Russia demands. "I repeat again and again: Russia`s position on Crimea and Donbas remains UNCHANGED," he said on Telegram, adding talks via videoconference would continue on Monday. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and has recognised declarations of independence by the self-proclaimed republics of Luhansk and Donetsk in the Donbas area of eastern Ukraine which rose up against Kyiv`s rule. Live TV New Delhi: After a no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was dismissed on Sunday (April 3), President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the embattled PM, PTI reported. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib informed today that President Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly, adding that the elections will be held within 90 days in the country. Fawad Chaudhry, Information Minister, further said that the Cabinet has been dissolved but PM Imran Khan would continue to perform his duties. No-trust vote dismissed, Imran Khan addresses nation Earlier today, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against Khan, saying it is against the Constitution and rules of Pakistan leading to furore among the opposition leaders. After the parliament session was adjourned by Deputy Speaker Suri, Imran Khan, who had lost the majority in the 342-member National Assembly, addressed the nation and alleged the no-confidence was a "foreign agenda". He said Suri "rejected the attempt of changing the regime [and] the foreign conspiracy". "Prepare for elections. No corrupt forces will decide what the future of the country will be. When the assemblies will be dissolved, the procedure for the next elections and the caretaker government will begin," PM Khan said in his address, as per PTI. Khan also said that he has urged President Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh elections. Notably, no Pakistani PM has ever completed a full five-year term in office. Opposition's reaction The enraged opposition termed the process to reject no-confidence against PM Khan against the constitution and refused to leave the premises of the parliament house. "We are going to challenge the ruling by the deputy speaker and advice by the prime minister to dissolve parliament in the Supreme Court," Leader of the Opposition in the parliament Shehbaz Sharif said. Calling the dismissal of the no-trust vote "undemocratic", Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, "What Imran Khan has done is against the laws. We're approaching our lawyers. The speaker has also done an undemocratic work. Imran Khan has exposed himself through this move. We will be present inside the National Assembly until this decision is reversed. He is fleeing against the no-trust motion seeing defeat." Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Marriyum Aurangzeb called Imran Khan a "traitor" and said: "Imran Khan is a traitor (gaddar). He has taken an unconstitutional step and we are now protesting in National Assembly and will not go anywhere until this decision is cancelled". (With PTI inputs) Live TV Islamabad: After the high drama that ensued in the politics of Pakistan, Supreme Court has taken a suo moto notice of the dissolution of the National Assembly by President Arif Alvi on Sunday (April 3). Earlier Imran Khan, in his address to the media said that he has advised the President to dissolve the Assembly following which Arif Alvi dissolved the NA. Elections are likely to be held in the next 90 days. "I have written to the President to dissolve the Assemblies. There should be elections in a democratic way. I call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections," Khan said in an address to the nation. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was chairing today`s session, dismissed the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution. In retaliation, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Imran Khan`s advice to President to dissolve National Assembly is a violation of the Constitution. "Government has violated the Constitution by not allowing voting on the no-confidence motion. United Opposition is not leaving Parliament. Our lawyers are on their way to Supreme Court. We call on all institutions to protect, uphold, defend and implement the Constitution of Pakistan," said Bilawal. Bilawal further said that everyone witnessed the violation of the Constitution. "Everyone has seen what happened in Pakistan today. President, Speaker can easily see that the Opposition had a majority against Imran Khan in the no-confidence motion," said Bilawal. Lashing out at the Deputy Speaker, he said, "He has done unconstitutional thing at the last moment. He broke the Constitution of Pakistan. The no-trust vote had to take place today as per the Constitution." He said that Opposition members have decided to protest against the unconstitutional move in the National Assembly and have decided to not leave the floor till their Constitutional rights are not given to them. Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the Lower House of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan Army. The opposition party had moved the no-trust motion against the PM on March 8. Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI "lost the majority" in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM announced that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People`s Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly. Live TV Shanghai: Shanghai on Sunday (April 3) ordered its 26 million residents to undergo two more rounds of tests for COVID-19 as public anger grows over how authorities in China`s most populous city are tackling a record coronavirus surge. Residents should self-test on Sunday using antigen kits and report any positive results, Shanghai government officials told a news conference, while a nucleic acid test would be conducted citywide on Monday (March 3). "The main task is to completely eliminate risk points and to cut off the chain of transmission so that we can curb the spread of the epidemic as soon as possible," said Wu Qianyu, an inspector from Shanghai Municipal Health Commission. Essentially all of China`s financial capital is locked down after the city began curbing movement in its eastern districts last Monday, extending the restrictions to the entire city days later Shanghai`s lockdown has massively disrupted daily life and businesses, even as healthcare workers and volunteers work round the clock trying to test the entire population and supply residents with groceries. China`s COVID caseload remains low by international standards, but spikes in places like Shanghai are testing its previously successful approach of stamping out the virus through strict curbs and aggressive testing and tracing. Most of Shanghai`s infections have been asymptomatic, according to official data, but China`s "dynamic clearance" approach requires authorities to test, trace and centrally quarantine all positive cases. Shanghai on Sunday reported 7,788 daily locally transmitted asymptomatic cases, up from 6,501 the day before, while symptomatic cases rose to 438 from 260. The city accounted for the bulk of mainland China`s 11,781 daily locally transmitted asymptomatic cases and nearly one-third of its 1,506 symptomatic cases. This was the highest national case count since the early days of the pandemic in February 2020. China is also battling a large outbreak in the northeastern province of Jilin. Sent to Shanghai by the central government, Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan urged the city on Saturday to "make resolute and swift moves" to curb the pandemic. GROWING ANGER Stories of how Shanghai separates COVID-positive children from their parents have gone viral in the country and triggered widespread public anger. Some have also demanded clarity over the testing regime, after a recorded phone call, reportedly between a Shanghai health official and a resident, was widely shared on Chinese social media. Shanghai health officials said on Saturday they were investigating the case, in which the resident said his father had tested negative, according to his personal health app, but was told he was positive and had to be centrally quarantined. In a rare instance of grassroots lobbying, several residents reposted a statement on the WeChat and Weibo social media platforms saying they wanted asymptomatic or mild cases to be allowed to isolate at home, after reports of unsanitary and crowded conditions at quarantine facilities. Jane Polubotko, a Ukrainian marketing manager quarantining at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, told Reuters there were no showers at the facility and she had only seen people with light symptoms, such as sneezes and coughs. Supply chains and businesses are also being tested. River congestion for containers and oil tankers off Shanghai has been easing since Thursday, but the number of bulkers queuing in outer Yangtze estuary anchorage jumped to nearly 90, the most since early October, Refinitiv data showed. Nearby ports, such as Ningbo in Zhejiang province, are experiencing an acute surge in waiting vessels waiting, as companies divert cargos to avoid prolonged logistics turnarounds. Still,some are hoping that lockdowns could start to ease soon. Tesla Inc hopes to resume production at its Shanghai factory on Monday, two people familiar with the matter said, as it expects to see its first batch of workers released from lockdown. Live TV Happy day after April Fools to you. The History Channel states that, Some historians speculate that April Fools Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar; People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes. I was brought up not to call people names, including fools. So I have decided to name the day after April Fools Day, April Foolish Day. April Foolish Day is my time to reveal things that I call April Foolish: Foolish: Ideas on public schools right now claiming that Critical Race Theory is being taught and gender bias or gender identity is being taught in kindergarten through third grade. From my early years in grade school, I remember Dick, Jane, Mother, Father Spot and Puff. Some people think 1950 is alive and well. Nope, gone with the wind. Digging deeper into the Gallup numbers revealed that the people who seem to be driving the negative feelings toward American schools do not have children attending them. Foolish: Ideas that state a candidate for the United States Supreme Court should be religious, Christian or attend any church. Sen. Lindsey Graham questions Supreme Court Jackson, Im just asking this question because how important is your faith to you? On a scale of 1 to 10, how faithful would you say you are, in terms of religion? You know, I go to church probably three times a year, so that speaks poorly of me. Or do you attend church regularly? Judge Jacksons reply, Theres no religious test in the Constitution. Right on! Foolish: Ideas that you can undo the 2020 Presidential Election. Nope, over with, done that, cant do it. You would have more success overturning the Packers getting beat by San Francisco 13-10 in the NFC divisional round. It is time to move on. Foolish: Ideas that the truck convoy to Washington, D.C had anything to do with anything. COVID restrictions were being eliminated before the convoy left San Francisco, diesel fuel prices were pretty high and truckers are in demand to haul the nations goods. Wages are going up and working conditions are getting better. Foolish: Ideas that transgender females are taking over womens sports. As a person who grew up in the 1950s the idea of transgender people and the correct use of pronouns is a bit foreign to me. Yet I feel that we are put on this earth to learn and grow. Times change and we have to adjust. The Chippewa fire district has a structure fire last week. Our women firefighters performed as well or better than some male firefighters; me included. If you want to fight fire I do not care what gender you are. Foolish: The United States Supreme Court sending the Wisconsin Election maps to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. It went to the United States Supreme Court for a reason. Playing ping pong with the maps will solve nothing. Foolish: Candidates for the Chippewa Falls Board of Education who believe once again that Critical Race Theory is being taught, that serving as a board member for a Christian school then espousing freedom from tyranny and freedom of choice as a campaign issue are not feeding the bulldog. Those are nothing but talking points for a political agenda. Anyone who has watched one minute of the news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine knows the true meaning of loss of freedom and tyranny. If you cant understand that, dont run for school board. Foolish: Believing that with the coming of April spring has come to Wisconsin. Right now the snow is gone from my yard, but even as I type snow is falling. It is 40 degrees but everyone I know is unhappy that it has been cloudy for a week. We live in Wisconsin, and Wisconsin will be Wisconsin. I know that my foolish ideas above may not go over with a lot of folks. However, as Harper Lee wrote, The one thing that doesnt abide by majority rule is a persons conscience. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 New Delhi: Ukraine on Saturday said that they claimed complete control of the region around the capital Kyiv as its security forces captured the area for the first time since Russia launched its military operation, reported Reuters. So far, our troops have retaken more than 30 towns and villages around Kyiv since Russia pulled back from the area this week, Ukrainian officials said. "The whole Kyiv region is liberated from the invader," Ukraine`s Deputy Defence Minister, Hanna Malyar, wrote on Facebook. There was no Russian comment on the claim, which Reuters could not immediately verify. According to Buchas mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk, over 300 residents had been killed in the so-called war between Russia and Ukraine. "We don't want them to come back. I had a dream today - that they left, and didn`t come back," said Mariya Zhelezova, 74, who spoke of coming under fire by Russian soldiers. However, Russia continues to deny war crime allegations and said that it didnt target civilians. Putin-Zelensky talks Meanwhile, talks between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, leaders of both the countries at war, are on the table. The talks are likely to take place in Turkey and will be focused on the humanitarian aid in war-scarred Ukrainian regions as well as Russia's demand that Ukraine becomes a neutral state, among other issues. Where does Russia stand today? Russia has failed to capture a single major city and has instead laid siege to urban areas, uprooting a quarter of Ukraine`s population. Ukraine`s armed forces reported diminished Russian air and missile strikes on Saturday but said Russian troops retreating from near Kyiv were deploying mines. Russia`s defence ministry said its missiles had disabled military airfields in Poltava and Dnipro. It later said its forces had hit 28 Ukrainian military facilities across the country, including two weapons depots. The Ukrainian military also reported Russian airstrikes on the cities of Severodonetsk and Rubizhne in the Luhansk region. (With inputs from Reuters) Live TV Virginia Thomas, wife of U. S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, is free to hold whatever opinions, thoughts, judgments or impressions of politics and public policy she desires. And, like any other American, she may express them without fear of censorship no matter how zany or repellent others may find them. Her views are hers. She owns them. However, her husband sits on the the nations highest court, which determines the validity or constitutionality of matters which she has publicly commented or groups she is closely allied with, whose activities may come before the court. In a series of text messages she exchanged with Mark Meadows, chief of staff to former President Trump, following the 2020 election, Mrs. Thomas expressed her belief it was riddled with fraud, that Trump was cheated of victory and intense efforts should continue to overturn the results. She also repeated bizarre conspiracy theories that border on sheer lunacy. Despite her conviction Trumps re-election was stolen, swapping emails messages with the top White House staffer in the naive belief they would never be revealed was a serious error in judgment, one bound to turn back on her and the Justice to create a public relations and political nightmare. In Washington where secrets last as long as it takes one person to tell another her correspondence with Meadows was sure to emerge publicly. Not surprisingly, the messages included in documents Meadows turned over to the Congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U. S. Capitol were leaked by committee members or staffers who routinely elbow one another aside in their zeal to get to reporters first. The leaks a way of life in the overheated partisan environment suffocating the nations capital are not the issue; Mrs. Thomas judgment lapse and the impact on her husband are. Congressional Democrats joined private self interest pressure groups in demanding Thomas recuse himself from participating in any further court proceedings touching on the presidential election. Others predictably went into their customary indignation overdrive, calling for Thomas impeachment despite a lack of any evidence of misconduct or unethical behavior. They warn that driving him from office is necessary because he may, might, potentially, possibly, perhaps vote favorably on a court opinion upholding a Trump campaign inspired challenge. By one report, Thomas has participated in nine election-related cases without recusal, a step taken at the discretion of a justice who decides on his or her own whether to step aside. The sole response from Ginni Thomas was that she never discusses Supreme Court matters with her husband and her longtime political activism has not impacted the Justices responsibilities or influenced his actions. There is, according to her, no How was your day at the office, honey? dinner table conversation in the Thomas household. Her assurances, though, are difficult to accept, even by those who may sympathize with her view of election fraud. It requires a colossal leap of faith to accept the notion that husband and wife occupy the same home, engaging in mundane conversation about the weather or the latest movies while tip-toeing around an issue that has dominated politics and government for some 16 months. The nation should be excused for its skepticism, not because it feels either Thomas is deliberately lying, but because in real life experience such an explanation is not credible. While impeachment is a non-starter, a product of self-serving individuals who see the controversy as an opportunity to grab a slice of the political and media attention, recusal appears a logical and sensible response. By standing aside Thomas would spare himself from a continued torrent of partisan abuse and allegations of unethical conduct while reinforcing judicial independence and the reputation of the court as an institution immune from political pressures and rooted firmly in the rule of law. Going forward, Justice Thomas should exercise recusal by acting prospectively in the handful of election-related cases that may reach the court. His wifes emails constituted partisan political activism. His recusal will give meaning to the words chiseled above the doors of the court Equal Justice Under Law. Carl Golden is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University in New Jersey. You can reach him at cgolden1937@gmail. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Expedition 66 NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei is helped out of the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft. (Mar. 30, 2022) SpaceCast Weekly is a NASA Television broadcast from the Johnson Space Center in Houston featuring stories about NASA's work in human spaceflight. This includes the International Space Station and its crews and scientific research activities, and the development of Orion and the Space Launch System, the next generation American spacecraft being built to take humans farther into space than they've ever gone before. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. The first case of the COVID-19 omicron subvariant, BA.2, was detected in Leon County on March 8, according to a spokesperson for Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. While this single detection is the only known instance of the subvariant's presence in the capital city and county, local experts do not expect a surge in cases and hospitalizations like during the delta or the BA.1 omicron waves. The infection was detected in a Florida State University lab that partnered with Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare to process COVID tests during the early months of the pandemic. Chief Integration Officer for Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and Capital Health Plan Dean Watson speaks during a news conference held to give an update on the Northwood Centre drive-through coronavirus testing site Thursday, March 19, 2020. Tracking the subvariant in Florida: The joint lab is set to test another batch of infections this week and medical experts expect the BA.2 "stealth" subvariant to make up nearly 50% of the cases, mirroring the national trend. Dr. Dean Watson, the vice president and chief integration officer at TMH, says while there is a chance that infections may rise, there is no need for a panic. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, Tuesday, April 7, 2020. "It is likely we will see an increase in the local positivity rate and cases related to the BA.2 variant over the coming weeks," he said in a statement. "However, with much of the population having natural immunity from past infection or vaccine induced immunity from recent vaccination, we are hopeful we will not see a dramatic increase in hospitalizations." As of Thursday, there was only a single COVID-positive patient in TMH and four receiving treatment in HCA Florida Capital Hospital, formerly known as Capital Regional Medical Center. After receiving the Democrat's inquiry for any other detected BA.2 cases locally, Pamela Saulsby, a spokesperson for the Department of Health (DOH) in Leon County, said she would reply with a statement. As of Friday afternoon, she has not received approval from the state DOH office to release a statement on the matter. Story continues Close up of the COVID-19 omicron variant. What is the BA.2 subvariant? BA.2, which has been shown to be highly transmissible but less severe than past variants, is the dominant strain of the virus in new cases in the United States, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Tuesday. The subvariant was first detected in South Africa and the Philippines around the same time as BA.1, in December. However, the variants took different paths: While BA.1 spread through South Africa and eventually the United States, BA.2 made its way through India before crossing into northern Europe and China, where it's causing the countries' most intense surge since 2020. In early March, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House's chief medical advisor, told ABCs This Week that while the U.S. may likely see an increase in COVID cases, he does not expect it to be particularly dangerous. So the bottom line is we likely will see an uptick in cases as weve seen in the European countries," Fauci said. Hopefully, we wont see a surge; I dont think we will. The easiest way to prevent that is to continue to get people vaccinated. And for those who have been vaccinated, to continue to get them boosted. Contact Christopher Cann at ccann@tallahassee.com and follow @ChrisCannFL on Twitter. Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Leon County/Tallahassee has its first case of BA.2 omicron subvariant Got invited to someones place for dinner and they charged me for it ... this is weird, right? comedian Amber Nelson wrote earlier this month in a tweet that went viral. (Photo: Oscar Wong via Getty Images) Earlier this month, an odd, very Seinfeldian etiquette question was put to Twitter by LA-based comedian Amber Nelson. Got invited to someones place for dinner and they charged me for it ... this is weird, right? she tweeted. In the thread, Nelson doled out the backstory: The dinner party was held in Los Angeles. The host mentioned having guests contribute in passing during the dinner, then Venmoed her friends a request for $20 later on. The dinner was penne alla vodka, not some high-effort lasagna with bechamel or a pasta spun out of a $899.99 Costco parm wheel. Nelson partook in a few servings and went on her way. She paid when the request came in but she hasnt spoken to the host since. While most people replied something along the lines of, yes, thats very weird, some folks said theyve had this happen to them, too. Others admitted they host their friends at a charge themselves. As someone who hosts often I usually ask for people to chip in what they can to help me cover costs if they enjoyed the food. I would never stop someone from eating, though, one person said. I invite my friends I like to hang out with and they pay what they want to make it happen more. Some wondered if Nelsons dinner party-throwing friend was from the Netherlands. The expression going Dutch originates there, after all. In the Netherlands this is very normal especially when youre a young adult, one woman said. Not everyone has enough money to just feed a bunch of their friends. I always expect to pay. (Of course, just as many commenters were quick to shoot back, Hey, watch it! Im from the Netherlands and even this is a step too far for us.) Some wondered if charging was a California thing or an LA thing, since thats where the party took place. (As a lifelong Angeleno, I, like the Dutch person above, take umbrage!) Some argued it was a generational thing: Everything has become so transactional for millennials, even something as wholesome and human as breaking bread is tainted, they said. Story continues Others felt the whole incident spoke to the ills of Venmo culture: No one would have the gall to ask for money if they had to do it face-to-face; requesting money on an app is relatively painless. I was taken aback a bit [by the request] one man who was charged for a dinner party told HuffPost. I thought he was joking so I laughed. Then he said that he was serious. (Photo: AlexanderFord via Getty Images) Some on the thread speculated that it was an upper-middle-class or rich person thing or maybe specifically, more of a nouveau riche thing. Its definitely a new money thing, saidAvijit Ghosh, a computer science researcher who replied to the thread, told HuffPost. People who didnt grow up with generosity as the norm behave that way. I grew up in India and something like this would be horrifying. Ghosh, who now lives in Boston, had tweeted about his own experience with a money-hungry host last May. Is it normal for your friend to invite you for dinner a week in advance out to their multimillion-dollar new home in the suburbs, get pizza and then charge you on Venmo for it? #AskingForAFriend, he joked. Something similar happened to Jarrel Benedict, a photographer who works in advertising in Canada, a few years ago. In his case, it was a 10-person traditional dinner party where pork tenderloin was served. Cheese and nuts, bacon-covered asparagus and mashed potatoes were also on the menu, as well as sugar pie for dessert. (Compared to Nelson and her penne alla vodka, at least Benedict got his moneys worth!) Later, as digestifs were passed around, the host made a beeline to Benedict and casually informed him it would be $30 for your share. (This was on top of the $70 wine Benedict had already brought to dinner). In the moment, I was taken aback a bit, he told HuffPost. I thought he was joking so I laughed. Then he said that he was serious. Awkwardness ensued. I told him I didnt really carry cash (because I just use my card or Apple Pay), so he suggested I Interac e-transfer him the money, which is like Venmo here in Canada, Benedict explained. I transferred him the money only because it felt awkward to argue about it. Etiquette Experts Weigh In Naturally, when asked about the original viral tweet, etiquette experts we spoke to had some strong opinions. Is there a typo in the tweet? I think the person meant to write, made a reservation at a restaurant instead of got invited to someones place for dinner, joked Nick Leighton, the host of the weekly etiquette podcast, Were You Raised By Wolves? Unless a host is employing the corporate definition of guest you know how Disneyland and Airbnb call their paying customers guests? you should never expect those you invite to your house to pay, Leighton said. If you do, they have a right to have a say on whats on the menu, at the very least. Being a dinner party host means enjoying certain privileges: getting to choose the date and time, selecting who is on the guest list, and picking the menu, he said. But if you ask other people to chip in, then you are inviting them to be co-hosts of the event, so youll need to share these privileges. Jodi R. R. Smith, the founder of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting, checked off a few social scenarios where it would be acceptable to charge so long as you disclose your plans and the price when the invitation is sent: A potluck presumes the guests will be assisting in providing refreshments or sides A rent party where tenants hire a musician or band to play and pass the hat to raise money to pay their rent, originating in Harlem during the 1920s. (This one assumes youve time traveled back to the 20s, so thats neat.) A fundraiser that may include a cost to attend and the presumption that you may be donating again during the event in the form of pledges, auctions or other donations. Whats verboten, at least as far as Smith is concerned, is the bait-and-switch like Nelsons friend did. It is terribly rude to invite over friends under the guise of a dinner party and then after they have arrived, turn it into an unofficial fundraiser, Smith said. If you plan on asking your guests to shell out, that conversation needs to happen in the earliest planning stages, said Diane Gottsman, the author of Modern Etiquette for a Better Life and founder of The Protocol School of Texas. Its fine when theres open communication among friends and the host makes it clear that they want to throw a party but would love some help, she said. You have to be upfront and honest so guests arent caught off guard. Its a courtesy to let guests know in advance what to expect and they can decide if they want to attend. But Gottsman agrees with the other etiquette guests that billing a guest or charging them without their knowledge is generally ill-advised. Bottom line, etiquette-wise? Charge upfront and as early on as possible or dont charge at all. And if that one friend who charges you continues to invite you to their pseudo-restaurant, you have our full permission to leave them a bad Yelp review. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Akron police car. A man was arrested Thursday afternoon in a double shooting last month in West Akron that left one man dead and another man wounded. Keith Soto, 36, was arrested without incident in Cleveland by members of the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, who were joined by Akron police detectives. Identifying the first victim: Victim of West Akron shooting involving two men in a vehicle identified Early in the investigation, detectives identified Soto as a person of interest in connection with the killing of Jeremy Butcher of Akron. Akron police said that after additional evidence further linked Soto to the killing, investigators signed a warrant for his arrest. Soto was taken to the Summit County Jail and has been charged with aggravated murder, felonious assault and weapons under disability. Akron's first homicide of 2022: Man dies after being shot at Akron party; homicide is city's first of 2022 On Thursday, Feb. 10, Akron police responded at about 3:42 p.m. to the 1000 block of Yukon Avenue, a residential neighborhood just south of Copley Road near Interstate 76. Police found Butcher and the other victim inside a vehicle. Butcher was pronounced dead at the scene. The second man, age 37, was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General with what appeared to be nonlife-threatening injuries. Police have not released the second man's name. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Man charged with murder in West Akron double shooting Scary buildings are something most people usually only enter around Halloween unless youre in Corvallis. The Benton County Courthouse is downright frightening. And residents are forced to do business in the unreinforced masonry building nearly every day, walking past monitors that show how the structure is separating from itself. Seismic engineers might describe the unreinforced masonry courthouse as a death building, said Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson. Some of the engineers in assessing the building have indicated that if we have a moderate earthquake, the core will drop, the building will twist and well all be crushed inside, he added, in an interview with reporter Cody Mann. Haroldson generally has a reputation as a straight shooter, and his statements in this matter arent hyperbolic. The courthouse was built in 1888, and while its beautiful, its in such poor condition that an earthquake could result in its collapse and the death of dozens of county workers and residents visiting the building. Besides the loss of life, such a disaster seems like a huge liability for the county. Weve known about this risk for years and years. So its troubling that no real action has been taken and theres apparently no sense of urgency. Perhaps its time for Benton County to consider moving some courthouse operations and other government functions out of the courthouse. There are security challenges to moving services outside of the courthouse, but these dont seem insurmountable. And thanks to the pandemic, the Benton County Circuit Court system is well-equipped and experienced in handling hearings remotely in most instances, so a great deal of space isnt necessarily needed for everyday matters. Trials also can be held in other venues, such as the Benton County Fairgrounds, which were used as a makeshift courthouse in April 2021 through December 2021. Our suggestion comes knowing full well that a new courthouse is part of Benton Countys Justice System Improvement Plan, which also includes a new correctional facility, sheriffs office and emergency operations center. The plan relies on voters to approve a massive bond measure of up to $100 million. Similar measures have failed in Benton County over the years, so approval is not guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination. If such a levy fails again, the county should decouple the courthouse from other improvements and move forward with preservation groups in an effort to save the building for future generations. (Unlike the Van Buren Bridge, were firmly behind saving this historic structure.) Even if the measure passes and there are no delays, a new courthouse could be years away in the future. The process moves slowly. Meanwhile, people in the building remain in danger almost every day. The Benton County Courthouse should be a symbol of safety, security and public trust. Instead, its become something of a symbol of the public being placed in harms way. Alsea schools lawsuit unsurprising In a development that should astonish no one, the Alsea School District is being sued for $3.7 million with allegations including a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, gender discrimination and whistleblower retaliation. Shannon Rice, Alseas elementary school principal, filed the lawsuit, and while this is noteworthy, it isnt exactly shocking. The lawsuit also accused former Alsea schools superintendent Marc Thielman of campaigning for governor during work hours hes in the crowded GOP primary and turning the school district into a boys club. It included details about how Rice initiated a formal complaint with the district in February, then was notified in March that her contract would not be renewed. Remember that the Alsea School Board, under the leadership of Thielman, disregarded mask rules during a pandemic. The school board voted to openly oppose these public health rules two months before a state mask mandate was lifted, resulting in heavy fines and loss of federal funding. With what we already know, a lack of judgment and unprofessional work environment with Thielman sounds completely true to form. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Your morning rundown of the latest news from overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Colorados construction industry workforce faces three big challenges in coming years: Aging workers who will soon be retiring faster than replacements can get trained; a booming housing market thats driving demand and a glaring under-representation of women construction workers. Thats according to studies from industry associations and local construction officials, who outlined ongoing plans to recruit and retain more women construction workers and managers. Maja Rosenquist, senior vice president of Mortenson, said ongoing programs, and recently inked partnerships, should help decrease the massive gender gap in an industry where only 10.9 percent of workers are female, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. Were being very focused and intentional about our female workforce, said Rosenquist, who has been on the business side of the construction industry for more than 20 years. The Home Builders Associations of metro Denver and Colorado Springs, and the Association of General Contractors in Denver, have also been ramping up efforts in recent years with a Careers in Construction program that targets women and people of color while theyre still in high school. Started by the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs in 2015, its now in 29 high schools, with 1,600 students enrolled. They can earn certificates recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor, internships and job leads. If it werent for CICC I would not be where I am today especially as a woman because it is intimidating going into a field such as construction which is still very male oriented, wrote Teagan Nevada, a Manitou High School graduate who landed a construction job, in a testimonial for the program. However, it is less intimidating knowing I am well prepared and have a strong reliable resource at my disposal. It's a far cry from a time earlier in her career when Rosenquist found her name scrawled in a decidedly non-complimentary way inside a construction site port-a-potty. Denver construction magnate Linda Alvarado, owner of Alvarado Construction, told Forbes magazine last year the same thing happened to her. What Im seeing today is a lot of companies are lifting their heads up and saying what we have been doing is not cutting it', Rosenquist said of efforts to get more female construction workers. Everybody is on their own journey and working at their own pace. Its going to be a tough challenge to solve. Mortensons work in the area has included hosting Womens Skills Nights, efforts focused on hiring more women, and creating a culture of support for those women. That includes making sure theyre getting skilled worker, and management roles not just holding signs or sweeping the floor. Our industry does have a history of relegating women into very low-level roles, she said. In early March, Mortenson inked a multi-year deal with Habitat for Humanity to create a Women Build Program to provide training and more involvement from Mortensons women leaders. Mortenson's employees have volunteered to help build Habitat homes for years. Mortenson really approached this relationship as a collaboration. Together, we envisioned new ways to work together to support their goal of bringing more women into construction while advancing our goal of creating and maintaining affordable, stable housing, said Jeanne Fischette, Habitats director of sponsorships, in a news release. The new program includes quarterly skills building classes taught by Mortensons women leaders, teambuilding days on Habitat construction sites, Women Skills Nights and an intensive two-day training session coming in May. On a recent snowy day at the under-construction Slate Hotel where Mortenson and 4240 Architecture are finishing a 250-key hotel in the former Emily Griffith Opportunity School on 12th and Welton streets, Craft Resource Manager Kedmia Milam talked about her journey into a construction management career. There were a lot less women here that when I joined 11 years ago, Milam said. But I know that weve worked very hard to hit higher numbers throughout these last five years. Weve come close to 20% (female workers) here and in Utah. Craft workers are the skilled workforce, like laborers, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, etc. Milam manages teams larger than 100 in both states. About 18% are female. Milam said she knows upper management has her back. It just give me the courage because I know that I will bring diversity into the conversation and a very different point of view, she said. They recognize the importance of being able to speak up. And the old cliche of hard-hatted construction workers wolf whistling women has largely gone by the wayside, Rosenquist said. Weve been super clear around the zero tolerance on any kind of bias motivated action or discrimination, Rosenquist said. Its just something thats not going to be tolerated. She pointed to an example of an entire project team of 1,500 being shut down to re-iterate those zero-tolerance policies. We are making a much bigger deal about it, she said. Theyve also ramped up retention efforts when it comes to being flexible for child care schedules, and making sure theres no wage disparity between men and women workers. Weve always done a good job at that, but it doesnt mean we dont need to double-check it, Rosenquist said. We had a third-party audit we completed last year to make sure we dont have any disparities there. At a recent Women in Construction Week event at Empower Field at Mile High, Rosenquist said she was encouraged by the number of male participants. I feel like its working when I see our men just as excited about it as our women are, and thats what I saw last week, Rosenquist said. I saw a ton of our men volunteering and attending the events we were hosting. They were advocating for how important their role is in all this. Wallace Community College-Dothan held the Spring 2022 Pre-apprentice Electrical Lineworker graduation on Monday, March 28, 2022, on the Wallace Campus in Dothan. Twenty graduates successfully completed the seven-week program, including Caitlyn Deese, the only female in her graduating class and one of only eight female graduates in the programs history. Deese became interested in the WCCD Pre-apprentice Electrical Lineworker program through a friend. I knew someone who had been through the program, she said. I like being outdoors, so I decided I wanted to try it. The program was not Deeses first experience at WCCD. While in high school, Deese was a dual enrollment student and went through the welding program. She was the only female in that class as well and worked in the welding field locally for a brief period. The Pre-apprentice Electrical Lineworker program is physically demanding, and Deese met all its demands, including the requirement to work aloft without a fear of heights. Ive never been scared of heights, she said, but you still had to get used to it. It doesnt bother me at all. Because of her stature, Deese surprised me, said instructor Greg Chaney. Im not going to lie. He recounted an assignment where students had to rig up a crossarm that weighed 50-60 pounds. Some of the students struggled, but Caitlyn did not. She paid attention and rigged hers properly, said Chaney. She was smart, and she achieved her goal. Being the only female in the class didnt faze Deese, but she does wish there were more females in the industry. Our goal is that more women will see that Caitlyn not only completed the lineworker program but also gained employment in a high demand, high wage career field, said Kecia Forehand, WCCD Workforce Development coordinator. Caitlyn has great earning potential, and we are truly excited to see where her career will take her. Caitlyn has proven that with great work ethic, dedication, and perseverance, women can be successful in any career field. Pre-apprentice Electrical Lineworker classes for the reminder of the year are full at this time. For more information on WCCDs Pre-apprentice Electrical Lineworker program, visit wallace.edu/wfd. By Vafa Ismayilova One person has been killed and 31 injured in a blast in a Baku center on April 3, Trend has reported quoting the Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General's Office. At about 0300 on April 3, 2022, an explosion occurred in a nightclub located on Tarlan Aliyarbayov Street in Baku's Sabail district, after which a fire broke out. According to preliminary information, one person died and 31 people were injured, the report added. "Currently, employees of the Interior Ministry, the Emergencies Ministry and other relevant departments are at the scene. Investigators and criminologists of the Prosecutor-General's Office perform the necessary investigative actions. According to preliminary information, one person died and 31 people received bodily injuries of varying severity as a result of the incident. The public will be provided with additional information", the office said. Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB) public legal entity said that the condition of six people injured in the April 3 blast is assessed as severe, 12 - as moderate, six - as stable. Other victims were released after receiving outpatient care. TABIB Board Acting Chairman Vugar Gurbanov visited the victims and inquired about their condition. Police and the State Fire Service and the Emergencies Ministry's Special Risk Rescue Service forces immediately arrived at the scene after the blast. When assessing the operational situation at the scene, it was found that the blast occurred at an object operating as a nightclub, which led to a fire and a collapse inside the premises. Thanks to the prompt intervention of firefighters, the fire was extinguished in a short time. The Health Ministry reported at night that 35 ambulance and emergency medical teams were on the site. At 24 people (13 men, 11 women) were reported to be hospitalized 0420. Enterprise will kick off spring with an Easter hat parade, deviled eggs, and even pictures with a Peep. The Spring Festival at the Monument will be held on Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Enterprise. There will be more than 70 market vendors, music, food vendors, the Easter hat parade, an Easter hat contest, plant sales, childrens activities, and pictures with the Peep. A partnership between Main Street Enterprise and the Friends of Main Street/Downtown Enterprise Business Association, the festival will feature free arts and craft activities for children provided by local churches. There will also be childrens activities that will have a small cost, such as inflatables and pony rides. Main Street Enterprise Director Mariah Montgomery said she and event organizers are also excited to host the annual Easter Hat Parade and Contest, beginning at 12:30 p.m. near the Boll Weevil Monument. This tradition began at the Enterprise Farmers Market in 2016 and has grown in popularity and participation. This year, the parade moves to downtown, but Montgomery said the Farmers Market is still supporting the event by offering an Easter hat decorating class from 8 to 11 a.m. Anyone planning to participate in the parade or contest can pre-make their hats at home or bring a plain hat of your choice to the Farmers Market and choose from a variety of free materials to decorate your hat for the competition and parade. Visit www.enterprisedowntown.com for a list of rules and tips. Prizes will be awarded in several categories. Hats can be store-bought but must be personally customized with your own flair. Hats can be elegant, whimsical, and themed or created with any look you desire. The parade and contest are for all ages and the contest is free to enter. The Enterprise Farmers Market also will be hosting special events on April 9 a visit from the Easter bunny, a Spoon and Egg Race for all ages, and the sixth annual Wiregrass Devilicious Deviled Egg Contest. To enter the deviled egg contest, bring 12 halves or whole eggs, depending on your recipe and presentation, to the Farmers Market between 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Pre-registration is preferred, but you are welcome to enter by coming to the market during the registration hours. Winners will be announced at 11 a.m. with prizes sponsored by Cutts Restaurant. Eggs are judged with different categories for taste, creativity, traditional recipe, non-traditional ingredients, and overall winner. Entry forms are available by contacting the City of Enterprise Special Projects Coordinator Kay Kirkland at 334-348-2310 or kkirkland@enterpriseal.gov or by going to the Farmers Market website, www.enterpriseal.gov/183/Farmers-Market or visiting the markets Facebook page. This is part of a fun morning at the Market, and the contest is always exciting, Kirkland said. You may be a terrific experienced cook who can whip up a yummy, gorgeous deviled egg plate; or, the one whos always tapped to bring the deviled eggs to holiday meals and Sunday dinners because family members know thats really all you know how to make. It doesnt matter. Youre all invited to this contest. There will be street closures in place for these events. East and West College Street will be closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Main Street will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees should refer to the Special Event Parking Ordinance regarding downtown parking. For more information, contact Main Street Enterprise at 334-406-1274 or mainstreet@enterpriseal.gov. Vietnam Airlines aircraft are seen at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in October 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy The accumulated loss of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines climbed to VND21.98 trillion ($928.39 million) last year, roughly the same as its charter capital. The airline was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic that saw borders closed and commercial flights suspended for two years. It posted a loss of VND13.02 trillion last year alone, with revenue dropping 31 percent year-on-year to VND28.09 trillion. The airline increased its charter capital by 56 percent to VND22.14 trillion last year by issuing 800 million shares, with the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) contributing an additional VND6.89 trillion. The Commission for Management of State Capital at Enterprises (CMSC) now holds a 55.2 percent stake in the flag carrier, the SCIC 31.14 percent, and Japans ANA airline 5.62 percent. The airline has been increasing the number of flights it operates since the beginning of this year as the government began lifting restrictions based on rising vaccination rates. It operated 7,314 flights last month, up nearly 21 percent year-on-year. The airline has proposed that the government raises the price cap for domestic travel from April 1 and add a fuel surcharge for local routes as fuel prices have soared in recent months. The federal government oversees a wide range of entitlement programs, providing financial support to citizens. The entitlement programs are so named because they are essentially rights granted to all citizens and certain non-citizens by federal law. They can be divided into contributory or non-contributory programs, which refers to whether or not recipients have to have made financial contributions to the program in order to later receive the benefits. The scale of these federal programs is absolutely vast and they comprise the social safety net for people all across the United States. Forbes reports that the big three of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid account for around 48% of all federal spending. For context, military spending account for around 15% of the annual budget. What are contributory entitlement programs? Contributory programs are typically paid into by workers throughout their lives with monthly or annual contributions taken from their payslips. Americans who receive the support must have participated in the programs through payroll taxes. The most widely-claimed of the contributory entitlement programs are Social Security, Medicare and Unemployment Insurance. Social Security and Medicare are typically designed to offer support for older or retired workers, ensuring that they have are able to cover the cost of essentials later in life. Unemployment Insurance provides monthly payments for out-of-work Americans, but to qualify for the money the claimant must have contributed a sufficient amount during their time in the workforce. The U.S. Supreme Courts insular cases have left the citizens of U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands without Social Security benefits and the right to vote for president.https://t.co/yOxKUgfuLi New York State Bar Association (@NYSBA) April 2, 2022 What are non-contributory programs? Non-contributory programs are often referred to as welfare and they are designed to provide support for low-income Americans regardless of their work history. They offer a social safety net for vulnerable people and are designed to keep people out of poverty, offering a basic level of financial or medical support. While they are still considered a legal right for all Americans, there are eligibility thresholds to ensure that only those in need of the support receive it. These programs include refundable tax credits (like the Earned Income Tax Credit), the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Housing Assistance, Supplemental Security Income and Pell Grants to support students financially. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that provides extra money for groceries each month for qualified households. We can help guide you through the SNAP application process. Click here to learn more: pic.twitter.com/oCi3dNx7TM Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma (@rfbo) April 2, 2022 There are also a range of non-contributory entitlement programs that focus specifically on supporting children in low-income households. These include the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Child Nutrition, Head Start, childcare support and Women, Infants and Children, a program supplying supplemental food for pregnant women and children less than five years of age. Headlines - Russian Defence Ministry denies war crimes committed in Bucha, describes images as "staged performance by Kyiv regime" - International condemnation erupts over alleged war crimes in Bucha - EU lining up more Ukraine support and more Russia sanctions - Russia report that they have destroyed oil refinery in Odesa. - The United States has sent Ukraine more than $1.4 billion in military support since Russian invasion began on 24 February. - Ukrainian photojournalist Maks Levin was found dead in Kyiv after being reported missing. - The Red Cross of Ukraine continue attempts to enter Mariupol after being denied access by Russian forces. - Russia threatens tocall off negotiations after Ukraine is accused of an attack on a Russian fuel depot in their territory. Background: Russia-Ukraine conflict - State of the fighting: which armies control what areas? - Hacking collective Anonymous continues to attack Russian companies. - Western leaders are "weary" of Russian de-escalation messages Related news: Offshore construction of a wind farm is complicated. It is often described as a "moon landing" mission. That is even more so in the Mediterranean, one of the world's busiest waterways. Yet the Italians' determination coupled with Chinese expertise are starting to turn the Southern European nation's dream for clean electricity into reality. WIND OF COOPERATION A massive wind turbine installation vessel is on standby 24 hours a day off Taranto port in southern Italy, where engineers are about to witness the birth of the Mediterranean's first offshore wind farm. When fully operational, Beleolico could power 18,500 households. With Chinese expertise, the construction of the wind farm is nearing completion. It is ready to tell a story of how the tie-up of Chinese renewable technology and Europe's ambitious green targets can make a difference. And when the wind blows across turbine rotor blades off the Puglia coast -- the "heel" of Italy's boot -- the wind farm can generate zero-emissions electricity to power tens of thousands of local families. Italy is not the only European country that is working with China to generate power through wind. In a dense mountain forest in western Croatia, the country's largest wind farm, built by a Chinese company, has begun operation. It promotes greener, local growth and could persuade more environmentally-oriented young people to stay behind and develop their hometowns. That wind of renewable energy cooperation is impressively valuable and essential as the headwinds of protectionism and confrontation are swirling hard. That is why leaders of China and the European Union (EU) have stressed once again their shared commitment to promoting common development and jointly tackling such planetary challenges as climate change at their Friday's virtual gathering via video. SHARED GREEN FUTURE These wind farm cooperation projects are possible thanks mostly to the common pursuit by China and the EU in green development, a key component of "Xiconomics" put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping and guiding China's high-quality growth. Following Xi's economic thought, China has built the world's largest wind and solar power capacity, with an increase in new installation outpacing any other country in the world. In 2021, China sold more than 3.5 million new energy vehicles, ranking first globally for the seventh consecutive year. While China is delivering on its promise of carbon neutrality set for mid-century, the country is synergizing its development strategy with that of the EU to generate new driving forces in an already dynamic partnership. About 800 km away from Taranto port, China's Shanghai Electric Power Company Limited is using its expertise in wind, solar and hydrogen power on Malta's Gozo Island, which could become the EU's first carbon-neutral island. Horst Loechel, a professor at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, stressed the importance of green cooperation between China and the EU. This "template for cooperation" in green energy is of great significance for the world, said the professor. "We shall see more and more joint efforts in technology invention, adoption, and commercialization," said Xiong Yu, a professor at the Surrey Business School in Britain, while talking about the prospects of China-EU green cooperation. "The collaboration will be from strength to strength and can obviously impact the world," he said, adding that "it will greatly improve the trust and partnerships in many other areas between the two regions." PARTNERSHIP OF GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE Eight years ago, during a visit to the EU headquarters in Brussels, President Xi proposed that the two sides foster a partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization. During a meeting with President Charles Michel of the European Council and President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission via video link on Friday, Xi urged greater synergy between their development strategies and complementarity between China's new development philosophy and paradigm and the EU's trade policy for open strategic autonomy. The new development philosophy, featuring innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, was put forward by Xi in 2015 and has since piloted China's growth and strengthened its trade links with other countries. China-EU trade has no doubt reaped from such a vision. In 2021, bilateral trade between China and the EU was worth over 800 billion U.S. dollars, a new all-time high, up 33 percent from eight years ago. Two-way investment last year exceeded 270 billion U.S. dollars. The EU became China's second-largest trading partner last year. In the first two months of 2022, it overtook the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to grab the top spot, indicating the huge potential for the two-way trade. And across the Eurasian continent, freight trains transporting merchandise between China and Europe see constant growth, supporting global supply chains despite disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict. "China and the EU should act as two big markets promoting shared development and deepen economic globalization through open cooperation," Xi said, adding that China welcomes the EU's support for and participation in the Global Development Initiative that aims for balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth worldwide. "China and Europe are close trading partners," said Timo Vuori, director of International Trade and Trade Policy, the Confederation of Finnish Industries. It is vital for them to "continue to develop bilateral cooperation in trade, investments, and climate change. For example, there is potential for industrial digitalization and a green economy including sustainable manufacturing and renewable energy," Vuori said. For professor Xiong in Britain, China-EU ties are of global significance. "China and EU collaboration can greatly benefit each other and create unique value and opportunities for the whole human society." Halyna Yanchenko,The Peoples Deputy of Ukraine, The Deputy chairman Faction of the political party Servant of the People in The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Secretary of the National Investment Council To be honest, I thought I was used to the cruelty of this terrible month of war. But no. New foto from Bucha, Irpen and other liberated territories of Kyiv region are just beyond the humanity. Men that were shot in the head with the hands tied behind their backs. Women that were raped and tortured to death, first mocked and then thrown naked into the street. Mass graves in the suburbs of Kyiv for 280 people (!). Murdered innocent children and mined playgrounds I still can't come to my senses! These crimes of Russian army are living proof that Nazism has already revived in Europe. Again, 80 years after the World War II. Today, Ukrainians are being killed simply because they are Ukrainians. Putin is not just the new Hitler, he is worse than Hitler. He is destroying an entire state in central Europe in front of the whole civilized world. He is trying to wipe out of existence our peaceful country that hasnt declared war on anyone. We need weapons and support to stop the destroying of our country. We need a closed sky and powerful air defense systems to protect ourselves from missiles and Russian bombs. Putin is just an old lunatic without them. He is successfully bluffing and intimidating the world today. Keep repeating this message to western media. I hope western politicians will hear me and act accordingly. The only thing that makes Russian President Putin powerful - is the fear in the eyes of Western politicians and leaders. He doesnt see this fear in the eyes of Ukrainian politicians and in the eyes of Ukrainians, and it makes him really nervous. Instead, every day as our colleagues from the EU and the UAS act slowly and assess the "risks" of avoiding World War III, it is already going on in central Europe. In Ukraine. What is the point of being afraid of what has already happened? Each of you can help us to stop this! Write to your heads of state, members of the government, representatives in parliament with a demand to provide strong military assistance to Ukraine and do no fly zone above Ukraine. Impose more severe economic sanctions on Russia to prevent further financing of the war! So that we can protect our peaceful cities and avoid huge casualties among the population. Dont be silent - help us to defeat Russian evil! Ukraine has shut down Unit 1 of the Khmelnytsky NPP, which remained in operation after Unit 2 was shut down for regular maintenance, leaving only seven of the 15 existing units in operation in the power grid, the International Nuclear Energy Agency (IAEA) has said, citing Ukrainian nuclear regulator. According to the IAEA's daily update on Ukraine on its website late on Saturday evening, the agency explained the shutdown of the remaining power unit by regular maintenance. "Out of the country's operational reactors, Ukraine said seven were operating, including two at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhia NPP, three at Rivne, and two at Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP. The other reactors are shut down for regular maintenance, including both units at the Khmelnytsky NPP," the IAEA said in the statement. Russian invaders destroyed the infrastructure of the Kremenchuk Oil Refinery by their shelling on Saturday morning, it is not operating, Head of Poltava Regional Military Administration Dmytro Lunin has said. "Now I can state officially. Today, the invaders heavily shelled the Kremenchuk Oil Refinery and the surrounding warehouses for fuel and lubricants. Unfortunately, the infrastructure of the enterprise has been destroyed. The plant is not operating. Our rescuers continue to heroically put out the fire," Lunin wrote in his Telegram channel on Saturday evening. According to him, this is not an environmental disaster, the State Emergency Service controls the situation. At the same time, he said that according to this moment, several people who received burns were injured, but nothing threatens their lives. "I ask the residents of Poltava region not to line up for gasoline and not create an artificial shortage. There is a war in Ukraine, the situation is very difficult, but completely controllable," Lunin said. By Azernews By Vafa Ismayilova Azerbaijan is ready to meet halfway if Armenia is seriously involved in the peace process, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has said. He made the remarks at a joint press conference with Italy's Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Luigi Di Maio in Baku. Peace treaty "In recent days, we have been hearing positive messages from Armenia in this direction. I hope this is indeed a display of a serious approach. Azerbaijan has openly expressed its position. If Armenia is really serious about this process, then Azerbaijan is ready to meet halfway and take concrete steps," he added. The minister stressed that Italy will provide additional support to Azerbaijan in de-mining liberated territories. "During the meeting, we addressed the issues of mine safety and the mine-clearing process. My Italian colleague noted that their companies would take additional steps in this regard. They will help relevant Azerbaijani agencies in de-mining," Bayramov said. The Azerbaijani minister informed his counterpart about the need to create a working group on the delimitation and demarcation of the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the proposals made to Armenia for a peace agreement, and the main basic principles of this agreement, presented by Azerbaijan in February. Bayramov briefed Luigi Di Maio about Azerbaijan's proposals to Armenia to open communications in the region. He underlined that Italy has been the first partner country of Azerbaijan to take part in the restoration of the territories liberated from Armenian occupation in the 2020 second Karabakh war. The minister made the remarks at the "Azerbaijan - Italy: Path to multifaceted strategic partnership" conference at ADA University. Energy cooperation The minister stressed that Azerbaijan hopes for Italy's participation in the development of joint projects on renewable energy sources. "Azerbaijan is paying great attention to the development of renewable energy sources. We hope that Italian companies will take part in the development of joint projects in this area," Bayramov said. Speaking about bilateral economic ties, the minister noted the importance of the energy sector. "There is high-level cooperation between the two countries in the oil and gas sector. The commissioning of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) allowed us to supply Azerbaijani gas to Italy," Bayramov stated. Azerbaijan is currently one of the key partners of Italy, Luigi Di Maio said at the joint press conference. According to Di Maio, its necessary to diversify energy resources, and Italy has plans for energy security. In his remarks at the "Azerbaijan - Italy: Path to multifaceted strategic partnership" conference at the ADA University, the Italian minister described Azerbaijan as his country's important energy partner. According to him, gas cooperation has become a very important part of relations between Azerbaijan and Italy. He emphasized that Azerbaijan and Italy cooperate at a high level not only in the energy sector but also in other sectors of the economy. Bilateral ties According to him, relations between the countries are developing in various fields, both in education and humanitarian and trade spheres. The minister added that Azerbaijan and Italy have also strengthened their partnership in the energy sector thanks to the launch of the TAP project. Azerbaijan and Italy have traditionally friendly relations. These friendly relations are built on a very solid foundation, Bayramov earlier told the joint press conference after his meeting with the Italian counterpart. He said that Azerbaijani-Italian relations have successfully developed over the past 30 years and reached the level of strategic cooperation and partnership. High-level visits between the two countries have played an important role in developing ties between the two countries, the minister added. Bayramov underlined the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations with the Italian Republic. The joint statement on strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries during Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Italy in February 2020 is of particular importance, he said. The minister noted that Azerbaijan-Italy relations reached the level of strategic cooperation and partnership. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Italy reached $10 billion, Bayramov said. It is scheduled to open an Azerbaijani cultural center in Italy, the minister added. Bayramov noted the high-level cooperation between Italy and Azerbaijan established in the field of culture. Of particular note is the work carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in this area, the minister stressed. "Italian companies have extensive experience in the restoration of cultural monuments, and cooperation in this direction has been discussed," Bayramov said. COVID-19 The minister said that Italy and Azerbaijan provided friendly support to each other during the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that Azerbaijan provided assistance to Italian hospitals during high-level coronavirus infection in the country. "When there was a high spread of COVID-19 in Azerbaijan, specialists from Italy came to our country to help us," Bayramov said. New cooperation accords Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio signed a protocol on the first Strategic Dialogue. The first meeting of the Azerbaijan-Italy Strategic Dialogue was held in Baku. Moreover, the parties signed a document on the establishment of the university and later laid the foundation of the building of Italian-Azerbaijani University. Jeyhun Bayramov, Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov, Education Minister Emin Amrullayev and Di Maio took part in the groundbreaking ceremony. Di Maio said that thanks to the creation of the Italian-Azerbaijani University, relations between the countries will reach a new level. "Today's ceremony is another confirmation of strong ties between Azerbaijan and Italy," he emphasized. The Italian minister added that its important to strengthen the academic partnership between the two countries. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the goal of Russian troops is to capture Donbas and southern Ukraine. "What is the purpose of the Russian troops? They want to capture both Donbas and the south of Ukraine. What is our goal? Defend us, our freedom, our land and people. Do everything to defend," he said on the night of Saturday to Sunday in a traditional video message. According to the president, we are "strengthening the defense in the eastern direction and in the Donbas. We realize that the enemy has reserves to increase pressure in the east." "Our heroic Mariupol continues to hold a significant part of the enemy forces. Thanks to this resistance, thanks to the courage and resilience of our other cities, Ukraine got valuable time. The time that allows breaking the tactics of the enemy and weakening its abilities," the President said. He also said that "our defenders continue to regain control over the communities of Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. More and more Ukrainian national flags in areas that were temporarily occupied. The armed forces of Ukraine do not let the invaders go without a fight. They inflict fire damage." President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have discussed strengthening of anti-Russian sanctions and post-war security guarantees. "I talked to Boris Johnson again. The United Kingdom is our powerful ally. We discussed the defensive support for Ukraine, intensification of anti-Russian sanctions and post-war security guarantees. We look forward to the donors' conference for Ukraine," the head of state wrote on Twitter on Saturday evening. As reported, on March 17, President of the European Council Charles Michel announced the need for an early donor conference to support Ukraine financially for recovery. UK Foreign Secretary appalled by war crimes of Russian occupiers in Bucha, other Ukrainian cities Foreign Secretary of the UK Liz Truss is appalled by the atrocities of the Russian occupiers in Bucha and other cities of Ukraine. The collection of evidence for the International Criminal Court continues. "Appalled by atrocities in Bucha and other towns in Ukraine. Reports of Russian forces targeting innocent civilians are abhorrent," she said on Twitter on Sunday night. Truss said that the investigation of the war crimes of the Russians continues and those responsible will be held to account. "The UK is working with others to collect evidence and support the International Criminal Court war crimes investigation. Those responsible will be held to account," the minister wrote. On Saturday, April 2, the Ukrainian Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed eight air targets of the Russian invaders, continuing missile and bomb attacks on enemy ground targets, the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has reported. "On April 2, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit eight air targets: 2 aircraft (preliminarily Su-34 fighter-bombers); 1 helicopter; 1 UAV; 4 cruise missiles," the Command said in the evening report. It is also reported that strike aircraft under the guise of fighters continues missile and bomb attacks on troop gathering points, equipment columns, logistics centers and manpower of the invaders. Ukraine has not seen a single effort from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to stop the war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message on the night of Saturday to Sunday. He called Orban "a man who doesn't seem to fully understand what is going on and what is being experienced, not only in Ukraine, but throughout Europe," as well as that who "is almost the only one in Europe who openly support Mr. Putin." "We did not ask for anything special from the official Budapest. We didn't even get what everyone else is doing! They are doing it for peace. We did not receive the vital transit of defense assistance, we did not see moral leadership. We did not see a single effort to stop the war!" Zelensky said. "The entire Europe is trying to stop the war, to restore peace. Why, then, is official Budapest opposed to the whole of Europe, to all civilized countries? For what?" the Ukrainian president asked. According to him, "the Ukrainian people support the Hungarian people. The Hungarian people support the Ukrainian people. We still value peace, we still value freedom. So it will always be. We will always live in good neighborliness." "Politicians are leaving. But the truth remains. That's what I'm talking about the truth. And I always say what I think. When I talk about Hungary, I mean Hungary. And I don't need to mask my thoughts. If it's a war, I call it a war, not a "special operation." If this is a threat to the entire Europe, then I call it a threat to the entire Europe. This is called honesty, which Mr. Orban lacks. Perhaps he lost it somewhere in contacts with Moscow," the President of Ukraine said. Russian side in negotiations with Ukraine agrees to referendum as way for Ukraine to obtain neutral status The Russian side in negotiations with Ukraine has agreed that the referendum is the only way out in the process of recognizing the country's neutral status, David Arakhamia, head of the Ukrainian delegation at the talks, said during the telethon on Ukrainian television on Saturday. "The Russian side agreed that this would be the only way out of this situation," he said. Asked what will happen if the transition to a neutral status is not supported by the people of Ukraine, Arakhamia said that "then the treaty will not have legal force and we will either return to a state of war, perhaps, or return to new negotiations." Ukraine believes that Russia should not have the right to veto the issue of providing Ukraine with security guarantees, David Arakhamia, the head of the Ukrainian delegation at the talks, said on Saturday during a telethon on Ukrainian television on Saturday. "We insist that we will not sign any document where consensus is required, as in the UN Security Council. Then there is no need to discuss any security guarantees at all, Russia can block them at any moment," he said. "We are discussing, they hear the logic, they understand that this cannot be so, therefore we are discussing a different format, where we have a peace treaty with Russia, and security guarantees are provided by other countries and Russia, of course, cannot block this process," Arakhamia also said. According to him, "this is laid down in the mechanism for activating these guarantees. It seems to me that in the final round we will reach the fact that they will accept this position, otherwise we will not sign anything at all." He said that "three NATO countries agreed in this format, this is actually Article 5 of NATO, but with a more stringent activation mechanism Turkey, Germany and Italy." Speaking about the guarantor countries, Arakhamia expressed the opinion that "nuclear states are important for us - France, the United States, China, as well as Germany and Turkey." "Five countries are very important for us, this is the minimum we are waiting for to say that this is a good framework to protect Ukraine from future aggression." Ireland may become one of the guarantor states of Ukraine's security, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News. "We do need guarantees of security from leading nations and the Russian Federation understands that we may have arguments about this or that country. But among the key states there have to be guarantors and those can be members of NATO and those outside it. We are talking about key players, consider key players of the world. But once again I'm saying that we want those countries that wanted join this openly. In addition, to the United States, the UK, Germany, France, Turkey. Why I named this list? This is not all of them. We would like to have China join it I know [about] Israel and Ireland," the head of state said. He said that so far he knows that several different countries want to be a member of this alliance among the security guarantors for Ukraine. Zelensky said that he only "named those countries, which have already said that they are prepared to be guarantors or those who we contacted and already exchanged some early drafts of the document." In addition, Zelensky said that Russia also "needs to find a place in that agreement as well, because it will be an agreement between Ukraine and Russia," because they are a party to this war, the Russian Federation need to be bound by that treaty. A prayer for Ukraine was held at the Wailing Wall in Israel The Embassy In Jerusalem, at the Wailing Wall on Friday, a prayer for Ukraine was held. The Embassy of Ukraine to the State of Israel reported this at Facebook. Today in Jerusalem, at the Wailing Wall, a common prayer for Ukraine Pray for Ukraine was held. The action was attended by members of the official Ukrainian delegation, diplomats of the Embassy of Ukraine, as well as everyone who wished, - the message says. The Embassy expressed gratitude to Rabbi Shmuel Azman for the read prayer and wishes of peace to Ukraine. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba discussed with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock the issues of toughening sanctions against the Russian Federation and strengthening the defense capability of Ukraine, and also thanked the German side for refusing to a demand of the Russian Federation to pay for energy in Russian currency. "I spoke with Annalena Baerbock and thanked Germany for refusing to pay for Russian natural gas exports in rubles. Emphasized the need to impose new stiff sanctions on Russia. Informed on the frontline developments. The need to further strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities is urgent," Kuleba wrote on Twitter on Saturday. By Trend The Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed its condolences to Azerbaijan due to explosion in a nightclub, Trend reports citing the Foreign Ministry page on Twitter. "We are sad to hear the news about dead and wounded as a result of explosion in Baku. We share the grief of our brothers in Azerbaijan, we wish them patience and speedy recovery, statement said. On the night of April 3, an explosion took place at one of the nightclubs in the center of Azerbaijan's capital city - Baku - killing one and injuring 31 people. Ukraine is negotiating with the People's Republic of China (PRC) through diplomatic channels, David Arakhamia, the head of the Ukrainian delegation at the talks, has said. "The state of negotiations with China is probably less ready when compared with other countries helping us. We maintain contacts with them twice a day, but with China it is getting more and more difficult. I think China will eventually join," he wrote on his Telegram channel. Arakhamia said that Chinese leader Xi Jinping made a statement about the need to provide Ukraine with maximum conditions for peace to come. "That is, it was said in diplomatic language that they do not mind," the head of the Ukrainian delegation said. Minister for the Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine Oleksiy Chernyshev has said that about 6,800 residential buildings have already been destroyed or damaged in the war in Ukraine. "In Ukraine, about 6,800 residential buildings have been destroyed or damaged in the Russian-Ukrainian war Today, to restore the basic infrastructure and basic things that we must do immediately after the end of the war, we need tens of billions of dollars for the first period," Chernyshev was quoted as saying by the ministry's press service. The minister believes that funds for the development and restoration of cities and agglomerations will need to be measured in hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars. The enemy continues to deliver systematic missile and air strikes on civilian infrastructure facilities and bases for storing fuel and lubricants throughout Ukraine, while concentrating its main efforts on preparing for the resumption of offensive operations, establishing control in the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports on Sunday afternoon. It is also noted that measures are being taken to train personnel and equipment in order to form additional units to participate in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. In the Slobozhanske direction, the invaders continue to block the city of Kharkiv. The main efforts of the enemy are concentrated on the continuation of offensive operations in the direction of the city of Izium. In order to find weak points in the defensive positions of our troops, the enemy continues to conduct reconnaissance. In the Donetsk direction, the enemy continues shelling settlements and positions of our troops and conducting assault operations in most areas. Had no luck, regrouping. In the Yuzhnobuzhsk direction, there is a battle for the settlement of Oleksandrivka. In the Volyn direction, the situation has not changed. In the Polissia direction, the enemy completed the withdrawal of individual units of the Eastern Military District to the territory of the Republic of Belarus, with the subsequent transfer of these units to the territory of the Russian Federation. On the liberated territory of Kyiv region in the areas of the settlements of Velyka Dymerka, Skybyn and Hoholiv, units of the defense forces are cleaning the territory from mine-explosive devices installed by Russian invaders. In the Siversk direction, the enemy has completed the withdrawal of units of the Central Military District to the territory of the Russian Federation. In the area of the city of Sumy, the withdrawal of the occupying troops continues. The enemy provides cover and logistical support for individual units withdrawn to the territory of the Russian Federation. Small groups of invaders remain in the liberated territories, hiding or trying to independently cross the state border of Ukraine. Looting is a reality of the army of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk says. "Looting is a shameful reality of the Russian army. A reality that forever eradicates in the minds of even the most stubborn supporters of the 'Russian world' the myths about the greatness of the 'second army of the world,' the glorification of 'grandfathers fought,' romanticization of 'officers of the White Guard army' and other nonsense. Today the Russian army is an army of rednecks. And their main trophies are microwaves, hair dryers, electric kettles, toilet bowls and wall carpets, which they wring out in broken towns and ship to their females in 'Russian shitville," Stefanchuk wrote on Facebook on Sunday. Stefanchuk recalled that the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law specifically for such "hunters for freebies," which suggests not to waste money on trifles. "Bring a tank get $100,000, IFV $50,000, MLRS $25,000, a military vehicle $10,000. There are offers for 'wealthy owners.' For a combat aircraft or ship ranks 1 or 2 $1,000,000, and for a combat helicopter or ship ranks 3 and 4 $500,000," Stefanchuk said. The fifth President of Ukraine, MP Petro Poroshenko calls for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council to present to the world the facts of the genocide of the Ukrainian people by the Putin regime, the press service of European Solidarity reports. "I am shocked by the massacres of civilians by the Russian military in cities and towns of Kyiv region. Both Ukraine and the world should be aware that this is the terrible fate that the bloody Putin regime has prepared for us, for Ukrainians, if we lose this war, if we give up and stop fighting," Poroshenko wrote on Facebook. "I urge to convene an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, at which to present the inhuman facts of the genocide of the Ukrainian people by the Putin regime and to respond decisively to these crimes. I also propose to immediately send an international mission to study and fix the facts of the genocide," the politician notes. Poroshenko is convinced that evidence of the massacres of Ukrainians should also be put on the table of the International Criminal Court in the case of genocide against Ukraine, and any so-called "peace agreements with Russia are impossible without ensuring the full responsibility of Russian war criminals for the killings of Ukrainians and the destruction of peaceful cities and towns." "The whole world should once again think about whether it wants to trade with the bloody butcher Putin, conclude new agreements with him and build its future with his regime; Putin, like Stalin, seeks to wipe Ukraine and Ukrainians off the face of the earth and the map of the world," Poroshenko writes. The crimes of the Russian military in Bucha, Hostomel, Irpin were the result of the policy of European partners who sought "not to provoke the Russians," Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the President's Office head, said. "The main thing, according to our European partners, is not to provoke the Russians? [evil irony] The main thing is that the Third World War does not start? The main thing is that the Russians do not get offended and do not use ... What do they not use? Missiles, air bombs, tanks, did not massacre civilians, bombard residential areas, mass executions, as in concentration camps? What haven't they used yet? As a result, the world received a total indescribable horror of anti-humanity in Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel," he wrote on the Telegram channel on Sunday. "Hundreds, thousands of killed, torn to pieces, raped, bound, again raped and again killed. Hundreds, thousands of peaceful Ukrainian citizens. Killed with special brutality," Podoliak also wrote. "Very cool and omniscient yesterday's and today's 'leaders of Europe,' hundreds of current European politicians, who are eating well and sleeping peacefully in their beds now, don't you have a desire to carefully look at this photo archive of hell-XXI arranged by the Russians in Kyiv region? Wanted Srebrenica in the 21st century? Received? Satisfied? Did you want to reincarnate Treblinka, encouraging the 'Russian world?' Did you want to remember what the hellish horror of working crematoria is, burning people alive because they are Ukrainians? Are you trying to turn around again? Organize another summit to be concerned and shake your head?" he asked. "Once again, carefully look at the thousands of torn, raped, burned Ukrainians. In the XXI century. As part of the 'special operation.' Torn to pieces by the RUSSIANS. And now once again tell the whole world that the Russian Federation is normal, this is business, that Rachmaninoff should not be banned. Look and tell. Or turn away. The main thing is not to provoke. And let them massacre Ukrainians," Podoliak concluded. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny, in a telephone conversation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, General Mark Milley, shared his assessment of the operational situation and noted the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the defense operation to succeed. "We, Ukrainian servicemen, have proved that we are fighting and will continue to fight for freedom, democracy and the right to live in a civilized world, which we are defending today. With the support of the West, we are able to destroy evil, because we do not want a repetition of the scenarios that exist in Ukraine in Europe: the killing of women and children, the destruction of infrastructure," Zaluzhny said on Facebook. "Humanity has a chance for a peaceful life. I hope the whole world understands this. We are ready to bring the destruction of evil to the end," the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the missions of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and international organizations to come to Bucha and other cities and towns of Kyiv region as soon as possible to collect evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Russians. "I call on the International Criminal Court and international organizations to send their missions to Bucha and other liberated cities and villages of Kyiv region, in order, in cooperation with Ukrainian law enforcement officers, to collect as thoroughly as possible all the evidence of Russian war crimes," the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine quotes the words of Kuleba, said by him on the air of the British radio Times UK radio, on Sunday. It is noted that the ministry has already sent a corresponding request to the International Criminal Court. The head of Ukrainian diplomacy also stressed that this evidence will be used in international and foreign courts to bring to justice those who committed these atrocities. "We are still collecting and looking for bodies, but the number has already gone to hundreds. Dead bodies lie on the streets. They killed civilians while in these villages and cities, and also leaving them," Kuleba said. He also spoke about the mass crimes of the Russian army in Ukraine, including murder, torture, looting, rape: "It was impossible to imagine this in the 21st century, but it is happening before our eyes. Russia is worse than ISIS." "If earlier I said that I would make every effort to bring the perpetrators to justice, now I am convinced that this is my life's work, which I will deal with until my last breath, until they all bear responsibility," the minister summed up. EU shocked by crimes of Russian military in Ukraine, promises Kyiv to continue support in its fight against Russian aggression EU shocked by crimes of Russian military in Ukraine, promises Kyiv to continue support in its fight against Russian aggression KYIV. April 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell is shocked by the news about the crimes committed by the Russian military in Ukraine. "I congratulate Ukraine on liberation of most of Kyiv region. Shocked by news of atrocities committed by Russian forces," Borrell tweeted on Sunday. He noted that the European Union is helping Ukraine document war crimes, since all such cases must be considered, in particular, by the International Court of Justice. The head of European diplomacy added that the EU will continue to provide strong support to Kyiv. In turn, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also said that he was shocked by the atrocities of the Russian military in Kyiv region, which he called the "Bucha massacre." "EU is assisting Ukraine & NGO's in gathering of necessary evidence for pursuit in international courts. Further EU sanctions & support are on their way," Michel said. Russian propaganda is actively spreading the theses: "the first stage of the special operation has shown results," "denazification is proceeding according to plan," and "Donbas can count on security," according to the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. "It is already clear that the so-called withdrawal of troops in Kyiv and Chernihiv regions is nothing more than a redeployment. According to CNN, citing U.S. intelligence data, Russia is now shifting its focus to demonstrate the May 9 victory in eastern Ukraine," according to a Facebook post. At the same time, the Center notes, these will be only interim results of a protracted war, since Russian President Vladimir Putin aims to celebrate his own victory on May 9, regardless of what the real situation in Ukraine will be. "Ukraine is aware that even against the backdrop of tough economic sanctions and the defeat of the blitzkrieg plan, Russia will not stop its attempts to seize the entire territory of our state. The shift in the battlefield does not mean that Russia will stop resorting to air attacks with long-range missiles and aircraft throughout the rest of Ukraine," the message says. By Trend Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan plan to increase trade turnover to $2 billion. The agreement was reached at the 4th meeting of the Plenipotentiary Representatives of the President of Kyrgyzstan in the border regions and the Council of khokims of the border regions of Uzbekistan in Osh, Trend reports citing Kun.uz. According to the Kyrgyz government, the meeting was attended by the heads of government of the two countries Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akilbek Japarov. According to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, the trade turnover with Kyrgyzstan in 2021 amounted to $952 million (in 2020 $907.2 million), including exports from Uzbekistan $791.1 million and imports $161.5 million. Kyrgyzstan accounts for 2.3% of Uzbekistans foreign trade it is the sixth largest foreign trade partner after Russia (17.9%), China (17.7%), Kazakhstan (9.3%), Turkey (8.1%) and the Republic of Korea (4.5%). The talks focused on important issues of bilateral cooperation and energy, agriculture, transport, cross-border trade, tourism, cultural-humanitarian spheres. Abdulla Aripov noted that industrial cooperation between the two countries is actively developing, important joint projects in the field of energy, transport and logistics are being implemented. The Uzbek-Kyrgyz Development Fund with a capital of $200 million has been launched to financially support the projects. Akilbek Japarov noted that Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan still have great untapped potential in the trade and economic sphere, and in this regard it is necessary to take concrete practical measures to establish direct contacts between regional administrations and business circles. The parties discussed the construction of the Irkeshtam-Daroot-Korgon-Uchkurgan road, the construction of a cross-border trade and logistics center in Kyzyl-Kiya, as well as joint infrastructure projects that could use the potential of the new development fund. The meeting discussed the implementation of a project to create a complex of cotton and textile clusters in Nooken district, Jalal-Abad region (Kyrgyzstan), which includes a ginnery, yarn factory, textile factory and machine-tractor park and a plant for the production of vegetable oil. The Kyrgyz side offered increasing supplies of cement, coal, quartz sand, potatoes, milk and dairy products to Uzbekistan. The parties touched upon the implementation of projects in Kyrgyzstan on the development of the machine-building industry and the organization of assembly of cars and agricultural machinery. The Council instructed the administrations of Namangan and Jalal-Abad regions to accelerate the establishment of joint farms for the breeding of cattle and sheep, including the use of cluster mechanisms. Akilbek Japarov proposed to establish a Kyrgyz-Uzbek Friendship Park in Osh to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Following the meeting, the parties exchanged notes on mutual recognition of certificates of vaccination against COVID-19. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, about 537,000 Ukrainian citizens have returned to their homeland, the country's State Border Service reports. "Over the past week, 144,000 people left Ukraine. Some 88,000 arrived in Ukraine. In general, since the beginning of open aggression from the Russian Federation, about 537,000 of our compatriots have returned to Ukraine," the Interior Ministry said in a Telegram message with reference to State Border Service data. Russian troops continue to strike at Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, violating international humanitarian law, the Center air command reports on Facebook. "Today, the enemy once again launched a missile attack on the city of Vasylkiv. Some of the missiles were shot down by our air defense system. This territory was fired upon by enemy missiles a month ago and suffered significant damage, almost all the premises burned down from a missile strike. Now the orcs have again entered the headquarters building, which has already been destroyed," the report says. It is noted that in the shelled area there was also a training center and a civilian college, which the community began to restore on their own after the fire. "But the Russian occupiers are insidiously shooting, not abandoning the practice of intimidating the civilian population, because on the territory where the rocket arrived, the employees of the institution put things in order in the street and in the buildings. According to preliminary data, several employees were injured and evacuated to a local medical institution, one of them in a critical condition is under the supervision of doctors. Rescue services are clearing the rubble and looking for living people," the report says. After atrocities of Russia near Kyiv, every country hesitating to impose embargo on Russian energy is sponsor of genocide of Ukrainian people Countries that continue to hesitate with the imposition of an embargo on Russian energy resources are sponsoring the genocide of Ukrainians, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk said. "After the exposure of the atrocities committed by the Russian army in Bucha, Hostomel, Irpin, every country that would hesitate to impose an embargo on energy from Russia is a direct sponsor of the genocide of the Ukrainian people," Stefanchuk wrote on Facebook on Sunday. According to the speaker of the parliament, every barrel of oil, kilowatt of electricity, tonne of coal that will be purchased in Russia is now saturated with the blood of those who were destroyed by the rashists, and the energy received from these carriers is "the life energy that was taken away from every innocently killed Ukrainian." German govt urges to investigate crimes of Russian military, tighten sanctions against Russia The German government calls for an investigation into the crimes of the Russian military and tougher sanctions against the Russian Federation, DW reports. "We must investigate these crimes of the Russian military with all severity," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday, after the publication of evidence of war crimes committed by Russian invaders in Kyiv region. He noted that "criminals and those who gave them orders must be consistently held accountable." Scholz also appealed to Moscow with a call to "finally agree to a ceasefire and stop hostilities." At the same time, the German government calls for tougher sanctions against the Russian Federation. "We will tighten sanctions against Russia and support Ukraine even more strongly in its defense," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock tweeted. Head of the Ministry of Economy and Vice Chancellor of Germany Robert Habeck also supports the tightening of sanctions against the Russian Federation. "This terrible war crime cannot go unpunished (the crimes of the Russian military in Kyiv region)," he said in an interview with the German publication Bild. He also noted that "increased punitive measures against Russia are already under development" with partners in the EU. Ihor Zhdanov, Information Defence Informational Defence of Ukraine provides a daily review of the military-political situation in Ukraine as of April 2nd, based on an analysis of open sources. 1. The russian occupiers have not achieved success in any of the operational areas and have sustained heavy losses as a result of counterattacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, up to 75 BTGs have been involved in combat missions on the territory of Ukraine, up to 34 BTGs are being repaired, and 16 BTGs have been completely destroyed (this information is being clarified). russian troops are trying to reach the administrative borders of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east. They are holding the borders in the occupied territories of the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions in order to distract some parts of the Ukrainian army. In the Donetsk area, the enemy is still attempting to seize Mariupol and to block Rubizhne, Severodonetsk, Popasna, Troiitske, Avdijivka, Marinka, and Krasnohorivka. The occupiers have had no success and have sustained heavy losses. Regarding operational and tactical group "East", russian troops carried out two attacks on Ukrainian defensive positions and sustained losses of up to 80 combatants, three tanks, two BMP artillery systems, one mortar, and three JSCs. Total enemy combat losses from February 24th to April 2nd are approximately 17,800 combatants, 1776 armored fighting vehicles, 1236 autos, 631 tanks, 317 artillery systems, 76 tankers, 143 aircraft, 134 helicopters, 100 MLRS, 54 air defene systems, 87 drones, and seven boats. According to former Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, Arsen Avakov, an internal report of the Ministry of Defence of the russian federation states that russias operational loss of manpower is 17,549 personnel. Private military company losses include 5,366 personnel. The total loss of manpower of the russian Armed Forces and russian APCs (armored personnel carrier) is 22,915. These data are verified to the information of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 2. Information summary and assessments of foreign and Ukrainian intelligence. In mid-January, US intelligence provided Ukraine's top leaders with detailed russian plans to attack Kyiv, which could play a key role in successfully repelling the attack on the capital in the critical first days of the war. This is according to a long piece in The Wall Street Journal (the WSJ). The WSJ writes that during a secret visit to Kyiv in mid-January, intelligence chief William Bjorns met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and provided him with new information received by the United States about the russian federation's plans. US intelligence was aware of the russians' intent to advance from Belarus through the Chernobyl zone, to seize the airport in Hostomel, and to use it as a springboard for an attack on Kyiv. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine reported that residents of the Izium district (in the Kharkiv region) "treated" russians from the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division with poisoned food. As a result, two russians died instantly and another 28 were taken to the intensive care unit. According to military intelligence[MOU1] , about 500 more servicemen of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the russian federation are in hospitals due to alcohol poisoning of unknown origin. 3. The russian invaders continue to violate international humanitarian law. The russian aggressors continue to kill Ukrainian children. According to the Prosecutor General 's Office[MOU2] of Ukraine, 158 children have been killed and 258 children have been injured in Ukraine since the beginning of russia's military aggression. Seventy-five children were injured in the Kyiv region, 71 in the Donetsk region, 56 in the Kharkiv region, 46 in the Chernihiv region, 31 in the Mykolaiiv and Luhansk regions, 22 in the Zaporizhzhia region, 29 in the Kherson region, 16 in the city of Kyiv, 16 in the Sumy region, and 15 in the Zhytomyr region. Every six hours putin kills one child in Ukraine. Every three hours his orks injure one little Ukrainian. An outrageous incident occurred in the Chernihiv region, where from March 18 to March 20, the russian occupiers fired artillery at a convoy of civilian vehicles. As a result, 13 people died, two of whom were children. The russian invaders continue to attack civilians daily. UNESCO has confirmed that at least 53 cultural heritage sites in Ukraine have been damaged since the start of russia's invasion. In Kyiv, 154 houses, 20 private estates, 27 kindergartens, and 44 schools have been damaged since the beginning of the invasion. In Chernihiv and Kyiv, the night of April 2nd was calmer than the previous nights. However, russian forces fired missiles in the Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava regions, used artillery in the Kharkiv region, and shelled the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson regions. In the Luhansk region, as a result of shelling, 19 structures were destroyed (including nine apartment buildings; seven private houses were damaged and one person was wounded). As a result of rocket fire in the Pavlohrad district of the Dnipropetrovsk region, railroad was damaged and cars were exploded; one person was injured. The number of victims of the missile strike on the Mykolaiiv region was originally stated on March 29th, but has increased to 36 people with 34 reported wounded. In the temporarily occupied Balakliia of the Kharkiv region, russian shells hit a district hospital and patients and staff need to be evacuated immediately. Peaceful resistance by Ukrainian citizens continues. Residents of the occupied city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region gathered for a rally on April 2nd. russian occupiers caused grenade explosions and shelling, resulting in wounded and detained people there. The abduction and hostage-taking of civilians continues. After the liberation of the Kyiv region, the bodies of Olha Sukhenko (the head of the village of Motyzhyn) and her husband were found. They had been abducted by the russians on March 23rd. russian invaders have been detaining the leader of the Melitopol district council, Serhii Pryima, for more than two weeks and have also kidnaped five school principals there. As of the evening of April 1st, there is no information about the whereabouts of the mayor of Tavriia, Mykola Rizak, after his detention by the russian military. The reason for his detention and the demands of the occupying forces have not been reliably established. The deputy head of the Novoslobidska OTG (united territorial community) in the Sumy region was also captured by the russian military. 4. Evacuation of civilians through humanitarian corridors continues under attacks by russians. On April 1st, people were evacuated through the humanitarian corridors from the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Specifically, the following numbers of people were evacuated: Mariupol 3,071 people, Severodonetsk - 285 people, Rubizhne - 60 people, Lysychansk - 1,300 people, Kreminna - 52 people, Popasna - 38 people, Polohy - 452 people, Vasylivka - 180 people, Melitopol - 813 people, Berdiansk - 15 people. 6,266 people were evacuated through the humanitarian corridors on April 1st. Eighty-six Ukrainian servicemen were released from captivity by prisoner exchange on April 1st and are returning home. As of April 2nd, seven humanitarian corridors in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions were open along the following the routes: from Mariupol and Berdiansk to Zaporizhzhia and from Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Rubizhne, Popasna, and Nyzhnie to Bakhmut. On Saturday, April 2nd, 1,263 people travelled to Zaporizhzhia by their own transport through the humanitarian corridors from Berdiansk and Melitopol. 765 people from Mariupol and 498 residents of the Zaporizhzhia region, including Berdiansk, Melitopol, Polohy, Orikhiv, and Vasylivka. In addition, 10 buses from Berdiansk with more than 304 Mariupol citizens have passed through the last checkpoint of the occupying forces in Vasylivka. On April 2nd, 2,650 people were evacuated from Severodonetsk, Rubizhne, Lysychansk, Kreminna, Popasna, and Nyzhnie in the Luhansk region. Overall, 4,217 people were evacuated on Saturday, April 2nd via the humanitarian corridors. 5. Socio-economic situation in Ukraine and losses due to russian aggression. Ukraine spends about $ 10 billion per month on hostilities. According to data from Ukraines Ministry of the Economy, the decline in GDP in the first quarter of 2022 will be 16%, and the decline this year may reach as high as 40%. Economic sectors for which remote work is impossible have suffered the most. In particular, these include air and sea transportation services, where businesses work directly with consumers. 150 enterprises from different regions of Ukraine were relocated to the western regions of the country as part of an evacuation program, of which 57 restart their operations. As of April 2nd, 1,322 applications for relocation have been submitted, of which 435 had already been ready for transportation. Marketplace ALLO reports significant problems, including mass layoffs, asset losses, falling margins, and rental difficulties. However, the company is gradually adapting to new conditions. Since the beginning of the russian invasion, 620,000 Ukrainians from abroad have returned to Ukraine. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of Ukrainian citizens returning home. In the first weeks of the conflict, the majority of Ukrainians who returned were men; now the increase is due to women and children returning. Almost 32,000 people left Ukraine as refuges on April 1st. Almost 23,000 people came to our country; more than 19,000 of them are Ukrainians. 6. International support and assistance to Ukraine. Political support for Ukraine and security guarantees. The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, stated that Ukraine urgently needs help from EU partners, and while what has already been done is a lot, it is not enough. She stated this by video message after returning from Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told US President Joe Biden that he would like for the United States to be included in the agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine. President Zelenskyy clarified that the United States is considering this proposal. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Luigi Di Mayo, has said that the Italian government is ready to contribute to the peace process and to act as a guarantor of Ukraine's neutrality. The Minister of the Economy and Vice Chancellor of Germany Robert Habeck has rejected Ukraine's calls for additional support in the fight against russia due to concerns for Germanys own security. "In everything we do, we are very careful not to take any ill-considered steps that could make Germany a target for russia," he said. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Ceyhun Bayramov, stated the need to end hostilities in Ukraine and to resolve the situation politically and diplomatically. Military assistance to Ukraine. The US Department of Defense will provide a security package of up to $300 million to Ukraine, including laser-guided missiles, armored vehicles, thermal imagers, machine guns, and drones. The United States will also assist Ukraine in the event that russia uses chemical weapons. A United States government official, quoted anonymously by the NYT, said the United States would act as a mediator to help in the transfer of tanks to Ukraine, in response to a request from President Zelenskyy. The official said that the transfer of tanks would begin soon, but declined to say how many tanks would be shipped or from which countries. Humanitarian aid to Ukraine. During a visit to Italy and the Vatican, the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, and his wife Agata, brought with them Ukrainian children with cancer who had been evacuated to Poland. According to the Embassy of Ukraine to the UK on April 2nd, 30 armored ambulances purchased by the embassy will be sent to Ukraine with funds raised from the UK. 7. A false report from the russian aggressors. Conflict research journalists from the Intelligence Team ( CIT ) determined that the missile, which was allegedly launched from the territory of Ukraine and which fell near Belgorod, was actually fired from the northeast (i.e. from russia). 8. Political and socio-economic situation in russia and the impact of international sanctions. The oil and gas embargo has had a decisive impact on the state of the russian economy. Bloomberg News reported that if other countries do not impose a full oil and gas embargo, russia could earn nearly $321 billion from energy exports this year and end the year with a record account surplus of $240 billion. However, the forecast may change in the case of an embargo on energy sales. russia's exports and oil production are currently falling and the International Energy Agency estimates that it could lose almost a quarter of its oil production this month. Lithuania stopped importing gas from russia beginning in April, becoming the first EU country to take such a step. The Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, said that his country would not agree to russia's demand to pay for natural gas in rubles. New sanctions and restrictions are being imposed on russia, which is having a negative impact on the russian economy. The Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation, Mikhail Fedorov, has announced new sanctions by technology companies against russia. Their focus is on blocking important services and stopping the supply of goods. Here are some examples: Logitech International SA has stopped supplying russia. This Swiss company is a manufacturer of computer peripherals and devices for gamers. Recruit Group, a recruitment company, has restricted its Indeed system of vacancies in russia and removed all vacancy announcements from russian government and military organizations. Automatic Data Processing has stopped sales in russia. It is an American company that provides software and services for human resource management. Amadeus IT Group has stopped cooperating with Aeroflot. Now russia has been deprived of reservation systems for air tickets, hotels, cruise trips, and car rentals. Emerson Electric has stopped investing in russia. This company offers technological solutions for industrial, commercial, and consumer markets. Nintendo Company Limited has stopped supplying gaming consoles to russia. Also, the Nintendo eShop payment service has suspended the processing of payments in rubles. An aircraft with alleged connections to russian oligarchs was not prohibited from flying in the UK. The Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation has initiated the nationalization of nearly 1,400 railway cars from russia and Belarus. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed with French President Emmanuel Macron developments in the Ukraine crisis as well as Egypts scheduled hosting of the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in November. Cairo governorate started on Thursday the operation of new automated garbage trucks in an experimental phase in southern Cairo, replacing traditional manual collection methods. Israel's Supreme Court has upheld a long-standing expulsion order against eight Palestinian hamlets in the occupied West Bank, potentially leaving at least 1,000 people homeless, an Israeli rights group representing the villagers said Thursday. The Covid-19 pandemic killed 13.3 to 16.6 million people in 2020 and 2021, the WHO estimated Thursday -- up to triple the number of deaths attributed directly to the disease. Saudi Arabia, Russia and other key oil producers agreed on Thursday to another marginal increase in output, bolstered by risks to demand amid coronavirus restrictions in China. FAM Holding, a leading real estate developer, announced its plans to list its shares on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Second Market, joining a growing number of family-owned businesses listing on the UAE bourse. Dr Faisal Ali Mousa, Chairman of FAM Holding, said: "We are pleased to proceed with the procedures for listing the company in the ADX Second Market, as FAM Holding. The company has been converted into a private joint-stock company with a capital of AED50 million ($13.6 million) after previously receiving approval from the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, and we hope to receive the final approval shortly. Dr Mousa added: "Since its establishment in 2009, FAM Holding has expanded rapidly and has become one of the top real estate firms in Sharjah. In recent years, it has further expanded operations in northern emirates covering Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah. "With the UAE leading the list of countries recovering from the pandemic, the local economy has shown significant growth over the last 18 months. It is expected that this growth will continue to increase over the next few years fuelled by the growing momentum of non-oil industries such as real estate, where FAM already has a substantial presence," he added. This listing offers various prospects for the company's expansion, particularly with the rising demand from a large number of investors for freehold real estate, whether for personal or investment purposes, to capitalise on the high rental return. "Listing in the ADX Second Market is the beginning of a new period of growth and development for FAM Holding. The company has been a major player in the real estate industry, with an investment portfolio worth AED2 billion and 5,750 residential apartments in the UAE. The company has always had its best interests in expanding within its industry, especially because it has outstanding growth prospects. FAM Holdings primary goal is to maximise income and sales; and its plan to list its shares will create long-term value for shareholders," Dr. Mousa said. FAM Holding is one of the fastest-growing real estate developers in the UAE. The company focuses on developing quality properties at affordable prices for middle-income families, with flexible payment terms ranging from 6 to 10 years. The company has attracted national and international investors keen on investing in the UAE real estate market. As part of its long-term strategy, the company intends to expand into several markets in the region. TradeArabia News Service Egyptian film critic Ahmed Shawky was chosen last week to head the jury of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) competition at the 75th Cannes International Film Festival. Egypt's local wheat supply season started on Friday and will continue until the end of August 2022, announced Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhi. In a statement Friday, Moselhi said that the ministry's central operations room and the supply directorates countrywide started work today to follow up on production and supply of local wheat. The ministry will receive wheat at more than 400 locations this year, he said, affirming that there is enough storage capacity to receive it. The ministers of supply and internal trade, finance and agriculture issued a decree in March to start the local wheat supply season for 2022 on 1 April instead of 15 April. Egypt is expected to source around six million tonnes of wheat during the coming season around 2.5 million tonnes more than in 2021 to augment its strategic wheat reserves. The country's officials have repeatedly offered assurances that its reserves will meet its needs until almost the end of the year. The country's assurance comes as supply chains of grain from the Black Sea ports to the Middle East and North Africa region have been disrupted by the Russia-Ukraine war. Russia and Ukraine together account for nearly 30 percent of the world's wheat exports. Egypt the worlds top wheat importers gets around 80 percent of its wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine together. The country is currently in talks with others alternative markets, including non-European countries. The supply minister, however, said last week that "there is in no rush to buy at the moment," reported Reuters. Search Keywords: Short link: Israeli occupation forces killed three Palestinian "militants" in a firefight in the occupied West Bank early Saturday, police said, raising fears of further escalation of violence during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Israeli media said four members of a police counter-terrorism unit of the Israeli police were wounded, one of them seriously. The troops came under fire as they attempted to arrest suspected militants in the northern West Bank. Tensions have soared in recent days after Palestinian assailants killed 11 Israelis in separate attacks across the country. Saturday marks the start of Ramadan, a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayer, and religious devotion for hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world. In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Ramadan has often been a period of increased friction and confrontation. The Israeli police said the three militants were members of a cell that was involved in recent attacks against Israeli forces and were planning another attack that was thwarted during early Saturday's joint operation with the military and intelligence. Live videos by witnesses on social media showed a crowd of Palestinians inspecting the scene of the clashes near the city of Jenin after the Israeli troops withdrew. The street was covered with bloodstains and the men chanted slogans calling for revenge. Palestine TV reported that Israeli forces seized the bodies of the militants. In response to the recent Palestinian attacks, more Israeli forces were sent to the West Bank in recent days for increased searches, patrols and arrest raids. With Saturday's deaths, seven Palestinians were killed over three days, including two in a gun battle Thursday and one after he stabbed and wounded an Israeli on a bus in the West Bank. On Friday, a Palestinian man was killed by troops in the West Bank city of Hebron, during clashes that erupted after mosque prayers. The Israeli military said its forces shot a Palestinian who threw a firebomb at them. Several hundred Jewish settlers live under heavy military protection in the heart of Hebron, a city of more than 200,000 Palestinians and home to a major holy site sacred to Jews and Muslims. Also Friday, the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service said 36 Palestinians were hurt in weekly confrontations with Israeli forces elsewhere in the West Bank. Protesters often throw rocks and firebombs at Israeli troops who use tear gas, rubber-bullets and live fire. Thirty-three of the injured were struck by rubber bullets and three by live rounds Friday, the Red Crescent said. At the Al-Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam, authorities said more than 30,000 people attended Friday prayers on the eve of Ramadan. There were no reports of protests or violence. The hilltop on which the mosque is located in the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount, and it has been a frequent flashpoint in the century-old conflict. Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian leaders have held a flurry of talks in recent weeks, and Israel has made a series of goodwill gestures, all aimed at calming tensions ahead of Ramadan. They hope to avoid a repeat of last year when protests and clashes in Jerusalem during Ramadan ignited an 11-day Gaza war and Jewish-Arab violence in Israel's mixed cities. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt is planning to lower its debt to GDP ratio to below 90 percent by the end of the current FY2021/22 which will conclude at the end of June 2022 and under 85 percent over the coming three years, according to Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait. Maait made his statements during a ceremony that was held on Saturday to launch Egypts first Samurai bonds in Japan. The ceremony was attended by the Japanese Ambassador to Egypt Oka Hiroshi, as well as other Egyptian and Japanese officials. Egypt issued its first-of-a-kind Japanese Yen-dominated bonds with a total value of $500 million with a maturity of five years and an average cost representing 2.33 percent of annual issuance to diversify its financial resources and investor base amid the ongoing global economic challenges by tapping the Japanese debt market. This issuance is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Maait also expounded that the government decreased government bodies debt to GDP ratio prior to the pandemic to 90.2 percent by the end of June 2019, down from the 108 percent recorded in June 2017. However, he added, the rate rose to 91.6 percent by the end of June 2021 due to the pandemic and its repercussions. Regarding debt relief, the minister explained that the government managed to reduce the budgets overall expenses on debts to 36 percent in June 2021, down from 40 percent in June 2020, adding that this action helped the state direct additional finance to social protection, education, and health programmes. The government is also poised to launch its first issuance of sovereign Islamic sukuk bonds before the end of FY2021/22 in order to attract fresh investors from the MENA region and Asia for the purpose of providing the required finances to implement the states planned projects. In October 2021, Egypt began taking steps to secure financial facilities for its Islamic sukuk issuance, which are expected to amount to $2 billion. For the Samurai bonds, the minister said that the issuance is a culmination of the finance ministrys efforts to uplift the states efficiency in debt management and diversifying debt financing instruments, which both will contribute to lowering the cost of financing, executing the development projects being implemented, as well as providing more job opportunities. He added that these bonds have attracted various Japanese investors, reflecting their confidence in the sturdiness of Egypts economy, its ability to attain its objectives, and its resilience against the ongoing economic challenges. Egypt is looking forward to introducing more issuances of such kind of bonds going forward. Japanese investments have a major presence in Egypt, with 87 Japanese companies and Japanese-Egyptian joint investment firms operating in the domestic market across several sectors with total investments worth $1 billion, Maait noted. During the ceremony, the Japanese Ambassador to Egypt Oka Hiroshi noted that the issuance of the Samurai bonds contributes to enhancing the bilateral relations between the two countries, which involve Japanese support to Egypts economic reform efforts. Hiroshi also asserted Japans support to the upcoming UNs Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP 27) that Egypt is set to host in Sharm El-Sheikh this November. Search Keywords: Short link: The UK "is currently focused on encouraging Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to reach a suitable solution" for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute that satisfies all three parties - under the auspices of the AU, the UKs Ambassador to Egypt Gareth Bayley said. "We see that many partners are encouraging the parties to reach an appropriate solution and we see a number of partners who are willing to get involved in the matter. We do not want to complicate the matter by adding our voice as an official voice on the issue, Bayley said in an interview with Nashaat El-Deehy, which aired on Saturday on TEN satellite channel. The ambassador stressed that the UK understands that "the Nile River is the life line for Egypt ... [though] there are potentials for water treatment plants ... but the key question is the Nile." He said that his country would take into consideration any potential official request from Egypt to help in the resolution of the dispute. In the event of an official request to add our voice and efforts and encourage countries to reach a solution, of course, we will take it into consideration, Bayley said. He added, however, that the UKs current role is more focused on encouraging an African mediation through the African Union to reach a solution that is suitable to all parties. The last round of multiple AU-sponsored negotiations to resolve the GERD dispute between the three countries collapsed in the democratic Republic of Kongo (DRC) in April of last year. Egypt and Sudan have blamed the recurrent failure of rounds negotiations on Ethiopias intransigence and have repeatedly warned against the consequences of the unilateral steps taken by Addis Ababa on the GERD dispute on their water security and peoples rights. However, Ethiopia unilaterally implemented the first two fillings of the dam in 2020 and 2021 and started producing electricity from the dam in February of this year - steps that the two downstream countries have labelled as a breach to the Declaration of Principles (DoP) that was signed between Addis Ababa, Cairo, and Khartoum in 2015. Bayley, who assumed the UK's ambassadorship to Egypt in 2021, told El-Deehy that the British government fully understands the importance of the GERD issue to Egypt, and, therefore, backed bringing the matter to discussion in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last year. Last July, Egypt brought the GERD dispute to the UNSC, with the council issuing a presidential statement encouraging all three parties to continue negotiations to reach an agreement. During the UNSC session, the UK called on the three countries to refrain from unilateral actions and to engage immediately in constructive talks under the auspices of the AU and the support of the international community. Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN Barbara Woodward also affirmed the UKs support to the 2015 Declaration of Principles, especially the principles of not causing harm and the right to utilise resources. Last November, Bayley also affirmed the UKs readiness to help directly in the GERD file in case of an official request from Egypt, given that Cairo has called for the involvement of the United States, the European Union and the United Nations in the issue. The US previously sponsored a round of negotiations between the three parties in Washington in 2019, but Addis Ababa refused to agree to sign any binding deal. Promoting tourism During the interview, Bayley also called for rethinking the scope of Egypts tourism potential with the aim of doubling the number of tourists arriving in the country annually. He also urged focusing on diversifying the types of tourism types besides archaeological tourism, including adventure tourism. Thousands of British tourists are keen to spend much on trips in the mountainous areas of Sinai, he added. The UK is one of the largest sources of tourists for Egypt, ranking from 2010 to 2015 as the second to fourth largest country sending visitors to Egypt. In 2019, just before the pandemic, an estimated 476,000 British nationals visited Egypt, according to UK government figures. Last month, the UK lifted a travel warning it had issued regarding the southern part of South Sinai and Fayoum, saying the UK no longer advises against all but essential travel to the southern part of the two governorates. This means its now easier than ever for the hundreds of thousands of Brits who visit Egypt every year to discover more of this amazing country, the UK Embassy in Cairo said at the time on its official Facebook page. Cooperation on the COP27 Furthermore, Bayley affirmed the UKs keenness to cooperate with Egypt to pave the way for hosting the 27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh this November. He also expressed hopes that the COP27 focuses on the implementation of climate action obligations, including limiting global warming to 1.5C and financing climate action. Moreover, the ambassador called for more focus on climate adaptation and mitigation efforts during the conference. Egypt has vowed to adopt a comprehensive and impartial approach during its presidency of the COP27 to build on the success achieved by the COP26 that was held in Glasgow last year and ensure that the conference achieves positive results that support international climate action. Cairo said it will also focus on the need to speed up financing for developing countries, especially in Africa, to enable those countries to face climate change. Egypt has held numerous high-level talks with the UK and other international partners to discuss preparations for the conference. In a phone call with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in late March, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson affirmed the UKs keenness to continue cooperating with Egypt in its efforts to confront climate change. He also hailed the role Egypt played within the framework of international efforts to face climate change. Meeting with Egypts Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry the president-designate of the COP27 in January, COP26 President Alok Sharma stressed the UKs full support for Egypt to deliver ambitious outcomes at the COP27, including ensuring that it advocates for those most vulnerable to climate change. Search Keywords: Short link: Jordan's King Abdullah II on Sunday told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett there needed to be "calm" between Israelis and Palestinians, as violence has surged in Israel and the occupied West Bank. During a telephone call with Bennett, the king emphasized "the importance of achieving calm in order to avoid any escalation in the Palestinian territories", a statement from the royal court said. Abdullah called for "removing all obstacles to Muslim prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, particularly with the start of the holy month of Ramadan, and to prevent provocations that could lead to an escalation". A total of 11 people have been killed in attacks in Israel since March 22, including some carried out by assailants linked to or inspired by the Islamic State group. Over the same period, eight Palestinians have been killed, according to an AFP tally, including two assailants in anti-Israeli attacks and six people the Israelis said had carried out attacks or were about to do so. Bennett's office said in a statement that the premier "thanked the King of Jordan for his firm statement against the terrorist attacks that have taken place in Israel in recent days". The pair also discussed "the importance of cooperation between the countries and the continuation of the ongoing relationship and dialogue". The Al-Aqsa mosque in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam. Last year during Ramadan, clashes that flared between Israeli forces and Palestinians visiting the mosque compound led to 11 days of devastating conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip's Islamist rulers Hamas. On Wednesday, King Abdullah II hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Amman and condemned "violence in all its forms". The visit came a day after Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz met the king in Amman. The king called on Israel to "lift all obstacles that could prevent (Muslims) from performing prayers" at Al-Aqsa. Abdullah also paid a rare visit to Ramallah in the West Bank on Monday to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a further effort to seek calm. Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1994 and the Hashemite kingdom serves as custodian of holy places in East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed in a move not recognized by most of the international community. Search Keywords: Short link: In a press release on Friday, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Egypt hopes that the truce could contribute to backing political solutions, initiatives, and efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement for the Yemeni crisis. Egypt supports all efforts aiming to achieve peace, security, and stability in Yemen and preserves its unity, the foreign ministry confirmed in its statement. Talks of a truce have been the centre of the second Yemeni National Dialogue that was launched by the Saudi-based Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is running from 29 March to 7 April in Riyadh with the aim of promoting a new initiative to end the conflict in Yemen. Besides halting military operations in Yemen and across Yemeni borders, the truce agreed upon by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and the Houthi rebels will allow fuel ships to enter Hodeida Port and commercial flights to operate from the Sanaa International Airport. The UN has expressed its hopes that the ceasefire, which comes after a steep rise in Houthi attacks against vital facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the past weeks, could serve as a first step to end the more than seven-year-old conflict between the warring parties. Egypt has repeatedly called for a political solution in Yemen that would meet the aspirations of the Yemeni people in achieving stability and development and end the extended humanitarian crisis. The country has also reiterated its support to the UNs efforts in Yemen, calling for a solution to the crisis that is based on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative, the outcome of the national dialogue, and the UN Security Councils relevant resolutions. Over the past years, Egypt has stressed its unwavering support to the legitimate Saudi-backed Yemeni government of Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, which the Houthis ousted from Sanaa in 2014. Egypt has also discussed with the Yemeni government long-term partnerships in various fields to support Yemens redevelopment. Egypt also frequently condemned the Houthi rebels's attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia, stressing its support for all Saudi measures aiming to protect its national security. Early in March, the Egyptian foreign ministry welcomed a UN Security Council resolution to expand an arms embargo on Houthis, saying it will contribute to stopping their attacks and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Yemen. The conflict which started in 2014 has pushed more than 20 million Yemenis out of a population of about 30 million to be in need of humanitarian assistance, according to statements made by the UN in October. The Arab Leagues Ukrainian crisis liaison group will hold meetings with Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in Moscow and Warsaw this week to seek a diplomatic solution to end the war. The liaison group will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow and another meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Warsaw on Monday and Tuesday. The group will seek during the meetings to contribute to a diplomatic solution for the crisis, according to a statement by the General Secretariat of Arab League said on Saturday. The group, which includes representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Iraq, Sudan and the UAE (a current member of the United Nations Security Council), was formed out of the 157th session of the Council of the Arab League in March. The group held a coordination meeting on Saturday ahead of the tour via video conference, which was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul-Gheit has expressed his deep concern over developments in Ukraine, including their serious military and humanitarian consequences. In a UN Security Council session held on 23 March, Abul-Gheit urged world powers to reach a solution to the crisis in Ukraine that serves the interests of all sides. He also said he hopes the current situation will not affect the role of the UN in tackling other issues and crises, especially in the Arab region. The Russian-Ukrainian conflict disrupted supply chains of wheat from the Black Sea ports to the Middle East and North Africa region, sending prices on the international markets soaring. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt has strongly condemned recent Israeli escalation in the Palestinian territories, including settlers storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque under the Israeli police protection and the continued targeting of Palestinian citizens. In a statement on Sunday, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for an immediate halt to the ongoing escalation, especially during the holy month of Ramadan and the Christian and Jewish feasts. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez warned against slipping into cycles of violence that preclude the desired stability and perpetuate the climate of tension that will only lead to more mutual escalation. Hafez highlighted the need for adherence to the rules of international law to provide the required protection for Palestinian civilians. The spokesman also called for stopping any practices that violate the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and other religious sanctities as well as the identity of East Jerusalem city. Early Thursday, hardline Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir along with a number of settlers entered Al-Aqsa Mosque yard escorted by heavy security in a clear act of provocation. Dozens of Israeli settlers also stormed the mosque on Sunday, which marks the second day of the holy month of Ramadan, under heavy police protection, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. During his Thursday tour, Gvir said that his visit seeks to deliver a message for the Israeli state to not give in to those terrorists who want to murder us all. He called Hamas and the Waqf Muslim authorities who administer the religious sites in the area terrorists, saying whoever controls the Temple Mount controls the land of Israel, Times of Israel reported. Gvir, whose similar visits to sensitive parts in Jerusalem are believed to have a role in the Israeli aggression on Gaza enclave in May last year, led a march in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood under police protection last month. The Israeli bombing campaign of Gaza the most serious Israeli assault on the strip since 2014 killed more than 250 Palestinians, destroyed 2,000 residential and commercial buildings, and left thousands homeless. Egypt brokered a ceasefire in May to end the 11-day aggression and has sent high-level security delegations to the Israeli and Palestinian territories over the past year to ensure the ceasefire would not be breached in the future. Egypt has also highlighted the need for the revival of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the implementation of the two-state solution that involves the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders as the only way to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East. Egypt has repeatedly condemned the Israeli unilateral measures in Palestine, including attempts to evict Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah and plans to build new settlements in the occupied West Bank. Egypt has warned that such steps undermine the chances of the two-state solution at a time when a number of international parties are exerting tireless efforts to revive the negotiations path between the Palestinian and Israeli sides. Search Keywords: Short link: Two Ukrainian medical universities have asked the Egyptian authorities to allow Egyptian students who will continue their degrees online after fleeing the war-hit country to take their practical trainings at home in local private or government hospitals. In a letter sent to the Egyptian Embassy in Kyiv, V.N Karazin Kharkiv National Medical University announced the resumption of its classes with online learning in the spring semester of the 2021/22 academic year for foreign students, including Egyptians who are not in the country currently due to the Russian invasion. In other letters sent to the embassy, Ukrainian universities added that they would require a report from the medical institution on the skills acquired during the practical training that is signed by a doctor to allow students to enrol for the spring semester. The Egyptian Embassy in Kyiv published on Sunday the letter it received from Karazin Kharkiv University on its Facebook page along with another letter from Bogomolets National Medical University. Bogomlets said that it is returning to an online format in the spring-summer semester of the 2021/22 academic year due to the imposition of martial law following the Russian invasion. The university added that students who want to receive certificates of their studies may claim them in-person. Regarding financial debt or tuition fees paid by students, Bogomolets University stated that it is temporarily impossible to provide such information due to the high level of workload on university staff. The letters were sent in response to an inquiry by the embassy about the status of Egyptian students enrolled in Ukrainian universities. According to the Ministry of Emigration and Expatriate Affairs in late March, 1,270 of the Egyptian students who have returned from Ukraine underwent exams in late March to enrol in Egyptian universities in an initiative launched by the government upon the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. Before the Russian invasion, around 6,000 Egyptians lived in Ukraine, including 3,000 students, according to officials. So far, 80 percent of the Egyptian students in Ukraine have left for other European countries, especially Poland. Egypt has repatriated hundreds of Egyptians, mostly students, from war-torn Ukraine via Air Cairo flights, and is planning to help them continue their education at private and national universities. However, a small percentage of Egyptian nationals are refusing to leave Ukraine, including students who want to continue their education in Ukraine or those who fear that their academic career may be affected if they leave the country, according to the emigration ministry. Search Keywords: Short link: Dubais popular supermarket chain Choithrams has launched Double Blessings a campaign that supports Dubai Cares and UAE Food Bank during the holy month of Ramadan. Dubai Cares is a civil society organisation formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications Between March 20 and May 2 2022, patrons will be provided a choice of food boxes: a ready-to eat meal for AED10 ($2.72) and a box of rations for AED20 that may be purchased to donate through UAE Food Bank. School feeding programmes A carton of selected rations for AED50 may be purchased and given away by customers on their own. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to Dubai Cares to boost school feeding programmes around the world. The boxes will be available for purchase both online and at more than 28 Choithrams outlets across Dubai and Northern Emirates. Abdulla Ahmed Alshehhi, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai Cares, said: School feeding is a core pillar for educational access, retention and student health. Thanks to the support of our decade-old partner, Choithrams, we will boost access to education and keep children in school with a robust system of school feedings programmes. To date, we have launched education programmes reaching over 21 million beneficiaries in 60 developing countries. L T Pagarani, Chairman of Choithrams Group, said: Goodness is what we bring to our community with our products and services throughout the year. By sharing food with vulnerable communities in Dubai and by boosting school feeding programmes around the world, we are doubling blessings this Ramadan with the generous support of our customers, partners, stakeholders and staff. Goodness and charity Dawoud Al Hajri, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UAE Food Bank and Director-General of Dubai Municipality, said: Goodness and charity unite the community. We thank our partners and supporters for the generous donations it highlights solidarity within the UAE. Both Dubai Cares and UAE Food Bank are part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.-- TradeArabia News Service The government is ready to offer all forms of support and facilitation necessary to host the headquarters of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) in Egypt, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Sunday. Madbouly made his remarks during a meeting with a delegation of the African Union (AU) Commission to discuss the establishment of a headquarters for the African Medicines Agency (AMA) in Egypt, in the presence of Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Acting Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar. He invited the AU delegation to pay a field visit to the New Administrative Capital's diplomatic district which can host the agency's HQ, asserting the great importance Egypt attributes to the AMA as organisational platform for African pharmaceutical industries and public health improvement in Africa. Madbouly also reviewed Egypt's drug manufacturing capacities, including technological infrastructure and long-standing expertise. Egypt has the largest the pharmaceutical city in the Middle East and oldest vaccine center in Africa and the Middle East Africa (VACSERA), Madbouly said. Egypt is also one of the few manufacturers of COVID vaccines, the prime minister added, noting the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) had recently been accredited by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for home-made and foreign vaccines. EDA Chairman Tamer Essam and Assistant Foreign Minister for African Organisations Ambassador Soha El-Gendy attended the meeting. Search Keywords: Short link: Airlines have canceled more than 3,300 US flights this weekend and delayed thousands more, citing weather in Florida and other issues. FlightAware, a website that tracks flights, noted major disruptions at several Florida airports, including Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Orlando, as well as Baltimore and other airports around the country. JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Spirit, and American Airlines were most affected, according to FlightAware. Local news reported storms in Florida on Saturday. Several airlines said Sunday that operations are returning to normal. The spate of cancellations arrived as air travel is rebounding from the pandemic, with strong demand for spring-break flights. ``Severe weather in the Southeast and multiple air traffic control delay programs have created significant impacts on the industry,'' a JetBlue spokesperson said in an email. ``Today's cancellations will help us reset our operation and safely move our crews and aircraft back into position.'' Southwest Airlines also cited ``weather and airspace congestion'' Saturday in Florida, as well as a ``technology issue.`` It canceled about 1,000 flights over the weekend but said that as of 1 p.m. Eastern, it had no more cancellations on Sunday. American said Florida weather Saturday affected its operations, and it was recovering today. Alaska Airlines said its weekend flight cancellations that began Friday have affected more than 37,000 customers and said Sunday that further cancellations were possible. The airline declined to say why it canceled flights but referred in its statement to contract negotiations with its pilots. Off-duty pilots picketed in several US cities Friday over stalled negotiations. They have been without a new contract for three years. ``Alaska Airlines failed to properly plan for increased travel demand and take the steps necessary to ensure it attracted and retained pilots,'' the pilots union said in a Friday press release. People on social media complained about hours-long hold times and lines to get their canceled flights rescheduled. Search Keywords: Short link: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Sunday that the government gives top priority to industrial development by facilitating all the measures necessary for creating more industrial investments in various domains. Madbouly made his remarks during a meeting in Cairo with Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea to discuss the ministry's efforts entrenching local industry and securing production inputs, in cooperation with the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FIE) and Chambers of Commerce. As part of the ministry's efforts to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the Egyptian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Amazon Egypt to help SME owners market their products, the minister said. Gamea also highlighted the agency's commitment to supporting handicrafts and heritage enterprises that reflect Egypt's identity and offer modern products that appeal to different tastes. Briefing the premier on the results of Egypt's participation in EXPO DUBAI 2020, Gamea said that the Egyptian pavilion had attracted over 1.5 million visitors from all over the world over the past six months. The meeting also tackled the results of the ministry's talks with foreign delegations to probe cooperation in March. Search Keywords: Short link: There is growing evidence that the third Covid-19 booster shot is less popular among the public than the first two doses of vaccine. Late last year, Egyptians who received their Covid-19 vaccinations early in the rollout of the vaccine campaign were anxiously awaiting information about the administration of a third, booster dose. In December they were relieved when the cabinet announced that everyone would be eligible for a booster shot six months after their second dose of vaccine, and perhaps even more relieved to discover the electronic notification system calling them to clinics for their third shot was working seamlessly. Fast forward a few months, and that early enthusiasm for a third dose of vaccine appears to have cooled. Cairene housewife Reham Ali is far from atypical. She told Al-Ahram Weekly: I received a message that I should go for my third dose but I forgot. I dont know when I will have time to do it. I dont think it is going to be very effective. Four million people are due for a third dose of the vaccine, according to Ministry of Health Spokesperson Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar. He said more than 670,000 citizens have already taken the booster, and the ministry is ready to provide 23 million doses of the third shot between now and June. The number of people who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus has reached 31.5 million, Abdel-Ghaffar added, before encouraging anyone who has not received a Covid-19 vaccine to register on the ministrys website. Abdel-Ghaffar told the Weekly that in response to falling take-up rates for the third booster shot the ministry is organising awareness campaigns to encourage those who might be hesitant, and is also working hard to persuade anyone who has yet to be administered the initial two doses of vaccine to do so. Citizens can access the vaccine within two weeks of receiving the Health Ministrys message, not just within three days as was the case in the first two shots, he said. The first two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine provide 81 per cent protection against infection on average, while a third dose increases this to more than 90 per cent. Vaccines also minimise symptoms should someone contract an infection, significantly reducing hospitalisation and death rates. Unfortunately, many people are acting as if there is no longer coronavirus or Omicron, said Abdel-Ghaffar. He warned that both remain prevalent, and that there are no excuses for abandoning preventative measures such as the wearing of face masks. The average number of daily coronavirus infections and deaths is 788 and 12, respectively. People need to be far more cautious and take up their vaccinations, he added. To date, Egypt has imported over 122 million vaccine doses, of which 64 million remain available. *A version of this article appears in print in the 31 March, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: The head of Latvia's natural gas storage operator said Saturday the Baltic states were no longer importing Russian natural gas. "If there were still any doubts about whether there may be any trust in deliveries from Russia, current events clearly show us that there is no more trust," said Uldis Bariss, CEO of Conexus Baltic Grid. "Since April 1st Russian natural gas is no longer flowing to Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania," he told Latvian radio. He added that the Baltic market was currently being served by gas reserves stored underground in Latvia. The move comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to leverage Russia's status as an energy power. With his economy crippled by unprecedented international sanctions, Putin warned EU members that they would need to set up ruble accounts to pay for Russian gas. He said Thursday that existing contracts would be halted if the payments were not made. While the United States banned the import of Russian oil and gas, the European Union -- which received around 40 percent of its gas supplies from Russia in 2021 -- has retained deliveries from Moscow. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called on the rest of the EU to follow the Baltic example. "From this month on - no more Russian gas in Lithuania," he said on Twitter. "Years ago my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the agressor," he added. "If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too!" Search Keywords: Short link: Lithuania says it has cut itself off entirely from gas imports from Russia, apparently becoming the first of the European Union's 27 nations to use Russian gas to break its energy dependence upon Moscow. ``Seeking full energy independence from Russian gas, in response to Russia's energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has completely abandoned Russian gas,'' Lithuania's energy ministry said in a statement late Saturday, adding that the measure took effect at the beginning of April. Lithuania managed to reduce imports of Russian gas to zero on Saturday, a move seen a milestone in achieving energy independence in the former Soviet republic of 2.8 million, the ministry said. ``We are the first EU country among Gazprom's supply countries to gain independence from Russian gas supplies, and this is the result of a multi-year coherent energy policy and timely infrastructure decisions,'' Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys said. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda posted an upbeat tweet on his account and urged other European nations to do the same. ``From this month on _ no more Russian gas in Lithuania. Years ago, my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the aggressor. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too!`` Nauseda tweeted. In 2015, nearly 100% of Lithuania's gas supplies were derived from imports of Russian gas but the situation has changed drastically over the past years after the country built an off-shore LNG import terminal, launched in 2014, in the port city of Klaipeda. The energy ministry said from now on all gas for Lithuania's domestic consumption would be imported via Klaipeda's LNG terminal. Last year, some 26% of Lithuania's gas supplies were derived from deliveries from a Russian gas pipeline while 62% came via Klaipeda's LNG terminal, and the remaining 12% were imported from gas storage in neighboring Latvia. Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia are also heavily dependent on Russian gas but the operator of Latvia's natural gas storage said none of the three Baltic states were importing Russian gas as of April 2. Uldis Bariss, the CEO of Conexus Baltic Grid, told Latvian media on Saturday that the Baltic gas market was currently being served by gas reserves stored underground in Latvia. Last month, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said Klaipeda's LNG terminal wouldn't have enough capacity to provide gas for all the three Baltic countries. As a solution, Estonia's government has proposed building a LNG terminal jointly with Latvia and Nordic neighbor Finland in the Estonian port town of Paldiski, which is not far from the capital, Tallinn. Search Keywords: Short link: A report on the repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine war on food security in Egypt by an Egyptian NGO says that the current solutions adopted by the government will help in the short run, but long-term solutions are also needed. According to the new report titled Repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian War on Food Security in Egypt issued by the Research and Studies unit at the Cairo-based Forum for Development and Human Rights (FDHRD) on Sunday, the Russian invasion to Ukraine caused many economic impacts globally. For Egypt, chief among these was the decision by both countries to stop the export of wheat and other grains, as well as the rise in energy prices. The effect of these impacts was compounded by the fact that Egypt is in the midst of its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Egypt at the Global Food Security Index The report highlights that according to the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) of the Economist Impact Center, Egypt scored 60.8/100 and ranked 62nd out of 113 countries, with its affordability (66.5 percent), food availability (60 percent), quality and safety ratio (60.7 percent) and natural resources and resilience (52 percent). The index for the year 2021 revealed four strengths in Egypt's ranking: change in average food costs, food safety net programs, micronutrient availability and food safety. While weaknesses included: tariffs on agricultural imports, food standards and food diversity, the report added. The report added that Egypt suffers from dwindling self-sufficiency, or the difference between production and consumption, of some agricultural products and crops, which forces the state to import from abroad to cover the deficit. Egyptian food security is affected by dependence on outside sources, which exacerbates problems associated with food subsidies, including state spending deficits and the depletion of foreign exchange reserves, the FDHRD report read. The report describes some of the internal and external challenges facing Egypts food security. Internal challenges include overpopulation, which has led to the destruction of agricultural land, and the high price of pesticides. The Egyptian government has already identified the problem of the destruction of agricultural land as a major challenge and is addressing it. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) could also have a substantial impact on Egypts water use and subsequently its agricultural production. Given that agriculture consumes about 80 percent of Egypt's water resources, it will be the sector most affected by the reduced water supply, which is exacerbated by the filling of the dam in years of drought, the report said. Egypt has been vocal over the past decade about its concern that the GERD would reduce its share of the Niles water. Thus, Egypt, along with Sudan, has been demanding Ethiopia sign a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation policies of the dam, but the upstream country has yet to do so. Oil prices are also impacting Egypts food security by raising the cost of food imports, and the cost of transporting it locally. Global crises have also played an important external role in challenging Egypts food security, whether it is coronavirus or recently the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine War on Global Food Security The impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February on global food security has its own section in the report. Egypt is considered as one of the most affected countries by the Russian-Ukrainian war as a result of the direct connection to its food security, depending on the import of food grains mainly from the two parties to the conflict, the report said, adding that wheat imports represent about 62 percent of the total Egyptian wheat consumption. Egypt imports more than its domestic production average of wheat, which is a major food component, as it represents about 35 percent to 39 percent of the calories consumed by the citizen while it receives from abroad about 13 million tons of wheat annually, to be the largest importer of wheat in the world, it added. The report said that some countries had imposed export restrictions in response to higher prices like Moldova, Serbia and Hungary, while some countries have imposed export bans on certain grains. Indonesia, meanwhile, has tightened controls over the shipment of grain. These trends, along with disruptions to exports from Russia and Ukraine, are likely to add further pressures that will lead to higher prices in the future, the report warned, adding that even under the most optimistic assumptions, global wheat prices will remain elevated throughout 2022 and are likely to continue into 2023. Limits of Egyptian responses The FDHRD mentioned several decisions taken by the Egyptian government to achieve food security, including banning the export of some food grains during the next three months, including beans, lentils, wheat, and flour of all kinds, as well as pasta of all kinds. The government is also stocking up on strategic commodities, increasing reserves of wheat, rice, oil, sugar and legumes from 3 to 12 months. Nevertheless, the report says that those decisions are a short term solution and the Egyptian government needs to find more solutions on the long run. These measures can relieve some of the pressures placed on the Egyptian economy, but they will likely affect Egyptian trade relations in the long run, as well as Egypt needs to explore options to reduce the gap between domestic supply and demand, the report said. A copy of the report titled Repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian War on Food Security in Egypt is available in English on the official website of FDHDR. Search Keywords: Short link: Lithuania's president says Mantas Kvedaravicius, a prominent film director in the Baltic country, has been killed in Ukraine, reportedly in the besieged port city of Mariupol where he was working on a documentary. President Gitanas Nauseda said Sunday ``we have lost a creator who worked in Ukraine and was attacked by aggressor Russia.`` The 45-year-old filmmaker was killed in Ukraine on Saturday according to news outlets. The circumstances of his death couldn't immediately be confirmed. Kvedaravicius was known for his documentaries on military conflicts in Chechnya and Ukraine. His film ``Mariupol'' premiered at the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival. News of Kvedaravicius death were met with grief and shock in Lithuania's artist community. ``Terrible loss to the Lithuanian film community and the whole world. Our hearts are broken,'' Giedre Zickyte, Lithuanian documentary film director and producer, wrote on Facebook. Search Keywords: Short link: By Takaki Tominaga, KYODO NEWS - Apr 3, 2022 - 14:06 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Japan aims to accelerate its vaccine research and development under a new government body after lagging behind other advanced countries in making vaccines available during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. The Strategic Center of Biomedical Advanced Vaccine Research and Development for Preparedness and Response was established in late March within the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development to promptly deliver safe and effective vaccines against infectious diseases on the government's priority list. The government also aims to contribute to the international community by making the vaccines produced in Japan available abroad. The organization, SCARDA, will provide stable long-term support for research by institutions and companies during non-pandemic times, while providing funding speedily and flexibly during public health emergencies. "We will accumulate data and evidence in normal times and make the most of them in a health emergency," a SCARDA official said. SCARDA is expected to play a similar role to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and the National Institutes of Health in the United States in the development of COVID-19 vaccines, according to the official. SCARDA shares with the U.S. institutions a commitment to collaborating in public-private partnerships and early investments and engagement, the official said. "Our primary focus is especially how we can shorten the time and make vaccines available quickly after a breakout in line with the '100 Days Mission' of the G-7," the official said, without elaborating on a set timeframe. The Group of Seven industrialized nations, including Japan, has set an ambitious target of having safe and effective diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines ready to deploy within the first 100 days of a future pandemic threat being identified by harnessing scientific innovation through public-private collaboration. The Group of 20 economies also supports the mission, with their leaders agreeing to shorten the cycle for developing diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines from 300 to 100 days following the identification of future pandemic threats. However, the development of vaccines against infectious diseases is considered a high-risk project for a company because it is almost impossible to predict when and in what magnitude a virus will emerge. Most vaccine candidates do not make it to licensure, and the costs of failed products must also be absorbed, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says. As part of efforts to hedge capital investment risks, production facilities of vaccines for contingencies will serve as production facilities of other biological drug products during regular times, according to the Japanese government's plan. With the establishment of SCARDA, the government will directly support private vaccine development by covering research and development costs. At the same time, the official said it has not ruled out the possibility of committing in advance to purchase a successful vaccine. The government plans to spend 51.5 billion yen ($420 million) for preparing major development sites and allocate 150.4 billion yen for research and development of vaccines against communicable diseases on its primary list and new technologies associated with them. KYODO NEWS - Apr 3, 2022 - 22:20 | All, World, Japan Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Sunday observed a border checkpoint in Medyka in southeastern Poland, where Ukrainian refugees have been arriving as Japan prepares to bolster humanitarian aid for the Eastern European country besieged by Russian aggression. Having arrived in Poland on the previous day as a special envoy of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Hayashi also visited a refugee reception center before moving on to Rzeszow, where Japan has set up a temporary liaison office. On Saturday, he held talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, assuring him of Tokyo's "firm resolve" to assist Ukraine. During their meeting in the Polish capital of Warsaw, Hayashi said Japan is with the Ukrainian people and prepared to provide more humanitarian aid to civilians whose lives have been upended by Russia's invasion, according to the Foreign Ministry. Hayashi also said the international community must act "unitedly and resolutely" against Russia, which invaded Ukraine more than a month ago, the Japanese ministry said. Kuleba, who was given drawings of Japanese children hoping for peace in Ukraine as a gift, said in response that his country is appreciative of Japan's support and sanctions on Russia, the ministry said. Hayashi plans to take Ukrainian evacuees to Japan on a government plane as he completes his five-day trip. Following the meeting with Kuleba, Hayashi visited a shelter for Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw, where he learned from them what kind of help they are seeking. Hayashi told reporters that the Japanese government will provide "maximum support so that they can return to their original lives as soon as possible" and that Tokyo is ready to airlift those wishing to come to Japan. The number of evacuees traveling to Japan with Hayashi could be around 30, according to sources familiar with the matter. Japan came up with the plan of using the government plane as airfares have skyrocketed since the invasion started on Feb. 24, making it difficult for Ukrainians now in Poland to flee onward to Japan even if they wish, according to the sources. Hayashi's visit is aimed at showing Japan's commitment to global efforts to help Ukraine and Poland, which has received more than 2.3 million refugees from the war-torn country. Japan accepted a total of 337 Ukrainian evacuees between March 2 and Wednesday, according to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. The Arab Parliament as well as GCC leaders have welcomed the statement issued by the United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, which includes the announcement of a two-month humanitarian truce starting from today (April 3), stressing that it is a real opportunity to resume the political process and alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, reported SPA. In a statement on Friday, Parliament considered the positive atmosphere of the Yemeni-Yemeni consultations hosted in the capital, Riyadh, and under the auspices of the GCC, as a great opportunity for Yemenis to restore the state, praising at the same time the efforts of Saudi Arabia to restore stability in Yemen and end the suffering of the Yemeni people. The Arab Parliament called on the Houthi militias to comply with and respect the armistice, and to deal with the ongoing discussions regarding proposals for the next steps. The truce announcement was made by the UN special envoy Hans Grundberg on Friday, on the second day of peace talks in Riyadh. "The parties accepted to halt all offensive military air, ground and maritime operations inside Yemen and across its borders," his statement said. Fuel ships will be allowed passage into the rebel-held port of al-Hudaydah on the Red Sea, and commercial flights will be able to operate from the airport in the rebel-held capital Sanaa. Roads into the besieged south-western city of Taiz would also be opened, added the UN envoy. In Riyadh, the GCC Secretary-General for Arab States Dr Naif Falah Mubarak Al Hajraf welcomed the Yemeni truce that puts an halt to all forms of military operations inside Yemen and on the Saudi borders - in accordance with the detailed and announced arrangements by the Special Envoy and under the auspices of the United Nations to provide the appropriate environment and ground to reduce the escalation, reach a political settlement of the conflict between the Yemeni parties, and achieve comprehensive peace. The GCC Secretary-General affirmed that the issuance of this declaration comes as an affirmation of the importance the international community attaches to the Yemeni crisis, praising the efforts of the Special UN Envoy in declaring the truce, which comes in the context of the KSA's initiative to end the Yemeni crisis to reach a comprehensive political solution, announced in March 2021, too. KYODO NEWS - Apr 3, 2022 - 22:33 | All, World, Japan Many experts, well versed in defense and foreign policy, have backed a controversial plan that would allow Japan to acquire so-called enemy base strike capabilities, government sources said Sunday, but critics are likely to question giving weight to opinions of pundits who worked in the government. Among the experts invited by the government to closed-door hearings on the issue were former high-ranking officials who said they believe possessing such capabilities is necessary, according to the sources. Details of the hearings, including the minutes, remain undisclosed. A review into Japan's security, including the politically sensitive issue of possessing such capabilities, comes at a time when China has been ramping up its military activities in waters near Japan, and North Korea continues to undertake ballistic missile tests. A series of hearings -- seven in total -- involving experts in the public and private sectors was carried out by the government from January to March as part of Japan's review of three security policy papers. The first three, carried out from January to February, centered on security and the possession of the capabilities and came ahead of the government's plan to revise the long-term guideline, the National Security Strategy, and two other key documents on defense, by the end of the year. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said the government will "examine all options necessary for national defense," including the plan on Japan's acquisition of such capabilities, despite its war-renouncing Constitution. Some critics say allowing Japan to acquire such capabilities would herald a major postwar shift from its exclusively defense-oriented policy while also marking a change in the nature of the Japan-U.S. security alliance. During one of the hearings, participants, including Shotaro Yachi, former head of Japan's National Security Secretariat, gave their takes on the domestically debated issue of the acquisition of such capabilities, the sources said. Among them was a call for Japan to make a drastic policy change, as it did when it enacted security legislation in 2015 that expanded the scope of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' operations overseas, according to the sources. In another hearing, a participant underscored the need for the SDF to fill any gap that may arise until U.S. troops arrive during contingencies. Participants also included former Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto, former national security adviser Shigeru Kitamura and Ryoichi Oriki, former chief of the Joint Staff. Experts in the private sector were also invited to the hearings from February to March to discuss specific themes such as space and regional affairs, including North Korea and China. KYODO NEWS - Apr 3, 2022 - 10:52 | All, World, Japan Fifty-five percent of Japanese companies based overseas have had their business operations impacted, or foresee they will be impacted, by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a recent survey by a Japanese staffing firm showed. The online survey of 699 Japanese entities across 10 economies, conducted by Pasona Group Inc. in mid-March, found that firms based in France were by far the most affected with 92.3 percent responding they had been impacted in some way. As the only European country included in the survey, this was followed by Malaysia at 72.0 percent and Singapore at 66.7 percent. Of the 55 percent of the overseas-based firms, 43.2 percent said they already feel the effects of the conflict, while 22.7 percent said they expect to do so within a month and 26.8 percent within three months. The most cited impact among the 43.2 percent was soaring costs of raw materials including oil, chemicals and metals. This was followed by rising logistics costs and energy prices. Those in the retail and wholesale sector also cited delays in delivery of packaging, while a trading firm said Western countries' economic sanctions on Russia over the invasion created issues in collecting accounts receivable. Only 34.6 percent of the Japanese firms surveyed said they have taken countermeasures. As for concrete steps, 54.3 percent of those companies cited information gathering in a multiple-choice question, followed by securing inventories at 32.5 percent and choosing suppliers at 23.5 percent. Specific actions carried out by manufacturing firms in India included starting negotiations to raise prices on products, while a trading firm in Hong Kong said it is reviewing conditions for transactions with Russian clients. The economies covered by the March 11 to 16 survey were the United States, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and India. The manufacturing sector made up the biggest group of companies at 43.6 percent, followed by trading houses at 20.7 percent and retailers and wholesalers at 9.9 percent. GAZA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is facing a worsening financial plight amid the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, a senior official said on Sunday. Media advisor for UNRWA in Gaza Adnan Abu Hasna told Xinhua that some donor countries asked the UN agency "not to expect even half of the donations and grants they provided to UNRWA in 2021," while "others informed they would postpone the date of their donations." "This coincides with the global rise in food, fuel and transportation costs," he noted. "UNRWA is making great efforts with many European countries to ensure that the services provided to the agency are not affected, and to emphasize the importance of these services until a solution to the Palestinian refugee issue is found," the UN official added. The UNRWA, which was established as a humanitarian agency in 1949, is fully funded through voluntary contributions and grants from donor countries. The agency was mandated to provide assistance and protection for about 5.6 million Palestinian refugees registered in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and refugee camps in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The UNRWA services for Palestinian refugees involve education, health care, relief, infrastructure, camp improvement, protection and microfinance. In January, the UNRWA announced that it needs 1.6 billion U.S. dollars from the international community in 2022 to cover expenses and provide services and humanitarian development programs for Palestinian refugees. AMMAN, April 3 (Xinhua) -- King Abdullah II of Jordan on Sunday stressed the necessity to take measures to prevent any tensions or escalations in the Palestinian territories. The Jordanian king made the remarks during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, according to a statement by the royal court. During the phone call, he underlined the significance of stopping any actions that could cause violence, escalate the conflict and undermine the prospects of peace. According to the statement, the king called for necessary measures to facilitate the access of Muslim worshippers to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem without any impediments, especially during the holy month of Ramadan when the number of worshippers increases. Last week, the king met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Defense Minister Benny Gantz in Amman, discussing the necessity for reviving the two-state solution, moving forward with peacemaking efforts, and refraining from any unilateral measures that would lead to more tensions and violence. Also last week, he visited Ramallah for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, where he reaffirmed Jordan's support for the Palestinians in securing their legitimate rights via the two-state solution. NEW DELHI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba concluded his three-day visit to India on Sunday, during which various agreements were signed. Deuba held a meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Delhi. Besides signing a series of agreements, the two sides also launched newly-developed projects, including a railway line and the 90-km long 132 KVDC Solu Corridor Transmission line. The border issue between the two neighbors was also discussed, with the Nepali side urging India to resolve the issue through the establishment of a bilateral mechanism. The latter appreciated the general understanding that the issue needed to be addressed in a responsible manner through dialogue, and that "politicization" of such an issue should be avoided. In addition, both sides issued a statement on power sector cooperation. Deuba invited Indian companies to invest in the power sector in Nepal. The two leaders also reviewed progress in implementation of Indian projects in Nepal, including cross-border rail-link projects connecting towns and cities on both sides of the border. Another highlight of Deuba's visit was the launch of Indian "RuPay" card in Nepal, which would open a new way for cooperation in financial connectivity and is expected to facilitate tourist flows and people-to-people exchanges between India and Nepal. TRIPOLI, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Foreign Ministry on Saturday welcomed the United Nations' announcement of a two-month ceasefire in Yemen. On Friday, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg announced a two-month truce in Yemen, which came into force on Saturday. "We value this initiative and hope that this step will contribute to reaching a permanent agreement that guarantees a comprehensive settlement of the crisis" in Yemen, said the statement. The Ministry stressed support for initiatives aimed at reaching a political solution, mainly the current consultations hosted by Saudi Arabia, in order to achieve permanent reconciliation and stability in Yemen and the region. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa. The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened on March 26, 2015 in the Yemeni civil war in an attempt to reinstate the government of President Hadi. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 million, and pushed the country to the brink of starvation, according to the UN. DAR ES SALAAM, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Switzerland will launch a 5.1-million-U.S.-dollar program aimed at safeguarding young people by improving their health and wellbeing, a UNFPA official said Sunday. "Young people as a key driver for any sustainable development need to be nurtured and empowered to attain their full potentials in overcoming the many barriers which may hinder them from attaining set goals," said Fatina Kiluvia, a program analyst for the UNFPA. Kiluvia told a press conference in the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam that young people face many challenges ranging from gender-based violence and lack of sexual reproductive health rights and education, to sexually transmitted infections including HIV. Kiluvia said the UNFPA in collaboration with the government of Tanzania and the Swiss government has come up with the three-year program which will focus on interventions that create a conducive socioeconomic, legal, policy environment and capacity development for adolescents and the youth. The UNFPA Country Representative for Tanzania Mark Schreiner said the program to be implemented on mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar will start Monday. "We are proud to support Tanzania in collaboration with the embassy of Switzerland in its effort to realize the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young people," said Schreiner. KHARTOUM, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan on Sunday called on the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) to keep the same distance from all parties amid the ongoing political crisis in the country. His remarks came during a meeting with the head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes in the capital Khartoum, where Al-Burhan questioned the scope of a recent UNITAMS briefing on Sudan to the UN Security Council (UNSC), according to a statement by the sovereign council. "The briefing did not cover all situations in the country and not include the positive indicators that occurred on the ground," Al-Burhan was quoted as saying. Perthes, for his part, said his briefing was based on the information and reports prepared by his office in Khartoum, according to the statement. The UN envoy, however, voiced readiness to review any inaccurate information contained in the report submitted to the UNSC. The meeting came a day after Al-Burhan warned that if the UN mission goes beyond its mandate or interferes in Sudan's internal affairs, Perthes could be expelled. In last week's briefing to the UNSC, Perthes cautioned that the deteriorating economic, humanitarian and security situations in Sudan were due to the absence of "a functioning government" since October 2021 and the "violent repression" against the protesters demanding civilian rule. On Jan. 10, the UNITAMS launched an intra-Sudanese political process to end the country's political crisis. Perthes has since been in consultations with Sudanese political parties and civil forces in the country. Recently, the African Union joined the UN efforts seeking to reach a political settlement in Sudan. Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after Al-Burhan, general commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, declared a state of emergency on Oct. 25, 2021 and dissolved the Sovereign Council and the government. Since then, Khartoum and other cities have been witnessing continued protests demanding a return to civilian rule. SINGAPORE, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Nicholas Lee, a vocational educator, is among many Malaysians who gave up their jobs in Singapore for fear of being fired or separated from their families living in neighboring Malaysia under tough COVID-19 lockdown measures. As the cross-border restrictions have now been removed, Lee is able to resume his work in Singapore again. "Fully reopening of Singapore-Malaysia land border is really great news for me as I can travel between these two countries more conveniently without quarantine requirement," said 40-year-old Lee. A large number of Lee-like Malaysian workers and commuters who lived a "two-city" life are expected to flow back to the workplaces in Singapore, giving relief to the labor tension here. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob made a joint statement on March 24 that the two neighboring countries had decided to completely open their land borders to fully-vaccinated visitors from both sides starting from April 1 and no COVID-19 test or quarantine is required. As one of the busiest land borders in the world, the land border between Singapore and Malaysia saw a daily flow of more than 400,000 travelers on average before the pandemic took place. The new border measures have triggered people's sentiment in heading home with about 33,700 travelers cleared the land checkpoints in the first 17 hours of the implementation of the new measures, most of whom went to the Malaysian side, local newspaper the Straits Times reported. Singapore has been suffering from a labor shortage since the COVID-19 outbreak. The number of job vacancies in Singapore reached a record high of 114,000 in December 2021, more than double the 53,000 a year earlier as local economic recovery demands more labor forces, according to the Ministry of Manpower data released on April 1. Singaporean manpower minister Tan See Leng pointed out recently that the labor shortage should ease in the coming months as borders are opened up and more foreign workers are able to enter the country. Walter Theseira, associate professor from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said that the most important outcome of the border reopening is the relieving of manpower constraints, the Straits Times reported on April 1. With the opening of the border for daily travel, it's likely that many Malaysian workers will resume daily commuting, and it will be easier for Singapore employers to hire Malaysians, he said, adding that it will be quite significant for the service sector in Singapore which relies heavily on Malaysians. While applauding for the reopening, however, some people are taking relatively cautious attitude as they worry the epidemic situation may get worsened again. Lim Wen Xin, a 32-year-old manager in a Singapore-based logistics company, told Xinhua that she had not been back to Malaysia for two years. Although she has an optimistic view about the reopening, she will take a wait-and-see attitude. "I am planning to go back home to see my parents or bring them here in Singapore once the epidemic situation is normalized, "she said. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also said in a speech on March 24 that the country would continue to maintain a measured approach toward the COVID-19 epidemic and people should be psychologically prepared for more twists and turns ahead. He warned that if any new aggressive and dangerous mutants turn up, Singapore may have to backtrack and tighten up the restrictions again. WASHINGTON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- "After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the United States sought to establish its global supremacy. In the countless wars in Iraq, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and many other countries, any threat to U.S. hegemony was to be eliminated," said a video recently removed by Facebook. "The Ukrainian people are being sacrificed as pawns in order to advance NATO's confrontation with Russia. This confrontation ... is now escalating with breathtaking intensity," said the deleted video, according to the report on the World Socialist Web Site on Wednesday. Facebook last week deleted the video opposing Germany's role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict posted by the Socialist Equality Party of Germany (SGP). Facebook has not yet responded to the SGP's demand for an explanation. The deletion of the video is "an act of political censorship directed against anyone who opposes war and militarism," the report said. The report noted that the tech companies collaborate intimately with the governments and the state apparatus of the major imperialist powers. The report also mentioned Google announced in 2017 that it would give preference to "authoritative sources" in search results, socialist and anti-war websites. The start of Unit 2 commercial operations of UAEs Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is an impressive achievement that puts the country well on course to deliver its targets for carbon free electricity and net zero by 2050. This is according to William D Magwood, Director General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) who visited the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the Arab worlds first multi-unit nuclear energy plant. Its also a lesson to the world that new nuclear power plants can be built on schedule, within budget and by a country without a long history in nuclear energy, said Magwood. Barakah is now generating double the amount of zero-carbon electricity with the recent start of Unit 2 commercial operations as it powers the sustainable growth of the UAE. Units 3 and 4 in the final stages He witnessed the progress at Unit 1 and Unit 2, both of which are commercially operational and generating clean electricity 24/7. Units 3 and 4 are in the final stages of commissioning, with Unit 3 already undergoing operational readiness preparations. The development of the Barakah Plant as a whole is now more than 96% complete. Once operational, the four Units of the Barakah Plant will produce up to 25% of the UAEs electricity needs and will prevent 22.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year. Magwood was welcomed by Hamad Ali Al Kaabi, UAE Ambassador to Austria, and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec), and senior leadership team members. UAE model a successful case study Magwood received an update on the project, toured a number of the Barakah Plant facilities, and met with some of the key members of the Emirati-led team operating and maintaining the plant. Al Kaabi commented: The Nuclear Energy Agency remains an important partner as we continue to deliver the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme, and we look forward to building on this cooperation in offering the UAE model as a successful case study for other nations looking to develop nuclear energy plants for the first time, or to expand their existing fleet, enhancing energy security and grid reliability with low carbon technology. Al Hammadi said: We were honoured to welcome Magwood to Barakah to demonstrate our continued advancement in delivering a strategic low carbon electricity source for the Nation to power the development of a net-zero economy. The Barakah Plant is the largest clean electricity generator in the country, rapidly accelerating the decarbonisation of the UAEs power sector. The NEA is an intergovernmental agency that facilitates co-operation among countries with advanced nuclear technology infrastructures to seek excellence in nuclear safety, technology, science, environment, and law. It operates within the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).-- TradeArabia News Service Home Just In 10 Nepali handicrafts you should take back as souvenirs from your Nepal visit Nepali handicrafts have long been a part of the countrys cultural legacy, reflecting rich traditions and culture. Their history may be traced back to the stone era when humans lacked any form of instrument. Nepali handicrafts are most recognised for their beautiful art, crafts, and oriental architecture around the world. The skills and techniques for manufacturing Nepali handicrafts that have been passed down from generation to generation reflect not only the ability and skill of crafters, but also the social, religious, and cultural values that exist in various sections of the country. There are several Nepali handicraft items that are loved by foreigners as souvenirs or are exported in large quantities for trade and business. Here are the 10 best Nepali handicraft items that you should consider bringing back with you as souvenirs from your Nepal visit. 1. Thangka paintings File: A thangka painting Thangka painting is a Buddhist painting made of cotton and silk. When these handicraft items are not used for display, they are rolled and kept on a textile backing which looks like Chinese scroll paintings, with a silk cover. They can last for a long time. But, they are delicate, that is why they are kept in dry places so that they do not get affected by moisture. Each of these paintings depicts a Buddhist deity or a scene. They serve as important teaching tools. Thangkas worth Rs 16.5 million were exported in the fiscal year 2019/20, according to statistics published by the Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), which is 75 per cent less than in FY 2018/19. In the previous fiscal year, thangkas worth Rs 65.3 million were shipped in 2018/19. 2. Metal and stone statues and crafts Photo: Pexels/ Sunilkumar Krishnamoorthy Carving in stone and metals is one of the ancient art forms that has been passed down through the generations since the beginning of time. A Nepali handicraft statue can be made out of a variety of materials, including copper, bronze, and brass. Carving is a well-known craft that uses a hammer and chisel to carve in the shapes. In Nepal, you may see a wide range of sculptures. Nepali handicrafts such as metal products are shipped to countries like the USA, China, Korea etc. Especially popular are small idols of gods and goddesses as well as decorative and household items. 3. Nepali papercrafts In the international market, Nepali paper and paper products are well-known. The lokta or dayshing (Daphne cannabira) plants are used to make Nepali papers. Moth resistance is its distinguishing attribute. Nepal exports a variety of items created from Nepali paper, including postcards, writing pads and papers, woodblock prints, calendars, gift wraps, lampshades, and so on. The United States, Japan, Canada, and European countries have been the most important markets. 4. Woodcarving products Carpenters are preparing wood for the reconstruction of Kasthamandap temple in Kathmandu. Nepal is fortunate to be located in the Himalayan foothills, surrounded by beautiful green forests and hardwood trees. Needless to say, these trees provide valuable timber, which the locals make significant use of. Wooden craftsmanship has always been a highlight of the Nepali handicraft industry as well as architecture. Wooden decors, flutes, bracelets, wooden masks, decorative boxes, small wooden windows, and much more are among the goods available. These products are in high demand in nations like India, China, and the United States. There are several goods ranging in price range from USD 13 dollars to 700 dollars. 5. Carpets Over the years, handwoven carpets have been one of Nepals most important exports. Since commercial carpets began to be produced in Nepal, the products quality has garnered attention from all around the world. Nepali handicraft carpets, which are often composed of wool and silk, are known for their double-knotting method, high pile density, and environmentally friendly manufacturing process. Handwoven carpets are being sold to over 60 countries for roughly USD 70 million, making it one of Nepals greatest exports. 6. Jewellery Photo Courtesy: Bhaktapur.com Nepali jewellery is yet another important export among Nepali handicrafts. Such jewellery is manufactured mostly by the hands of trained artisans, and it reflects the countrys traditional arts and culture. Gold and silver earrings, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, pendants, payels, kalli, phuli, and other popular pieces of Nepali handicraft items. Elements like gold and silver are regarded as holy metals by the people of Nepal. Gold and silver jewellery with various precious and semi-precious stones are a popular export. Varieties of precious and semi-precious stones such as ruby, corundum, sapphire, tourmaline, aquamarine, topaz, garnet, crystal quartz, beryl, and others are also available in different parts of the country, Jewellery is preferred by all ages. Nepali silver jewellery is exported to the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil, among others. 7. Singing bowls Photo: Pexels/ Magicbowls Singing bowls are Buddhist traditional goods that date back thousands of years. These bowls were created by ancient Nepali and Tibetan monks who were Gautama Buddhas disciples. In monasteries, monks use singing bowls to transform negative energy into positive energy. It is also utilised for silent profound meditation. This Nepali handicraft item is now well-known for its use in meditation, music, relaxation, and personal well-being. The tones of the singing bowl reach every part and cell of human bodies, transforming how we feel, move, and think. You may discover numerous sorts of these singing bowls in Nepal at varying rates, whether they are handcrafted or machine-made, engraved or plain, made of brass or some other metal. Singing bowls worth around Rs 12 billion are shipped annually to major countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Korea, China, and India. 8. Felt products Photo Courtesy: FHAN Felt is claimed to be one of the oldest Nepali handicraft items. It is used in a broad range of items, including the automobile sector, art and design equipment, and musical instruments. Of the popular felt items are handmade felt decorations, handmade felt balls, ornamental slippers, and felt mats. According to the Trade and Export Promotion Centre, the nation exported felt items worth Rs 2.74 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year (mid-July 2021 to mid-March 2022), up 61.97 per cent from the previous fiscal years export bill of Rs 1.69 billion. In the previous fiscal year, the nation exported felt items valued at Rs 2.15 billion. According to felt dealers, the United States and European nations are the most important markets for Nepali felt, followed by Japan and Canada. 9. Garments and accessories File: Dhaka topis on sale Shawls, handkerchiefs, ties, and even table mats are among the Palpali Dhaka goods available in Nepal. Buffalo hides and goat skins are also available in Nepal and are primarily exported in the forms of wet blue, chrome tanned, chrome crust, and chrome complete finished. Nepal has been making and exporting a wide range of leather items, both contemporary and traditional, for several decades. Leather items such as jackets, handbags, belts, purses, shoes, gloves, and wallets are made in Nepal and have a strong export market. Pakistan, the United States of America, and Japan are the biggest export markets for leather and leather goods from Nepal. 10. Pashmina A pashmina shawl. Photo: Flickr After readymade garments and hand-knotted woollen carpets, Nepali handicraft pashmina items have become Nepals third-largest international export commodity. The inner coat of a mountain goats hair is known as pashmina. It is created by blending the goats natural hair. Pashminas softness, lightness, fineness, warmth, and long-lasting characteristics, as well as workmanship, define its quality. Shawls, stoles, mufflers, scarves, blankets, and readymade clothing are the most popular pashmina exports. These Nepali handicraft goods are available in any hue the customer desires, whether synthetic or natural dyes are used. The United States of America is the major importer of Nepali pashmina products outside of Nepal. Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Italy, Canada, and Switzerland are all key markets for pashmina products. Home Just In Xiaomi 12 Pro in Nepal: More than plenty to offer, but theres some room for improvement Xiaomi 12 Pro, the ultimate flagship product of the smartphone company Xiaomi, is finally here in Nepal. This is the best offering from Xiaomi smartphones to date. Xiaomi has been providing decent and affordable smartphones in almost every category here in Nepal. Along with affordable pricing, Xiaomi also offers spectacular features, and that is the very reason why Xiaomi is rising as the no. 1 smartphone brand in the country. Its latest release, Xiaomi 12 Pro has more than plenty to offer for its users. This phone has a slim and sleek design, a better camera module that houses a triple 50MP camera, a larger sensor on the camera, one of the best displays, quad speakers and most notably a superfast charger. Of course, there is some room for improvement too, but they get overshadowed by its other features. These are only the highlights, lets get into the details to know more about the phone. Specifications Dimensions Height: 163.6mm Width: 74.6mm Thickness: 8.16mm Weight: 205 grams Display 6.73-inch, LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) Sim Dual sims Resolution 1,440*3,200 pixels OS Android 12, MIUI 13 Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) GPU Adreno 730 Storage UFS 3.1 256GB SD card slot No RAM 8/12GB Camera Front: 32MP, f/2.5 HDR Rear: 50MP, f/1.9, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS 50MP, f/2.2, 115 degrees (ultrawide) 50MP, (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom Sound Loudspeakers with 4 stereo speakers Dolby Atmos sound by Harman Kardon No 3.5mm headphone jack Battery 4600mAh, Li-Po, non-removable Fast charging 120W Fast wireless charging 50W Reverse wireless charging 10W Power delivery 3.0 Sensors Under display fingerprint sensor Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor Accelerometer Gyroscope Electronic compass Linear motor IR blaster Barometer Flicker sensor Colours Blue, purple, green, and grey Price Rs 114,999 Design and display Photo: mi Xiaomi 12 Pro features a very neat and elegant design. The phone has a glass back, glass front and an aluminium frame build. The front and the back of the phone has Gorilla Glass Victus protection. The phone also has curved sides. Photo: mi On the back of the phone is the camera module. The main camera with the biggest sensor resides on the top and the camera has a shiny metal-looking ring around it. Under the main camera sensor lie the other two camera sensors along with a flashlight and 50MP branding. There is also Xiaomi 5G branding at the bottom left part of the back of the phone that exhibits the phones support for next-gen connectivity support. The phone weighs around 205 grams and is 8.2mm thick. There is no official IP certification on the phone. Photo: mi Xiaomi 12 Pro features a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,440*3,200 pixels in a 20:9 aspect ratio and a pixel density of 521ppi. There are so many features on the display itself. The display also supports an adaptable 120Hz refresh rate and a whopping 480Hz touch sampling rate. The display can also reach a peak brightness of up to 15,00 nits and supports both the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ features. Cameras Photo: mi Xiaomi 12 Pro features a 50MP triple camera setup on the back and a single camera for taking selfies. All the cameras on the back are 50MP. Xiaomi has used a new Sony IMX707 sensor on its primary camera this time paired with a 24mm equivalent lens with an aperture of f/1.9. It also features Dual Pixel PDAF along with OIS for much faster focusing for action shots and better focusing in low-light environments. The other two cameras on the phone are 50MP telephoto with a 48mm equivalent lens with 2x optical zoom. The third one is another 50MP ultrawide camera with a FOV of 115 degrees with an equivalent focal length of 14mm. On the front, there is a 32MP selfie camera with an aperture of f/2.5. Photo: mi The main cameras on Xiaomi 12 Pro have a wide variety of photography and videography features for the users to choose from. There are photo features like Xiaomi ProFocus (motion tracking focus /eye-tracking focus/motion capture), ultra night photo, portrait night mode, portrait HDR, and long exposure mode with six effects (moving crowd, oil painting, neon trails, light painting, starry sky, star trails), photo clones, and timed burst to name a few. Photo: mi Meanwhile, the videography features on the camera include Xiaomi ProFocus (motion tracking focus), ultra night video, one-click AI cinema: Magic Zoom, slow shutter, time freeze, night time-lapse, parallel world, freeze-frame video, cinematic video filters, HDR10+ and slow-motion videos in 120fps, 240fps, 480fps, 960fps, and 1920fps. The main camera can record videos in 8K resolution but at 24fps only. The 8K resolution seems to be the standard on flagship phones these days, but there are very few devices that really supports this resolution. If you want to click videos at a higher frame rate, you have to switch to either 4K or 1080p resolution that supports 60fps. Surprisingly, the front camera can only record videos in 1080p resolution. Performance and storage Photo: mi Xiaomi 12 Pro runs on the latest Android 12 with MIUI 13 on top. The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) chipset and features an octa-core CPU with one Cortex-X2 prime core and integrated 5G modem. The graphics, meanwhile, are handled by the powerful Adreno 730. This is the latest and most powerful smartphone chipset from the reputed company, Qualcomm, and can be seen in the flagship smartphones like Samsung S22 and OnePlus 10 Pro. Photo: mi This can be a great device for multitasking or even heavy gaming; the user does not have to worry about over-heating. The phone features a cooling system as well. The cooling system features an ultra-thin 2900mm super-big vapour chamber along with three layers of massive graphite sheets to effectively reduce the core temperature. Photo: mi Xiaomi 12 Pro comes with either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM with 256GB of internal storage. There is no option for expanding the memory through an external source. Battery life, connectivity and others Photo: mi Xiaomi 12 Pro features a smaller 4600mAh non-removable li-po battery. An amazing feature of the phone is its 120W superfast charging feature. This is by far the fastest charger available in the market. This superfast charger can get the phone fully charged in just 18 minutes. While with only seven minutes of charge, you can get the battery backup for a full day. Photo: mi The phone also supports 50W fast wireless charging and 10W reverse charging. Even through wireless charging, Xiaomi 12 Pro is said to get fully charged in just 42 minutes and with a 4nm process, the power usage should be really efficient. The company claims there are 42 safety features including Xiaomi adaptive charge. This feature learns daily charging routines during the night time and the charging is said to pause at 80% while the user is asleep, but get fully charged right before the start of the new day. Xiaomi 12 Pro supports dual 5G sim cards, Bluetooth 5.2, Wifi 6 and is NFC enabled. The phone uses USB Type-C 2.0 cable. For audio, the phone features quad stereo speakers powered by Harman Kardon. The phone does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack, as none of the flagships does these days. Xiaomi 12 Pro is priced at Rs 114,999 for the 12/256GB variant. Verdict Photo: mi Well, Xiaomi 12 Pro directly rivals the flagships from Samsung and OnePlus here in Nepal. Samsung Galaxy S22 series and the OnePlus 10 Pro which will be released very soon will give a tough time to Xiaomi 12 Pro. Though this is a great phone, people here might be a little sceptical as Samsung and OnePlus have earned huge reputations in the flagship category. Xiaomi 12 Pro offers a pleasing design and probably one of the best displays on a smartphone. The viewing and hearing experience on the phone may be astounding as the phone offers multiple video and audio features. There is also said to be a huge improvement in the camera performance as the photos and videos clicked even during night times bring out good results. Xiaomi 12 Pro features a powerful chipset that should handle multitasking and intensive gaming with ease. On top of that, it features a cooling system. An amazing improvement and upgrade on the phone is the fast charging. It has the fastest charging system a smartphone can have right now in the market. The user does not have to worry about the battery anymore as just a couple of minutes of charging can provide you with power for a whole day. While Xiaomi 12 Pro provides some amazing features it also has some areas where it could have done better. The 50MP ultrawide camera has only got 115 degrees POV; even Samsungs mid-range provides a 123-degree FOV while the OnePlus 10 Pro has 155 degrees FOV. The telephoto lens also only offers 2x optical zoom. The video can be recorded in 8K resolution, but it is barely used as it can take huge storage. It would have been really great if there was the option of recording 4K resolution videos in 120fps. The 60fps offered on the phone is very basic. Also, there is no 4K video recording from the front camera. Though it features a power-efficient chipset, a better battery backup would have been really appreciable. Also, there is no official IP rating on a flagship phone, and this is really discouraging and surprising at the same time. There are some ups and downs on the phone, but it indeed is a great phone to have. So, we will know in the coming days if people will choose Xiaomi 12 Pro over the Samsung S22 series and the OnePlus 10 Pro or not. FILE PHOTO: Workers stand in line to cast ballots for a union election at Amazon's JFK8 distribution center, in Staten Island, New York City (Reuters) - The union that Amazon.com Inc workers recently voted to represent them has demanded the company start bargaining in early May and cease any changes to employment terms at their warehouse in the interim, according to a letter the group issued Saturday on Twitter. The Amazon Labor Union also demanded the retailer respect workers' rights to union representation during disciplinary meetings, the letter said. Amazon did not immediately comment. On Friday, after some 55% of workers voted to make their warehouse in Staten Island, New York Amazon's first unionized worksite in the United States, the company said it may file objections before the election result is certified. (Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in Palo Alto, California; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) PETERBOROUGH, ON, April 3, 2022 /CNW/ - Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that affordable housing is key to Canada's recovery, as people in Canadian communities, including Peterborough. Government of Canada logo (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) Today, Ryan Turnbull, Member of Parliament for Whitby, on behalf of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Julia Deans, President and CEO for Habitat for Humanity Canada and Susan Zambonin, CEO for Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region came together to announce $4.1 M in federal funding that supported the construction of homes at 33 Leahy's Lane in Peterborough to help 41 families realize their dreams of homeownership. This investment by the Government of Canada was made possible the National Housing Strategy's (NHS) National Housing Co-investment Fund (NHCF). The National Housing Strategy's NHCF gives priority to projects that help those in greatest need, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, those dealing with mental health and addictions, veterans and young adults. Last year, Vancity Community Investment Bank (VCIB) worked with Habitat for Humanity Canada to arrange a $30 million credit facility to support the construction of 414 affordable housing units across the country. Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region was the first local Habitat to access these funds to support a new project. VCIB has a long track record supporting the development of affordable housing, and their credit facility provided essential financing for the Leahy's Lane project. The Habitat for Humanity model of affordable homeownership bridges a gap for people who face barriers to homeownership and would not otherwise qualify for a traditional mortgage. Local Habitat for Humanity organizations in every province and territory across Canada help build and rehabilitate decent and affordable homes, from single-family houses to multi-unit developments. With the help of volunteers and donors, Habitat helps families build their own homes and pay an affordable mortgage geared to their income. Safe, decent and affordable homeownership plays a critical role in helping families build a foundation for a life with better choices and more opportunities. Story continues Quotes: "Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Our Government is dedicated to helping those in need which is why we partner with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity to make a real difference in the lives of families. Today, 41 families are realizing their dreams of homeownership here in Peterborough. Our government will continue to support housing needs for Canadians coast to coast to coast." The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion "Our government believes that every Canadian deserves a safe place to call home. Across the country, we are working with Habitat to build the safe, appropriate, affordable housing necessary for healthy and sustainable communities. Here In Peterborough, the investments in these new homes will make a real difference in the lives of 41 hard-working families, a place they can proudly call their own." Ryan Turnbull, Member of Parliament for Whitby "Thanks to the support of CMHC and our partnership with Vancity, as well as the innovative vision of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, 41 families now have decent and affordable housing and access to the social and economic benefits that come with affordable homeownership." Julia Deans, President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity Canada "At a time when housing prices are skyrocketing locally, this innovative development will help 41 local families including seniors, singles, and couples to pay an affordable mortgage geared to their income. Because of the generosity of our many partners, these 41 families will have an opportunity to save more, invest in education, and have more financial stability." Susan Zambonin, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region "As a purpose-driven lender, VCIB has a long history of financing affordable housing. Habitat shares our values and we're proud to be working together to increase Canada's affordable housing stock and to promote affordable homeownership." Trish Nixon, Managing Director, Commercial Impact Banking, Vancity Community Investment Bank. Quick facts: With a budget of $13.2 billion, the NHCF gives priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults. Through the NHCF, the Government of Canada will work with partners to build up to 60,000 new affordable homes and repair up to 240,000 existing affordable and community homes. Under the NHCF, investments are also planned to create or repair at least 4,000 shelter spaces for victims of family violence, as well as create at least 7,000 new affordable housing units for seniors and 2,400 new affordable housing units for people with developmental disabilities. To help Canadians find affordable housing, Budget 2021 provides an additional $2.5 billion over seven years in new funding and to reallocate $1.3 billion in previously announced funding to speed up the construction, repair, and support over 35,000 additional housing units. In Budget 2021, $750 million in existing funding under NHCF has been advanced to 2021-22 and 2022-23. This will accelerate the creation of 3,400 new units and the repair of 13,700 units. $250 million in existing funding will also be allocated to support the construction, repair, and operating costs of an estimated 560 units of transitional housing and shelter spaces for women and children fleeing violence. This funding will help the Government address gender-based violence. Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home. Related links: As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC's aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca. About Habitat for Humanity Canada Founded in 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national charitable organization working towards a world where everyone has a decent and affordable place to call home. Habitat Canada brings communities together to help families build strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership. With the help of volunteers, Habitat homeowners and 49 local Habitats working in every province and territory, we provide a solid foundation for better, healthier lives in Canada and around the world. Habitat for Humanity Canada is a member of Habitat for Humanity International, which was established in 1976 and has grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 70 countries. For more information, please visit www.habitat.ca. About VCIB VCIB is an Ontario-based, Schedule I federally chartered bank and a subsidiary of Vancity credit union. As Canada's first values-driven bank, VCIB provides specialized financing solutions for impactful projects like social purpose real estate and clean energy projects. For purpose-driven businesses and organizations, VCIB offers banking, investing, and financing solutions tailor-made to increase their growth and impact. VCIB is a Certified B Corporation and a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values. For more information, visit vcib.ca, tweet us at @BankVancity, and connect with us on LinkedIn. SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2022/03/c1164.html With the Ukraine crisis putting further strain on China's ties with the United States and the West as a whole, Beijing has set its eyes on mending fences with its neighbours. China's diplomatic frenzy in the past two weeks shows the importance of its neighbours in Beijing's hierarchy of relations, according to observers. On the heels of a whirlwind tour of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last week hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who travelled abroad for the first time since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Wang also chaired an Afghanistan-focused meeting attended by the foreign ministers from Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Taliban's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaki and the US special envoy on Afghanistan also attended the talks in Anhui province on Wednesday. Highlighting China's ambitions towards Afghanistan following America's chaotic withdrawal last summer, President Xi Jinping sent a written message, pledging Beijing's continued support for the radical Islamic group and the war-torn country, which he said stood at a "critical point of transition from chaos to order". China also welcomed foreign ministers from Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia, which holds this year's Group of 20 presidency, last week and took part in a virtual summit with the European Union in Brussels on Friday. Friday's visit by Myanmar foreign minster U Wunna Maung Lwin, was the first to a non-Asean country since the coup that brought the ruling junta to power last February and Wang told his counterpart that China was ready to help the country address its economic problems, which have been compounded by the war in Ukraine. Story continues Xi has also weighed in personally on Beijing's efforts to rally support from its neighbours and developing countries, talking to leaders from Cambodia, Indonesia and South Africa over the phone recently. In a rare move, he also reached out to South Korea's president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol twice, including a telephone conversation a day after the election, even though Yoon is strongly pro-US and has promised to take a tougher stance towards China. While China started its pivot to Asia after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic over two years ago, analysts said its recent moves are largely a response to Washington's Indo-Pacific strategy, a perceived US containment strategy towards Beijing. Wang Yi, right, poses for photos with Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of the Afghan Taliban's caretaker government. Photo: AP alt=Wang Yi, right, poses for photos with Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of the Afghan Taliban's caretaker government. Photo: AP> "China has always attached importance and invested heavily in forging ties with its neighbours over the years. "Now with Washington making headway in the Indo-Pacific region especially in geopolitical and security terms, Beijing has to ramp up its efforts to shore up and consolidate ties with its peripheral region," said Li Mingjiang, an associate professor at Nanyang Technological University's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Last week US President Joe Biden told the visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that the Ukraine crisis would not distract Washington from implementing its Indo-Pacific strategy. Although a planned White House summit for the leaders of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has been postponed because of "scheduling problems", Biden said he wanted to ensure that the region remains "free and open", without specifically naming China. "From China's perspective, the growing US involvement in the Indo-Pacific and the resulting changes to the regional geopolitical landscape are alarming," Li said. "Washington's ability to garner a united front with Europe and Nato on Ukraine and strengthen its alliances in the region, such as the four-way grouping of the Quad comprising Japan, Australia and India, remains a top challenge for China." According to a survey by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore early this year, Washington has gained ground against Beijing in their competition for influence in Southeast Asia over the past year. In recent weeks, Washington has tried to lure Nepal, a traditional buffer between China and India with an infrastructure grant project while exerting pressure on India over its refusal to denounce Russia, New Delhi's top weapons supplier. Wang made surprise visits to both India and Nepal last week despite the two countries' ongoing territorial disputes with China. "At a time of increasing great power competition, which has been exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it makes sense for China to go into diplomatic overdrive, especially given the US efforts to rally countries against Russia," said Benoit Hardy-Chartrand, an international affairs specialist at Temple University in Tokyo. He noted the importance of regional diplomacy was not new for Beijing, as it has long valued stability close to its borders and been working to strengthen its influence on its periphery. China's periphery - and Southeast Asia in particular - has long been a locus of great power competition between China, the US, and even Japan, according to Hardy-Chartrand. Tensions between the US and China persist and a video meeting between Xi and Biden did little to alter the situation. The US continues to use sanctions and other measures to target Chinese firms and offiicals over China's human rights record and US national security concerns, while Beijing blames Washington for a failure to improve ties. Despite the crisis in Ukraine, Washington has continued to focus on the competition with China and warned Beijing will face "consequences" if it supports Russia's invasion. But analysts said Asian countries' reaction to Russia's attack was also an opportunity for China. While most of these countries voted to denounce Moscow's invasion at the United Nations last month, Singapore is the only one in Southeast Asia to join the Western sanctions against Russia, the region's top arms supplier. Huang Jing, director of the Institute of the US and Pacific Studies at Shanghai International Studies University, said while two UN resolutions condemning Russia won overwhelming support from over 140 countries, it did not mean they agreed with the Western sanctions. "With Washington's attention and resources diverted from the China-focused Indo-Pacific Strategy to the Ukraine crisis, it presents some good opportunities for China to ramp up its influence," he said. He said Beijing should seize on the opening, especially India's resentment about pressure from Western countries over its close defence ties with Russia, to pull it away from the Quad. "While it is almost impossible to fully repair China's ties with India, Beijing's priority should be to prevent New Delhi siding with Washington in the US-China rivalry and the formation of 'an Asian Nato' in the Indo-Pacific," he said, referring to Beijing's categorisation of the Quad. Huang also said it was natural for Beijing to shift its focus onto its Asian neighbours, considering the decline in US-China ties and hardening bipartisan consensus in Washington. Biden's framing of the US-China rivalry as a "battle between democracy and autocracy" has also left no doubt for leaders in Beijing about the prospect for future relations. Monika Chansoria, a senior fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs in Tokyo, said: "The renewed preoccupation of an overstretched US with European security has seemingly provided Beijing the strategic space to realign the global world order in order to meet its own strategic targets, most importantly, Taiwan." But she said Wang's trip to India, initiated from the Chinese side, had failed to yield tangible results and was "an failed attempt by Beijing to begin portraying that it's back to 'business as usual'" with India following a deadly border clash in the Galwan valley two years ago. "China's peripheral region senses the looming threat of China trying to unilaterally change the status quo in the East and South China Seas," Chansoria said. "The region is wary of Beijing's predatory expansionism that spreads across small, lesser-developed nations in dire need of developmental aid and assistance." Hardy-Chartrand also said it is unclear whether China can overcome "notable obstacles" - including Asean's insistence on strategic autonomy, Yoon's pro-US stance and ongoing tensions with Japan - to strengthen its influence. "One of the most significant challenges is that most countries are reluctant to see China become a regional hegemon and continue to want a strong American presence in the region," he said. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2022 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2022. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Since landing on Mars more than a year ago, NASAs Perseverance Rover has used its microphones to capture the sounds of the Red Planet, including its harsh winds and the hum of Ingenuity cutting through the atmosphere. And now those recordings have helped scientists discover that sound travels differently on Mars than it does on Earth. In a study published on Friday in the journal Nature, researchers said they determined the Red Planets thin carbon dioxide atmosphere causes sound to travel slower on Mars, with a sounds pitch further affecting its speed. On Earth, sound typically travels at 767 miles per hour. But on Mars, scientists determined that low-pitched travel at approximately 537 miles per hour, while high-pitched ones move at about 559 miles per hour. Were you to visit Mars, that means you would hear high-pitched sounds slightly earlier. "On Earth, the sounds from an orchestra reach you at the same speed, whether they are low or high. But imagine on Mars, if you are a little far from the stage, there will be a big delay," Sylvestre Maurice, the studys lead author, told Frances AFP news agency. Sounds also carry a shorter distance due to the planets thin atmosphere. On Earth, they drop off at about 213 feet, whereas on Mars sounds start to falter after only 13 feet. Thats something that would make it difficult to have a conversation with someone only 16 feet away from you. If you want to hear how things like birds and ocean waves would sound on Mars, NASA has put together recordings that give a sense of just how much a Martian-like atmosphere would change our perception of the world. After waiting for seven hours due to rain in the area, Florida was finally able to begin competition on Saturday night at the Pepsi Florida Relays.Despite the long-awaited start, the Gators turned in a number of personal bests, spearheaded byNCAA-leading mark (2:02.02) in the 800 meters.She moved all the way up to No. 4 in Florida history with her performance.Of the 11 Florida athletes, men and women, to run the 800 meters on Saturday night, eight of them clocked personal bests.came from the back of the pack in the fast heat to run 1:48.15 on his outdoor debut, the sixth-best mark in the NCAA this season.Even in the rainy conditions, Florida got big performances in the short hurdles.went sub-13 with a time of 12.99 to open her season whilefollowed behind at 13.63. Stark's time is good enough for ninth in the NCAA this season.(14.44) and(14.17) tallied a pair of personal bests in the 110-meter hurdles.In a condensed schedule, Florida got season bests in the 4x100 and 4x400 from its women's team including legs from Hall andin both events.The Gators ran 43.69 in the 4x100 behind the team of Diggs, Stark,and Hall. That time sits No. 7 collegiately this season and ranks No. 10 in school history.To follow that up, Florida clocked 3:29.20 in the 4x400 relay, a time that ranks sixth collegiately this year.Diggs anchored the team of Hall,andwith an impressive split of 51.34 on the final lap.Watson and Hall both put up top-four marks in school history in the 400-meter hurdles yesterday before coming back today and running legs on the 4x400 relay.Despite a clock issue forcing a rerun of the fast heat of the 100 meters,(10.22, No. 15 NCAA),(10.41) and(10.41) took the top three spots in the event Saturday night.competed in two events on Saturday night, putting up big personal bests including an impressive throw of 16.65m/54-7.5 in the shot put.Her mark sits top-20 nationally through the weekend and betters her No. 9 throw in school history.The Gators return to action in two weeks for the Tom Jones Memorial, the second of two meets in Gainesville this season.A complete list of results for the Gators is below.SOCIAL: Twitter JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators There is a maturing narrative around racial relations in America that holds people, and especially Caucasians, have largely moved beyond blatant racial discrimination. In short, we are in a post-racial society. The idea garnered interest on the political Left with the 2008 election of Barack Obama as the first Black president of the United States. Progressives hopes that his election marked a turning point in racial relations were dashed, however, by the 2016 election of Donald Trump. The Left has since put the post-racial notion on ice. The political Right has also been promoting the idea of a post-racial society, however. Their position was thrust to the fore of popular imagination in 2013, when the U.S. Supreme Court heard Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder. This case asked the court to rule on the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which required states with a history of discriminating against minorities voting rights to submit to the Department of Justice for approval any changes made to voting practices. SCOTUS upheld Section 5, but it ruled unconstitutional the test used to identify states bound by Section 5. This rendered Section 5 unenforceable, and took the teeth out of a key element of the Voting Rights Act. Of this ruling that affected mainly states in the Deep South, Chief Justice John Roberts defended the decision in part by noting that things have changed dramatically. On the five-year anniversary of the ruling, National Review then the leading magazine of conservative intellectual thoughtreinforced Roberts position, saying Chief Justice Roberts was rightthings in the South have changed for the better. Things in the South may have changed for the better in some ways, but on the issue of race, things are as contentious as ever. Perhaps in no other state in America this year has this debate over a post-racial America been more sharp and more bitter than in Virginia. executive assertion On Gov. Glenn Youngkins first day in office, he issued a startling Executive Order 1 that placed the debate over race front and center in Virginia politics. Inherently divisive concepts, it read, like Critical Race Theory and its progeny, instruct students to only view life through the lens of race and presumes that some students are consciously or unconsciously racist, sexist, or oppressive, and that other students are victims. His administration, and by extension those who reject CRT, the order goes on to suggest, have unshackled themselves from racism. Its not those who are denouncing CRT who are racist, the order implies, its the propagators of CRT who are weaponizing race for their own ends. To drive home the point, the order stresses that educators are to teach students that segregation and Jim Crow, and the inhumane treatment, and at times genocidal acts, against American Indians are, indeed, bad. But we are not to deal with these issues in terms of race. Instead, it is only by teaching the facts and the context around these events, while ignoring the impact those facts have on historically oppressed peoples, that we will realize Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s dream that our children will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. In effect, Youngkin is asserting that racism, and in particular structural racism, is dead. And those who insist on talking about it are not only wrong, but, to quote the order, teaching our children to engage in the very behavior the Constitution prohibits. But in the days and weeks since that order has been released, its clear that race does still matter in Virginia. Far from quelling racial debates, Youngkins quest to assert a post-racial order is elevating racial tensions. Youngkin has launched an all-out assault on the concept of equity, the idea that government should favor those who are historically disadvantaged by delivering outcomes that give these people a seat at the tables of power. Equity, Youngkin and other conservatives contend, is the underpinning for practices like race-based admissionsan issue currently before the SCOTUS. Youngkins administration has aggressively been striking equity from school curricula, job titleseven trees. This post-racial worldview rests on some significant assumptions. Not the least of which is that legal changes of the past few decades have erased the need for equity. A situation at James Madisons Montpelier in Orange County, however, shows how much of a miscalculation this assumption is. Structural Parity On June 18, 2021, the Montpelier Foundation released a statement that quite literally took the museum world by storm, and appeared to offer a reset on how we talk about race relations in America. In a first-ever milestone for museums and historic sites that are former places of enslavement, the announcement began, The Montpelier Foundation (TMF) board of directors voted Wednesday, based on a proposal from the Descendants, to approve bylaws to establish equality with the Montpelier Descendants Committee (MDC) in the governance of James Madisons Montpelier, the home of the fourth president and Father of the Constitution. This arrangement is known as structural parity, and the origins of it go back some 20 years. Under the leadership of Montpeliers former CEO and President Kat Imhoff, who served from 2012 to 2019, Montpeliers archaeologists and staff historians continued strengthening a working rapport with the descendants of many of the 300 slaves who were owned by the Madison family. Their working relationship dates back to the 1990s. Out of this cooperation came a 2018 national summit, held at Montpelier, on teaching slavery. Capped by the publication that outlines a rubric for best practices for telling the story of enslaved people at historic sites and museums (Engaging Descendant Communities in the Interpretation and of Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites), Montpelier was soon recognized as a leader in working with the descendants of the enslaved to tell the whole-truth history of Americas past. A cornerstone of the rubric, as the document is referred to, is structural parity. Its definition and benefits are described in the introduction: Achieving structural parity ensures that descendants are representedand empoweredat every level of the organization, from the board to the volunteers. Another major development in 2019 was the establishment of the Montpelier Descendants Committee to democratically represent the descendants collective voice. Imhoff left the foundation in 2019, leaving it to new CEO and President Roy Young, who started in April 2020, and new board chair Eugene Hickok, to make structural parity a reality. Things looked to be off to a good start when, in a letter to James French of the MDC on Aug. 21, 2020, Hickok confirmed the relationship between the MDC and the board: The Montpelier Foundation recognizes the Montpelier Descendant Committee as the sole representative organization of the Montpelier descendant community as defined by the rubric. This definition matters because the rubric casts a broad net when defining descendants. A descendant community, it says, is a group of people whose ancestors were enslaved at a particular site. However, it can transcend that limited definition because family ties often crossed plantation boundaries. Further, A descendant community can also welcome those who feel connected to the work the institution is doing, whether or not they know of a genealogical connection. Today, Hickok and Young have reversed course on their early commitment to the MDC as the descendant communitys sole representation. The two now want to bring in descendants from outside the MDC to sit on the board. They are doing so, Hickok told The Free LanceStar, because the descendants committee and the board have had trouble finding ways to work together. On March 25, the board changed its bylays, thereby formally stripping the Montpelier Descendants Committee of its right to submit names of potential board members for approval. We want to work with them, Hickok said, but also with the larger descendants as well. Our goal here is to make it easier to get descendants. The rubric defines descendants so broadly, however, its difficult to understand just what descendants Hickok could be referring to. And by extension, what his motives are for so acting. There is tension between the MDC and a prominent descendants family member, Mary Alexander of the Jennings family, who is on the board. When we elected Mary Alexander, Hickok said, the MDC did not recognize her to count toward parity. I dont know why. Apart from the Jennings family, however, Hickok cannot point to other descendants he would put on the board. I really dont know how large this community would be. Over 300 men and women and children were enslaved. So you can only imagine the possible numbers. Using the rubrics definition for descendant, however, one is hard-pressed to imagine any of those people not qualifying for admission to the MDC. The problems between the MDC and board run even deeper, however. As tensions between the two mounted, staff members were told by Young and Hickok they could not interact with the MDC. And according to a document that was publicly unsigned, staff was repeatedly threatened with their jobs if they did so. Hickok denied this, and blamed the MDC, saying it told the staff not to interact with them. As this disruption between these two organizations began, the head of the MDC instructed members of their committee not to work with members of the staff of Montpelier. He went on to say that he would not threaten employees with their jobs. His position is directly contradicted, however, by Elizabeth Chew, executive vice president and chief curator at Montpelier: Roy Young has threatened me with termination for working with descendants as recently as Feb. 28, she said. He had threatened me and other colleagues since 2021. Further, though the aforementioned staff document released publicly does not bear specific names, The Free LanceStar has independently verified 25 employees who agreed to the assertions in the document. Today, five of the boards 16 members are descendants of the enslaved community at Montpelier, and just three of those are from the Montpelier Descendants Committee. Hickok insists that the change in bylaws does not end his commitment to structural parity. However, Hickok told The Free LanceStar: Partnership and collaboration require trust and mutual collaboration. Mediators from the University of Virginia brought in to help negotiate a peace between the foundation and the MDC agree. However, the breach is so bad they withdrew, citing the actions taken by TMF as the primary reason. Racially Aware Younkins Executive Order 1 tries to turn the states back on its collective past and assert that our historical wrongs have been addressed, allowing us now to simply judge people by their character. Montpeliers nascent structural parity plan shows just how far we have to go before we can even entertain such a radical idea. When so much of the past is still untold, we cant turn our back to it. Thats why the work of people like the staff at Montpelier is so vital, and why its important that those who are descended from the enslaved are allowed to fully tell their own stories. What the descendants of Montpelier are asking for, I would suggest, is not a post-racial world, but a racially aware one. As we are seeing in Virginia, however, to be racially aware requires recognizing what is blatantly plain. Our past informs and shapes our present and our future. The great Southern writer William Faulkner said it best in his 1951 novel Requiem for a Nun: The past is never dead. Its not even past. I have no reason to doubt that Young and Hickok are committed to telling whole-truth history. Otherwise, they would have never stepped onto the grounds and accepted positions of responsibility at Montpelier. Further, I dont doubt that Youngkin is anything but sincere in wanting the best for everyone by focusing on their futures instead of their pasts. But race is a reality in our world. And a post-racial world is a well-meaning, but naive, fantasy. Shutting down debate by those who push against Youngkins idyllic vision will not move us closer to what he desires any more than backtracking on promises made to the MDC will help Young and Hickok reestablish the trust they have undermined, and need, to deal with the difficult topic of slavery. In both cases, we are seeing that too many people still are unwilling, or unable, to share power equitably. Some at Montpelier worry that this may become a lost opportunity. There were surely times in President Madisons life when he felt the same. In time, we may come to see these events as seminal moments that brought us closer to an honest discussion about race. The work at Montpelier is bringing to light every day the fuller story of those who are as responsible for that world Madison set in motion as Madison himself. We are on a path. Lets hope that the historians of tomorrow will see in todays struggles the seeds that launched a better, racially aware tomorrow. Supporters of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan rallied in the capital, Islamabad, on April 3 after the national parliament and regional legislatures were dissolved. President Arif Alvi took the step in consultation with Imran Khan as his party, Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf, lost its majority in parliament. The party supporters who attended the rally vowed that they would win in snap elections, which should take place within 90 days, according to the constitution. The UAE government has signed a strategic partnership aiming to exchange best practices, knowledge and expertise in aviation and cyber security with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed during the World Government Summit (WGS2022) in Dubai, held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Government Summit Organization signed the agreement along with Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council, in the presence of several UAE government and ICAO officials. The agreement focuses on accelerators and innovation in civil aviation, online security and development modules, while supporting the exchange of expertise which supports the global aviation sector. Al Gergawi said that the UAE is keen on promoting mutual work and positive impact between governments, reflecting its leaderships approach to transferring the UAEs knowledge and successful business models, ensuring the achievement of the sustainable development goals. The UAE governments approach has become an international model for shaping the future and designing innovative solutions to tackle global challenges, he added, emphasising that the partnership with ICAO is yet another step towards empowering global human capital in the civil aviation sector one of the UAEs primary sectors which hosts some of the largest and most successful airlines around the world. Al Gergawi commended the training programs and advanced tech support the UAE provides to several nations to enhance aviation security and safety. Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council, highlighted the importance of having frameworks in place to facilitate partnerships between international organisations and governments, leveraging shared knowledge to find solutions for challenges societies are facing. The UAE secured membership of the ICAO Council for the fifth consecutive time in September 2019, which was the result of the countrys approach in implementing many initiatives in partnership with the ICAO Council, including assisting several missions related to COVID-19, and bilateral cooperation on the recently established Global Aviation Award. WGS 2022, hosted at Expo 2020 Dubai, brought together government leaders, ministers, senior officials, decision-, policymakers and specialists across economic, social, technological and financial sectors from around the world to exchange experiences, knowledge and ideas that contribute to promoting development and prosperity around the world to forge new models of agile governance. The Summit, succeeded in hosting more than 4,000 senior government officials, experts and leaders of the private sector to explore the future of governments in more than 110 dialogue and interactive sessions. TradeArabia News Service Pakistani President Arif Alvi has dissolved parliament upon the advice of embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan shortly after a motion of no confidence against the premier was stymied in parliament. In a televised address to the nation on April 3, Khan said hed advised the president to dissolve the national parliament and four provincial legislatures, adding that a caretaker government would be formed afterward and elections scheduled so that the people can decide their future. Alvis office then issued a statement approving Khans recommendation, meaning that new elections must be held within 90 days. Khans speech came moments after the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri, dismissed a no-confidence motion against Khan, saying it was unconstitutional. Suri is a member of Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI) party. The lower house of the parliament had been scheduled to discuss the no-confidence motion and vote on it on April 3. An alliance of several opposition parties claimed they had more than the required 172 votes to adopt the resolution and sack the prime minister. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, head of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, told reporters that the opposition would begin a sit-in at the parliament and would appeal to the Supreme Court. A statement later from Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said the Supreme Court would hear the "urgent matter" on April 4. According to Article 58 of the constitution, the prime minister can advise the president to dissolve the national and provincial assemblies. But since Khan faced a no-confidence motion, he could not legally do so. Once that motion was rejected, Khan immediately appealed to Alvi. Following the move, Khan supporters gathered in the D-Chowk square in central Islamabad chanting slogans against the United States and Israel. Participants vowed that Khans Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf party would be victorious in a snap election. The political crisis was sparked last week when the PTI lost its majority in the national parliament after a coalition partner pledged to vote with the opposition and more than a dozen PTI lawmakers also defected, although the party has been trying to win them back. Khan has accused the United States of manipulating the opposition because of his warm relations with Russia and China. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price has denied the allegations. The opposition accuses Khan of mismanaging the economy and foreign policy, and political analysts also say Khan has fallen out with Pakistan's powerful military, whose support is critical for any party to attain power. On April 2, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javad Bajwa expressed concern about Moscow's war against Ukraine, saying that "despite Russia's legitimate security concerns, its aggression against a smaller country cannot be condoned." Bajwa also said Pakistan had enjoyed excellent defense and economic relations with Kyiv since Ukraine's independence, but that while some positive developments had taken place in its ties with Russia of late, its relations with Moscow had been "cold" for a long time for numerous reasons. He added that Pakistan sought to expand ties with both the United States and China, which has refused to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and criticized the West's punitive sanctions against Moscow. With reporting by AP and Reuters A Colorado Springs woman was arrested this month after she allegedly sold drugs to teenage boys, with one of the deals leading to the death of Four people were shot in two related shootings in southeast Colorado Springs Saturday. Colorado Springs police received a call about a shooting around 6 p.m. Saturday on the 2500 block of Astrozon Circle. Just minutes later and a few streets away, several calls for service were received in the 2400 block of Barkman Drive of another shooting, according to Gazette news partner KKTV. Police say these two shootings are connected. Four people were shot, three with non-life threatening injuries, and one in critical condition. A KKTV crew on scene reported seeing a red pickup crashed into a backyard fence. KKTV also reports that, further up the road, another street with town homes has been taped off. Police have not released any suspect information, or what led up to the shooting. KKTV is working to learn if these shootings were targeted or random. The Gazette contributed to this report. Read the full story at kktv.com. It was as if April Fools Day had come early. At a gala staged for the press last Wednesday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Denvers three-term Mayor Michael Hancock met publicly to herald a special occasion the licensing of the countrys first cannabis consumption lounge. Tetra Lounge owner DeWayne Benjamin shakes hands with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis at the ribbon-cutting last week for the Denvers first licensed cannabis consumption lounge. Kyiv, Ukraine is 5,135 miles and an entire ocean away from Mason City, but that's not stopping locals from getting involved and helping those in need. Jake Hawkins, a Mason City resident who works at CL Tel in Clear Lake just got done with a massive donation drive to send supplies to Ukraine, an initiative that was started by Hawkins though Grace Church in Mason City. On Feb 24, 2022, Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine, a decision that has left thousands if not millions seeking refuge, food, supplies and safety. Hawkins' father-in-law is an American citizen living a village two hours outside of Kyiv, Ukraine, and runs a farming equipment business which has been severely impacted by the conflict. Hawkins was talking with his father-in-law, and the two decided to put his shipping company and its resources to use to help bring supplies to Ukraine from Iowa. "He has this shipping business, and obviously there's not much going on with that right now, and he was thinking people are going to need stuff the next couple of months," Hawkins said. "So he came up with this idea to fill one of these shipping containers with supplies for people to be able to use in the villages around him." Initially, Hawkins approached his church, under the impression the donation would get some support, but he was not anticipating a huge turnout. However, Hawkins couldn't have been more wrong. The North Iowa community came out in droves for Hawkins, donating a massive amount of supplies, from clothes to seeds to tools. The effort began to expand once his employer, CL Tel in Clear Lake, got involved to sponsor it. The response was so immense Hawkins said they were able to fill a church bus worth of supplies at Grace Church, along with four pickup trucks and four trailer's worth of supplies at CL Tel. Hawkins said that they ended up with a shipping container full of items just from North Iowa alone. "It was a good opportunity for us to really take some of the things that we didn't need and put them to use," Hawkins said. "It's been pretty fantastic." One of the key reasons the turnout went from large to massive, though, was because of the contributions from Dean Snyder Construction. Reed Wessman an architect with Atura Architecture, a subsidiary company of Dean Snyder Construction, goes to the same church as Hawkins, and upon hearing about the donation being collected, decided he wanted to help. Wessman sent out a company-wide email letting his co-workers know about how they could help. From there, things got crazy. "Jake (Hawkins) announced it at church last Sunday, and when he announced it one thing he said they needed was tools," Wessman said. "Being that I work for a large construction company I just sent out the list on our company email chain... I was blown away by what ended up happening." Dean Snyder's Ankeny branch got involved in the donation because of the email, according to Tania Bowman who works in business development for Dean Snyder, and she began to work on contacting businesses and media in Ankeny. "From down here, we had a full, small trailer of donations, plus we filled up two trucks," Bowman said. "We got way more than we expected, it was really awesome." But people's generosity expanded beyond just donations of supplies. According to Hawkins, people stepped up to contribute trucks and trailers to move donations to the shipping company in Marshalltown, or even provided cash to help cover the expenses of shipping the items to Ukraine. "We had an amazing response," Hawkins said. "More than I could have ever imagined." The donations are currently in Marshalltown awaiting shipment, which is still going to be a logistical issue for Hawkins. Because of the Russian occupation of Ukraine, getting a shipping container from the United States to Ukraine might prove to be tricky, but Hawkins is sure that one way or another, they'll get it out there. If worse comes to worst, Hawkins said that they can always ship the supplies to neighboring Poland where it can be used to help Ukrainians fleeing the conflict. Zachary Dupont covers local government and business development for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at 641-421-0533 or zachary.dupont@globegazette.com. Follow Zachary on Twitter at @ZachNDupont Love 4 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SIOUX CITY From the moment the Navy announced that one of its newest ships would be named after Sioux City, local civic leaders swelled with pride, vowing to support the ship and its crew. Barely three years after joining the Navy's fleet, the USS Sioux City will need every bit of that support to remain in service. A U.S. Navy budget proposal unveiled Monday recommends the decommissioning of the USS Sioux City and 23 other ships. Just like that, the ship could be mothballed when memories of the joyous 2018 commissioning ceremony still remain strong in the minds of many. Though the ship's future is now uncertain, the community will continue to stand behind the ship's crew members and their mission, said Chris McGowan, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce president. "We will continue to do our very best to support the courageous men and women who serve on the USS Sioux City and remain focused on expanding and enhancing the incredibly strong relationship we have built with these sailors," said McGowan, who co-chaired the ship's commissioning committee with retired Rear Adm. Frank Thorp. The Navy's decommissioning recommendation must be approved by Congress, and lawmakers could block the plan. Thorp, a 28-year Navy veteran, said Thursday that process ensures the USS Sioux City will not disappear overnight. "The budget still needs to be approved by Congress, so this has a long time to play out. And then if USS Sioux City and the other Freedom class LCS are approved for decommissioning, it will take some time to make that happen. That is important because the crew needs that connection with her namesake city now more than ever," Thorp said. The proposal is part of a five-year budget plan that calls for decommissioning 24 ships, including eight other Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ships, or LCS, similar to the USS Sioux City, for a total savings of $3.6 billion, Navy officials said at a press briefing Monday. Navy officials said other ships can perform the USS Sioux City's anti-submarine warfare mission, and mechanical problems with the water jet propulsion systems have plagued the LCS Freedom class vessels. "... it's a hard thing to make a decision to decommission ships, but what we are looking at is what offers the best capability against the threats that we are facing," Meredith A. Berger, acting Under Secretary Of The Navy, told reporters. "And so as we think about how to build a force that we can sustain within the budget that we have, that's how we've made some of these, again, tough decisions. And as we look across LCS, this is a place where we have identified that there are real costs, especially at the -- for the Freedom class to be able to make some of the repairs that are needed on those as we measure that against what is the best contribution to the capabilities that we need." When commissioned, Navy leaders said the USS Sioux City's expected lifetime would be 30 years, probably more. Mayor Bob Scott said the Navy's decision would be a waste of taxpayer money if the $362 million ship were decommissioned after serving just a fraction of that time. "It's amazing they can spend that amount of money and then decommission it. It's unbelievable," Scott said. "We have a relationship with a lot of people who have served on that ship, and it's hard to believe that ship is unsalvageable. "I would hope we at least try to voice our objection to this." It was just 10 years ago that the Navy announced to an enthusiastic crowd at City Hall that the 11th ship of the LCS class would be named after Sioux City. That enthusiasm never waned. Large numbers of Siouxlanders traveled in January 2016 to the ship's christening at a Wisconsin shipyard. Hundreds more traveled to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, to witness the ship's commissioning on Nov. 18, 2018. Before and since the ship's commissioning, ship commanders and crew members have received warm welcomes when visiting Sioux City, and more than $250,000 was raised to create a legacy education fund to help USS Sioux City crew members and their families pay for educational expenses. Thorp repeatedly said during his many visits to Sioux City before the commissioning that he'd never seen a city embrace a namesake ship as Sioux City had done. "The support for the ship and crew is unparalleled," Thorp said. "The other thing I would say is that the sailors who have served on USS Sioux City will forever stand proud, arguably prouder than most if not all of the other ships on the waterfront, because of the great support of the people of Siouxland." Since its commissioning, the USS Sioux City and its 75-member crew have been based in Mayport, Florida, and deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South's mission, which includes counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. In recent months, the USS Sioux City and its crew, working with the U.S. Coast Guard, stopped two vessels in the Caribbean Sea, seizing approximately 1,080 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $44 million. News of those missions has been a point of pride, McGowan said. "We are very proud to serve as the namesake city for LCS 11 and we will remain so for as long as the USS Sioux City continues to serve our nation in the defense of freedom," he said. "Obviously, these decisions will be made at the highest levels of our federal government, and their sole criteria ought to be what is in the best interest of our national defense and protecting the security of the American people." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Before much more time slips away, lets not forget or underestimate the significance of what occurred on Monday, March 21, when the Mason City School Board approved changing the name of the school mascot from Mohawk to River Hawk. In retrospect, and despite what many may think, changing the name is insignificant compared to the process in which it was done. While adults fought the change and, in some cases, traded insults with those favoring the change and issued threats to School Board members, Mason City High School students quietly and effectively showed all of us how to move on. Led by the Student Senate, the kids worked on coming up with a new nickname, settling on three finalists: The River Hawks, the Monarchs and the Majors. A vote of the students resulted in 61.4% favoring the River Hawk name. That recommendation was made to the School Board March 21, and the board approved it. No doubt there were probably some students who didnt want the name changed. And surely, the students felt some pressure they didnt deserve. But they accepted the will of the governing authority in this case, the School Board and put together a quiet, mature democratic process that should be a shining example to all of us as to how to get things done. The people who opposed the name change, and there were hundreds of them, have been loyal to the Mohawk name for generations and there is nothing wrong with that. They felt the School Board over-reacted to requests from a few Native Americans in New York to change the name. They had every right to form an organization to try to stop the name change. But emotions boiled over. At a public meeting held to discuss the change, a businessman who graduated 50 years ago, drove all the way from Ames to protest the name change and warned people who chided him that they could settle their differences outside after the meeting. One woman opposed to the name change reportedly stood up and recited the Lords Prayer at one of the meetings. I am not a theological scholar but Im pretty sure God doesnt care what name was chosen for the school mascot. I have this vision of Him looking down on what was going on and sighing, Oh, myself! School Board members received threats from citizens because of their vote. Todd Blodgett, a longtime activist, predicted publicly that all School Board members would be defeated for re-election on the basis of this one vote. In the midst of all of this, I wrote a column in which I quoted Shakespeare in suggesting it was much ado over nothing. My thought was that 10 years from now, well all be accustomed to the new name and life will go on. I received notes and emails from readers who accused me of being part of the left-wing conspiracy to take over the schools. I mention all of this to put in perspective the meaningful response of the Mason City student body in recommending the name change. As Student Senate representative Grant Bohls told the School Board March 21, We have tried to do this process as fairly as we possibly could and as unbiased. While it probably wasnt perfect, I think we can be proud of what we did. Indeed, you should be proud. Go, River Hawks! John Skipper retired from the Globe Gazette in February 2018 after 52 years in newspapers, most of that in Mason City covering North Iowa government and politics. Love 10 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 8 Bunuel wrote: Real Estate Consultant: Apartment complexes make foolish financial decisions when they include swimming pools as amenities for their tenants. Pools are expensive to maintain and could be replaced by additional rent-generating housing units, while studies continue to show that less than 10% of tenants whose complexes have pools will use the pool in any given month. Which of the following most undermines the consultants conclusion? A. Studies show that more than half of prospective tenants say they would prefer to live in a complex that has a pool than in one that does not. B. Swimming pool maintenance is often less expensive than other luxury amenities like concierge and valet parking services. C. Nearly 75% of tenants who use their complexs swimming pool at least once per month will use the swimming pool several times per month. D. If tenants sign liability waivers when they sign their leases, apartment complexes can avoid the cost of employing lifeguards. E. Tenants at apartment complexes with swimming pools often invite guests to use the pool, leading to complaints about excessive noise and a lack of available parking. VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION: Whenever you approach a Strengthen or Weaken question, it's a good idea to investigate the gap between the premises and the conclusion. Here the conclusion is that "pools are a foolish financial decision" and the premises are:1) They're costly. 2) People don't use them very much.Think about the gaps: in any financial conversation one should consider both costs and revenues, but this argument only considers the cost side. What if they're expensive but they generate more revenue than the costs? And then tenants don't use them frequently, but does that mean that they don't positively contribute financially? Perhaps they just enjoy the view out their windows, or like that it impresses their friends when they come to visit. The gap here equates "tenants don't use" with "it's not profitable." So given that this is a Weaken question, you should look in the answer choices for a reason that pools could be profitable for apartment complexes.(A) provides exactly that: if prospective tenants would prefer a pool, then apartment complexes that have pool may have an easier time renting their units, or renting them for more money. (A) shows that there's a financial upside to having pools: the target market wants them. (A) is therefore correct.(B) is incorrect: the premises already state that pools are expensive, so even if they cost less than other amenities it doesn't change the current proposition that pools are a poor investment. Maybe all those amenities are poor investments.(C) is similarly incorrect in that it qualifies an existing premise (of those 10% who do use the pool, most are repeat users) but doesn't change the fact that the premise points out a negative (still not many people are using the pool!).(D) is guilty of essentially the same mistake: it's already been established that pools are expensive, so suggesting a potential way to make them slightly less expensive doesn't change the value proposition already outlined in the argument.And (E) misses the scope of the argument: other complaints that might arise from pools aren't necessarily pertinent to the financial discussion._________________ After record-breaking COVID- 19 infections in mid-January for the Dan River Region, a precipitous drop in cases has played out week over week since. Danville and Pittsylvania County figures after reaching the 25,000-case milestone March 28 are nearing the record lows of summer 2021. However, a data reallocation this week skewed the real numbers a tad. With cases removed from Danville, the average daily infection rate dipped into the negative territory. Data shifts have been a common occurrence in the pandemic, mostly blamed on a ZIP code error. For example, if someone has a Danville ZIP code but lives in Pittsylvania County, a lab may inadvertently assign the case to a Danville resident. The Virginia Department of Health routinely verifies data and will make adjustments when needed. This leads to artificial bumps and decreases that muddle the true snapshot of the pandemic. In Virginia, daily caseloads have dropped below 700. The all-time low was about 130 new cases on average per day in June 2021. We are encouraged by the decline of COVID-19 cases in our community over the last several weeks, said Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health. Gunn-Nolan, who has been the face of the the hospitals COVID-19 response for the last two years, was quick to add a little prudence with her optimism. However, we are in a pivotal time, and it is critical that we follow all available precautions that we know are effective in beating this virus: getting a COVID-19 vaccination and a booster, practicing proper handwashing, and wearing a mask in large group settings, particularly if you are immune suppressed or have a condition that may make you more susceptible to the virus, she wrote in an email to the Register & Bee this week. However, based on newly established standards by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, masks are no longer recommended for Danville and Pittsylvania County. Thats because both localities fall into the lowest category for community infection levels. A little more than 94% of the nation is colored green on the CDCs map, an illustration that a majority of the country has a low risk for COVID-19 spread. The eased masking guidance recently shared by the CDC does not apply to health care settings, Gunn-Nolan said. For Sovah Health facilities in Danville and Martinsville, everyone must still don a face covering. While the risk of contracting COVID-19 has lowered, it isnt completely gone, she said. Statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations were at 266 Friday morning, according to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. That compares to early July of 2020 and appears to be nearing the all-time pandemic low. Vaccinations Specifically, those who are unvaccinated are at the highest risk for getting and spreading the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, Gunn-Nolan wrote. Those people should still use caution when taking part in group activities or gathering in large crowds. Only slightly more than half of the residents in Danville and Pittsylvania County are considered fully vaccinated. Not quite 1-in-4 have received a booster dose, an extra shot of protection. The CDC this week opened the door for people 50 and older to receive a second booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccination. In the omicron wave the record caseloads triggered by a highly transmissible variant people who were boosted were 21 times less likely to die from COVID-19 when compared to unvaccinated individuals, the CDC reported Friday. Residents with booster shots also were seven times less likely to be hospitalized. Deaths Only one new local fatality from COVID-19 was recorded this week in Pittsylvania County. Danville didnt add to its death count. So far, 470 residents have died from the illness since March 2020. Deaths also have dropped across the nation by about 14% compared to the previous week, according to the CDC. The official count, as of March 30, stood at 977,495 fatalities in the United States, slowly inching closer to the grim 1 million mark. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. REIDSVILLE Community members helped the Reidsville Police Department identify suspected drug dealers during a three-month undercover investigation that led to the Wednesday arrests of 10 men and women. The RPDs Special Investigative Unit conducted the ongoing probe, dubbed Operation Shade Tree, and on Wednesday still sought to serve arrest warrants to seven more suspected dealers, an RPD spokesperson said in a news release. Warrants allege all of the suspects were involved with narcotics, including fentanyl, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and methamphetamine. Late Wednesday, the following suspects were in custody: Michael Wilson, charged with two counts each of possession with intent to distribute Schedule II methamphetamine, and sell/deliver Schedule II methamphetamine. Michael Galloway, charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute Schedule II crack cocaine and sell/deliver Schedule II crack cocaine, and two counts each of possession with intent to distribute Schedule II methamphetamine and sell/deliver Schedule II methamphetamine. Rodney Patrick Small Jr.. charged with one count each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule I heroin, sell/deliver Schedule I heroin, possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II methamphetamine, sell/deliver Schedule II methamphetamine, possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II oxycodone, sell/deliver Schedule II oxycodone, and two counts each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II methamphetamine and sell/deliver Schedule II methamphetamine. William Arthur Roach III, charged with two counts each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II powder cocaine/sell/deliver Schedule II powder cocaine and maintain vehicle for controlled substances. Sabrina Marie Cobbler, charged with one count each of possession with the intent to sell or distribute Schedule II crack cocaine and sell/deliver Schedule II crack cocaine. Ashley Deseiray Britt, charged with two counts each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II crack cocaine and sell/deliver Schedule II crack cocaine Ralph Lawrence Williams, charged with two counts each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II crack cocaine and sell/deliver Schedule II crack cocaine. Michael Bradley Greer, charged with one count each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule VI marijuana and sell/deliver Schedule VI marijuana. Brandon Perkins, charged with one count each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule I heroin and sell/deliver Schedule I heroin. Gregory Leon Slade, charged with one count each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II crack cocaine and sell/deliver Schedule II crack cocaine. Police were still seeking to arrest: Wanda Cayton Hairston on charges that include one count each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule I heroin and sell/deliver Schedule I heroin, possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II crack cocaine and sell/deliver Schedule II crack cocaine. Bonnie Jones McCusker for one count of trafficking Schedule II oxycodone. Jeffrey Mitchell Jr. for one county each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II crack cocaine and sell/deliver Schedule II crack cocaine. Wachumbee Obar Innis on one count each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II cocaine and sell/deliver Schedule II cocaine. Jahreik Wanyei Lowe on two counts each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II crack cocaine and sell/deliver Schedule II crack cocaine. Eddie Lee Barksdale Jr. on one count of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II fentanyl, three counts of trafficking Schedule II fentanyl and four counts of maintain vehicle controlled substance. Brandon Edwards on one count each of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II fentanyl, sell/deliver Schedule II fentanyl. SUMMERFIELD Investigators from Rockingham and Guilford counties arrested three people and confiscated narcotics including enough fentanyl to kill thousands stolen guns and cash here Friday, officials said in a Wednesday news release. Rockingham County Sheriffs Office investigators used a search warrant to enter a home at 485 Old Mill Drive, where they discovered 38 grams of pure fentanyl, 115 grams of cocaine, classified as a trafficking amount by the sheriffs office, marijuana, methamphetamine, crack cocaine and assorted narcotic pills, the release said. Authorities also recovered seven guns stolen during recent residential break-ins in Rockingham County and about $15,000 in cash, according to the release. Studies by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration show that the amount and type of fentanyl recovered Friday had the potential to kill roughly 19,000 people, the release said. Two men and one woman living at the residence were arrested Friday in connection with the contraband and charged with multiple felonies. Jeremiah Chaney, 39, and Tabitha Nicole Miller, 28, were both charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon, felony possession of a stolen firearm, felony maintain dwelling, felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of crack cocaine, felony possession with intent to sell/deliver fentanyl, felony trafficking cocaine, misdemeanor possession of a Schedule II substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Both are being held at the Rockingham County Detention Facility on a $500,000 secured bond. Brandon Tyler Benfield, 24, was charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, felony trafficking opium, felony maintain dwelling, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. He is being held at the jail on a $500,000 secured bond. Authorities issued a criminal summons to Emily Thorpe, 22, of the same Summerfield address, for misdemeanor possession of fentanyl and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Today, investigators from the Rockingham County and Guilford County Sheriffs offices recovered a lot of deadly drugs and stolen guns that would have otherwise ended up on our streets, said Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. Point blank, they saved lives. I am very proud of their hard work and commitment to keep our citizens safe. Our world never runs short of images and stories that reflect the cruelty and misery that humans are capable of inflicting upon one other. According to the United Nations, 84 million world citizens have been forcibly displaced from their homes and are suffering from the desperation of life as refugees. In Afghanistan a million children under the age of 5 could die of starvation by the end of the year. China has forced 2 million people into concentration camps, has subdued Hong Kong and threatens to invade Taiwan. Around 25,000 people die of hunger every day. Child labor, slavery, forced marriages and honor killings are common in parts of the world. In many places, homosexuality is a crime with severe penalties. Tribalism and autocracy are on the rise. In short, despite humanitys significant advances, our world resides on an unstable, semi-civilized crust that is in constant danger of cracking beneath us and exposing what Tennyson called the natural world, red in tooth and claw. And this is what were seeing in Ukraine: A democratic country is being attacked by a brutal dictator who is completely unrestrained by scruples over atrocities against civilians. The war is testing Ukraines capacity to absorb the heartbreaking brutality of modern warfare. Old people, children, even pregnant women, are being indiscriminately targeted by Russian rockets and artillery. But if one follows the war in Ukraine closely, everything begins to reflect through its lens. Heres an example: On March 12, Saudi Arabia staged a mass execution. The details are sketchy, but its very likely that the 81 victims were beheaded, possibly in a public event. Saudi Arabia does not decapitate with the comparatively humane guillotine of the French Revolution. Instead, victims are beheaded with a sword if theyre lucky or with a knife. Its a brutal, grisly, painful process. Critics of this mass decapitation argue that many of its 81 victims were executed for political offenses rather than for violent crimes. Allegedly some were tortured and tried in secret. A disproportionate number were Shiites, suggesting a sectarian bias among the Sunni executioners. Due process was undoubtedly in short supply. But despite these judicial failures, its the image of the grisly decapitation of 81 human beings that should stun us. This is the sort of violence that reminds us that our culture, whatever its flaws, is better than the autocracies of Saudi Arabia, Russia or China. Since the end of World War II, the United States has been the essential champion of a liberal world order (with a small l) that aspires to advance the most civilized values that humanity has developed so far: democracy, individual rights, free elections, equality before the law, inclusion, tolerance, maybe even compassion. The war in Ukraine and the mass execution in Saudi Arabia remind us of how fragile these values are. Russias attack is a belligerent expression of the philosophical conflict between the liberal world order and the brutality that lies just beneath the surface. So why are we still executing people in our country? Considerable evidence indicates that capital punishment has no deterrent effect, weve never figured out how to apply it without regard to race or economic class and undoubtedly we sometimes execute innocent people. But in a larger framework, it should concern us that we are the last country in the West that carries out state-sanctioned killings, traveling in the dubious company of autocracies such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and China. Certainly, we dont commit such savageries as beheadings, but several states still use the electric chair and four states permit execution by firing squad. In some states, hanging is still legal. The war in Ukraine represents a clash between savagery and a superior liberal world order. The United States is on the right side of this conflict, and its a distinction between two world views that is worth fighting for. But democracy and its values require constant recommitment and renewal. We could begin by refusing to allow the state to put people to death on our behalf. Although the definition and priorities of American conservatism have been the subject of much debate among the chattering classes in recent years, most actual American conservatives will readily tell you what unifies their sometimes-raucous ranks: freedom. Consider the latest political typology produced by the Pew Research Center. Assembling hundreds of survey responses and then looking for clusters of like-minded voters, Pew came up with nine discrete groups four on the Right, four on the Left, and a group in the middle, Stressed Sideliners, whose swings back and forth often determine electoral outcomes. The four right-of-center groups Committed Conservatives, Faith & Flag Conservatives, the Populist Right, and the Ambivalent Right exhibit notable differences in demographics, political engagement, and views on specific issues. What draws them together as a coalition, however, is their preference for individual freedom and voluntary solutions over government paternalism and compulsion. Pew asked respondents, for example, whether government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals or government should do more to solve problems. The Committed Conservatives (87%), Faith & Flag Conservatives (88%), Populist Right (77%), and Ambivalent Right (67%) picked the first response. The four left-leaning groups picked the second response by comparably large majorities. Similarly, the right-leaning groups all favored a smaller government providing fewer services while the left-leaning groups preferred a bigger government providing more services. And while the conservatives agreed its not the governments job to protect people from themselves, the progressives said sometimes laws to protect people from themselves are necessary. Yes, some conservatives deviate from the general principle in specific cases. Some progressives do, too. Humans are messy creatures who create complicated problems that resist easy solutions. But that doesnt mean were all an indistinguishable mass when it comes to political behavior. For some, our strongest impulse is for government, an inherently coercive institution, to butt out of our private affairs and decisions. For others, the strongest impulse is to butt in. These differences help to explain why the conservative movement tends to evaluate its progress with measurements of freedom. Here in North Carolina, my colleagues and I at the John Locke Foundation look at state-by-state rankings to gauge how far weve come and how far we still have to go. One popular metric is the Fraser Institutes Economic Freedom of North America study, which integrates information on taxes, regulations, expenditures, and related concerns. Using the most-recent data available, North Carolina ranks 10th in economic freedom. On the Tax Foundations narrower measure of tax costs for doing business, North Carolina ranks 3rd best for new firms and 5th for mature ones. In the latest edition of the Cato Institutes Freedom in the 50 States, North Carolinas best rankings are in labor freedom (11th) and educational freedom (6th). Speaking of which, North Carolina ranks 10th in funding for school-choice programs and 8th in the share of students enrolled in schools other than those run by districts, which are a useful proxy for the extent of freedom and competition in education. When conservatives see such results, were heartened but hardly satisfied. For North Carolina to move into the top five in economic freedom, for instance, state lawmakers will have to do more to deregulate our health care system, insurance markets, and occupational licensing. When it comes to personal freedom, North Carolina is egregiously out of step when it comes to gambling (45th in the Cato study) and alcohol (40th), the latter of which suggests we ought to sell our government-owned ABC stores. Those last two examples illustrate the larger point. I would never deny that addictions to gambling and alcohol can be disastrous. I simply believe such problems are best combatted by families, friends, and religious communities, not by state compulsion. Some conservatives disagree. They see these issues as exceptions to the general rule. So, the debate continues but not about that general rule, you see. Not about the primacy of freedom. It remains the primary dividing line between Left and Right. John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member and author. CHICAGO For more than two years, whenever Ive driven past the Cinemark 18 in Evanston, Ill., I have wondered what it looks like inside right now. How quiet it must be. Is the concession stand sticky? Are the seats dusty? Do lobby posters promise a summer movie season the pandemic stopped before it could start? Like other theaters across the country, the Cinemark 18 was crushed; it closed with the initial round of lockdowns, never reopened and finally shuttered for good a year ago. The hopeful news is that AMC just announced it will reopen the theater later this year. But the existential threat remains: How long can movie theaters stay open? Two years after those stay-at-home orders, we stream now; theres no going back. And so that trusty old Cinemark 18 plans to reopen as the AMC Evanston 12, with the space formerly occupied by six movie screens developed into something that is not theaters. I was supposed to be pretending to care about the Oscars on Sunday. Instead, I was wondering about the future of the medium itself. For a disquieting hint, I turned to Movie Theaters, a new cemetery slab of a coffee-table book by the French photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, best known for capturing the evocative ruins of Detroit. Here, for 300 pages, they splay open the crumbling corpses of cinemas that closed, often decades ago. Think of it as a tangible, narrow casted reboot of virtual doom-scrolling. Or maybe a coast-to-coast funeral procession. Either way, the Chicago area is a little too well represented. There are the decaying walls and flattened seats of the Lawndale Theatre, once a Roosevelt Road fixture, before the building was demolished a decade ago it hadnt shown a movie in 50 years. There are five pages of the relatively sprightly Uptown Theatre on Broadway, looking just $1 billion, a robust rust-scrubbing and a full repainting away from filling its 4,381 seats. You get a single image of the Central Park on Roosevelt, constructed in 1917, one of the first air-conditioned movie houses in the country; the photograph shows a grimy, walled-off balcony divided from the floor seats below an image taken before the buildings loving, ongoing restoration. Its a success beside the Times Theater in Rockford, which comments on itself: Large signs reading Times curl ornately over a sad, empty facade. That said, according to the Rockford Register Star, even the Times is a-changing, thanks to a real estate firms $14 million scrub, announced in December. Still, nobody really expects these buildings to become just movie theaters again. As Marchand and Meffre show with a palpable Euro-irony, the success stories have been mixed blessings. We lost grand movie palaces in the past few decades, but we gained, in those same spaces, a dollar store in Berkeley, California; a storage space for mattresses in Cincinnati; a climbing wall in Denver; a cosmetic shop in Toronto; a gym in Brooklyn. Sometimes, as movie theaters once reflected the dreams of their communities, the refurbishments do the same: Old cinemas became UFO museums in New Mexico, boating museums in New Hampshire, gun-shooting ranges in Texas. But mostly, considering the evidence in these photos, taken over the past decade, we let theaters rot; collect dust; loose roofs, paint and ornaments. As Ross Melnick, a film professor at the University of California Santa Barbara and co-founder of the Cinema Treasures website, writes in the introduction, its hard to tell from these pictures if were looking at the past or future of movie theaters. In an image showing the former balcony of the Varsity in Evanston, among newish ventilation ducts, we see a proscenium arch that resembles Disneys Magic Kingdom. (The building is expected to be developed into a 35-apartment residential complex) The rich midnight blues of the ceiling at the Kenosha Theatre in Wisconsin still pop in places where the ceiling hasnt crumbled into a skeletal lattice of iron framework. Where it hasnt darkened, peeled or succumbed to encroaching tree roots, the bright canary yellow walls of the Gem Theatre in Cairo, down on the Missouri border, are still striking. On the marquee of the Palace in Gary, Indiana, it still says (minus two letters) Jackson Five Tonite but the picture was shot in 2009, and the marquee was a cosmetic renovation of its facade, made by Donald Trumps Miss USA pageant, held in Indiana 20 years ago. Inside the theater? Theres a painted curtain still hung across the stage, its fading Egyptian scene still clear, but the rest of the room (closed to movie showings since the 1960s) would work only as the already-dressed set of a post-apocalyptic horror movie. (One Connecticut theater in the book even serves as storage for military rations in the event of WWIII.) The insides of many of the theaters in these photos suggest their staffs scattered abruptly. Handwritten sheets of movie schedules are found on desks; there are vintage candy boxes, stacks of marquee lettering and, in one Ohio cinema, a coin-operated bathroom scale. You might assume whatever calamity befell these places came suddenly, violently. But in fact, many of the theaters in this book have been closed so long, youre looking at several generations of heartaches, everything from the encroachment of TV in the 1950s to antitrust decrees that broke up Hollywoods control of theatrical exhibition to fears of violence in downtown hubs, real estate prices, VHS players, Xboxes, iPhones. Mostly, youre looking at the long fade-out of a way of life, and a splintering of vibrant communities that happened so long ago the ruins became neighborhood wallpaper. Many of the repurposed theaters found in these pages are in other parts of the country. In the images taken around Illinois, the theaters tend to exist in neighborhoods the Colony on 59th Street, Ramova on South Halsted, several in downtown Rockford still responding to suburban flight, decades of divestment and years of real estate redlining. As a lover of movie theaters, though, the saddest parts of Movie Theaters are not those crumbling cathedrals, many of which opened before the Great Depression and understood how to diversify, serving as launching stages for Benny Goodman (Central Park), tour stops for 1970s rock acts (Uptown) and neighborhood Baptist congregations (Lawndale). At least for me, who came of age in the 70s and 80s, after many movie palaces had sputtered to an end, its painful to see the shoebox-sized screening rooms crumbling. These were unloved spaces, often created by theater companies dicing up vast single-screen properties into tinier houses, to add screenings and maximize profit. They did what they could. In the end, everything comes apart. Times change. DURHAM COVID-19 continues to recede in North Carolina, but scientists say the coronavirus isnt likely to disappear. Thats the thinking behind a vaccine study at Duke University Medical School and other sites around the country. It will look at what kind of immune response people get from a second booster shot of different variations of the Moderna vaccine. COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers can adjust their vaccines to target specific variants of the virus, including the delta and omicron strains that caused cases to spike twice since last summer. The booster study will look at different versions of the vaccines alone and in combination with each other, says Dr. Emmanuel Chip Walter Jr., a pediatrician and chief medical officer at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute. So were really trying to pick out when you combine different variants if you can get a broader level of protection that might protect against future variants, Walter said in an interview. The study is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and is looking to enroll 600 adults age 18 or older at 24 sites across the country. Duke hopes to have 50 people take part locally, Walter said. The study is for people who have had two regular shots of vaccine and a booster. Everyone enrolled will get some form of the Moderna vaccine as a second booster; there will be no placebos. Doctors will monitor people for any adverse reactions or side effects. Theyll also take blood samples in the coming year to determine what kind of antibodies each person has developed to the coronavirus The booster study comes just as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized a second booster shot of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for people age 50 and older and for younger people with weakened immune systems. Since peaking in January, the number of new cases of COVID-19 reported each day in North Carolina has dropped dramatically, as have hospitalizations and deaths. On Thursday, the state Department of Health and Human services reported 456 people hospitalized with the disease statewide, the lowest number since last July before the delta variant arrived. But coronavirus cases are rising again in Europe, and Walter said its likely the disease will be around in some form not unlike the flu. Flu always seems to come back, and it comes back in a different form every year, he said. We change the vaccine on a pretty frequent basis because of the changes in the flu. And its likely that over time, COVID will be with us, and then well have to modify the vaccination strategies. People interested in learning more about the study at Duke can email the Duke Human Vaccine Institute at DVTUstudies@duke.edu. Youve undoubtedly seen the headlines by now: North Carolinas perpetually controversial Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson a man given to frequent public bouts of antisemitism and homophobia has become enmeshed in yet another political storm of his own making. This time, the subject is abortion. After an old story came to light about Robinson paying for an abortion more than three decades ago for his wife, Yolanda, prior to their marriage, the lieutenant governor a fierce present-day opponent of abortion rights took to electronic media to proclaim the decades-old action wrong. In a Facebook video post, Robinson sat next to his wife and said, It was the hardest decision we have ever made, and, sadly, we made the wrong one. He then went on to explain what he described as their shared view that the experience had helped lead the couple to their strong opposition to abortion. (Strikingly, Yolanda Robinson is silent throughout the video.) In the days since the new revelation, observers and advocates have, not surprisingly, offered sharply varying assessments. Among Robinsons supporters and allies in the anti-abortion rights movement, the news was greeted with statements of tolerance, sympathy and support and portrayed as the latest in a line of statements from Americans whove supposedly seen the error of their previous ways. Meanwhile, amongst supporters of reproductive freedom, Robinson has been roundly criticized for his blatant hypocrisy. A member of the editorial board of the Charlotte Observer/Raleigh News & Observer aptly described him as a moral fraud. In some ways, both assessments are appropriate. Yes, Robinson is a moralizing hypocrite, but its also true that he and his wife are entitled to change their minds about this intensely personal issue and even to feel a strong desire to share and promote what they say are now their beliefs. Interestingly, however, whats received less attention in the public discussion thats followed is the issue that is by far of most importance to the people of North Carolina: the substance of Robinsons current stated policy position on abortion rights. Mark Robinson is the highest-ranking Republican in North Carolina state government. He has said he intends to run for governor in two years time. While its one thing for such a person to have undergone a personal experience and developed strong personal feelings about a highly controversial issue, its quite another for them to argue that those personal feelings should be imported into the states criminal code. And it is this rather remarkable and widely underreported fact about Robinson that deserves a much more thorough public airing. Robinson says abortion a safe, simple and age-old medical procedure that is lawful in the overwhelming majority of nations, and that the large majority of the American people believe should remain that way is murder and should be treated by the law as such. Robinson even goes so far as to say that there should be no exceptions for women forcibly impregnated through rape and incest. According to Robinson, once someone becomes pregnant, its not (her) body anymore. In other words, it is Robinsons argument that a microscopic, fertilized egg with an average size less than the width of a human hair should take precedence over the life, health and well-being of the fully-developed human to whom it belongs. Its hard to overstate what a frighteningly radical stance this is. Whats more, its quite possible that it could be much more than mere rhetoric. As a handful of GOP-controlled legislatures and governors have demonstrated in recent years, the anti-abortion movement is deadly serious about enacting laws that roll back abortion rights (and even access to birth control) in ways that correlate with Robinsons frighteningly extreme views. Sadly, we dont have to guess about what would happen if such laws were ever enacted here. We need only look back into the troubling recesses of American history or to the experiences of women in modern misogynistic and authoritarian societies like Iraq, Nicaragua and the Philippines. Simply put, people will suffer and die. From botched illegal and self-induced abortions; from the domestic violence thats often visited by men on their pregnant partners; from the inherent danger that comes with being forced to carry pregnancies to term and give birth (a danger that far exceeds the risks associated with abortion); and from the often-debilitating and life-shortening burden that comes with being forced to bear and raise children against ones will. The bottom line: Robinson is entitled to his belief that he and his wife were wrong to exercise the freedom of conscience long afforded to all Americans when it comes to the intensely private decision of whether to end a pre-viability pregnancy. He is unmistakably wrong, however, in his belief that this is a decision he or any other politician, religious leader or advocate has the right to make for anyone else. Rob Schofield is director of NC Policy Watch. As a child, I was fortunate enough to learn the value of the outdoors, the patience needed to go fishing, the respect owed to wildlife when hunting and the responsibility that we must preserve it all. As I grew older, I began to understand more, what it all meant. Now that I am running for Congress, I cant help but to use this as an opportunity to speak up on behalf of everyone who shares my love for our public lands, fish, and wildlife. Ill be honest, I have been torn on how to address this issue, primarily because a huge part of me knows that this must be said, but also because a part of me just really didnt want to upset anyone, but here we go! Like many of you, I am tired of politicians who are all talk and no action. I am tired of people like Congressman Rosendale, who does a lot of talking and his actions dont match his words. Mr. Rosendale has failed the people of Montana and he has failed to protect Montanas lands. Rosendale stated on his website, Matt will always fight to protect and defend our public lands. As your next U.S. Congressman, Matt believes that our public lands must always stay in public hands. The fact is that Congressman Rosendale has lied, just look at his voting record. 2011 Rosendale voted for HB 292 gutting Montanans constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment. 2011, Rosendale voted for SB 306 to overturn Montanans ballot decisions to ban cyanide heap-leach open pit mining. 2013 Voted for SJ 15 to study public land management which was a backdoor route to starting down the road of the transfer or sell-off of public land. 2015 for HB 496, creating a new legislative task force to study the same issue even after overwhelming public outcry kept any reference of sell-off or transfer out of the final report for SJ 15. Voted against the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribal Water Compact, SB 262 in 2015. Voted in 2015 for SB 353 to bust the Coal Tax Trust Fund. Additionally in 2021, he voted no to: H.R. 2074- Supporting Tribal Management of Bison H.R. 4502- Pro-Environment Funding Package H.R. 803- Protecting Public Lands and Waters Across the West. I believe that it is time for a change, and it is time for Montana to have a representative that cares about not only the people, but the land as well. It is our responsibility to preserve and protect our public lands, protect Theodore Roosevelts legacy of conservation across the country and to ensure that when our children are grown, they will be able to experience the same privileges as we do today. If elected, I promise to not only address issues, such as, health care worker shortages, improving K-12 education standards, cutting taxes and wasteful spending, but to also protect our public lands, our waterways, and our wildlife. James M. Boyette, 2022 U.S. congressional candidate for Montana's second congressional district. Love 5 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 PANA A man wanted for a double homicide in Collinsville has died after leading multiple police agencies on a chase Saturday afternoon that ended with a shooting on U.S. 51 in Christian County. In a press conference early Sunday evening, Maj. Jeff Connor, chief deputy with the Madison County Sheriff's Office, said a 911 call was received at 10:26 a.m. Saturday by the Collinsville Police Department and routed to the Madison County Sheriff's Department. During the call, a female could be heard screaming in the background, followed by the sound of gunshots, Connor said. Because sheriff's deputies were already on the scene of another unrelated incident, the Collinsville Police Department was first to arrive on the scene, where they found two deceased females outside of a home at 1075 McDonough Lake Road in unincorporated Collinsville, Connor said. The women have been identified as Jamie L. Joiner, 30, who lived at the residence, and her sister, Jessica Joiner, 34, who had flown in the day before from California, according to Connor. Both were found with gunshot wounds to the head and neck areas, he said. A family dog had also been shot and was found deceased. The man suspected in the shooting was identified as Adam Cobb, 32, also of the residence on McDonough Lake Road, Connor said. During the news conference, Connor said Jamie Joiner and Adam Cobb were going through a separation, and Jessica Joiner had come to help her sister move out of the residence. A U-Haul arrived at the residence and a disturbance ensued, in which Cobb shot both women and the dog, then fled the scene, Connor said. At about 11:14 a.m. Saturday, the Illinois State Police Collinsville Communications Center sent information via the ISP Emergency Radio Network about a subject, now identified as Adam Cobb, wanted by the Madison County Sheriff's Office for the double homicide in Collinsville, according to a news release issued by the Illinois State Police. Shortly after 1 p.m., local law enforcement spotted Cobb's vehicle heading north on Route 127 near Hillsboro in Montgomery County, ISP stated. A pursuit began after officers attempted a traffic stop, and they were later joined by ISP troopers. The pursuit continued on Illinois 16, passing through Nokomis and into Christian County, which is when the Christian County Sheriff's Office also assisted in attempting to pull Cobb over, Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp said. The pursuit continued north onto U.S. 51. At about 1:53 p.m., Cobb's vehicle became partially disabled and came to a stop on U.S. 51 just north of Pana, the ISP release stated. Cobb exited the vehicle and pointed a firearm in the direction of an ISP trooper, the news release continued. The ISP trooper discharged their duty weapon in the direction of the suspect. Kettelkamp confirmed the subject was shot and apprehended before being airlifted to a Springfield-area hospital. ISP said Saturday night that the subject was being treated for serious, life-threatening injuries. Cobb was pronounced dead at 4:40 a.m. Sunday, Connor said. No officers or other individuals were injured in the Christian County incident, Kettelkamp said. "I believe that law enforcement conducted themselves in a professional manner and did the right thing," he said. Connor said Madison County will continue to investigate the case, but he added that there were no witnesses to the double homicide, which occurred in a rural area, and that all parties involved in Saturday's incident in Collinsville are now deceased. "This is just a tragic event, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the Joiner family, and also to the Cobb family," Connor said during the press conference. "Several families' lives have been turned upside down because of these events." Special agents of the ISP Division of Internal Investigation continue to investigate the shooting in Christian County, while the Madison County Sheriffs Office is handling the double homicide in the Collinsville area. Contact Robyn Skaggs at (309) 820-3244. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Robyn Skaggs Assistant Editor Follow Robyn Skaggs Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today A Ms Griffin wrote: 'I cannot believe that the Mail on Sunday are giving air space and credence to this ridiculous propaganda by Mr Hitchens Its articles like this that give Putin in his man cave the erroneous believe that what he is doing is justified. Mr Mr Hitchens is justifying Russian murder with Ukraine corruption.' ***PH asks: Perhaps Ms Griffin could point to any words I have written or spoken which 'justify Russian murder'. I have repeatedly ad without reservation condemned the Russian invasion since it took place. If not, ten I hope she will have the courage and manners to withdraw and apologise for what she has said here. If not, it is of course her problem. Those who lack courage or manners must live with the fact. *** Ms Griffin continued : Every government esp Russia has corruption no less the UK government Its bias and unadulterated bile and makes Putin feel justified in everyhting her does Shame on you Mail on Sunday'. Mr Stephen Haworth responded to my Mail on Sunday column by saying: This article says nothing. We just have a single, unremarkable quote from an unnamed senior diplomat. That, combined with the usual airing of Russias historical grievances and ranting about the Iraq War. Mr Hitchens avoids saying anything about the right course of action. We never know what he actually thinks. He rejects clear expression in favour of suggestion, innuendo and talk of anonymous forces. Usually that is a sign someone has an opinion they want to hide. It would be fascinating to get some straightforward answers, Is Russia justified in invading Ukraine? Are we right to sanction Russia? Are we right to help Ukrainians resist militarily? Should we encourage Ukraine to settle and accept Russian terms? Should we do nothing at all? Should the EU and NATO publicly reject Ukrainian membership? Have your views about Putin or the Russian state changed in any way at all? ***PH notes. I do not believe that this article 'says nothing'. The fact that he thinks it does suggests that his mind is in some way armoured against any position different from his own. If he finds the quote 'unremarkable' , then he must be slow to catch on, or extremely well-informed about a policy whose very existence he disputes. Columnists such as Fraser Nelson have licence to quote such unpalatable things, provided that they do not identify the source or give the fact alarming prominence. These columns are one of the ways in which the elite speaks to the elite, on the safe assumption that 99.99% of people, and 90% of those who read it, won't get it. As in Peter Jay's famous enraged remark to a sub-editor who changed one of his economics columns in 'The Times' that 'that sentence was written for three people and you aren't one of them!' Mr Haworth alleges 'We never know what he [me] actually thinks. He rejects clear expression in favour of suggestion, innuendo and talk of anonymous forces.' I think this claim is actually comical. If someone wants to know what I think he needs only to read what I write, watch what I say on Twitter and on broadcasts. If he really does not know that I have repeatedly condemned the invasion then I do not know why he comes here. Likewise I have explained over many years, and intensively in recent weeks, my view that a foolish Western policy has goaded Russia into an irrational act. I am utterly against sanctions, ever, they hurt the poor terribly, leave the powerful more or less untouched, and do no good. They are a device to allow politicians to look effectual at the expense of the weak and helpless. AS I have argued ceaselessly against the deliberately dangerous policy of NATO enlargement, and against the destabilisation of Ukraine by outside intervention, I can hardly be expected to wish to pour petrol on the fire created by those who have taken the opposite course. It is perfectly obvious that the western countries were pouring weapons into Ukraine long before the invasion. If they stopped now, which they won't, the effect will not be much influenced. I am against anything which will extend or prolong the suffering of innocent civilians and long for a cease-fire and a negotiated peace. I do not think a surrender or a 'Ukrainian acceptance of Russian terms' is in prospect. This is not some 1930s or 1940s invasion in which the armies of the aggressor race to capture the capital and raise their flag over it. It *may* once have been , though I am far from sure of that, but it certainly isn't now. It is a conflict in which the economic strength, supply capacity, propaganda skills and will of the protagonists are being tested against each other with the poor Ukrainians in the middle. Its end will be some sort of grubby compromise. In this it resembles the USA's Timber Sycamore operation (look it up) in Syria , which endured for many years, turning millions of innocents into refugees and hundreds of thousands into corpses, until eventually the powers behind the action decided they could not win, and left Syria in ruins without hope of rebuilding. I suppose at least if the US wins this time, it will rebuild Ukraine. But in that case Russia will be ruined. Mr Haworth also asks:' Should we do nothing at all? ****PH , no, we (by which I mean the government and people of the United Kingdom) *should* do all we can to establish a ceasefire and ensure that it holds while a peace is agreed under the aegis of the UN. We should also provide the maximum relief to help those bereaved, , injured, made homeless or forced to flee. Mr Haworth : Should the EU and NATO publicly reject Ukrainian membership? PH: It is a bit late for that now. Nor do I think they will, after Russia's feeble military performance. These are dead issues. NATO expansion has achieved its long-predicted end. It is hard to see why anybody should be especially afraid of Russia any more. If the EU thinks Ukraine is fit for membership, that is its business. Have your views about Putin or the Russian state changed in any way at all? PH responds. Of course they blinking well have. How can he not know? I had viewed Putin as a rational actor. Now I do not, as I have rather emphatically said , not above 100 times. I regard him as an irrational idiot. The Russian state looks much the same as before. Then there is this from Mr 'Teuchter1' Your article today contained lots of interesting insights especially about education and Mary Whitehouse. However, I must take you to task about Ukraine as Ive have until recently been living and working in Kyiv. You mentioned like Putin a nazi faction running the government here in Ukraine. When these allegations came out I spoke to many of my Ukrainian friends and let them read these articles and they laughed and said that they tried to get votes at the last election and failed miserably ***PH writes , then Mr 'Teuchter' was had . This is why you need journalists who know a bit of stuff, and do not accept what they are told without question . In the 2014 elections Oleh Lyashko's hard right 'Radical' party scored around 7%, and was generally acknowledged to have picked up a lot of votes from the Right Sector etc. The reason for the hard Right's more recent low polls was a sharp tack towards the ultra-nationalists by the outgoing President Petro Poroshenko, trying and failing to save his political bacon against the Zelensky challenge. **** and then they made the point that in WW2 Ukraine suffered at the hands of both the Nazis and the Soviets. ***PH no doubt. But Mr Teuchter should check to see how many UKarinians joined Waffen SS formations , and examine the role of Stepan Bandera, the most prominent Ukrainian nationalist of the time. Above all, he must ask his Ukrainian friends if they can name any other country whose army allows serving soldiers to wear neo-Nazi emblems while on duty. This is the case with the Azov battalion, and, whether it is because Azov is too strong to be prevented from doing this, or whether it is because the Kiev government is too weak to stop them, I do not know. But either would be very bad news, and he would not accept it here. **** Mr Teuchter : When I mentioned corruption they did say it still happened but it was less than in times past and was actually getting better with people being charged and taken to court. PH Ha ha ha ha ha . Ho ho ho ho. Hee hee hee. I am sorry, but this is the kindest response I can think of to this ludicrous claim. Mr Teuchter should endeavour to live as a Ukrainian citizen rather than as a privileged visitor, and he will see. *The real corruption lies on Moscow and also in Beijing. I do notice you seldom write about the mass incarceration of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang Province in China. ***PH notes I was one of the very first western journalists to write about the plight of the Uighurs, many years ago, see https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1233439/Special-Investigation-PETER-HITCHENS--Blood-fear-Happiness-Street-China-threatens-obliterate-ancient-culture.html and often return to the subject . If he does not notice this, then I suspect that he would not notice if an elephant came and lay down on his front step. *** Between Russia and China we have two of the most corrupt governments on the planet. Perhaps you need to visit Ukraine and see the beauty of it. I saw the Carpathians last summer and told my friends it reminded me of Scotland and its magnificent scenery. I love Russia and have many Russian friends but it doesnt blind me to their faults which sadly I think it has you. PH remarks: I am keenly aware of the faults of Russia and have often written and spoken about them. See for example : https://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2014/11/getting-putin-right-but-russia-wrong-two-old-articles-.html or https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-259543/Russias-hard-men-stage-quiet-coup.html . I cannot help it if he is unaware of this, but he should not make these silly statements without checking. A Mr Seejay wrote 'I'm simply going to re-share this guy's comment, because it says it all: "Mr. Hitchens, I am surprised and disappointed by you. You are giving terrible takes on the Russia-Ukraine situation. The ONLY thing that matters is that Russia crossed Ukraine's border with its armed forces and invaded its territory with a massive military force. It didn't do that because Ukraine had attacked it or because Ukraine was preparing to attack it or because Ukraine was committing war crimes on its own territory, or for any other remotely permissible reason under ius ad bellum. It was naked aggression and expansionism. Nor was it the first time Russia did it, whether to Ukraine or its neighbours. It was the FOURTH time. The fact that Ukraine is corrupt is irrelevant. The fact that the West has been involved in stupid militaristic adventures is irrelevant. The fact that N.A.T.O. has mismanaged its relations with Russia is irrelevant. Stop trying to rationalize, excuse, and justify the insane, the inexcusable, and the unjustifiable!" Posted by: Michael Steiner | 03 April 2022 at 06:32 AM ***PH asks , then why does Mr Seejay bother to come here? I have explained here over many years, most especially since 2014, that the original aggression in Ukraine was the US-backed Putsch of February that year , since when the country has been plunged into a war that most never even realised was going on. I have no idea why it would be wrong in a journalist with some knowledge of the situation seeking to explain it. It is a flat lie and a nasty smear to suggest that I am trying to 'justify' an aggression which I have repeatedly and unequivocally condemned from the start. This smear is the sort of thing Putin does, Mr Seejay should be ashamed of it . **** This report was made possible through a grant from The Pulitzer Center to the North Carolina News Collaborative, a coalition of 23 news organizations across the state. How much can the public learn if officers kill or injure a person? In states like North Carolina, little to nothing. Legislators voted last year to shroud a database with this information in secrecy. Some states and cities are moving toward more public transparency. New Jersey, for instance, has created a public database tracking officers use of weapons and physical force. Officers names are listed. The dashboard reports the race of the officer. The portal, which tracks incidents as far back as October 2020, discloses if the officer was hurt. Other states take a more conservative approach, omitting the identity of officers involved. California, for instance, offers demographic details about the officer and subject but does not identify them by name. Washington and Colorado are creating public portals, according to a consultants report submitted in March to this states SBI Center on Reduction of Use of Force by Law Enforcement. Those states are still considering what details to include. While states have been slower to create databases, some city police departments have taken the lead on disclosing details about use of force to the public. From New York City to Nashville, Tennessee, at least 23 U.S. cities have launched databases that offer some information about use of force incidents to the public, according to the report prepared by Research Triangle Institute, which is helping the SBI examine use of force reporting elsewhere. In North Carolina, legislators created a confidential database for incidents where officers kill or badly injure people. The state commissions that certify law enforcement officers manage it. A provision in North Carolinas budget, which was approved in December, forbids local agencies from publicly sharing data it collects on cases where officers kill or badly injure a person. There is uncertainty about how the now-secret North Carolina database will be used at all. The statute setting it up gives no guidance about how the information is to be analyzed or used. The Federal Bureau of Investigation began collecting information about such incidents from local and state law enforcement in 2016. So far, though, it hasnt released any findings. According to its website, the FBI has not reached 60% reporting from local agencies, a benchmark it set before releasing information. A small number of North Carolina agencies report use of force information to the FBI. In 2021, 31 out of this states 585 law enforcement agencies reported use of force information to the FBI. That equated to 24% of officers in the state. Concord Police Department is one of the 31 agencies in North Carolina that reports its use of force incidents to the FBI. Chief Gary Gacek said he believes data collection is key to understanding prevention of officers unnecessary use of force. Gacek, an advisory member of the SBI Center on Reduction of Use of Force by Law Enforcement, said he suspects the FBI will have difficulty collecting information from law enforcement agencies. Until the federal government makes that more of a requirement and ties, perhaps, federal grant money to that, Gacek said, I dont necessarily see enough law enforcement agencies across the country making that database worthwhile for statistical purposes. Mariana Vyscemyrska I media ucraini ne sono certi: E stata rapita la ragazza simbolo delle bombe sullospedale di Mariupol. Secondo un lancio del giornale Obozrevatel la mamma blogger Mariana Vyscemyrska, immortalata nello scatto iconico mentre incinta scendeva le scale dellospedale dopo il bombardamento del 9 marzo, sarebbe stata prelevata e costretta a negare il raid sulla struttura. Rapita la ragazza simbolo di Mariupol La donna aveva partorito dopo essere sopravvissuta a quel blitz che Mosca aveva motivato con la presenza di reparti del reggimento Azov nel quadrante. E i media ucraini spiegano che i suoi familiari avevano insistito per farla accompagnare a nord ovest, cioe nel territorio rimasto sotto il controllo dellUcraina. Lo scopo era per evitare che la donna venisse presa e usata per scopi propagandistici dalla Russia. I video in cui Mariana nega il bombardamento Pare invece che sia andata proprio cosi, con le truppe russe che avrebbero rapito Vyscemyrska, costringendola perfino a negare il bombardamento di cui e stata vittima. E proprio in queste ore circolano in rete alcuni video con la donna intervistata dai media russi. In quei frame di cui danno menzione alcuni utenti social ucraini si vedrebbe la donna che sostiene che nessuno ha mai bombardato lospedale. Former NSA hacker and ex-owner of security company Immunity, Dave Aitel, has once again criticised New York Times' cyber security reporter Nicole Perlroth, claiming that nearly every detail in a piece the journalist wrote to promote an upcoming book of hers is wrong. Aitel made the comments on Twitter, also saying he had been mischaracterised as a former NSA analyst by Perlroth. Strangely, the NYT reporter did not name Aitel, though she claimed that Immunity at one stage trained the Turkish army in cyber techniques. "One contractor, Immunity Inc., founded by a former N.S.A. analyst, embarked on a slippier slope. First, employees say, Immunity trained consultants like Booz Allen, then defense contractor Raytheon, then the Dutch and the Norwegian governments. But soon the Turkish army came knocking," the article claims. The article in question, published on 6 February, argues that the US has lost control of the global battle with state-controlled malicious attackers due to its hubris. Guess who wasn't an NSA analyst ? Me ! ;) pic.twitter.com/78bcRuUsdi daveaitel (@daveaitel) February 6, 2021 Its premise is probably best summed up by this paragraph: "Three decades ago, the United States spawned, then cornered, the market for hackers, their tradecraft, and their tools. But over the past decade, its lead has been slipping, and those same hacks have come boomeranging back on us." Uh, can anyone name the seven 0day in stuxnet? pic.twitter.com/9gqBIoJIVn daveaitel (@daveaitel) February 6, 2021 Aitel also questioned Perlroth's claim that Stuxnet, malware which was built by the US and Israel to disable centrifuges at Iran's Natanz nuclear reactor, was spread through the use of seven zero-days, one of which had been previously disclosed but never patched. One Twitter user, who responded to Aitel's tweet about Stuxnet, said that seven zero-days had not been used, "but 7 vulnerabilities patched in the immediate remediation following Stuxnet analysis matched codepaths exploited by Stuxnet". Guess who was given ample opportunity to clarify his title in our fact checking conversations, or that he wasnt training Turkish military? Dave Aitel. Instead, when asked, his answer was: I would never comment on my customers. Theres a reason he is nitpicking now after years. https://t.co/an3OrOetf9 pic.twitter.com/dr1XIeE7qZ Nicole Perlroth (@nicoleperlroth) February 6, 2021 In response to Aitel's criticism, Perlroth fired back: "Guess who was given ample opportunity to clarify his title in our fact checking conversations, or that he wasnt training Turkish military? Dave Aitel. "Instead, when asked, his answer was: 'I would never comment on my customers'. Theres a reason he is nitpicking now after years." She added later: "And why he has tried to pre-empt and criticise my reporting. Its because I fact-checked every single thing, down to his bumper stickers, with him. He knew exactly what was going to come out." And why he has tried to preempt and criticize my reporting. Its because I fact checked every single thing, down to his bumper stickers, with him. He knew exactly what was going to come out. Nicole Perlroth (@nicoleperlroth) February 6, 2021 In a later tweet, Aitel said: "I critique this kind of reporting when I don't think it accurately represents the space. I'll have more after I read the book." Aitel told this writer many years ago in his only detailed interview available online that he worked as a computer scientist with the NSA. Asked for his impressions of the article, former NSA hacker Jake Williams said he had nothing to add to what he had already tweeted; his earlier tweets were a series of cyber offence vs cyber defence polls. Neat idea in theory, not remotely practical. Let's look at why. Are we including defensive ops here too? If not (and I can't imagine we would, that's HUGELY problematic), where is the line between offense and defense? Please read through and opine 1/https://t.co/ULBKyGsEf6 pic.twitter.com/ZCNOK1EbZJ Jake Williams (@MalwareJake) February 6, 2021 Another well-known security researcher, who posts as Thaddeus E. Grugq, also took issue with details in the article, pointing out that Aitel was an operator at the NSA, not an analyst. You say tools were hacked in 2017. There is no evidence to indicate when they were acquired, so even saying 2016 is dubious. Analyst vs operator are very different roles. Symantec analysis is not of the same caliber as @codelancer (whos credited on one of the CVEs). thaddeus e. grugq (@thegrugq) February 7, 2021 He also contested Perlroth's claim that tools from the NSA were exfiltrated in 2017. Her reference was to the group known as the Shadow Brokers; the group released an initial list of what it claimed were NSA exploits in August 2016, seeking likely buyers. It then dumped the whole lot online in April 2017. One of these exploits, known as EternalBlue, was used to craft the ransomware known as WannaCry which wreaked havoc in many countries in May 2017. The identity of the Shadow Brokers still remains unknown, with the NSA telling iTWire in September 2020, that it had no information to offer as to was behind the group, despite a probe that was reported to have been going on for 15 months in November 2017. Grugq wrote: "You say 'tools were hacked in 2017'. There is no evidence to indicate when they were acquired, so even saying 2016 is dubious. Analyst vs operator are very different roles. Symantec analysis is not of the same calibre as @codelancer (whos credited on one of the CVEs)." You can keep screenshotting out of context, but really, I recommend fresh air. Nicole Perlroth (@nicoleperlroth) February 7, 2021 He also questioned a claim made by Perlroth that the NSA had control over the market for hacking tools. The article claims: "As the market expanded outside the N.S.A.s direct control, the agencys focus stayed on offense. The N.S.A. knew the same vulnerabilities it was finding and exploiting elsewhere would, one day, blow back on Americans. Its answer to this dilemma was to boil American exceptionalism down to an acronym NOBUS which stands for Nobody But Us. If the agency found a vulnerability it believed only it could exploit, it hoarded it." Grugq wrote: "This claim is that there was a single market and that it was controlled by NSA? That is not true. Even just the hacker underground trade in 0days, which is well documented, shows that there was no the market and NSA didnt have direct control or even a monopsony." Perlroth shot back: "You can keep screenshotting out of context, but really, I recommend fresh air." This is not the first time that ex-NSA hackers have attacked Perlroth's reporting. In May 2019, she and two others, Scott Shane and David Sanger, came under fire after they wrote a yarn based on a leak from security firm Symantec, claiming that Chinese spies had gained access to a number of NSA exploits and used them for attacks, well before they were leaked by the Shadow Brokers. On that occasion, Aitel was joined by another NSA alumnus, Robert M. Lee, and Williams in defending his former employer, the premier US spook agency.. But some of Aitel's peers took aim at him, pointing out that he had a conflict of interest. One, named Chad Loder, wrote: "You own a company in the exploit market that @nicoleperlroth has been asking hard questions about." More recently, Williams took issue with a piece that Perlroth and Sanger wrote along with a third reporter, Julian Barnes, claiming that the wares of a software company known as JetBrains could have a connection to the supply chain incident involving SolarWinds' network management software known as Orion. One defender I know called it "the NYT denial of service." I'm sorry if that hurts the author's feelings, but perspective and all... "Officials are investigating" is hardly enough with something this big. The impact of speculation like this is HUGE for network defenders. 2/4 Jake Williams (@MalwareJake) January 8, 2021 He blasted the authors for wasting the time of infosec practitioners who had to divert their attention from other tasks to check for compromises in JetBrains' software. In September last year, Perlroth and Sanger were criticised in these columns over an article in which they tried to hype up the so-called Russian threat to the US ahead of the 2020 presidential poll. Update, 8 February: Perlroth sent the graphic below which details the seven zero-days that she claims were used in crafting the Stuxnet malware. The information was credited to American security firm Symantec. WOODSTOCK A suburban Chicago woman who pleaded guilty in her 5-year-old son's death is challenging her conviction and 35-year sentence, saying she had postpartum depression and psychosis when she killed her son. JoAnn Cunningham, 39, of Crystal Lake, claimed in her petition for post-conviction relief that she did not receive adequate counsel. She claimed to have been seeing demons and believed her son was possessed by a demon, and said she sought an exorcism from a priest, a chaplain and AJ's father, Andrew Freund, The Northwest Herald reported. McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt, who sentenced Cunningham, said Friday he has 90 days to decide whether the post-conviction petition has merit. If relief is granted, it could result in Cunningham's guilty plea and sentence being set aside and a date could be set for a new trial. If Wilbrandt finds her claims are warranted, he then would assign Cunningham an attorney and allow prosecutors to provide their input, the judge said during a hearing Friday. At the time of AJ's death, Cunningham was pregnant and she gave birth to a daughter while in the McHenry County Jail. That child and another son, who was about two years younger than AJ, were placed into foster care. Cunningham is incarcerated at the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln. Andrew Freund, 63, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, aggravated battery of a child and concealment of a homicidal death. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison and is incarcerated at the Illinois River Correctional Center in Canton. Authorities have said that on April 15, 2019, Cunningham became angry with her son when she found soiled underwear he tried to hide. He died after she forced the child to stand in a cold shower for at least 20 minutes, hit him in the head with the shower head, then put him to bed cold, wet and naked, according to authorities. His body was found wrapped in plastic and concealed in a shallow grave near the family's home in Crystal Lake. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In celebration of film music, Winston-Salem Symphony will present two concerts featuring superhero soundtracks for all ages. A Music That Pops concert entitled The Sounds of Cinema: Heroes and Villains will be performed at 7:30 p.m. April 9, followed by an Ignite Family Series concert called Superhero Soundtrack! at 3 p.m. April 10. Both concerts will be at R.J. Reynolds Auditorium in Winston-Salem. Stuart Chafetz, known for creating fun and innovative performances, will be the guest conductor. Its basically a salute to all those wonderful themes from all the great superhero movies from television all the way back to radio, Chafetz said of the concerts. Its a wide variety of music that grandma and grandpa can love and their grandkids can love. Everyone can relate to some of this on the program. The Sounds of Cinema: Heroes and Villains, will feature heroic film music by John Williams, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Michael Giacchino and more. Attendees will have the chance to experience classics and recent favorites as the orchestra swings into action with music from films such as The Avengers, Captain America, Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and The Incredibles. Classic pieces go back to The Lone Ranger radio show with the William Tell Overture, as well as Korngolds music from the movie The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn. On April 10, the fun will continue in a shorter performance for young concert-goers ages 4 and older. Attendees are encouraged to dust off their capes and come dressed as their favorite superheroes (or villains) for this Ignite Family Series concert. Both concerts will open with Summon the Heroes by composer John Williams, who has written themes for the Olympics and composed some of the most popular film scores, including for the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series. Its going to feature the principal trumpet, Chafetz said. Theres a beautiful solo, and its very heroic. Chafetz hopes everyone, including adults, will wear superhero costumes for both concerts. We can have a good time, he said. A salute As a conductor, Chafetz loves to get audiences involved with orchestra performances. I like to make sure people can sing along or even dance, as long as they dont bother their partner or the people sitting next to them, he said. I like to encourage people to clap along. Another thing about this is that it really features the Winston-Salem Symphony, he added. Theres not necessarily a soloist, per say, except the orchestra is really the featured soloist. The music is about superheroes, but its also about the idea of getting the Winston-Salem Symphony in the spotlight. The concerts, he said, are also dedicated to all the superheroes right in our own backyard, such as first responders, frontline workers, police officers, firefighters, doctors and nurses, who have done miraculous work the last couple of years. They are the true superheroes, Chafetz said. Rallying the community Chafetz is the principal pops conductor of Columbus Symphony in Columbus, Ohio, and the principal pops conductor of Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in western New York State and Marin Symphony in Marin County, Calif. Although this will be his first time as a guest conductor for Winston-Salem Symphony, he is no stranger to the Triad. He lived in the Triad for a year and was a timpanist for Greensboro Symphony Orchestra in 1988. Chafetz is increasingly in demand with orchestras around the world. This season, he will be on podiums in Detroit, Houston, Milwaukee, Naples, Philly Pops, Cincinnati Pops and Pittsburgh. He leads multiple programs annually with the Phoenix Symphony. Previously, he was resident conductor of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and associate conductor of Louisville Orchestra. As principal timpanist of Honolulu Symphony for 20 years, Chafetz would also conduct the annual Nutcracker performances with Ballet Hawaii and principals from American Ballet Theatre. He has been a conductor since 1993 and decided to focus on pops concerts in 2007. Chafetz said he got interested in conducting, especially pops concerts, because he wanted to bring in audiences that typically didnt know about classical concerts or the good work of their local orchestras. I felt like a way to do that would be to reach the entire community and people who normally wouldnt come to the symphony orchestra, he said. Chafetz jokes that he went from two sticks down to one. I decided to have a mission to make it civic pride with your symphony orchestra by having the entire community rally around it, he said. He added, Because its a competitive world with basically everything on your phone, you can do anything you want. You can listen. You can talk. It tells you your heart rate. What Im trying to do is bring the entire family grandparents, parents and kids to a concert, where everybody can enjoy it and experience a live symphony orchestra. In this day and age, Chafetz said, superheroes and films live to orchestra are popular. In other words, you could watch Star Wars with the Winston-Salem Symphony accompanying the film, he said. Its such an amazing experience. Very often, youll find people who have never gone to the symphony come to the pops concerts like that because thats what draws them to the interest for the show, and they later find out, Wow, listen to that symphony orchestra. I had no idea the orchestra had such a big role in the movie. Chafetz is encouraging everyone to check out Winston-Salem Symphonys April 9 and 10 concerts. If you havent been to the Winston-Salem Symphony before, this is the one that youll want to go to because it has so many great themes that we all know and love, and its a chance to bring the entire family, Chafetz said. 336-727-7366 @fdanielWSJ Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Huntersville woman said she whisked her doodle inside after three black bears showed up in woods near their home and her friendly dog wanted to play with them. My jaw just dropped, Karen Barnett told The Charlotte Observer on Saturday. Her 18-month-old doodle, Ziggy, woke her up just after sunrise last Sunday, she said. The next thing I knew, he ran to the fence wagging his tail, she said. That was unusual, Barnett said, because we dont have visitors in the backyard. Barnett went outside, looked out at the woods and saw something black just 25 yards away, she said. My thought was, thats a pretty large cat, she said. Then I saw one behind it, and a third that began to climb a tree. It was a baby (bear) climbing the tree, she said. The baby bear looked at Ziggy, who was happily wagging his tail at the bear, she said. The bear that may have been the baby bears momma appeared to be giving the baby instructions before the yearling climbed the tree, stared at Ziggy and just as quickly climbed back down, Barnett said. All three then casually trotted off, never to be seen again, she said. They were on the move, Barnett said. They were interested in Ziggy. They had their eye on him. Ziggy is black except for his white whiskers and feet. Maybe he thought they were ancestors, she quipped. Bear sighting posted on Nextdoor Barnett posted the bear sighting on Nextdoor the next day. Yes, one was a large papa size, one a momma size and one a baby size, she posted, anticipating wisecrack references on social media to the fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears. While cute from my gated yard, when one climbed a large tree and eyed my doodle who only wanted to friend it, I thought nature time best be over, she posted. She wished shed gotten pictures of the bears before they disappeared, she posted. She said she posted about the bears to alert others. Just a heads up for families with children and or pets on walks or in unfenced yards near woods, she wrote. Her neighbors were grateful. Thank you for letting us know! a woman responded. I would never think that there would be bear(s) right here!!! Its probably a mama and 2 yearlings, another woman posted. Theyll keep moving unless provoked. Barnett lives in the Bellington neighborhood off Huntersville-Concord Road. Others on Nextdoor made light of the bears, unable to resist bringing up the fairy tale. Was Goldilocks with them??? a Cornelius woman asked. I looked for her but she must have been sleeping back in their bed! the woman who spotted the bears replied. Barnett told the Observer she was really excited to see the bears. I was quiet during the encounter, she said. They were quiet. Dont freak out Black bears are more likely to pass through the Charlotte area in June, sometimes in May, but its not unheard of for a Mecklenburg resident to see a bear this time of the year, according to Sampson Parker Jr., the only state Wildlife Resources Commission enforcement officer based in Mecklenburg County. No one in the area has reported a bear sighting to state wildlife officers this year, Parker said. Neither has anyone contacted the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Animal Care & Control Division about a sighting, spokeswoman Melissa Knicely said. Dont freak out, Parker advised homeowners who see bears near their homes. I wouldnt say they are harmless, but theyre not aggressive. A bear climbs a tree as a safety measure for the bear, he said. Its self-protection. Bears are just passing through the region on their way elsewhere, he said. Unfortunately, theres not enough land for them (away from humans) as they pass through, Parker said. N.C. wildlife officers typically dont respond to such a sighting unless a bear is being a nuisance, such as rummaging through trash cans and refusing to leave, he said. Past sightings Bears have a history of traipsing through the Charlotte area. On June 30, 2020, for instance, a black bear camped out in a tree in the front yard of a home in Mooresville about 30 minutes north of Charlotte, McClatchy News reported at the time, citing a Facebook post. On May 31, 2020, a 13-year-old Charlotte girl calmly shot video of a black bear traipsing through her familys University-area backyard as her mom acknowledged going hysterical, the Observer reported at the time. That same weekend, a woman said she and her husband spotted one while driving along Prairie Rose Lane in Huntersvilles StoneGate Farms neighborhood. If you encounter a bear Black bear attacks on humans are rare, as the bears are seldom aggressive, according to BearWise.org, which the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission links to on its black bear site. Stay still if you see a bear before the animal spots you, BearWise advises. Admire the bear, then walk quietly away, according to the site. If a bear sees you, never run, BearWise urges. Instead, back away slowly in the opposite direction and wait for the bear to leave, according to the site. Keep your dog leashed during walks, according to BearWise. This report was made possible through a grant from The Pulitzer Center to the North Carolina News Collaborative, a coalition of 23 news organizations across the state. How much can the public learn if officers kill or injure a person? In states like North Carolina, little to nothing. Legislators voted last year to shroud a database with this information in secrecy. Some states and cities are moving toward more public transparency. New Jersey, for instance, has created a public database tracking officers use of weapons and physical force. Officers names are listed. The dashboard reports the race of the officer. The portal, which tracks incidents as far back as Oct. 2020, discloses if the officer was hurt. Other states take a more conservative approach, omitting the identity of officers involved. California, for instance, offers demographic details about the officer and subject but does not identify them by name. Washington and Colorado are creating public portals, according to a consultants report submitted in March to this states SBI Center on Reduction of Use of Force by Law Enforcement. Those states are still considering what details to include. While states have been slower to create databases, some city police departments have taken the lead on disclosing details about use of force to the public. From New York City to Nashville, Tenn., at least 23 U.S. cities have launched databases that offer some information about use of force incidents to the public, according to the report prepared by Research Triangle Institute, which is helping the SBI examine use of force reporting elsewhere. In North Carolina, legislators created a confidential database for incidents where officers kill or badly injure people. The state commissions that certify law enforcement officers manage it. A provision in North Carolinas budget, which was approved in December, forbids local agencies from publicly sharing data it collects on cases where officers kill or badly injure a person. There is uncertainty about how the now-secret North Carolina database will be used at all. The statute setting it up gives no guidance about how the information is to be analyzed or used. The Federal Bureau of Investigation began collecting information about such incidents from local and state law enforcement in 2016. So far, though, it hasnt released any findings. According to its website, the FBI has not reached 60% reporting from local agencies, a benchmark it set before releasing information. A small number of North Carolina agencies report use of force information to the FBI. In 2021, 31 out of this states 585 law enforcement agencies reported use of force information to the FBI. That equated to 24% of officers in the state. Neither the Winston-Salem Police Department nor the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office submit data, according to a list posted on the databases website. Concord Police Department is one of the 31 agencies in North Carolina that reports its use of force incidents to the FBI. Chief Gary Gacek said he believes data collection is key to understanding prevention of officers unnecessary use of force. Gacek, an advisory member of the SBI Center on Reduction of Use of Force by Law Enforcement, said he suspects the FBI will have difficulty collecting information from law enforcement agencies. Until the federal government makes that more of a requirement and ties, perhaps, federal grant money to that, Gacek said, I dont necessarily see enough law enforcement agencies across the country making that database worthwhile for statistical purposes. This report was made possible through a grant from The Pulitzer Center to the North Carolina News Collaborative, a coalition of 23 news organizations across the state. For far too many people in our state, getting help with a substance use disorder for themselves or a loved one remains a huge challenge. Substance use disorder remains a national and local public health crisis affecting families, communities, workplaces and schools. As substance use and mental health disorders increase nationwide, addressing this challenge can feel overwhelming. But there is hope. With the help of many individuals and organizations in the Triad and the leadership of Forsyth Countys legislative delegation later this year, a new long-term residential treatment program for substance use disorder will open in Winston-Salem. This program is called TROSA. Founded in 1994, TROSA is a nonprofit treatment program that has been helping people across North Carolina at its Durham campus for more than 25 years. At TROSA, if you are committed to rebuilding your life in recovery, well do everything possible to help you achieve that goal. That includes providing room and board, evidence-based treatment and health services, as well as vocational and life-skills training. Graduates of the program complete it with job skills and access to stable housing and transportation everything they need to have a successful new life. Most importantly, graduates leave with a network of support and a newfound community of mentors and peers dedicated to their ongoing recovery. And these services are free and effective. One year after graduation, more than 90% of TROSA graduates are still in recovery, still employed and with no new criminal convictions. On average, TROSA residents stay in the program considerably longer than other long-term treatment programs. Thats important because research shows that the longer an individual stays in treatment, the better their chances of long-term recovery. Our program reinforces the values of being honest with yourself and others, having the courage to do whats right, being committed to positive change and serving as a responsible community member. In June, TROSA will open our first satellite campus TROSA Triad on Union Cross Road in Winston-Salem. Thanks to a state appropriation secured several years ago, construction is now underway to prepare the housing and other facilities TROSA Triad needs to serve more individuals in need of our award-winning services. We will also soon open a 37,000-square-foot second-hand store on Peters Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem. The store will serve as an important program component for our TROSA residents as they will participate in its day-to-day operations, learning vital hands-on life skills to help them prepare for life in recovery. The store follows TROSAs successful social enterprise model and will help TROSA remain a largely self-sufficient program. We hope you will visit and support our program when it is open. Thats only the first chapter for TROSA Triad. Thanks to an additional appropriation secured in the state budget approved last year, over the next few years our campus in Winston-Salem will grow to 200 beds. At TROSA, we are excited about our new campus and grateful beyond words for the support we have found in the local community for our efforts. There are so many people and organizations to thank, including Forsyth County, the city of Winston-Salem and many others committed to recovery. We are especially indebted to the countys legislative delegation for its support in Raleigh; especially Sen. Joyce Krawiec and Rep. Donny Lambeth, who led the effort to secure $17 million in total state investment to make our Triad campus a reality. On behalf of all of TROSAs staff, its thousands of graduates and current residents, I want to thank all of the individuals who worked with us over the last five years to help make TROSA Triad a reality this year. We look forward to continuing to work with all of you and many more individuals and organizations in becoming a permanent part of the Triad community. Keith Artin is president and CEO of TROSA. Learn more about TROSA at www.trosainc.org Theyre called forsythia, these bright yellow blossoms that have appeared recently at Fox-a-Lago, the field near Washington Park where a friend and I regularly watch wild red foxes play. Theyre complemented by violets scattered across the ground. Other colorful buds are sprouting in my neighborhood, from Japanese cherry trees and red buds white, pink, purple blooms. The bluebirds and sparrows round out the color wheel. Back toward the end of January, we saw that a couple of our foxes (not our, but, you know) had developed mange, a malady that often leads to death. A little research led us to Wildlife Rehab Inc., which taught us how to treat them by putting ivermectin in food for them. Yep, that ivermectin. My friend had to explain to the farm store clerk, No, its not for me. Such is life in 2022. Two months later, well soon need a new name for the one weve been calling Skinny Tail. The fur on his brush, like everywhere else, is getting thicker. A few days ago Blondie, the boldest of the foxes, sat relaxed on the ground not far from where I sat, she thinking her fox thoughts, me wondering what those thoughts were. The phrase culture of life popped into my head. I felt and maybe Blondie did, too an appreciation for irrepressible life, which thrives when given the chance. Life is the birthright of an entire planet (and maybe more). As the flowers and foxes attest, its full of richness and variety. Its usually intertwined with other life. The phrase culture of life crosses my desk at work from time to time, usually when either abortion or euthanasia are in the news. These extremes conception and death unfortunately seem to be the only aspects of such a culture that some ever promote or defend. Surely a society that truly valued life would honor and protect all of it. It would work to reduce agents that are harmful to life and promote those that help it flourish and prosper. The news today is full of harmful legislation being passed that makes life more difficult for transgender children, whose lives are already hard. Some 56% of trans youth attempt suicide before age 18, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. That rate drops about 73% when theyre allowed to live as they decide they should. Social scientists Tey Meadow and Kristina R. Olson, writing in this months Scientific American, say, Social acceptance and affirmative support are the keys to mental health for transgender children. These kids struggle not because theyre confused about which bathroom to use, as some say in an attempt to trivialize their agency. They struggle against bullies and ignorance and arrogant religiosity, sometimes from within their own families. And these new laws and policies being pushed by Republicans propose the very opposite: encouraging the mistreatment of trans youth and inciting fear in compassionate adults, Meadow and Olson say. Robert Foster, a Mississippi Republican, recently said he wants supporters of transgender rights to be lined up against (a) wall before a firing squad to be sent to an early judgment. Hes talking about parents who are trying to keep their children alive. In Texas, officials have pretty much declared war on all gay people, most recently by removing suicide prevention resources for LGBTQ kids from government websites. Republican legislators across the country are pulling out all the stops to deny kids resources books, the counsel of understanding adults, access to medical care that may keep them alive. None of that contributes to a culture of life. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican and a Mormon, understands this. When in doubt ... I always try to err on the side of kindness, mercy and compassion, he wrote recently while vetoing a cruel measure put forward by his states legislature. I dont understand what they are going through or why they feel the way they do. But I want them to live. Thats how you promote a culture of life. Unfortunately, his pleas fell on deaf ears. His legislature overrode the veto. This one issue is just the tip of a rapidly melting iceberg. We stand today with the power to make ourselves extinct, through a culture of permissive greed, indifference to environmental collapse and tolerance for human suffering. A true culture of life would work to prevent that. If we do destroy ourselves, that wont be the end. The planet, with its bacteria and moss, its wolves and ravens, will live on. Without us. If theres anything on which Americans agree, from the most ardent Trump supporter to the most militant nonmember of antifa, its the value of freedom. Dont tell me what to do is the motto of truck drivers, anti-vaxxers and abortion providers. Thats why, when businesses from Apple to Verizon want to sell something, theyre likely to wrap their pitches in terms of your freedom. But, despite their overwrought displeasure at being asked to wear masks temporarily in the midst of an airborne disease that killed people, its now Republican legislators, in a break from longstanding tradition and once-firm party principles, who are working hard to limit what we can read, what we can teach (or learn), what we can think about and who can vote. This is all part and parcel of an effort to roll back individual rights. No fair person or free person should have any doubt that the Republican Party is now practicing a widespread campaign to legislatively censor much of American life. In early January, the superintendent of the Granbury Independent School District in North Texas met with a group of school librarians to explain that the libraries were about to be raided and theyd better be ready to accept it. Our community is very, very conservative, he told them. And to any school employees who might have different political beliefs, You better hide it. Here in this community, were going to be conservative. Over the next two weeks, more than 130 titles were pulled from library shelves, most featuring LGBTQ characters or themes, others dealing with racism and womens rights. Any public or school library that only permits one political view and suppresses the rest fails all of its users. But its only one example of what seems to be a coordinated nationwide push to censor information. Were seeing an unprecedented volume of challenges, Deborah Caldwell-Stone, executive director of the American Library Associations Office for Intellectual Freedom, told Time magazine last week. Ive worked for ALA for 20 years, and I cant recall a time when we had multiple challenges coming in on a daily basis. This suppression is also visible in Republicans threats toward business and corporate leaders who see and support an America thats broader than the current Republican vision. Last year, after Coca-Cola and a number of other corporations objected to anti-voting laws being passed in Georgia and elsewhere, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed in which he encouraged legislators to stop offering tax breaks and multi-billion-dollar exemptions in return for financial contributions a threat that reeks of corruption. In Florida last week, after The Walt Disney Co. condemned the Dont Say Gay bill passed by the state legislature, saying it should never have passed and should never have been signed into law, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other legislators threatened to retaliate financially for the companys woke ideology. Todays Republican Party will brook no disagreement. And then there are the new voting restrictions, which have created chaos in Texas, where new ID requirements for mail-in ballots led to an unprecedented number of legitimate ballots being rejected ahead of the states March 1 primary. Such problems have arisen in other states like Florida, where last week a federal judge blocked a new election law, stating that some of the Republican-crafted restrictions were passed with the intent to discriminate against Black voters. Sound familiar? This is not the Republican Party with which many of us are familiar the champion of parental rights, small government, local control and corporate freedom. It has taken a wrong turn somewhere. The party may be unhappy with modern-day America but thats the partys problem, not Americas. The rest of us shouldnt have our rights revoked because of its discomfort. Back in Granbury, students attending a school board meeting in January pushed back. I simply want to emphasize who it is that is upset about this book ban, and its not just delinquents who want to read smut. Its honor students who want access to the full extent of their education, one said. Its plain and simple: If you dont like it, put the book down, another student said. No one is forcing you to read it. No government and public school is an extension of government has ever banned books and banned information from its public and been remembered in history as the good guys, another said. The kids are all right and right. This is not the American way and it is not the practice of the good guys. Contrary to the woeful baying by Big Agbiz, the United States -- and any nation with enough money -- will not run out of food this year. This can be said without reservation for two reasons. First, war or no war, there is no global shortage of wheat, the crop todays Chicken Littles are cluck-cluck clucking about. In the last week of March, numerous sources pointed out that the estimated shortfall in Russian wheat export sales due to its war in Ukraine will be about 7 million metric tons this marketing year. While that sounds like a lot, 7 million metric tons is, in fact, 0.9% of Russias staggering 778 million metric tons 2021 wheat crop. So, no, the loss of less than 1% of any nations farm production in any commodity will not lead to global famine. The second reason the world will not run out of wheat is that when properly functioning markets operate in an open, transparent manner, price rations supply and demand. Yes, that can get coldly expensive but it also ensures the global cupboard never really empties. And that is what happened in the wheat futures market from mid-February to early March as Russia invaded Ukraine. On Feb. 18, a week before the invasion, Chicago May wheat futures prices were $8.04 per bushel. After three weeks of volatile, war-fueled trading, May futures had soared to over $12. On March 8, however, the May contract rocketed to $13.63 per bushel just as futures trading began that day. Shortly thereafter, something -- or someone -- hit the market and May futures fell off the table, down $2 per bushel. By the close of the bruising session, prices had clawed back to $12.86 per bushel, or almost exactly where they had finished the day before. What happened? No one really knows and, worse, its likely no one will ever know because the futures markets key regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission -- like many government agencies in the past decade -- has given most of its oversight functions to the markets themselves, notes Dr. Steve Suppan of the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy in Minneapolis. In a prescient March 16 post on the institute's website titled Wheat futures prices and the war on regulation, Suppan describes the long, anti-oversight game most futures exchanges played with federal watchdogs after post-2008 laws gave regulators greater power to oversee markets. That fight culminated with a 3-2 vote in late 2020 by the five-member board that relinquished nearly all CFTC authority to the exchanges. One of the two dissenters on the panel, Suppan notes, said the shift made the players on the field the referees. In this arena, however, the public interest loses. Its hard for the public to see that because futures markets appear to be arcane exchanges where cab drivers become millionaires by buying soybean futures. Not soever. U.S. futures exchanges are a $610 trillion dollar a year marketplace where speculators -- traders looking to profit -- and hedgers, usually buyers and sellers of products or derivatives of products traded on the exchange, meet to establish price based on key ingredients like supply, demand, weather, and war. And they are critically important in our everyday lives: If the markets dont function fairly, everyone pays -- from the trader who was clipped on some shady deal to the single mother of five struggling to pay the weekly grocery tab. Farmers and ranchers know this. In fact, todays volatile wheat market means some rural grain purchasers only buy farmers grain when the Chicago futures market is open so the buyer can immediately transfer their ownership risk to someone else. That also means these purchasers dont offer any farmer a market after 1:15 p.m. each weekday and not at all on the weekend. Almost every farmer or rancher will tell you that this is a highly risky, potentially costly failure to both you and them. So, no, were not going to run out of food. The real threat is that well run out of markets we can trust. The Farm and Food File is published weekly throughout the U.S. and Canada. Source material and contact information are posted at farmandfoodfile.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Age: 60 Address: 6730 Hickory Crest Circle, Lincoln Occupation: Lancaster County Commissioner Political party: Republican What experiences qualify you for this office? My background is in finance and banking, governmental service as an assistant to Gov. Kay Orr, and as a fundraiser in the nonprofit world. I will continue to be a conservative, business-focused voice on the County Board. My years of service bring knowledge, perspective and important connections with local, state and federal leaders. The influence and relationships I have built over the years are extremely valuable and will further the initiatives of Lincoln and Lancaster County. What are the three biggest issues facing the county and how would you address them? Property tax relief, infrastructure financing and workforce development are issues Ive prioritized. Property valuations continue to rise due to the tight housing market, thus the levy must be reduced accordingly. We need to pursue other funding mechanisms for road/bridge improvements and construction other than property taxes, including public-private partnerships. Greater emphasis on job training programs and work readiness skills are important to help people be prepared for employment and assist employers who are currently struggling to fill open positions. How do you think the countys portion of the yet-to-be earmarked funds from the federal American Rescue Act Plan should be used? Funds should be spent on capital construction, renovation expenditures and technology updates. Priority should be given to allocate the one-time funds so there is no ongoing cost to the county. Otherwise we are obligating local taxpayers to future financial commitment. The pandemic highlighted the need for increased services for those in crisis situations. I support funding human service agencies to provide more services in the areas of domestic violence, food insecurity, substance abuse and mental health concerns. In recent years the County Board has had to decide whether to allow permits for large poultry farms and solar farms to operate in the county. How would you balance the interests of landowners and the economic benefits of industrial farms and both the economic and environmental benefits of alternative energy companies? Issues regarding community sentiment vs. private property rights are always controversial. Tough decisions are made to balance the landowner rights to choose what to do with their land with the interests of neighbors who have strong views. There are dozens of meetings with neighbors, hundreds of emails/phone calls, research with planning/zoning experts and hours of public testimony. Green energy production is important to many constituents, so views of those not directly impacted by the installation are a factor as well. What can the County Board do to help address juvenile justice needs, specifically for young people in crisis and those who have long stays in detention while awaiting treatment? I support alternatives to detention to keep youth out of the juvenile justice system in the first place. We need to work closely with community behavior health providers to offer more inpatient treatment beds for youth with complex mental health issues so recovery can begin earlier with less time spent detained. A new facility specifically for youth in crisis to offer services and time for stabilization is needed and the county has obligated $5 million in ARPA funds for construction. If elected, what will be your top priorities and why? I will lead on fiscal responsibility; cutting the tax rate, setting spending priorities based on conservative principals and opposing unfunded state mandates. Well continue to invest in infrastructure, boosting spending to roads and bridges. Funding for county engineering has increased 40% in seven years and weve reopened 25 bridges in five years. Ill focus on growing our economy; expanding high-speed internet, cutting red tape for businesses, working to promote public-private partnerships and supporting tourism bringing visitors to Lincoln. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Age: 86 Address: 7921 Reno Road, Lincoln Occupation: Business consultant; formerly medical supply business owner Political party: Nonpartisan What experiences qualify you for this office? My background includes working with men and women who served in our Legislature over decades when they worked together. I worked to pass a law that required the state to educate children to the maximum level. Years ago I drafted and nurtured into law responsible environmental legislation. If elected, I could hit the ground running. I am a military veteran who served my country for 31-plus years. I would like to represent people of all ages, including the unborn. Why do you want to be a state senator? If elected, I offer years of experience in dealing with the Legislature as well as relevant education and knowledge in the lawmaking process. I would work to make Nebraska a safer place to live and work and to leave for future generations an abundant supply of clear water and to create new well-paying jobs. I have a plan to actually reduce property taxes without reducing or eliminating vital services. This is my last opportunity to run for office. Do you support the nonpartisan aspect of Nebraskas one-house Legislature or would you like to see it be changed into a partisan body? Why or why not? Nebraskas one-house Legislature has proven to be more effective than that in other states. I strongly oppose changing what has worked successfully. While political parties play a significant role in motivating people to be candidates, once elected the members are not bound by party politics and platforms and can work together as responsible men and women without distracting party pressures. Hence, the members are accountable to the people they represent. If it aint broken, dont try to fix it. What would be your priorities in terms of legislation? Accomplishing property tax relief in general and for retired people, for veterans and for handicapped folks in particular. Lowering the cost of university and community college education so the next generation could afford continuing education. Protecting the environment and assuring an abundant supply of clean water. Assuring schools are places of education rather than indoctrination and getting government out of the private lives of our citizens and ensuring that all law-abiding citizens are treated equally in society and in workplaces. Would you be inclined to support the governors agenda or be more independent in determining your priorities and legislative agenda? While I would strive to work in harmony with the governor and his (or her) staff, I would independently attend to the needs and desires of the people in my district. I would strive to return to the legislative chamber a collegial attitude, working for the good of our state and its people. Would you support continuing the Legislatures open access to the public and the news media, including media access to executive sessions of legislative committees and continued media presence on the floor of the Legislature? And why or why not? I would oppose the growing attempt to hide certain legislative matters from the public. The peoples right to know everything that is involved in and associated with the lawmaking process necessitates unlimited access of the working media to all sessions, venues and gathering of legislators. Media personnel who disrupted or compromised the works of the legislators would be dealt with on an individual basis. Legal matters involving personnel or security might be exceptions. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The first newspapers in what would become Nebraska Territory were conceivably printed at Winter Quarters, now the Omaha neighborhood of Florence, by the Mormons in the 1840s, or even earlier at Fort Atkinson in the 1820s, but no physical copies of either are extant. The first known Nebraska newspapers were printed in Iowa for circulation in Nebraska. The Nebraska City News was printed in Sidney, Iowa, and the Omaha Arrow in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Even Lincolns first paper, the Nebraska Commonwealth, was printed in 1867 by Charles Gere, not in Lincoln but in Nebraska City. Phineas Hitchcock arrived in Omaha City from New York in 1857. An attorney, Hitchcock was also involved in real estate and insurance. Politically, he was a delegate to the Territorial Legislature, appointed Nebraskas Surveyor General, elected to Congress in 1864 and the U.S. Senate in 1871. Phineas son, Gilbert Monell Hitchcock, was born in Omaha City in 1859. After graduating from high school, Gilbert studied for two years in Germany, then attended law school at Michigan University, graduating in 1881. The weekly Omaha Arrow was printed in Council Bluffs at the office of the Bugle beginning July 28, 1854. The four-page, six-column sheet was dated at Omaha City, carried the motto The people the Sovereigns of the Soil, with attorney Joseph Johnson as editor. One of the first editorials began Here we are upon Nebraska soil seated upon the stump of an ancient oak, which serves as an editorial chair. Only 12 issues of the Arrow were published, with Johnson then moving to Omaha and being admitted to the Nebraska Bar. After Nov. 10, Mr. Pattison, the papers owner, gave up his paper and his real estate business and left town! There were not enough people in Omaha to make newspaper publishing a very profitable business. The first truly Nebraska-published newspaper, the Nebraskian, first appeared Jan. 17, 1855. Another Nebraska-produced newspaper began publication by Dr. George Miller and Daniel Carpenter in October of 1865 as the Omaha Daily Herald. In 1882, a constitutional amendment granting womans suffrage brought an Omaha debate between Edward Rosewater of the Omaha Bee and Susan B. Anthony. A few days later, Gilbert Hitchcock took on well-known feminist Phoebe Cousins in a public debate during which Cousins jumped up and shouted, Mr. Hitchcock, you are a disgrace to the mother who bore you. Hitchcock was heartily applauded and considered the winner of the debate. In August of 1885, Hitchcock and four others established the Evening World. By 1889, the Daily Herald was losing $1,000 a month and the Evening World nearly $5,000 a month. Hitchcock then purchased the Daily Herald and engineered the merger of the two papers in March as the Democrat-leaning Omaha World-Herald and bought a three-story building between 14th and 15th streets on Farnam as its office. Rosewater promptly editorialized in the Bee asking how the consolidation of the two losers could be expected to be profitable. Success did, however, come in 1898, during the Spanish-American War, when the World-Herald obtained the wire services of both the New York Journal and the New York Herald, which moved the World-Herald to the No. 1 Omaha paper over the Bee. In 1916, the World-Herald moved to new quarters in a new, purpose-built eight-story building on the northwest corner of 15th and Farnam streets. With the new headquarters, the stock of the World-Herald was primarily owned by Hitchcock, his son-in-law, Henry Doorly, and father-in-law Wm. G. Crounse. Hitchcock was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1902, defeated for reelection in 1904, but again successful in 1906 and 1908. In 1911, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, reelected in 1917 and became the majority leader, and chairman of the Democratic Caucus, then defeated in 1922. In 1934, Gilbert M. Hitchcock, the youngest man who ever represented Nebraska in the United States Senate, died in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Omahas Forest Lawn Cemetery. In 1963, his daughter, Margaret Hitchcock Doorly, donated $750,000 to establish the Henry Doorly Zoo, named for her husband, also the publisher of the World-Herald. Gilbert M. Hitchcock was elected to the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 1984 and also lives on in the park named in his honor at 42nd and Q streets in Omaha. A new, full-block building was built in 1948 at 14th and Dodge streets for the World-Herald, later to be said the last U.S. newspaper to print both a morning and afternoon edition. The paper is now owned by Lee Enterprises, so Omahas newspaper is once again owned by an Iowa company. Historian Jim McKee, who still writes with a fountain pen, invites comments or questions. Write to him in care of the Journal Star or at jim@leebooksellers.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 1872: A city election saw little attention paid to party lines. Members of the Republican, Democratic and the People's parties won office. 1882: The death of Jesse James was the talk of the area. 1892: The Rock Island Railroad said it was ready to buy depot property at 19th and O. 1902: Prohibition was defeated inLincoln by a narrow margin:2,304 for, 2,364 against. 1912: The spring thaw brought floods on the Platte River. 1922: University of Nebraska alumni were soliciting funds to build Memorial Stadium. 1932: Forty officers, directed by Harold "Three Gun"Wilson, new Prohibition administrator for Nebraska, began a series of liquor raids in Lincoln. 1942: Nebraska's first successful oil well had been drilled in Richardson County. 1952: The former Lincoln Star building at 12th and M streets was acquired by the Good News Broadcasting Association Inc. The Star had moved to the new Journal-Star building at 926 P St. 1962: Plans for remodeling of the Lincoln (Ninth and P streets) and Capital (11th and P streets) hotels were announced by new owners Mr. and Mrs. Bennett S. Martin. 1972: A windup day saw 67 laws enacted as the Legislature ended its first even-numbered year regular session. 1982: A centuries-old silver cup, a wedding gift from Martin Luther to his sister Margaret, was returned to St. John Lutheran Church in Beatrice for a brief Easter visit. 1992: Nebraska placed among six "math-smart" states. Standardized national math scores were measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federal project. The other states were North Dakota, Montana, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Two women who died in a fiery crash in Omaha late Thursday have been identified. Sara Zimmerman, 37, and Amanda Schook, 38, both of Gretna, were killed when an SUV and a pickup truck collided at 192nd and F streets. Zimmerman, the driver of the 2018 Nissan Armada SUV, was eight months pregnant, Omaha police said. Schook was a passenger in the SUV. Tersh Kepler of Omaha, one of the Midwests foremost morel mushroom hunters, is hoping for two things this early spring: more rain and more sunshine. Kepler says conditions still are dry in Nebraska for a good morel mushroom hunting year and temperatures have been on the chilly side. Besides warm sunshine to heat temperatures just below ground level, morels need an abundance of timely moisture. Most of Nebraska still is in a drought, according to University of Nebraska-Lincoln state climatologists. Even though it has been windy and dry, our ground temperatures warmed nicely in late winter, Kepler said. But the weather has been primarily on the cooler side of normal since spring began. We will see what happens from here on out. Warm subsoil temps are critical for morels to emerge. But in addition to monitoring the weather, Kepler will keep an eye on his yard for the appearance of dandelions. They will be his trigger that morel mushrooms most likely have popped up in his river bottom woodlands. Many Nebraskans soon will be antsy to head to their morel picking spots along wooded river and creek bottoms for the tasty delicacy. But when will they emerge? Kepler has been hunting morel mushrooms, wild asparagus and other wild edibles for more than 50 years. He says ground temperatures, at least in eastern Nebraska, must be 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit about 5 to 8 inches below the surface for morels to spring. He monitors the temperatures online and with subsoil thermometers in different locations. He also watches what is happening with the harvest of morels in states south of Nebraska. I especially watch what takes place with the emergence of morels in Missouri, he said. That will indicate to me that our morel picking season in Southeast Nebraska is right around the corner. Morels grown under controlled/managed conditions for commercial purposes fruit when the soil reaches a consistent temperature of approximately 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Air temperatures for morels to push through the soil ideally should be in the 60s and 70s in the daytime and no lower than 45 to 50 degrees at night. Kepler is cautious about predicting the arrival of morels in river bottom woods. Historically, he says, they usually show up around Tax Day, which is April 18 this year, but there is much variance. I have found small morels during the opening week of Nebraskas spring archery turkey hunting season, which started March 25, in my Southeast Nebraska woodland habitat. Generally, I find most of my morels in middle to late April along the Elkhorn and Platte River bottom woodlands, depending on the year. Now you know when to start checking your morel mushroom hunting spots. Better keep an eye out for those dandelions in your yard. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 RACINE Shoppers looking for something new are cheering the transformation of a former grocery store into a village of mini-storefronts selling housewares, clothing and artwork. The Midwest Market @ 2210 celebrated its grand opening this weekend with more than 30 entrepreneurs, many selling their products in brick-and-mortar locations for the first time. Shoppers applauded the unique indoor presentation of pint-sized shops arranged side by side inside the 70,000-square-foot former grocery store at 2210 Rapids Drive. Each shop owner rents their own space some as little as 200 square feet and each has the opportunity to decorate their walls and storefront entrances in their taste and style. I love this, shopper Gail Schultz of Racine said Saturday while she and her husband, Steve, explored the new market. Schultz said she was most impressed at how the individual merchants all have walls to claim their own place, and all have taken time to make their stores look different and creative. Its their pride and joy, she said. Its very fun. The Midwest Market has attracted store owners selling a diverse mix of goods, from toys and flowers to furniture and perfume. Organizers are still recruiting more tenants, and say they have room for up to 100 businesses in an ever-evolving landscape of entrepreneurial ideas. There are also food vendors and a full-service cocktail bar. The grand opening continues from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, and the market is scheduled to open year-round from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The onetime Pick n Save grocery store on Rapids Drive across the street from Horlick High School closed its doors as a food-shopping destination in 2015. It is part of the Rapids Plaza shopping center, which opened in 1963 but has struggled to attract and retain tenants in recent years. Businessman Bob Gleason bought Rapids Plaza in 2020 and converted the old Pick n Save into a farmers market. Gleason then decided to drop the farmers market and instead create the Midwest Market as a permanent year-round shopping village. Stores operate alongside one another, but each with walls and separate entrances creating the environment of a downtown business district all under one roof. Tenants pay just $1 per square foot per month, or $200 a month for a 200-square-foot store. The concept is attractive to business owners unable or unwilling to pay steeper rents in more high-profile locations like Downtown Racine. Its kind of like everything I was looking for, said Dyan Tishuk, owner of Design Metro, a shop offering artwork, gifts and homemade fudge. For the grand opening Saturday, shoppers flocked to the market and enjoyed the indoor attraction, especially on a weekend when the Racine area was hit by unseasonable cold and snow. Roxanne Pouros of Oak Creek said she was happy to get out of the inclement weather. She also was surprised to find such an eclectic and colorful collection of shops. Its more than I thought it was going to be, she said. Everybody has their own personality. Shopper Alexa Anderson of Franksville called the market a positive use of a former grocery store that otherwise might be sitting vacant. I think the concept is really clever, she said. Market manager Gail Deno said she expects more tenants to join the village soon. As words get out, other would-be entrepreneurs are snatching up space. My phones been ringing non-stop, Deno said. She added: Racine needed something like this. What a cool way to spend a couple of hours. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 2 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SPRING GREEN The prolific and colorful works of Jennifer Angus have filled some of the most notable gallery spaces in the country. The Canadian-born artist, who in February became a U.S. citizen, has shown her creations at the Museum of Art & Design in New York, the Museum of Craft & Folk Art in Los Angeles, the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida, and the Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh, which Angus calls one of the finest art museums in the country. In 2016, she was selected as one of nine nationally known artists to create an installation in the then-newly renovated Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. Last week, there was an appearance on Science Friday on National Public Radio. Angus, 61, who lives on Madisons Near East Side and is a professor in the Design Studies department at UW-Madison, is clearly a big deal and can pick her spots. But for the next 12 weeks, her world-renowned artistic creations using beetles, cicadas, grasshoppers, bees and other insects are filling the Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center located south of Spring Green along Highway 23. This is an area of northern Iowa County known for its rolling farmland, flocks of turkey, herds of deer and Rush Creek, a winding stream filled with brown and brook trout. Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed the school building, lived and worked just up the road at Taliesin. For Angus, who has a studio in nearby Plain, it will be her first installation in a school. This one has cinder block walls and unconventional gallery space but plenty of natural light. Though its relatively local, it presented a significant challenge, Angus said last week as she was putting the final touches on the exhibit. I live in Wisconsin, Ive lived here for the past 20 years, so its important to me. Yes, its great to have an exhibition in New York, D.C. or L.A., but its important to support your community. And one of things I know is that when you do an exhibition like this in a smaller community they really take ownership in it and have a lot of pride. The exhibit, A is for Apple, B is for Bug, and C is for Cicada, opened Saturday and will run Thursdays through Sundays before closing on June 12. Admission is $8 and cash is preferred. Strong arts reputation The Wyoming Valley School, named after its scenic surroundings, is the only public grammar school designed by Wright. Constructed for $12,000 in 1957, two years before his death, Wright also donated the land for the school to pay homage to his mother, Anna Lloyd-Jones Wright, who had been a kindergarten teacher. The school was used until 1990 and originally constructed to consolidate five, one-room, rural schoolhouses in the area. Since 2011, the building, with two classrooms and an assembly hall, has been home to the Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center and recently underwent a $200,000 renovation. Angus installation is the first exhibit since the renovation and is serving as a showcase not only for Angus work but is helping to promote the Cultural Arts Center, which was shuttered for most of 2020 but over the past 11 years has provided programming aimed at kindergarten through fourth-grade students and has hosted gallery nights, concerts, weddings and even funerals. This means everything to us, Dave Zaleski, the centers executive director, said of Angus exhibit. She has a very strong reputation in the arts world and her name, and obviously her work, are going to pull people out here. Zaleski had met Angus years ago when he worked at the Racine Art Museum and had kept in touch with her via social media. He had asked her about doing an exhibit at the school prior to the renovation and said she became interested in the space since she had recently moved her studio to Plain, 10 miles to the north. She said the space was very inspiring, Zaleski said. She really responded well as to what the possibilities were. Antithesis of Wright A wall in the east classroom is covered with a 16-foot-wide mural with giant grasshoppers and butterflies designed by Angus and printed on homemade paper. There are insects suspended in glass jars filled with jelly and placed in geometrically shaped shelves on the window sills, which allows the insects to be backlit while the colored jellies are illuminated. There are masks of insects made in Mexico and a dress covered in bluish and purple beetle wings that take the place of sequins. Another wall holds the alphabet. Each foot-tall letter is made from insects. In the west classroom, Angus has installed colored light bulbs in overhead fixtures while each of the 15 desks in the room has bell jars attached to the surface with Velcro and that hold insects posed with plants native to Wisconsin like milkweed, wild cucumber and wild lily. On the wall in the front of the room is part of a poem from Irish poet William Butler Yeats. The line, The world is full of magic things patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper, is laid out with insects. Theres also a wooden card catalog with five drawers in each of its three rows. Each row, when opened and read from left to right, tells a story using insects that are posed in different positions and situations. My aesthetic is really the antithesis of Wright, said Angus, as her 9-year-old cockapoo, Pippy, sat at her side. This school kind of lies halfway between Taliesin and House on the Rock and probably my subject is more House on the Rock, sort of over the top, eccentric and theres no such thing as too much. And so I had to kind of temper myself a bit to be respectful of Wright. The schools assembly hall features patterns of insects that resemble wallpaper while dollhouses and a church built from kits and covered in beeswax have been elevated on 9-foot-tall towers each with a ladder. The idea is to provide the visitor with an insect-like view, but also its a statement on the importance that homes took during the pandemic. We oftentimes get so scared about insects, but look how big we are compared to them, Angus said. I think about us and COVID where our home has become everything to us. Its our home, its our workspace and its our sacred space. Garments from wings Angus grew up in Niagara Falls and Toronto, earned her bachelors degree in fine arts at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and her masters degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. On a trip to Southeast Asia in the mid-1980s, she saw garments made from the shimmering wings of insects and that got her thinking about incorporating them into her art, which at the time was focused on patterns. The insects she uses and reuses for her art installations come from a Belgian collector who gathers them from around the world. Angus chooses them first on price (some can cost up to $100 apiece), durability and aesthetics. Some are harvested, and some are caught in the wild. Besides her show in the Wyoming Valley, Angus has an instillation at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend and since July has had a major exhibit at the Staten Island Museum in New York, home to one of the worlds largest collections of cicadas and which led to the Science Friday appearance. In 2019, Angus was named one of two female artists in Dane County to win the first Forward Art Prize, awarded by the Women Artists Forward Fund, and in 2013 she wrote a novel aimed at middle schoolers called In Search of Goliathus Hercules. The book, which Angus has incorporated into the exhibit at the Wyoming Valley School, is about a boy who discovers he has the ability to communicate with insects. Angus hopes her work, regardless of the medium, leads people to think differently about insects. Insects, just like a lot of mammals, are threatened because of climate change and also loss of habitat, Angus said. So Id like people to see how amazing the insect world is, how diverse it is and the great beauty of insects. They may not immediately get to those bigger ideas of disappearing species but (I want them) just to simply appreciate how beautiful they are and what we all stand to lose. Gayle Worland of Lee Newspapers contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Wisconsin Statutes provide that no suit may be brought against governmental officials, agents or employees for acts done in the exercise of quasi-legislative or quasi-judicial functions. This statute was initially interpreted to be for tort claims against governmental bodies or their employees. In a later case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court held that this statute applies to all suits against public officials, not just claims for money damages. It was also held to apply when the state makes a claim against another governmental unit. The reasons for granting protection to public officials against such suits are based largely upon public policy considerations. These public policy reasons include: The danger of influencing public officers in the performance of their functions by the threat of a lawsuit, the deterrent effect which the threat of personal liability might have on those who are considering entering public service, and the feeling that the ballot and removal procedures are more appropriate methods of dealing with misconduct in public office. A criminal complaint against the Wisconsin Elections Commission commissioners would be a suit brought against a government official. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has stated that decisions involving the type made by the commissioners are the type of policies to which the statute applies. Although the Supreme Court has not directly ruled on a case where criminal charges were commenced against an official when performing a discretionary governmental function, the statute says that no suit may be commenced against such person. Criminal charges against the commissioners would be a suit by the state against these individuals for discretionary acts done in the exercise of quasi-legislative or quasi-judicial functions. There are public officials, law enforcement personnel, and candidates for attorney general, who are proposing criminal charges against the commissioners. These people, especially the ones running for attorney general of the State of Wisconsin, should know the law. Anyone suggesting a criminal suit against the election commissioners seems to be doing so merely for political purposes. They should learn the law and stop this nonsense. John A. Becker is a partner in the Becker French law firm in Racine. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 1. Yes. Raising the bar for future developments will boost the citys housing market. 2. Yes. It will help in newer areas, but more needs to be done to change Killeens image. 3. No. The new standards will just slow down homebuilding and drive away developers. 4.No. The ordinance will do little more than drive up the price of new homes in the city. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say what the effect will be until they have been in place for a while. Vote View Results LINCOLN Lexington and Callaway are among the recipients of Civic and Community Center Financing Fund money from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. DED announced Friday that Lexington is receiving $600,000 to assist with its Lexington Racquet Center construction project. Callaway is receiving $15,000 to assist in swim pool planning. The money is part of $1.2 million DED awarded for planning and capital construction. CCCFF supports the development of civic, community and recreation centers. Buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places that are intended for conversion, rehabilitation or reuse also are eligible under the program. CCCFF is provided through a turnback of 30% of state sales tax generated by arenas and nearby retailers. True to the egalitarian allure of the restaurant chain itself, Lisa Hurwitzs documentary The Automat is both a touching farewell and a fond hello-again for those old enough to remember the salisbury steak, creamed spinach and peach pie behind those little windows of nickel-fed discovery. The documentary, several years and many Kickstarter donors in the making, tells the story of a 20th Century dining phenomenon particular to New York City and Philadelphia: the Horn & Hardart restaurants popularly known, especially in New York, as the Automat. Advertisement The first opened in 1902; the last closed in 1991. For decades, especially the 1920s, 30s, 40s and early 50s, the Automats helped define two great American cities affordable and small-d democratic dining options, with a novel Mechanical Age premise no waitstaff, no need for new arrivals to America to struggle with the language. Just a massive vending machine scenario, offering customers a great wall of a la carte options most folks could afford. The Automats didnt look cheap, however. They were gussied up in a disarmingly swank atmosphere of marble tabletops, chrome and brass trim, and glass, glass, glass, plus high ceilings. Over the century, millions of immigrants with a few coins surveyed the tiny see-through compartments for what looked good. The baked goods and other items came fresh from a centralized commissary, supplying dozens of Automats with, we learn, up to 2,400 pies baked per hour. Advertisement Along with the immigrants, the average office worker found a lunch or dinner home at the Automat. So did countless swells in furs, before or after a play or a movie. Virtually all races and walks of life walked through the front door. For Colin Powell, the future U.S. Secretary of State interviewed here, the Horn & Hardart diners was where his South Bronx family ate out when eating out was a rarity. The place was sparkling, Powell says in the film. The Times Square Automat he remembered best attracted a broad clientele of a beautiful diversity that didnt exist in most of the rest of the country. Mel Brooks, a Horn & Hardart regular throughout his younger years, appears in the documentary "The Automat." (HANDOUT/A Slice of Pie Productions) In The Automat Mel Brooks takes the role of Horn & Hardart Enthusiast-in-Chief. Brooks participation in Hurwitzs project led to the filmmaker snagging a lot of other prime gets. (Several key subjects, such as Powell, Carl Reiner and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, are no longer with us; Hurwitz began work on her film in 2013.) The high ceilings, the Carrara marble for not much cash you got a lot of panache, Brooks says, choosing the word as if he were searching for just the right piece of Automat pie. Starbucks executive chairman Howard Schultz, another interviewee, recalls his childhood Automat encounters as being a key influence on the coffee empire hed eventually create. The theater of it, the sense of discovery, stuck with him, even if the ancestral link between the Automat and Starbucks may be puzzling to some. Younger viewers might find themselves squinting a little to see what Automat aficionados saw so clearly, and remember with such love. Hurwitz does a good job covering the bases of how the Automats flourished, and why, with the post-World War II and Eisenhower era emphasis on interstate highways and fleeing to the suburbs, the Automat slid gradually, then quickly, into disfavor. Several longtime Horn & Hardart executives and executives offspring speak from the heart, often in quietly anguished tones, about what the company founders did to foster loyalty (unionization efforts, unsuccessful, notwithstanding). In the end, the Automats initial and longstanding appeal as a gleaming, ultra-modern taste of the future became a remnant of yesterday. Unidentified Baltimore students visit a Horn & Hardart Automat in this archival photo from "The Automat," director Lisa Hurwitz's documentary. (HANDOUT) The documentary has a few limitations. It couldve used a few more movie clips, though rights to some key Automat scenes in Hollywood movies (such as the 1937 screwball Easy Living) mightve broken the modest production budget. That Touch of Mink, the Cary Grant/Doris Day vehicle with its early scenes shot in a Manhattan Automat, came out in 1962, not 1952. The musical score by Hummie Mann threatens to drown the movie in good cheer or familiar sentiment at various points. But when Brooks sings the love song he wrote for the documentary, all is forgiven. There Was Nothing Like the Coffee at the Automat takes a nice poke at Starbucks in Brooks lyric You have to understand, they/Had no latte grande. Elsewhere, Reiner reminisces in footage cross-cut with Brooks own memories of writing for Your Show of Shows and noshing with Reiner at the Automat between sessions. Reiner favored the chocolate pudding pie, available only in winter. We waited patiently all year for it, he says. That was the best pie. Advertisement Like the movie palaces built in the post-World War I era, the Automat offered unexpected elegance at popular prices. But you couldnt get chicken pot pie or chocolate pudding pie at The Roxy. Director Lisa Hurwitz discusses The Automat in person following the 7:30 p.m. Saturday April 2 screening at the Landmark Renaissance Place in Highland Park. The documentary continues its run this week at the Renaissance Place; the AMC River East; and the AMC Streets of Woodfield in Schaumburg. The Automat 3 stars No MPAA rating. Running time: 1:19 How to watch: Now playing at the Landmark Renaissance Place in Highland Park; AMC River East; and AMC Streets of Woodfield in Schaumburg. Streaming premiere: June 2. Advertisement 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. Behavioral health, access to health care and a healthy environment are top of mind for county residents, according to the La Crosse County Health Departments 2021 Community Health Assessment. The survey pinpoints three priorities for the coming year and beyond an important step, with the area faring worse than the state overall in a number of health-related categories. Included in identifying areas needing improvement were the survey responses of over 300 residents, whose input helped determine primary focus should be on behavioral health (suicide, mental health, substance abuse); access to care; and healthy environment (safe housing, food, physical activity). The top 10 health concerns included access to care, injury prevention, violence, substance use, communicable disease and more. Per the report, published every five years, social and economic factors play the largest role in determining health outcomes, with lower income families and individuals more likely to have less time for exercise, less access to healthy foods and to live in housing with hazards. Systemic barriers, including race, gender, ability, education level, and geographic location, are also factors. Collected data found inequities in over half of the 30 categories studied, including points falling under health outcomes, health behaviors, and social and economic factors. The county was also behind the state benchmark in nearly half of categories, including access to mental health services, suicide rates, alcohol use and death rates due to cancer. La Crosse County residents had a slightly higher life expectancy, at 79.9 years compared to the state average of 79.5 years, and fewer infant and child deaths. In the county, the leading causes of death were cancer and heart disease. Looking at substance abuse on a local level, 27% of adults reported binge drinking or heavy drinking in the past 30 days. Every year, alcohol contributes to 48 deaths, 1,694 hospitalizations and 120 car accidents. For 2021, there were 30 opioid related deaths, ad 69.4 per 100,000 ER visits for opioid overdose. On the topic of mental health, the survey found the number of community members reporting mentally unhealthy days increased over the past five years. While 18.5% of adults and 20% of youth had diagnosed mental illness, half of adults and one third of children had not accessed treatment. Under environmental health, La Crosse County had fewer instances of child lead poisoning, but more among adults than the state as a whole. Just over a quarter of water samples had PFA levels above recommended. For access to health care, around half said they had excellent access, but for mental health care the level dropped to 27.8%. La Crosse County has a better primary care, dental and mental health provider ratios than the state. Data looking at accidents and injuries found falls accounted for the greatest number of hospitalizations, followed by poisoning, which includes accidental exposure or drug overdose. Women, youth and racial minorities were more likely to experience violence and intentional injury. Youth who identify as LGBTQ+ were also subjected to more bullying. A review of communicable diseases found around 80% to 90% of residents had the recommended vaccinations for polio, hepatitis A and B, MMR and more. Sexually transmitted infections were the most common communicable disease in the county. Examining nutrition and physical activity, only 15.4% of low income persons stated they had access to healthy food. The county has a lower rate of physical activity than Wisconsin in 2020, 23% of residents reported no leisure time fitness. Though government-funded financial help with food purchases is available, over 2,500 food insecure residents were not eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). To view the full Community Health Assessment report, visit bit.ly/CHAreport. Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Police work the scene where four people were shot, including an 11-year-old boy who was shot in the thigh, in the 4100 block of West Monroe Street in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, on March 17, 2022. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) In the first three months of 2022, both fatal and nonfatal shootings were down in Chicago. And while those are welcome statistics in the wake of a two-year surge in gun violence, experts cautioned its too early to say whether the city is finally coming off a period of high crime. According to Chicago Police Department official data released Friday, shooting incidents were down from 582 as of March 31, 2021, to 508 this year. There had been 10 fewer homicides, with a total of 128 so far this year, police reported. Advertisement Additional statistics posted on the city of Chicago data portal also showed declines in the number of shooting victims, including in some of the citys least safe communities, such as Austin, Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing and North Lawndale. Overall, the number of people killed in shootings was down 11% and the number of injured was down 16%. The number of people carjacked, according to the city of Chicago portal, was up 3%. Advertisement But the overall declines, which came during the traditionally less violent months, offer little in the way of knowing yet whether Chicago is reversing the deadly two-year 60% gun-violence spike that happened in the wake of the pandemic and a national reckoning on policing in America, experts said. Last year at this time fatal and nonfatal shootings were still on an upward trend, continuing the dramatic story of 2020 when the entire nation faced a significant and sudden spike in gun-related violence. Several leaders interviewed by the Tribune expressed measured optimism, including the head of the citys new Community Safety Coordination Center, which will serve as the nerve center for citywide responses to reducing violence and increasing public safety. Were a group of people that come from all different departments. Many of our staff live in the communities that were working to serve, in terms of the more violent communities, Tamara Mahal, chief coordination officer of the center, said in an interview last week. So I think we have a sense of realism about what the past two years have been like and the challenge that our communities face every day. Downtown still a concern The violence of the past two years affected nearly all parts of the city, widening the gap between the safest and least safe parts of the city. There were also surges and increases in violence in the citys economic center downtown and in communities that have traditionally been safer. Without a doubt, worry remains very high around Chicago. The first quarter last year was devastating, said Arne Duncan, the managing partner of Chicago CRED, one of three major violence reduction organizations in the city. And we never recovered. I just dont think our city can sustain or withstand a third consecutive year. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 17 A memorial for 8-year-old Melissa Ortega grows Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022 at the corner of West 26th Street and South Pulaski Road where she was shot and killed Saturday in Little Village. Chicago police announced charges Wednesday against two suspects in her killing. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) In an op-ed piecepublished last week in Crains Chicago Business, major downtown trade and civic organizations sounded an alarm as well about the violence in the citys central business district, noting the billions in property taxes generated along the Magnificent Mile as well as the jobs created by the retail and hospitality industries. While the opinion piece credited the CTA with announcing recently it would be adding security to train lines, the authors argued more was needed. Advertisement We would also like to see more police officers and security guards visible and active in high-crime areas, both in the neighborhoods and downtown, the article stated. Others have also expressed hope that downtown reopening as the pandemic ebbs will help deter some of the violence. More activity and busier streets are natural deterrents, experts said. The burden of Chicagos gun violence is still felt most in Chicagos Black and Hispanic neighborhoods on the South and West sides. Asiaha Butler, a longtime organizer in Englewood, has seen crime fluctuate over the years. And she is well aware of the new efforts underway, including the influx of new federal dollars and citywide coordination plans. Organizer Asiaha Butler, at a two-flat renovation project on South Bishop Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, on Jan. 23, 2021. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune) Butler said people remain fearful, so she hopes the efforts work. Things here still erupt, and the weather has been partly cold, she said. I am hoping some of the resources that are coming down are actually making it to these efforts. It shouldnt be a story that crime is down. That should hopefully be the norm. Advertisement In response to questions about strategies for the warmer months, the Chicago police issued a statement Friday saying it was maintaining a commitment to visibility, engagement, and collaboration in every neighborhood. The department has also identified the 55 most dangerous police beats for an increased presence, the statement said. The national spike in gun violence has resulted in the dedication of billions of dollars in federal funding that will be put toward violence prevention in cities across the country, including Chicago. Some were also insistent on taking a moment to celebrate the start of the year. Ill take the first quarter of 2022 over the first quarter of 2021 any day, Duncan said. The first quarter is a step, just a step, in the right direction. Reduction efforts continue Even before the surge, a civilian-led and largely privately funded effort was underway to address Chicagos gun violence. The city also had opened a violence prevention office. Advertisement By 2019, the city had appeared to reverse a one-year 50% increase in gun violence that happened in 2016. That was the same year Chicago faced its own policing crisis when the release of video footage of an on-duty Chicago police officer shooting a teenager 16 times led to sustained protests, a rare murder conviction for the officer, the firing of the police superintendent and a Department of Justice investigation. The city soon found itself under a court-ordered mandate to make massive changes to the Police Department. Together, the mandate for the department to address years of civil rights abuses and the emerging violence-reduction infrastructure injected a measure of hope that the city would finally address its gun-violence problem. A person walks near an anti-violence mural near the 400 block of East 63rd Street in the West Woodlawn neighborhood on Jan. 12, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Then the pandemic and resulting lockdowns hit, causing massive economic stress and forcing the shutdown of major institutions, including schools, libraries and parks. That was followed by the May 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, which drew national outrage and led to widespread criticism of policing and more protests. Preparation for the months ahead has already begun among community violence prevention groups, who were already meeting regularly, focused largely on the South and West side communities that are the least safe. CRED has hosted a 10-week training session for outreach and community organizations that focused on the most violent parts of the city, Duncan said. It was a gathering to analyze data and discuss ways to drill down on conflicts and share information about how to work smarter. Advertisement It was palpable in the room, a greater sense of trust and collaboration, he said. Meanwhile, Mahal said all city department heads are already working to address violence, with an eye on the summer months. The center will be tracking the work and offering support to see if there is an impact, she added. Key to the effort, she said, was the center providing more immediate coordination between the city and the many organizations that have been working for years to reduce violence. Its the foundational work that needs to occur that the government can support. That we think will be the thing that makes the difference, she said. More programming is set to launch, with the center offering both funding and logistical supports in the neighborhoods, Mahal said. The center is also helping to connect individuals to social services. And the city is currently assessing the physical environment on the most violent blocks to start addressing lighting, potholes and vacant, overgrown lots. We understand the role the physical environment plays in violence and, quite frankly, in community trust, she said. Advertisement As for the crime data, Mahal said her office is also tracking the stats daily by community and that June, July and August will as usual be the critical months. They do celebrate the small wins, she said. But they also understand the scope of the problem. Were steady. Were dedicated to the work, Mahal said. But I think across the board we are maintaining a level of realism about what could happen. asweeney@chicagotribune.com Space scientists say they have identified the most distant star ever recorded. Astronomers made the discovery with the Hubble Space Telescope, operated by the American space agency NASA. Researchers estimated the star was 50 to 100 times the mass of our sun, and millions of times brighter. It takes billions of years for light from distant stars to reach Earth. The team said the stars light is believed to have traveled for 12.9 billion years before reaching our planet. This means the star would have existed when the universe was about seven percent of its current age. A member of the research team, Brian Welch, named the extremely hot and bright star Earendel. That is an Old English name that means morning star or rising light. Were seeing the star as it was about 12.8 billion years ago, which puts it about 900 million years after the Big Bang, Welch said. He is a doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University in the state of Maryland. He was the lead writer of a study describing the finding in the publication Nature. The Big Bang is the explosion that many scientists believe created the universe. We definitely just got lucky, Welch said of the discovery. Although scientists on Earth can now see its light, Earendel itself surely no longer exists, Welch said. This is because such huge stars have short lives. The star probably existed for a few hundred million years before dying in a supernova explosion, Welch added. The previous record-holder is named Icarus. It is a similar, huge star observed by Hubble. It is believed to have formed 9.4 billion years ago. In both cases, astronomers were able to see the light from the star because of an effect known as gravitational lensing. It is the result of gravity from groups of closer galaxies between Earth and the star. The gravity acts like a lens to magnify distant objects in the background. Hubble has observed the light from galaxies that date to about 400 years after the Big Bang. But individual stars at such great distances are not possible to identify. Usually theyre all smooshed together, said NASA astrophysicist Jane Rigby, who took part in the study. She said, Here, nature has given us this one star highly, highly magnified, magnified by factors of thousands so that we can study it. Its such a gift really from the universe, Rigby added. Welch said that Earendel may have been the main star in a two-star system, or possibly even a triple- or quadruple-star system. He noted that there is a small chance it could be a black hole. But he added that observations gathered in 2016 and 2019 suggest that is not the case. The researchers said NASAs James Webb telescope should help them learn more about the star and its parent galaxy. The Webb telescope is 100 times more powerful than Hubble. Rigby said that by studying stars: We are literally understanding where we came from because were made up of some of that stardust. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story definite adj. certain, fixed and not likely to change supernova n. a star that has exploded, strongly increasing its brightness for a period of time lens n. a piece of equipment, made of glass or plastic, with a curved surface that is used to make images larger or cleaner magnify v. to make something appear larger smoosh v. crush, flatten or move close together factor n. a particular level on some systems of measurement literally adv. using the real or original meaning of a word or phrase We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. For Shailesh Kambli, a childhood dream is about to become reality. The 40-year-old Indian man lives in a 15-square-meter, one-room home in Indias financial capital, Mumbai. It would not be too small -- if he lived alone. But Kamblis parents, brother and his brothers wife all live there, too. Kambli represents the third generation of his family to live in the small, crowded home contained in an old building in much disrepair. He said he always dreamed of living in a modern building. Whenever I went out, I wanted to own a house, however tiny, in one these buildings, Kambli recalls. I even told my uncle that one day I will live in such a place. Land far more valuable than buildings Thousands of other Indian families live in similar spaces in an area of Mumbai called BDD Chawls. The 37-hectare area is dense with people and with tenements that were built about one hundred years ago. Real estate in the area, however, is among the costliest in the world. All around the BDD Chawls, business and residential development has expanded quickly in recent years. Mumbai is home to more than 20 million people. Now, Kambli and others dreaming of new, better homes have a chance to see that dream come true. Under a massive $2 billion redevelopment project, the 16,000 tenements like the one Kambli lives in will be destroyed and replaced with modern, high-rise buildings. The project is part of major plans that Mumbai has long sought with limited success: to clear costly land of old, damaged buildings and replace them with tall buildings that include homes, offices and large market centers. Some city planners, however, have raised concerns about the project and the pressure it could add to the citys weak infrastructure. BDD built before India's independence Britain built the BDD Chawls during its colonial rule of India. It needed the rooms to house migrant cotton mill workers. Inside most homes, a large cloth piece separates the counter at one end that serves as a kitchen from the rest of the space that serves as both a bedroom and a living room. Televisions are put over the bed or in a corner. Two bathrooms serve 20 rooms. The occupants pay the government a small amount every month for the homes. Older people often spend their day in the long passageway that leads to the rooms or just outside on the grounds. They hang their wash to dry, or look after children when their parents go to work. There is a sense of community in the tenements, some residents say. Lately, some residents have been visiting a model home in a nearby building to get an idea of what the future may look like for them. I dont know when my turn will come. It may still take years, said 55-year-old Bhagwan Sawant. He pointed to the kitchen and other parts of the model home. It will be great to have a modern home, he said. The new complexes will also have a hospital, schools, and activity centers for sports. The work has started on the first building and it will be ready in three years, said Prashant Dhatrak, the top engineer of the project. But the entire development will take seven years. It took more than 20 years to launch the project after it was first proposed. Some experts are warning that the huge project is moving too fast. More private space, less community? Redevelopment is necessary, but rebuilding has to be done in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner, said Sulakshana Mahajan. She was a member of the former Mumbai Transformation Support Unit, a state government policy group set up in 2005. It was involved in earlier proposals for the redevelopment of the tenements and shut down in 2019. She said the early plans did not aim to increase density but to better house the existing residents. That is no longer the case, she said. Open spaces available per person will be drastically shrunk and distance between buildings is too little. Mahajan said. She argued that the project could create too much demand on city services such as water supply, waste removal and transportation. In the BDD Chawls, most residents are more happy about the project than they are worried about it. There is a growing sense, however, that the redevelopment will end the communal way of life they have now. Here, I never have to worry about my mother. All of us work, but know that someone will look after her if she is unwell, said Kambli. But, when they close the door of their new home, he added, no one will know what is happening inside. Nearby, resident Ranjana Gurav laughs. You just give one shout here and everyone gathers, she said. When there are marriages or celebrations or a problem, we are all there to help each other. Im Caty Weaver. I'm Dan Novak. Anjana Pasricha reported this story for VOA News. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit us on Facebook _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story tiny -adj. very small residential-adj. of or relating to a place where people live tenement -n. a building divided into separate apartments for rent real estate -n. property in buildings and land infrastructure -n. the system of public works of a country, state, or region sustainable -adj. of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not used up or permanently damaged drastically -adv. severely or seriously They began with funny videos and talked over Mario Kart racing games on their YouTube channel. Now, two Ukrainian brothers who live in Japan have added a more serious subject to their videos. They are telling young Japanese about the news from their country and bringing the realities of war closer to Japan. Just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Sava Tkachov, 26, and his younger brother Yan, 20, celebrated the second anniversary of opening their YouTube broadcast. Now, over 2 million people follow their Sawayan Channel and the Sawayan Games channel that Sava hosts. The first word of war came from their father. He is a business person and had returned to Kyiv two months ago. After Russian troops arrived, he stayed to help defend his country. The brothers YouTube content, which used to be full of tricks, jokes and action videos, has become more serious. Father in Ukraine They worried about their 53-year-old father and friends in Ukraine. In early March, the brothers said that they planned to volunteer as defenders too. It started a wave of reactions, some supporting and others criticizing them. The father said they should not come. The Tkachovs have no military training and soon changed their minds. Sava said he received long and serious messages from some of his teenage fans showing they wanted to follow the brothers to Ukraine. "By sending out messages through our channel, I made kids want to go to war and I cannot say if it was good or bad," Sava said at a news conference Thursday. "But at least it was meaningful that they became interested in the issue." Sava, who uses the social media name "No War," used his gaming channel to raise money. He collected some 3.6 million yen, or $29,500, in three hours, and donated all of it to the Ukrainian Embassy. Yan and Sava said they also started receiving messages from parents saying their children started thinking about peace. Others thanked them for raising important social issues. "I believe the merit of YouTube is I can convey the real information from the ground that my father is sharing with us about the situation that is very up to date. He puts it on the internet almost immediately, Sava said. Japan was quick to join other industrialized nations in placing restrictions on trade with Russia and providing support for Ukraine. Tokyo has also sent some military equipment, but not weapons, and medical supplies to Ukraine. It is an exception to Japan's ban on sending military equipment to countries in conflict. Japans government is worried about the effect of Moscow's war on East Asia. Tokyo has faced recent threats from North Korea and China. Due to sanctions, Russia stopped peace treaty talks with Japan over the disputed Kuril Islands. Moscow has held the island chain north of Japan since 1945. Sava Tkachov arrived with his family in Japan when he was 4 and studied at a top Japanese university. He thanked his adopted country for its support, but said Tokyo should keep its peaceful role in world affairs. "Japan is the world's top-class peaceful nation ... and what the country is doing right now is very appropriate," he said. "As to the question of whether Japan should send weapons, I do not think it's the kind of role Japan should be playing." Instead, he said, Japan can better help by continuing to appeal for peace and take a leadership role within Asia. He also said Japan can provide home to many Ukrainian refugees. Some may find the language difficult or the food unusual, "but I'm sure they can overcome the difficulties with the empathy of the Japanese people and the spirits of the Ukrainians." Im Jill Robbins. Mari Yamaguchi reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story channel n. a regular location on the internet for sending or receiving broadcasts convey v. to make known; communicate in words, actions, appearance, and the like adopt v. to accept or start using something new sanctions n. provisions of a law enacting a penalty for disobedience or a reward for obedience appropriate adj. suitable or acceptable for a particular situation. empathy n. the ability to imagine what it must be like to be in someone's situation What do you think of the Ukrainian brothers efforts? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Two men in their 80s were shot during separate attacks in Chicago on Saturday afternoon, police said. An 80-year-old man was in a car parked in the 5200 block of South Marshfield Avenue in the Back of the Yards neighborhood when an assailant the victim did not know shot him in the chest shortly after 3 p.m., police said. Advertisement The 80-year-old was rushed to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition, police said. Also on Saturday, an 82-year-old man suffered a graze wound to the leg by an unknown assailant on the West Side about an hour earlier. Advertisement The 82-year-old was on the sidewalk around 2:15 p.m. in the 1700 block of North Monitor Avenue in the North Austin neighborhood, police said in a media notifcation. He was transported to West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park in good condition, police said. No further details were given by police. Area detectives are investigating. LaGRANGE Authorities say one man was killed and two others were injured following an explosion on a pontoon boat Friday in southeastern Wisconsin. The Walworth County Sheriff's Office said the three men were installing a pier on Lauderdale Lake in the town of LaGrange when the explosion happened about 12:30 p.m. The man died on the scene, authorities said. One man was transported to a local hospital with severe injuries and another man was treated at a hospital and released. The Walworth County Hazardous Materials Unit was called on to help clean up fuel. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. The names of the victims have not been released. Two teenagers and one child were arrested for what police said was an arson at the Kohls Department Store on Milton Avenue in Janesville. Janesville firefighters and police officers responded to the Kohls at 2500 Milton Avenue shortly before 6 p.m. Friday for a report of a fire, the Janesville Police Department said. The store was evacuated and firefighters extinguished the fire, police said. An investigation revealed the fire had been started in the bedding area. Police believe the fire was started intentionally. Later, police found a 17-year-old, a 15-year-old and an 11-year-old walking in the area who matched the descriptions that witnesses gave for individuals who had been in the area of the fire, police said. Officers arrested the three youths on tentative charges of arson and recklessly endangering safety, police said. All three are from Janesville. Police did not release any further information about their identities. Police did not say whether they believe the motive for the arson was related to April Fools Day. Police are encouraging anyone with information about the fire to call the Janesville Police Department at 608-755-3100. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An Aurora man has pleaded guilty to killing his wife in 2018 in exchange for a 22-year prison sentence, officials said. Carlos Nunez, 60, of the 400 block of South Ohio Street, agreed to the sentence in exchange for a guilty plea of first-degree murder for killing his wife Jovita Nunez, Kane County States Attorneys Office officials said in a press release. Advertisement Prosecutors said on the morning of April 26, 2018, Carlos Nunez was in a jealous rage at his wife Jovita, 55, believing she was unfaithful to him. While she slept in an upstairs bedroom, he retrieved a hammer from the garage and struck his wife in the head multiple times, officials said. He then strangled her to death, according to officials. Advertisement He swallowed a large quantity of pain reliever tablets, started gas on the kitchen stove and slashed his wrists in a suicide attempt, officials said. A relative stopped by to check on him around 4 p.m. that day after he failed to show up for work and found both Carlos and his wife. The relative called police who arrived and said Carlos was unconscious but breathing on the bed next to his dead wife. Aurora police previously said the two were going through a divorce. Nunez will receive credit for 1,415 days served in the Kane County jail, where he has been held since his arrest in lieu of $1 million bail. He must serve his full sentence in accordance with Illinois law. mejones@chicagotribune.com As of last week, 24 states have decided to let law-abiding adults carry handguns in public without a license. That policy, known as constitutional carry, strikes critics as self-evidently reckless, while supporters think it improves public safety. Both sides in the long-running debate about the practical impact of reducing legal barriers to public handgun possession can cite studies to support their position. But beyond that empirical question is a moral and constitutional issue that may render it moot: If people have a fundamental right to armed self-defense, should they need the governments permission to exercise it? Because the proliferation of constitutional carry laws is a relatively recent development, research on its consequences is nascent. But there is a substantial, decidedly mixed body of research on an earlier shift: from may issue laws, which give government officials broad discretion to grant or deny applications for carry permits, and shall issue laws, which give licensing authorities little or no discretion as long as applicants meet a short list of objective requirements. Only nine states still have may issue laws, one of which (New Yorks) is the focus of a case that the Supreme Court will decide this term. The rest either do not require permits or make it relatively easy to obtain them. Proponents of the latter approach argue that it deters criminals by increasing the risk that they will encounter armed resistance. Opponents say that risk might make criminals more inclined to arm themselves, and they warn that reducing the legal requirements for carrying handguns could make potentially deadly violence more likely by introducing firearms into volatile situations. A 2005 report from the National Research Council concluded that it is impossible to draw strong conclusions from the existing literature on the causal impact of these laws. One author of the NRC report, UCLA criminologist James Q. Wilson, dissented from that conclusion, saying the weight of the evidence indicated that shall issue laws do in fact help drive down the murder rate, though their effect on other crimes is ambiguous. According to a 2020 RAND Corporation analysis, the situation had not changed much 15 years later. The RAND review found limited evidence that shall issue laws may increase overall violent crime and inconclusive evidence of their impact on total homicides, firearm homicides, robberies, assaults, and rapes. There are many methodological issues with these studies, including how to control for myriad confounding variables and a general failure to measure how legal changes affect the number of people who actually carry handguns. But it is not at all clear that an individuals right to armed self-defense should hinge on resolution of this academic debate. Texas, where I live, stopped requiring carry permits last September. One compelling argument for eliminating the fees and training costs that the prior system entailed was that they posed formidable barriers for people of modest means in dangerous neighborhoods with good reason to fear violent criminals (who, by definition, do not bother to jump through legal hoops when they decide to carry guns). The Supreme Court has said the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep handguns in the home for self-defense. It will soon decide whether that right extends beyond the home. Since the Second Amendment protects the right to keep (SET ITAL) and bear (END ITAL) arms, and since the threat of criminal violence is heightened when people venture past their doorsteps, that question does not seem hard, especially in light of historical evidence indicating that the right was understood to include carrying weapons in public. It likewise seems clear that a licensing regime like New Yorks, which gives officials wide authority to decide who has proper cause to bear arms, is inconsistent with that right. Even after the Supreme Court settles those issues, there will remain the question of whether less onerous regulations impose inappropriate, potentially prohibitive conditions on the exercise of a basic right. Judging from recent trends, state legislators increasingly believe they do. Jacob Sullum is a senior editor at Reason magazine. Syndicated by Creators.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Today is Sunday, April 3, the 93rd day of 2022. There are 272 days left in the year. In the Henry Bulletin in 1922: John A. Ramsey and Rieves S. Hodnett, representatives of the Martinsville High School, went to Bedford on last Thursday and won the victory over the Bedford High School in debate on Thursday evening. The query for discussion was Resolved, That the State of Virginia should furnish free textbooks to all students in public schools. 1947: 60 homes, small but modern in all respects, will be erected in Martinsville and near Ridgeway within the next six months, it was announced last week by Lester brothers Forty-three of the homes will be erected in Mason Heights, south of the new furniture plant in Ridgeway, and 17 on Scuffle Hill, about three-quarters of a mile south of the W.M. Bassett Co. Plant in this city. 1972: A day after Treasury Secretary John B. Connally talked with leading chain-store executives about the high cost of food, three supermarket chains moved to stop the spiral. Grand Union and Winn Dixie put freezes on current prices Thursday. Safeway Stores Inc. cut beef priced in its 246 stores in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the District of Columbia. 1997: Clearview Elementary School Principal Bill Via said he will leave the Martinsville School System with fond memories of his first job at Albert Harris and the people who have helped him along the way. After 45 years in the city schools 12 as a student and 33 as an educator Via will retire at the end of the school year in June. In an angry sea of rioters that engulfed the U.S. Capitol, it was not obvious that a man wearing jeans, a dark pullover and a blue daypack was a police officer. Thomas T.J. Robertson, who is charged with federal crimes that include wielding a wooden stick at police officers who were trying to turn back the mob, was off duty at the time from his job with the Rocky Mount Police Department. But the 49-year-olds law enforcement background will play a prominent role in his trial, scheduled to begin Monday with jury selection in Washington D.C.s federal court. Prosecutors say in court papers that Robertson abused his position of public trust by siding with hundreds of Donald Trump supporters in one of the most riotous acts of insurrection the nation has ever seen. To show Robertsons role in the events of Jan. 6, 2021, the government will rely on footage from surveillance cameras, photographs that turned up on social media and the defendants own incriminating words on Facebook, according to a list of exhibits filed in U.S. District Court. Also included on the list are excerpts of Robertsons personnel files from the Rocky Mount Police Department, which fired him following his arrest. Although details of the records are not included in court documents, prosecutors are expected to use them in an effort to show that Robertson was well aware through his experience and training that his activities interfered with law enforcements efforts to control the volatile crowd. Robertson has said he entered the building peacefully, at the invitation of Capitol police officers on the scene, and did nothing wrong in posing for a selfie photograph with a fellow police officer and then walking away. Defense attorney Mark Rollins of Washington wants the jury to hear about Robertsons accomplishments as a police officer, which include being promoted to sergeant and receiving a medal of valor in 2017. The jury will have to make the decision of whether Mr. Robertson was in possession of a dangerous weapon and they should be allowed to know all aspects of Mr. Robertsons life, Rollins wrote in court papers. Details about the lawmans professionalism, dedication and commitment to public service should be allowed, the document states, to show that he would never use a walking stick in a nefarious manner. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Aloi countered that body cameras worn by Metropolitan Police Department officers clearly show Robertson using his stick to block their efforts to defend the Capitols lower west terrace from the advancing mob. Character evidence about Robertsons career as a police officer should not be admitted, she wrote in a motion asking U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper to exclude the evidence. Should Robertson maintain that his stick was for walking and nothing else, Aloi said she is prepared to present evidence that he usually did not require assistance from a cane or other support, and had not been seen using one prior to the riots. Usually, character evidence is limited to a general description of the defendants reputation and cannot be used to disprove a specific part of the case against him, the motion stated. Cooper has yet to rule on Alois request to exclude character evidence, according to a check of court records late Friday afternoon. Pros and cons of a trialRobertson is one of about 775 people from across the country charged with participating in the uprising. The insurrection began shortly after then-President Trump urged his supporters to fight like hell against an election he claims was stolen from him. Courts have found no credible evidence of widespread voter fraud. Ten of the individuals charged were current or former police officers or correctional guards, according to the Insurrection Index, a searchable database compiled by a coalition of nonprofit groups. Four other defendants are from Western Virginia. They include former Rocky Mount police officer Jacob Fracker, who accompanied Robertson on a trip to to hear Trump speak. Last month, Fracker pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct a special session of Congress held to certify the election of President Joe Biden. Despite strong evidence against them, some of the accused have refused to plead guilty. Of course, he has a constitutional right to ask a jury to decide his case, Melanie Wilson, a law professor at the University of Tennessee, said of Robertson Wilson, a former federal and state prosecutor who has accepted a job as dean of Washington and Lee Universitys law school effective July 1, said Robertson may be hoping just to get one juror to side with him, which would result in a hung jury. His status as a military veteran and former police officer could help. I think there are a number of citizens who serve on juries who would still give the benefit of doubt to police officers, Wilson said. The flip side, she said, is that someone with a background in law enforcement could be seen by a jury of their peers as more accountable than the average rioter. Knowing the challenges that were facing the on-duty officers, who were vastly outnumbered by the horde, makes him more dangerous, and yet he still participated, Wilson said. Federal authorities say about 140 police officers were assaulted during the revolt, which forced members of Congress to flee for their safety before the special session was reconvened later that night. The insurrection caused an estimated $1.5 million in damage to the Capitol. More than 100 defendants have been sentenced so far, with about half of them receiving prison sentences. The rest were placed on probation or home detention. Fracker faces a maximum sentence of five years at a hearing that has yet to be scheduled. Meanwhile, an investigation by federal authorities continues. The most recent arrest came last week, when a Missouri man was charged with assaulting police officers. Going to the jury boxLast August, Robertson rejected a plea agreement offered by prosecutors. Authorities did not say at the time what concessions such as a reduction of charges or a lower sentence had been offered in exchange for a guilty plea. Since then, government attorneys have twice increased the severity of the charges against Robertson. In January, a new indictment charged that the former police officer was armed with a deadly and dangerous weapon, that is, a large wooden stick. A second superseding indictment was returned by a grand jury last month, alleging that after returning home to Franklin County, Robertson destroyed a cell phone knowing that it held incriminating evidence against him. In all, Robertson faces six charges: Obstructing an official proceeding, participating in a civil disorder, entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, violent entry of the Capitol and tampering with evidence. The trial is expected to last all week. Robertson and Fracker were arrested one week after the riots, following the posting on Facebook of a selfie photograph that showed them posing in front of a statue of John Stark, a Revolutionary War hero, in the vaulted Crypt of the Capitol. At the time, both were allowed to remain free on bond. But Robertson ran into trouble last July, after authorities say he ordered about 35 assault-style weapons online, despite orders from a judge not to have anything to do with guns. His bond was revoked and he has been held in custody since. Pointing to Robertsons often harsh online rhetoric, prosecutors say he has shown a sincere commitment to violence. One week after the November 2020 election, Robertson wrote on Facebook: A legitimate republic stands on 4 boxes. The soapbox, the ballot box, the jury box and then the cartridge box. We just moved to step 3. Step 4 will not be pretty, the post continued, according to court records. I cannot speak for others, but being disenfranchised by fraud is my hard line. Ive spent most of my adult life fighting a counter insurgency. Im about to become part of one, and a very effective one. Starting Monday, the case will reach what Robertson called step 3 the jury box. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RICHMOND A project to replace the clunky and sometimes-unreliable IT system essential to administering Virginias elections is running critically behind schedule, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkins administration said this week. Youngkins newly appointed commissioner of elections, Susan Beals, became aware of the situation shortly after taking over the role in mid-March, according to the governors office, which attributed the delays to mismanagement of deadlines during Gov. Ralph Northams administration. Problems with the Virginia Election Registration Information System, or VERIS, have been well documented for years, and the General Assembly has recently appropriated money for both updates and a full replacement. A contract for the replacement estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars was initially expected to have been awarded last fall but hasnt been yet, the governors office said. Chris Piper, the states former commissioner who was appointed by Northam, said Friday that the initial timeline was optimistic and that while VERIS needs replacement, it is secure and can handle this years elections. As the state works to process complicated redistricting data sets, VERIS will be taken offline one additional day a week for the next six weeks, a move a Youngkin cabinet official said was not expected to impact the general public or voter registration efforts. Elections officials primarily use VERIS to maintain the statewide list of registered voters, according to a 2018 report by the legislatures watchdog agency that found the system was not sufficiently functional or reliable. It is also used to assign voters to precincts and legislative districts, and is used by localities on Election Day to transmit results, the report said. VERIS is not used to record and tabulate ballots, and the governors office did not suggest that delays in the project had any impact on the administration of recent elections or accuracy of the results, which have been affirmed by routine state audits. But VERIS has had challenges since its inception in Virginia in 2007, the watchdog report said. For instance, in October 2016, a surge of online voter registration applications overwhelmed the server capacity, causing the system to crash, the report said. That led to a lawsuit that resulted in the state extending its voter registration deadline. Registrars reported that VERIS processes certain transactions slowly and is prone to crashing, particularly during times of peak usage before and on election day, the report said. The Virginia Mercury reported in May 2021 that the state was expected to award a contract for its replacement in the fall, with the new system to run concurrently with VERIS in 2022 before going fully operational in 2023. But no contract has been awarded yet, Youngkins office said in a document outlining the situation shared with the AP. Throughout 2020 and 2021, mismanagement of deadlines resulted in a project that is critically behind schedule, the document said. Piper said in a text message that there were optimistic deadlines for the project but the ultimate goal is a database the Commonwealth can operate for a decade or more. Rushing the project would not be advised. Ensuring a quality product is the most important goal, he said. Lyn McDermid, who oversees the elections department as Youngkins secretary of administration, said in an interview that she didnt have all the specifics about what had delayed the project. The responses to a request for proposal are now being evaluated, she said. We just want to do it as quickly as possible, but do it right, she said. A state report issued in 2020 estimated the replacement cost would be about $29 million. As for the Friday to Sunday periods when the system will be offline for work on the redistricting data sets over the next six weeks, McDermid said there should be zero impact on the general public, including online voter registration. McDermid said access for registrars to input changes had already been off on Saturdays and Sundays. Brenda Cabrera, the director of elections and general registrar for the city of Fairfax and president of the Voter Registrars Association of Virginia, said the news of the delay didnt raise any new concerns about VERIS beyond what had previously been established. Registrars are working across the state and we have prioritized those things that need to be done in order to conduct the primary, she said. This years primary elections will be held June 21. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. This report was made possible through a grant from The Pulitzer Center to the North Carolina News Collaborative, a coalition of 23 news organizations across the state. After a Minneapolis officer murdered an unarmed George Floyd in May 2020, people took to the streets demanding a full accounting of force used on citizens. Some wanted the names of officers using it. We need law enforcement to participate in this conversation, to be transparent, said Rebecca Trammel, a North Carolina community organizer who helped lead marches in Wilmington after Floyds death. The more they resist transparency, the longer they are going to feed distrust. Their calls revealed a gap in North Carolina. No one was tracking all cases in which officers used deadly force. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat and longtime prosecutor, created a task force to study racial inequities in policing in June 2020. He called on the State Bureau of Investigation to create a center to study use of force by law enforcement. The governors order was clear: promote transparency about officers use of force. Legislators, with Coopers signoff, did the opposite a year later. All information on events where officers kill or badly injure people will be stored in a confidential database. A criminal justice reform bill passed last summer protects the identities of officers reported to the database. Residents wont be told whether the incidents were deemed justified, and if they werent, what discipline officers received. A provision tucked within the states 628-page budget made the secrecy ironclad. It requires that information on these cases collected by the state be kept secret. Local agencies are forbidden from releasing the data. The public will have no way to know how many critical incidents happened in their communities. Nothing about whether the person police encountered was hurt or killed could be disclosed. Even the date of the incident would be considered confidential. State officials are now citing the budget provision when refusing to release new and historic data on incidents where police killed or badly injured people in this state. That just shows you the more we try to take one step forward, they are going to push us and continue to try to push us two steps backward, said Kerwin Pittman, a member of the governors racial equity task force and director of policy and program for Emancipate NC, a Raleigh-based advocacy group. Unexpected outcome This was not where many thought North Carolina was heading in 2020. Coopers executive order launched two groups to advise on criminal justice reform: the racial equity task force and an advisory group to the SBI Center on Reduction of Use of Force by Law Enforcement. Activists on the task force, particularly those representing Black residents, pushed for greater scrutiny and disclosure around use-of-force incidents. Public servants do not have any expectation of privacy, Kristie Puckett-Williams, regional field organizer for the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, said in an interview. She is an advisor to the SBI Center. For months, Puckett-Williams and others seemed to gain traction. In an email sent to task force members in November 2020, Matthew Brody, special advisor to the SBI director, noted a consensus among advisory group members toward a public dashboard. Five months later, he provided a link to New Jerseys portal that disclosed all use-of- force incidents, including the names of officers at the center of them. The SBI Center contracted with Research Triangle Institute to begin studying and recommending platforms for databases searchable by the public, according to a copy of the contract. While the groups pushed forward toward transparency, the General Assembly crafted legislation that would ensure officers privacy. By August 2021, both chambers voted to approve the bill that protected officers identity when they kill or badly hurt members of the public. And when Cooper signed the state budget into law in December, that secrecy reached far and wide. Nothing collected by the state could be released. Cities, too, are forbidden from disclosing such data. But will the provision prevent police chiefs, sheriffs and other commanders from releasing information after individual events where officers kill or hurt people, as some now do? Some activists, such as Pittman, worry it might. Courts may need to decide the matter, he predicted. Shielding officers Law enforcement leaders and some state officials bristle at the call for all officers to be named after they use deadly force on the job. A common refrain: officers are civil servants, not elected officials who thrust themselves onto a public stage. And officers volunteer to put themselves in volatile situations most people never encounter, some of which require force to quell. Officers can use lethal force legally when they have probable cause to believe a person poses a serious risk to them or to others. Police officials point to incidents like one in January, when Durham police shot and killed a man while he was assaulting a terrified gas station clerk with a glass bottle. Rep John Szoka, the Republican legislator who helped lead a House committee to propel criminal justice reform, said the effect of naming officers could have a devastating impact on officers. Szoka said officers are public servants, not officials, and should have a right to privacy. If every single incident without due course of law is put out in the public, then you have a trial of public opinion, he said. Everybodys innocent until proven guilty. Gary Gacek, Concord police chief and member of the advisory group to the SBI Center, said publishing names of officers would undermine his ability to recruit officers to the profession. Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, said he, too, has reservations about releasing the names of officers, citing state personnel privacy laws. But he added that he would be willing to discuss more disclosure. Coopers racial equity task force, which Stein helps lead, stopped short of calling for naming officers, despite the urging of some members to disclose that information. But not everyone is in lock step, including people in law enforcement. Sheriff Alan Cloninger of Gaston County, who serves on the advisory group for the SBI Center, said it ought to be up to local law enforcement leaders or the courts to decide whether to release names of the officers and any data agencies collect about these events. Cloninger said hes in favor of releasing the names once the investigation is complete and he is sure that his officer wont be harmed or harassed. The legislature can make the bright line, and well follow it. But in my opinion, its hard for there to be a bright line, said Cloninger, a Democrat who became unaffiliated last year. Amanda Martin, general counsel for the North Carolina Press Association, said state and local agencies have historically used their discretion when releasing the names of those investigated but not charged. Legislative leaders who led budget negotiations last year did not respond to requests for interviews about the expanded secrecy. Incomplete data State officials have started collecting data on incidents when officers kill or badly injure people in this state. Since the law took effect Oct. 1, the two organizations that certify North Carolina law enforcement officers have received 23 reports. But agencies dont appear to be reporting every case, said Jeff Smythe, director of the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards. And there are no repercussions when they dont. Ive read about incidents in the press that have not been reported to us, Smythe said in a meeting with the SBI Center and consultants in March. Nothing is requiring them to send this to us. On top of that, the commissions role is to simply input the information they collect into a database. Legislators gave no further direction, including whether commission staff should review the officers actions, according to Nazneen Ahmed, a spokeswoman for the commissions. Officials from the SBI Center Center on Reduction of Use of Force by Law Enforcement are meeting to confer with law enforcement, lawyers, activists and a consultant group it hired to determine how to use the data. Among the items they are discussing: whether the state ought to release information to the public. State officials acknowledged during the March meeting that any suggestions they make would require the legislature to sign off, however. Sen. Natalie Murdock, a Durham Democrat, doubts legislators would be receptive to revisiting public disclosure of use of force incidents. Under current leadership, no. I dont think the appetite is there currently for that, she said. A chilling effect? For years, the SBI has been called in by local law enforcement to assess whether officers broke any laws while using force. Last September, The North Carolina News Collaborative asked the SBI for information on investigations into officer shootings, allegations of excessive force and cases where incarcerated people died while confined. The agency agreed in February to release some general details, such as the date of incident, type of event, the agency making the referral and whether the officer was criminally charged. The collaborative, which includes The McDowell News, then asked the SBI to release names of officers investigated. SBI Director Bob Schurmeier declined, citing the 2021 budget provision mandating confidentiality in databases containing use of force incidents, past and future. I know how important information sharing is to earning and keeping the publics trust. But with that need for transparency comes the balance of respecting individual privacy, he said in a written statement. The collaborative, a coalition of 23 news organizations across the state, then asked Gov. Cooper to override the SBIs refusal to release names. A spokesman for Cooper said the governors authority over the SBI is limited. The SBI moved to the executive branch in 2014. The governor appoints the director, and in rare instances, can remove him. Former Gov. Pat McCrory appointed Schurmeier to an eight-year term in July 2016. In addition to not releasing the names of officers, state officials are not disclosing a full tally of all critical use of force events statewide and how many occur within specific agencies each year. The information the state is collecting is limited. For instance, no information on the race of the officer or civilian is reported by local agencies. A political process The secret database was adopted during a singular moment in North Carolina. The right and left agreed: something must be done to reform policing. Weve got issues here, Szoka, a Republican, remembered thinking when protests over George Floyds murder erupted in his hometown of Fayetteville. But while the legislation was drafted, Republican legislators drew a line in the sand for officer privacy, Szoka said. The law extended personnel privacy protections to the database. Rep. Marcia Morey, a Democrat from Durham and former district court judge, blames the influence of former sheriffs in the legislature and the sway the state Sheriffs Association has in the General Assembly. Three former sheriffs serve in the General Assembly. And Sen. Danny Britt, the Republican who spearheaded the passage of SB 300, represents officers being investigated for shooting civilians. The powerful Robeson County Republican is paid by the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association to defend officers being investigated in shooting incidents. Association director John Midgette said Britt is one of about 100 lawyers across the state that the group calls on to advise officers and deputies after a shooting. Midgette recalled Britt handling two or three cases within the last year. The association did not receive any favoritism from Britt as a result, he said. Britt said that work is not a conflict of interest. Like other legislators, he draws on his experience to help guide him as he works toward setting policy for the state, he said. Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed, a Charlotte Democrat who served on the task force for racial equity, said he championed SB 300. Mohammed, a criminal defense lawyer, saw it as a step toward reform. His support of the Republicans efforts waned, however, when he read the privacy provision inserted on page 364 of the budget. He said he voted against the budget, in part, because of that mandate. Mohammed said he did not like that the decision was unilaterally made without public debate. He said it silences local law enforcement leaders who may want to publicly disclose data about critical incidents. This is a problem, he said. McClatchy reporter Danielle Battaglia contributed to this report. This report was made possible through a grant from The Pulitzer Center to the North Carolina News Collaborative, a coalition of 23 news organizations across the state. This undated image made available by the National Human Genome Research Institute shows the output from a DNA sequencer. In research published in the journal Science on Thursday, March 31, 2022, scientists announced they have finally assembled the full genetic blueprint for human life, adding the missing pieces to a puzzle nearly completed two decades ago. An international team described the sequencing of a complete human genome, the set of instructions to build a human being. Credit: NHGRI via AP Scientists say they have finally assembled the full genetic blueprint for human life, adding the missing pieces to a puzzle nearly completed two decades ago. An international team described the first-ever sequencing of a complete human genome the set of instructions to build and sustain a human being in research published Thursday in the journal Science. The previous effort, celebrated across the world, was incomplete because DNA sequencing technologies of the day weren't able to read certain parts of it. Even after updates, it was missing about 8% of the genome. "Some of the genes that make us uniquely human were actually in this 'dark matter of the genome' and they were totally missed," said Evan Eichler, a University of Washington researcher who participated in the current effort and the original Human Genome Project. "It took 20-plus years, but we finally got it done." Manyincluding Eichler's own studentsthought it had been finished already. "I was teaching them, and they said, 'Wait a minute. Isn't this like the sixth time you guys have declared victory? I said, 'No, this time we really, really did it!" Scientists said this full picture of the genome will give humanity a greater understanding of our evolution and biology while also opening the door to medical discoveries in areas like aging, neurodegenerative conditions, cancer and heart disease. "We're just broadening our opportunities to understand human disease," said Karen Miga, an author of one of the six studies published Thursday. The research caps off decades of work. The first draft of the human genome was announced in a White House ceremony in 2000 by leaders of two competing entities: an international publicly funded project led by an agency of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and a private company, Maryland-based Celera Genomics. In this April 14, 2003 file photo, Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, announces the successful completion of the human genome project in Bethesda, Md. In research published in the journal Science on Thursday, March 31, 2022, scientists announced they have finally assembled the full genetic blueprint for human life, adding the missing pieces to a puzzle nearly completed two decades ago. An international team described the sequencing of a complete human genome, the set of instructions to build a human being. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File The human genome is made up of about 3.1 billion DNA subunits, pairs of chemical bases known by the letters A, C, G and T. Genes are strings of these lettered pairs that contain instructions for making proteins, the building blocks of life. Humans have about 30,000 genes, organized in 23 groups called chromosomes that are found in the nucleus of every cell. Before now, there were "large and persistent gaps that have been in our map, and these gaps fall in pretty important regions," Miga said. Miga, a genomics researcher at the University of California-Santa Cruz, worked with Adam Phillippy of the National Human Genome Research Institute to organize the team of scientists to start from scratch with a new genome with the aim of sequencing all of it, including previously missing pieces. The group, named after the sections at the very ends of chromosomes, called telomeres, is known as the Telomere-to-Telomere, or T2T, consortium. Their work adds new genetic information to the human genome, corrects previous errors and reveals long stretches of DNA known to play important roles in both evolution and disease. A version of the research was published last year before being reviewed by scientific peers. "This is a major improvement, I would say, of the Human Genome Project," doubling its impact, said geneticist Ting Wang of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who was not involved in the research. Eichler said some scientists used to think unknown areas contained "junk." Not him. "Some of us always believed there was gold in those hills," he said. Eichler is paid by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which also supports The Associated Press's health and science department. Turns out that gold includes many important genes, he said, such as ones integral to making a person's brain bigger than a chimp's, with more neurons and connections. In this undated image made available by the National Human Genome Research Institute, a researcher examines the output from a DNA sequencer. In research published in the journal Science on Thursday, March 31, 2022, scientists announced they have finally assembled the full genetic blueprint for human life, adding the missing pieces to a puzzle nearly completed two decades ago. An international team described the sequencing of a complete human genome, the set of instructions to build a human being. Credit: NHGRI via AP To find such genes, scientists needed new ways to read life's cryptic genetic language. Reading genes requires cutting the strands of DNA into pieces hundreds to thousands of letters long. Sequencing machines read the letters in each piece and scientists try to put the pieces in the right order. That's especially tough in areas where letters repeat. Scientists said some areas were illegible before improvements in gene sequencing machines that now allow them to, for example, accurately read a million letters of DNA at a time. That allows scientists to see genes with repeated areas as longer strings instead of snippets that they had to later piece together. Researchers also had to overcome another challenge: Most cells contain genomes from both mother and father, confusing attempts to assemble the pieces correctly. T2T researchers got around this by using a cell line from one "complete hydatidiform mole," an abnormal fertilized egg containing no fetal tissue that has two copies of the father's DNA and none of the mother's. The next step? Mapping more genomes, including ones that include collections of genes from both parents. This effort did not map one of the 23 chromosomes that is found in males, called the Y chromosome, because the mole contained only an X. Wang said he's working with the T2T group on the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium, which is trying to generate "reference," or template, genomes for 350 people representing the breadth of human diversity. "Now we've gotten one genome right and we have to do many, many more," Eichler said. "This is the beginning of something really fantastic for the field of human genetics." Explore further First complete, gapless sequence of a human genome reveals hidden regions More information: Sergey Nurk et al, The complete sequence of a human genome, Science (2022). Journal information: Science Sergey Nurk et al, The complete sequence of a human genome,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abj6987 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The production of PD-LI helps breast cancer cells escape the immune system, but cardamonin may block this process by inhibiting PD-L1 expression, leading to tumor cell death. Credit: Patricia Mendonca, Florida A&M University Cardamonina natural compound found in the spice cardamom and other plantscould have therapeutic potential for triple-negative breast cancer, according to a new study using human cancer cells. The findings also show that the compound targets a gene that helps cancer cells elude the immune system. About 10-15% of breast cancers are triple-negative, which means they don't have receptors for estrogen or progesterone and don't make excess amounts of a protein called HER2. These tumors are difficult to treat because they don't respond to the hormone-based therapies used for other types of breast cancer. They also tend to be more aggressive and have a higher mortality rate than other breast cancers. "It has been challenging to develop a targeted therapy for triple-negative breast cancer that is safe and effective at the same time," said Patricia Mendonca, Ph.D., assistant professor and research analyst at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. "Because of this, there is a critical need to investigate medicinal plants as a new way to combat this cancer." Mendonca will present the new research at the American Society for Investigative Pathology annual meeting during the Experimental Biology (EB) 2022 meeting, to be held April 25 in Philadelphia. "The fact that cardamonin has been used for centuries as a spice and, more recently, as a supplement shows that its intake is safe and may bring health benefits," said Mendonca. "Our research shows that cardamonin holds potential for improving cancer therapy without as many side effects as other chemotherapeutic agents." For the new study, the researchers investigated how cardamonin affected the expression of the programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) gene, which is found in tumor cells. PD-L1 is overexpressed during breast cancer progression and plays a critical role in helping breast cancer cells evade the body's immune system. The researchers used two genetically different triple-negative breast cancer cell linesone derived from women with African American ancestry and the other from women of European origin (Caucasian). They found that cardamonin treatment caused a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability in both cell lines. It also reduced PD-L1 expression in the Caucasian cell line but not the African American cell line, indicating that cells from different races may respond differently to cardamonin because of genetic variations among races. "This is the first study to describe cardamonin's inhibitory effect on the expression of PD-L1, which is relevant for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer," said Mendonca. "These findings add support to other research that has shown differences in the tumor microenvironment between African and non-African Americans." The researchers caution that this research is still in progress. They plan to perform more studies in both cells and animals to confirm the efficacy of this compound before it is tested in people. They also want to explore other mechanisms that may be involved in cardamonin's anti-cancer properties. Explore further Plant compound shows promise against triple-negative breast cancer More information: 163.2 - Effects of Cardamonin on PD-1/PD-L1 Checkpoint in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, 163.2 - Effects of Cardamonin on PD-1/PD-L1 Checkpoint in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, www.eventscribe.net/2022/EB202 ndonca&mode=presinfo Provided by Experimental Biology This year's new buffalo calves will have a historic baby shower as the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes assume full management of the Bison Range on the Flathead Indian Reservation this spring. A three-day celebration of the oversight transfer from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to CSKT takes place May 20-22. It includes a one-day powwow, a ceremony at Salish-Kootenai College and a public welcome at the visitor center on the range. Our reunification with this specific buffalo herd means more to us than we can express, CSKT Chairman Tom McDonald said in an email. In addition to our wildlife management, the CSKT wants to ensure the story of our people is told at the Bison Range, which we believe will enhance the public experience and foster a better understanding of Indigenous people. The 18,800-acre wildlife preserve sits in the middle of the Flathead Indian Reservation. It helped shelter some of North Americas last wild bison after they were nearly eradicated at the end of the 19th century. President Theodore Roosevelt established it in 1908 with the purchase of the remnants of a herd established by reservation residents Michel Pablo and Charles Allard. Most of those animals were sold to Canadian wildlife managers due to delays in U.S. congressional attempts to acquire the herd after the Dawes Act opened the reservation to white homesteading in 1906. Returning the Bison Range to its people is a momentous occasion, honoring lands, relationships, and conservation successes of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, FWS Director Martha Williams said in an email. Weve worked collaboratively with CSKT for many years and look forward to continuing to work together to conserve wildlife. I cant wait to visit the CSKTs Bison Range in the future. CSKT spokesman Shane Morigeau said the Bison Range visitor center is undergoing remodeling to add new educational features that should be ready for the May celebration activities. Tribal wildlife managers will be carrying forward the 2019 Bison Range Comprehensive Plan developed in collaboration with FWS before federal legislation officially authorized the National Bison Ranges transfer to Tribal management on Dec. 27, 2020. Federal and Tribal staff have shared oversight for the past two years until the formal handoff took place on Jan. 2, 2022. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 11 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Chicago man is being held on $2 million bail after being charged in the Feb. 1 shooting death of another man in Glenwood. A charge of first-degree murder was approved Wednesday by the Cook County states attorneys office against 34-year-old Xavier Tucker, according to Glenwood police. Advertisement Police responded at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 1 to the 100 block of Spruce Lane and found a man who had been shot. He was later identified as 36-year-old Raymond Jackson Jr., of the 2100 block of West 54th Place, Chicago. Advertisement He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where he was pronounced dead shortly after 10 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiners office. The office said Jackson had multiple gunshot wounds and ruled his death a homicide. Glenwood police at the time of the shooting said the victim was targeted, and that those involved fled the area after the shooting in a silver or tan minivan. Bail for Tucker was set following an initial court hearing at $2 million, with Tucker being required to post bond of 10%, although Cook County Jail records also show him being held without bond on what appears to be a separate charge. He was booked into the jail Feb. 15, and on the Glenwood case is next due to appear at the Markham courthouse April 14, according to jail records. Separately, Tucker has a May 13 court date on his initial booking charge at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building. mnolan@tribpub.com In 2021, a state audit of the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) revealed several situations indicative of an unhealthy organizational culture and ineffective leadership, including certain commissioners overriding department controls. They added, We believe this culture limited management personnels ability to enforce compliance with state and department policy. Put differently, at a taxpayer funded agency there was a complete failure of integrity which created an environment ripe for fraud. Being incompetent is bad, but collecting six figure salaries while abusing the trust and resources of Montana voters and taxpayers is inexcusable. While we can add up the sum of their paychecks, the full cost of this mess is unknown as the auditors give no reliance to the information in the financial schedules. Dont let anyone try to convince you that failing an audit is common. Its not. And there is nothing worse than an unhealthy organizational culture and ineffective leadership. I know this because I have 40 years of experience in private sector finance. Ive been through many rigorous audits. No organization that I managed ever failed an audit and certainly no auditor ever questioned my integrity or the culture of the organization of which I led. On rare occasions when bad behavior was discovered, it was dealt with immediately. Dishonesty had real consequences. Unbelievably, none of the commissioners exposed in the audit have been held accountable. The long held Montana value of personal responsibility apparently does not apply to PSC commissioners. Maybe this is because they are all cut from the same political cloth that puts more stock in party loyalty than doing the important, complicated work of the PSC. While they maintain their PSC platform to take extreme positions on issues entirely unrelated to the work of the PSC, Montana ratepayers wait for capable, thoughtful representation. The PSC exists primarily to regulate investor-owned electric and natural gas companies. The purpose is to ensure that Montana ratepayers have continued access to utility services that are affordable, reliable, and sustainable. This important regulatory work often goes unnoticed, until something goes wrong or rates skyrocket. Most Montanans likely do not pay much attention to the PSC because they assume the current system is working. Unfortunately, it is broken. There are five PSC districts in the state and each elects one commissioner. Commissioners, like any elected official, should have expertise and experience in the area they oversee. At a minimum, commissioners should at least act with integrity. Failing to do so happens routinely at the PSC and without consequence. But we can change that and elect commissioners worthy of our trust. I am running for PSC commissioner for District 5 because I have the experience necessary to competently represent Montana ratepayers and I will bring professional, honest leadership to the PSC. Montanans should expect nothing less from elected officials. When it is time to vote, please remember that only one candidate John Repke has the industry experience, financial knowledge and integrity to represent PSC District 5. John Repke, Democrat, is a candidate for PSC District 5, Whitefish. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BP's stake in Russia's Rosneft was $14 billion. Shell held $3 billion in Russian assets. Exxon held over $4 billion. Before they succumbed to international pressure to divest, they eagerly consorted with oligarchs and the war criminal Vladimir Putin, used him to increase profits, and undermined Ukrainian democracy in the process. Now their corrupt GOP lackeys want us the American taxpayer to cover Big Oils losses while they hold us hostage at the gas pump. The rockets lobbed at Ukrainian civilians cost money. That money came from the multinational oil and gas companies. They funded Putin until the world made them divest from Russia. That same corruption that infects Russia and that defenders of democracy in Ukraine sought to root out from their government now has its sights back on us. They turn once again to the Republican Party who like always will do whatever bidding oligarchs require. They want our money to cover their losses from their corrupt Russian investments in the name of energy independence. My GOP opponent for Congress, scandal-ridden Ryan Zinke, said the quiet part out loud when meeting with big oil lobbyists back in 2018: Our government should work for you." But our government should work for Americans not multinational corporations. The interests of Shell, of Exxon, of Saudi Aramco are in direct opposition to the interests of the American people. If we really want to talk about energy independence, Montana has already shown the country the model: investments in renewable energy. Over half of our Montana energy production is renewable. We export over half of our total energy produced to the entire region. Montana renewables power the West. Even with corruption and subsidies for fossil fuels, the free market would rather invest in more efficient and affordable energy production like wind, solar, and hydro. Out of half a dozen new energy projects in Montana all but one of them are wind and solar. Energy independence means not relying on big oil, their investments in Russia, or their manipulation of our politics. It means relying on Montana. For decades our state has relied on fossil fuel extraction. Montana coal production hasnt been declining due to radical leftists, but the free market. Its being replaced by safer, cleaner renewable energy. The latest governmental energy report says it all, Montana has substantial renewable energy resources(and) some of the best utility-scale wind power potential in the nation. When policy makers bemoan untapped oil wells in Texas, or un-fracked gas deposits in Colorado, they should really be talking about Montanas untapped wind and solar. They are resources of strategic importance for the nation's security and prosperity. Democrats must steal the language of the extractive industry in support of renewable energy and we must call out Republicans who support Putin and his big-oil patrons against our national security and independence. The truth is that America can harness Montana's wind and solar potential without ruining our environment, we can be an international model for 21st century resource extraction: Clean, renewable, and with lasting enrichment of the communities on the ground. Montanans hold a resource that could lead the nation out of dependence on oil that funds war and ruins our atmosphere, and of fracked gas that poisons water and defiles the landscape. With the right policies, with the next generation of politicians that aren't bought by big oil, we can bring prosperity to Montana by utilizing the resources of our beautiful home for the greater good of the country. The only thing stopping us is the wholesale purchase of our government by private industry. America could lead the world in renewable energy if we had the political will to root out rampant corruption in our government, the same corruption we see in oligarchies across the world. President Bidens stalled Build Back Better (BBB) legislation invests $555 billion in clean energy it is our last best chance to save our country and my generations future. Our current path is unsustainable, it is immoral, it harms the land and people and it enriches violent oligarchs across the world. Soon, my generation will tire of corrupt politicians, of a government sold to private industry. Let's hope there's still something left to save. Tom Winter is a former Montana state legislator (House District 96). He is now based in Polson working in telecommunications to bring broadband to underserved rural and native communities. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Monday nights Morganton City Council meeting will see a full slate of rezoning requests with two public hearings on tap. The first public hearing will invite comments on rezoning four tracts of land that comprised the former Morganton High School and Junior High School. Altogether, the tracts make up a little less than 9 acres of land. The applicant for the rezoning, Peachland Rental Associates, is requesting the properties be rezoned as high intensity district from medium intensity district. If council approve the rezoning, which was unanimously recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission, it will allow high density residential uses with up to 20 units per acre if certain requirements are met and a wider array of institutional, office, retail, service and light manufacturing uses, information from the city said. The next public hearing will give the public a chance to voice their opinions on rezoning a little less than 6 acres of land on North Green Street from low intensity district to medium intensity district-restricted residential overlay. KRP Investments LLC, a real estate ownership company, applied for the lots at 1121 N. Green St. to be rezoned. An August 2014 Winston-Salem Journal article listed the company as the owner of an affordable housing complex in the city. A change from the low intensity district to the medium intensity district would allow for up to 10 units per acre if certain requirements are met. Information from the city said the tracts can be served by the citys water and wastewater utilities, but the sewer lines along North Green Street would need improvements to accommodate higher density, multifamily residential developments. City staffers believed the rezoning would have minimal impacts on surrounding land. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approving the request in a 4-2 vote at its March 10 meeting. College Street redesign A new look for College Street will be a few steps closer if the council decides to contract with a design firm to finish designs for the streets right-sizing project. Council members will decide whether to award a $425,703.87 contract to Gannett-Fleming for 100% of the designs for he College Street right sizing project. The firm already completed 25% of the designs, and the city has secured almost $2.65 million in grant funding for the project. Once designs are complete, the city will be able to submit them to the N.C. Department of Transportation for approval, start acquiring right-of-way in necessary areas and bid the project for construction. Water, wastewater infrastructure Council members also will decide whether to contract with a company to seek grant funding for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements. Two of the citys large water and wastewater projects, work on the Silver Creek pump station and the wastewater treatment plants coagulation and sedimentation basins, are estimated to cost a combined total of about $9.46 million. City staff members met with W.K. Dickson & Co. Inc. regarding funding opportunities for the projects, and its believed the city could qualify for additional funds from the American Rescue Plan Act that would be awarded by the Division of Water Infrastructure. The city will first seek 100% grant funds, but will accept low-interest loan funding if grant funding is not awarded. The staff is asking council to approve a contract worth up to $15,000 with W.K. Dickson for technical services in applying for the funding, information from the city said. Other items to be considered by the council include: Two budget amendments for insurance reimbursements. Waterline easements for the Murphys Farm Apartments on Enola Road. Creating an American Rescue Plan Act and special projects manager position. Waterline relocation construction for an NCDOT project. Several items related to improvements at Bethel Park. A contract for the restroom facility project at Shuey Park. A preliminary plat for West Union Terrace along Lyman Court. The council meeting will start with public comments at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Morganton City Hall. Five people already have signed up to speak during public comments, and at least four of those speakers are expected to talk about the ongoing issue of a homeless encampment on Dogwood Drive. Chrissy Murphy is a staff writer and can be reached at cmurphy@morganton.com or at 828-432-8941. Follow @cmurphyMNH on Twitter. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Burke County Public Schools Board of Education will meet for a work session at 6 p.m. Monday to discuss instructional material challenges and a transportation grant. The meeting will be held in the Olive Hill Room of the Olive Hill Resource Center. No action is expected to be taken. During the work session, the board will hear from Melanie Honeycutt, the school systems chief information officer for digital teaching and learning, on board policies that govern the selection of instructional materials and the procedures for parental inspection of and objection to the materials. The policies, both adopted in 2018, set broad guidelines for the selection of materials and spell out specific procedures for conflicts regarding them, including challenges, religious or other First Amendment exemptions and removal from school media collections. Additionally, the board is expected to hear from Shane Gardner, the systems transportation director, on the North Carolina Smart School Bus Initiative. As one of the 27 districts in North Carolina selected for the initiative, the system will receive $478,000 to begin modernizing transportation of students through technology. According to N.C. Senate Bill 105, the goal of the program is to improve communication, increase safety, optimize bus routes, provide Wi-Fi access on buses and enable tracking of buses and riders. During the work session, the board also will hear from Finance Director Keith Lawson on the budget, Brett Wilson, director of elementary education, on the new LETRS reading and language training program for teachers, and several updates from Superintendent Mike Swan. Mondays work session will not be streamed on the the systems website. The board decided to stop streaming work sessions in March to allow for more open discussion and a more productive meeting, Cheryl Shuffler the systems public information office, said. Board Chair Wendi Craven told The News Herald in March that the new format worked well and called Marchs work session very productive. Regular called and special called meetings will continue to be streamed on the systems website. The next regular meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, April 11 in the Olive Hill Room at the Olive Hill Resource Center, 509 W. Concord St., Morganton. A boy was critically injured and his dog killed Friday when they were struck by a car near Beach Park, according to the Lake County sheriffs office. Police said the 7-year-old, a Beach Park resident and the dog walked into the roadway on Sheridan Road, north of Chaney Avenue, at about 9:20 a.m. and were struck by a 2005 Ford Explorer that was heading north on Sheridan. Advertisement The child was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, and was expected to be transferred to Lurie Childrens Hospital in Chicago for further treatment, police said. The dog was reportedly killed and removed from the scene by bystanders, according to reports. Advertisement The driver, a 29-year-old Beach Park woman, remained on the scene. She was not hurt and is cooperating, police said. Impairment is not believed to be a factor, police said. The investigation into the accident is continuing. Even before Marcus Dalys Anaconda Mining Company was incorporated on January 19, 1891, rumors were rampant that the company would be sold to foreign interests, especially to the French-English Rothschild family, the richest in the world. When incorporation showed August Belmont as a trustee of the new Anaconda, the Butte Miner pulled no punches about the possible Rothschild connection, because Belmont and his company were the financial representatives of the Rothschilds in America. The Rothschilds already had connections to Butte through their ownership in the 1880s and early 1890s of the rich Bluebird silver mine near Rocker. Rumors persisted through early 1891 that the stock in the new company was being sold to the Rothschilds, but everyone from the estate of the original investor George Hearst to Dalys mouthpiece, the Anaconda Standard, denied it. When an actual sale of 25% of Anaconda stock went to the Rothschild syndicate for $7.5 million in October 1895, the Miner again pounced on it, speculating that they would buy the other 75% in short order and bemoaning the idea that foreigners would control Butte. The Rothschilds were clearly trying to control the world copper market, acquiring mining company Rio Tinto and others, and by the late 1890s they controlled about 40% of the worlds copper. But by 1899, the Rothschilds had failed to increase their ownership in Anaconda, and Marcus Daly made his famous deal with Henry Rogers and William Rockefeller, both associated with the Standard Oil Trust. Rogers had acquired stock options from Marcus Daly, reportedly for $39 million, for a majority interest in the Anaconda company. Initial rumors said the Standard Oil men were contributing $200 million to a new combined umbrella company, with J.P. Morgan and the Rothschilds at $100 million each. But when the Amalgamated Copper Company was organized on April 27, 1899, the total capitalization was $75 million, mostly from Rogers and Rockefeller, with Marcus Daly as President. The Rothschilds had been bought out. Within two years, Amalgamated had taken control of all of Dalys mining companies, including Anaconda and Washoe, and Anacondas primary competitors, Butte & Boston and Boston & Montana. Marcus Daly died in 1900, and Rogers became president of Amalgamated. Rogers himself died in 1909, and John Ryan became president not only of Amalgamated, but of the Montana Power Company and Dalys bank. Despite the close connection between Rogers and William Rockefeller and the Standard Oil Trust, there was no legal relationship between Standard Oil or John D. Rockefeller and Amalgamated Copper. Although the individual companies under the Amalgamated umbrella were technically separate companies, those in Butte were effectively managed as one company. When the Amalgamated was dissolved July 30, 1915, the successor was one company: Anaconda Copper Mining Company. --- Photo : Local geologist and historian Dick Gibson has lived in Butte since 2003 and has worked as a tour guide for various organizations and museums. He can be reached at rigibson@earthlink.net. Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WAPELLO The Louisa County Board of Supervisors appeal last year of updated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain maps has apparently paid off for the Oakville and Fredonia areas, the supervisors learned during their regular weekly meeting on Tuesday. Those initial maps had been developed several years ago but had quickly been challenged by area municipal, drainage and county officials as inaccurate. Among the problems was a failure to account for levee protection around Oakville and much of the north portion of the Two Rivers Levee and Drainage District (TRLDD). Fredonia was also misclassified because of a drainage issue that was jointly resolved last year between the Canadian Pacific Railroad, Louisa County and the city of Fredonia. Those errors meant both communities were placed into Zone A of the floodplain, meaning no building could be rebuilt in those areas unless they were raised above the 100-year flood level. At the time the initial maps were reviewed, officials also pointed out the errors meant property owners could have seen significant hikes in their property insurance premiums because of the misclassifications. After examining those maps last year, the supervisors appealed to federal officials, and at Tuesdays meeting, board chair Brad Quigley reported the revised FEMA maps had arrived and requested Shutt to review them. Shutt had goods news after a quick look. Oakville is back in Zone X, protected by a levee, he told the board, adding that Fredonia also had been placed outside of Zone A. I think this is where we wanted to be, Shutt said, adding he wanted to study the maps more and also talk with TRLDD Administrator Vicki Stoller to confirm his analysis. The supervisors agreed and gave Shutt the revised maps, asking him to keep them updated on his discussions with Stoller and his continued review. In his regular weekly departmental update to the board, Shutt introduced new maintenance supervisor Terry Harris. Harris is scheduled to begin his new position on April 1. Responding to a question from Quigley, Shutt confirmed the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) was expecting to complete the replacement of a bridge on Iowa Highway 78 in 77 days. Quigley said the board had assumed the work would close the highway for up to one year, so the short construction period was welcomed. Shutt also reported he had started right of way acquisition efforts to cover planned improvements to 160th Street, the Grandview Bypass. In other action, the board met with Louisa County Conservation Board Executive Director Katie Hammond and set an April 12 public hearing for a planned timber sale at Virginia Grove Recreation Area northwest of Morning Sun. Hammond said 139 trees had been marked by state and other professional foresters for the sale, using the LCCBs previously approved Virginia Grove Timber Management Plan. The supervisors also met through Zoom with Louisa County Public Health Administrator Roxanne Smith. She reported recently attending a conference on home health care. She also responded to a report from supervisor Randy Griffin, who said a constituent had quizzed him about the public health service not charging to administer COVID vaccinations. Smith said the county board of health had decided not to charge during the public health emergency, and the supervisors agreed that had been the right decision. In final action, the board: Accepted a $4,600 quote from Maddy Tree Service, Mount Pleasant, to remove seven ash trees at the County Complex and trim several trees at the courthouse. Agreed to recommend the Columbus City Township trustees contact county attorney Adam Parsons concerning a fencing dispute. Approved a fireworks permit for Denise McCulley. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MUSCATINE Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful and retired Navy three-star Admiral Mike Franken made campaign stops Saturday in Muscatine, Bettendorf, and Burlington as part of his bid for U.S. Senate. Franken, of Sioux City, addressed about 30 members of the Muscatine County Democrats, speaking about many issues from the economic development of Iowa to the war in Ukraine to his four-decade career in the Navy and past work on legislative issues. He said he had not planned to run until the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, then he felt he had to help with what he felt was a threat to Democracy in the country. Having defended our way of life internationally for a long time, I see a swirling badness about our ankles and wanted to do something about it, he said. I think there is a darkness in America and we better have strong leaders. Franken will face off against Minden physician Glenn Hurst and former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids during the June 7 primary election for the Democratic nod to run against either Republican incumbent Chuck Grassley or challenger Jim Carlin during the Nov. 8 general election. He explained that he made decisions on how to vote in a logical and pragmatic manner, calling himself very pro-Constitution and pro-human rights and civil rights. He said he was very pro-education. He also said he would be a unique person in congress and not enter needless military conflict. He also hopes to trim the defense budget by cutting duplicated and unneeded things. Having been a lifelong beneficiary of military health care, Franken said this is the kind of health care that needed to be opened to all the American people. In speaking about the Ukraine conflict, Franken said he believes the worst-case scenario is if the Russians press the battle to last longer, destroying much of Ukraine, and the Russians live in an internal society, it would be a tough situation. He said the best case would be for the Ukrainians to eject the Russians back across the border and for NATO and the European Union to intervene. Putin is a war criminal, and Joe Biden was right we cannot let this person stay in power, he said. Franken commented that as a captain, he had voted on behalf of the Navy against the first war in Iraq. He said he was a very pro-business candidate but also strongly pro-union. Franken said there were no Democratic politicians he knew of in Iowa that were talking about defunding the police but there was an entire political architecture that was defunding education. He said the United States needed to stop the backsliding that had happened in the past couple of decades sliding back into a 1952 world. He assured the people present that the senate race was infinitely winnable. He plans to get out and meet the people of Iowa more leading up to the primary. He also said he was receiving a lot of grassroots funding for the campaign. Franken ran in the Democratic primary in Iowas 2020 U.S. Senate race. He received 25% of the primary vote and finished second to Theresa Greenfield, who was defeated by Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst in the 2020 general election. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 KYIV, Ukraine They are old, young, local, foreign, often new to war. Thousands of people have volunteered to join Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces and resist Russia's invasion. The Associated Press this week spent time with some of them. A 30-year-old actor, Sergiy Volosovets, now commands a unit of 11 men and oversees the military training of other volunteers at a base northeast of the capital, Kyiv, just a few kilometers from the front line. After their training, they might join the fight or guard checkpoints. "They never thought that they would have a gun in their hands," Volosovets said. But "this desire just brought all of them here." At the beginning of the war, he said, fighters were sent to the front line after just two days of hurried training. Now instruction is more thorough. "We need self-conscious people who know what they're doing," he said. Among the volunteer fighters is 24-year-old sound engineer Kostyantyn Kovalenko. "As a sound engineer, I listen to the sounds of war I can hear, I think, a bit differently," he said. He is bothered by the sounds like anyone else, but studies them and tries to identify the weapons. "I only regret that I don't have my recorder to record the sounds and use them for a patriotic track," he said. A husband and wife, Anton Grom and Valya Gromovytsya, both in their late 30s, have joined the fighters, leaving their 11-year-old son with his grandmother. "I want to defend Kyiv and kick the Russians out," Gromovytsya said. One foreigner who has joined the volunteer fighters is 21-year-old Jraven Gerber from Seattle. He first tried to enter Ukraine's International Legion, but he said they kept saying "Tomorrow, tomorrow." Impatient, he decided to look elsewhere for action and connected with the Territorial Defense Forces. "I believe it's best to fight when you're young," he said. Among his fellow fighters are people younger than him, 18 or 19, and "if they're fighting, why shouldn't I?" Francisco Floro, a 30-year-old from Spain, works in security back home and, like Gerber, saw defending Ukraine as a just cause. "I believe that all the West has a responsibility toward Ukraine," said Floro. "We have to participate in this and tell the world what's happening here." He found his way to the Territorial Defense Forces after speaking with the Ukrainian embassy back home. Despite the drama of war, Floro said the life he eventually wants is a pretty tranquil one. "I don't aspire to more than that," he said. Like many of the volunteer fighters, 29-year-old local entrepreneur Vadym Kovalyov never expected to go to war. "These people, my brothers, they are in the right place," he said. "They made the right choice not to go abroad. They stayed with the people and on our land to defend it." ___ Check out our latest podcast on Ukraine. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavhenis strained relationship with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) grew tenser after only two SABC board members agreed to withdraw a recent statement from the broadcaster. According to a City Press report, only chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini and CEO Madoda Mxakwe were willing to withdraw the statement during a meeting organised by the minister on Friday, 1 April 2022. Ntshavheni called the meeting as she believed the SABCs statement besmirched her political credentials. A departmental insider told City Press that the SABCs statement had disrespected the minister and damaged her political reputation. Following the statement, Ntshavheni removed her signature from SABC performance reports, raising concerns that the public broadcaster may no longer receive financial assistance from the state. The statement, released on Friday, 25 March 2022, highlighted the broadcasters concern over the slow rollout of set-top-boxes (STBs) required for South Africans to access free-to-air broadcasting once the switch-off had been completed. While households with satellite-based services or newer digital TVs are not affected, estimates suggest that millions of South Africans could be cut off from TV broadcasts when the analogue switch-off date arrives. Shortly after the SABCs statement, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) delayed the final switch-off date to the end of June. Icasa announced on 28 March that the analogue switch-off would enter a transition period on 31 March 2022, which would last until the end of June. The decision was made as provisional spectrum licences given to mobile network operators involving these frequencies are valid until 30 June. The Council of Icasa has resolved that the period 1 April 2022 to 30 June 2022 shall constitute a transitional period for broadcasting service licensees and signal distributors to ensure a seamless transition process for the switch-off of the remaining analogue transmitters, the regulator said. The SABC said it still supported digital migration but requested the final switch-off date initially set for 31 March 2022 be postponed as only 5.7% of households in the remaining provinces have had STBs installed. The four provinces designated for switch off on 31 March 2022 comprise 68% of South Africas population, the broadcaster wrote. As at February 2022, only 165,000 STBs out of the 2.9m indigent households (5.7%) had been installed in the four outstanding provinces. This number is simply too low for the SABCs analogue TV services to be switched off in the four largest provinces, at this stage, it added. The SABC added that the premature switch-off of analogue TV could impede its plan to ensure its long-term financial sustainability and fulfil its public mandate. Earlier in March, civil society organisations began protesting the analogue switch-off, claiming it would leave 14 million people with no access to free-to-air broadcasts. However, this figure is disputed. In hearings for a court case E-tv brought against Ntshavheni, the minister revealed that at least 261,000 indigent households who had applied for STBs after the 31 October 2021 deadline would not have them by the cut-off date. Before the SABC raised its concerns, E-tv launched legal action to try and force Ntshavheni to delay the analogue switch-off. A full bench of the Pretoria High Court ruled that the switch-off should be delayed, but only until 30 June 2022. The ruling was issued within hours of Icasas announcement on 28 March. The court also ruled that the government had done enough, within its powers, to help qualifying households obtain a set-top box. It ordered that the 261,000 households who had applied late for their STBs must have them by 30 September. It is in the interest of the country, the economy, and for South Africans in general that the digital migration be finalised, the ruling stated. Now read: What Netflix offers South African filmmakers no one else can The Independent Communications Authority (Icasa) has unduly delayed the making available of electromagnetic spectrum in high-demand frequency bands. Icasa has not allocated high-demand spectrum to the carriers with the largest market shares since 2005. Despite being held dormant by Icasa for years, spectrum was readily available. The necessary migrating of broadcasting to other frequencies, and the auctioning and assigning of the high-demand spectrum, could all have been initiated and finalised years ago. Consumers of mobile telecommunication services have been bearing the cost of this delay and, whether urban or rural, experience inferior broadband coverage, costlier data services, mediocre building penetration and higher power consumption. As a consequence, feebler economic productivity and impaired educational opportunities prevail. Icasas tardiness in allocating spectrum to these leading carriers was due to the views that it and the Competition Commission held of desirable competitive features of the mobile-telecommunication market. The Act of Parliament which established Icasa stipulates that Icasa must achieve the objects of the Electronic Communications Act (ECA), which include promoting competition in the communications sector, ensuring efficient use of the radio spectrum, encouraging investment, promoting consumers interests, and refraining from undue interference in licensees commercial activities. Anyone who transmits radio-wave signals must hold a spectrum licence from Icasa. The Competition Act empowers the Competition Commission, if it believes that features of a market for any goods or services restrict competition in it, to conduct a general market inquiry into that markets state of competition, levels of concentration, and structure. In 2017, the Competition Commission initiated an inquiry into the data-services market, to understand what features may lead to high data-service prices, to identify areas of market power, and to assess the allocation of spectrum. The Competition Act defines market power as a licensees power to control prices, exclude competition or behave independently of its competitors. The Competition Commission completed its data-services market-inquiry report in late 2019. It recommended pro-competitive assignments of the high-demand spectrum, by way of spectrum caps imposed on the two largest operators, and asymmetric spectrum assignments favouring smaller players. On the contrary, and despite the Competition Commissions view, for the high-demand spectrum to have the greatest effect in lowering costs and benefitting consumers, it should be provided to the large operators that are currently the most spectrum constrained. Because the spectrum constraints of smaller operators are not as severe as the larger players, the potential for cost decreases and efficiency benefits will only result if additional spectrum is allocated to the large operators. The failure to allocate new spectrum to the largest operators has increased the capital expenditure required to expand network capacity to continue to meet the rapid growth in demand. In October 2020, Icasa issued an invitation to apply to be recognised as qualified to bid in a two-round auction of licences to provide national broadband wireless access services on 34 spectrum lots in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands. Larger operators were disqualified from participating in the auctions first round, called the opt-in round. Anyone else (whether holders of licences for other spectrum or new entrants) could bid for licences for one of the two minimum spectrum portfolios of lots with spectrum floors that would ensure that the two successful bidders have (with existing licensed spectrum, if any) enough spectrum to be credible competitors (of larger operators). The second round was open to all bidders, including the largest. But a spectrum cap was imposed in that no bidder could be granted licences for more than 18% of the total spectrum in the auction. The auction was due to take place by the end of March 2021. However, a large operator applied to court in January 2021, contending that the proposed opt-in auction round was irrational and economically inefficient, because larger operators could well be prevented from bidding on the 3,500 MHz spectrum, which is crucial for rolling out 5G services, and which could mostly be taken up by smaller operators in the initial opt-in round, in which large operators would not be allowed to participate. In early March 2021, the Pretoria High Court, at the instance of another large operator (Telkom), granted an interdict prohibiting Icasa from granting any applications received pursuant to its October 2020 invitation to apply for licences for the 700, 800, 2600 and 3500 MHz spectrum bands, pending adjudication of Telkoms and broadcaster e.tvs case that the invitation was unlawful because it irrationally proposed granting telecommunication licences for the 700 and 800 MHz bands despite their continued use for analogue broadcasting signals. In September 2021, Icasa consented to the grant of the court orders sought by the two telecommunication operators and the broadcaster, and retracted its invitation to participate in the 2021 auction. In December 2021, Icasa issued a fresh invitation to participate in a two-round auction of licences for those 34 lots in the 700, 800, 2600 and 3500 MHz bands. The auction was scheduled to start in the first full week of March 2022. As before, larger operators were disqualified from participating in the opt-in round. Yet, importantly, this time, the opt-in round did not include 3,500 MHz spectrum. And that rounds minimum spectrum portfolio was smaller than before. Also, apparently, smaller operators whose licensed spectrum portfolios already meet that minimum were likewise disqualified from the opt-in round. And, it seemed (the auction conditions were ambiguous), bidders whose licensed spectrum partly meets that minimum could bid only to top up their portfolios to meet the minimum. As before, the auctions second round would be open to all bidders, including the largest. The spectrum cap was now very slightly larger, in that no bidder could be granted licences for more than 20% of the total spectrum in the auction. Government policy since 2016 has been to create a wireless open-access network (WOAN) as a wholesale provider of shared network infrastructure for retail service providers who did not have networks. The Department of Telecommunications commissioned a study from the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) to determine the amount of spectrum that the WOAN would need. The CSIR reported in 2018 that the spectrum it required depends on the number of users its network was projected to serve, that it would likely serve about 20% of users, that no more than 20% of the high-demand spectrum be set aside for the WOAN and that this user baseline would suffice to enable the WOAN to satisfy its baseline users as well as high-end users. But in March 2022, while Icasa was conducting the auction of the high-demand spectrum, the Minister suddenly gazetted a proposal to scrap the WOAN. In light of the recent bankruptcy of the only credible foreign WOAN Mexicos this was probably wise. (The Ministers gazette notice said the spectrum available for the WOAN did not meet the viability threshold recommended by the CSIR.) The government vowed that the analogue broadcasting signals on the 700 and 800 MHz bands would be switched off on 31 March 2022. The analogue TV-signal switch-off has yet to occur in the four most-populous provinces where two-thirds of South Africans live, although it has been switched off in the five less-populated provinces. Dramatically, late on 28 March 2022, a three-judge bench of the Pretoria high court granted an order at the instance of broadcaster e.tv directing the Minister to delay the analogue-TV broadcasting switch-off that was scheduled for 31 March 2022, by three months to 30 June 2022, to ensure that the estimated half-million registered indigent households that must still have set-top boxes installed will receive them to continue to watch television on their analogue TV sets. In addition, some millions of indigent households may qualify for registration to receive set-top boxes but have not yet applied to be registered. Broadcasters advertising revenue may drop dramatically if the analogue-TV signal is turned off before analogue viewers are able to view digital transmissions. This could all lead to even more delay in the migrating of TV broadcasting from analogue to digital. That would mean that the 700/800 MHz frequency bands will continue not to be available for low-cost rural digital-telecommunication services and more-efficient aggregated urban telecoms services. Telkoms application to court to set aside the 2022 auction will be heard in the second week of April 2022. Telkom is expected to argue that the auction was unfairly designed to prevent Telkom from competing effectively against South Africas leading providers. Icasa announced in mid-March 2022 just after the auction that the auctions next stage would be the assignment round, which is purely an administrative process that would be held on 22 March, to determine the actual spectrum ranges to be assigned for all the lots bought in the various bands. But there is no evidence as yet that this assignment took place. It may be that the last-minute cancellation of the WOAN, and of the concomitant need to reserve spectrum for the WOAN, will affect the assignment of spectrum to bidders. Consumers will have to continue putting up with inferior broadband coverage, costlier data services, mediocre building penetration and higher power consumption, and the resultant feebler economic productivity and impaired educational opportunities. Gary Moore is a Senior Consultant at the Free Market Foundation. He was a practising attorney in Johannesburg for 30 years. He is the author of published articles and monographs about the rule of law, the legality of state action, the meaning of statutes, and laws affecting small business. The views expressed in the article are the authors and not necessarily shared by the members of the Foundation. The Free Market Foundations assessment of official policys socio-economic impact on the mobile telecommunication sector drew on Christoph Kleins specialist experience. Now read: Telkom doubles down NEWS.am digest: Large scale protests continue in Yerevan, people forcibly arrested Scholz to take part in G7 Ukraine discussion with Zelenskyy Germany to supply Ukraine with seven self-propelled howitzers Resistance Movement rallies in France Square Al-Monitor: More niceties, zero progress in third round of Turkey-Armenia peace talks Apple, Google, Microsoft to introduce passwordless authorization before end of 2023 Japan may start letting tourists into country in June Investigative Committee: Criminal case opened into hooliganism committed by marchers in downtown Yerevan Six people injured in building explosion in Madrid Dollar, euro continue rising significantly in Armenia Swiss police seize more than 500kg of cocaine from cargo for Nespresso factory Law enforcement apprehend 59 people during Fridays civil disobedience actions in Yerevan Karabakh official: Azerbaijani truck committed deliberate crime in Artsakh Policeman hits woman during protest action in Yerevan Committee to Protect Journalists: Armenia law enforcement obstruct journalists covering Yerevan protests Armenia ruling force MP calls on police to inspect opposition 'shelters' where drugs may be kept Artsakh Police investigating Armenian car crash caused by Azerbaijani convoy Situation gets tense on Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan, ex-president Kocharyans son also there Police apprehend 48 people during civil disobedience actions in Yerevan Police special forces forcibly remove Armenia ex-Police chief from opposition march in Yerevan Situation gets tense during opposition march in Yerevan Ararat Mirzoyan briefs US Senator McConnell on details of Armenia-Turkey normalization process Azerbaijan holding international regatta in occupied Armenian Mataghis town of Karabakh Many members of US Congress give green light for F-16s to Turkey Law amendments propose that Armenia councils of elders members will also be able to be elected community leaders Resistance Movement holding marches in Yerevan in 4 directions Armenia parliament holding special sitting Copper prices falling Armenia FM Mirzoyan, US Senator Menendez stress inadmissibility of provoking tension by Azerbaijan Oil rises in price Bishkek reports that Uzbekistan border guards shoot, kill 3 Kyrgyzstan citizens at border Azerbaijani military convoy throws Armenian taxi into gorge in Artsakh (PHOTOS) Armenia Police: All roads open in Yerevan, provinces Armenia FM in US, meets with International Republican Institute Eurasia regional director US Strategic Command chief warns of deterrence crisis against Russia, China Armenia ex-Prosecutor General, Investigative Committee former chief to remain in custody Newspaper: Armenia President reacts to oppositions struggle Mississippi becomes last US state to recognize Armenian Genocide Resistance Movement rally ends: Citizens remain on France Square Erdogan and Macron discuss Turkey-France relations and Ukraine CNBC: Elon Musk to become interim CEO of Twitter Saghatelyan: Tomorrow from 12:00 we will completely paralyze Yerevan from four directions Finland ready to cut off gas supplies from Russia Resistance Movement marchers return to France Square NEWS.am digest: Large scale protests continue in Yerevan, people forcibly arrested Greece accuses Turkey of stoking tensions in Aegean Sea Resistance Movement rally starts in central Yerevan US Embassy in Havana resumes issuing visas to Cubans Bloomberg: UK and Japan will help Asian countries reduce dependence on Russian oil Dollar, euro gain considerable value in Armenia FLYONE ARMENIA cancels Yerevan flights to, from Lyon, Paris until June 10 Annual inflation in Turkey reaches 69.97% in April Armenia population as of January 1 announced Poland builds 50 kilometers of fence on border with Belarus Azerbaijan promises Europe gas in the hope of loyalty to Baku's crimes Australia allocates $1.4 billion to modernize its Navy Peskov says events unrolling in Armenia are countrys internal affair Grigoryan: Discussions on setting up Armenia-Azerbaijan commission may be completed in near future Red Cross: No Azerbaijani detainees in Armenia Armenia official: Peace agreement with Azerbaijan also means solution to Karabakh issue Armen Grigoryan: There is need to get answers to questions in order to organize Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders meeting Security Council chief: Baku's statements on Armenia territories belonging to Azerbaijan do not contribute to peace Armenia official comments on Azerbaijan president's words about 'Zangezur corridor' Armen Grigoryan: Armenia and Azerbaijan could exchange enclaves FT: Erdogan used mediation between Russia and Ukraine Person dies after being hospitalized from one of tents at France Square in Yerevan Armenia to get 22.6M loan from International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Armenia ruling force MP: Oppositions goal is not saving Karabakh but changing of power President says Artsakh continues to maintain its vision for future, toward independence Oppositions uncrowded marches show lack of public support, says Armenia ruling force lawmaker Trade in Armenia increased by over $1 billion, PM says Scuffle breaks out during civil disobedience march in Yerevan, police attempt to apprehend opposition MP Pashinyan to Bennett: I am hopeful that Armenian-Israeli relations will flourish in near future Armenia ruling power legislator: This opposition has always run away from truth Civil disobedience motorcade being held in Yerevan EU to ban Russians from buying European real estate US defense industry facing problems due to supply of weapons to Ukraine Armenia FM holds discussion at Atlantic Council, speaks about process of normalization of relations with Turkey Newspaper: Armenia opposition MPs to lose their parliamentary mandates? Newspaper: Artsakh President says we would not have had so many casualties if war had started half year later Civil disobedience march kicks off in downtown Yerevan Civil disobedience actions resume in Yerevan Blinken tests positive for Covid Denmark, Finland support European Commission proposal on Russian oil sanctions Bulgaria to seek exemption from EU proposed Russian oil embargo Biden says he is ready for additional sanctions against Russia Switzerland braces for serious power shortage Uruguay freezes ambassador appointment to Ankara after Cavusoglu's gesture Czech Republic to seek exemption from proposed EU embargo on Russian oil imports Charles Michel on the likelihood of Moldova's EU membership Resistance Movement actions to resume tomorrow early morning Elon Musk is invited to UK Parliament for buying Twitter Disobedience march reaches France Square, rally starts US crude oil shipments to Europe hit highest level in April NEWS.am digest: Large-scale protests being held in Armenia to demand PMs resignation Armenia Defense Minister meets with Georgian PM UK bans imposes sanctions on 63 individuals and organizations in Russia EU plan to completely ban Russian crude oil threatens Hungary's energy security EU interested in expanding energy cooperation with Azerbaijan Germany: Gradual EU ban on Russian oil imports could lead to 'supply disruptions' On April 1, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with visiting Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin in Tunxi, Anhui Province. Wang Yi said, China and Myanmar, linked by mountains and rivers, enjoy a profound "pauk-phaw" friendship. China cherishes the traditional friendship between China and Myanmar and always puts Myanmar in an important place in its neighborhood diplomacy. No matter how the situation changes, China will always support Myanmar in safeguarding sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and exploring a development path in line with its national conditions, and support the people of Myanmar in pursuing a happy and peaceful life. China is ready to work with Myanmar to implement the outcomes of President Xi Jinping's historic visit to Myanmar, forge the four pillars of political mutual trust, mutually beneficial cooperation, people-to-people bonds and mutual learning in culture and people-to-people exchanges, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields in a coordinated manner, so as to achieve the goal of building a China-Myanmar community with a shared future. Wang Yi said, China is ready to conduct experience-sharing on state governance and development with Myanmar's government and various parties and factions, so as to help Myanmar realize domestic political reconciliation and restart the process of democratic transition. The two sides should advance the construction of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, strengthen cooperation on industrial parks, cross-border power grids and connectivity, and implement well major landmark projects. Efforts should be made to enhance solidarity against the COVID-19 pandemic and give full play to the positive effects of vaccine filling and packaging cooperation. China will continue to make all-out efforts to offer vaccines and anti-pandemic supplies to Myanmar according to its needs. Demonstration projects of poverty alleviation, as well as cooperation covering centers for disease control and prevention, rural roads and bridges, and industrial training centers, should be advanced at a faster pace, with priorities given to the implementation of a batch of "small yet smart" livelihood projects. On behalf of Myanmar, U Wunna Maung Lwin extended congratulations on the successful hosting of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and the successful convening of the Two Sessions. U Wunna Maung Lwin said, I am very glad to visit China upon invitation, and this is my first visit to a country beyond the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), fully demonstrating the profound and unique "pauk-phaw" friendship between Myanmar and China. Both sides always treat each other as equals and respect each other. Myanmar will firmly stick to the principle of peaceful coexistence jointly advocated by the two countries, and implement the outcomes of President Xi Jinping's historic visit to Myanmar to develop and build a Myanmar-China community with a shared future. Myanmar firmly adheres to the one-China principle. There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. Myanmar fully supports China's position on issues involving its core interests. He thanked China for its tremendous support for Myanmar's development and pandemic response. Myanmar is ready to expand economic and trade cooperation, speed up the construction of the economic corridor, and work for more substantive results of Belt and Road cooperation. The two sides had in-depth communication on regional cooperation. Wang Yi said, China supports Myanmar in fulfilling its role as the country coordinator for China-ASEAN relations and co-chair of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism, and hosting the fourth LMC Leaders' Meeting and the seventh Foreign Ministers' Meeting this year, and China is ready to jointly push all parties to reach an agreement on the five-year action plan as soon as possible. U Wunna Maung Lwin introduced the Special Envoy of ASEAN to Myanmar's visit to his country. Wang Yi said, Myanmar is a member of the big ASEAN family, and China hopes that ASEAN countries adhere to the ASEAN way, safeguard ASEAN solidarity, send a common message, and work with Myanmar to constructively implement the ASEAN's "five-point consensus" based on the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. The two sides also exchanged views on the South China Sea issue. Wang Yi said, China expects Myanmar to play its role as the co-chair of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), advance the COC consultation process, and jointly build a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation. U Wunna Maung Lwin expressed deep concerns over Myanmar's economic difficulties, which were aggravated by the drastic changes in the current international situation. Wang Yi said, China is ready to strengthen coordination with Myanmar to help overcome difficulties. Wang Yi stressed, joint efforts should be made to cope with the negative spillover effects of the Ukraine crisis, oppose unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction, and safeguard legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. The two sides also exchanged views on the Rakhine State issue. After the talks, the two sides witnessed the exchange of documents on bilateral cooperation in fields such as economic technology and agriculture, and jointly inaugurated the Consulate General of Myanmar in Chongqing. As the Mount St. Marys University mission statement declares, the university graduates ethical leaders who are inspired by a passion for learning and lead lives of significance in service of God and others. To many prospective students, this might sound abstract or even unrealistic. But time and time again, Mounties demonstrate the success of this mission. One group of graduates and professors who are putting the mission into practice are those from the human services program. Relatively new, a Human Services major has been available at the Frederick campus since 2014 and was introduced at the Emmitsburg campus a few years later. The field of human services is a rapidly growing onethe skills these students provide are in high demand. Many people dont realize this, but Human Services is the single largest organized enterprise in America, observed Jack Trammell, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Emmitsburg human services program and chair of the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice and Human Services. He went on to note that the suffering and uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have made human services majors more necessary than ever. In fact, the growth in related careers in the U.S. is only outpaced by the growth of those in the technology sector. "People come to the Mount and they find out through their experience here that one person really can make a difference," Trammell said. Human services is a course of study that can be hard to concretely define. Broadly speaking, a major in human services enables one to, well, be of service to people or a community, in hands-on ways. In practice, courses cover an array of topics, from business to psychology. A student of Human Services might take a class in social inequality, a class in human development, one in the principles of therapy, and another in managing a nonprofit, and all the classes would be part of the major requirements at the Mount. Undergraduates taking human services courses might also be earning majors in education, psychology, or health sciencesthese disciplines overlap with human services in some way. What unites the students in human services courses is a desire to assist others in facing personal and social issues. As such a diverse field of study, human services lends itself well to many career paths. Human services is such a broad degree; you can do so many things with it, noted Michaila Thompson, an alumna of the adult accelerated undergraduate program at the Frederick Campus. Common human services jobs are related to healthcare and counseling, such as substance abuse counselor, palliative care specialist, mental health nurse, or treatment specialist. Human services majors often pursue careers in therapy, especially working with vulnerable or needy communities. Like Thompson, who manages a senior healthcare facility, they might work in a specialized area of a broad field. They might go into social work as a case manager or child advocate, they might operate a charity organization, or they might become a pastor or parish worker. The opportunities are as varied as they are vast. Naturally, the students on the Emmitsburg campus began to show interest in a program that produced such well-equipped graduates. The human services major and minor were introduced on the Emmitsburg campus in 2018, becoming part of the Criminal Justice, Sociology, and Human Services department. The inaugural human services class graduated in 2021, and today, one-third of all Emmitsburg students studying under that department are majoring or minoring in human services. The 17 inaugural graduates in human services at Emmitsburg in 2021 have enjoyed enormous success and all are currently employed in helping fields or pursuing graduate degrees. Molly Maisel, C21, added a minor in human services as she completed her major in psychology. I chose to minor in human services after learning of the possibility of taking a course on Death and Dying through the minor. The human services minor perfectly complemented my psychology major as it allowed me to learn about advocating for marginalized communities within the career I was striving to have as a therapist, she shared. Shes now studying for her masters degree in clinical mental health counseling, with a certification in thanatology (the study of death and bereavement), the subject that drew her to human services in the first place, with the aim of working as a bereavement counselor in a hospice setting. Andrea Martinez, also a member of the Class of 2021, initially struggled with what to study at the Mount. I switched my major three times before coming across the human services major, she remembered. But once she discovered the new human services program, she knew it was a perfect fit. The major had everything I am passionate about; helping people and advocacy for mental health and social work. I fell in love right away with the classes. Despite having graduated less than a year ago, Martinez already works in her desired field. Shes an adult case manager and she hopes to continue in the social work field and become an advocate for those suffering from mental illness. Current student Melissa Harper, C22, is minoring in human services. She observed that the best part [of the program] is the knowledge obtained and the support and encouragement received. She recounted that she initially enrolled in her dream college, but after receiving little assistance from the professors and administrators there, she left and eventually found the Mount. Harper exclaimed that she is confident in the education she receives from her human services professors because they lead by example. Theyhave experienced life good, bad, and the ugly it has to offer and yet still they have changed their lives for the better and became an asset instead of a liability to society. Moved by the care theyve shown, she aspires to one day open a treatment facility that serves the whole person in an individualized way instead of simply pushing them through a system. In fact, all five of the featured human services students credit the professorsparticularly Trammel at the Emmitsburg campus, and Timothy Wolfe, Ph.D., from the Frederick campuswith much of their success. Maisel and Martinez both mentioned Trammels class on death and dying as a highlight of their time at the Mount, and note that his passion for the subjects, combined with his caring nature, drew them to the human services field. Students at the Frederick campus also brought up Wolfe several times, emphasizing the above-and-beyond support he provided. Dr. Wolfealways was kind, understanding, accepting, positive and encouraging, recalled Thompson. Dr. Wolfe will always be the one that I think about when I think about my time at Mount St. Mary's, Its a mutual feeling, as Wolfe called the Frederick campus students amazing. Many of them are already working in the helping professions. They wish toadvance their career prospects. He noted that they often find a hidden passion in a job and desire to capture that passion and advance in their career, all while working, which the accelerated human services degree at the Frederick campus helps them to do. One such Frederick student is Kristi Snurr, who praised Wolfe for genuinely caring about your wellbeing and being flexible with students while still helping them fulfill their potential. Snurr, who will graduate in May, found a kindred spirit in her compassionate professors; she was drawn to the subject of human services because of the empathy she felt for the underdogs she encountered. After high school, Snurr began taking elementary education classes, and although she decided not to continue with those studies, she never forgot how drawn she was to the children with learning disorders, and the ones who struggled to sit still in class, an interest that followed her as she ran a daycare for the next 16 years. This interest only grew when her third and youngest child was diagnosed with autism. Between her experience as a mother to an autistic child, and the loss of a young, mentally ill relative to drug overdose in 2016, Snurr realized the ways in which her life and her struggles had taught her how to be there for others, even when they were incredibly difficult to support. She enrolled in the accelerated human services program at the Mount, and now the 44-year-old mother of three has applied to attend graduate school at Hood College. She hopes to earn her masters degree in counseling and be there for people experiencing their biggest difficulties or traumas. If I can help one person go through that [tough time], I will, she stated. Because of my life experiences, [theyve] lead me to that. Indeed, all five women feel that by studying human services at the Mount, they took a passion they already had and honed it, growing professionally but also as people. The aim of the human services major is to educate students who, no matter what field they choose to enter, respect those who are too often denied respect from others. To that end, many of the classes focus on understanding others, trauma, and social justice. Through my education from the human services department I will be prepared to treat my future clients with empathy and respect of their human dignity, Maisel noted. Martinez, Harper, and Thomspon echoed her thoughts, stating that the Human Services program gives students the necessary tools to show compassion and respect to those they encounter, even in their personal lives. Ive learned so much about myself, recounted Harper. I understand that hurt people hurt people which allows me to bemore understanding and less confrontational. Thompson explained that while she gained invaluable professional knowledge during her time at the Mount, she first and foremost was taught how to be a kinder, more understanding person. Snurr noted that her belief in her own abilities and the helpfulness of others has been one of the best takeaways from the human services program. Never having been particularly interested in classes, or considering herself a scholar, she had reservations about earning a degree, especially later in life than most. But she was encouraged by her professors, who saw her potential and worked hard to help her succeed. Ive learned to have faith in thingsI actually felt like part of a family. A college experience is more than a collection of classes, more than a list of facts learned, more than a job earned after graduation. The human services program gives students skills, internships, and career opportunities, but beyond that, it gives them the chance to become valuable members of the society they join. Thanks to the passionate students and to the dedicated professors at both the Emmitsburg and Frederick campus, the Mount can do exactly what it sets out tograduate ethical leaders who are inspired by a passion for learning and lead lives of significance in service of God and others. To learn more about the human services major at the Mount, visit https://msmary.edu/academics/majors-minors/human-services.html for the Emmitsburg campus and https://msmary.edu/academics/adult-undergraduate-programs/human-services-degree.html for the Frederick campus. Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is on a three-day official visit to India, laid the foundation stone for construction of an old-age home on the premises of Pashupatinath Temple at Lalitaghat of Varanasi on Sunday. On the occasion, he also performed the 'bhumi puja' or the land sanctification rituals for the construction, according to Nepal's state-owned news agency, RSS. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present on the occasion. The Nepal government has allotted Rs 10 million for the old-age home. However, the contract for the construction of the facility is yet to be issued. The old-age home is for the accommodation of people coming to Varanasi for pilgrimage. Having 35 rooms, it will be built according to the Nepali architectural style. The Department of Archaeology is said to be preparing the sketch of the building. Earlier on Sunday morning, Deuba had paid homage to Kaal Bhairav. He is also visited Vishwanath and Pashupatinath temples in the Hindu holy city. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Adityanath hosted a luncheon in his honour. Deuba was welcomed in various places of Varanasi with cultural programmes. He had flown to Varanasi on Sunday morning after completing the engagements and meetings in the national capital in his first official and bilateral visit after assuming the office in July last year. On Saturday, Deuba led an official delegation to hold talks with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi where both leaders assured to take forward the bilateral ties to new heights. Both sides also reviewed the progress made in several India funded projects in Nepal. Four agreements were signed and Nepal also joined the International Solar Alliance, an initiative taken by India. Similarly, Nepal and India have agreed to expand cooperation in the power and energy sector under the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) framework. BBIN is known as a sub-regional grouping of SAARC, or the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. An initiative by India, the BBIN sub-regional architecture works in such areas as water resource management, and connectivity of power, transport, and infrastructure. According to the Nepal-India joint vision statement on power sector cooperation unveiled on Saturday after delegation talks between the two Prime Ministers in New Delhi, there are unprecedented opportunities for expanding and further strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation in the power sector where both sides can work together in several areas. The vision statement was a major outcome of Deuba's visit. Earlier on Saturday, during a joint press briefing with Deuba, Modi hailed the vision statement. Under the vision statement, both sides will work on joint development of power generation projects in Nepal and cross-border transmission infrastructure. After completing his three-day official visit, Deuba was all set to return home on Sunday evening. --IANS giri/vd ( 469 Words) 2022-04-03-19:08:01 (IANS) Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Sunday took suo moto notice of dissolution of the National Assembly by the President, Dunya News reported. The apex court has formed a special bench to look into the matter. President Dr Arif Alvi had dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan after its Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri rejected the no-confidence motion submitted by the opposition, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution. Opposition's hopes of ousting the premier were dashed after Suri's decision. Shortly after the session began, Chaudhry said that loyalty to the state was the basic duty of every citizen under Article 5. "On March 7, our official Ambassador was invited to a meeting attended by the representatives of other countries. The meeting was informed that a motion against PM Imran was being presented," he said. "We were told that relations with Pakistan were dependent on the success of the no-confidence motion. We were told that if the motion fails, then the upcoming path for Pakistan would be very difficult. This is an operation for a regime change by a foreign government," he alleged. --IANS san/ ( 229 Words) 2022-04-03-19:36:03 (IANS) The transaction entailed a total consideration Rs 608.30 crore. The group said that divestment of GHCL's home textiles business is a significant value unlocking exercise for all its stakeholders. In a statement, the group said that the total consideration for divestment of the home textiles business has been calculated at Rs 608.30 crore (subject to validation of customary closing date adjustment of working capital in terms of the definitive agreements). The move, it said, will enable the management to focus on the strategic growth pillars of chemical and spinning businesses. Besides, the group cited that the proceeds of the sale will be used for further initiatives such as Greenfield project, product basket expansion, clean energy and ESG initiatives, automation and exploring opportunities to enter into JVs. "The divestment of the home textiles business is a strategic move which we believe will unlock value for all our stakeholders," said R.S. Jalan, Managing Director, GHCL. "We have been able to complete the process seamlessly on time and with all relevant approvals in place," Jalan added. At present, GHCL has footprints in chemicals and spinning businesses. In the chemicals space, the company mainly manufactures soda ash which is a major raw material for detergents and glass industries and sodium bicarbonate. In textiles, its spinning unit at Madurai produces multiple varieties of fibre (yarn), which is sold to domestic consumers as well as exported worldwide. --IANS rv/arm ( 273 Words) 2022-04-02-22:08:01 (IANS) The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) has no jurisdiction in allocation of power from central generating stations by the Central government to the states, the Union Ministry of Power said on Saturday. "The power from the central generating stations (CGS) is allotted by the Central government to the states on their request. The DERC has no jurisdiction in the matter. If any reallocation is to be done, it is only on the request of the state government; and that also in case any other state is willing to take the surrendered power," the Power Ministry said in a statement. The ministry said that Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain vide a letter dated July 6, 2015 had surrendered power from 11 central generating stations which also includes Dadri stage-II thermal power plant of NTPC, with immediate effect, and to reallocate the same to other needy states, the statement said. The ministry added that the balance power from Dadri stage-II to an extent of 728 MW was available for reallocation and, accordingly, on March 28, 2022, the same has been given to Haryana based on their request. No request for withdrawal of the surrendered share had been received from the government of Delhi to the till March 28, 2022. It was only after reallocation of this power that the government of NCT of Delhi woke up on March 30 and wrote to the MoP to restore Delhi's share from Dadri stage II, added the Power Ministry. "It may also be noted that Delhi has relinquished its share of 756 MW from Dadri-I indicating that this power is surplus. Thus, if Delhi is really under crisis and have concern about their consumers, they should not have surrendered their share from Dadri-I," said the statement. As the reallocation to Haryana has already happened on March 28, any further reallocation can only be after hearing Haryana, as the state is now also an affected party and any withdrawal would impact its power adequacy plans, the statement said. --IANS avr/arm A ( 349 Words) 2022-04-02-22:28:02 (IANS) India has crossed 418 billion US dollars of exports in Financial Year 2021-22 which is about five per cent more than the previous financial year, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Sunday. Appreciating India's performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said, "For the first time in our country's history, 418 billion export have been done that is 5 per cent more than the target, despite COVID waves. The consistency is such that we exceeded 40 billion dollars in March. It has never happened before." In his address today, Goyal also lauded the success of the movie 'RRR' which has earned over Rs 750 crores. "I have learnt that RRR movie is perhaps country's biggest film, and has earned over Rs 750 crores. Likewise, I feel India's economy is also breaking record after record," he said. The government data earlier informed that India's merchandise export in April 2021-February 2022 was USD 374.05 billion, an increase of 45.80 per cent over USD 256.55 billion in April 2020-February 2021 and an increase of 28.16% over USD 291.87 billion in April 2019-February 2020. Buoyed by the recent surge in Indian goods exports which touched USD 400 billion this year, India will give further push to economic diplomacy and will market its business more boldly and openly across the globe, a senior functionary of the government told ANI today. India has recently inked crucial trade agreements with United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Australia. Talks with Israel, European Union and Britain are also progressing well, according to a senior official. Recently, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal indicated that several agreements will be inked by the end of 2022. (ANI) On April 2, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with visiting Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai in Tunxi, Anhui Province. Wang Yi said, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Thailand. Standing at a new starting point, the two sides should make coordinated efforts to plan comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries in the next decade and jointly write a new chapter of the "one family" fraternity. Wang Yi said, China is ready to advance all-round cooperation with Thailand, so that China-Thailand cooperation can be at the forefront of regional cooperation. Both sides should step up consultations on the Belt and Road cooperation plan guidelines and the joint action plan, and advance the construction of China-Thailand Railway at a faster pace to connect it northward with China-Laos Railway and explore connecting it southward with Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Railway, so as to help link up the middle line of the pan-Asia railway network completely. The two sides should take the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as an opportunity to tap the potential of economic and trade cooperation, and expand cooperation in electronic technology, digital economy, new energy and other fields. China supports Chinese enterprises in actively participating in the construction of key projects in Thailand. Efforts should be made to give full play to the demonstration effect of the China-Thailand Rayong Industrial Park and explore conducting pilot and demonstration projects in Thailand with regard to initiatives such as China-ASEAN parks of international industrial capacity cooperation and green industrial parks. Efforts should be made to speed up cooperation in vaccine filling, packaging and production, as well as anti-pandemic drug research and development. Don happily recalled his first visit to China when Thailand and China established diplomatic relations in 1975, saying that Thailand cherishes the traditional friendship between the two countries and is ready to work with China to pass on the Thailand-China friendship from generation to generation. Thailand attaches great importance to the implementation of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and stands ready to foster high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with China and actively participate in the Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. Thailand hopes to expand cooperation in agricultural trade and connectivity, guarantee the security of industrial and supply chains, and deepen cooperation in sustainable development. Don thanked China for providing convenience for Thai enterprises to invest in China. The two sides agreed to take solid steps to push forward the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and deepen pragmatic cooperation under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism. Wang Yi said, China welcomes and supports the fact that Thailand will once again take over the co-chair of the LMC mechanism. The two sides have in-depth communication on strengthening multilateral coordination. Wang Yi said, the current international situation is fraught with chaos and conflicts. World peace and development, the theme of the times, need to be defended urgently, and the stability and prosperity of Asia need to be cared for. China, Thailand and Indonesia will host three important meetings with global influence this year, namely the BRICS Summit, APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and the Group of Twenty Summit. China is ready to strengthen coordination with the two countries, pool more consensus, inject more positive energy and stability into the world, and jointly send a strong voice that Asian countries are committed to peace and development. The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine issue, among others. Wang Yi introduced the important opinions delivered by President Xi Jinping to European Union leaders on solving the Ukraine crisis on April 1, stressing that Asian countries should maintain peace and stability in the region, jointly resist unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that have no basis in international law, and prevent attempts to create tensions and replicate crises in the region. Don appreciates and understands China's objective and fair position on the Ukraine issue. The two sides also exchanged views on the Myanmar issue. Malaika was returning home from a fashion event, about which she had even posted updates on her Instagram account, when her driver lost balance and her Range Rover bumped into three cars on the expressway. She was rushed to Navi Mumbai's Apollo Hospital, where she was said to be recovering well, although shaken by the incident, and was likely to be discharged on Sunday. Apparently, she was resting her head on a cushion, which softened the impact of the accident. The local police have registered an FIR and are investigating the matter. --IANS aa/srb ( 136 Words) 2022-04-02-22:28:03 (IANS) Even after repenting and apologizing for his actions at the recently held 94th Academy Awards ceremony, it seems like Will Smith's career has come to a halt. The Hollywood Reporter recently informed that at least a couple of films signed by him as the lead actor, which were supposed to be in the works, have, for the time being, been suspended. Recently streaming giant Netflix put a hold on Smith's upcoming thriller film 'Fast and Loose' which was announced in July last year. A few reports obtained by the outlet also revealed that another streaming giant Sony has also hit the pause on Smith's much-awaited project 'Bad Boys 4'. Weeks before the 2022 Oscars ceremony, director David Leitch reportedly also pulled away from the project, electing to move to the Ryan Gosling vehicle 'Fall Guy' for Universal, and now the streaming giant has decided to pull away from the film, Variety reported. The Hollywood Reporter says other projects of Will may also be put on ice, which presumably could be his other Netflix movies including 'The Council' and 'Bright 2.' Speaking of his Sony projects, it was recently reported that Smith had apparently received 40 pages of the script for the 'Bad Boys' sequel. As per the reports obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, there are other Sony-tied films of his either as a producer or actor that might get halted. These projects include sequels to 'Hancock' and 'Karate Kid'. Fans are also awaiting the release of Smith's forthcoming Apple project 'Emancipation', whose release date has not been revealed yet. In the movie, Smith plays a runaway slave from a Louisiana plantation, portraying the man who infamously posed for a photo in which he shows off the many scars on his back. The action thriller film directed by Antoine Fuqua is written by William N Collage. 'Emancipation' was touted to have earned Will Smith another Oscar for this phenomenal performance. For the unversed, Smith on Friday (local time) announced that he has resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, days after he slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars. As per TMZ, this resignation would mean he cannot vote for others, but can still be nominated and even attend future Oscars ceremonies. Smith had previously apologized to the academy and to Rock. A few minutes after the incident, Smith was announced Best Actor at the Oscars. Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage after he got miffed at the latter's joke directed at his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. The 94th Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (ANI) Days after the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, actor and comedian Tony Rock slammed Will Smith for slapping his elder brother Chris Rock during the show's live telecast on Sunday. "If you walk your a-- up here, you ain't nominated for s--t but these motherf--ing hands!" Tony Rock told his audience during a recent stand-up comedy show, as per People magazine. Tony, 47, began his act by reminding the audience about the 2022 Oscars slap controversy involving his brother Chris, 57, and actor Will Smith, 53. A video from the stand-up comedy show was posted on YouTube where Tony could be seen opening up his Raleigh, North Carolina, performance with a warning, saying, "If you think you gonna walk up on this stage, this ain't the motherf--ing Oscars." "I didn't want to start the show like that!" Tony continued referencing the infamous Oscars incident, saying, "You gonna hit my motherf--ing brother because your b--h gave you a side-eye?" Earlier this week, Tony had taken to his Twitter, to disapprove of Smith's apology before noting that his brother is "fine" after the tribulation. He also told his followers on Tuesday that he is "waiting" for Smith to speak directly to his brother and family after a fan pointed out Smith's ordeal relationship with Chris Rock, over the years. Chris Rock declined the press charges against Smith at the Oscars 2022 ceremony. However, he broke his silence regarding the incident on Wednesday during his show at The Wilbur in Boston. "I'm still processing what happened," he told fans in the audience. Meanwhile, on Friday, Smith announced his resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, claiming he "will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct." Academy on their part stated that they "have received and accepted" Smith's immediate resignation from the organization. For the unversed, while presenting the best documentary feature award at the 2022 Oscars, Chris Rock made a joke about Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. Rock said he couldn't wait to see Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia areata, star in 'G.I. Jane 2' which led Smith to go up on stage and slap Rock. Smith returned to his seat and shouted, "Keep my wife's name out of your fu**ing mouth!" A few minutes after the incident, Smith was announced Best Actor at the 94th Academy Awards. While accepting his first-ever Oscar for best actor (leading role) in 'King Richard', Smith apologized to the Academy and fellow nominees but did not mention Rock. (ANI) As per E! News, the couple was spotted pushing a baby stroller in the Los Angeles area on Friday, April 1. While the duo didn't publically announce Mia's pregnancy news, People Magazine spotted the latter baring her baby bump while running errands in Pasadena, California. The actor was spotted wearing black leggings and a white long sleeve shirt that exposed the bottom of her belly. She paired the look with black sunglasses. Goth and LaBeouf, 35, were married in 2016, but in 2018, a rep for the actor confirmed the pair had decided to officially part ways. "Shia and Mia have filed for divorce. The separation is amicable and all details pertaining to the divorce proceedings will remain private," the rep said at the time. However, the pair -- who have split multiple times since meeting in 2012 -- sparked reconciliation rumours when LaBeouf was spotted wearing a wedding band in April 2020, while Goth was seen wearing both a diamond ring and wedding band.The couple was photographed arm-in-arm at Disneyland in June 2021. The couple first met while filming 'Nymphomaniac: Vol. II'. Goth later appeared in a music video LaBeouf directed in 2014. In December 2020, LaBeouf was sued by FKA Twigs, 33, for emotional, physical and sexual abuse. LaBeouf denied "each and every allegation" brought against him by Twigs in a response to her pending suit. (ANI) Several pictures and videos have been circulating on social media on Sunday, featuring her boyfriend and actor Arjun Kapoor leaving her residence in his car. Malaika's sister Amrita Arora also went to visit her sister's residence to check on her health. She was accompanied by her husband Shakeel Ladak. For the unversed, the accident took place when Malaika was returning from Pune and some cars collided with each other near Khalapur Toll Plaza on the Mumbai-Pune highway. She was hospitalised at the Apollo hospital in Navi Mumbai. (ANI) The 'A Thursday' actor took to her Twitter handle on Sunday and revealed that she has been unable to access her Instagram handle since Saturday. She tweeted, "Hi, This is to inform you all that I've been unable to access my Instagram account since yesterday, it's probably hacked. We're trying to recover it as soon as possible." Further, she cautioned her followers about any unusual activity on her account. She added, "Meanwhile, if there is any unusual activity through my account, please be aware of it. Thank you!" In February, Nora Fatehi's Instagram page had disappeared. Hours later, the actor released a statement saying there was an attempted hack on her Instagram. (ANI) Actor Vikrant Massey has turned 35 on Sunday. To make his birthday special, many B-town celebrities have sent warm birthday wishes to the actor on social media. Actor Anushka Sharma, who has worked with Vikrant in 'Dil Dhadakne Do', showered birthday love for the actor. Sharing a photo of Vikrant on her Instagram story, Anushka wrote, "Happy Birthday Vikrant! Wishing you love and light always." The 'Love Hostel' actor also replied to her by addressing her as 'didi', he wrote, "Thank you for your kind wishes didi. Your honesty & simplicity inspire me to be a better person each day!" Vikrant's '14 Phere' co-star Kriti Kharbanda also sent good wishes to Vikrant on his birthday. She shared a boomerang video with him and wrote, "Happy birthday @vikrantmassey. Sending u bahut saara pyaar and positivity. Have the best day!" The 'Masaan' actor Vicky Kaushal has also extended his birthday wishes to the actor. Taking to his Instagram story, he posted a black and white picture of Vikrant and penned a heartfelt message, "One of the best actors and best humans around. happiest birthday brother! @VikrantMassey." Vikrant also replied and wrote how he is blessed to have a brother like him, he wrote, "Says my brother who inspires me to be a better human, a better son and a better everything each day. Blessed to have you." Pulkit Samrat, who is currently busy shooting for his upcoming film 'Fukrey 3', has also wished the actor. "Happy birthday mere bhai!! Tumhare khoon mein talent hai!! more power to you! @Vikrantmassey, he wrote along with the actor's picture. Actor Sanjana Sanghi also posted an image of Vikrant and extended birthday wishes to the actor. Calling him the 'kindest and generous person', she wrote, "To the kindest and generous human being, tum jiyo hazaro saal. Happiest birthday Viks." Apart from Bollywood celebrities, his wife and actor Sheetal Thakur wished her husband by writing a heartfelt note and sharing adorable pictures on social media. (ANI) Hollywood star Denzel Washington has now spoken publicly about what happened at the 2022 Oscars ceremony where he was seen consoling Will Smith after the latter slapped Chris Rock. According to Variety, on Saturday morning, Washington attended author and Bishop T.D. Jakes' leadership summit for a discussion about his career and faith when Jakes asked him about what happened between Smith and Rock at the Oscars. Washington told Jakes on stage, "Well, there's a saying, 'When the devil ignores you, then you know you're doing something wrong.' The devil goes, 'Oh no, leave him alone, he's my favourite.' Conversely, when the devil comes at you, maybe it's because he's trying to do something right. And for whatever reason, the devil got ahold of that circumstance that night." "Fortunately there were people there. Not just me, but others. Tyler Perry came immediately right over there with me. [Said] some prayers. I don't wanna say what we talked about, but for the grace of God go any of us. Who are we to condemn? I don't know all the ins and outs of the situation, but I know the only solution was prayer, the way I see it," the actor continued. During the Oscars ceremony, Washington was seen speaking to Smith after he slapped Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences launched an investigation into the assault this week, and on Friday Smith resigned from the Academy's membership. As per Variety, at his first stand-up show since the slap, Rock spoke about the incident in Boston, saying that he's still "processing what happened" and will discuss it at a later time. (ANI) The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over incidents of harassment and violence against doctors. Requesting the PM for the implementation of a Central Act for Protection of Doctors, FORDA said, "Observing the alarming trends, we had submitted representations on multiple occasions requesting the implementation of a Central Act for Protection of Doctors as well as for setting up an Indian Medical Service (IMS) cadre to curb such incidents in the future. Unfortunately, there has been no positive response from the concerned authorities yet." Recently, the suicide of a lady doctor -- Archna Sharma -- in Rajasthan's Dausa district, who was accused of murder after one of her patient died, sent shock waves across the state and triggered protests even in the national capital. "The tragic incident of suicide by Archna Sharma in Dausa is one such incident wherein the doctor was harassed by local leaders and goons to an extent that she was compelled to take the extreme step. Subsequently, another incident of harassment by a bureaucrat was reported from Dehradun wherein Nidhi Uniyal resigned from her job at a government medical college," the letter said. The FORDA requested the Prime Minister to take necessary measures to prevent incidents of harassment and violence against doctors. --IANS avr/arm ( 229 Words) 2022-04-02-22:38:04 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has expedited the probe in the murder case of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha after taking over from Karnataka police. Araga Jnanendra, Minister for Home on Saturday said that after finding about the background of the accused and the organisations behind them, it was felt appropriate to hand over the case to the NIA. "The state has conducted an in-depth investigation and it was found that it was intended to spark communal violence. Apart from this, I can't tell anything about the case as a Home Minister," he said. Lakshmi Prasad, SP of Shivamogga said that the local police have handed over all documents to the NIA and are cooperating in the investigation. Harsha was murdered by a gang in Shivamogga on February 20, triggering violence and the case made national headlines. The curfew was clamped in Shivamogga for 8 days to avoid violence. Later, the police arrested 10 persons in connection with the case and invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against them. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that it is more than a case of murder. Hindu organisations suspect the forces that got Harsha killed wanted to send a message to youth to desist from Hindutva activities. The state government has provided Rs 25 lakh compensation to the family and the public have also donated large money. --IANS mka/skp/ ( 238 Words) 2022-04-02-19:16:14 (IANS) A freight train left Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Saturday for Laos' Vientiane, marking the opening of Guangxi's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway. Loaded with 165 tonnes of industrial products produced by companies in Guangxi, the train will arrive in Vientiane in three days, according to the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. Compared with sea shipping and other traditional methods, the freight train can cut the transportation time by more than 10 days, which helps save companies' costs, said Qian Feng, general manager of the Sinotrans Limited Guangxi branch, a participant in the cross-border transportation. "The operation of the China-Laos Railway has created convenient and efficient traffic conditions for Guangxi's products to enter the Laos market, and a number of companies interested in developing business in Laos have consulted us," said Qian. The China-Laos Railway, which kicked off operation on Dec. 3, 2021, stretches over 1,000 km, linking Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with the Laotian capital Vientiane. Flagging off the two new Mumbai Metro corridors -- Line 2 and Line 7 -- Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday slammed the Centre for creating obstacles on projects related to Mumbai, and questioned the utility of the upcoming bullet train project. "The first bullet train (for India) should have been started between Mumbai and Nagpur, not between Mumbai and Ahmedabad... Tell me, how is the bullet train between Mumbai-Ahmedabad going to be useful to you?" Thackeray asked. While the Centre is eager for the bullet train project, it has taken over the land intended for the International Finance Centre in the prime Bandra Kurla Complex, he said of the pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "If you have love for Mumbai then why don't you give us the Kanjurmar (salt-pan) lands for the Mumbai Metro Rail project? Railway land is not being transferred for the Dharavi redevelopment project, land is not being given to us for a pumping station," Thackeray said here. He added how Maharashtra contributes the highest amount of GST in the country, yet the state's dues are still not cleared on time. "We are not begging, we are only firmly demanding our share of the taxes, but it is being consistently denied to us," rued the CM. Taking a swipe at the state Bharatiya Janata Party leader who accused him of claiming credit for the two new lines of Mumbai Metro, Thackeray retorted saying if they had so much concern for the city, then why are roadblocks being created for the state's important infrastructure projects. Earlier, Thackeray flagged off two new Metro Line 2A and Line 7, both in the suburbs - on the auspicious occasion of Gudi Padwa, the Maharashtrian New Year. Present were Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, other Cabinet ministers of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, senior officials and other dignitaries. The two new lines shall start operations daily 5 a.m.-11 p.m. from tomorrow (Sunday) for commuters, with fares ranging from Rs 10-Rs 40 for the air-conditioned rides at speed of around 70-kmph, said MMRDA Commissioner S.V.R. Srinivas. Both fully elevated, Line 2A runs from Dahisar East to D.N. Nagar in Andheri West via the new Link Road, and Line 7 runs from Dahisar East to Andheri East via the Western Express Highway - are partially complete. When fully completed, Line 7 will be 33.50 km long with 29 stations and Line 2A shall be 18 km long with 17 stations en route. Though the trains are equipped to operate with a driverless system, initially they will be operated by a contingent of around 60 male and female drivers. The development came after nearly 11 months of trial runs on these 2 lines since May 2021. It maybe recalled that the city got the 11.50 km long Mumbai Metro One - its first and only so far - elevated line on June 8, 2014, linking Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar in the east-west direction. The Line 2A and Line 7 were sanctioned in October 2015 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone during the erstwhile Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of the (then) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The entire corridors of the two new lines are expected to be ready in the next five-six months, officials said. --IANS qn/pgh ( 552 Words) 2022-04-02-21:20:05 (IANS) The Karnataka government is likely to issue a fresh guideline to make the 'stunning' process mandatory for slaughterhouses across the state, sources said on Saturday. The development comes amid a demand for ban on 'halal' meat. 'Stunning' is a process where an animal is rendered unconscious while being slaughtered. Reacting to the development, Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar told people not to get scared about the circular being issued by the Animal Husbandry Department. "If anyone troubles you, give us a call, our workers will be sent to the spot," he said. "Don't be scared of handbills distributed by the RSS and BJP activists in this regard. This is our responsibility," Shivakumar said. "I am getting calls from farmers from all over the state. They are saying there is no one to buy their chicken, sheep or goat," he stated. The BJP has created this situation with political motive, he alleged. "Since last week, peace in the society has been disturbed with political motive," Shivakumar said, referring to the ban on Muslim merchants in temples and religious fairs and the issue of halal meat. "Though the concerned minister is refusing, the circular to make 'stunning' compulsory in slaughterhouses has been released by the Animal Husbandry Department of Karnataka government. It instructs police and other officers to ensure animals are cut only after a stunning, which renders them unconscious," he said. "I have seen human beings rendered unconscious before they undergo surgeries. But I am coming across the 'stunning' process for the first time. In this country, the food habits of people have developed for thousands of years. People should continue with what they are doing, especially our farmers and business community. Don't destroy Karnataka," he said. "Do not snatch away people's livelihood. Let all communities live unitedly," Shivakumar said. --IANS mka/arm ( 315 Words) 2022-04-02-21:46:02 (IANS) Chinese president Xi Jinping's online rendezvous with European leaders in Brussels on Friday defied an undercurrent of tensions that have seeped into EU-China relations because of the Russia-Ukraine war. Xi tried to wiggle out of the geopolitical quagmire that Beijing finds itself in by telling EU leaders that China has its own way of pursuing peace. However, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned China not to let Russia bypass sanctions that have been imposed by EU nations and the US after Russian president Vladimir Putin's misadventure in Ukraine. Parts of Ukraine have been under the Kremlin's influence for years even before Moscow last month decided to send troops into the country, destabilising the region, sending ripples across financial markets and making oil markets nervous through the world. Xi's repertoire of statements in the summit which saw Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meet the leaders virtually before the main meeting began, included urging Brussels to form an independent policy on China. This assertion of an independent policy implies a break from what Beijing sees as Brussels' kowtowing to the requirements of the US strategy which China claims can ultimately lead to a decoupling between the world's two largest economies. Chinese state media quoted Xi as saying that the Ukraine crisis has come after a protracted Covid-19 pandemic and a stuttering global recovery. In this context, China and the EU, as two major forces, big markets and great civilisations, should step up communication on relations and on major issues concerning global peace and development, and play a constructive role in adding stabilising factors to a turbulent world, the Global Times quoted the Chinese leader as saying during the summit. Michel told a press briefing after the summit: "We called on China to help end the war in Ukraine. China cannot turn a blind eye to Russia's violation of international law." China has lent tacit support to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, refusing to condemn it but calling for a political situation to the crisis. Beijing finds itself in a tight spot as it cannot displease its traditional ally and chief US adversary. US and China have seen relations plummet over several bilateral issues, recently more so due to US stance over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Though the West-China divide has seen the entire Western hemisphere go ballistic at China over the Ukrainian invasion, Beijing does not want itself isolated over the geopolitical standoff that has seen Putin at the receiving end of worldwide criticism. Says a European academic who teaches EU law: "I won't call the meeting very good. They were threatening to slap sanctions if China supported Russia with money or arms. The problem is that China wants a GDP growth of 5 per cent which can only be reached if does not sever ties with Europe. On the other hand, the Covid situation in the business hub of Shanghai is bad." To keep the economy going at a steady pace, China needs the help of the West, a truth corroborated by von der Leyen who said on Friday that Beijing needed to defend the international order that has made China the world's second-largest economy. Therefore, Xi's European stance, though not capitulation to Brussels can be seen as a climbdown. China is afraid of Western solidarity, adds the European academic. --IANS mukesh/pgh ( 572 Words) 2022-04-02-21:48:05 (IANS) The official said the Department received a call about the fire at the Parikrama Restaurant at around 5.35 p.m. As many as six fire tenders were pressed into service. "The firemen doused the flames in just 20 minutes at 5.55 p.m., and even the cooling process was immediately completed," the official said. Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg told IANS that there has been no casualties. "It was a minor fire," he said. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. --IANS uj/pgh ( 121 Words) 2022-04-02-22:38:05 (IANS) The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has said that approximately, Rs 2 crore has been spent on inventorisation of 40 sacred groves and phyto-diversity characterisation of multiple sacred groves etc. in Meghalaya. Sacred groves are community conserved land parcels with rich biodiversity, which usually have a significant religious connotation for protecting the community and can be notified as Community Conserved Areas under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and Biodiversity Heritage Sites under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. Replying to a question by Lok Sabha MP Vincent Pala in March last week whether any study has been undertaken by the government to assess the potential of Sacred Groves in creating a sustainable future, Yadav said, over about last 8-9 years, the studies undertaken and completed for sacred groves in Meghalaya include inventorisation (Growing Stock Assessment) of 40 Sacred Groves; Phyto-diversity and Phyto-sociological characterisation of 10 Sacred Groves having an area of 216.76 Ha; preparation of management plans of 12 Sacred Groves and boundary survey for 133 Sacred Groves. Rs 30 lakh was spent on the inventorization (Growing Stock Assessment) of 40 Sacred Groves project (2013-14). Rs 40 lakh was spent on boundary survey for 133 Sacred Groves in 2013-14; Rs 9.36 lakh for the same in 2014-15 and Rs 10.50 lakh in 2019-20. Rs 20 lakh was spent on Phyto-diversity and Phyto-sociological characterisation of 10 Sacred Groves having an area of 216.76 Ha (2014-15) carried out by the Department of Environmental Studies NEHU, Shillong, the Minister said. The wildlife conservation activities in the Sacred Grove notified as community reserve amounted to Rs 101.59 lakh between 2013-2021, the Minister added. --IANS niv/pgh ( 297 Words) 2022-04-02-23:00:04 (IANS) Speaking to ANI, Gehlot said, "I have spoken to DG police. Police and administration are present there. I appeal to the public to maintain peace and stay away from miscreants who are present in every religion." The Chief Minister said that he has directed the police to identify the anti-social elements. Taking to Twitter, Gehlot appealed to help maintain law and order. "Took detailed information from DG, police on the incident that took place in Karauli. Instructed the police to deal with the miscreants strictly. I appeal to the common people to maintain peace and help in maintaining law and order," he tweeted in Hindi. Many people were injured in the incident, of which 27 were treated and sent home, 10 are undergoing treatment in the hospital and 3 seriously injured were referred to Jaipur. The injured were admitted to the District General Hospital. Among the injured people four were police officers. More than 600 policemen including 50 police officers deployed in Karauli. (ANI) Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday took a jibe at Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on the day the latter urged the people of poll-bound Gujarat to give his party a chance in the forthcoming Assembly elections, and said that they "create an atmosphere via the media" but have "nothing on the ground". Speaking to ANI during his visit to Chandigarh to attend an event at the Chandigarh University, Thakur said, "Arvind Kejriwal has contested against Prime Minister Narendra Modi before, you've seen his condition. He couldn't win a seat in Uttar Pradesh, did you see his condition in Uttarakhand, Goa? Sometimes they create an atmosphere via media but have nothing on the ground." Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the Minister called him the "world's most loved leader" and said that the BJP gets votes "unilaterally" in his name wherever there are elections in the country. "At the end of the year, BJP will come again in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat as well. Modi Ji is globally known as the world's most loved leader. Whenever there are elections in the country, BJP gets votes in the name of PM Modi unilaterally," he said. Asked about the party's huge defeat in the recently concluded Punjab Assembly elections in which the BJP managed to win only two seats, Thakur said that the party would win the 2027 Assembly elections in the state. "We started the campaign very late in Punjab but our seats didn't reduce, our vote share has also increased. In 2027 Assembly elections in Punjab, we will come to power in the state," he said. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held a Tiranga Yatra in Ahmedabad and urged the people of Gujarat on Saturday to give one chance to his party in the forthcoming elections in the state. He further said that his party will end the cycle of corruption in the state after coming to power. (ANI) Former chief minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje on Saturday condemned the stone-pelting on the Shobha Yatra being carried out on the occasion of Nav Samvatsar in Karauli and said that the incident could have been avoided if the administration had been vigilant. The former chief minister also demanded strict action against the culprits. "I strongly condemn the attack on the Shobha Yatra taken out on Nav Samvatsar in Karauli by the people of the opposite mindset. Hate mentality cannot be allowed to flourish in peace-loving Rajasthan. The administration should take strict action against the culprits," she said. "If the administration had been vigilant before the Yatra, such an incident could have been averted. The atmosphere of harmony also deteriorated due to the apathy of the administration. The state government should take immediate action," Raje added. The BJP leader also spoke to the people injured in the incident and enquired about their well-being. She also enquired about the health of the people admitted to the hospital. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday appealed to the people to maintain peace and asked them to stay away from the miscreants. Speaking to ANI, Gehlot said, "I have spoken to DG police. Police and administration are present there. I appeal to the public to maintain peace and stay away from miscreants who are present in every religion." Many people were injured in the incident, of which 27 were treated and sent home, 10 are undergoing treatment in the hospital and 3 seriously injured were referred to Jaipur. The injured were admitted to the District General Hospital. Among the injured people four were police officers. More than 600 policemen including 50 police officers deployed in Karauli. (ANI) One person got injured in cross-firing between Uttar Pradesh police and two miscreants on a motorcycle who tried to flee when the cops stopped them at a checkpoint in the Rampur district, said officials on Saturday. Police informed that one miscreant sustained injuries while the other remains absconding. "We tried to stop two persons for regular checking at a checkpoint who were coming on a motorcycle in Saifni village of Rampur district, however, they fled. One of our officials chased them on a two-wheeler and they started firing at him," ASP Sansar Singh told ANI. He further said, "The police official also fired back on the two miscreants in a bid to protect himself. So, one of the miscreants got injured in the cross-firing." Police said that the injured has been shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. "The injured has been shifted to a hospital while the absconded has a criminal background. He is also wanted in two other criminal cases. Action will be taken against the miscreants," police added. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) Amid the rumours of his meeting with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo asserted on Friday that generations of his family have been in Congress and he would stay put in the party. "I will not join the BJP because of ideological differences... Five generations of my family have been in Congress. I am not leaving the party. It is difficult for me to even think beyond Congress," said Deo while interacting with reporters on Saturday. He further hinted that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders had contacted him but he denied rumours of his leaving Congress. "I've not met Arvind Kejriwal but it's true that in politics there are people who contact each other. So, it's not like that no one contacted me. But I told them the same thing, I am telling you right now, that generations of my family have been in Congress and I will continue the tradition," he said. Deo's statements assume significance amid his row with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Furnishing detail over the selection of Chief Minister after Congress gained a majority in the 2018 Assembly elections, Deo said he was called to Delhi to meet party leadership with three other leaders. "After the result, four persons were called to Delhi to meet party leadership over the issue of CM. Bhupesh Baghel, Charandas Mahant, Tamradhwaj Sahu and me. Discussions were held and the leadership took the decision," he said. Chhattisgarh is headed for Assembly elections next year. (ANI) File photo taken on April 26, 2019 shows the first "new international land-sea trade corridor" rail-ocean intermodal train bound for Indonesia in southwest China's Chongqing. [Photo/Xinhua] The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a trade and logistics passage jointly built by western Chinese provincial regions and Singapore, launched a new transport route on Saturday creating the first link directly to the Indian Ocean. Carrying motorcycle parts, the route's first outbound rail-sea transport freight train left southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Saturday. It will first reach the Laotian capital Vientiane by railway and pass through Thailand via highways before arriving at Myanmar's Yangon, its final destination. The new freight service is estimated to take about 10 to 14 days to reach Yangon, cutting the logistics time by more than 20 days compared to the traditional route that goes to eastern coastal cities via the Yangtze River and then out to sea, according to the corridor's operator. By the end of last year, destinations that can be reached via the corridor had been expanded to 315 ports in 107 countries and regions worldwide. In 2021, the rail-sea transport freight trains and cross-border highway shuttle buses and international railway intermodal freight trains launched by Chongqing recorded 60-percent, 17-percent and 30-percent year-on-year growth in goods volume accordingly. Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) working president and Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday announced that the party will organize a five-pronged protest against the Centre's stance on paddy procurement from Telangana. He further said, "TRS party has come up with an action plan against the Centre and state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. On April 4, protests will be held at all Mandal headquarters in the state. On April 6, TRS workers will hold 'Rasta roko' on the National Highways leading to Mumbai, Nagpur, Bengaluru, and Vijaywada. On April 7, protests will be held with lakhs of farmers at all district headquarters except Hyderabad. On April 8, every farmer will hoist a black flag across 12,769 panchayats in the state. On April 11, TRS ministers and public representatives will hold protests and the party MPs will voice their opposition in Parliament." While addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan on Saturday, Rao said they had appealed to Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal several times last year over the purchase of paddy. He added that paddy should be purchased from the state under the Food Security Act. Further, he said the issue was linked to the lives of millions of farmers. He added, "center was not buying paddy and that's why told farmers to plant alternative crops, but now they took a u-turn." He questioned what happened to BJP leader Bandi Sanjay's words that he will persuade the center to buy the last grain of paddy questions KTR. He further questioned, "Why isn't the Centre buying in Punjab and not buying in Telangana?" KTR warned those who insulted the people of Telangana to leave. "You say one nation one ration then why not one nation one procurement policy said KTR." (ANI) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday expressed hope that the Kashmiri Pandits who were displaced from their homes in the 1990s after the onset of terrorism will soon return back to their houses in the Kashmir valley. "I have a feeling that the day is very near when the Kashmiri Pandits will come back to their homes and I wish that day comes soon," said Bhagwat while addressing the Kashmiri Hindu community via video conference on the last day of the Navreh celebrations here. Bhagwat said that the Vivek Agnihotri directed 'The Kashmir Files' has revealed the true picture of the Kashmiri Pandits and their exodus in the 1990s from the Kashmir valley. The Vivek-Agnihotri directed 'The Kashmir Files', which was released in theatres on March 11, stars Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumaar and others. The film has sharply polarised the political spectrum in the country. "Today, every Indian knows about the truth of the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits. This is the time that Kashmiri Pandits have to go back to their own homes in a way that they are never uprooted again in future," the RSS chief added. The RSS chief also said that the Kashmiri Pandits should take a resolve to return to their homeland, so the situation will change soon. He said, "Some are in support of this movie, some are calling it half-truth... But the common people of this nation are of the opinion that by presenting this harsh truth to the world, this film has not only presented the pain of displaced Kashmiris but shaken us as well." He further said that nobody can force the Kashmiri Pandits to leave, and if anybody tries to do it, then he will have to face the consequences. Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra (SSK), Jammu, organised a three-day programme, beginning April 1 and will conclude today, to celebrate the 'Tyaag and Shaurya Divas', urging the 'Kashmiri Samaj' to take a pledge to return to their homeland on the auspicious occasion of Navreh. The film shows the plight of Kashmiri Pandits who had to flee the valley in the 1990s to escape the militancy. The SSK has been celebrating the 'Navreh, Tyaag and Shaurya Divas' with the community members and school children for several years while also organising seminars, essay writing and quiz competitions to highlight the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits. This coincides with the first day of the Chaitra (spring) Navratras. Kashmiri Pandits dedicate the Navreh festival to their Goddess Sharika and pay homage to her during the festival. (ANI) Coming up heavily over Maharashtra NavnirmanSena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray over his remark to remove loudspeakers from mosques, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that Maharashtra is the state where law still prevails. Raj also claimed that 'Azaan' has been stopped, and loudspeakers have been removed in all the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states. "Raj Thackeray was talking about taking down the loudspeakers installed in mosques yesterday. First, see in which all BJP ruled states Azaan has been stopped, loudspeakers removed from mosques...This is Maharashtra, where law of the land is followed," Raut told media persons here. Earlier on Saturday, Raj Thackeray asked the state government to remove the loudspeakers from mosques and warned of "putting loudspeakers in front of the mosques and playing Hanuman Chalisa". Reacting to his remarks, Sanjay Raut said that the Maharashtra Home Minister will do everything as per the law and the law of the land prevails in the state. "People thought it (MNS chief Raj Thackeray's event at Shivaji Park yesterday) was BJP's event...The law of the land prevails in Maharashtra. Home minister will do everything as per the law to ensure law and order in state," he said. Thackeray also said, "I am not against prayers, you can pray at your home, but the government should take a decision on removing mosque loudspeakers. I am warning now... Remove loudspeakers or else will put loudspeakers in front of the mosque and play Hanuman Chalisa." He also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raid the mosques in the Muslim areas in Mumbai and said that the people living there are "Pakistani supporters". The MNS chief hit out at NCP chief Sharad Pawar and said that he is responsible for the rise of casteist politics in Maharashtra after the formation of his party in 1999. (ANI) With the onset of the pious month of Ramzan, the Indian Army in the Boniyar area of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district rose to the occasion to provide necessary assistance to the local Imams' idea to include tailoring classes for the students of darul ulooms in addition to the ongoing curriculum. The Indian Army, in a press release, said that the local populace took Ramzan as an opportunity to uplift the ongoing educational learning at the local darul ulooms in the Boniyar Tehsil. "The Imams at the darul uloom of Bernate came up with an ideology to include tailoring class for the students in addition to the ongoing curriculum," it informed. The locals approached the Indian Army to ask for their help in providing the necessary assistance in undertaking the change in the curriculum at the onset of the pious month of Ramzan, said the Indian Army's statement. "The Indian Army rose to the opportunity and provided the local darul ulooms with tailoring machines and also with additional assistance in sustaining the tailoring classes which ultimately will help in providing overall grooming of the students of the darul ulooms," said the statement. "The locals expressed their gratitude and described it as a remarkable step to bring strong Bonhomie among the Army and the Locals," the release read further. The month brings with it peace and harmony. People are busy praying during this holy month. They refused all the pleasures of life. It is not only a fasting month, but it is also a time to learn to avoid lying and cheating, as well as a time to control oneself from all evil deeds. It is time to do good deeds. The Army further added that it is rightfully said, "Ramzan is, in its essence, a month of humanist spirituality." (ANI) According to police, arrested people were providing logistics and transportation to terrorists in the districts. "On a specific input security forces recovered one Chinese Grenade in Ashtango area of Bandipora along with terror associates identified as Irfan Ahmad Bhat resident of Ashtango, Sajad Ahmad Mir resident of Arin and Irfan Ahmad Jan resident of Qazipora Bandipora and other incriminating material was also recovered from their possession," reads the statement. Meanwhile, at a check post (naka) in the Rakh Hajin area of Bandipora district security forces arrested one terror associate and recovered one Chinese grenade from his possession. "Irfan Aziz Bhat resident of Hajin was also in touch with Pakistan based terrorist Umer Lala and killed terrorist Saleem Parray of Hajin. The Said terror associate along with his Pakistan based terrorist were planning to create terror incident in Hajin area," said police. Bandipora and Hajin Police Stations have registered respective cases under relevant sections of law. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) Representatives and dignitaries of the Sikh society of Gujarat called on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday, after the latter's visit to the Swaminarayan Temple in Gujarat's Shahibaug with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. According to the AAP's recent tweet, both the leaders visited the temple to offer prayers for the country's peace and prosperity. Earlier on Saturday, following the Tiranga Yatra, both the leaders had visited Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, where they spun Charkha. In the yatra, they urged the people of Gujarat to give one chance to his party in the forthcoming elections in the state. He further assured that his party will end the cycle of corruption in the state after coming to power. "I don't know how to do politics but I do know how to end corruption. We have finished corruption in Delhi. Today, if you go to any office in Delhi, you don't have to pay a bribe," said Kejriwal during Tiranga Yatra in Ahmedabad. "Similarly, Bhagwant Mann ended corruption in Punjab in mere 10 days of his governance. If you don't believe me, ask any of your friends in Punjab. Today, all work gets done in Punjab be it license office, tehsildar office, within 10 minutes," he added. Speaking to people during the roadshow, Mann said, "Delhi and Punjab are sorted, now we are preparing for Gujarat." AAP's official Twitter handle termed this roadshow as 'AAP Gujarat Tiranga Yatra'. During the roadshow, a tableau of Delhi's world-famous Mohalla Clinic was displayed in the Ahmedabad roadshow. The Gujarat Assembly elections are slated to be held this year. AAP's Gujarat hope has been fuelled by its performance in the February 2021 Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls in which BJP won 93 seats, while Aam Aadmi Party bagged 27 seats in the Surat Municipal Corporation election and Congress drew a blank. (ANI) After a blazing streak of light piercing through the night skies was witnessed in several districts of Maharashtra yesterday, two villages in Sindewahi tehsil in Chandrapur district found a metal ring and a spherical object, an official informed on Sunday. Speaking to ANI, Tehsildar of Sindewahi, Ganesh Jagdale said that a metal ring of about 3-metre and a spherical object was found "which seemed to have fallen from the sky". "Yesterday night we received information about a 3-metre ring being found in a village in Sindewahi. The ring was hot and seemed like it has fallen from the sky while a spherical object was found in another village today morning," he told ANI. Meanwhile, yesterday's unusual event was captured by people on their phones and shared on social media. While many people described the sighting as a "meteor shower," astronomer Jonathan McDowell speculated that the celestial event seen over Maharashtra was actually the "re-entry of a Chinese rocket stage" that was launched in February 2021. A resident of Buldhana of Maharashtra said that the streak of light was seen by several people in the district. Suresh Chopade, president of Skywatch group, Nagpur, said a rare event was observed by several people in Maharashtra in the evening and they shared its videos and pictures. Chopade said he had been observing space-related events for the past 25 years and it seems like the event was related to a satellite. "It seems like a satellite of some nation might have fallen accidentally or may have been caused to fall intentionally. It does not seem like a meteor shower or fireball," he said. He said it could be parts of a meteorite but the colours indicated that "a metallic thing" has accompanied it while coming towards earth. Jonathan McDowell, who is an astronomer at the Center for Astrophysics and comments on space launches, referred to the event in a tweet. "I believe this is the reentry of a Chinese rocket stage, the third stage of the Chang Zheng 3B serial number Y77 which was launched in Feb 2021 - it was expected to reenter in the next hour or so and the track is a good match," he said. Shashank Gattewar, who lives in Manish Nagar, Nagpur, shot the scene with his mobile. He said he suddenly saw some light in the sky, "where one after the other several spheres" were coming in the direction of the earth from the sky. Another person said that they saw the blaze for two minutes and later the light disappeared. "We saw these balls going towards Aurangabad," he said. The Tehsildar of Yeola, Pramod Hile, said an "ulkapat" (meteorite) was visible in the sky at around 8 pm." I saw it myself. It was split into four parts. No damage has been caused and there is nothing to fear," he added. (ANI) Condemning the stone-pelting incident in Rajasthan's Karauli, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Sunday called it a "matter of concern" saying that the state government is working on the policy of appeasement, and it has become unsuccessful in maintaining the law and order situation here. An incident of stone-pelting took place during the Shobha Yatra on the occasion of Nav Samvatsar in Rajasthan's Karauli yesterday. "If people are being attacked here for celebrating the Indian New Year in India, then it is a matter of concern. This matter should be investigated and the culprits should be punished," the minister said. He also said, "The way Rajasthan government is working on the policy of appeasement and has become unsuccessful in maintaining law and order situation in the state, it has failed in every aspect here." Shekhawat said that the peaceful areas of Rajasthan are now suffering from nuisance, crime, and atrocities against women. "The silent parts of Rajasthan are now suffering from nuisance, crime and atrocities against women. Criminals have become fearless in the state. State Police has also fallen under the political ideology. They have forgotten the difference between right and wrong," he added. Many people were injured in the incident, of which 27 were treated and sent home, 10 are undergoing treatment in the hospital and 3 seriously injured were referred to Jaipur. The injured were admitted to the District General Hospital. Among the injured people four were police officers. The Chief Minister said that he has directed the police to identify the anti-social elements. Section 144 was imposed following stone-pelting at a 'Shobha Yatra' in Rajasthan's Karauli. Meanwhile, the former chief minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje also condemned the incident and said that the incident could have been avoided if the administration had been vigilant. She demanded strict action against the culprits. (ANI) The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) Unit of Delhi Police's Special Cell has arrested eight persons from Delhi and other parts of the country for allegedly extorting the people on the pretext of providing and repaying the loan amount. The accused were using a Chinese loan application to provide loans and extorting and abusing people on the pretext of not repaying the loan amount. IFSO Unit of Special Cell has arrested eight persons so far from Delhi, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, Gurugram, Haryana and other parts of the country. According to the police, a complaint was received by the IFSO unit, where the complainant alleged that some anonymous person was abusing and threatening her by morphed pictures and sending the same to her family and others. The complainant has taken a loan from the Chinese application. Although she repaid the same in time after repaying the said amount she started getting threatening and abusive WhatsApp calls and messages from the loan company's employees, the police said. A team of police officials conducted raids at Pitampura and Rohini areas, where the accused namely Rohit Kumar, Vividh Kumar, Puneet, and Manish were arrested and the mobile numbers and devices used in the crime were also recovered from them. The police arrested another accused Divya, wife of Puneeth Kumar, who was also found involved in the case later. During the investigation, it was found that out of the two teams running the racket, one team used to track loan seekers and after one day used to call the loan seekers through different mobile numbers, to refund the money, the police said. "Even after the refund, the accused used to extort more money from the loan seeker by threatening them. While the second team of the gang used to manage the financial transactions. After receiving the extortion amount in the bank, the accused used to transfer the money to their masters in China, Hong Kong, Dubai etc after converting it into cryptocurrency. All the gang members were getting their share accordingly to their role and their performance," the police said. DCP IFSO, KPS Malhotra revealed that the complainant received threats from multiple WhatsApp numbers. One alleged WhatsApp contact user was using the picture of a senior IPS Officer as a profile picture. The loan app is malicious and uses the personal details of the user to send it to a third party, the police informed. The police found that the extorted amount was being transferred to a current account. An amount of Rs 8.45 crores was credited in the past 15 days and the same was transferred to other accounts simultaneously. The police arrested the account holder identified as Rohit Kumar. On March 14, police arrested the mastermind of the group, Ravi Shakar from Jodhpur, who provided all the bank accounts to one alleged Chinese national. The police said, "It was further found that the cheated amount was being sent to China through cryptocurrency by the accused Krishana. The police identified the Crypto accounts of three Chinese nationals involved in the case." In another raid conducted at Gurugram, police arrested accused Sumit, who used to make calls to victims through a fraudulently obtained WhatsApp number. On the basis of this disclosure statement of accused Sumit, another accused namely Kartik Panchal alias Deepak was arrested who was the team leader. It was further found that he was running a team of callers who used to make calls to the loan seekers who had taken a loan from their App. The police filed the case under sections 384, 385,419, 420, and 120 of the Indian Penal Code. (ANI) A meeting of the Congress Parliamentary party will be chaired by the party's interim President Sonia Gandhi on April 5 at 9.30 am in the Parliament. This comes as seven key Bills, including "The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill" and "The Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill", have been listed on the agenda of the Rajya Sabha for the last week of the ongoing Budget session. Six of the seven Bills listed on the agenda of the Rajya Sabha have already been passed by the Lok Sabha. "The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022", passed by the Lok Sabha last week, proposes to authorise the police to take measurements of convicts and accused for the purposes of their identifications and investigations in criminal matters to preserve records. The second half of the Budget session commenced on March 14 and will conclude on April 8. The first half of the Budget session began on January 31 and concluded on February 11. Moreover, these days, the Congress party is lashing out at the Centre against the fuel price hike that is reverberating across the country. Fuel prices continue to rise with petrol and diesel rates rising by another 80 paise per litre each on Sunday, taking the total increase in rates in less than two weeks to Rs 8 per litre. Congress on March 11 saw a significant defeat in Punjab wherein the new entrant Aam Aadmi Party snatched power from Congress in the state. The party also failed to make a mark in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. Keeping in view of this development and ahead of the upcoming Assembly Elections slated to be held this year in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, wherein Bharatiya Janata Party is in power, the meeting called by the Congress party hold crucial importance. Notably, the Congress party is in power in five of the total states. It has chief ministers, however, only in two states: Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. In the other three -- Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu -- the Congress is a junior partner. (ANI) You are here: China China has released a circular demanding that online platforms not slander deceased heroes during the upcoming Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, which falls on April 5 this year. The circular, issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China, aims to standardize the management of online tomb-sweeping activities. Online platforms are not allowed to spread vulgar, feudal, or superstitious information, said the circular, adding the platforms should promptly handle tip-offs from netizens. The police arrested a man for allegedly molesting a 7-year-old minor girl in Assam's Biswanath district on Sunday. The incident took place in the Kathonibari area in Biswanath district where a group of villagers had allegedly thrashed the man, painted his face and made him to walk through the entire village wearing a garland of footwear. The accused was identified as Mohim Bora (56) who is also a resident of the same village. The mother of the victim minor girl said that when her daughter was playing in front of the accused person's house, he lured the girl and took her inside his house and allegedly molested her. Leena Doley, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Biswanath district told ANI that "the accused was arrested and a case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act." "The man had molested the minor girl and we will take action as per the law," Doley added further. (ANI) Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India's global image has changed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and its stand on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is being welcomed everywhere. "India's global image has changed in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All countries across the world now listen carefully when India speaks...India's stand on the Russia-Ukraine war is being welcomed by everyone. India's opponents also praising India's stand on the issue," Singh said while addressing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers during a 'Holi Milan' event in Lucknow. The Minister said that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has also welcomed India's stand on the Russia-Ukraine war. Singh's comment came days after Pakistan's Prime Minister lauded the Narendra Modi government's 'neutral' foreign policy over the Russia-Ukraine war saying that it is for the betterment of people. Imran Khan earlier said, "I praise our neighbouring country Hindustan. They have always had an independent foreign policy. Today, India is the US's ally, and they are part of QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue that includes the US, Australia and Japan). (But) they say they are neutral." "They are importing oil from Russia despite sanctions (imposed by the US-led West in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine] because their policy is for the betterment of people," he said. Prime Minister Imran Khan said this at a public rally in the Malakand area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, his party's home turf in Pakistan. Addressing the BJP workers, Singh also said that BJP's role in creating India's global image is credible, and that "I want that India should be made self-dependent". The Minister said, "400 billion dollar export has been done from India for the first time". As far as the defence sector is concerned, Singh said "we are determined to manufacture all defence materials here... If we will not be able to manufacture all defence items needed by India, we will not be able to achieve the goal of self-reliant India". The Defence Minister also praised how the Indian government played a tremendous role during the COVID-19 pandemic by saving the lives of the own people through indigenous vaccine as well as exporting it to various countries. Noting that India is a country of festivals, Singh said all the festivals celebrated in the country have some purpose. Along with these festivals, the Minister said we (Indians) also celebrate the festival of democracy. Indicating towards BJP's recent victory in five of the four Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur, the Minister said, "in this democratic festival, BJP turned it into 'Kesariya' colour, and the credit goes to people of the country and party supporters". "This is the biggest change in Uttar Pradesh because this is the first time when BJP broke last 38-40 years' record by forming a government in the second consecutive term." After Lok Sabha, Singh also said, the BJP currently has a clear majority in Rajya Sabha as it has 100 seats in the House. (ANI) Emphasising that the state of Karnataka does not underestimate the uniqueness of neighbouring states, Karnataka Minister of Higher Education, IT/Bio-Tech, C.N. Ashwath Narayan, said the state believes in competing globally. "We are all Indians first. We are not intolerant of the progress of our neighbouring states. In India, every state has its own uniqueness. We firmly believe in entire India growing as one country," tweeted the Minister on welcoming Startups in Bengaluru. He highlighted the status of Bengaluru city currently known as a city of startups, innovation, science and technology in the world and pointed out that the city did not earn this fame overnight. "I do not say the system is completely foolproof. Yes, there may be some loopholes. But, the government at the Centre and State level are making all efforts to make the system more accountable than ever," the Minister justified. When asked over contractor's association president Kempanna's statement regarding the practice of 40per cent commission in government-funded projects, he quipped, "This is nothing but a politicized statement. The congress party is the root cause for this menace." Earlier, addressing the gathering at the release of the biography of freedom fighter H.Nagabhushana Rao, he expressed confidence that the strong foundation that is being laid now would enable India to become Vishwaguru in the next 25 years. (ANI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday held a meeting with senior officials on the law and order situation in the state. This comes after violent clashes in Karauli city of Rajasthan. The police have identified some suspects in connection with the clashes in Rajasthan's Karauli. SS Indoliya, Superintendent of Police (SP), Karauli on Sunday said that the situation is under control in the district where 30-35 people including six cops were injured in the Saturday incident. "As many as 30-35 people were injured on Saturday. The overall situation is under control. Few suspected persons were identified. A case will be registered in this incident for a thorough probe," the SP said. "Six police personnel also received injuries and a survey is being conducted to access losses," he said. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was imposed in the Karauli district of Rajasthan on Saturday and the internet was shut down after stones were pelted during a religious procession that day. Section 144 was imposed in Karauli from 6:30 pm on April 2 till 12 am on April 4. "Section 144 has been imposed in Karauli from 6:30 pm, April 2, till 12 am on April 4, in connection with a case of stone-pelting at a 'Shobha Yatra' (bike rally) in the city. Internet services have also been shut in the area on April 2 and 3 (till midnight)," said Karauli DM Rajendra Singh Shekhawat. Meanwhile, Gehlot earlier on Sunday that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators of the Karauli violence irrespective of their community so that everyone gets a message that only the rule of law will prevail in Rajasthan. (ANI) Yati Narsinghanand, head priest of Ghaziabad's Dasna Devi Temple, on Sunday exhorted Hindus to take up arms and allegedly said that if a Muslim becomes the Prime Minister, 50 per cent Hindus will convert and 40 per cent will be killed. Narsinghanand, the priest who is also an accused in the Haridwar hate speech case, was speaking at an event organised by Preet Singh, founder of the Save India Foundation. Singh was one of the organisers of an event at Jantar Mantar last year where anti-Muslim slogans were raised. He was arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with that case and is currently out on bail. Narsinghanand, too, is out on bail in connection with the Haridwar case. Speaking at the event, Narsinghanand allegedly said, "I urge you all to watch The Kashmir Files. Just like Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee from a Muslim dominated area, all the Hindus will be forced to die in Hind Mahasagar given the situation in the country as on date." "For the past few days, we have seen Hindus begging in the streets for their rights. Let me tell you all, it is not the Centre but the apex court which gave us the right to set up Ram Janambhoomi. If not by 2034, then by 2039 we will see a 'Mahavinash' in the country," he said. "Only in 2029 or in 2034 or in 2039 a Muslim will become the prime minister. Once a Muslim will become the PM, 50 per cent Hindus will convert, 40 per cent will be killed and the remaining 10 per cent will either live in refugee camps or in other countries in the next 20 years," he said according a video of the event circulated on social media. During the event, reports poured in claiming that two young Muslim journalists were allegedly assaulted by a Hindu mob at the Hindu Mahapanchayat New Delhi. On this, Delhi Police unit of West Delhi, on its official Twitter handle refuted the allegations. "Brief facts: Some of the reporters, willingly, on their own free will, to evade the crowd which was getting agitated by their presence, sat in PCR Van stationed at the venue and opted to proceed to Police Stn for security reasons. No one was detained. Due police protection was provided. For spreading misinformation, due to necessary action shall be initiated against such persons," the tweet read. (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that Assam and the North East have immense potential in the hydrocarbon sector. He lauded the Assam Gas Company Limited (AGCL) for its ability to reach more than 42,000 domestic consumers as well as 1,200 commercial establishments in urban and rural areas across all districts of Upper Assam. Highlighting the 'Hydrocarbon Vision-2030'of the Central government, the Assam Chief Minister said that the possibility of hydrocarbon in Northeast India can be gauged from the fact that the region has a large number of hydrocarbon reserves and with its proper use, the region can script a spectacular growth narrative. "AGCL should venture into tapping energy generated from electricity other than energy produced from fossil fuel in view of the growing importance of innovation and diversification in today's business world," said Sarma. Underlining the contributions of AGCL in the industrial landscape of the state during the last six decades, he congratulated its past and present executives and officials and paid tributes to those whose vision and initiatives were instrumental in setting up this industry. He also lauded AGCL for its recent success in winning a bid for building the City Gas Distribution (CGD) Network jointly with Oil India Limited in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Darrang, Udalguri, Sonitpur and Biswanath districts on the north bank of the Brahmaputra as well as several districts of Tripura. The Assam CM was addressing the diamond jubilee celebration of Assam Gas Company Limited at Duliajan in the Dibrugarh district on Sunday. (ANI) Haryana Congress Legislative Party will hold a meeting in New Delhi on Monday with an agenda to chalk out the strategy on Chandigarh following the Punjab Assembly resolution on the Union Territory. Row over Chandigarh came to the fore after the Punjab Assembly on Friday passed a resolution reiterating the state's claim on Chandigarh. The move was made after the decision of the Central Government to implement Central Service Rules on Chandigarh employees. Former Haryana chief minister and leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has called a meeting of the legislature party on the issue. The meeting is scheduled to take place in Delhi on Monday afternoon. Speaking to ANI over the phone about the meeting, Congress MP from Haryana, Deepender Hooda said that the meeting has been called by the Haryana unit of Congress. The agenda of the meeting will be to formulate the party's further strategy on Chandigarh. MP Deepender Singh Hooda will also be present at the meeting. With this meeting, Congress has marked its entry into the Chandigarh issue. The Aam Aadmi Party has staked a claim on Chandigarh in Punjab and is looking to spread its legs in Haryana as well. The Congress party, in a bid to make it a political issue in Haryana, is making an attempt to give a political setback to AAP and compel it to clear its stand on the Chandigarh issue. Notably, a few Congress ex-MLAs have joined AAP in Haryana. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday moved a resolution in the assembly seeking the transfer of Chandigarh to the state. The resolution has been moved against Union Home Minister Amit Shah's decision to put Chandigarh under central service rule. Bhagwant Mann while reading the resolution said that this decision is a direct attack on the right of Punjab on Chandigarh. Mann read the resolution at a one-day special assembly session in Chandigarh in Punjab. On March 27, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that the service conditions of the employees of the Chandigarh administration will now be matched to that of the Central Civil Services. This decision by the Home Minister is expected to bring big gains to the employees. (ANI) Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray at the latter's residence in Mumbai and called it a family meeting, denying anything political behind this meeting. Speaking to the reporters after this meeting, Gadkari pointed to his old relationship with the MNS chief's family and said that he had visited his house upon his invitation. "This was not a political meeting. I have got a good relationship with Raj Thackeray and his family members for 30 years. I had come to see his new house and to know his mother's well being. It was a family visit and not political," Gadkari said. Notably, the meeting comes a day after Thackeray asked the Maharashtra government to remove the loudspeakers from mosques and warned of "putting loudspeakers in front of the mosques and play Hanuman Chalisa". Addressing the party workers here, Thackeray had said, "I am not against prayers, you can pray at your home, but the government should take a decision on removing mosque loudspeakers. I am warning now... Remove loudspeakers or else will put loudspeakers in front of the mosque and play Hanuman Chalisa." (ANI) The police on Sunday cited family feud as the reason behind the murder of a Congress leader Tapan Kandu, who was killed in West Bengal's Purulia district last month. Kandu, the Congress councillor of Jhalda municipality was shot dead by three motorcycle-borne youth near his residence on March 13 while he was out for an evening walk along with his wife, Purnima Kandu. On Saturday, Tapan's brother -- Naren Kandu, was arrested in connection with the Congressman's murder. A district court has sent Naren to 14-day police custody. Naren, however, said that he is innocent, and has no connection with his brother's murder. On Sunday, Purulia district police superintendent, S. Selvamurugan told mediapersons that family feud was the reason behind the killing of Tapan Kandu. According to him, the two brothers had a bitter relation for quite some time, and Naren Kandu was planning Tapan's murder for the last few years. Also on Saturday, immediately after the arrest of Naren Kandu on Saturday evening, Selvamurugan had hinted towards family feud. "This was a clear case of family rivalry between two brothers and there is no doubt about the reason behind the assassination," he said. However, Purnima Kandu has ruled out the "family feud" claims of the police, saying her husband's assassination was a part of a much bigger conspiracy. "My husband was associated with Congress. Whereas Naren Kandu and his son Deepak Kandu are associated with Trinamool Congress. There is a deep conspiracy behind the assassination of my husband and hence I demand a CBI enquiry into the matter," Purnima said, adding the entire conspiracy has been framed to shield the inspector-in-charge of Jhalda Police station, Sanjib Ghosh. She alleged that Ghosh had been pressurising her husband for a long time to join Trinamool Congress. Meanwhile, Purulia district president of Congress, Nepal Mahato also said "the district police had been conspiring to give the assassination the colour of a family feud". --IANS sumanta/pgh ( 334 Words) 2022-04-03-21:06:02 (IANS) Researchers have found that longer and warmer autumns make it difficult for green-veined white butterflies to survive the winter. The findings of the study were published in the British Ecological Society journal 'Functional Ecology'. A new study by researchers at Stockholm University, University of Oulu, and Greifswald University has investigated the potential impacts of climate change on butterflies. In laboratory experiments, the researchers exposed the chrysalises of green-veined white butterflies - which are common throughout the UK and Europe - to simulated autumn conditions of varying temperature and length. The researchers found that the chrysalises exposed to warmer and longer autumn conditions lost more weight and used more energy than those exposed to milder conditions. Although the butterflies didn't die immediately under the more elevated conditions, the researchers found that those that experienced them were less likely to survive to adulthood the following spring. Dr Matthew Nielsen at the University of Oulu, who conducted the research at Stockholm University, said: "Climate change is making autumns warmer and last longer, and it was this specific combination of conditions that had the greatest impact on the butterflies in our study. We show that stressful conditions experienced at one time of year can have lasting negative consequences at other times of the year, linking changes in one season to consequences in others." Animals that enter a dormant stage through the winter are especially vulnerable to warming temperatures because this raises their metabolic rate, causing them to run out of energy faster. "Even though dormant animals use less energy than active animals, they use more when it's warmer, and they can't eat to replace that lost energy," explained Dr Nielsen. Dr Nielsen added, "It is already established that warmer winters are actually worse for dormant animals than older ones, and our findings show that warmer autumns are potentially even more dangerous." In Sweden, where the study was conducted, the spring generation of the green-veined white butterfly is usually the smallest generation because of the stress of winter dormancy. The authors warn that the increased mortality they observed after warmer and longer autumn conditions could therefore have a severe impact on the abundance of this species at a critical time of year. In the study, the butterflies were exposed to temperatures as high as 25 degrees Celsius for up to 16 weeks. Although these simulated autumn conditions seem extreme, the authors say these temperatures already occur in southern parts of the butterflies' range (as far south as Spain) and could occur further north under future climate change scenarios. The researchers also say the time span of 16 weeks of dormancy before the onset of winter conditions is not unreasonable for this species of butterfly. Some individuals can enter dormancy as much as two months earlier than others that go on to produce an additional generation before winter. In the experiment, the researchers simulated various autumn conditions in a lab by placing groups of 8 to 11 chrysalises in chambers kept at 15, 20 or 25 degrees Celsius for 1 to 16 weeks. They then subjected all 459 chrysalises to the same winter conditions for 24 weeks. During the simulated autumn conditions, the researchers measured how much weight the chrysalises lost and how much energy they used. Finally, they followed the butterflies' survival until they died or emerged as healthy adults during a simulated spring. Because the study was conducted in the lab and specifically designed to determine the limits of green-veined butterflies' tolerance to warmer temperatures, there are some limitations to applying the findings to populations in the wild. For instance, the simulated conditions were constant rather than reflecting natural seasonal and daily variation. The researchers say that these variations could further intensify the metabolic costs of autumn conditions. The researchers are now looking to explore the impacts of a warming climate on butterflies in more detail and look at the effects of multiple seasons. Dr Nielsen said, "In our study, we only considered survival to adulthood, but there could be even more negative effects later in life, for example on the ability to find mates or the number of eggs laid. Studying how warming in autumn, winter, and spring interact will also be key to understanding the actual impacts of climate change on dormant animals." (ANI) You are here: China China will finish screening outfalls in seven major river and lake basins and water near the coastline for problems by the end of 2025, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment Qiu Qiwen said Saturday. Treatment of outfalls in the seven basins including Yangtze River, Yellow River and Taihu Lake will also be basically completed by then, Qiu told a press briefing. The announcement followed an earlier State Council guideline on tightening oversight and regulation on outfalls. Since 2019, the country has successively launched screening and treatment of outfalls in the Yangtze River, Bohai Sea and Yellow River, and obtained a more accurate tally. China will carry out differentiated treatment of the outfalls, removing, combining or rectifying problematic ones based on their types, said Qiu. B cells in the bone marrow, which produce a chemical messenger called acetylcholine can prevent inflammation in the heart and blood vessels by blocking white blood cell production, suggests new research led by the Massachusetts General Hospital. This process might help scientists target inflammation in cardiovascular conditions. The research was published in the journal, 'Nature Immunology'. Senior author Matthias Nahrendorf, MD, PhD, an investigator in MGH's Center for Systems Biology and Richard Moerschner professor at the MGH Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, explained that the nervous system plays a role in controlling blood cell production through chemical messengers or neurotransmitters. "This is for instance important in people exposed to stress, where stress hormones -- part of the 'fight-or-flight' response controlled by the sympathetic nervous system -- may increase bone marrow activity and cardiovascular inflammation in response to the neurotransmitter noradrenaline," he said. The sympathetic nerves have a counter player -- the parasympathetic nerves, which slow down responses and bring about a state of calm to the body, mainly through the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Because acetylcholine can have a protective effect against inflammation and heart disease, the researchers studied this neurotransmitter in the bone marrow. "When we looked into how acetylcholine acts on the production of blood cells, we found that it does the expected -- it reduces white blood cells, as opposed to noradrenaline, which increases them," said Nahrendorf. "What was unexpected though was the source of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine," he added. The team found no evidence in the bone marrow of the typical nerve fibres that are known to release acetylcholine. Instead, B cells, which are themselves a type of white blood cell (most known for making antibodies), supplied the acetylcholine in the bone marrow. "Thus, B cells counter inflammation -- even in the heart and the arteries -- via dampening white blood cell production in the bone marrow. Surprisingly, they use a neurotransmitter to do so," said Nahrendorf. Tapping into this process may help investigators develop strategies to block inflammation in cardiovascular conditions such as atherosclerosis. "Ultimately this may lead to new therapeutics that combat myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure," said Nahrendorf. (ANI) A global alliance of global parliamentarians have written a letter to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to express their concern about the ongoing cases of two men of Uyghur Muslim ethnicity in the country. Abduweli and Rozi, both originally from the Xinjiang province in China, were arrested on November 20, 2020, by the Saudi local police, while they were in Saudi Arabia for religious reasons. The arrest was allegedly carried out after the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia had requested their extradition. "We, Co-Chairs of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), write to you to express our concern about the ongoing cases of Nurmemet Rozi and Hemdullah Abduweli," the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) wrote. "We understand that Abduweli and Rozi are currently detained in Saudi Arabia and are at imminent risk of being forcibly returned to China. Additionally, it has come to our attention that acts of reprisal have been taken against family members of the two men," IPAC added. The global parliamentarians said China is carrying out a global campaign of threats and intimidation against Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, Chinese dissidents and other activists abroad. They argued that those extradited or deported to China will not face a fair trial and are at severe risk of persecution, arbitrary detention and torture. "We urge you to oppose the forcible return of Abduweli, Rozi and their relatives, and to ensure that those targeted by the PRC government are protected from any threats, intimidation and harassment at the hands of the PRC government in your jurisdiction," they said. UN human rights experts on April 1 had also called on the Saudi government to uphold its obligations not to extradite two Chinese nationals belonging to the Uyghur minority, saying they risked serious violations of their human rights if they are returned to China. "We are alarmed by the arrest of two Uyghur men in Saudi Arabia, since November 2020, and their continuous detention without proper legal justification or implementation of fundamental safeguards, reportedly on the basis of an extradition request made by China," the experts said. Rights groups say there are widespread atrocities committed against Muslims of the Uyghurs community in Xinjiang, China. Since 2017, the Chinese government is said to have detained about 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in hundreds of "re-education camps" in Xinjiang. Beijing continues to deny all charges. (ANI) Leader of Opposition and Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Shahbaz Sharif has defended his "beggars can't be choosers" that drew him the ire of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his supporters. Earlier, in response to a question on appeasing the United States for better diplomatic ties, Shehbaz said, "beggars can't be choosers, please understand". "We have to feed our nation [...] we have to send our children to school, we can't fight with someone, can't raise slogans against others," he was quoted as saying by ARY News. "Who are we, we are the country which is fighting for its survival." Defending his previous remarks, Shahbaz Sharif said that true freedom can never be achieved without financial independence. He added that unfortunately, Pakistan is not economically independent and the country is surviving on loans from foreign agencies. "For those misinterpreting my remark, it has always been my conviction that true independence comes from self-reliance. The concept of sovereignty is incomplete without economic sovereignty, which cannot be achieved without blood, sweat and tears," he tweeted. Shahbaz Sharif, who is touted to become the next prime minister of Pakistan, added that this is not the first time that he voiced his opinion regarding this fact, but he has had the same opinion for decades. Several PML-N supporters said that similar statements were made by Imran Khan in the past but Shehbaz Sharif's words were being twisted. (ANI) In a statement that rejects the Israeli escalation against Palestinians at the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Palestinian Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the ongoing escalation "would blow up the situation in Palestine and the entire region." "Israel carried out a planned assault that killed three Palestinians in Jenin at the time when many parties, including the United States, are seeking to prevent any escalation of tension in the area during Ramadan," he noted. Earlier in the day, an Israeli army force opened fire at a car and killed three Palestinians near Jenin. They later seized the vehicle and the bodies of the three people. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement said in a statement that the three Palestinians who were killed in Jenin before dawn are members of the group's armed wing al-Quds Brigades. With the latest deaths, a total of seven Palestinians have died in the West Bank since Thursday from the tension between Palestinians and Israelis, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. "The Israeli policy constitutes a threat and a flagrant challenge to international legitimacy and international law," Abu Rudeineh said, demanding Israel "stop all violations that threaten security, stability, and calm." In Gaza, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), ruler of the besieged Palestinian enclave, also condemned the killing of the three Palestinians in Jenin. "The Israeli policies of murder and assassination against our people in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem will not bring the Israeli occupation any security or stability," Hamas said. (ANI/Xinhua) Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari on Saturday said that the United States attempted to topple the Pakistani government by sending threatening words and is now making false denial. "Has the US government ever spoken the truth? It has always been telling lies to the world. It even lied to the UN about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. But later the lies were exposed, showing that the US spoke blatant lies to very prestigious senior officials of the UN," Xinhua News Agency reported quoting Mazari's video message. The official said that Pakistan should know that all denials coming from the United States are a pack of lies. "The US threatened regime change in Pakistan and targeted Prime Minister Imran Khan. The United States said that it will forgive Pakistan if Khan is removed as Prime Minister," the minister added, according to Xinhua. The minister said that the Pakistani Prime Minister was targeted because he took a stand against the United States and tried to take decisions on his own. Earlier on Friday, Khan said while addressing an event that the United States showed displeasure when he visited Russia, adding that as a sovereign country, Pakistan has the right to have an independent foreign policy without being influenced by anyone. The Prime Minister also mentioned that an official demarche has been made through official channels to the US embassy in Pakistan. (ANI) Pakistan's Punjab Assembly (PA) will elect a new leader of the house on Sunday following Usman Buzdar's resignation as the country is in the midst of political uncertainty as the vote on the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is also scheduled to be held today. This development came after the session that was held yesterday after hours of discussion between the Opposition and the leader of the house. The session was adjourned till 11:30 am today, Dawn reported. The nomination papers for the Chief Minister position should be submitted to the Punjab Assembly house by 5 pm today while their scrutiny would commence at 6 pm, according to Dawn citing Punjab Assembly Secretary. Earlier, Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti on Saturday said that voting for electing the new Punjab Chief Minister (CM) would not take place on Saturday. Addressing the media, Bhatti said that in today's assembly, a new date for the election of Punjab Province CM would be issued and "there will be no [other] proceeding," Dawn reported. Bhatti did not give any reason behind postponing the voting but did say that it was the assembly Speaker's right to set the date for voting. Earlier, the voting for the new leader of the Punjab province was scheduled to begin on Saturday, reported Dawn. Yesterday, the estranged leader of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jahangir Khan Tareen said that he will support the Opposition's joint candidate, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz for the position of Punjab's Chief Minister slot. This step was another shock for Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan as PTI announced that they will support Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) in Punjab province. Punjab province Governor, Chaudhry Muhamad Sarwar accepted the resignation of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Friday. Following the acceptance of the resignation, the Punjab cabinet was dissolved, reported Geo TV on Friday. Meanwhile, Imran Khan is set to face the no-confidence vote on Sunday in Pakistan's National Assembly.As Pakistan PM readies himself to face the "last ball", it is clear that Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the lower house of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan army. Pakistan PM received a major blow when the PTI lost their ally, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM announced on Wednesday that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly.(ANI) An island-wide curfew has been declared from 6 pm this evening (Saturday) to 6 am on Monday, reported Colombo Gazette. A major protest is scheduled to take place today against the Sri Lankan Government amid an economic crisis in the country. The island nation is facing an unprecedented economic crisis. Sri Lanka's economy has been in a free fall since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crash of the tourism sector. Sri Lanka is presently facing a foreign exchange shortage which has led to a food, fuel, power and gas shortage and has sought the assistance of friendly countries for economic assistance. Sri Lanka is witnessing at least 13-hour daily power cuts. Sri Lanka's currency has been also devalued by almost SLR 90 against the US dollar since March 8. Some had claimed the protest will be similar to the Arab Spring protests in the Arab world, reported Colombo Gazette. The Arab Spring was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in response to corruption and economic stagnation and was first started in Tunisia. From Tunisia, the protests then spread to Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain, where either the ruler was deposed or major uprisings and social violence occurred including riots, civil wars, or insurgencies. Sustained street demonstrations took place in Morocco, Iraq, Algeria, Iranian Khuzestan, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Sudan. Minor protests took place in Djibouti, Mauritania, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. (ANI) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislators to attend the National Assembly during the proceedings of the no-confidence motion. The move comes after Khan had earlier directed PTI members of the National Assembly not to participate in the no-confidence motion either by abstaining from voting or not attending the session. Talking to legislators of his party at a dinner hosted by him, Khan said Americans want to bring the opposition to power and they want to enslave the Pakistani nation with the use of money, reported Radio Pakistan. Meanwhile, he lauded those who stood loyal to him despite the offers of money. Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said people are with Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying those legislators who are still with the Prime Minister are the asset of the party and would again make him the Prime Minister. Khan said that the opposition always wanted that he should give NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) to its leaders and after every few months, they tried to create instability in the country to save their wealth, reported Radio Pakistan. On October 5, 2007, the-then Pakistani President and Army Chief, General Pervez Musharraf, had enforced the National Reconciliation Ordinance, which had granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, money laundering, murders and terrorism etc between January 1, 1986 and October 12, 1999 -- the time between two Martial Law stints in Pakistan. After weeks of political mudslinging, name-calling, and claims of an international conspiracy, Imran Khan is set to face the no-confidence vote today in Pakistan's National Assembly. As Pakistan PM readies himself to face the "last ball", it is clear that Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the lower house of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan army. (ANI) Moscow [Russia], April 3 (ANI/Sputnik): More than 60 foreign ships are unable to leave Ukrainian ports because of the threat of shelling and mines, the head of the Russian National Defense Control Center, Mikhail Mizintsev, said. "Over 60 foreign vessels continue to be blocked in Ukrainian ports. The threat of shelling and high mine danger created by the official Kiev in its internal waters and territorial sea do not allow ships to safely go out," Mizintsev said at a Saturday briefing. He added that the Russian forces open a humanitarian corridor (a safe lane in the south-western direction from the territorial waters of Ukraine) every day, but there is still a threat of drift of Ukrainian mines torn from anchor along the coast of the Black Sea states. "We are calling on the International Maritime Organization and the management of shipowners to influence the official Kiev to take measures aimed at unblocking and ensuring the safety of the exit of ships of foreign states from the ports of Ukraine," Mizintsev said. On Thursday, Russian defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that the Ukrainian Navy had placed 420 anchor mines in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea between February 25 and March 4. At least ten of these mines have been drifting freely in the western part of the Black Sea after a storm that tore the anchor cables. Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, after the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kiev forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik) Pakistan Opposition has moved a no-confidence motion against National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser ahead of the no-trust vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday. More than 100 lawmakers from Opposition parties have signed a no-confidence motion against NA Speaker, Geo TV reported. The development comes at a time when Punjab National Assembly is all set to vote on the no-confidence motion against the country's primer. As Pakistan PM readies himself to face the "last ball", it is clear that Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the lower house of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan army. Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI "lost the majority" in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly. Imran Khan government, elected in July 2018 vowing to fix the economy and combat corruption, is on the verge of collapse. Pakistan PM held a massive rally last Sunday in Islamabad and later gave controversial speeches to show he remains wildly popular with his supporters and also indicated a foreign conspiracy theory. A day before the decisive no-confidence vote, Imran Khan had urged the country's youth to stage "peaceful protests" against a "foreign conspiracy" allegedly hatched against his government.Pakistan Prime Minister even said that he has "more than one plan" for tomorrow's vote on the no-confidence motion against him. He also urged the youth of Pakistan to agitate and raise their voice against the conspiracy by external forces. Imran Khan further claimed that the Opposition leaders are seeking power to dispose of the corruption cases against them. (ANI) Meanwhile, it is reported that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and its leadership have decided to incite violence in Islamabad as the National Assembly is all set to vote on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. The district administration has imposes Section 144 and completely banned pillion riding in Islamabad as the National Assembly session will start at 11:30 hours, Pakistan's Geo News reported. (ANI) 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 Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Saturday urged resolute and swift moves to stem the spread of COVID-19 in Shanghai in the shortest time possible, issuing her call during an inspection visit to the city. Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stressed unswerving adherence to the dynamic zero-COVID approach and mobilizing COVID-19 testing capacity, medical personnel, and COVID-19 prevention supplies to support Shanghai in the fight against the epidemic. The vice premier called for stepping up efforts to ensure that all those in need are tested, isolated, hospitalized or treated. During the inspection, Sun listened to the report from medical experts and visited a makeshift hospital and a residential community in Shanghai. "It is an arduous task and huge challenge to combat the Omicron variant while maintaining the normal operation of core functions in a megacity with a population of 25 million," Sun said. She urged the improvement of the nucleic acid testing capacity as soon as possible and the organization of mass testing to get a clear picture of the epidemic situation. The epidemic control measures in communities should be further strengthened, while people's basic living conditions and normal medical needs should be ensured, Sun said. It is necessary to expand makeshift hospitals and designated hospitals for COVID-19 treatment, Sun said, calling for the preparation of sufficient quarantine venues and swift action on the transfer and treatment of patients. She also stressed strict closed-loop management for key industries and institutions to ensure the normal operation of core functions and the stability of supply and industrial chains. Before arriving in Shanghai, the vice premier was on an inspection visit in the virus-hit city of Jilin in northeast China. New COVID-19 infections from communities in Jilin city are decreasing significantly and the epidemic spread in the city has been brought under effective control. After receiving the reports about the presence of militants in the area of Dera Ismail Khan, ARY News reported citing Inter-Services Public Relations. "During an exchange of fire, three terrorists were killed and the Pakistan army also recovered the weapons and ammunition from the killed terrorist," ISPR Spokesperson was quoted as saying by ARY News. Earlier in March also, the Pakistan army killed four militants and in the exchange of fire, two soldiers also lost their lives in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) Bajaur district. In that attack, three innocent civilians also had been killed due to the terrorists' firing, ISPR Spokesperson added. Two soldiers who lost their lives were identified as Naib Subedar Ishtiaq and Sepoy Kamran., according to ARY News citing ISPR Spokesperson. (ANI) Sri Lanka is reeling under a deep economic crisis as the country's foreign reserves have been depleted and the Rajapaksa government is struggling to pay for the import of fuel. As a result, there is an acute power shortage in the country and violent protests are being reported. The government has declared an emergency and a countrywide 36-hour curfew has been imposed due to the protest on Sunday as of now around 600 protesters have been arrested. In these difficult times, India has come forward to bail the island nation out of the crisis. India has responded to urgent requests from Sri Lanka with promptness. "Since January this year, support from India to Sri Lanka exceeds USD 2.5 billion. A fuel line of credit of USD 500 million was signed in February. Four consignments totaling over 150,000 tons of jet aviation fuel, diesel and petrol have since arrived beginning in March. Five more consignments are to follow till May. Another line of credit of USD 1 billion for food, medicine and essential items was signed last month," Gopal Baglay India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka told ANI. "The first consignment of rice from India is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka shortly under this credit facility," Bagley added Besides, the Reserve Bank of India has extended a currency swap of USD 400 million and deferred payments owed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka under the Asian Clearance Union worth several hundred million dollars. Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka said: "These facilities, negotiated and concluded within a matter of weeks, have proved to be the lifeline for the people of Sri Lanka at a time when financing of imports by Sri Lanka is difficult due to the balance of payment situation." "India's prompt assistance for the people of Sri Lanka at this hour has been appreciated by all sections of the Sri Lankan society" the Indian high commissioner to Sri Lanka added. India on Saturday delivered 40,000 MT of diesel to Sri Lanka to help ease the power crisis in the island country which is witnessing acute power cuts. A part of the US 500 million oil line of credit (LoC) extended by India to Sri Lanka, this is the fourth consignment of fuel delivered from India to Sri Lanka under the LoC. Further, India has supplied around 200,000 MT of fuel to the island nation over the last 50 days. Sri Lanka's economy has been in a free fall since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crash of the tourism sector. (ANI) Pakistan President Arif Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly on the proposal of Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday, with the elections likely to be held in the next 90 days. Earlier, Imran Khan surprised the Opposition to announce in his televised address to the nation that he has advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve all the Assemblies. Official notification to dissolve the National Assembly has also been issued by the Pakistani President. The fast-paced development came shortly after National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was chairing today's session, dismissed the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution. "I have written to the President to dissolve the Assemblies. There should be elections in a democratic way. I call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections," Imran Khan said in his address to the nation. "I congratulate every Pakistani on the Speaker's decision. The no-confidence motion was a foreign conspiracy against us. Pakistan should decide who should govern them," Khan added. Pakistan Prime Minister had said that he was given three options ahead of the no-trust vote by the "establishment" -- resignation, holding early elections or facing the no-confidence motion. The military establishment however had denied the claim and said that it did not bring the Opposition's options, and rather it was the federal Government that telephoned the top brass while asking for a meeting to discuss the ongoing political scenario, The News International reported. The Chief of Pakistan Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Directive General (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had met Pakistan PM on Wednesday at the request of the ruling government, according to The News International citing sources. Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the lower House of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan Army. Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI "lost the majority" in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM on Wednesday announced that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly. (ANI) Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan's advice to President Arif Alvi to dissolve National Assembly is a violation of the Constitution. "Government has violated the Constitution by not allowing voting on the no-confidence motion. United Opposition is not leaving Parliament. Our lawyers are on their way to Supreme Court. We call on all institutions to protect, uphold, defend and implement the Constitution of Pakistan," said Bilawal. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was chairing today's session, dismissed the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution. "I have written to the President to dissolve the Assemblies. There should be elections in a democratic way. I call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections," Khan said in an address to the nation. Earlier, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Sadiq Sanjrani adjourned the Sunday sitting of the House, alleging "foreign conspiracy" against the government while stating that the no-trust motion was unconstitutional. "I congratulate every Pakistani on the Speaker's decision. The no-confidence motion was a foreign conspiracy against us. Pakistan should decide who should govern them," Khan added. Earlier it was reported that Imran Khan has offered to dissolve the Assembly on the condition of withdrawal of the no-confidence motion. Bilawal further said that everyone witnessed the violation of the Constitution. "Everyone has seen what happened in Pakistan today. President, Speaker can easily see that the Opposition had a majority against Imran Khan in the no-confidence motion," said Bilawal. Lashing out at the Deputy Speaker, he said, "He has done unconstitutional thing at the last moment. He broke the Constitution of Pakistan. The no-trust vote had to take place today as per the Constitution." He said that Opposition members have decided to protest against the unconstitutional move in the National Assembly and have decided to not leave the floor till their Constitutional rights are not given to them. "We are also in talks with our lawyers, we will go to Supreme Court so that the voting can take place today itself. In the light of the majority being with Opposition, the House cannot be dissolved," said the PPP chairman. Earlier, Pakistan Opposition had moved a no-confidence motion against National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser ahead of the no-trust vote on Sunday. More than 100 lawmakers from the Opposition had signed the no-confidence motion against the Speaker. He also lashed at Imran Khan and advised him to stop behaving like a child and running away from fights and appealed to Pakistani citizens to side with the Constitution and believe in democratic values, adding "do not allow puppet or non-democratic person to rob your rights". Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) member Kamran Murtaza, one of the key Opposition allies, said that a petition to challenge the Speaker's ruling in the Supreme Court is being drafted. "It will be filed as per the decision of the Opposition leadership," said Murtaza. (ANI) The blast was due to a hand grenade thrown into the market by a person who planned a robbery there, said the Ministry of Interior, adding that an investigation has started into the incident, reported Tolo News. Zirak Zirak, a spokesman for Sarai Shahzada, told Tolo News that the explosion took place on the first floor of the market. He said that many of those wounded are in critical condition. (ANI) After the high drama that ensued in the politics of Pakistan, Supreme Court has taken a suo moto notice of the dissolution of the National Assembly by President Arif Alvi on Sunday. Earlier Imran Khan, in his address to the media said that he has advised the President to dissolve the Assembly following which Arif Alvi dissolved the NA. Elections are likely to be held in the next 90 days. "I have written to the President to dissolve the Assemblies. There should be elections in a democratic way. I call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections," Khan said in an address to the nation. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was chairing today's session, dismissed the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution. In retaliation, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Imran Khan's advice to President to dissolve National Assembly is a violation of the Constitution. "Government has violated the Constitution by not allowing voting on the no-confidence motion. United Opposition is not leaving Parliament. Our lawyers are on their way to Supreme Court. We call on all institutions to protect, uphold, defend and implement the Constitution of Pakistan," said Bilawal. Bilawal further said that everyone witnessed the violation of the Constitution. "Everyone has seen what happened in Pakistan today. President, Speaker can easily see that the Opposition had a majority against Imran Khan in the no-confidence motion," said Bilawal. Lashing out at the Deputy Speaker, he said, "He has done unconstitutional thing at the last moment. He broke the Constitution of Pakistan. The no-trust vote had to take place today as per the Constitution." He said that Opposition members have decided to protest against the unconstitutional move in the National Assembly and have decided to not leave the floor till their Constitutional rights are not given to them. Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the Lower House of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan Army. The opposition party had moved the no-trust motion against the PM on March 8. Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI "lost the majority" in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM announced that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly. (ANI) Taliban's supreme leader Hebatullah Akhundzada in a decree said the cultivation of poppy seeds as well as drug trafficking are banned in the country, reported Tolo News. He announced a "strict ban" on poppy cultivation as well as the use and trafficking of all types of illicit drugs. The decree, read by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, said that there is a "strict ban" on the use and trafficking of "all types of illicit drugs" such as alcoholic beverages, heroin, "Tablet K", hashish and others, reported Tolo News. The decree also puts a ban on the production of illicit drugs. "If anyone violates the decree and cultivates poppy, their crop will be destroyed and the violator will be punished based on the Sharia law," the decree said. "The enforcement of this decree is mandatory. Violators will be prosecuted and punished by judiciaries," the decree read. However, multiple reports indicate that poppy cultivation and drug trafficking provide a big income source for the Taliban, mainly in the southern and northern parts of the country. Most of the drug smuggling goes through Iran and the Taliban makes a big money from it. Afghanistan has been among the world's top illicit drug-producing countries. There are scores of drug addicts currently on the streets. (ANI) President Ram Nath Kovind, who visited the Institute of International Relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan on Sunday, said that ensuring connectivity with the Central Asian countries remains a key priority for India. Addressing the students at the Institute of International Relations, Kovind said, "India is a member of both the International North-South Transport Corridor and the Ashgabat agreement. We have taken steps to operationalize the Chabahar port in Iran which can provide secure, viable and unhindered access to the sea for the Central Asian countries." He stated that while expanding connectivity, it is important to ensure that connectivity initiatives are consultative, transparent and participatory, with respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. India stands ready to cooperate, invest and build connectivity in the region, he said. "Just as in your case, the Institute of Foreign Service - now known as Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service - was established in New Delhi more than 35 years ago to cater to the professional training needs of the Indian Foreign Service officers. The scope of the Institute has been expanded over the years. Today it also offers various Mid-Career Training Programmes for Heads of Mission, Commercial Representatives and Defence Attaches. I am pleased to note that about 30 Turkmen diplomats have so far undergone professional courses at this institute," he added. President Kovind further said that Turkmenistan today has managed to carve out a special niche in international relations with the principle of 'permanent neutrality'. The five concepts - ensuring peace and security, promoting neutrality, diversifying economic relations, promoting social development and humanization of international relations - endeavour to secure a prosperous future for the country and the region. "India and Turkmenistan are ancient civilizations but young nations. Last year, your country celebrated the 30th anniversary of independence while the people of India are celebrating 75 years of our independence this year. The renowned Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy said, 'If God gets wings, he will fly to India.' India is the birthplace of at least four major religions, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Over 200 million Muslims proudly call India their home. India's receptiveness to other cultures has been its hallmark while unity in diversity remains its inherent strength," President Kovind added. President Kovind said that one of the key pillars of India's foreign policy in recent years has been the "Neighbourhood First" policy. "The overarching philosophy of India's engagement with its neighbours is to ensure that they also benefit from our economic development and growth. Thus, the focus of our Neighbourhood First policy is to enhance connectivity, augment trade and investment, and build a secure and stable neighbourhood," he stated. "India's foreign policy has been constantly evolving since its independence. India's emergence as one of the major economies of the world and the relevance of India's technological capabilities have shaped key global negotiations. India's partnerships with countries of the Global South have grown substantially while its relations with major powers have deepened further. Both India and United States have partnered with Japan and Australia in the "Quad" arrangement for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. With Russia, India enjoys a 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership'," he added. Kovind said that one of the focus areas of Indian foreign policy in the last few years has been the revitalization of India's historical ties with the Central Asian countries, which are a part of its 'extended neighbourhood'. "As developing countries, India and Central Asian countries share common perspectives and similar approaches. We face common challenges such as terrorism, extremism, radicalization, drug trafficking etc. India has also strategic relations with most of the Central Asian countries," he stated. "As immediate neighbours of Afghanistan, our countries are naturally concerned about developments in that country. We strongly support a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan and emphasize its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. We share a broad 'regional consensus' on the issues related to Afghanistan, which includes the formation of a truly representative and inclusive government, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, the central role of the UN, providing immediate humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan and preserving the rights of women, children and other national ethnic groups and minorities in Afghanistan," he added. President Kovind, who is on a four-day visit to Turkmenistan, said that India's position on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has been steadfast and consistent. "We have emphasized that the current global order is anchored in international law, the UN Charter, and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. We are deeply concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation. We have called for an immediate cessation of violence and hostilities and a return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We have also provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine," he said. "The United Nations, which was founded more than 76 years ago, remains the most universal and representative international organization. At the core of India's call for reformed multilateralism lies the reform of the UN Security Council, to reflect the contemporary realities. In this context, India values the support of Turkmenistan for our permanent membership in a reformed and expanded UN Security Council. During our ongoing non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council, India has prioritized development, fight against terrorism, reform of the multilateral system, international peace and security, and technology with a human touch," he added. Kovind further said that he is delighted to know about the appreciation of Indian culture in Turkmenistan, especially Indian films, TV serials, music and dance. "I am told that Indian actors and actresses from several generations are household names here. It is heartening to learn that Indian dance and songs are performed at important events. Following the establishment of Central Asia's first Yoga and Traditional Medicine Centre in Ashgabat in July 2015, Yoga and Ayurveda have also captured the imagination of the people here. All these are shining examples of the rich cultural linkages between our two countries," he stated. "It will be my pleasure to inaugurate an 'India Corner' at the Institute of International Relations immediately after this programme. The 'India Corner' is envisioned to create interest in India amongst the students of the Institute in organizing India related activities. The Government of India has provided computers, books on India and musical instruments and other materials to equip the 'India Corner'," he added. The Institute of International Relations was established by the Former President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to train Turkmen diplomats. (ANI) Overwhelmed after offering puja, Arzu Rana Deuba, wife of Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who visited Kashi for darshan of Baba Vishwanath in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on Sunday said that a major improvement can be seen at the temple area adding that relationship between India and Nepal has been eternal and will continue forever. While praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for organizing the event, she expressed her gratitude saying, "My husband was very impressed with the warm welcome... I would like to thank PM and CM for organizing such a great event. This close relationship between India and Nepal has been eternal and will continue forever." She appreciated the grand and magnificent makeover of the Kashi Vishwanath temple and said, "I came to India in 1990 for the first time, then in 2017, and now after 5 years. I have seen a lot of change, I feel as if I am in another city itself, especially in the Kashi Vishwanath area." "When I came earlier, there were narrow lanes and we walked along the path to reach the Temple (Kashi Vishwanath), now it's been made very nicely; everything looks magnificent, and the whole Ganges could be seen from there, all clean," she added. Touching briefly on the culture of India and Nepal, she noted, "Culturally, India and Nepal are one. In Nepal, Kashi is seen as a place where if you take your last breath, you will reach heaven. My husband was very impressed with the warm welcome; we are very touched." Sharing her experience of the temple area in the past while praising the development, she said, "When I came earlier there was a small alley and we used to reach the temple after a long walk. At that time, we went to the aarti at 4:00 in the morning. We had to go for a lot of walks at that time. Now it's done very well. But now all the buildings are looking very grand." Admiring the beauty of the river Ganges she added, "Best of all, Vishwanath ji is visible from the Ganges. And Ganga is visible directly from the temple of our Pashupatinath ji. As someone imagined the Pashupatinath temple 200 years ago, it has now come true." After the darshan of Baba Vishwanath, she expressed her happiness saying, "darshan was very good, now it seems that this life has become successful after seeing Baba. I and my husband worshipped at Baba Vishwanath." At last, she hoped for peace in India, Nepal and the whole world. "First of all, we asked for our country. May there be peace in the country, peace of India here, peace in the whole world, blessings for all, the progress of all and our health. We have asked Baba Vishwanath for his health," she said. Notably, the streets of Varanasi were all decked up with Deuba's posters and hoardings to greet him. Children could be seen standing with the national flags of both countries (India and Nepal). (ANI) The Pakistan Army has denied its role in the events that led to the dissolution of the country's National Assembly today and the rejection of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. "Absolutely not," Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar said when asked if the military had a role to play in the events that led to the dissolution of the National Assembly. The DG ISPR's comments on the ongoing political situation came shortly after President Arif Alvi approved the dissolution of the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan. In his televised address to the nation, Imran Khan sought to take the Opposition by surprise by stating that he has advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly on a day when he was slated to face the no-confidence motion. "I have written to the President to dissolve the assemblies. There should be elections in a democratic way. I call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections," PM Khan said in his address to the nation. Imran Khan further congratulated every Pakistani on the Speaker's decision and said, "The no-confidence motion was a foreign conspiracy against us. The nation should decide who should govern them... not the corrupt people who conspire with foreign powers... Prepare for elections. You will decide." Earlier, it was reported that Imran Khan had offered to dissolve the Assembly on the condition of the withdrawal of the no-confidence motion. Khan had said that he was given three options ahead of the no-trust vote by the "establishment" -- resignation, holding early elections or facing the no-confidence motion. The military establishment however had denied the claim and said that it did not bring the Opposition's options, and rather it was the federal Government that telephoned the top brass while asking for a meeting to discuss the ongoing political scenario, The News International reported. The Chief of Pakistan Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Directive General (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had met Pakistan PM on Wednesday at the request of the ruling government, according to The News International citing sources. Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the Lower House of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan Army.Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI "lost the majority" in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM on Wednesday announced that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly. (ANI) You are here: China China has spent more than 120 billion yuan (around 18.9 billion U.S. dollars) on COVID-19 vaccination, an expenditure within the limits of the country's medical insurance funds, said the National Healthcare Security Administration. So far, 3.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered on the Chinese mainland, according to the administration. China launched free programs to vaccinate its population against COVID-19 in February 2021. The cost of vaccine procurement and inoculation is mostly covered by the country's medical insurance funds and government budget. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan messed up the top two priorities of Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa which sought to get the country off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list and get the Taliban regime in Afghanistan recognized globally, a defense expert said. "Qamar Javed Bajwa's top priorities were to ensure two things, Pakistan should come out of FATF greylist and secondly the recognition of The Taliban government in Afghanistan, therefore, he wanted to patch up with Americans and improve relations with them," Defense expert Qamar Agha said. "Pakistan PM messed up the whole thing, the army too has lost support from the country, hence his (Imran Khan's) removal was the only option," he further said, adding, "I think his days are numbered he has lost the confidence of the people. He has messed up the whole thing and the army is not happy with him which is the most powerful institution." Imran Khan in his addresses over the past few days has named the US and claimed that the no-confidence motion against his government is a foreign conspiracy with the primary Opposition leaders being 'stooges'. "Army wanted to maintain some balance between China and America which he (Imran Khan) could not," Agha said, adding that in addition the Army also felt that the domestic economic and political situation continued to worsen during Khan's regime, hence he has definitely lost the support that he had from the Pak army. Earlier today, the Pakistan Army denied its role in the events that led to the dissolution of the country's National Assembly today and the rejection of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. In a televised address to the nation, shortly after the no-confidence vote against him was rejected on "constitutional" grounds, Imran Khan sought to take the Opposition by surprise by stating that he has advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly on a day when he was slated to face the no-confidence motion. "I have written to the President to dissolve the assemblies. There should be elections in a democratic way. I call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections," PM Khan said in his address to the nation. Imran Khan further congratulated every Pakistani on the Speaker's decision and said, "The no-confidence motion was a foreign conspiracy against us. The nation should decide who should govern them... not the corrupt people who conspire with foreign powers... Prepare for elections. You will decide." Khan had said that he was given three options ahead of the no-trust vote by the "establishment" -- resignation, holding early elections or facing the no-confidence motion. The military establishment however had denied the claim and said that it did not bring the Opposition's options, and rather it was the federal Government that telephoned the top brass while asking for a meeting to discuss the ongoing political scenario, The News International reported. The Chief of Pakistan Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Directive General (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had met Pakistan PM on Wednesday at the request of the ruling government, according to The News International citing sources.Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the Lower House of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan Army. Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI "lost the majority" in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM on Wednesday announced that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly. (ANI) Former Pakistan's Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on Sunday lambasted Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership after he was sacked from office and said he was asked to do "unconstitutional things". While addressing a press conference shortly after being sacked from office, Sarwar said if there is an international conspiracy against the incumbent government then it was electing Usman Buzdar as the chief minister. Sarwar said that despite having several prominent candidates, including Pakistani Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Khan decided to pick Usman Buzdar as the chief minister -- as only he could move Punjab towards the goal of "Naya Pakistan", Geo News reported. Sarwar said he was asked to do "unconstitutional things". Sarwar explained that once Buzdar had resigned from his post, despite it not being approved and notified, the Prime Minister and PTI leadership asked him to call a session of the Punjab Assembly to elect the new CM. "I asked them to not make me do illegal things [...] I told them that they can have me resign, but I will not do unconstitutional acts," the former governor said. The decision to remove Sarwar was taken at Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi's request, Geo News reported citing sources. According to a Pakistani newspaper, sources within the federal government said that Sarwar has been removed from his post on PML-Q leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi's request, for allegedly campaigning for Hamza Shahbaz in the election of the chief minister. Elahi is contesting against the Opposition's candidate, Hamza, for the coveted slot of the chief minister, Geo News reported. Meanwhile, Fawad Chaudhry announced that Omar Sarfraz Cheema has been appointed as the new governor of the Punjab province. (ANI) A day after the EU warned Beijing against allowing Moscow to work around measures imposed due to its invasion of Ukraine, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs European Affairs Director-General Wang Lutong on Saturday said that Beijing is contributing to the global economy by conducting normal trade with Russia. "China is not a related party to the crisis of Ukraine. We don't think our normal trade with any other country should be affected. We oppose sanctions, and the effects of these sanctions also risk spilling to the rest of the world, leading to wars of the currency, wars of trade and finance, and also risk jeopardizing the supply chain and industrial chain and globalization," he said as reported by Taipei Times. Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, the present stalemate over the EU-China investment deal is a dramatic reversal of fortune. The bilateral relationship between Brussels and Beijing has deteriorated as the April 1 meeting approaches. Last week, diplomats met in Brussels to plan the agenda for the next summit: the main topic was Russia's war on Ukraine, and how to persuade China to help Ukraine, not if, but how, reported The HK Post. Another hot topic will be China's coercive measures against EU member Lithuania over the latter's decision to create a Taiwanese representative office, which has led to a World Trade Organization complaint against Beijing. "We realize we are in a delicate moment with China," EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis remarked recently, referring to the next virtual summit between Brussels and Beijing on April 1. For both sides, the meeting comes at an inconvenient and unpleasant time.The EU's 27 member states are "rethinking" their ties with Beijing in light of Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine and China's unwillingness to criticize it in a "new global environment." Ratification of the widely lauded EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) appears to be less assured than ever before and is unlikely to happen in recent times, reported The HK Post. Since the end of discussions in December 2020, the EU-China investment deal has had a bumpy road. Members of both the former Trump and new Biden administrations in the US condemned the agreement at the time, claiming that it did not go far enough to address China's use of forced labour, among other concerns. The agreement's ratification began to unravel soon after, in March 2021, when the EU sanctioned four Chinese officials implicated in Xinjiang detention facilities. Beijing retaliated by implementing a slew of punitive penalties against various EU officials and agencies, prompting Brussels to put the ratification talks on hold in May, reported The HK Post."We cannot overlook the larger backdrop of ties between the EU and China," Dombrovskis remarked at the time. To make matters worse, the investment deal's most ardent supporter in Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has now resigned, further putting the historic EU-China investment agreement in jeopardy. Currently, the Chinese propaganda machinery is busy pumping out articles claiming "EU should not let 'external influences' derail the agreement, asking it to abandon its "cold war mentality". (ANI) "It is still a prototype system [of payments] but I'm convinced that it will cover other groups of goods and it will take up a larger role in our foreign trade," Dmitry Peskov told a Rossiya 1 television show. He argued that Western gas buyers would be required to exchange rubles for euros or US dollars, effectively continuing to pay in their preferred currencies as stipulated by gas contracts with the state Russian energy company. "The final payment will go to Gazprom in rubles after these euros are converted to rubles," Peskov explained. (ANI/Sputnik) He had climbed on a live transformer after calling for an immediate end to the power cuts, Daily Mirror reported. It further reported that police said he was intoxicated at the time of the incident. Moreover, ahead of an "Arab Spring" style protest scheduled to be staged on Sunday, a nationwide curfew has been declared by Sri Lanka. An island-wide curfew has been declared from 6 pm this evening (Saturday) to 6 am on Monday, reported Colombo Gazette. A major protest is scheduled to take place today against the Sri Lankan Government amid an economic crisis in the country. The island nation is facing an unprecedented economic crisis. Sri Lanka's economy has been in a free fall since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crash of the tourism sector. Sri Lanka is presently facing a foreign exchange shortage which has led to a food, fuel, power and gas shortage and has sought the assistance of friendly countries for economic assistance. Sri Lanka is witnessing at least 13-hour daily power cuts. Sri Lanka's currency has been also devalued by almost SLR 90 against the US dollar since March 8. Some had claimed the protest will be similar to the Arab Spring protests in the Arab world, reported Colombo Gazette. The Arab Spring was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in response to corruption and economic stagnation and was first started in Tunisia. From Tunisia, the protests then spread to Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain, where either the ruler was deposed or major uprisings and social violence occurred including riots, civil wars, or insurgencies. Sustained street demonstrations took place in Morocco, Iraq, Algeria, Iranian Khuzestan, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Sudan. Minor protests took place in Djibouti, Mauritania, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. (ANI) After the meeting between President Ram Nath Kovind and Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, four MoUs were signed between both sides in the field of Culture and Art, Disaster Management, Youth matters and Financial intelligence, Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) informed. President of India Ram Nath Kovind's visit to Turkmenistan is not only the first visit by an Indian President to the country but this is also the first visit hosted by the newly elected President of Turkmenistan. "This comes at a time when we celebrate 75 years of Indian Independence and Turkmenistan celebrates 30 years of independence and together both our countries mark 30 years of establishment of diplomatic relations of two great countries," Verma said. He stated that on Saturday both the Presidents had a private conversation followed by delegation-level talks. "The talks were personified by the traditional spirit of friendship and mutual understanding which has characterized by the relationship over the last 3 decades," he added. The leaders discussed several issues of bilateral and regional and international concerns. Secretary (West) noted that the leaders noted that the bilateral trade between the two countries which currently stands at less than USD 100 million is not living up to its potential and a lot more has to be done. In the hope to boost ties between both countries, Verma said that the leadership guided that business communities of both sides need to engage more. "Need to engage in each other's markets and also do so under the framework of India-Central Asia Business Council," he said during the address. The leaders also noted that connectivity for commercial and other purposes is extremely important and critical. "We need to further engage in Turkmenistan which is strategically located and for that matter.. the significance of the North-South transport corridor, the Ashgabat Agreement and the Chabahar Port in Iran to increase trade between India and Turkmenistan was discussed," he added. Cooperation for effective management of Covid was discussed. Moreover, Afghanistan was discussed where both sides shared the consensus for inclusive and representative government, combatting terrorism, drug trafficking and preserving the rights of women. (ANI) As per an official statement from the Ministry of Defence, during the visit, the COAS will be meeting senior military and civilian leadership of the country. On April 4, General Naravane will lay a wreath at the Kranji War Memorial, followed by a meeting with the Singapore Defence Minister, Army Chief and other senior dignitaries where he will discuss avenues for enhancing India-Singapore defence relations. The COAS will also visit Singapore's Infantry Gunnery Tactical Simulation and Wargame Centre, Regional HADR Coordination Centre, Info Fusion Centre and the Changi Naval Base. (ANI) "I deeply regret that girls' education above 6th grade remains suspended - an unjustifiable violation of equal rights that damages the entire country," Guterres said, according to Khaama Press. The UN chief further said that support for Afghan women and girls is the support that lifts children out of hunger and communities out of poverty. Earlier, the Taliban regime issued a decree banning female students above grade six from attending classes. The girls were further told to stay home until the Islamic Emirate announces its next decision. The decision by the Islamic Emirate has drawn severe backlash across the world with the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America condemning the Taliban's decision to deny so many Afghan girls the opportunity to finally go back to school. (ANI) The Pakistan Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing on National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar's ruling to reject the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan on "constitutional" grounds till Monday, local media reported. Earlier today, the Supreme Court had also taken suo moto cognizance of the dissolution of the National Assembly by President Arif Alvi. Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial remarked that the judiciary can interfere to some extent in the proceedings of the National Assembly after arguments on the separation of powers between the judiciary and the legislature were advanced. The court refused to stay the ruling of the Speaker on the rejection of the no-confidence motion. Notices were also issued to the Prime Minister, the speaker of the National Assembly, and Deputy Speaker Sadiq Sanjrani who announced the rejection of the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly earlier today. Among those who reached the top court were Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan, members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the Opposition, reported ARY News. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was chairing today's session, dismissed the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution. This was followed by an address to the nation by Prime Minister Imran Khan in which he announced that he had advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly of Pakistan and call for fresh elections. After the dissolution of the National Assembly, President Supreme Court Bar Ahsan Bhoon called on the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the situation and declare the unconstitutional step null and void. "There is no constitutional justification for dissolution of the assembly," he added. The Supreme Court formed a five-member larger bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan over the situation in the National Assembly on Sunday. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Imran Khan's advice to President to dissolve National Assembly is a violation of the Constitution. Lashing out at the Deputy Speaker, he said, "He has done unconstitutional thing at the last moment. He broke the Constitution of Pakistan. The no-trust vote had to take place today as per the Constitution." Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the Lower House of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan Army. The opposition party had moved the no-trust motion against the PM on March 8. Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI "lost the majority" in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM announced that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly. (ANI) The war between Russia and Ukraine revived the memories of the Chinese occupation of Tibet, said an international law jurist. Prof. Michael Van Walt Van Praag, an international law jurist who specializes in international conflict resolution, said "an interesting outcome of the events in Ukraine today is that it has helped the world community to revive its memory about how a big nation like China used its brutal force to occupy weaker neighboring nations like Tibet, East Turkistan and South Mongolia by imposing its own interpretation of history and law," The Singapore Post reported. On February 24, Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. Michael, currently a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Social Science at the University of California, continued by saying, "the arguments being forwarded by President Putin of Russia today and the manner in which the Russian Army has invaded Ukraine have too many similarities to ignore how China occupied Tibet in 1950-1951 era", The Singapore Post reported. He made these remarks at the webinar organized jointly by the Centre for Himalayan Asia Studies and Engagement (CHASE) and the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC). It was focused on famous book "Tibet Brief: 20/20", jointly authored by Prof. Michael and Miek Botjes. "We should soon expect the world to stand firmly behind occupied countries like Tibet, East Turkistan and South Mongolia which China has colonized over the past many decades. Crushing of human rights in these countries by the Chinese communist regime and exploitation of their natural resources is bound to become a big issue," Michael said. Michael cautioned the world governments, diplomats, academics and especially the international media to stop being victims of using certain terminology which the Chinese rulers have been trying to spread through very systematic and refined propaganda, The Singapore Post reported. Giving examples he said that referring to the Tibetans, the Uyghurs and the Mongols as 'ethnic minorities' of China is a direct acceptance of Chinese claims that they are an integral part of a wider Chinese population. But the reality is that all of them are independent 'people' and belong to three different countries namely Tibet, East Turkistan and South Mongolia which were 'occupied' territories in recent history. In international law an 'ethnic minority' in a country may have some rights but they cannot claim to be a separate 'country', The Singapore Post reported. Tibet was formerly an independent country that was conquered and absorbed into China by force 70 years ago. Tibetans living in Tibet and Tibetan areas of western China frequently complain of discrimination and human rights abuses, and say they fear Beijing is pursuing ever more aggressive policies aimed at eradicating their national and cultural identity. (ANI) A medical worker takes a swab sample from a resident for nucleic acid test in Changning District of east China's Shanghai, April 1, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua] China has asked local authorities to further lower the price of COVID-19 nucleic acid tests to no more than 28 yuan (about 4.4 U.S. dollars) per person for a single test. The price for testing a group of 10 people should be no more than eight yuan per person, according to a notice issued by the National Healthcare Security Administration and the State Council joint prevention and control mechanism against COVID-19. The document requires all provincial-level regions to complete the price adjustment by at least the end of April. Sri Lankan Prime Minister's Office on Sunday refuted the reports of the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and termed them "false" adding that there are no such plans at present. Sri Lanka is presently facing a foreign exchange shortage which has led to a food, fuel, power, and gas shortage and has sought the assistance of friendly countries for economic assistance.The country is witnessing long hours of daily power cuts. Its currency has also been devalued by almost SLR 90 against the US dollar since March 8. The streets of Colombo wore a deserted look, resembling a "no man's land" on Sunday as a curfew was imposed on the city on top of a 36-hour nationwide curfew already in force following protests outside the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The cars in the city were all parked in the parking lot and the roads remain deserted, with police forces and army personnel stationed everywhere in the city and checking the vehicles.Protests were nevertheless held in the city and throughout the country, with people breaking the curfew. Protests staged by the public were reported from small streets, apartment complexes, and multiple areas around the country, the Colombo Gazette reported. The Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) also staged a protest in Colombo today against the Government with slogans of "Go Gotabaya Go", referring to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.Sri Lanka on Sunday arrested over 600 protestors violating the curfew in Western Province imposed from 6 pm from Saturday to 6 am on Monday. The police said that 664 individuals were arrested in the Western Province between 10.00 pm last night and 6.00 am today, reported Colombo Gazette. During the protests, an allegedly intoxicated 53-year-old male committed suicide in front of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's house in Mirihana, local police informed. Ahead of a planned 'Arab Spring" style protest for Sunday, the island nation had imposed a nationwide curfew starting at 6 pm in the evening on Saturday till morning 6 am on Monday (April 4) following unrest in the country with protests outside the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amid the ongoing economic crisis in the Island country. To counter the protests, the Sri Lankan government also imposed a nationwide social media blackout after midnight on Sunday, April 3, according to an internet observatory.Some two dozen social media platforms were affected including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram. (ANI) Palestine called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to "investigate the violations and the assaults of the Israeli army and the Israeli settlers against the Palestinians," the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "These crimes are an explicit call to explode the situation and ignite violence and chaos during the holy month of Ramadan," the statement said. The foreign ministry called on the international community to ensure international protection for the Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Since Thursday, at least six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, including three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The U.S.-sponsored peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014 following deep differences on borders, security, and Israeli settlement between the two sides. Since then, there have been no diplomatic ties between Israelis and Palestinians because of the Palestinian rejection of the Israeli expansion of settlements and Israeli measures against the Palestinians in East Jerusalem. Israel seized the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war and has controlled them ever since. The Palestinians seek to establish an independent state on these territories with East Jerusalem as its capital. (ANI/Xinhua) India's Ambassador to Turkmenistan Dr Vidhu P Nair on Sunday highlighted the importance of synergy between India and Turkmenistan to cooperate in Afghanistan, especially in terms of security. Speaking to ANI, Nair said, "India and Turkmenistan's common interest lies in Afghanistan, which is why synergy is important between the two nations." He added that both President Kovind and his Turkmenistan counterpart Serdar Berdimuhamedov have agreed to cooperate in Afghanistan, especially in terms of security. Speaking on the investments done by both the countries in Afghanistan, the Indian envoy said, "India has done a lot of investment in Afghanistan, around USD 3 bn. Turkmenistan has also done a lot of investments in Afghanistan, especially in infrastructure, like schools, hospitals, railways." Speaking on the first Presidential visit by India to Turkmenistan, Nair said, "I've never seen a warm welcome of a President like this before which shows that Turkmenistan considers India important. India's culture is also very popular here. One can find many people here who'll greet with a 'Namaste' and sing 'Bollywood' songs." "Hindi is also commonly spoken here. We are also connected in terms of trade, however, due to no border connectivity, the trade connection hasn't reached the desired position yet," he added. Speaking on the natural gas reserves of Turkmenistan, the Indian envoy said that Turkmenistan is number four in the world in terms of gas reserves; however, being a landlocked country it does not have access to oceans for transport of gas. "Our President focused on connectivity improvement, as our fast-paced economy needs energy and we don't want to depend on one source. We need to diversify and natural gas is important in this context. Thus, issues of gas price and delivery points are important to get resolved in technical meetings and Turkmenistan agreed with India on this," he stated. Notably, President Ram Nath Kovind is on a state visit to Turkmenistan and Netherlands from April 1 to April 7. Following his Turkmenistan visit ending on April 3, President Kovind will visit the Netherlands from April 4-7. (ANI) Moscow [Russia], April 3 (ANI/Sputnik): Photos and video footage published by Ukraine allegedly evidencing the Russian forces' crimes in the town of Bucha close to Kyiv are yet another provocation, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday. "All photos and video materials published by the Kyiv regime allegedly testifying to some 'crimes' committed by Russian soldiers in the town of Bucha, Kyiv region, is another provocation. Not a single local resident has suffered from any violent actions while the Russian armed forces controlled the settlement," the ministry said. All Russian units completely withdrew from Bucha as early as March 30, the day after the talks were held between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey, the ministry added. "The photos and video footage from Bucha are yet another production by the Kyiv regime for the Western media, just like what happened in Mariupol with the maternity hospital as well as in other cities," the ministry noted. Throughout the time the town was controlled by the Russian armed forces and until today, residents could freely move around the town and use cellular communications, with the exits from Bucha also not blocked. Residents could flee the settlement in the northern direction, including to Belarus, at any time, the ministry said. "Meanwhile, the southern outskirts of the town, including residential neighbourhoods, were shelled round the clock by Ukrainian troops with large-calibre artillery, tanks, and multiple rocket launchers," the ministry added. (ANI/Sputnik) Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday termed Prime Minister Imran Khan as a "tiny dictator" who attempted a coup in the country by dissolving National Assembly. Bilawal's remarks came in response to Imran Khan's tweet where he expressed astonishment over the Opposition's reaction to the developments at the National Assembly. "Astonished by reaction of PDM to our calling for general elections. They have been crying hoarse about how our government has failed and lost support of the people so why the fear of elections now? Democrats go to the people for support," tweeted Khan. "Isn't it better for PDM to accept elections rather than being part of a foreign conspiracy for regime change; and indulging in blatant purchasing of loyalties thereby destroying our nation's moral fibre," he added. Reacting to Imran Khan's accusations, Bilawal said that the demand for early elections was not raised by Imran Khan but by the Opposition; however, dissolution of the assembly when a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister is pending will not be accepted. "Your coup attempt will not succeed. Early elections was our demand, not yours. No confidence, electoral reforms, early free and fair elections are our long stated goal. When there's a no confidence motion pending against PM and speaker, you can't dissolve assemblies and speaker can't end the session without voting on the NCM. Today you proved you are nothing but a tiny little dictator whose ego is more important than our constitution. We proved we are ready to vote you out of parliament and will vote you out in elections," tweeted the PPP chairman. He further asked if early elections' demand by the Opposition was a foreign conspiracy, why the premier implemented this conspiracy by acting on the same lines. "The Foreign conspiracy was NCM, electoral reforms and early elections??? Then why did you implement this supposed conspiracy by unconstitutionally trying to dissolve parliament and call early elections," he said. This comes after National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was chairing Sunday's session, dismissed the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan-led government, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution. Further, Pakistan President Arif Alvi also dissolved the National Assembly on the proposal of Imran Khan, with the elections likely to be held in the next 90 days. (ANI) The Opposition parties in Pakistan have been contemplating their actions going forward after the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan was rejected and the National Assembly was dissolved, media reports said. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said that Imran Khan and National Assembly speaker Asad Qaisar will be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution once their government falls, Business Recorder reported. Shehbaz's response comes minutes after Qasim Suri declared the no-confidence motion "unconstitutional", an anti-climax development to weeks of planning and intense lobbying. Meanwhile, responding to today's developments, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said that the opposition will "initiate a legal battle" against the "unconstitutional ruling by the NA Deputy Speaker". "We will follow the constitution to deal with the situation," he reportedly said. Similarly, reacting to the government's decision to dissolve assemblies, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the opposition too had a surprise for the government which, she said, will be announced shortly. Earlier today, Pakistan President Arif Alvi approved the dissolution of the National Assembly on Prime Imran Khan's advice in a surprise move. In a televised address to the nation after the no-confidence motion against his government was rejected by the Deputy Speaker on "constitutional" grounds, Imran Khan said that he has advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly and called upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections. Later, in a series of tweets, Imran Khan defended his call for early elections and asked the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) why they are afraid of it. "Isn't it better for PDM to accept elections rather than being part of a foreign conspiracy for regime change; and indulging in blatant purchasing of loyalties thereby destroying our nation's moral fibre?" Imran Khan tweeted. Imran Khan has been calling the move by the Opposition to bring a no-confidence motion against his government, a "foreign conspiracy" involving the US to oust him. (ANI) When asked during an appearance on CBS News' "Face the Nation" program if Russia is carrying out genocide in Ukraine, Zelensky replied: "Indeed. This is genocide," reported CNN. Ukraine alleged that these civilians were killed by the Russian troops. However, the Russian Defence Ministry refuted the claims saying it is 'yet another provocation', reported Sputnik. According to the ministry, "All photos and video materials published by the Kyiv regime allegedly testifying to some 'crimes' committed by Russian soldiers in the town of Bucha, Kyiv region, is another provocation. Not a single local resident has suffered from any violent actions while the Russian armed forces controlled the settlement." All Russian units completely withdrew from Bucha as early as March 30, the day after the talks were held between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey, it added. (ANI) Despite the rhetoric of a strong friendship with Russia, China has chosen a low-profile strategy in the Ukraine-Russia war to protect its own interests as Beijing has shown little interest in providing Moscow with any actual economic lifelines, said a media report. While China has refused to abandon Moscow or yield to US threats of secondary penalties for supporting Russia, the fact can be attributed to China not appreciating being told what to do, as said by Politburo member Yang Jiechi during his meeting with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, reported Tibet Press. However, contrary to its claims of kinship with Russia, China has curtailed Russia's flexibility by blocking some financial transactions with it in some situations as China's two major state banks, the Bank of China and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, ceased activities dealing with Russian goods. Moreover, China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and BRICS bank projects in Russia have been halted, while Beijing has closed its ports to Russian seafood, citing COVID-19 measures, reported the media outlet. While Chinese smartphone manufacturers - Xiaomi, Oppo, and Huawei have cut their shipments to Russia in half, TikTok has also halted operations after Russian state media were blocked. Furthermore, after being left with a near-monopoly following the major evacuation of Western and Japanese automakers from Russia, Chinese automakers like Haval have raised their prices by 50 per cent claiming logistics delays as the reason. However, according to a Russian business publication, this dramatic increase can be attributed to dwindling competition with market supply confined primarily to Russian and Chinese automobiles. The very instance goes against China's claims of "no bounds" friendship with Russia. China's subtle isolation from Russia can be attributed to protecting its own interests as Beijing has recently come under international scrutiny, with a never-ending stream of US officials urging it to distance itself from Russia or suffer "consequences." Despite being asked to mediate a truce between Russia and Ukraine, and Beijing openly proclaiming its determination to do so, China appears to be choosing a low-profile strategy, according to the media outlet. (ANI) Moscow [Russia], April 3 (ANI/Sputnik): The United States over the past week has increased imports of Russian oil by 43%, reaching 100,000 barrels per day, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Mikhail Popov said on Sunday. "The US forced Europeans to introduce anti-Russian sanctions, while not only continuing to import oil from Russia but increasing volume of [oil] deliveries for the past week by 43% up to 100,000 barrels per day! Besides, Washington allowed its companies to import mineral fertilizer from Russia, listing it as essential goods," Popov told Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper. (ANI/Sputnik) A statement was issued in this regard from the country's Cabinet Division after the dissolution of the National Assembly, Geo News reported. The de-notification comes after the deputy speaker of the National Assembly (NA) Qasim Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion against the PTI chairman and termed it "unconstitutional". Pakistan Opposition parties have been contemplating their actions going forward after the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan was rejected and the National Assembly was dissolved. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said that Imran Khan and National Assembly speaker Asad Qaisar will be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution once their government falls, Business Recorder reported. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said that the opposition will "initiate a legal battle" against the "unconstitutional ruling by the NA Deputy Speaker". After the no-trust motion against Imran Khan was dismissed on Sunday, Pakistan Army had said it is not involved in politics. Pakistan Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that all orders and actions initiated by Imran Khan and the president regarding the dissolution of the National Assembly will be subject to the court's order. Bandial made the observation after taking notice of the current situation in the country following the dismissal of a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan by NA Deputy Speaker Suri. (ANI) Flash UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic od the Congo (MONUSCO) paid a final tribute Saturday to the eight peacekeepers who died during a helicopter crash Tuesday in northeastern DRC. The memorial service took place this Saturday in Goma, capital of North Kivu province, in the presence of the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. "The remains of our departed peacekeepers are on their way back home. Once more we salute their courage and sacrifice in the service of peace," said Khassim Diagne, the deputy special representative for protection and security at MONUSCO. The helicopter was on a reconnaissance mission in Tshanzu, near Goma, where there have been clashes between the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group and the DRC military in recent days. All eight peacekeepers who were on board the helicopter died after the chopper crashed. The DRC military said Tuesday that the UN helicopter was shot down by M23 rebels, which is yet to be confirmed by the United Nations. Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday said that Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan and all characters involved in the "conspiracy" against the nation are guilty of high treason and should be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution, media reports said. The former premier's remarks came after Pak President Arif Alvi approved the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan to dissolve the National Assembly after a summary was sent by the premier in the wake of a no-trust move against him. "The President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, has approved the advice of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to dissolve the National Assembly under the Article 58 (1) read with Article 48(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan," according to the short statement issued by the President's Secretariat. "Today, a man obsessed with power trampled the Constitution," Nawaz Sharif wrote on his official Twitter handle. Nawaz, who is also the supreme leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said that Imran Khan and all characters involved in the "conspiracy" against the nation are guilty of high treason and should be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution, Express Tribune reported. He warned that anyone involved in any wrongdoing with the country and desecration of the Constitution will be taken to task. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri had earlier dismissed the no-confidence motion submitted by the joint opposition, terming it "unconstitutional" under Article 5. --IANS san/skp/ ( 252 Words) 2022-04-03-19:40:09 (IANS) "In light of the blatant provocation by Ukrainian radicals in Bucha, Russia has demanded a UN Security Council meeting be convened on Monday afternoon, April 4," Polyansky was quoted as saying by Sputnik. Moscow will expose "the Ukrainian instigators and their Western patrons," he added. While reacting to the photos and video footage allegedly showing civilians' bodies strewn across the streets in the town of Bucha close to Kyiv in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy termed this as "genocide." When asked during an appearance on CBS News' "Face the Nation" program if Russia is carrying out genocide in Ukraine, Zelensky replied: "Indeed. This is genocide," reported CNN. Ukraine alleged that these civilians were killed by the Russian troops. However, the Russian Defence Ministry refuted the claims saying it is 'yet another provocation'. "All photos and video materials published by the Kyiv regime allegedly testifying to some 'crimes' committed by Russian soldiers in the town of Bucha, Kyiv region, is another provocation. Not a single local resident has suffered from any violent actions while the Russian armed forces controlled the settlement," the Russian Defence Ministry, as quoted by Sputnik. All Russian units completely withdrew from Bucha as early as March 30, the day after the talks were held between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey, the report added. (ANI) Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned the rejection of the resolution for vote of no-confidence against Imran Khan, during the session of the National Assembly on Sunday. "PFUJ and HRCP have condemned the act of, Dy Speaker of National Assembly for rejecting the resolution for vote of no confidence against the prime minister during the session of the National Assembly," PFUJ and HRCP said in a joint statement. In a strongly-worded joint statement, the groups rejected the Pakistan Prime Ministers' advice to President to dissolve the assembly. "In doing so he has violated Article 95 of the Constitution of Pakistan," the statement said. They said that the acts of President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri amount to subverting the constitution of Pakistan and an attack on democracy by not allowing voting on vote of no confidence and then ordering to dissolve the assemblies. "This will push the country towards anarchy and authoritarianism," they added. PFUJ and UIRCP also appealed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan to declare all these acts of the President, PM and Deputy Speaker as void "Ab Initio." They said the political system cannot be run on the whims and wishes of individuals. Personal agenda and ego must not be allowed to detract Pakistan from a democratic path. "Pakistani people, intelligentsia and civil society and struggled and laid their lives for democracy and constitutionalism in the country", they reminded. (ANI) New Zealand is funding with USD 2 million a new project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to provide agricultural inputs and cash aid to 94,500 people from farming communities in the provinces of Kunduz, Nangarhar, Parwan and Wardak. "We welcome New Zealand's first ever contribution to FAO emergency and resilience programme at this critical point in time for Afghanistan. Farmers need quality seed in hand to plant in early spring, and secure their harvest this year. New Zealand's support will help make this happen," said Richard Trenchard, FAO Representative in Afghanistan. "Following on from our recent humanitarian contributions in Afghanistan, New Zealand is pleased to support FAO's initiatives to help rural Afghan people to grow food, feed themselves and remain self-reliant. FAO is one of the few organizations with the technical expertise and capacity to deliver inside Afghanistan at present," a New Zealand government spokesperson said. From the new funding, FAO will assist 49,000 people from marginal and vulnerable farming households in northeastern Afghanistan with a spring and summer cultivation package. In a press statement, FAO said that this assistance provides farmers with a chance to plant wheat in low-lying parts of the country, or maize and high-protein legumes, like mung bean and chickpea. A wheat cultivation assistance package worth USD 157 can grow enough staple food to meet the consumption needs of a family of seven for a full year. It consists of certified wheat seeds, fertilizers and training. "USD 157 is less than one-quarter of the cost of purchasing the same amount of grain in the local market, which vulnerable farmers without income cannot afford. It is a very efficient intervention," added Trenchard. As many as 45,500 people will benefit either through cash for work or unconditional transfers or cash assistance. Each family will receive the equivalent to USD 100 in the local currency, Afghanis, to cover the most immediate food and basic needs. According to FAO, many food-insecure families are currently forced selling their livelihood assets in despair just to buy food. Cash assistance is essential for these families to avoid resorting these extreme coping mechanisms. 42,000 people will benefit from FAO's intervention funded by New Zealand through cash for work activities designed to build or rehabilitate vital small-scale community irrigation infrastructures. This is a key intervention to improve access to water, a scarce resource across these four provinces, while providing short term employment opportunities and injecting cash in the local economy. (ANI) After the dismissal of a no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan-led government, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that "Imran's coup" forces the country into yet another compromised election. Pakistan National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri on Sunday had dismissed the no-trust motion against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the country's Constitution. Moreover, Pakistan President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on the proposal of Imran Khan. "We set out on mission to force-free and fair election. Through a vote of no confidence, electoral reforms & early elections. Were all set to achieve that. Imran's coup undermines NCM, electoral reforms but forces yet another compromised election. Silver lining Selected is GONE!" Bilawal Bhutto tweeted. The PPP chairman said that Pakistan cannot under any circumstances compromise on the constitution. He urged the Supreme court of Pakistan to rise to the challenge and prove that country's constitution is "more than a piece of paper." "If we can't implement the constitution on the floor of the NA we can't dream of constitutional supremacy anywhere else," he added. Bilawal Zardari earlier had called Imran Khan a "tiny dictator" who attempted a coup in the country by dissolving National Assembly. His remarks came in response to Imran Khan's tweet where he expressed astonishment over the Opposition's reaction to the developments at the National Assembly. "Astonished by reaction of PDM to our calling for general elections. They have been crying hoarse about how our government has failed and lost support of the people so why the fear of elections now? Democrats go to the people for support," Khan tweeted. In a strongly-worded joint statement, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned the rejection of the resolution for a vote of no-confidence against Imran Khan. The groups rejected the Pakistan Prime Ministers' advice to President to dissolve the assembly. "In doing so he has violated Article 95 of the Constitution of Pakistan," the statement said. Pakistan Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that all orders and actions initiated by Imran Khan and the president regarding the dissolution of the National Assembly will be subject to the court's order. Bandial made the observation after taking notice of the current situation in the country following the dismissal of a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan by NA Deputy Speaker Suri. (ANI) Danny Pena at his apartment in Los Angeles on Friday. He was paralyzed in an e-scooter accident three years ago. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) Three years ago, Danny Pena, then 23, was on his way to a job interview at a sandwich shop, riding a Bird e-scooter. He was an experienced rider; in less than a year, he had rented e-scooters more than 400 times in Los Angeles. On that bright, sunny day, he had traveled almost a mile when his Bird crashed into a sidewalk buckled by invasive tree roots. Eyewitnesses testified that after he hit the uplifted concrete, he pitched headfirst into an Indian laurel fig tree and ended up in the street, a heavily trafficked stretch of La Brea Avenue just south of Washington Boulevard. In the crash, two portions of his cervical spine and part of his skull were fractured. Pena would never walk again. I always knew that catastrophic e-scooters crashes would become part of the urban landscape. When they first rolled out in 2017, e-scooters created chaos on streets, sidewalks and bike paths until cities were forced to regulate them, develop rules and use technology like geofencing, which renders scooters inoperable in designated areas. Electric scooters are fun and cheap to ride, but their usefulness has been relentlessly hyped by companies such as Bird, which have no way to enforce their own rules. These companies have made disingenuous marketing claims about how scooters would ease traffic and save the environment by providing eco-friendly transportation for the last mile between buses and subways and the office, while stating in its terms of service agreement that backpacks may not be worn during rides. (Who goes to work without a backpack?) The scooters arent very stable, little kids easily evade the age requirements, few riders wear helmets and people often double up for rides. In California, its against the law to ride them on streets where the speed limit exceeds 25 mph and there is no bike lane, or on sidewalks. But, as Pena testified in a deposition, hed often ridden on sidewalks where the street was too dangerous (like that stretch of La Brea). He said he was never stopped or cited, even though police officers had seen him numerous times. Story continues :: In November 2019, Pena filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles, alleging it was responsible for the crash. He and his attorney, Gabriel Avina, contend that the broken sidewalk caused Pena to lose control of the scooter, and a poorly maintained tree caused his injuries. Both sidewalk and tree are owned by the city, which knew or should have known, they claim, about the dangerous conditions. The city lost a motion to get the lawsuit thrown out and turned to Bird for help with the case. In the failed motion, lawyers for the city argued the city did not know about the broken pavement or fig tree, that Pena accelerated down the hill (which Pena denies), that he had consumed a "large amount of cognac" the night before, that he was over the scooter weight limit by 15 pounds and was wearing a backpack. As it turns out, when Bird and the city made their business agreement, Bird agreed to indemnify the city against lawsuits related to its scooters. Bird is obligated to pay for the citys defense and presumably any damages Pena might be granted. But heres where the story takes a head-spinning twist: When Pena downloaded the Bird app and agreed to its terms in August 2018, he unwittingly indemnified Bird against any lawsuits. Bird now claims that Pena owes the company $322,171, the amount it has spent so far defending Los Angeles against the lawsuit. Even more abominable, Bird argues that if the lawsuit goes to trial and Pena is awarded damages, it is Pena who must pay the damages to himself. This is like a snake eating its own tail, Avina told me when we spoke by phone Thursday morning. This guy lives on Medicare. Hes paralyzed. Avina said experts estimate that Pena will require about $15 million for care over his lifetime. Ive never had a high regard for e-scooter companies, but I had no idea how low Bird could go. In response to my request for an interview about the case, a Bird spokeswoman emailed: Bird is not a party to Mr. Penas lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles. His accident and the extent of his resulting injuries are unfortunate. The accident occurred while Mr. Pena was allegedly operating a Bird scooter illegally on a city-maintained sidewalk with a BAC [blood-alcohol level] over the legal limit, tested positive for marijuana and in violation of the California Vehicle Code. Bird may not technically be a party to the lawsuit Pena has filed against the city, but it is paying for the defense. Also, just last month, Bird demanded Pena be forced into arbitration with the company over its claim he owes them money to defend the lawsuit he brought against the city. As for whether Pena was legally drunk or high at the time of the crash, that is unclear. A judge who ruled against the city when it asked that the lawsuit be tossed wrote in her order that no forensically defensible blood alcohol test had been administered. Avina told me that two toxicologists agreed that while cannabis may have shown up in Penas urine, there was no way to tell when it was ingested. (Cannabis can be detected long after its effect fades.) I have no idea what the outcome of this case will be, but I am rooting for Birds arbitration demand to be tossed, for a jury to weigh in, or at the very least for the city to settle with Pena. And I really hope Bird lays off its inane claim that Pena owes it money. People should know when they rent these scooters that Bird will come after you, said Avina. I dont fault the city too much, but what Bird is doing is repugnant. You'll get no argument from me on that. @AbcarianLAT This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. There is every reason to extend the same level of compassion to refugees of color, U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley, of Massachusetts, and Mondaire Jones, of New York, say Wilfred Tebah doesnt begrudge the U.S. for swiftly granting humanitarian protections to Ukrainians escaping Russias devastating invasion of their homeland. But the 27-year-old, who fled Cameroon during its ongoing conflict, cant help but wonder what would happen if the millions fleeing that Eastern Europe nation were of a different hue. As the U.S. prepares to welcome tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing war, the country continues to deport scores of African and Caribbean refugees back to unstable and violent homelands where theyve faced rape, torture, arbitrary arrest and other abuses. They do not care about a Black man, the Columbus, Ohio, resident said, referring to U.S. politicians. The difference is really clear. They know what is happening over there, and they have decided to close their eyes and ears. Wilfred Tebah, who fled Cameroon during its ongoing conflict, poses for a photo in the backyard of his home, Thursday, March 31, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Patrick Orsagos) Tebahs concerns echo protests against the swift expulsions of Haitian refugees crossing the border this summer without a chance to seek asylum, not to mention the frosty reception African and Middle Eastern refugees have faced in western Europe compared with how those nations have enthusiastically embraced displaced Ukrainians. In March, when President Joe Biden made a series of announcements welcoming 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, granting Temporary Protected Status to another 30,000 already in the U.S. and halting Ukrainian deportations, two Democratic lawmakers seized on the moment to call for similar humanitarian considerations for Haitians. There is every reason to extend the same level of compassion, U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley, of Massachusetts, and Mondaire Jones, of New York, wrote to the administration, noting more than 20,000 Haitians have been deported despite continued instability after the assassination of Haitis president and a powerful earthquake this summer. Story continues Cameroonian advocates have similarly ratcheted up their calls for humanitarian relief, protesting in front of the Washington residence of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the offices of leading members of Congress this month. Their calls come as hundreds of thousands in Cameroon have been displaced in recent years by the countrys civil war between its French-speaking government and English-speaking separatists, attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram and other regional conflicts. The advocacy group Human Rights Watch, in a February report, found many Cameroonians deported from the U.S. suffered persecution and human rights violations upon returning there. Tebah, who is a leading member of the Cameroon American Council, an advocacy group organizing protests this month, said thats a fate he hopes to avoid. Hailing from the countrys English-speaking northwest, he said he was branded a separatist and apprehended by the government because of his activism as a college student. Tebah said he managed to escape, as many Cameroonians have, by flying to Latin America, trekking overland to the U.S.-Mexico border and petitioning for asylum in 2019. I will be held in prison, tortured and even killed if I am deported, he said. Im very scared. As a human, my life matters too. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TPS and other humanitarian programs, declined to respond to the complaints of racism in American immigration policy. It also declined to say whether it was weighing granting TPS to Cameroonians or other African nationals, saying in a written statement only that it will continue to monitor conditions in various countries. The agency noted, however, that it has recently issued TPS designations for Haiti, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan all African or Caribbean nations as well as to more than 75,000 Afghans living in the U.S. after the Taliban takeover of that Central Asian nation. Haitians are among the largest and longest-tenured beneficiaries of TPS, with more than 40,000 currently on the status. Other TPS countries include Burma, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen, and the majority of the nearly 320,000 immigrants with Temporary Protected Status hail from El Salvador. Lisa Parisio, who helped launch Catholics Against Racism in Immigration, argues the program could easily help protect millions more refugees fleeing danger but has historically been underused and overpoliticized. TPS, which provides a work permit and staves off deportation for up to 18 months, doesnt have limits for how many countries or people can be placed on it, said Parisio, who is the advocacy director for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network. Yet former President Donald Trump, in his broader efforts to restrict immigration, pared down TPS, allowing designations for Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea in West Africa to expire. Although programs like TPS provide critical protections for vulnerable refugees, they can also leave many in legal limbo for years without providing a pathway to citizenship, said Karla Morales, a 24-year-old from El Salvador who has been on TPS nearly her whole life. Its absurd to consider 20 years in this country temporary, the University of Massachusetts Boston nursing student said. We need validation that the work weve put in is appreciated and that our lives have value. At least in the case of Ukraine, Biden appears motivated by broader foreign policy goals in Europe, rather than racial bias, suggests Maria Cristina Garcia, a history professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, focused on refugees and immigrants. But Tom Wong, founding director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego, said the racial disparities couldnt be clearer. The U.S. has responded without hesitation by extending humanitarian protections to predominately white and European refugees, he said. All the while, predominately people of color from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia continue to languish. Besides Cameroon, immigrant advocates also argue that Congo and Ethiopia should qualify for humanitarian relief because of their ongoing conflicts, as should Mauritania, since slavery is still practiced there. And they complain Ukrainian asylum seekers are being exempted from asylum limits meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while those from other nations are being turned away. Black pain and Black suffering do not get the same attention, says Sylvie Bello, founder of the D.C.-based Cameroon American Council. The same anti-Blackness that permeates American life also permeates American immigration policy. Vera Arnot, a Ukrainian in Boston who is considering seeking TPS, says she didnt know much about the special status until the war started and wasnt aware of the concerns from immigrants of color. But the Berklee College of Music sophomore hopes the relief can be extended to other deserving nations. Vera Arnot, of Kyiv, Ukraine, who currently attends college in Boston, stands for a photograph, in Boston, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Arnot says TPS could help her seek an off-campus job with better pay so she doesnt have to rely on her familys support, as most in Ukraine have lost their jobs due to the war. Ukrainians as a people arent used to relying on others, she said. We want to work. We dont want welfare. For Tebah, who is staying with relatives in Ohio, TPS would make it easier for him to open a bank account, get a drivers license and seek better employment while he awaits a decision on his asylum case. Well continue to beg, to plead, Tebah said. We are in danger. I want to emphasize it. And only TPS for Cameroon will help us be taken out of that danger. It is very necessary. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post African refugees see racial bias as US welcomes Ukrainians appeared first on TheGrio. (Reuters) - The union that Amazon.com Inc workers recently voted to represent them has demanded the company start bargaining in early May and cease any changes to employment terms at their warehouse in the interim, according to a letter the group issued Saturday on Twitter. The Amazon Labor Union also demanded the retailer respect workers' rights to union representation during disciplinary meetings, the letter said. Amazon did not immediately comment. On Friday, after some 55% of workers voted to make their warehouse in Staten Island, New York Amazon's first unionized worksite in the United States, the company said it may file objections before the election result is certified. (Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in Palo Alto, California; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) Typical "Police Line Do Not Cross" barricade tape, often seen cordoning off crime scenes. Authorities have identified a man who died Saturday after a vehicle pursuit and shootout with Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers. OHP was contacted by police in Sedona, Arizona to look for a vehicle driven by Charles Carswell, a 32-year-old armed robbery suspect. Troopers located the vehicle in Canadian County and attempted a traffic stop, but Carswell fled, prompting a pursuit, authorities said. When the pursuit entered the Kilpatrick Turnpike, Carswell began firing shots at troopers through his rear window, authorities said. Troopers made several unsuccessful attempts to perform a tactical vehicle intervention or TVI to stop Carswells vehicle. More: One dead in I-35 shooting early Sunday in Oklahoma City Authorities said when Carswell entered the Turner Turnpike, troopers successfully performed a TVI on his vehicle at the 140-mile marker, bringing the pursuit to a stop. Carswell exited his vehicle, grabbed a rifle and began firing more rounds at law enforcement. He barricaded himself behind his vehicle until the OHP Tactical Team arrived, authorities said. Carswell continued to fire at law enforcement, and troopers fired back, killing him. The Oklahoma City Police Department, as well as the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office, assisted with the incident. The troopers involved in the shooting will be placed on paid administrative duties pending the conclusion of the investigation. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Man dead after shootout with Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Bob Baffert won the sixth race at Santa Anita on Saturday, sending the Hall of Fame trainer out a winner two days before his 90-day suspension begins. Baffert was in the winners circle with Shaaz after the $72,000 race. He was joined by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who was aboard for the 2 3/4-length victory. In Hot Springs, Arkansas, Cezanne finished second in the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile, losing by a neck. Baffert decided to scratch Eda from her scheduled start in the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes at the same track. Baffert has 21 victories in 66 starts and earnings of $2.6 million so far this year. But on Friday, the Kentucky Court of Appeals rejected Bafferts motion for emergency relief from his 90-day suspension by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. His suspension is the result of medication violations involving some of his horses, including Medina Spirit. Signage outside Bafferts barn at Santa Anita was removed as part of a California Horse Racing Board rule that mandates any trainer who is suspended for 60 days or more be banned from all CHRB-licensed facilities. Baffert had already transferred four promising 3-year-old colts to other trainers so they can run in major prep races and potentially earn points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby on May 7. The CHRB said Saturday that Baffert will be banned from all CHRB-licensed facilities and won't be permitted to be involved in the training of horses that have previously been under his care. Any trainer at Santa Anita, Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos or San Luis Rey Downs who may have horses transferred to their barn from Baffert will have to apply for stalls for those horses to the tracks' racing offices, which will make the final decision. Any Baffert horses not transferred to a trainer in California will have to leave Santa Anita before Monday. The track's winter-spring meet ends June 19. Churchill Downs has suspended Baffert for the 2022 and 2023 Kentucky Derbies. He is fighting that ban in federal court. His suspension will be honored in all 38 racing states. You are here: World Flash Myanmar received a batch of 3 million COVID-19 vaccine syringes donated by China on Saturday, according to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Myanmar has received China's support including COVID-19 vaccines, oxygen concentrators and face masks, the statement said. According to the Health Ministry, Myanmar reported 135 new COVID-19 cases with a daily positivity rate of 1.04 percent on Saturday. The number of infections in the country has increased to 611,809, while death toll stood at 19,432. With 210 new recoveries, a total of 589,842 patients have been discharged from hospitals and over 7.6 million samples have been tested for COVID-19 so far. They carried 129 overstuffed duffel bags. Each came packed with 70 pounds of diapers, socks, medicine and a lot of love from North Jersey to Ukraine. When a group of Bergen County volunteers dragged the donations into Newark Liberty Airport in March and explained they were on a goodwill mission to the Ukrainian border, the befuddled ticket agent blinked back tears. Needless to say, they didn't have to pay baggage fees, said Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner of Temple Emanu-El in Closter, who accompanied the relief mission along with 10 other people. Along with Kirshner's synagogue, the group represented the Tenafly-based Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, Congregation Ahavath Torah of Englewood and the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, based in Paramus. Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner giving out food to refugees at a train station in Krakow, Poland. Members of the delegation returned from the Polish border overwhelmed by the suffering they witnessed as a result of Russia's invasion but also moved by the charity of myriad volunteers from around the globe. "At a border crossing in Medyka, we saw what seemed like a mini-United Nations," Kirshner said. "There was an Israel flag and station with a field hospital, free food offered by the Sikh community food truck, an Egyptian triage tent and Italian paramedics." "Putin created the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II but he also galvanized the greatest international response and collective humanitarian effort in modern history the bitter and the sweet," the rabbi added, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The United Nations estimates that almost 4 million people, mainly women, children and the elderly, have fled war-torn Ukraine. It is believed to be the largest forced migration in Europe since the Second World War. More than half of all Ukrainian children are now displaced, the UN says. Many refugees have gone to border countries like Poland and Moldova, and space and medical supplies have become increasingly scarce. Story continues That's inspired people around the world, including several recent missions from New Jersey, to travel to the edge of the warzone to deliver the aid. Aleksandr Sasha Chmerkovskiy, the father of "Dancing with the Stars" pros Maksim and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, launched a massive donation effort in March from Fort Lee. The campaign gathered more than 130,000 pounds of medical, hygiene and baby supplies to the border. Maksim said on Instagram that through personal connections, he's arranging for the donations to be delivered to major cities and distributed. "People are getting tired but nothing has ended or slowed down," he said on social media. "The humanitarian crisis is getting worse. More people are getting hurt and affected." Relief hub: How is aid getting to Ukrainians? Sometimes it starts at Clifton shipping office How to help: Here's how you can aid Ukraine from New Jersey and which groups to support Trip inspires Jersey Shore concert In early March, Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra traveled to Poland, with suitcases full of local donations. When that was depleted, Kanitra spent thousands of dollars to buy and distribute local supplies. The mayor, who comes from Polish and Slovakian heritage, said he was inspired to make the journey because of the numerous summer workers from the Ukraine region who work at the Jersey Shore and are like family to his community. Kanitra estimates he helped more than 1,000 people on the trip. After returning home, he felt it still wasn't enough. Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra, shown at home, delivered suitcases full of local donations to the Polish border. More than anything, he said, the evacuees need money to buy clothes, medicine and other essentials. He got in touch with friends with contacts in the music industry and an idea was born. Kanitra has organized a charity concert called "Point Beach Cares: Concert for Ukraine" with a lineup of bands planned for April 10. He aims to raise about $250,000 for groups active at the border including World Central Kitchen, Polish Red Cross and Caritas Poland. "We saw them everywhere during our trip," he said, adding that it's important to donate to reputable groups. More: Bon Jovi song inspires Ukrainians defending Odessa: 'For the ones who stood their ground' Jenkinson's Boardwalk in Point Pleasant will host the event for free, and it's already signed up several corporate sponsors, the mayor said. "It feels good to see our community embrace this and give of themselves," Kanitra said. "Every day people are calling and asking how they can help." Tickets are available at www.axs.com/events/429254/point-beach-cares-concert-for-ukraine-tickets. For sponsorships, email Kristen ORourke at korourke@pointbeach.org Bergen group finds packed border Those who've traveled to the border said the need they saw was overwhelming. One of Kirshner's first stops was the central train station in Krakow, Poland, where mothers and children from Ukraine huddled in despair, not knowing their next stop. "Nobody knows which train to take to which location or whether they should stay put," he said in an email. "Which track will bring hope?" "We gave the children candy and their desperate faces lit up. In our broken Russian and their broken English, we exchanged names and smiles and let them know we are praying for them," said Kirshner. Poland is bursting at the seams, said Steve Rogers, CEO of the Kaplen JCC. "Hotels are packed and there are tent cities everywhere. The mayor of Krakow said he doesn't know where he can put more refugees at this point." The group crossed the border into Ukraine and visited a hospital treating people wounded during the invasion. Kirshner likened the hospital to something from the "Cold War," with aging equipment and crumbling facilities. Tourniquets were running out. The medicines that the group brought were put to immediate use, he said. In Warsaw, 'heartwarming' charity Jason Shames of Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey meeting with Ukrainian refugees at the border Jason Shames, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, went on another humanitarian mission to the Polish border with 20 volunteers from around the U.S. It was a particularly emotional journey, Shames said, because his own grandmother had escaped from Warsaw at the start of World War II. He grew up thinking the Polish capital was an awful place. "In 1939 she ran for her life, leaving a family of 12 behind in the middle of the night, and she never saw them again," Shames said by telephone from his hotel room in Warsaw. "To be back here, watching refugees cross the border into Warsaw to find support, love and care is so heartwarming." Shames' organization has raised more than $700,000 from Northern New Jersey donors for Ukrainian relief. "They need money to pay for rent, food, medical supplies, diapers, personal hygiene products and much more," he said. "The needs change daily with the constant movement of people leaving Ukraine." Bombs, bandits and a frozen border: NJ native recounts harrowing escape from invasion This visit cut right to my core," Shames said. "Seeing the desperation in the faces of so many women and children of all ages was gut-wrenching." Refugees need help with mental and physical health, social welfare and food. Many need help deciding where to live, he said. He called the trip galvanizing. "There is the best of humanity that comes out, watching everyone take care of these refugees as if they were their own families." Teaneck student bonds in Vienna Rachel Piontnica of Teaneck went on a relief mission with other Yeshiva University college students to help Ukrainian refugees in Vienna. Here she's pictured with a Ukrainian child she befriended on the trip. Nearly 30 students from Yeshiva University in New York returned from a humanitarian mission from the region last week. The students, who had raised more than $100,000 to support Jewish refugee families in Vienna. They brought food and money and provided programming for the children. Among the volunteers was Rachel Piontnica of Teaneck, a junior majoring in biology. "I spoke with so many individuals who left their homes, families and belongings," she said. "I never imagined I would ever see something like this in my lifetime." Among the highlights was a party to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim with the refugees, as well as time spent with Ukrainian children at a local hotel. Piontnica recalled Alice, a young girl who enjoyed coloring. "We drew pictures together," she said. "Her signature on all of her pictures was 'I heart U.' It was her way to show her appreciation. When we gave her lunch, she kept giggling and offering us her food. Seeing her smiling and being so appreciative during such a difficult time for her family was really moving for me." Deena Yellin covers religion for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to her work covering how the spiritual intersects with our daily lives, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: yellin@northjersey.com Twitter: @deenayellin This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ volunteers deliver supplies, hope to Ukraine refugee crisis The Daily Beast Getty ImagesAmber Heard sobbed uncontrollably on the stand Thursday as she recounted a wild fight with her then-husband Johnny Depp in Australia in which he allegedly penetrated her vagina repeatedly with a liquor bottle, leaving her retching and bloodied.The March 2015 trip for the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean 5 was tumultuous from the start, Heard said during her second day of testimony in the trial over Johnny Depps $50 million defamation lawsuit. One day, after he had been drinking, Billie Lourd and Austen Rydell attend The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Opening Gala at The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Amy Sussman/Getty Billie Lourd is one proud wife! On Sunday, the Scream Queens star shared a lovely post via Instagram in honor of her husband Austen Rydell's 30th birthday. "Happy triple decade to my HUSBAND (whoaaa still feels super cool to say that out loud ok fine type it out loud is typing out loud a thing?)," Lourd, 29, wrote in the caption alongside a picture of the pair from their intimate wedding ceremony in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, last month. RELATED: How Billie Lourd's Wedding Dress and 'Something Blue' Honored Her Late Mom Carrie Fisher "I don't think I ever made this face till I met you?! You make me the giddiest gal in the universe (yes I said giddy no it's not a hip word to use but it's the only one that captures how you make me feel)," she continued. "Anyway I'm not gonna write a novel on this here instagram post but I could write a whole stack o' novels about how much I love you!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDI!!!" Last month, the couple, who shares 1-year-old son Kingston Fisher, tied the knot at a destination wedding in front of friends and family. Lourd's American Horror Story costar Leslie Grossman posted an Instagram Story after attending the event in which she said, "Billie and Austen's wedding weekend is over, which is so sad 'cause it was the most fun." She then held up a trophy and added, "But I won best dressed, and I may have bribed the judges. I may have done whatever I needed to do to get this trophy. But I got it." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday. Rydell, 29, and Lourd got engaged in June 2020, and they welcomed their first baby together later that year in September. "She said YES!! (Actually she said 'Duhhh') But I guess that's even better than yes?!?," Rydell captioned a gallery of photos at the time, announcing their engagement. Story continues The actress reconnected with Rydell in 2017 after they dated when they were younger. They were first spotted together again in October of that year, and Rydell accompanied the actress on her family trip to Norway on the anniversary of the death of her mother, Carrie Fisher. RELATED: Billie Lourd Honors Mom Carrie Fisher with Matching Tattoo on Her Birthday During an appearance on her stepdad Bruce Bozzi's SiriusXM show Quarantined with Bruce in January 2021, the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker actress recalled Rydell being a good support system throughout her pregnancy, calling him the "best dad in the world." "He was so caring and incredible and cooked for me and gave me foot massages ... [he] did these classes with me, like he did the lactation class, he did the positive birthing class. So he was with me every step of the way. And we just became even closer friends, even better partners. I think it prepared us to be the best parents," she shared. Firefighters battled a four-alarm fire that tore through a Dorchester triple-decker Sunday. Crews were called to the scene on Oakley Street where flames had already burned through the rear of the home, according to the Boston Fire Department. Firefighters said they were dealing with live wires poking through the back of the building. Both back porches collapsed and two homes situated on Corona Street were impacted. The rear porches have collapsed the are 2 exposure buildings on Corona St. Companies are dealing with live wires in the rear of the building. A 4th alarm has been ordered. pic.twitter.com/9KKfehNw9y Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) April 3, 2022 No injuries were reported from the fire. Boston Fire Chief said 2 residents are displaced from the home. The fire remains under investigation. Chief of Operations Joseph McMahon briefs the media on the 4 alarm fire on Oakley st. No injuries to report, 2 residents were displaced .Companies did a great job to keep the fire from spreading inside the 2 exposure buildings. pic.twitter.com/h8j80JlPvX Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) April 3, 2022 This is a picture of the extensive damage in the rear of 19 Oakley st. BFD-FIU is investigating the cause of the fire. pic.twitter.com/33WjPJglOk Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) April 3, 2022 This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW (SWNS) A British Tinder Swindler has been jailed for four years after conning a woman out of 157,000 in a romance scam. Frank Adozi, 32, from Nottingham pleaded guilty on Friday to false representation after using dating sites to dupe women out of money. His scam mimicked those seen on Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler, which saw Simon Leviev allegedly scam multiple women out of thousands of pounds. Adozi, from Nottinghamshire, tricked one victim by claiming he was working on an oil rig and had taken the wrong bank card with him. He used a fake profile on a dating website and presented himself as a middle-aged man called Michael McCarthy, police said. Adozi used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle, buying designer clothes, a Range Rover and large amounts of jewellery. One of the women who were conned had recently split from her partner and was scammed out of 157,352 over a two-month period. The woman made 34 transactions to Adozi, who she believed was McCarthy, and said she expected him to return the money so she could buy a house. In a witness statement, the woman said: He explained to me he was born in Australia and grew up in the United States. He said in 2005 he relocated to the UK to be with his wife Lisa who had now sadly died. He had a 13-year-old daughter Tamara who was attending a boarding school in New York. He told me he was thinking of leaving the dating site as he was worried about attracting the wrong kind of person who would just be after his money. He came across as a nice family man who was down-to-earth and genuine. When the money wasnt returned, she reported him to the police and said she had been emotionally blackmailed into sending large amounts of money. Adozi was arrested during a traffic stop on 6 January this year after officers noticed he was a wanted criminal. On analysis of his mobile phone, police found he had targeted at least six other women conning them out of 3,000. Adozi had previously been jailed for four and a half years for similar offences, and was released from prison in 2020. Story continues His dating profile described him as a 6ft tall 60-year-old man from Nottinghamshire. Det Con Carl Miller, of Nottinghamshire Polices fraud investigation team, said: Adozi had no regard for his victims. He went to great lengths to build rapport and gain their trust, before fabricating stories to exploit them out of thousands. The fact that one victim lost 157,000 money she planned to buy a house with makes this one of the worst romance frauds weve ever come across. It is also a unique case in that the fraudster operated from the UK as opposed to being based overseas. Fraudsters like Adozi target people in vulnerable situations and have no care that they may financially ruin their victims. In this case, a number of victims were identified who had not contacted police. We want to encourage all those who think theyve been a victim of romance fraud to not feel embarrassed or ashamed but rather report it. Romance fraud is a particularly callous offence and Nottinghamshire Police will always seek to get justice for victims. We do this because not only do fraudsters inflict financial loss on their victims, they also cause an enormous amount of emotional hurt and pain. Additional reporting by SWNS MARSHFIELD About 150 people plunged into the chilly waters of Rexhame Beach on Saturday to raise money and awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS. Greg McMillan was one of the bravest in the crowd, remaining in the icy water the longest as he waved a flag that read: "ALS ONE." "With all that adrenaline, I came out of the water so excited," McMillan said. Greg McMillan and Bill Gagliardi take the ALS ONE Polar Plunge on April 2, 2022. The 7th Annual ALS ONE Polar Plunge raised more than $109,000, a record high. The money will be put toward research to find treatments and a cure for the debilitating disease. Climate justice: How Massachusetts is getting electric vehicles, e-bikes to low-income populations Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, causes progressive destruction of the motor nerve cells that contract muscles and inevitably ends in paralysis and death. There is no cure for the disease. People rush into the water during the ALS ONE Polar Plunge on April 2, 2022. ALS ONE is a nonprofit organization that raises money for research and donates to organizations, including Massachusetts General Hospital and UMass Memorial Medical School, to find the cure for ALS. The group also provides equipment, including lifts, ramps and wheelchairs, for people with ALS. Emily McHugh carries Saoirse McHugh, 2, out of the water during the ALS ONE Polar Plunge on April 2, 2022. Kevin Gosnell, of Hanover, founded the organization in 2015 to unite people and families affected by ALS for research and care. He died from ALS complications in August 2016. Kevin's son Scott Gosnell said about 25 friends and family members are on this year's KG58 team. "This is our seventh year doing this," Gosnell said. "It just got bigger and bigger." Dressed as a shark, Lori McKenney, of Marshfield, center, joins participants in the ALS ONE Polar Plunge at Rexhame Beach in Marshfield, Saturday, April 2, 2022. A DJ played music and a food truck served snacks. Families and friends took pictures in the photo booth. "Plunge into the water for people that you love, raise money for the cure," Jen MacDonald, of Rockland, said. "It's a little cold, but that is why they call it the 'coolest event of the year!' " MacDonald and her husband, Alan MacDonald, named their team Bab's Buddies after Alan's mother. She, his uncle and grandmother all died from ALS. He has been battling the disease for more than a decade. Story continues Shane McGloin, of Marshfield, emerges from the water during the ALS ONE Polar Plunge at Rexhame Beach in Marshfield, Saturday, April 2, 2022. The family founded their group in 2005 and have been participating in events to raise money ever since. Duxbury gig: Danielle Miraglia brings bluesy guitar style to the South Shore "No amount is too small," the couple said. Alan MacDonald and Jen MacDonald during the ALS ONE Polar Plunge on April 2, 2022. "I just hope they can find the cure," Alan said. "So that I know that my daughters will be OK." Donations to ALS ONE can be made via the event website. Broadway in Boston: 64 chances to see 'Hamilton,' plus 'Tina,' 'Six' and 'Beetlejuice' Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Reach Hongyu Liu at HLiu@patriotledger.com. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: ALS ONE Polar Plunge in Marshfield raises over $109,000 for a cure By Diego Ore and Alvaro Murillo SAN JOSE (Reuters) -Anti-establishment economist Rodrigo Chaves clinched Costa Rica's presidency on Sunday, upending decades of political consensus in the Central American country that is grappling with growing social discontent and mounting national debt. Chaves, a veteran former official of the World Bank, was projected to win about 52.9% of the vote in the run-off ballot, a preliminary tally by the electoral tribunal showed, based on returns from some 97% of polling stations. Rival candidate and former Costa Rican president Jose Maria Figueres was seen securing about 47.1%. Speaking to supporters in San Jose, the capital, the 60-year-old Chaves said he accepted his victory with humility, and urged Figueres to help him move the country forward. "I humbly beg Jose Maria and his party to work together to make possible what Don Jose Maria himself called the Costa Rican miracle," he said, referring to Figueres' father, Jose Figueres Ferrer, who served as president three times. "Let's put aside pettiness and vanity. Tonight we will begin together to serve our country," added Chaves, who is set to assume office on May 8. Figueres quickly conceded defeat after results came in. "I congratulate Rodrigo Chaves, and I wish him the best," he told supporters. Caravans of cars sporting the flag of Chaves' Social Democratic Progress Party (PPSD) crowded the streets of downtown San Jose in celebration. Polls had shown Chaves to be a slight favorite heading into the election after he unexpectedly finished runner-up to Figueres in an indecisive first round of voting in February. Chaves, who briefly served as finance minister for outgoing President Carlos Alvarado, ran as a maverick. He has vowed to shake up the political elite, even pledging to use referendums to bypass Congress to bring change. "If the people go out to vote, this is going to be a sweep, a tsunami," Chaves said after casting his ballot on Sunday. Story continues Figueres campaigned on his experience and family political legacy in Costa Rica, a tourist destination and bastion of environmentalism long regarded as one of the most stable democracies in Latin America. On Twitter, Alvarado said he had called to congratulate Chaves and pledged an orderly handover of power. Turnout was 57.3%, the electoral tribunal said, less than the 60% who cast ballots in the first round. Going into Sunday's vote, some voters said they were lukewarm on both candidates, whose political careers have been tainted by accusations of wrongdoing. Chaves faced accusations of sexual harassment during his World Bank tenure, which he denied. Figueres resigned as executive director of the World Economic Forum in 2004 amid accusations that he had influenced state contracts with Alcatel, a telecoms company. That case was never tried in court. David Diaz, 33, said he was not enthused by Chaves or Figueres. He left home early to vote by 7 a.m. in the rural town of Tacacori, about 30 km (19 miles) from San Jose. "I see very little movement, there is a lot of apathy," said Diaz, a mechanic at a medical device factory. Chaves faces the challenges of reviving an economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, and alleviating the poverty in which about 23% of a population of 5.1 million live. Growing income disparity makes Costa Rica one of the world's most unequal countries, with unemployment of almost 15%. In January 2021, the country agreed to $1.78 billion in financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund. In return, the government vowed to adopt a raft of fiscal changes and austerity measures, but lawmakers have only passed a law to make savings on public sector workers' benefits. (Reporting by Diego Ore and Alvaro Murillo, writing by Cassandra Garrison; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) WASHINGTON (AP) GOP Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire said Donald Trump is crazy and joked that if the former Republican president was admitted to a mental hospital, he ain't getting out! Sununu skewered Trump during the Gridiron Clubs spring dinner Saturday night, an annual Washington gathering featuring skits and speeches from Democrats, Republicans and journalists that are expected to singe but not burn the capital's political elite. Hes (expletive) crazy! Sununu said in salty remarks that roasted members of both parties as well as the Washington journalists who cover them. The governor added: "The press often will ask me if I think Donald Trump is crazy. And Ill say it this way: I dont think hes so crazy that you could put him in a mental institution. But I think if he were in one, he aint getting out! Sununu also spoke of being left astonished by an encounter with Trump when the former president was visiting New Hampshire for a political rally. After greeting Trump at the airport, Sununu said Trump insisted he ride with him to the venue. Sununu said that Trump spent most of the ride obsessing over his polling numbers, but at one point broke his train of thought to point out that all the people holding American flags along the motorcade route were his fans. Video: Ukraine war creates divide in GOP foreign policy Trump pointed to one man with a flag and sign before Trump returned to the topic of polling, Sununu recalled. I cant help but notice the guy he pointed at, the sign hes holding says, '(expletive, Trump!), Sununu joked. In his Gridiron address, Sununu also took aim at Democrats and poked fun at himself. He said White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who is reportedly set to sign a deal soon to join MSNBC, would be smart to get her money upfront considering the networks ratings. Sununu noted he was included in a Washington Post list of 10 potential 2024 GOP presidential contenders. He cracked that his vast foreign policy experience included building a short wall with polite signage on New Hampshires border with Canada. Story continues Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who spoke on behalf of Democrats at the dinner, remarked that he had not heard a Republican use the F-word that much since the Nixon administration. But Ive got to say that Gov. Sununu's eloquent profanity is the kind of insurrection the GOP needs today," Raskin said. The sitting president typically attends the event. President Joe Biden, who spent the weekend in his home state of Delaware, skipped but sent a video message. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo delivered remarks on behalf of the administration. Republicans last year made a pitch to Sununu to challenge incumbent Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan in 2022, but he ultimately declined and opted to run for reelection as governor. The seat is one of several that Republicans are eyeing as they look to win control of the Senate in upcoming midterm elections. Sununu told the Washington Examiner that after hearing GOP leaderships plan for the next two years, he decided wasnt interested in simply being a roadblock to Bidens agenda. Denzel Washington has shared his views on the Will Smith Oscars slap after consoling him in the immediate aftermath. Washington was one of the first people to talk with the actor following the incident that saw the actor stride on stage to hit Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. While Smith claimed that he was defending Pinkett Smith from a joke about her alopecia diagnosis, a source close to Rock says he had no idea about it. Smith, who faces disciplinary action from the Academy, announced his resignation from the awards body on Friday (1 April). On Saturday (2 April), Washington spoke about the matter publicly for the first time at a Leadership Summit in Washington DC. During Smiths tearful Best Actor speech, which he delivered after winning for King Richard within the hour after her hit Rock, the actor said that Washington told him: In your highest moments, be careful; thats when the devil comes for you. Washington, acknowledging his comments to Smith, said of the incident: Theres a saying when the devil ignores you, then you know youre doing something wrong. The devil goes, Oh, no, leave him alone, hes my favourite. Conversely, when the devil comes at you, maybe its because hes trying to do something right. And for whatever reason, the devil got a hold of him that night. Washington said that him and Smith prayed after the actor hit Rock. Fortunately there were people there, not just me but others. Tyler Perry came immediately right over there with me. Some prayers, Washington said. I dont wanna say what we talked about but there but for the grace of God go any of us. Who are we to condemn? I dont know all the ins and outs of this situation, but I know the only solution was prayer. The way I saw it. The way I see it. Will Smith delivered a tearful acceptance speech after hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars (Getty Images) After Smith issued an apology to Rock, the comedian said, during his first stand-up show since the incident on Wednesday (30 March), he was still processing what happened. Sources close to Rock have said he had no idea about Pinkett Smiths condition. Find out exactly what Smiths Academy resignation means for his future at the Oscars here. Flash The Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday banned in a decree the cultivation of opium poppy and trade of opium in Afghanistan, the Taliban-led caretaker government confirmed. "As per the decree of the supreme leader of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," the caretaker government said in a statement. The statement added that if anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be punished. "In addition, use, transport, trade, export and import of all types of narcotics such as alcohol, heroin, K tablet (a drug with stimulant effects often sold in Afghanistan), hashish and etc., including drug manufacturing factories in Afghanistan are strictly banned," the statement said. "Enforcement of this decree is mandatory. The violator will be prosecuted and punished by the judiciary," according to the statement. Much of the world's opium poppy is cultivated in the militancy-hit Asian country. In 2020, some 6,300 tons of opium were produced in the country, according to official data. Donald Trump encouraged Sarah Palin to return to politics and run for Congress, according to a report. John McCains 2008 presidential running-mate spoke with the one-term president before filing paperwork to run for Alaskas vacant House seat, two sources told Fox News. The states former governor announced on Friday that she is aiming to fill the big shoes of late US Representative Don Young, who died earlier this year after serving for 49 years. Ms Palin joins a field of 40 candidates seeking to fill the states only House seat. Public service is a calling, and I would be honored to represent the men and women of Alaska in Congress, just as Rep. Young did for 49 years, Ms Palin said in a statement. I realise that I have very big shoes to fill, and I plan to honor Rep. Youngs legacy by offering myself up in the name of service to the state he loved and fought for, because I share that passion for Alaska and the United States of America. Friday was the final day that Ms Palin could have entered the race ahead of the 11 June special primary. The results of the primary will be announced on 26 June, with the top four candidates taking part in a special election on 16 August where the winner will be chosen by ranked-choice voting. Alaskas Division of Elections is aiming to certify the special election on 2 September, with the winner serving the rest of Youngs term, which ends in January 2023. Ms Palin lost a defamation lawsuit against the New York Times in February, though she is seeking a new trial. Other candidates in the race include Republican state Senator Josh Revak, Democratic state Representative Adam Wool, and independent Al Gross. A man who legally changed his name to Santa Claus and serves on the North Pole City Council has also filed paperwork to run in the special primary. Estelle Harris, the actor who hilariously portrayed George Costanza's aggravating mother on Seinfeld, has died at age 93. Harris died of natural causes in Palm Desert, California, her agent confirmed to BuzzFeed News. "Her kindness, passion, sensitivity, humor, empathy and love were practically unrivaled, and she will be terribly missed by all those who knew her, her son Glen Harris said in a statement. Actor Jason Alexander, who played her onscreen son, posted a remembrance on Twitter. "The joy of playing with her and relishing her glorious laughter was a treat. I adore you, Estelle. Love to your family. Serenity now and always," he said. Actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus echoed him. "RIP Estelle Harris. I love you. #serenitynow," she tweeted. After getting married and having three children, Harris acted in community theater. She then found success in commercials, doing 27 national spots in one year, she recalled in one 1995 interview. A variety of TV roles followed, but she found fame as Estelle Costanza, a role that coincidentally shared her name, her agent said. She bickered with her husband, Frank (Jerry Stiller), voiced her disappointment in her son George (Alexander), and otherwise nagged and screeched her way through nine seasons of Seinfeld. "Whenever I walk down any street, they yell at me, 'I love you. You're just like my mother.' Every color, race, creed, religion. She is the mother that everybody loves, even though she's a pain in the neck," she told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 1998. The high-pitched voice that made Harris cut through the jokes and laugh track of Seinfeld also gave her a career in animation. Among other roles, she voiced Mrs. Potato Head for the Toy Story movies and Old Lady Bear in Brother Bear. Another Disney project included a recurring role on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. In a 2012 interview with the Canadian Press, she said she thought those roles would get her younger fans. But in fact, even the younger generation still knew her best as Estelle Costanza. "I think Seinfeld, because of the writing and the right cast, will go on for years and years," she said. She is survived by her three children, three grandsons, and a great-grandson. By Jonathan Landay and Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan blocked a no-confidence vote he looked sure to lose on Sunday and advised the president to order fresh elections, fueling anger among the opposition and deepening the country's political crisis. His actions have created huge uncertainty in Islamabad, with constitutional experts debating their legality and pondering whether Khan and his rivals can find a way forward. The nuclear-armed nation of more than 220 million people lies between Afghanistan to the west, China to the northeast and nuclear rival India to the east, making it of vital strategic importance. Since coming to power in 2018, Khan's rhetoric has become more anti-American and he has expressed a desire to move closer to China and, recently, Russia - including talks with President Vladimir Putin on the day the invasion of Ukraine began. At the same time, U.S. and Asian foreign policy experts said that Pakistan's powerful military has traditionally controlled foreign and defence policy, thereby limiting the impact of political instability. Here is what the upheaval, which many expect to lead to Khan's exit, means for countries closely involved in Pakistan: AFGHANISTAN Ties between Pakistan's military intelligence agency and the Islamist militant Taliban have loosened in recent years. Now the Taliban are back in power, and facing an economic and humanitarian crisis due to a lack of money and international isolation, Qatar is arguably their most important foreign partner. "We (the United States) don't need Pakistan as a conduit to the Taliban. Qatar is definitely playing that role now," said Lisa Curtis, director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security think-tank. Tensions have risen between the Taliban and Pakistan's military, which has lost several soldiers in attacks close to their mutual border. Pakistan wants the Taliban to do more to crack down on extremist groups and worries they will spread violence into Pakistan. That has begun to happen already. Story continues Khan has been less critical of the Taliban over human rights than most foreign leaders. CHINA Khan has consistently emphasised China's positive role in Pakistan and in the world at large. At the same time, the $60-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which binds the neighbours together was actually conceptualised and launched under Pakistan's two established political parties, both of which want Khan out of power. Opposition leader and potential successor Shehbaz Sharif struck deals with China directly as leader of the eastern province of Punjab, and his reputation for getting major infrastructure projects off the ground while avoiding political grandstanding could in fact be music to Beijing's ears. INDIA The neighbours have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two of them over the disputed Muslim-majority territory of Kashmir. As with Afghanistan, it is Pakistan's military that controls policy in the sensitive area, and tensions along the de facto border there are at their lowest level since 2021. But there have been no formal diplomatic talks between the rivals for years because of deep distrust over a range of issues including Khan's extreme criticism of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his handling of attacks on minority Muslims in India. Karan Thapar, an Indian political commentator who has closely followed India-Pakistan ties, said the Pakistani military could put pressure on a new civilian government in Islamabad to build on the successful ceasefire in Kashmir. On Saturday, Pakistan's powerful army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said his country was ready to move forward on Kashmir if India agrees. The Sharif political dynasty has been at the forefront of several dovish overtures towards India over the years. UNITED STATES U.S.-based South Asia experts said that Pakistan's political crisis is unlikely to be a priority for President Joe Biden, who is grappling with the war in Ukraine, unless it led to mass unrest or rising tensions with India. "We have so many other fish to fry," said Robin Raphel, a former assistant secretary of State for South Asia who is a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank. With the Pakistani military maintaining its behind-the-scenes control of foreign and security policies, Khan's political fate was not a major concern, according to some analysts. "Since it's the military that calls the shots on the policies that the U.S. really cares about, i.e. Afghanistan, India and nuclear weapons, internal Pakistani political developments are largely irrelevant for the U.S.," said Curtis, who served as former U.S. President Donald Trump's National Security Council senior director for South Asia. She added that Khan's visit to Moscow had been a "disaster" in terms of U.S. relations, and that a new government in Islamabad could at least help mend ties "to some degree". Khan has blamed the United States for the current political crisis, saying that Washington wanted him removed because of the recent Moscow trip. (Additional reporting and writing by Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Mike Collett-White) As temperatures dropped in early February and Texans braced for severe winter weather, state officials assured the public the power grid was better prepared to handle freezing temperatures compared to 2020. In a Feb. 3 news conference, Gov. Greg Abbott listed the reasons why he believed Texans should have confidence in the grid: "As compared to last year, Texas has about 15% more power generation capacity." Seasonal data from grid operator Electric Reliability Council of Texas indicates available generation capacity is at 85,000 megawatts for winter 2021-2022, up from 83,000 megawatts in winter 2020-2021. That comes out to be a 2% increase. So where did Abbott get 15%? More: 'She was my everything': A chaotic week of preventable deaths in Austin as Texas froze Abbott referred to installed capacity Abbott's office referred PolitiFact Texas to the Texas Public Utility Commission, which oversees ERCOT. According to ERCOT and PUC officials, the 15% cited by Abbott describes an increase in total installed capacity from 102,874 megawatts in winter 2020 to 118,257 megawatts in winter 2021. Total installed capacity refers to the maximum amount of power that can be generated under ideal conditions. "That's just if everything we had on the grid was operating at its full output. That's what it could make," said Joshua Rhodes, research associate at the University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute and Webber Energy Group. However, at any given time, the grid isn't producing at 100% potential, experts told PolitiFact Texas. For example, the sun isn't always shining for solar energy, or the wind isn't always blowing for wind energy, Doug Lewin, energy consultant and president of Stoic Energy Consulting, said as example. "It's sort of more of a theoretical potential," Lewin said. "There is no resource that has a 100% operational capacity," Lewin said. "That does not exist, but generally thermal plants have a higher operational capacity. But when you start to put together enough wind and solar, and they're spread out across a broad enough geographic area, their overall capacity factors or operational capacity increases." Story continues Rhodes also said a lot of the capacity added in the last year included wind and solar, which would not operate at 100% capacity all the time. "We don't expect all the wind and all the solar to be available during a winter peak event," Rhodes said. ERCOT officials said in February that the grid has a total generating capacity at about 86,000 megawatts if needed, the American-Statesman reported then. More: We're tracking power outages in Austin and Central Texas, plus ERCOT grid updates The value Abbott cited described what the grid is capable of creating, though the amount of available power might be less than total installed capacity. "I don't think there's anything wrong with saying we added a whole lot of capacity in the last year," Lewin said. Aidan Tuohy, program manager of Grid Operations and Planning at the research and development firm Electric Power Research Institute, said resource adequacy assessments have processes to account for wind patterns and sunlight in its seasonal estimates. "One, that let's say ERCOT used, they look at historical performance and then take either an average during stressful conditions, or some other statistical measure during stressful conditions," Tuohy said. "And then another way to do that is to actually simulate operations. For example, in California, they simulate a thousand different patterns of generator outages and wind and solar patterns based on historical data and then try to come up with what the expected observed load will be." ERCOT included risk assessments for thermal resources based on historical information, Tuohy also noted. More: Abbott touts grid's performance during freeze. But was last week's storm a true test? Our ruling As Texas braced for the effects of cold weather, Abbott assured Texans: "Compared to last year, Texas has about 15% more power generation capacity." Experts say Abbott was referring to the total installed capacity if power generation infrastructure were running at 100% capacity. However, that is a theoretical figure. Instead, stations generate at a fraction of the total installed capacity. The amount of available power in an emergency situation would be less than the installed capacity. We rate this as Mostly True. How we choose and rate claims PolitiFact Texas is a partnership between the American-Statesman and the nonprofit PolitiFact. It works to present the truth without agenda or bias. Journalists set aside opinions to uphold independence and fairness in the fact-checking process. We look for statements to check online, in TV transcripts, in press releases, and more. When we choose what to fact check, we consider if the statement is rooted in verifiable fact, if the claim could be misleading, if the statement is significant, and if the statement could be repeated and passed on. Once a reporter reports on the claim, they can suggest a rating to their assigning editor. The rating is ultimately decided by a panel of three editors. Read more Sources Contact Nusaiba Mizan at nmizan@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @nusaiblah. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: PolitiFact: Texas grid's power generation capacity compared to 2021 Jacob Fracker (left) and Thomas Robertson (right) posed by a statute inside the Capitol on January 6, 2021, prosecutors said. US attorney's office in Washington, DC A former police officer is facing the third trial stemming from the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Prosecutors accused Thomas Robertson of buying firearms after his indictment on January 6 charges. Robertson will face testimony from another former police officer who took a plea deal. Months after his indictment on charges stemming from the Capitol attack, Thomas Robertson wrote in an online gun forum that the Justice Department had taught accused rioters a lesson but "definitely not the intended lesson." "I have learned very well that if you dip your toe into the Rubicon ... cross it," Robertson wrote on the website Gunbroker.com, according to a court filing. "Cross it hard and violent and play for all the marbles." Robertson is putting that lesson to the test Monday, when he is set to become the third accused Capitol rioter to stand trial on charges from the January 6 insurrection. A former police officer in Rocky Mount, Virginia, Robertson was off-duty when he stormed the Capitol alongside a fellow officer, Jacob Fracker, on January 6, prosecutors said. Once inside, the two posed in front of a statue of John Stark a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution with Fracker flashing his middle finger, according to a court filing. Both were later fired by the Rocky Mount Police Department. For federal prosecutors, Robertson's trial comes on the heels of consecutive courtroom victories. In March, a jury took just hours to return guilty verdicts in the first trial connected to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Later in March, a federal judge found another accused rioter guilty of trespassing on restricted Capitol groundsa misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of a year in prison but acquitted him of a separate disorderly conduct charge. Those convictions have coincided with mounting pressure on Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department to hold former President Donald Trump accountable for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Story continues In recent weeks, the New York Times and Washington Post have reported that the Justice Department's investigation has widened to include figures involved in the planning of a pro-Trump rally that preceded the Capitol attack on January 6 and the push by some of the former president's allies to promote slates of fake electors. Robertson's trial is expected to feature testimony from Fracker, who pleaded guilty in March to conspiring to obstruct the joint session of Congress on January 6. As part of his plea deal, Fracker agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department and testify that he and Robertson conspired to bring tactical gear, including gas masks, to the Capitol on January 6 to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden's electoral victory. Fracker faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. After their arrest in January 2021, authorities released Robertson and Fracker. But a federal judge ordered Robertson back to jail in July after the Justice Department presented evidence that he purchased more than 30 firearms while under federal indictment. A search of his home had turned up an M4 rifle, a partial pipe bomb, and two fuses used on training grenades. In court papers seeking his pre-trial detention, prosecutors emphasized Robertson's past employment as a police officer and social media posts after January 6 that showed a "sincere commitment to violence." Robertson, "holding a position of public trust as a police officer, traveled to the District of Columbia and participated in one of the most riotous acts of insurrection the nation has ever seen," prosecutors wrote. "Then, he repeatedly and flagrantly disregarded the Court's orders not to possess firearms despite being admonished for violating this condition of his release shortly after his initial arrest. In ordering him back to jail, Judge Christopher Cooper said Robertson likely committed a new felony offense by having the firearms shipped on his behalf. Cooper, an Obama appointee to the federal trial court in Washington, DC, said Robertson appeared to have also attempted to conceal the purchase by attaching the label "Wedding Photos" to a $3,700 transaction over financial transaction platform Venmo for the firearms. "The undisputed facts demonstrate a concrete risk that Robertson might participate in or provide material support to acts of ideologically motivated violence if released at this time," Cooper wrote. "His recent social media posts may contain elements of bravado and hyperbole, but they provide evidence that Robertson is sympathetic to calls for a violent 'revolution,' and has been further radicalized by his pending prosecution." Cooper is set to preside over jury selection Monday. If convicted, Robertson faces a potential years-long sentence in federal prison. Read the original article on Business Insider PARIS (Reuters) - French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Sunday condemned what he called the "massive abuses" committed by Russian forces" in Ukraine in recent weeks. Le Drian highlighted the town of Bucha outside Kyiv, where Ukrainian authorities say a deliberate "massacre" was carried out by Russia. The statement from Le Drian added that such abuses would constitute war crimes and that France will work with Ukrainian authorities and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to put on trial those responsible. The Russian defence ministry in Moscow did not immediately reply to a request for comment when asked on Sunday about bodies found in Bucha. Moscow has previously repeatedly denied Ukrainian claims that it has targeted civilians and has rejected allegations of war crimes. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter that the images coming from Bucha were "unbearable". "The Russian authorities will have to answer for these crimes," Macron added, expressing his compassion for the victims and his solidarity with Ukrainians. (Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and David Goodman) Misoprostol drug, the most common abortion pill, empties the uterus by causing cramping and bleeding. The drugs are approved for use by the FDA up to 10 weeks of gestation. The hypocrisy of our state senators, including Sen. Ben Watson, calling the abortion pill mail ban law a women's health bill is astounding. The law is not concerned about women's overall health but is only concerned about women's wombs. The only class of citizens for whom the government feels so beholden to control their bodies are pregnant women. More about the abortion pill bill: Lawmakers, advocates divided on Georgia bill that would ban the mailing of abortion pills Imagine the outcry if Viagra was only available to men after a complete physical, including inquiries as to how they would either use effective birth control or would support any babies that would result from their more effective activities while on Viagra. In addition, if they had any cardiac issues, they would need to visit a heart specialist twice a year to get a clean bill of health. Ridiculous, you say? That would interfere with a man's lifestyle. How much more disruptive to a woman's lifestyle is to bear an unwanted child? That is a lifetime responsibility. Despite Sen. Watson's declaration that he did not see the law as restrictive, I believe most women would disagree. Marion Marsh Nesterenko, Savannah This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Letter: Georgia proposed abortion pill mail ban reeks of hypocrisy Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) on Sunday avoided answering questions from Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum about former President Trumps past praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it was not a conversation worth having. MacCallum asked Cornyn if he thought Trumps previous positive comments about Putin, who faces international revulsion over his war in Ukraine, would help or hurt the former president if he decides to run for reelection. She noted that Trump had previously called Putins pre-war strategy genius and had also called on the Russian leader to turn over information on Hunter Biden, President Bidens son, that Trump claimed he may be aware of. I wouldnt trust Vladimir Putin any farther than I could throw him, Cornyn said. I think thats really thats really the answer. Because Putin is a killer, hes a thug, he has a vision of restoring the Russian Empire, the fall of which he said was the greatest geopolitical tragedy in the last 100 years. So I wouldnt trust Vladimir Putin for a minute, Cornyn added. MacCallum then further pressed Cornyn on what he thought of Trumps past comments, asking if he was acknowledging that they were unwise. Cornyn responded that he didnt think it was a conversation worth having. Last week, Trump publicly called on Putin to release any information he may have on Hunter Biden on the basis of unsubstantiated claims that the Bidens had received millions of dollars from Elena Baturina, the wife of Moscows former mayor. Putin has previously said that he was unaware of any connections between the Bidens and Baturina. Trumps request for assistance from Putin elicited some pushback from Republican lawmakers, with GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Mitt Romney (Utah) saying Putin was not someone who should be asked for favors. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ukranian refugees at Lviv Central train station Britain should give special visas to people in war zones who have strong technology skills, a leading online bank has said. Zopa Bank has spoken to ministers about plans to introduce a tech and skilled refugee visa that it argues will help tackle the UKs technical skills shortage, sources said. It comes weeks after the lender pledged to hire 50 professionals from Ukraine. Those close to the talks said the aim is to attract candidates with strong tech backgrounds, such as coding, engineering or data science, who are currently in a country suffering from a humanitarian crisis or armed conflict. The tech and skilled refugee visa would be cheaper and faster than existing visa options, and include an intensive English training course for candidates, one person said. It plans to have further discussions with ministers as well as City lobby group UK Finance. The move comes just over a month after Zopa pledged to sponsor up to 50 work visas of eligible Ukrainian applicants, joining a consortium of firms offering to help such as Tesco, Marks & Spencer, AstraZeneca and Nestle. Asos, the online fashion house, said earlier this month that it was looking to employ double digits of refugees in technology engineering roles based in the UK, due to Ukraines strong skillset in this area. Research by WorldSkills UK and published late last year found that while 60pc of businesses believe their reliance on advanced digital skills will increase over the next five years, the number of people taking IT subjects at GCSE level has fallen by 40pc since 2015. Zopa, which is planning to float on the stock market later this year, gained a full banking licence in 2020 and is expected to announce its first month of profitability since rebranding as a bank on Monday. It started as a peer-to-peer lender, but closed that arm of the group in December. Spokespeople for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport did not respond to a request for comment. ATHENS (Reuters) -Greece's Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias arrived in Odesa on Sunday at the head of a humanitarian aid mission into the southern port city of Ukraine, the foreign ministry said. The humanitarian aid was handed to the city's municipal authorities. Dendias, 62, also aims to set up a continuous mechanism of distributing aid from Greece and to reopen the country's consulate in the city. "The reopening of (Greece's) consulate will help distribute humanitarian aid and set up corridors for the Greek ethnic community to leave from any areas of Ukraine, if needed, via Odesa," the minister said after upon his arrival in Odesa, according to a statement from the Greek foreign ministry. Missiles struck Odesa in the early hours of Sunday, the city council said in an online post. Dendias said last month he planned to lead a humanitarian aid mission to the besieged city of Mariupol in Ukraine, where thousands of ethnic Greeks live, but intense fighting there meant the destination was subsequently changed to Odesa. At least 10 ethnic Greeks have been killed and several have been wounded since Russia started attacking Mariupol. More than 150 Greek citizens, vessel crews and ethnic Greeks have been evacuated from the region, according to the Greek government. Ukraine's troops have retaken more than 30 towns and villages around Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday, claiming complete control of the capital region for the first time since Russia launched its invasion. Russia has depicted its drawdown of forces near Kyiv as a goodwill gesture in peace talks. Ukraine and its allies say Russia was forced to shift its focus to east Ukraine after suffering heavy losses. (Reporting by George GeorgiopoulosEditing by Raissa Kasolowsky) Louis van Gaal was Manchester United manager from 2014 to 2016 (Martin Rickett/PA). (PA Archive) Former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has told Dutch television he has been battling prostate cancer. The broadcaster RTL said the 70-year-old, who is currently in his third spell managing the Netherlands national team, talked about his condition on its show Humberto on Sunday evening as he discussed a documentary about his life. Van Gaal said of his players: They dont know. They see a blush on my cheeks and think, what a healthy (person) that is. That is of course not the case. He added: Ive been through a lot with illnesses, including with my own wife. So thats just part of life. (I) as a human being have probably become richer because of all those experiences. I thought that should also be in the film. Everybody at Manchester United is fully behind our former manager, Louis van Gaal, in his battle against cancer. Sending you strength and courage, Louis pic.twitter.com/axcB7mV5To Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 3, 2022 United posted a message of support on their Twitter feed that said: Everybody at Manchester United is fully behind our former manager, Louis van Gaal, in his battle against cancer. Sending you strength and courage, Louis. Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted: Sending best wishes and hopes for a full recovery to Louis Van Gaal, who announced on Dutch television tonight that hes battling prostate cancer. Sending best wishes and hopes for a full recovery to Louis Van Gaal, who announced on Dutch television tonight that hes battling prostate cancer. Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 3, 2022 Barcelona also paid tribute to Van Gaal who managed the club between 1997 and 2000 and again from 2002 to 2003. Story continues Our thoughts and prayers go out to former Barca manager Louis van Gaal, who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, the club said on Twitter. Stay strong, Louis, and get well soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to former Barca manager Louis van Gaal, who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Stay strong, Louis, and get well soon. pic.twitter.com/uE5SzstOHR FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 3, 2022 Van Gaal managed United from 2014 to 2016, overseeing them winning the FA Cup in the final game of his tenure. He had previously won league titles with Ajax, who he also guided to Champions League glory in 1995, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich. His third stint with Holland, which started in August last year, has included qualification for the World Cup in Qatar that gets under way in November. Thirteen years ago at the Masters, Angel Cabrera parlayed sterling shotmaking and some lucky breaks into a green jacket, the first ever won by a player from Argentina. Today, Cabrera sits in a prison near Cordoba, Argentina, convicted of violent abuse against a former partner, and still accused of similar mistreatment from at least two others. Its a dramatic fall from grace for the two-time major winner once known as El Pato The Duck whose signature moment on the course at Augusta is perhaps the most fortunate ricochet in tournament history. The final spiral of Cabreras downfall began in August 2020, when he failed to show up for a meeting with Argentine prosecutors over charges he had assaulted his former partner, Cecilia Torres Mana, allegedly punching her in the face and attempting to run over her with his car. Argentina then placed Cabrera on Interpols red list, marking him as a wanted international fugitive. Interpol snared Cabrera in Rio de Janeiro in January 2021 and sent him to prison in Brazil. He spent six months there, Cabreras former swing coach Charlie Epps told Golfweek in 2021. Bad place. He got beat up. They didnt care that he was Angel Cabrera. I had a lot of people approach me that they could get him out for $100,000 or this and that. Brazil extradited Cabrera to Argentina in June 2021. There, he stood trial on charges of assault, theft, illegal intimidation and repeated disrespect to authorities. Protests in his hometown of Villa Allende called for his release, with supporters pointing to his charitable donations as evidence of his character. While awaiting trial, Cabrera agreed to an interview with a local media outlet, and said he was being smeared as a monster, something that I am not, according to the UK golf magazine Bunkered. We all make mistakes, we are all human beings, Cabrera added. I trust in justice. Angel Cabrera on trial in July 2021. (Diego Lima/AFP via Getty Images) Cabrera also trusted in his celebrity and connections. During proceedings, he wore masks with his monogrammed initials and a jacket emblazoned with a Presidents Cup logo, a reminder of his distant past as a two-time major winner and, at one time, the ninth-ranked golfer in the world. Story continues But his past achievements carried little weight. Found guilty of assault against Torres Mana during the time they were together from 2016 to 2018, Cabrera began serving a two-year sentence immediately after the verdict. He has maintained his innocence throughout the trial and beyond, but prosecutors indicated that Torres Mana wasnt his only victim. His situation is much more complex than this, he has other charges for which there are arrest warrants too, prosecutor Laura Battistelli said at the time of the verdict. There are other victims. Shortly after Cabrera was imprisoned, Torres Mana published her own account of her life with Cabrera, saying he physically, psychologically, and sexually abused her over the course of their relationship. She described a relationship that turned from possessive to manipulative and, finally, deeply disturbing. I couldnt go to the supermarket or the gym. Angel always believed I was going to be with another man. He followed me and took my cell phone, Torres Mana wrote. He made me do very kinky things and hit me if I refused. If Angel was with his friends in a meeting, I had to be in the bedroom without an Internet connection. It was very humiliating. Torres Mana finally made her escape from Cabrera during a trip to Houston. Cabrera had locked her in a closet and taken her phone and documents, but when he fell asleep, she caught a flight back to Argentina, fearing his reprisals against her and her family the whole way. Angel always said that if I reported him, it would hurt his career and told me about all the political contacts he had. But one afternoon, I gained the courage to report him anyway, she wrote. From that moment forward, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Cabrera played in five tournaments in August and September of 2020, apparently without seeking the permission of Argentine authorities. Angel would often say that nobody could stop him, Torres Mana wrote, and if they tried to arrest him, he would not go back to Argentina. Cabreras final tournament on the PGA Tours Champions circuit was the Pure Insurance Championship in September 2020; he withdrew after two rounds of 76-77. His final check came a week earlier when he finished in a tie for 47th at the Sanford International, earning $5,580. He did not attend the Masters held in November that year. He is now an inmate at Argentinas infamous Carcel de Bouwer, a gang-ridden prison near Cordoba notorious for its overcrowded conditions and inmate violence. Bouwer has earned the name El Penal del Infierno The prison of hell and holds many of Argentinas most dangerous criminals within its modules. Its been a long, hard, self-inflicted fall for Cabrera, who won the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont by a shot over Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk. He won the 2009 Masters after his second shot on the first hole of a playoff caromed off a tree and out into the middle of the fairway. That allowed him to stay alive and defeat Kenny Perry on the second playoff hole. He lost the 2013 Masters in a playoff to Adam Scott, and continued to attend the tournament every year through 2019. Cabrera is currently scheduled for release in the summer of 2023. Angel Cabrera after winning The Masters in 2009. (Hans Deryk/Reuters) _____ Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter at @jaybusbee or contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com. By Stephen Farrell LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -A leading rights group said on Sunday it had documented "apparent war crimes" committed by Russian military forces against civilians in Ukraine. Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement saying it had found "several cases of Russian military forces committing laws-of-war violations" in Russian-controlled regions such as Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv. The statement, published in Warsaw, came one day after dead civilians were found lying scattered through the streets of the Ukrainian country town of Bucha near Kyiv, three days after the Russian army pulled back from a month-long occupation. Russia's defence ministry denied on Sunday that its forces had killed civilians in Bucha. It said in a statement that all Russian units had left the town on March 30, and that footage and photographs showing dead bodies were "yet another provocation". The ministry did not immediately respond to the specific allegations in the HRW statement. The Kremlin says its "special military operation" aims to degrade the Ukrainian armed forces and is targeting military installations, not civilians. Asked about separate war crime allegations on March 1, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters: "We categorically deny this." He dismissed allegations of Russian strikes on civilian targets and the use of cluster bombs and vacuum bombs as fakes. The New York-based HRW referred to Bucha in its statement, for which it said it had interviewed 10 people including witnesses, victims and local residents, in person or by phone. It said some had been too scared to give their full names. The cases we documented amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians, said Hugh Williamson, HRW's Europe and Central Asia director. Rape, murder, and other violent acts against people in the Russian forces' custody should be investigated as war crimes. Story continues These, it said, included one case of repeated rape; two cases of summary execution - one of six men - and other cases of unlawful violence and threats against civilians between Feb. 27 and March 14. "Soldiers were also implicated in looting civilian property, including food, clothing, and firewood. Those who carried out these abuses are responsible for war crimes," the report said. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the HRW evidence. HRW said that, on March 4, Russian forces in Bucha had "rounded up five men and summarily executed one of them". Reuters journalists visited Bucha on Saturday and Sunday, after being given access by Ukrainian forces who recaptured the area, and saw bodies wearing no military uniforms scattered in the streets. On Sunday, Bucha's mayor, Anatoliy Fedoruk, showed a Reuters team two corpses with white cloth tied around their arms, which the mayor said residents had been forced to wear during the month that Russian forces occupied the city. Northeast of Kyiv in the Chernihiv region, the report said, Russian forces in Staryi Bykiv rounded up at least six men on Feb. 27, later executing them. It cited the mother of one of the men, who said she was nearby when her son was captured and who later saw the bodies of all six men. HRW said all parties to the armed conflict in Ukraine were obligated to abide by international law and the laws of war. Russia has an international legal obligation to impartially investigate alleged war crimes by its soldiers, Williamson said. (Additional reporting by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Frances Kerry and Kevin Liffey) BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared victory in Sunday's national elections, claiming a mandate for a fourth term as a still incomplete vote count showed a strong lead for his right-wing party. In a 10-minute speech to Fidesz party officials and supporters at an election night event in Budapest, Orban addressed a crowd cheering Viktor! and declared it was a huge victory for his party. We won a victory so big that you can see it from the moon, and you can certainly see it from Brussels, said Orban, who has often been condemned by the European Union for overseeing democratic backsliding and alleged corruption. While votes were still being tallied, it appeared clear that the question was not whether Orbans Fidesz party would take the election, but by how much. With around 91% of votes tallied, Orbans Fidesz-led coalition had won 53%, while a pro-European opposition coalition, United for Hungary, had just over 34%, according to the National Election Office. It appeared possible that Fidesz would win another constitutional majority, allowing it to continue making deep unilateral changes to the Central European nation. The whole world has seen tonight in Budapest that Christian democratic politics, conservative civic politics and patriotic politics have won. We are telling Europe that this is not the past, this is the future, Orban said. As Fidesz party officials gathered at an election night event on the Danube river in Budapest, state secretary Zoltan Kovacs pointed to the participation of so many parties in the election as a testament to the strength of Hungarys democracy. We have heard a lot of nonsense recently about whether there is democracy in Hungary, Kovacs said. Hungarian democracy in the last 12 years has not weakened, but been strengthened. The contest had been expected to be the closest since Orban took power in 2010, thanks to Hungarys six main opposition parties putting aside their ideological differences to form a united front against Fidesz. Voters were electing lawmakers to the countrys 199-seat parliament. Story continues Yet even in his home district, opposition leader Peter Marki-Zay trailed the longtime Fidesz incumbent Janos Lazar by more than 12 points, with more than 98% of the votes counted there. It was a discouraging sign for the prime ministerial candidate who had promised to end to what he alleges is rampant government corruption, raise living standards by increasing funding to Hungarys ailing health care and schools and mend frayed relations with the country's Western partners. In a surprise performance, radical right-wing party Our Homeland Movement appeared to have garnered more than 6% of the vote, exceeding the 5% threshold needed to gain seats in parliament. Opposition parties and international observers have noted structural impediments to defeating Orban, highlighting pervasive pro-government bias in the public media, the domination of commercial news outlets by Orban allies and a heavily gerrymandered electoral map. Edit Zgut, a political scientist at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, predicted that a clear victory for Orban would allow him to move further in an autocratic direction, sidelining dissidents and capturing new areas of the economy. Hungary seems to have reached a point of no return, she said. The key lesson is that the playing field is tilted so much that it became almost impossible to replace Fidesz in elections. The opposition coalition, United For Hungary, asked voters to support a new political culture based on pluralistic governance and mended alliances with the countrys EU and NATO allies. Speaking to supporters in Budapest late Sunday, Marki-Zay conceded defeat but argued that Fidesz had won under a system of its own making. We never thought this would be the result. We knew in advance that it would be an extremely unequal fight," Marki-Zay said. "We do not dispute that Fidesz won this election. That this election was democratic and free is, of course, something we continue to dispute. While Orban had earlier campaigned on divisive social and cultural issues, he dramatically shifted the tone of his campaign after Russias invasion of Ukraine in February, and has portrayed the election since then as a choice between peace and stability or war and chaos. While the opposition called for Hungary to support its embattled neighbor and act in lockstep with its EU and NATO partners, Orban, a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has insisted that Hungary remain neutral and maintain its close economic ties with Moscow, including continuing to import Russian gas and oil on favorable terms. At his final campaign rally Friday, Orban claimed that supplying Ukraine with weapons something that Hungary, alone among Ukraines EU neighbors, has refused to do would make the country a military target, and that sanctioning Russian energy imports would cripple Hungary's own economy. This isnt our war, we have to stay out of it, Orban said. The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Saturday depicted the Hungarian leader as out of touch with the rest of Europe, which has united to condemn Putin, support sanctions against Russia and send aid including weapons to Ukraine. He is virtually the only one in Europe to openly support Mr. Putin, Zelenskyy said. While speaking to supporters on Sunday, Orban singled out Zelenskyy as part of the overwhelming force that he said his party had struggled against in the election the left at home, the international left all around, the Brussels bureaucrats, the Soros empire with all its money, the international mainstream media, and in the end, even the Ukrainian president. Orban a fierce critic of immigration, LGBTQ rights and EU bureaucrats" has garnered the admiration of right-wing nationalists across Europe and North America. He has taken many of Hungarys democratic institutions under his control and depicted himself as a defender of European Christendom against Muslim migrants, progressives and the LGBTQ lobby. Along with the election to parliament, a referendum on LGBTQ issues was being held Sunday. The questions pertained to sex education programs in schools and the availability to children of information about sex reassignment. The Organization For Security and Cooperation in Europe sent a full observation mission to Hungary to monitor Sundays election, only the second time it has done so in a European Union country. ___ Associated Press writer Vanessa Gera in Warsaw contributed to this report. Grammy-nominated musician Jon Batiste, the bandleader of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," and Suleika Jaouad, author of the bestselling cancer memoir "Between Two Kingdoms," revealed that they were secretly married in February, they told "CBS Sunday Morning." The couple, who have been together for eight years, decided to wed after she was recently diagnosed with leukemia for a second time. "We got married the day before I was admitted to the hospital to undergo my bone marrow transplant," she told correspondent Jim Axelrod. "We have known that we wanted to get married, I think, from the first week that we started dating. That's when Jon first brought up the topic of marriage to me. So, we've had eight years. This is not, you know, a hasty decision!" she laughed. Jaouad said that the suddenness of the "tiny, beautiful, little ceremony" meant they made do without formal rings. "We used bread ties," she said. To watch a web exclusive video about their secret ceremony, click on the video player below. Batiste said that the whirlwind ceremony "isn't gonna interrupt the plan that we have. This is just a bump in the road." "And something like getting married can be an act of optimism, an act of declaration, an act of, 'We have a future,'" said Axelrod. "Yes. It's an act of defiance. The darkness will try to overtake you, but just turn on the light. Focus on the light. Hold onto the light." Jaouad said that after she got her diagnosis, Batiste revealed his plans to propose had been months in the works. "He said to me, 'I just want to be very clear, I'm not proposing to you because of this diagnosis. It's taken me a year to design your ring. So, just know this timing has nothing to do with it. But what I do want you to know is that this diagnosis doesn't change anything. It just makes it all the clearer to me that I want to commit to this and for us to be together.' But once we realized we had this tiny window before the bone marrow transplant, we decided to go for it. Story continues Video: Full Jon Batiste interview "And thanks to a friend, we were able to arrange to get a marriage license at the very last minute, while I was in the OR getting a catheter placed into my chest. And it was absurd! There were nurses around, there were surgeons around. We had this computer. I was in a hospital gown. But we made it happen. And that night we went and bought our wedding outfits together, very last-minute, lots of laughter. But it was, you know, not anything like what we'd imagined. There were maybe four people present. It was private. It was tiny. And it was perfect." "And I'll tell you, we walked into that bone marrow transplant unit on cloud nine," Jaouad said. "We were so happy, so brimming with love and positivity from this beautiful evening that we'd had. And I really believe that that carried us through. That sense of community, that sense of love, that sense of joy and spontaneity were so important." To watch more of Jim Axelrod's interview with Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad click on the video player below. READ AN EXCERPT: "Between Two Kingdoms" by Suleika Jaouad For more info: jonbatiste.com"We Are" by Jon Batiste (Verve Records)Follow Jon Batiste on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTubesuleikajaouad.com"Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted" by Suleika Jaouad (Random House), in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook and Audio formats, available via Amazon and IndieboundSuleika Jaouad's "Life, Interrupted" columns in The New York TimesFollow Suleika Jaouad on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram House committee still lacks "comprehensive" view of Trump's actions on January 6, Raskin says McMaster says "utter failure" of Russian army prompted shift in Ukraine Fiona Hill on alleged Russian atrocities in Ukraine and Putins future AMMAN, Jordan (AP) An outspoken half-brother of Jordan's king relinquished his princely title Sunday in apparent protest over how the country is run. It was the latest chapter in an ongoing palace feud that saw the junior royal placed under house arrest a year ago. Prince Hamzah posted the announcement on his official Twitter account. He wrote that he was driven to the decision because his convictions cannot be reconciled with the current approaches, policies and methods of our institutions. He stopped short of directly criticizing King Abdullah II and the ruling elites, as he had done in the past, but his tone signaled that the rift has not been mended, as the Royal Court suggested in the past. The Royal Court had no immediate comment. Abdullah and Hamzah are sons of King Hussein, who ruled Jordan for nearly a half-century before his death in 1999. Abdullah had appointed Hamzah as crown prince upon his succession but stripped him of the title in 2004. The monarch had placed Hamzah under house arrest last April for his alleged plot to destabilize the Western-allied kingdom. In a video statement at the time, Hamzah denied the allegations, saying he was being punished for speaking out against official corruption. Last month, Hamzah apologized to his brother, according to a letter released by the Royal Court at the time. Hamzah went on to express hope that we can turn the page on this chapter in our countrys and our familys history. Analyst Amer Sabaileh said he expected Hamzahs announcement to rekindle the royal rift that many in Jordan believed had been resolved with the princes apology. Sabaileh noted that Hamzah had made the decision unilaterally and announced it on his personal Twitter account, rather than in consultation with the royal family. He is trying to re-engage with the old narrative, Sabaileh said of Hamzah. We are back to the point where he is saying he is not satisfied, that he is still bitter and there is no reconciliation. Story continues It was not immediately clear if Hamzahs decision to relinquish his title will help restore his freedom of movement. Hamzah has only appeared in public once since the feud. In February, the court announced the birth of Hamzahs son. The feud was a rare case of infighting within the Hashemite royal family going public. At one point Jordan imposed a gag order on reporting about the events, reflecting the sensitivity of issues surrounding the royal family. Abdullah had accused his brother of sedition but said the dispute was being resolved within the family and that Hamzah remained in his own palace under the kings protection. Two former senior officials implicated in the alleged plot were convicted of sedition and sentenced to 15 years in prison by a state security court. Particulars about the alleged plot have never been made public. Jordan is a close Western ally and has long been seen as an island of stability in a turbulent region. Lee en espanol So far in 2022, eight journalists have been murdered in Mexico in possible relation to their work. Armando Linares Lopez, editorial director of Monitor Michoacan, a news site that covers the central state of Michoacan, was shot on March 15 by armed individuals who entered his home in Zitacuaro, Michoacan, making him the eighth journalist murdered in Mexico. More: Why murdered journalists in Mexico should worry us in Arizona While the victims families, Mexican journalists and journalism organizations continue to seek justice in each of these cases, the Mexican government only considers six of them to have been motivated by the victims work as journalists. The government has ruled out the cases of journalists Roberto Toledo, killed in Zitacuaro, Michoacan, on Jan. 31, and Jorge El Choche Camero, killed in Empalme, Sonora, on Feb. 24. On March 17, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reported that at least 16 people have been arrested in connection to some of the six cases. More: I survived when hitmen shot up my newsroom. Many journalists do not Independent groups like Article 19 and the Committee to Protect Journalists have documented at least 148 murders of journalists in Mexico since 2000. The previous and current presidencies have been the most violent for journalists. During Enrique Pena Nietos administration alone, 47 lost their lives, and under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office in 2018, 32 have died, according to Article 19. Here are updates in the investigation of each journalists death: Jose Luis Gamboa He was found stabbed to death in the Port of Veracruz, Veracruz, on Jan. 10. Gamboa was the founder and editor of the news site Inforegio and was one of the founders and editors of the digital outlet La Noticia, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. As of March 23, no arrests had been made in his case. Margarito Martinez Relatives and friends of photojournalist Margarito Martinez mourn him during his burial at the Santa Gema cemetery in Tijuana, Baja California on Jan. 21, 2022. He was killed by a bullet to the head outside his home in Tijuana, Baja California, on Jan. 17. Martinez worked as a freelance photojournalist for local outlets such as Zeta Tijuana, La Jornada de Baja California and Cadena Noticias, according to the CPJ. Story continues As of March 23, 10 people have been arrested, three of which had already been suspected of orchestrating and carrying out the assassination Lourdes Maldonado She was murdered outside her home in Tijuana, Baja California, on Jan. 23. Maldonado covered politics and corruption for different local outlets and had started a podcast called Brebaje, according to the CPJ. Days before her death, she publically announced that after nine years she had won a case against former Baja California Gov. Jaime Bonilla. After Maldonados death, the governor defended himself and said that he was willing to cooperate with the authorities. So far, it is unknown if there is a line of investigation against him or if he has been called to testify in her murder. As of March 23, three people have been arrested and are believed to be responsible for executing the journalist. Roberto Toledo He was shot just outside the building that houses the newsroom he worked for in Zitacuaro, Michoacan, on Jan. 31. Toledo was a writer and video editor at the news site Monitor Michoacan the same outlet where Linares worked. His homicide was ruled out by the Mexican government as being motivated by his journalistic work. According to reports from the Michoacan prosecutors office, Toledo worked in a law firm, not as a journalist. Linares denied that report and publically stated that Toledo was a regular contributor to the news outlet. As of March 23, no arrests have been made in his case. Heber Fernando Lopez He was shot to death while entering his home in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, on Feb. 10. Lopez founded the news sites NoticiasWeb and RCP Noticias, according to the CPJ. As of March 23, two people were arrested in connection to his murder. Jorge 'El Choche' Camero He was shot to death when he was inside a gym in Empalme, Sonora, on Feb. 24. Camero was the editorial director of the news site El Informativo. As with the Toledo homicide case, the Sonora prosecutors office does not consider that Camero was murdered because he was working as a journalist. As of March 23, no arrests have been made in his case. Juan Carlos Muniz He was killed when he was driving a taxi since he also worked as a driver in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, on March 4. Muniz was a reporter for Testigo Miner, a local digital newspaper. As of March 23, a suspect has been arrested. Armando Linares Lopez He was shot by armed individuals who entered his home in Zitacuaro, Michoacan, on March 15. Linares was the director of the news site Monitor Michoacan. Weeks before his murder, Linares had shared several videos on social media denouncing the murder of his colleague Toledo and the lack of protection provided to journalists by the Mexican government. As of March 23, there have been no arrests, but prosecutors have identified the suspected murderers through videos of the incident. Diana Garcia is La Vozs Mexico City correspondent. Follow her on Twitter @dianagaav. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who are the journalists killed in Mexico in 2022? Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (left) and recovery operations after the warehouse collapse. Alex Wong, Tim Vizer/AFP via Getty Images Amazon is being investigated by the House Oversight Committee over its labor practices. In December, six employees died after a warehouse collapsed during an extreme weather event. On Friday, three lawmakers wrote a letter to CEO Andy Jassy seeking information. Amazon is being investigated by the House Oversight Committee, following a deadly warehouse collapse in December. On Friday, lawmakers wrote a letter to the company's CEO Andy Jassy seeking documents regarding its labor practices. In December, six employees died at an Illinois Amazon warehouse after the roof collapsed due to severe weather conditions. Two employees told Insider's Bethany Dawson that it was normal practice at Amazon to go into work when a tornado warning was in place. The committee urged Andy Jassy to provide more information on its practices, "particularly during severe weather events." The letter was signed by three US House Representatives: Carolyn B. Maloney, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Cori Bush. The lawmakers said they were "concerned by recent reports that Amazon may be putting the health and safety of its workers at risk, including by requiring them to work in dangerous conditions during tornadoes, hurricanes, and other extreme weather." They also referenced reports of employees being threatened with termination if they left work and sought safety during the dangerous storm. "As one of our country's largest and most profitable corporations, it is imperative that Amazon protect workers' safety and refrain from practices that could put them in danger," the letter read. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told Insider: "Our focus continues to be on supporting our employees and partners, the families who lost loved ones, the surrounding community, and all those affected by the tornadoes. We will respond to this letter in due course." The letter highlighted other occurrences such as Amazon workers reportedly being required to stay on the job during deadly wildfires in California in 2018, extreme heat in the Pacific Northwest in 2021, and dangerous flooding during Hurricanes Irma in 2017 and Ida in 2021. Story continues Insider's Isobel Asher Hamilton reported in January that the family of an Amazon driver killed in the December warehouse collapse is suing the company. A group of 23 US lawmakers previously sent a letter to Jassy and Amazon chair Jeff Bezos. The committee said it wanted to know about Amazon workplace policies or practices that may have prevented the workers from seeking safe shelter. It added: "This investigation will inform legislative efforts to curb unfair labor practices, strengthen protections for workers, and address the effects of climate change on worker safety." Read the original article on Business Insider UPDATE @ 12:40 p.m. (4/4): A man was injured in a shooting in Trotwood Sunday afternoon. Crews responded to the area of Hoover Avenue and State Route 49 at approximately 4:50 p.m. Sunday after receiving reports of a person being shot. >> Suspect from Navistar active shooter April Fools prank awaits judges decision in case Police said a man was involved in a crash immediately following the shooting, according to a release. The man was taken to Miami Valley Hospital with non-life threatening injuries sustained in the shooting. Police said he wasnt injured in the crash. Information about the suspect is unknown at this time. >> Springfield Police investigating after gunshot victim arrives at hospital Friday The incident is under investigation. Well update this story as we learn more. Fred Greaves/Reuters Multiple shooters killed at least six people and injured 12 after opening fire into a crowd of brawling bar patrons early on Sunday morning in downtown Sacramento, California. Just after the 2 a.m. closing time, Sacramento police said they responded to a report of gunfire breaking out amid a massive fistfight on the corner of 10th Street and K Street. Authorities have said they believe that at least two people fired shots into the crowd. The shooters were still at large more than 18 hours after the incident. Were asking for the publics help in helping us to identify the suspects in this, Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said, the Associated Press reported. Video posted on social media shows terrified people running away from the scene against a backdrop of rapid gunfire, according to ABC 10. A witness staying in a nearby hotel told the AP that she had gone to her window after hearing the sound of gunshots. Kelsey Schar said she spotted flashes in the dark and a guy running and just shooting. Pamela Harris told Reuters that her daughter called to say that her son, Sergio, 38, had been killed, and she had come to the scene to try to get confirmation. She said he was dead. I just collapsed, Harris said. I cannot leave here now until I know what's going on. I'm not going anywhere. It seems like a dream. People hug near the crime scene after an early-morning shooting in Sacramento, California. Fred Greaves/Reuters This morning our city has a broken heart, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said at a Sunday press conference. Officials did not yet know all the facts, he explained, promising later that the city would work to further crack down on gun violence as it investigated the shooting. Lets get back to that issue which is at the core of this: In what sane society do we allow the proliferation of assault weapons in the way that we see being used indiscriminately, not just in Sacramento, but in other parts of the country? he asked. This is a sickness. It is a sickness in our country. It is a sickness in our culture. Story continues Mills College professor Keli Dailey told The Daily Beast she had a fitful night of sleep at the Citizen Hotel nearby when she was woken up by the unmistakable sound of gunshots. Once she looked out her window, she saw scores of men and women running in different directions, with some people kneeling near a woman in white on her back. They were desperately trying to get her help, Dailey said, with one man chasing after an ambulance that drove past her. It was a scene of screaming, chaos, Dailey told The Daily Beast. People were angry. Six people were killed in the early morning shooting. Fred Greaves/Reuters Dailey said she eventually left the hotel around 2:15 a.m. to check out the scene on the ground and found men and women screaming into their phones over lost loved ones, others making threats, and some people just seeking to get into their cars and drive home. You could not figure out where anything was occurring. There was no center to the chaos, and yet, a lot of people were still processing it, she said. Other people were saying, I just witnessed a killing. Dailey said she did not know if she would feel safe returning to Sacramento again. A San Francisco native, she said she ventures to the city every few weekends to relax, but after witnessing the pretty dismal scene Sunday, she felt conflicted. Is there a place thats immune to a senseless act of violence? she said. I dont know about it, but it is a tragedy to have been so near to a number of people who have been in a tragic event. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) Lithuania says it has cut itself off entirely of gas imports from Russia, apparently becoming the first of the European Union's 27 nations using Russian gas to break its energy dependence upon Moscow. Seeking full energy independence from Russian gas, in response to Russias energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has completely abandoned Russian gas, Lithuanias energy ministry said in a statement late Saturday, adding that the measure took effect in the beginning of April. Lithuania managed to reduce imports of Russian gas to zero on Saturday, a move seen a milestone in achieving energy independence in the former Soviet republic of 2.8 million, the ministry said. We are the first EU country among Gazproms supply countries to gain independence from Russian gas supplies, and this is the result of a multi-year coherent energy policy and timely infrastructure decisions, Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys said. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda posted an upbeat tweet on his account and urged other European nations to do the same. From this month on no more Russian gas in Lithuania. Years ago, my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the aggressor. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too!" Nauseda tweeted. In 2015, nearly 100% of Lithuanias gas supplies derived from imports of Russian gas but the situation has changed drastically over the past years after the country built an off-shore LNG import terminal, launched in 2014, in the port city of Klaipeda. The energy ministry said from now on all gas for Lithuanias domestic consumption would be imported via Klaipedas LNG terminal. Last year, some 26% of Lithuanias gas supplies derived from deliveries from a Russian gas pipeline while 62% came via Klaipedas LNG terminal and the remaining 12% were imported from a gas storage in neighboring Latvia. Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia are also heavily dependent on Russian gas but the operator of Latvias natural gas storage said none of the three Baltic states were importing Russian gas as of April 2. Story continues Uldis Bariss, the CEO of Conexus Baltic Grid, told Latvian media on Saturday that the Baltic gas market was currently being served by gas reserves stored underground in Latvia. Last month, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said Klaipedas LNG terminal wouldnt have enough capacity to provide gas for all the three Baltic countries. As a solution, Estonias government has proposed building a LNG terminal jointly with Latvia and Nordic neighbor Finland in the Estonian port town of Paldiski, which is not far from the capital, Tallinn. ___ Jari Tanner in Helsinki, Finland contributed to this report ___ Follow all AP stories on Russia's war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. VILNIUS (Reuters) -Lithuanian film director Mantas Kvedaravicius was killed on Saturday in Mariupol, the Ukrainian city whose fate he had documented for many years, according to the Ukrainian Defence Ministry and a colleague. "While (he was) trying to leave Mariupol, Russian occupiers killed Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravicius," the ministry's information agency tweeted https://twitter.com/armyinformcomua/status/1510400551019859972 on Sunday. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. "We lost a creator well known in Lithuania and in the whole world who, until the very last moment, in spite of danger, worked in Russia-occupied Ukraine," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said. Kvedaravicius, 45, was best known for his conflict-zone documentary "Mariupolis", which premiered at the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival. The film paints a portrait of Mariupol, a strategic port in a largely Russian-speaking part of eastern Ukraine where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014. The city was a main target of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Now bombed into ruins, it has been besieged for weeks, with tens of thousands trapped with little access to food and water. "Mantas Kvedaravicius, was murdered today in Mariupol, with a camera in his hands, in this shitty war of evil, against the whole world," Russian film director Vitaly Mansky, founder of the Artdocfest arts festival in which Kvedaravicius was a participant, said on Facebook. Amnesty International had awarded Kvedaravicius's 2011 film "Barzakh", shot in the Russian region of Chechnya, where Russian forces fought two wars to put down rebellions between 1994 and 2009, a prize at the Berlin International Film Festival. "The audience was taken into the villages, into the lives and souls of the people," said Julia Duchrow, deputy secretary general of Amnesty International in Germany. Story continues "Mantas Kvedaravicius has shown great courage for this: The film was shot without permission and at great personal risk. "This courage, this unconditional will to show human rights violations and make them accessible to the public, distinguished Mantas Kvedaravicius." (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by William Mallard, Raissa Kasolowsky and Kevin Liffey) As Maryland lawmakers steam into the final days of the General Assemblys annual legislative session this coming week, much work remains to be done hashing out deals, lining up votes and killing bad ideas. Of the hundreds upon hundreds of bills lawmakers filed before the session kicked off in January, the ink from Gov. Larry Hogans pen signing them into law has only dried on a handful of them. The governor and legislators quickly agreed, for instance, on a 30-day temporary suspension of the gasoline and diesel fuels taxes. And on Friday, Hogan joined House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson to put their signatures on a collection of tax cuts for older Marylanders and on sales of child care and medical products. Another stack of bills landed on Hogans desk later Friday afternoon, these far less likely to get the governors approval. Democratic lawmakers rushed this past week to pass many of their more controversial proposals and drop them on the Republican governors desk before Saturday, the deadline to guarantee themselves a chance to override any potential vetoes before the session ends on April 11. An amendment asking voters whether to legalize recreational marijuana for adults over the age of 21 in Maryland will go on the November ballot after the General Assembly approved it Friday, bypassing Hogan altogether since governors do not wield veto authority over constitutional amendments. So, as legislators head into the final, frenzied week, heres a rough look at some of the issues still to be settled: Veto bait for Gov. Hogan? Hogan will spend the next week deciding which of that stack to veto, sign into law or simply let become law without his signature. Among the items: Although the ballot amendment to legalize marijuana will skip Hogans desk, he will have to weigh in on companion legislation that would if the amendment passes in Novembers election legalize possession of up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana, remove criminal penalties on possessing up to 2.5 ounces and create a system to expunge past criminal records for those convicted of possessing marijuana. The legislation, however, leaves details of how to create and regulate a legal marijuana market in Maryland up to future lawmakers in 2023. Hogan has largely dodged questions about whether he supports legalizing recreational marijuana. Legislation to expand access to abortions in Maryland by allowing medical professionals beyond only physicians to perform them; requiring most health insurance plans to cover abortions at no charge to patients; and spending $3.5 million per year training medical professionals to provide abortions. Hogan is opposed to abortion but has largely called it legally settled law in Maryland and hasnt pushed efforts to restrict it. A sweeping climate change package that aims to make Maryland carbon neutral by 2045. Hogan has hinted at a potential veto, suggesting some of the bills measures would be too costly and prove a drag on the states economy. Several pieces of legislation that aim to change how Marylands criminal justice system treats children and teenagers accused of crimes by changing sentencing rules, limiting how often children are detained and making sure parents and a lawyer are notified before juveniles are interrogated by police. A bill to create a statewide paid medical and family leave insurance program that would cover nearly every worker in the state. The program would give workers up to 12 weeks or, in some limited cases, as much as 24 weeks to welcome a newborn, care for ailing relatives or deal with health issues themselves once benefits start being paid in 2025. The benefits would be funded by mandatory contributions from workers and most employers, although the payroll tax rate would be determined later. Hogan signed off on providing similar benefits to government employees but he, like many other Republicans, has criticized the statewide proposal as too costly for workers and businesses. And many business groups oppose the legislation. Story continues In each case, Democrats appear to have enough votes to override a potential Hogan veto. But legislative politics can be full of surprises and the veto math assumes few lawmakers have belated second thoughts about their support. I feel very confident on all, said Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, when asked Friday afternoon if he could muster the override votes on all the bills sent to Hogan. You never know its the last 10 days of a General Assembly session before an election but I feel very confident. Scrutiny of how judges issue sentences Among Hogans handful of legislative priorities this spring is a proposal to publish more data on how individual judges in Maryland sentence criminal defendants. Hogan and Republican allies in the General Assembly framed it as a way for voters to hold elected judges accountable especially those who might be letting criminals off too easy. But several key Democrats, including Senate Judicial Proceedings Chair William C. Smith Jr. of Montgomery County, expressed concerns that compiling data on sentences could inject too much political pressure into courtrooms, erasing the nuances of cases and undermining justice for defendants by potentially incentivizing election-minded judges to simply throw the book at everyone to avoid being painted as somehow soft on crime. Both sides struck a compromise: Publishing aggregate data for entire jurisdictions that would reveal the average sentences for various categories of violent crime in, for example, Baltimore County courts but not singling out any judges. The Senate passed the bill, a fact the governor touted, but as of Friday it had not seen a vote in the House of Delegates. Decriminalize needles and other drug paraphernalia Last year, the General Assembly passed legislation long sought by public health and harm-reduction outreach groups that work with drug users to fully decriminalize ancillary drug supplies such as needles or cookers, the possession of which is currently punishable by up to four years in prison. Actual possession of drugs generally carries a more lenient penalty of no more than one year. Hogan, however, vetoed the measure, citing his fears that making tools to use drugs more accessible might encourage drug use. The veto was a bitter disappointment for health and overdose prevention workers, who have argued that the stiff penalties for paraphernalia make drug users more reluctant to participate in health programs like needle exchanges, more vulnerable to overdose deaths by secretively using drugs alone and more likely to ditch used needles in parks or on sidewalks. Even more disappointing for supporters: The Senate opted against overriding Hogans veto during Decembers special session, leaving backers to try again. Renewed legislation passed the House by a wide margin in early March, but so far has not advanced in the Senate. Ferguson, the Senate president, said Friday that its unclear whether enough senators will get behind the measure to withstand another likely Hogan veto. Jury duty for those with criminal records Since 2016, Marylanders with past criminal convictions who have served their sentences can regain their right to vote. But they remain prohibited from jury duty, a civic service many might consider a hassle but that also is one of the hallmarks of full citizenship. Advocates of jury eligibility for those with past convictions argue blanket exclusion skews the pool of potential jurors and erodes a defendants constitutional right to a jury of their peers especially given the high rates of arrests and prosecutions in certain communities and the disproportionate number of Black men automatically excluded by the rule. Bills sponsored by Sen. Jill P. Carter of Baltimore and Del. Wanika B. Fisher of Prince Georges County, both Democrats, would lift the restriction and make anyone whod completed their sentence and registered to vote eligible for a jury duty summons. The Senate passed the legislation after adding a Republican-backed amendment to exclude those convicted of witness intimidation and jury tampering. But the proposal hasnt yet come up for a vote in the House. A permanent embrace of daylight saving time State delegates, apparently weary of changing their clocks or the early winter sunsets, voted to get rid of the twice-yearly time shifts and make daylight saving time permanent. The U.S. Senate surprised many by unanimously voting to do the same thing just a couple of weeks later [though that legislation has since stalled in the U.S. House of Representatives]. The Maryland proposal would take effect only if surrounding mid-Atlantic states follow suit. But its still unclear whether it will get even that far: State senators havent taken up the measure since the House passed it in February. The clocks are ticking. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. REUTERS/Octavio Jones MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell said he was barred from appearing in his company's commercials. In an interview on Saturday, he said several stations refused to let him appear in MyPillow spots. "Believe me, they cancel, they will never get to sell my product again," he added. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell said he was barred from appearing in some of his company's commercials. "I had 12 TV stations just the other day now say that I couldn't be in the commercials. I can only say 'MyPillow.' I cannot personally be in them," Lindell said during an interview with Right Side Broadcasting Network on Saturday. Lindell did not specify which stations had stopped him from appearing but said they were "smaller" networks. Lindell, a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump, has continued to spread baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. He has made several unfounded claims that voting machines made by Dominion and Smartmatic were responsible for election fraud. Recently, Lindell said he planned to sue "all machines" over the false election-fraud claims. There is no evidence for his allegations. Lindell said in the interview that he'd heard about the appearance ban on Friday. "They want my voice stopped," Lindell said, adding, "Believe me, they cancel, they will never get to sell my product again." During the interview, Lindell said customers who bought his products were also "supporting getting rid of" the voting machines and "everything we're doing to save our country." Read the original article on Business Insider Jaymes Vaughan and Jonathan Bennett attend The 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on April 02, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. Stefanie Keenan/Getty Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan are spreading some newlywed bliss. The couple made their first red carpet appearance as husbands at Saturday's 33rd GLAAD Media Awards, where they caught up with PEOPLE after tying the knot last month in Mexico. "Married life is great!" Bennett, 40, said. "Of all places that we get to step out for the first time as husbands, we're stepping out to the GLAAD Media Awards to celebrate LGBTQ representation in the media, and this is what it looks like," he added. "It is so exciting to be here." In fact, the Mean Girls star and Vaughan, 38, have yet to take their honeymoon. "This is our honeymoon! Right now. You're all invited to our honeymoon. Welcome, welcome," Bennett joked. RELATED: Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan Wed in Inclusive Ceremony: 'So Blessed' The pair, who owns LGBTQ travel company OUTbound, is planning four trips this year to celebrate their union. But first, they wanted to celebrate Bennett's Hallmark holiday movie The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls, which was nominated for outstanding TV movie at Saturday's awards show. "To think about how far Hallmark has come, and how much they have stepped up to making sure that stories are told about LGBTQ+ characters, that are based in family, and based in love, it really helps to humanize the characters that people watch on screen, and maybe helps to change some hearts and minds as well," Bennett remarked. "I'm just so proud of Hallmark channel, and how much they've stepped up. I mean, they're sponsoring this event! Like Hallmark Channel is sponsoring the GLAAD Media Awards," he continued. "So it's just such a cool thing to be part of, and we're so happy to be nominated tonight." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Story continues "We thought we should come to the GLAAD Awards and really represent for the LGBTQ+ community and we can do our honeymoon later this year," Bennett noted. "Yeah, GLAAD deserves so much recognition," said Vaughan, adding: "I am certain we got to the place of being able to get married and marriage equality because of the work that GLAAD did." RELATED VIDEO: Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan Married! Bennett and Vaughan exchanged vows last month in front of a group of close friends and family at the Unico Riviera Maya Hotel in Mexico, including The Wonder Years' Danica McKellar and Bennett's TV mom Sharon Lawrence, while RuPaul's Drag Race alum Jackie Cox served as emcee. "I got to marry my best friend! I knew we'd be emotional but I don't think either of us realized just how overwhelming that moment would be until we were in it," Vaughan told PEOPLE at the time. "Seeing him crying only made me cry harder, and then our guests cry harder, and then we'd all start laughing, and then all back into crying." An Orlando police officer helped Orange County Animal Services to rescue a dog and her seven puppies last week. WATCH: NASA astronauts talk to students about the future of Floridas space industry Orlando Police Officer Amy Colombo was called to help after a concerned resident found an underweight dog inside a fenced yard. Officers said they spoke with a resident at the home who denied ownership of the dog. Photos: Orlando officer helps rescue malnourished dog and puppies The mother dog was extremely emaciated but her puppies were all in good shape, officials said. Officers said the frightened mother dog and her around three-week-old puppies were taken to an animal facility for treatment. READ: Marion County deputies search for 3 missing and endangered children The puppies are still too young for adoption and will need to continue to nurse with their mother. Officials said the organization Ziggys Legacy Rescue stepped up and said they would take the dogs and care for them until they could all find homes. We always ask our community, if you see an animal injured or in need; a nursing mom, a starving pup, please reach out to us. We have officers working 24 hours a day, responding to all sorts of emergencies, said a spokesperson for Orange County Animal Services. READ: FWC offers Spring BearWise tips to reduce conflicts with bears Anyone interested in donating for care, fostering or even adopting any of these dogs can reach out to Ziggys Legacy Rescue. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, and click here to watch the latest news on your Smart TV. LIMA, Peru (AP) A Peruvian judge on Thursday banned former President Alberto Fujimori from leaving the country for 18 months as soon as he leaves a prison where he has been serving a 25-year sentence for murder. Fujimori is expected to be released soon under a Constitutional Court order that last week revived a humanitarian pardon granted in 2017 by then-President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Judge Miluska Cano of the Fourth Criminal Chamber ordered that Fujimori may not leave Peru for 18 months. Once released, the former president must face a new trial on charges of being the intellectual author of the murder of six peasants during his 1990-2000 administration. Fujimori had been serving a 25-year prison sentence since 2007 for the murder of 25 Peruvians executed during his government by a clandestine military squad that killed with impunity while fighting the Shining Path terrorist group. Last week, the Constitutional Court ordered Fujimori released after a controversial decision whose arguments have not yet been published. The release shortens the sentence of Fujimori by a decade, since he was to be released from prison in February 2032. If you have a gun, and youre thinking about using it on kids, you better think twice, said youth organizer Raniyah Williams. This afternoon, young people took over the intersection of Frankstown Avenue and North Homewood Avenue with a sea of blue and black, music, food, and dancing --demanding that the violence stop. The youth-led protest comes just four days after a 15-year-old boy, Dayvon Vickers, was shot and killed in broad daylight while riding his bike in the citys Homewood neighborhood. The teens held the protest at that exact location. And as youth organizers chanted, Long live Dayvon, his friends and classmates spoke. Dayvon didnt deserve none of this; he is my third friend this year that Ive had to bury, said Williams. Sixteen-year-old Williams said that when she heard the news that her friend was killed, she was angry, hurt, and confused, but she channeled those feelings into Saturdays movement. We are the future, and if yall keep killing us, there will be no future to have, said Williams. The teens, mostly from Westinghouse High School, also shared memories of their friend. His smile was like the brightest thing ever, said Antwon Clayborn, a friend and classmate of Vickers. The students spoke about how Vickers was a hard worker known in the community as the little boy who sold bottled water. His friends told Channel 11 News that Vickers had sold so many bottles of water that he was able to save up to purchase his motorized bike. At one point during the event, Vickers grandmother listening to the teens felt moved to speak. Im just so happy everyone is here to represent Day-Day because he was really a good kid, she said. A good kid that deserves justice, his aunt told Channel 11 News. Somebody has got to say something one way or another to end all this, said Patrice Sherrill. Sherrill added that she will miss her nephews voice and compassion. We are going to miss him, she said. Police are investigating the homicide and urging anyone with information to call police headquarters at 412-323-7800. TOP STORIES: In a heartbeat, Id do it again: School van driver rushed child who got stabbed to police for help Pittsburgh Police SVU detectives searching for missing 13-year-old boy Aliquippa Junior Senior High School enforcing limits on snacks starting Monday VIDEO: Public meeting held to address recent gun violence in Pittsburgh DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts UPDATE 4/5/22: Police said Keenu Brooks was found safe. Keenu Brooks has been safely located. Thanks for your assistance. https://t.co/nNpF4rYZXS Pittsburgh Police (@PghPolice) April 5, 2022 SVU detectives with Pittsburgh Police are looking for a missing 13-year-old boy. Keenu Brooks was last seen on March 30 at 5:30 p.m. at his school, Sister Thea Bowman School in Wilkinsburg, but he did not return home after school. Anyone with information on his location is asked to call SVU detectives at (412)323-7141. TOP STORIES: Man critically injured in overnight South Side Flats shooting In a heartbeat, Id do it again: School van driver rushed child who got stabbed to police for help Shooting reported in Pittsburghs Elliott neighborhood VIDEO: Pittsburgh youth speak out against recent violence in the city DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Police have identified the man who was killed Saturday night at the MacArthur Center in downtown Norfolk. Officers responded to the mall shortly before 6:30 p.m. after reports of a gunshot disturbance. Three people were hit by gunfire including 33-year-old Roosevelt A. McKinney, of Norfolk, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A woman and a man were taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Police previously said it was two women. Norfolk Police Chief Larry Boone told several media outlets Saturday that the shooting seemed to be sparked by an argument about money. Police circulated surveillance footage a few hours after the shooting, asking the public for help identifying a suspect and person of interest in the slaying. Boone told the press he believes that the victim and suspect were related. A Norfolk police spokesman later said detectives had determined McKinney is not related to the suspect. Anyone who can identify the men in the images or who can help investigators is asked to call the Norfolk Crime Line 1-888-562-5887 or by using the P3Tips mobile app. Related coverage: Man dead, 2 women injured in shooting at MacArthur Center in Norfolk Jessica Nolte, 757-912-1675, jnolte@dailypress.com WARSAW (Reuters) -The European Union must impose harsher sanctions on Russia and supply Ukraine with more arms, Poland's prime minister said on Sunday, as he called for an international tribunal to investigate killings in the town of Bucha. Ukraine on Sunday accused Russian forces of carrying out a "massacre" in Bucha and Western leaders reacted with outrage to images of bodies strewn across the streets of the town. Russia denies Ukraine's accusation. "The crimes Russia has committed on close to 300 inhabitants of Bucha and other towns outside Kyiv must be called acts of genocide and be dealt with as such," Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Facebook. "Everyone responsible - directly or indirectly- must be severely punished by an international tribunal." Russia's defence ministry denied that Russian forces had killed civilians in Bucha, and said all photographs and footage showing dead bodies were "yet another provocation" by the Ukrainian government. Morawiecki called for the European Union to impose harsher sanctions on Russia and more arms to be supplied to Ukraine. "The EU must confiscate all Russian assets in its western banks as well as those of Russian oligarchs. It must sever all trade relations with Russia without delay," Morawiecki wrote. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement on Sunday Russian President Vladimir Putin and his supporters "will feel the consequences" of their actions and the West would impose more sanctions. Earlier, the Polish foreign minister also called for international help in investigating the actions of the Russian army in the region around Kyiv. (Reporting by Alan Charlish and Anna Koper; Editing by Susan Fenton, Alexandra Hudson) Viktor Orban Akos Stiller/Bloomberg via Getty Images Hungarian voters cast their ballots on Sunday to determine whether controversial leader Viktor Orban will serve a fourth consecutive term as prime minister, Reuters reports. Gergely Gulyas, a minister in Orban's government, said the high turnout is a victory for democracy and that the early projections he's seen "give cause for optimism," per Euronews. Orban has refused to cut his country off from Russian oil and gas and will not allow weapons being sent to Ukrainian forces to be shipped through Hungary. He did, however, condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. "I am standing on the basis of the Hungarian national interests. I am pro-Hungary," Orban told reporters The nationalist and socially conservative policies Orban has pursued during his 12 years in office including his emphasis on border security, his pro-natalist policies, his bans on things such as gender studies programs and the promotion of homosexuality and transgenderism to children, and his rhetoric about preserving Hungary's Christian heritage have made him a popular figure with much of the American right, especially Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who visited Hungary and interviewed Orban last year. While campaigning in 2020, President Biden numbered Hungary among the world's "totalitarian regimes" and lumped Orban in with the "thugs" who lead them. Conservative Rod Dreher, who has spent time in Hungary, dismissed these labels. "[W]hen I left here late last summer, almost everyone I knew in Fidesz was really anxious about the 2022 election," Dreher wrote for The American Conservative on Friday. "In a true autocracy, leaders don't worry about elections." You may also like 7 brutally funny cartoons about Will Smith's Oscars slap Russia threatens to end cooperation at International Space Station unless 'illegal sanctions' are lifted How did Russia's oligarchs become so powerful? By Philip Pullella ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters) -Pope Francis paid tribute on Sunday to journalists killed during the Ukraine war saying he hoped God would reward them for serving the common good whatever side they were on. Speaking to journalists aboard the plane returning from Malta, Francis also repeated that he was ready to make a trip to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, but added that he had yet to decide if it would be feasible. "I would like to express my condolences for your fallen colleagues, whatever side they were from," he said. "Your job is a job for the common good. They have fallen in service of the common good of information. Let's not forget that they were courageous. I pray for them, I pray that the Lord rewards their work." At least six journalists have now died since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in late February. Francis said he was also getting information on Ukraine in telephone contacts every few days with Rome-based Argentine journalist Elisabetta Pique, a personal friend who has been covering the war from the start. On his way to Malta on Saturday Francis said a trip to Kyiv was "on the table". "I am willing to do everything that can be done. The Holy See is doing everything on the diplomatic side. For reasons of prudence and confidentiality, we can't make everything public," he said on the plane. "I don't know if it (a trip to Ukraine) can be made, if it is convenient to make it and if it would be for the good ... all is up in the air," he said. He said he had spoken twice to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy since the war started but indicated that the last time he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin was at the start of the year. In a speech on Saturday, Francis implicitly criticised Putin over the invasion, saying a "potentate" was fomenting conflict for nationalist interests. Francis has strongly condemned what he has called an "unjustified aggression" and denounced "atrocities" but he has only referred to Russia directly in prayers, such as during a special global event for peace on March 25. Story continues He said he would like to meet this year with Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church, whose support for the war has split the worldwide Orthodox community. During the Malta trip the 85-year-old pope was suffering from a flare-up of knee pain due to an inflamed ligament that forced him to use lifts to board and disembark planes. He also had to sit for parts of a long Mass on Sunday. "My health is a bit capricious," he said in response to a question. "This knee problem with moving, walking. But it is getting better. Two weeks I couldn't do anything. It's slow going but at this age we don't know how the match will end. I hope it goes well". Francis stood for about 20 minutes speaking to journalists while on the plane and did not appear to be in any discomfort. (Reporting by Philip PullellaEditing by Alexandra Hudson and Chizu Nomiyama) Apr. 3WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, co-chairs of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, hosted members of the Ukrainian Parliament to brief them on the latest regarding Russia's of Ukraine. The senators discussed how else the U.S. Senate can support Ukraine. Ukrainian Parliament members in attendance included Lesia Zaburanna, Yevheniya Kravchuk, Anastasia Radina, and Maria Ionova. The Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Polish ambassador to the U.S Oksana Markarova and Polish Members of Parliament were also in attendance. The discussion comes one month into Russia's assault on Ukraine. "I am grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Ukraine parliament today. America is inspired by their courage and the bravery of the Ukrainian people to fight back against Russian aggression," Portman said. "I continue to call on the administration and encourage our NATO/EU allies to do more quicker by way of stronger sanctions especially those targeting Russia's banking and their energy sector, which continues to fund Putin's war machine and more lethal aid including fighter jets, anti-tank, anti-ship and anti-air weaponry as we work to help Ukraine win this war brought on by unwarranted and illegal Russian aggression." Durbin said Putin's actions have forced nearly four million Ukrainians to flee their county. "The resilience of the Ukrainian people is unparalleled and deserves sustained American support," Durbin said. "Today's meeting reinforced our strong relations and we will continue to work with our European allies to further tighten the economic pressure on Putin, welcome Ukrainian refugees, and much more." Portman has been a longtime advocate of Ukrainian issues and Ohio is home to a sizeable population of Ukrainian-Americans. A Massachusetts Marine killed in March during a training drill in Norway will be honored with a procession and a vigil as his body returns to his hometown. The Leominster Department of Veterans Services said Friday the body of Marine Capt. Ross Reynolds was expected to arrive in the city on Saturday afternoon between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. after being flown into Logan Airport in Boston. Residents were encouraged to line the streets along the route to honor the fallen Marine. A candlelight vigil will then be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at Leominster City Hall, in Leominster, Massachusetts. And a public wake will be held Monday afternoon at city hall. The funeral Mass will be held at St. Cecilias Church Tuesday morning and also be broadcast live at city hall. Remains of Marines killed in Norway Osprey crash returned to US The burial at the Massachusetts Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Winchendon will be private. Reynolds, a 27-year-old Osprey pilot who joined the Marines in 2017, was one of four Marines killed when their aircraft crashed during a NATO drill on March 18 in a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but Norwegian police reported bad weather in the area. Officials in Norway said the MV-22B Osprey crashed in Graetaedalen in Beiarn, south of Bodoe. The men were all assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. Just over five weeks into the war, and one thing is clear about how it will end there will be no surrender. "There will be a negotiated settlement, I think. but clearly there's still a lot of fighting going on as each side tries to create conditions that give it more leverage at the negotiating table," said former CIA director and commander of America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, retired Army General David Petraeus. He says the Russians have already lost the battle for Kyiv: "They will not be able to accomplish what was presumably their main objective from the outset, which was to topple the Zelensky government and replace it with a pro-Russian government." CBS News national security correspondent David Martin asked, "If the plan to take Kyiv has failed, has the decisive battle of the war already been fought?" "Only if Ukraine can prevent another decisive battle from being fought again," Petraeus replied. "This could be pivotal in the sense that it's perilous for Ukraine." Another Russian quagmire: Putin and the shadow of Afghanistan ("Sunday Morning")Russia's war in Ukraine: How it came to thisWhy Russia's tank war stalled in Ukraine ("Sunday Morning")Russia keeps pounding Ukraine, fueling skepticism over Putin's intentions as his war creates 4 million refugees ("CBS Mornings") The peril now looms in Eastern Ukraine, where Russia is reinforcing and concentrating its firepower in an attempt to encircle much of Ukraine's army. The outcome of the vicious battle for the city of Mariupol could be the key. / Credit: CBS News Petraeus said, "Mariupol has become the Ukrainian Alamo, fighting to the last defender, tying down considerable number of Russian battalions and making them pay for literally every block that they're taking. Once that does eventually fall, as tragically it appears will be the case, that will free up a number of Russian forces." Story continues U.S. expects fighting to intensify in Donbas region of UkraineInside a Ukrainian town's bloody battle to keep Russian invaders away ("CBS Mornings") "If [Putin] were to destroy the Ukrainian army in the East, would then the rest of the country be open to him?" Martin asked. "I don't think so," he replied. "You're fighting an entire nation. There will be limits to how far they can go, and I don't expect that it would go more than the middle of the country. They'd love to get to the very center." "Is it possible the Ukrainians could hold out?" "If they can get the additional weapons, ammo, vehicles and so forth, absolutely, no question," said Petraeus. "And of course, they have this unbelievable determination, fortitude, creativity, resourcefulness. They're everything the Russians are not." Volunteers continue to sign up to defend Ukraine ("Sunday Morning")The long history of Russia's efforts to subjugate Ukraine ("Sunday Morning")Former KGB spy Jack Barsky offers insights on what Putin wantsUkrainian president warns that retreating Russian forces are leaving mines President Zelensky, who has proved himself not just a brilliant communicator in chief but a savvy commander in chief, says the war is at a turning point. Martin asked, "Would you say it's going to take weeks or months for this to play out?" "It could be weeks; it could be months, depending on how bad the damage is," said Petraeus. "You're basically describing a war of attrition?" "There is a war of attrition that's going on, and again it's not just on the battlefield. It's also to a degree between what's happening in Ukraine and what's happening to Moscow and to the Russian economy, financial system, and business community." And a war between two men, said Petraeus: "Between Vladimir Putin, who cannot seem to appear weak he has to remain the strongman, infallible, unflappable, in control, the master of everything; and President Zelensky, who is leading a country that is fighting for its very survival." Meet a Russian oligarch hit by sanctions ("Sunday Morning")U.S. and Ukraine are collecting evidence, accusing Russian forces of committing war crimes U.S. officials say one of them Putin is not being told the truth about what is happening on the battlefield. "How does a war end when the leader isn't being told the truth?" asked Martin. "Well, the leader isn't dumb," Petraeus said. "He has to recognize the reality of what has happened. They did not achieve what they set out to achieve. Deep down, he realizes that he has plunged his country into a colossal mistake, and has demonstrated colossal misjudgment." "Will he be sufficiently chastened so that he doesn't try something like this again?" "I don't know that he will think that he is sufficiently chastened," Petraeus replied. "What he will be is sufficiently we hope sufficiently weakened." Inside the mind of Vladimir Putin ("Sunday Morning")Biden says "clear sign" Putin considering use of chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine ("CBS Mornings")How far will Putin go and how far will America go to stop him? ("Sunday Morning")Ukrainians united in their resolve to stop Putin's war machine ("Sunday Morning") Story produced by Mary Walsh. Editor: George Pozderec. Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad sharing life beyond cancer Pianist Ruth Slenczynska on her life in music Passage: In memoriam Russian forces are retreating from some towns in Ukraine, leaving behind evidence of alleged murder and rapes. Civilian corpses line the streets of liberated Ukrainian towns. This article contains photos and text that some may find disturbing. Reports from towns liberated by Ukrainian forces document alleged Russian atrocities, including rape and civilian corpses left on streets with hands tied behind their back. As Russian forces begin retreating from the Kyiv region after 38 days of the war, carnage and potential evidence of war crimes have been left in their wake. The streets of towns near Kyiv, once lined with peaceful homes, are now littered with bodies of dead civilians, say reports. People who lived free of war less than two months ago now find their neighbors dead, their loved ones and children mutilated and scarred inside and out by Russian forces. A mass grave in Bucha, near the capital of Kyiv, demolished by Putin's forces, serves as a grisly reminder of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statements that "it's still not possible to return to normal life," even as troops begin to leave Ukraine. The mayor of Bucha has said that the mass graves are evidence of what "can only be described as a genocide," The Telegraph reports. Photos and videos on social media show the town of Bucha littered with dead bodies and burnt-out vehicles. A man walks on a street with several dead bodies on the ground a street in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, as Ukraine says Russian forces are making a "rapid retreat" from northern areas around Kyiv and the city of Chernigiv, on April 2, 2022. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images Human Rights Watch also reported a series of alleged atrocities from several now-liberated towns. It includes the account of a woman in the village of Malaya Rohan, who the group said was raped at gunpoint multiple times by a soldier who entered the school where her family including her five-year-old daughter were sheltering. The soldier took her to a classroom on the second floor, where he pointed a gun at her and told her to undress, Human Rights Watch reported. She said, according to Human Rights Watch: "He told me to give him [oral sex]. The whole time he held the gun near my temple or put it into my face. Twice he shot at the ceiling and said it was to give me more 'motivation.'" Story continues The woman reportedly suffered several cuts to her neck and face after the soldier switched to holding a knife to her while he raped her. Human Rights Watch said it had photographs of her injuries. Human Rights Watch has also reported on multiple men being dragged from their homes, in which they were hiding from a Russian shelling attack and shot in the back of the head. Their bodies were left in the street with their hands still behind their backs, and Russian soldiers refused to clear them, Human Rights Watch said. The organization also found that soldiers looted wood villagers used for heating and cooking and stole food and clothing. A man jumps down from a burnt Russian tank, on April 2, 2022 in Dmytrivka, Kyiv region, Ukraine. Alexey Furman/Getty Images Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, described the atrocities committed by the Russian military as "unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians." The group also noted that these events are evidence of war crimes that break the 1949 Geneva Convention, prohibiting willful killing, rape, torture, looting, and more. The UN recently named the individuals who would be investigating Russia for the possible war crimes committed during its invasion of Ukraine. A former UN chief prosecutor called Putin a "war criminal" and urged for an international arrest warrant for him. Carla Del Ponte, who formerly prosecuted war crimes in tribunals in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, said that "you saw from day one that war crimes were being committed." Correction: An earlier version of this story mistakenly named one of the alleged victims as Malaya Rohan. Read the original article on Business Insider Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said fresh sanctions from the West would not be "enough" to respond to the atrocities Ukrainians say have been committed in the town of Bucha, near Kyiv, where grisly images purportedly show slain civilians. "There will definitely be a new sanctions package against Russia," Zelenskyy said in a video address Sunday night. "But I'm sure that's not enough," he said as he made an impassioned plea for a stronger international response to Russia's invasion. Residents of Bucha have accused Russian forces of targeting civilians in a deadly campaign that Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk said left more than 300 people dead before troops pulled out of the city. Russia's Defense Ministry has denied the claims, calling them a "provocation," despite photographs and video showing damaged city streets strewn with dead bodies. Meanwhile, in southern Ukraine, heavy fighting has continued in the besieged port city of Mariupol, according to Britain's defense ministry. It said as efforts to evacuate residents from the besieged city were set to continue Monday. See full coverage here. Ray Kisonas While I fondly recall my adopted grandparents who were from Ukraine, I have just as much adoration and respect for a late aunt who was from Russia. My Aunt Vala lived in Chicago and throughout my life she and my Uncle Pete would routinely visit my family here in Michigan. I always looked forward to their visit, and not just because they would bring me the best gifts. My Uncle Pete was my moms first cousin and they both were from a small town in eastern Poland. Aunt Vala Cieply was from Russia. Her husband, Uncle Pete, was from Poland. Provided photo But Aunt Vala was from Russia. She stood about 4-foot-8 and wore her hair big and tall. She may have been tiny in stature, but she was one tough Russian who survived the war in Europe. And when I was a child my mom always appreciated when Aunt Vala stayed over because she always frightened me into submission. I cant explain it, but she would strike fear into me simply with a dish towel. It must have been a repressed memory from when I was a toddler because all she had to do was twist that towel into knots and say tak, tak, tak, which meant she was doing it like this, like this, like this. To this day, I dont understand how a soft dish towel could have such a terrifying effect on me, but if I was misbehaving, all Aunt Vala had to do was twist that thing over and over and give me that look on her face that would scare Putin. But she truly cared for me and affectionately call me her kitten in Russian. And as I grew older, I became even closer to her. In fact, I loved her borscht. She didnt use beets, which is probably why I enjoyed it. Its her basic recipe that I use to this day when I make cabbage and oxtail soup. She rarely spoke about her years in the old country, but the stories about what she endured in Europe during World War II that circulated in the family were horrifying. And if they were true, she never showed it. In fact, as time went on, I have become more and more astonished at what my family endured not only during the horrors of war, but also by having to leave their lives behind to come to America. The stunning sacrifices they made led to the comfortable lifestyles enjoyed by me and my sisters and our families. Scores of us simply would not exist without that generation of immigrants. Story continues So when I see these Ukrainians, these old women with creased and worried faces wearing babushkas as they struggle among the ruins and are forced to leave their homes as refugees, I see the same people I loved and grew up with. But I realize the Russian people are not to blame. Like always with Russia, its the government. Today its Putin spreading disaster and sorrow. Decades ago, it was the Bolsheviks, the communists, during the revolution who made my dad into a guerrilla fighter and sent my grandparents and others to Siberia. And, as always these days, I wish my relatives were around so I could ask them questions about their pasts. Some might reveal their hardships, others not so much. My Aunt Vala was one of those who would prefer to keep those memories repressed. I know because I tried. I was working as a reporter at the time of her death and I often asked questions about the old days. But she preferred to talk about other things. Like how she would scare the bejesus out of me using an old dish towel. She smiled at those memories. Ray Kisonas is the regional editor of The Monroe News and The Daily Telegram in Adrian. He can be reached at rayk@monroenews.com. This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Ray Kisonas: Russian people, like Aunt Vala, are not to blame China-EU leaders' meeting injects hope to turbulent world Xinhua) 09:04, April 03, 2022 *In a turbulent world facing the raging COVID-19 pandemic and a struggling global economic recovery, the fact that Chinese and EU leaders had in-depth and candid discussions on major issues concerning global peace and development itself injects positive energy to the world. *EU should form its own perception of China, adopt an independent China policy, and work with China to promote the steady and sustained growth of China-EU relations and to add stabilizing factors to a turbulent world. *The meeting sends a positive message to the world in the midst of all uncertainties, highlighting the significance of China-EU relations and why it is important for the EU to develop its own perception of China. BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and EU leaders met via video link on Friday, as the world is confronted with the raging COVID-19 pandemic, a faltering economic recovery and the Ukraine crisis. Observers said the meeting sends a positive message to the world in the midst of all uncertainties, highlighting the significance of China-EU relations and why it is important for the EU to develop its own perception of China. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link in Beijing, capital of China, April 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) ADDING STABILITY TO TURBULENT WORLD Recalling his visit to the EU headquarters eight years ago when he had called on China and Europe to foster a partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China's vision remains unchanged. "If anything, it has become more relevant under the current circumstances," Xi told European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during Friday's virtual meeting. Xi stressed that China and the EU should act as two major forces upholding world peace, and offset uncertainties in the international landscape with the stability of China-EU relations. "In a turbulent world facing the raging COVID-19 pandemic and a struggling global economic recovery, the fact that Chinese and EU leaders had in-depth and candid discussions on major issues concerning global peace and development itself injects positive energy to the world," said Deng Li, Chinese vice foreign minister. Speaking to Xinhua, Branimir Vidmarovic, professor at the University of Pula in Croatia, said China has the power and the global significance to act as a bridge between the East and the West and to provide different solutions, though there is a growing mistrust between the West and the East. Bernard Accoyer, former president of the French National Assembly, said friendship is essential for progress in any field, including social progress and peace, which are at the center of all the concerns. Concerning the Ukraine crisis, Xi pointed out that the root cause is the regional security tensions in Europe that have built up over the years, adding that China and the EU need to commit themselves to keeping the situation under control, preventing spillover of the crisis, and, most importantly, keeping the system, rules and foundation of the world economy stable, in order to bolster public confidence. President Xi's comment suggests China and Europe should aim high. They have the potential to reduce conflicts as well as the anti-globalization and protectionist voices in the world, said Cui Hongjian, director of the department for European studies at the China Institute of International Studies. EU NEEDS INDEPENDENT CHINA POLICY Noting that China will stay committed to deepening reform and further opening up, Xi said China welcomes European business investment and expects the EU to provide a fair, transparent and nondiscriminatory environment for Chinese business investment and development in Europe. Xi called on the EU to form its own perception of China, adopt an independent China policy, and work with China to promote the steady and sustained growth of China-EU relations and to add stabilizing factors to a turbulent world. "Under current circumstances, dialogue and cooperation remain the mainstream of China-EU relations, and mutual benefit the keynote of China-EU cooperation," Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in a separate meeting with the two EU leaders on Friday. Li called on the two sides to build on the existing mechanisms to enhance policy coordination on COVID-19 response, climate change and the digital economy, and foster new cooperation highlights. If the European side manages to avoid unnecessary politicization of the relations, the prospects can be very good, especially in the fields of technology and green energy where China has the strength, Vidmarovic said. Oliver Zipse, chairman of the management board of BMW AG, told Xinhua that China has been Germany's most important trading partner for years, and the company's experience in China is a good example of the successful collaboration between the two countries and between China and Europe. The two EU leaders said during the meeting that both sides are committed to defending peace and multilateralism. Reaffirming their commitment to the one-China principle, they added that under the current international situation, it is vital for the EU and China to increase dialogue and cooperation. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) The square outside city hall in Kharkiv, Ukraine, after Russian shelling, March 1, 2022. SERGEY BOBOK/AFP via Getty Images Ukrainian officials said civilians gave Russian soldiers poisoned cakes and alcohol in Izium. Two soldiers died and several hundred were injured, Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence said. Izium is located in the Kharkiv region, which has experienced some of the worst bombardment. Some Russian troops were killed and many more were injured after being given poisoned food and alcohol by civilians in the Kharkiv Region, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday. The soldiers were from the 3rd Russian motor rifle division, according to a Facebook post from Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence. The post said two Russian troops were killed and 28 were in intensive care after being given poisoned cakes in the city of Izium. Another 500 Russian troops were taken to hospitals due to heavy alcohol poisoning, according to the post. Officials said the Russian government is writing off these cases as "non-combat losses." The post also said that Ukrainian civilians were resisting the Russian forces by all available means. Insider could not independently verify the poisonings. Stories of Ukrainian civilians resisting Russian forces have continued to emerge. Even before the invasion began regular Ukrainian civilians were training for combat and learning how to make molotov cocktails. Videos have captured Ukrainians confronting and blocking Russian tanks, resulting in images reminiscent of the Tiananmen Square "tank man." Last month, a grandmother in the capital city of Kyiv said she took out a suspicious drone by throwing a jar of pickled tomatoes at it. Izium is located in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine, where the city of Kharkiv has experienced some of the heaviest fighting and bombardment since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24. But Russian troops have also taken major losses since the war began. NATO said last week an estimated 7,000 to 15,000 Russian soldiers were killed in the first month of the war. Ukrainian officials also said on Saturday that Ukrainian forces regained control of areas around Kyiv. Read the original article on Business Insider People walk past a pharmacy and a currency exchange screen in a main street in Moscow, Russia, Friday, April 1, 2022. AP Photo Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted in many nations imposing sanctions on it. While medications did not specifically be sanctioned, the situation has led to limited supplies. Russians began panic buying, and supply chain issues have led to shortages restocking drugs. Russia is still experiencing drug shortages following western sanctions after it invaded Ukraine, the Associated Press reported. Last week, Reuters reported that Roszdravnadzor, a healthcare regulator in Russia said shortages of medication were due to "artificially" higher demand because people have been stocking up on them since the start of the war, and suppliers were not able to replenish those stocks on time. The AP reported that at the start of the war residents advised each other to stock up on vital medications as fear of sanctions impacting supplies grew and now some are struggling to find necessary drugs in pharmacies. "Not a single pharmacy in the city has it now," a resident of Kazan told AP about a blood thinner she needed for her father. Dr. Alexey Erlikh head of the cardiac intensive care unit in Moscow Hospital No. 29 told the AP he's not sure how "catastrophic" the shortages would be in the long run. Radio Free Europe reported that some Russians have not been able to find imported drugs that they need and others have had to have family members ship them drugs from abroad. "There are no lines, but the one medicine I need, I've been looking around in all the pharmacies. My son went around to many pharmacies. It's just disappeared, disappeared," Yelena Dmitriyeva told the outlet. Ziyautdin Uvaysov, head of Patient's Monitor, a patients' rights group in the Russian region of Dagestan told the AP that he's called several state-run pharmacies in the region to see the availability of the 10 most-wanted medications and they did not have a lot in stock and did not know when they would be restocked. Story continues Erlikh told the AP that doctors have also not been able to find the medications including those needed for some surgeries. Erlikh also said he's concerned with the quality of medications available, an issue that was ongoing before the current war. As much as 40% of the drugs in Russia were imported, and following sanctions after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russia imposed a Russian-made substitution law for medication, the AP reported. Erlick said some generic substitutions made in the country are not effective. "Of course, when there is no original medication, a generic is better than nothing. But it is a situation of (deliberately) lowering the bar, it is not a good way to live," he told the AP. Last month, several healthcare companies said they felt obligated to provide necessary medicines to Russia, despite the obstacles posed by sanctions and their opposition to the war, however the sanctions have made it harder for companies to send medication to the country. Russia's sanction from SWIFT has made international payments difficult, and the halting of air traffic with Russia has also disrupted supply chains, the AP reported. Additionally, some healthcare companies previously said there was a shortage of truck drivers to make deliveries by land. The AP reported that Roszdravnadzor as of Friday said the market for medications is "gradually returning to normal," and panic buying is decreasing. Read the original article on Insider Smashburger opened its first full-service bar restaurant in Denver. Smashburger Smashburger has opened its first restaurant with a full-service bar, which sells beer and cocktails. Its president said there's huge "pent-up demand" to socialize and eat out. In contrast, other restaurant chains have been ditching dining rooms and focusing on drive-thru. Smashburger is experimenting with ramping up its alcohol offering. The fast-casual chain opened its first corporate-owned restaurant with a full-service bar in Denver in late March. As well as beer on draft and in cans, the bar sells cocktails. The move is part of Smashburger's effort to elevate the overall fast-casual dining experience for consumers, president Carl Bachmann told Insider. "I think consumers in the US are demanding more out of fast-casual," Bachmann said, adding that diners wanted a better overall experience. "When people come in, we want to give them an elevated product taste being paramount," Bachmann continued. "And we realised we really have a great product when it was done right, and so to pair it with first-class cocktails and draft beers to give people the overall experience, we thought was important." Some Smashburger restaurants already sell alcohol, though the Denver restaurant is Smashburger's first corporate-owned restaurant with a full bar and alcohol license, Bachmann said. He noted that some of the chain's franchisees already had large bars in non-traditional spaces like airports. Restaurants have been redesigning their layouts and rethinking their sales channels during the pandemic to cater to soaring demand for delivery and takeout. They've been adding extra drive-thru lanes, boosting their apps, and even turning to ghost kitchens, which don't have dining rooms and only sell food for delivery. Smashburger itself is knuckling down on providing multiple order and collection points in its restaurants, including food lockers and more drive-thru sites. Bachmann told Insider that around two-thirds of Smashburger orders aren't eaten in its restaurants. Story continues But as the economy continues to open up, restaurants are looking for ways to lure diners in and offering a wider selection of alcohol could be part of this. During the pandemic, people have had to cut back on socializing and dining out due to restrictions and lockdowns, creating "pent-up demand," Bachmann said. "People have been locked down or fearful to go out and it's almost surreal to walk into a Smashburger and be able to sit down with your family and have a great meal," he added. Customers can enjoy a burger and a cocktail at Smashburger. Smashburger Signature cocktails at the Smashburger restaurant in Denver include "Blackberry Smash," 'Smoke and Spice Margarita," "Smash Rum Punch," and "Coconut Mule." Many American bar owners have been switching up their cocktails to show unity with Ukraine amid Russia's invasion of the country. Some bar owners told CNN they were renaming Moscow Mules to Kyiv Mules, for example. According to Bachmann, however, the company doesn't stock any Russian products. "We really focus on domestic products, for the most part so we don't have any Russian products in our restaurants today," he said. Smashburger's first full-service bar doesn't sell any Russian-associated alcohol. Smashburger The addition of alcohol to Smashburger restaurants, per Bachmann, is intended to appeal to a variety of demographics, "whether it's a family that comes in" or people who want a burger and beer at the bar while they watch a ball game. Bachmann said there are plans for Smashburger to test more restaurants with full-service bars, with a few opening in New York City over the next few months. Read the original article on Business Insider Who would target the 50-year-old tech executive-turned-cannabis entrepreneur and would surveillance video help investigators crack the case? An Entrepreneur & Adventurer Tushar Atre, 50, owned a web design company and was well-known in the tech community. / Credit: Rachael Emerlye Tushar Atre was living near the beach in Santa Cruz, California. Friends say he loved adventure and especially surfing. October 1, 2019: Mysterious surveillance video Three hooded figures are seen on surveillance video walking in the direction of Tushar Atre's house on Pleasant Point Drive on October 1, 2019. / Credit: Santa Cruz County Court A neighbor's surveillance cameras captured three individuals walking out of an alley on Pleasure Point Drive in Santa Cruz, California, at 2:48 a.m. Investigators say they are seen heading toward Tushar Atre's residence. A commotion in the middle of the night One of Tushar Atre's employees, who was staying at the house, says he heard a commotion around 3 a.m. / Credit: Evidence photo Tushar Atre was at home asleep around 3 a.m. when employees who were staying with him heard loud noises and banging. One house guest heard two unidentified male voices. They were asking about a safe. The guest then heard the commotion move outside and the sound of cars driving away. A 911 call was made at 3:34 a.m. No sign of forced entry The front door and entry into Tushar Atre's Santa Cruz home. / Credit: Evidence photo Santa Cruz County Sheriff's officers responded to Tushar's residence within 10 minutes. They found no sign of forced entry. No sign of ransacking Tushar Atre's kitchen / Credit: Evidence photo Investigators took photos of Tushar's home which they say did not appear ransacked. A safe full of cash Tushar Atre's safe located in his bedroom. / Credit: Evidence photo Investigators say Tushar Atre had $80,000 in his bedroom safe. But they say the suspects did not get the safe open. Blood in the street Investigators took photos of what was later determined to be blood down the street from Tushar Atre's home. / Credit: Evidence photo Investigators found blood in the middle of the street. A white BMW SUV that belonged to Tushar Atre's girlfriend Rachael Emerlye was missing from his driveway. Authorities find the white BMW Rachael Emerlye's white BMW SUV was found abandoned in the Santa Cruz mountains. / Credit: Evidence photo About six hours later, in the Santa Cruz mountains where Tushar had his cannabis farm, investigators found the missing BMW. Tushar Atre's body found Investigators marked where shell casings were found near Tushar Atre's body in the Santa Cruz mountains. / Credit: Evidence photo About 20 to 30 yards away from the SUV investigators found Tushar Atre's body. He'd been fatally shot and stabbed. Victim's hands bound Tushar Atre's hands were bound in flex-cuffs. / Credit: Evidence photo Investigators say Atre's hands were bound with flex-ties. Tushar fought for his life Surveillance video shows Tushar Atre being chased by one of the suspects. Atre's hands are bound behind him. / Credit: Santa Cruz County Court Neighborhood surveillance cameras captured video showing Tushar running down the street, with his hands tied behind his back, attempting to escape his attackers. Investigators say he was then tackled to the ground and stabbed repeatedly. Story continues SUV processed for evidence There was blood on the outside and inside of Rachael Emerlye's BMW, which was recovered at Tushar Atre's cannibis farm. / Credit: Evidence photo Investigators ruled out Rachael Emerlye as a suspect early on. She was out of town at the time of Tushar's kidnapping and murder. Her SUV was examined for DNA and fingerprints. November 13, 2019: The suspects brought an assault rifle Investigators say one of the three suspects on surveillance video, highlighted, was holding an assault rifle. / Credit: Santa Cruz County Court The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office released a portion of surveillance video showing three unidentified suspects. Investigators say one of the suspects appeared to be carrying an assault rifle. December 4, 2019: Alleged unresolved issues Kaleb Charters, left, and Stephen Lindsay working on Tushar Atre's Summit property. / Credit: Santa Cruz County Court Detectives went to Las Vegas to interview two of Tushar Atre's former employees Kaleb Charters and Stephen Lindsay. They admitted having had a dispute with Tushar over being paid. When they were shown the surveillance video of the three figures near Tushar's house, Lindsay denied knowing the three shadowy figures, and both men denied returning to Santa Cruz after they stopped working for him. January 29, 2020: Justice for Tushar Atre The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office offered a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction in the homicide case. / Credit: Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office After nearly four months with no apparent leads, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office announced a $200,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. More surveillance video Local street surveillance video captures a blue sedan driving toward Tushar Atre's business property in the Santa Cruz Mountains. / Credit: Evidence photo The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office identified a blue sedan on additional surveillance video. The video also showed the white BMW SUV. Soon authorities were able to map out the suspects' possible route. May 19, 2020: Suspects arrested Pictured from left, Stephen Lindsay, 24, Kurtis Charters, 23, Kaleb Charters, 21 and Joshua Camps, 25. / Credit: Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office arrested Stephen Lindsay, Kurtis Charters, Kaleb Charters and Joshua Camps. All four were charged with murder, kidnapping, and robbery. They have all pleaded not guilty. Ukrainian children use art to document war Minnesota priest's podcast reaches 200 million listeners Actor Will Smith resigns from the Academy Former President Donald Trump got creepy again at his rally in Michigan Saturday as he waxed rhapsodic about White House press secretary Jen Psakis really beautiful red hair. Psaki is reportedly leaving her White House role for a job at MSNBC, which Trump calls MSDNC. They need a redhead, he declared to the crowd in Washington Township in the Detroit metro area. They dont have a redhead over there, said Trump, who has apparently been checking out the talent. Trump describes Psaki as the woman with the really beautiful red hair and claims MSNBC is trying to hire her because they need a red head pic.twitter.com/6rGdJVYIbH Acyn (@Acyn) April 3, 2022 That was one of several rambling lowlights of Trumps appearance. He bragged yet again about knowing Russian President Vladimir Putin, hinted that the U.S. might return to Afghanistan if hes ever reelected president, and boasted about his imagined Michigan Man of the Year award, which he has never been granted. He also said the American press is the same as the rigged press in Russia though maybe not quite as severe, he admitted. Narrator: what the recent leader of the worlds most powerful country didnt know, perhaps, is that more than 20 journalists have been murdered since Putin took power. https://t.co/ahc1i1Gqlx Sebastian Smith (@SebastianAFP) April 3, 2022 Then there was this: Trump: The elimination of Zuckerberg Drok Bok pic.twitter.com/qlcLG8kWXz Acyn (@Acyn) April 3, 2022 This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and co-founder & CEO of Square, attends the crypto-currency conference Bitcoin 2021 Convention at the Mana Convention Center in Miami, Florida, on June 4, 2021. Marco Bello/AFP/Getty Images Jack Dorsey said "centralizing discovery and identity into corporations really damaged the internet." The Twitter founder, who resigned as CEO in November, said he partially blamed himself. Dorsey has previously supported efforts to decentralize the internet. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey said on Saturday he partially blames himself for the state of the internet today. "The days of usenet, irc, the web...even email (w PGP)...were amazing," Dorsey said in a tweet, referring to certain online communication systems that date back to the early days of the internet. "Centralizing discovery and identity into corporations really damaged the internet." "I realize I'm partially to blame, and regret it," Dorsey continued. Dorsey, who co-founded Twitter in 2006 and served as its CEO before resigning in November, has previously supported decentralizing the internet. After Twitter banned former President Donald Trump from the platform for violating its rules, Dorsey said he felt the action set "a precedent I feel is dangerous: the power an individual or corporation has over a part of the global public conversation." While Dorsey was still CEO, Twitter funded Bluesky, a decentralized social media system he said would allow for more conversations. The system, which will take years to develop, is intended to put power back into the hands of users and allow for many different social networks to be created. Read the original article on Business Insider By Natalia Zinets LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -Germany said on Sunday that the West would agree to impose more sanctions on Russia in the coming days after Ukraine accused Russian forces of war crimes near Kyiv, ratcheting up the already vast economic pressure on Russia over its invasion. Russia's economy is facing the gravest crisis since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union after the United States and its allies imposed crippling sanctions due to Putin's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. Russia on Sunday denied its forces were responsible for the deaths of civilians in the town of Bucha and said Ukraine had staged a performance for the Western media. Reuters saw corpses strewn across the town. One appeared to have his hands bound with white cloth, and to have been shot in the mouth. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of carrying out a genocide. The West warned of more sanctions. "Putin and his supporters will feel the consequences" of their actions, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement to reporters. German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said the European Union should talk about ending Russian gas imports. Germany, Europe's largest economy, has so far resisted calls to impose an embargo on energy imports from Russia, saying its economy and that of other European countries are too dependent on them. Russia supplies 40% of Europe's gas needs. Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said the events in Bucha were "unleashing a wave of indignation that will lead to new sanctions" and did not exclude "that in the next few hours there could be a debate on the issue of imports of hydrocarbons from Russia", he told a programme on Italy's Rai 3 channel, adding Italy would not veto a fifth package of sanctions. The United States said that those responsible for any war crimes must be held responsible, Britain said it was stepping up its sanctions and France condemned "massive abuses" by Russian forces in Ukraine. Story continues SANCTIONS The Kremlin says the West's sanctions - the most burdensome in modern history - amount to a declaration of economic war and that Moscow will now look eastwards to partners such as China and India. Largely cut off from the West's economies, Russia is facing the biggest economic contraction for decades while prices are rising. Putin said that the West understands nothing about Russia if it thinks Russians will give in to sanctions. Still, cutting off Russian gas - or more of Russia's natural resources - would wipe out growth in Europe's biggest economies, send energy prices to records and propel an inflationary shockwave through the global economy. Russia, which has supplied gas to Europe since the 1970s, would be deprived of hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign currency earnings. It would likely toughen its response to the "economic war" of the West. "The world is much bigger than Europe - and in fact Russia is much bigger than Europe - so sooner or later we will have a dialogue no matter what people across the ocean want," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Channel One state television. Ukraine called for a full oil, gas and coal embargo, a ban on Russian vessels and cargos and the disconnection of all Russian banks from SWIFT. Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of people and displaced millions. Putin says the "special military operation" in Ukraine is necessary because the United States was using Ukraine to threaten Russia and Moscow had to defend against the persecution of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine. Ukraine says Moscow launched a war of aggression and that Putin's claims of persecution are nonsense. (Writing by Guy FaulconbridgeEditing by Alexandra Hudson and Chizu Nomiyama) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. KRINFORM/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images Zelenskyy said he does not "believe" Biden is in fear of Putin. The Ukrainian leader made the comments during an interview on Fox News on Friday. "I want to believe that he doesn't because he is the leader of a big nation," he said. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News that he doesn't "believe" that President Joe Biden is in fear of Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I don't know if President Biden is fearing President Putin. I believe that he doesn't. I want to believe that he doesn't because he is the leader of a big nation, a great nation," Zelenskyy said on "Special Report" on Friday. TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) April 1, 2022 "I'm holding my fist. That's our tradition. I don't know if you understand this standard. I hold my fist or cross my fingers so that this will never happen, that any president of the United States would fear Russia because America, for us, was always a symbol of democracy, and I have faith that Ukraine is also now for Ukraine, you are also a symbol of freedom," he continued. Putin's attack on Ukraine was met with international condemnation, as countries including the UK, Canada, and the US have issued sanctions that have impacted Russia's economy and its oligarchs. Biden has publicly opposed Russia's actions since the war began. Last month, Biden labeled Putin a"war criminal" and recently during a visit to Poland he said that the Russian leader was a "butcher." In one of his harshest criticisms of Putin, Biden said that he "cannot remain in power," a comment that the White House and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken walked back. "We do not have a strategy of regime change in Russia, or anywhere else, for that matter," Blinken said last weekend. Read the original article on Business Insider Boris Johnson (L) and a march for transgender rights in Westminster, London (R). Photo by Steve Reigate - Pool/Getty Images, Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images The UK saw its first transgender MP come out on March 30. The historic moment could change attitudes toward trans people, but activists and academics were doubtful. The day after Jamie Wallis came out, the government U-turned on a promise to ban conversion therapy for trans people. Close to 3 am on March 30, the Conservative MP Jamie Wallis wrote an emotive statement on his life with gender dysphoria, and he came out as transgender. Wallis explained that some recent, horrific traumas including being blackmailed over his gender identity and raped had recently prompted him to share his true self with the world. Boris Johnson opened Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, saying: "The whole house stands with you, and we will give you the support you need to live freely, as yourself." Jamie Wallis MP (@JamieWallisMP) March 30, 2022 Wallis' coming out, a significant moment in British social history, could have been an opportunity to change UK attitudes to transgender rights, but activists and academics told Insider they were not hopeful that this would be possible in a country led by Prime Minister Johnson. Indeed, the day after Wallis came out, and on the International Transgender Day of Visibility, the government U-turned on its manifesto commitment to ban conversion therapy for trans and non-binary people. The LGBT Foundation described it as an "appalling decision." Lui Asquith, the Director of Legal and Policy at Mermaids, a UK charity working to support transgender children and teenagers, told Insider: "It's an extraordinary moment and explicit in what's happening. We're working essentially with an anti-gender government. In my opinion, this is a very dark day for LGBT politics." They said that they hope this will change, adding that with the severe backlash Johnson is facing over this including from the Conservative party "it'd be difficult for the Prime Minister to maintain or hold this position and ostracise trans people in the way that he is doing." Story continues Cleo Madeleine, Communications Officer at transgender charity Gendered Intelligence, said the UK's first trans MP would not be a "turning point for the government without seeing concrete action from the government." She said its relationship with gender was expressed in "a 48-hour news cycle in which we have Boris Johnson cracking jokes about trans people at a dinner party, a trans MP coming out, and then a leaked document showing rollbacks of conversion therapy legislation." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts during a PMQs session at the House of Commons UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via REUTERS Arthur Webber, a transgender activist, freelance journalist, and former council candidate for the Labour party told Insider that he's not optimistic about Wallis' coming out changing political attitudes toward trans rights. The solidarity for the trans community and any outward support for Wallis will last "a couple of days," said Webber. He is "concerned for Jamie's mental health, just knowing exactly what some of these politicians are like, and how some of them are quite likely going to throw him under the bus at some point for the sake of a vox pop." A study by LGBTQ rights charity Stonewall found that almost half of trans people have considered suicide. Part of what is so damaging to trans people's mental health, Stonewall says, is the rate at which they are "outed" when their identity is revealed without their consent. In writing his coming-out statement on Twitter, Wallis revealed someone had blackmailed him, told his father about his gender dysphoria, and demanded 50,000 for their silence. Finn Mackay, a senior sociology lecturer at the University of the West of England, said that Johnson's government had fanned the flames of this culture war, making for a challenging environment for LGBTQ people in the UK. "Their government has helped this scrutinizing focus on trans people, who are just trying to get on with their lives," said Mackay. While there is much pessimism about the direction of the government's trans narrative, Mackay said there were also identifiable political allies. "I want to take the opportunity to thank them and thank their advocacy because it's hard at the moment, but they're there." Is the UK headed for a US-style 'culture war'? Houses of Parliament The Houses of ParliamentRichard Baker/In Pictures/Getty The UK has been embroiled in a febrile discourse over trans rights for years with its parliament being no exception. On International Women's Day, a debate on March 8 in the House of Commons was, at times, hijacked from a discussion on women who have lost their lives to femicide, and women in Ukraine at particular risk from war, into a graphic conversation on gender, genitalia, and identity. Sir Bernard Jenkins, a senior Conservative MP, chose to highlight rapes committed by men "presenting themselves as women." Speaking in the House of Commons on March 23, Prime Minister Johnson said, "We must recognize when people want to make a transition in their lives that they should be treated with the maximum possible generosity and respect," adding "when it comes to distinguishing between man and woman, the basic facts of biology remain overwhelmingly important." The Conservatives, lagging in the polls, are looking for ways to recapture the lead from the left-leaning Labour party, led by Sir Keir Starmer. Targeting gender-critical issues, identity debates, and woke-ism is a way to fire up the party's base. "Is the UK headed for a US-style 'culture war?' asked King's College London's Policy Institute, researching the phenomenon. Hours before Wallis came out, Conservative MPs gathered for a dinner in central London. Johnson, known for his wordplay and joke-telling, spoke at the event. "Good evening, ladies and gentleman, or as Keir Starmer would put it, people assigned female or male at birth," he quipped. Wallis was listening in the room, say reports. Read the original article on Business Insider Migrant families from Haiti and Brazil are taken into custody by a US Border Patrol agent at the US-Mexico border in Yuma, Arizona, December 7, 2021. John Moore/Getty Images US Customs and Border Protection has been using the encrypted messaging app Wickr to communicate. In October, The National Archives expressed concern about the use of the app, NBC News reported on Sunday. The app can automatically delete messages which could mean records are not kept. The National Archives sent a letter to US homeland security officials expressing concern about the use of an encrypted messaging app by Customs and Border Protection, NBC News reported on Sunday. The letter from Laurence Brewer, the chief records officer of the National Archives and Records Administration to Eric Hysen, the chief information officer of the Department of Homeland Security was sent in October 2021. NBC News first reported on the letter. Brewer expressed concern about how the agency was using the Amazon-owned Wickr app, which can automatically delete messages, following reports in the news that agents were using the app as well as another encrypted messaging service, WhatsApp. Vice reported in September 2021 that the CBP was using Wickr across "all components" of the organization. In 2019, Vice reported that CBP paid over $700,000 for Wickr. "I wanted to reach out to ensure that records management regulations are being adhered to and to ensure that the CBP is regulating the use of these messaging applications consistent with NARA's and the Department's records management policies," Brewer wrote. He added that he also wanted to make sure that all employees were aware that they must keep all messages for federal records. Brewer's concern is that the use of these types of apps by DHS employees without any specific rules and "without complying with established recordkeeping" could "expose the department to the risk of potential unauthorized destruction of records." Amazon bought Wickr in June 2021. The app is popular amongst the military, government agencies, journalists, and politicians. Analysts told Insider that move could help Amazon acquire more government contracts and compete with Microsoft. Story continues This isn't the first time CBP's record-keeping has been questioned. In September 2021, The DHS Inspector General released a report that said CBP did not always save messages between US and Mexican officials. Brewer cited this point in his letter and asked CBP to respond with "a report documenting the unauthorized disposition of the federal records that were identified in the OIG report," as well as information on its recordkeeping with apps like Wickr, within 30 days. NBC News reported that CBP said it sent an initial report in December and has been providing quarterly updates. The National Archives, Amazon, and CBP did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider Regional universities intend to prepare the workforce to power our booming aviation and aerospace industries. Regional University System of Oklahoma regents recently toured Tinker Air Force Bases Air Logistics Complex. Over 26,000 mostly civilian employees use cutting-edge technology to ensure that military aviation units are ready to safeguard national security. Engineers, mechanics and technicians are in high demand at Tinker and in the private sector as aerospace in Oklahoma rapidly expands. Aerospace is the second-largest industry in Oklahoma, and aerospace engineers need an engineering degree from an accredited university. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oklahoma needs a minimum of 3,000 new engineers annually over the next nine years to keep up with workforce demands. Currently, Oklahomas accredited engineering programs graduate 1,500 students per year, and half of those graduates leave the state, forcing Tinker and others to recruit out of state. Oklahoma ranks in the bottom 20 in engineers per capita. More: Viewpoint: Why Oklahoma is a prime location for STEM training RUSO is dedicated to ensuring students from any part of the state have their opportunity to get an engineering degree. Eighty percent of Oklahomas population lives in a county that is within 25 miles of one of RUSOs locations. Our universities are more accessible to students. Were smaller. Were less expensive our academic service fees are only one-third of what other universities charge. And for rural students who want to stay close to home, our universities provide a quality, comprehensive education. We align our degrees to reflect the needs of business. We are expanding opportunities for students to become engineers, not to compete with, but to complete the number and kinds of engineering options available. Connie Reilly is chair of the Regional University System of Oklahomas Board of Regents Northeastern has been approved to begin offering a mechanical engineering degree this fall. East Central is starting the approval process. UCO has the third-largest engineering program in the state and is advocating for additional funding to grow its program. Southwestern is aligning its current engineering technology and physics programs with aerospace industry leaders and has launched an aerospace and defense workforce initiative. Northwestern has an undergraduate pre-engineering program. Southeasterns acclaimed Aviation Sciences Institute partners with Tinker and is expanding its operations in Durant infusing state-of-the-art aircraft and simulation equipment that rivals schools nationwide. Story continues RUSO is exploring opportunities to connect all Oklahomans with the opportunity to pursue engineering credentials to fill the need across the state. Other educational institutions, including CareerTech, community colleges and research universities have a role in preparing Oklahomans to meet the demand for engineering talent. We are working to partner with all Oklahoma educational institutions to meet this critical workforce need while keeping costs low. Regional universities power Oklahomas workforce, with a history of up to 92% of our graduates employed in the state after graduation. We intend to prepare the workforce to power our booming aviation and aerospace industries. RUSO is a quality, affordable option for engineering and other STEM majors. Our regional universities are ready to prepare students to achieve their full potential and to ensure more Oklahomans are qualified for engineering jobs in Oklahoma. Connie Reilly is chair of the Regional University System of Oklahomas Board of Regents. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma universities are prepared to meet high demand for engineers White House chief of staff Ron Klain listens during a meeting at the White House. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images White House chief of staff Ron Klain compared Trump with Nixon during a recent ABC interview. Klain refuted a NYT report that Biden wanted Garland to move more aggressively on Jan. 6-related cases. "I've never heard the president say that advocate the prosecution of any person," he said. White House chief of staff Ron Klain on Sunday compared former President Donald Trump to Richard Nixon who resigned from the presidency in 1974 in the wake of the Watergate scandal in arguing that President Joe Biden has rejected the notion that a commander-in-chief should push for prosecutions from the Oval Office. During an appearance on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," Klain sought to tie Trump and Nixon together unfavorably while also refuting a recent New York Times report that said Biden privately wanted Trump to be prosecuted for his role on January 6. The Times report also said that Biden was becoming increasingly frustrated with Attorney General Merrick Garland, with the president reportedly describing the attorney general as a "ponderous judge" who needed to take more "decisive action" regarding the Capitol siege. "I've never heard the president say that advocate the prosecution of any person," Klain told Stephanopoulos. He continued: "Look, one reason why Joe Biden got elected was he promised that we'd take the decision over who got prosecuted and what away from the White House and put it in the Justice Department. Only Richard Nixon and Donald Trump in the modern era believed that prosecution decisions should be made in the Oval Office, not at the Justice Department." Klain reaffirmed that Biden would not interfere in active investigations at the Justice Department and had no questions about Garland's judgment. Story continues "We have returned the practice that every other president, Democratic and Republican has had since Watergate, other than Trump, to let those decisions be made at the Justice Department," he said. "The president has confidence in the attorney general to make those decisions, and that's where those decisions should be made." Stephanopoulos also asked Klain about the president's son, Hunter Biden, regarding an intensifying Justice Department probe into his tax affairs. "The president's confident that his son didn't break the law," he said. "But, most importantly, as I said, that's a matter that's going to be decided by the Justice Department, by the legal process. It's something that no one at the White House has involvement in." Read the original article on Business Insider One hundred and fifty-five years ago, on March 30, 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward and Russian envoy Baron Edouard de Stoeckl signed the Treaty of Cession. With a stroke of a pen, Tsar Alexander II had ceded Alaska, his countrys last remaining foothold in North America, to the United States for US.2 million. That sum, amounting to just 8 million in todays dollars, brought to an end Russias 125-year odyssey in Alaska and its expansion across the treacherous Bering Sea, which at one point extended the Russian Empire as far south as Fort Ross, California, 90 miles from San Francisco Bay. Today Alaska is one of the richest U.S. states thanks to its abundance of natural resources, such as petroleum, gold and fish, as well as its vast expanse of pristine wilderness and strategic location as a window on Russia and gateway to the Arctic. So what prompted Russia to withdraw from its American beachhead? And how did it come to possess it in the first place? As a descendant of Inupiaq Eskimos, I have been living and studying this history all my life. In a way, there are two histories of how Alaska came to be American and two perspectives. One concerns how the Russians took possession of Alaska and eventually ceded it to the U.S. The other is from the perspective of my people, who have lived in Alaska for thousands of years, and for whom the anniversary of the cession brings mixed emotions, including immense loss but also optimism. Russia looks east The lust for new lands that brought Russia to Alaska and eventually California began in the 16th century, when the country was a fraction of its current size. That began to change in 1581, when Russia overran a Siberian territory known as the Khanate of Sibir, which was controlled by a grandson of Genghis Khan. This key victory opened up Siberia, and within 60 years the Russians were at the Pacific. The Russian advance across Siberia was fueled in part by the lucrative fur trade, a desire to expand the Russian Orthodox Christian faith to the heathen populations in the east and the addition of new taxpayers and resources to the empire. Story continues In the early 18th century, Peter the Great who created Russias first Navy wanted to know how far the Asian landmass extended to the east. The Siberian city of Okhotsk became the staging point for two explorations he ordered. And in 1741, Vitus Bering successfully crossed the strait that bears his name and sighted Mt. Saint Elias, near what is now the village of Yakutat, Alaska. Although Berings second Kamchatka Expedition brought disaster for him personally when adverse weather on the return journey led to a shipwreck on one of the westernmost Aleutian Islands and his eventual death from scurvy in December 1741, it was an incredible success for Russia. The surviving crew fixed the ship, stocked it full of hundreds of the sea otters, foxes and fur seals that were abundant there and returned to Siberia, impressing Russian fur hunters with their valuable cargo. This prompted something akin to the Klondike gold rush 150 years later. Challenges emerge But maintaining these settlements wasnt easy. Russians in Alaska who numbered no more than 800 at their peak faced the reality of being half a globe away from St. Petersburg, then the capital of the empire, making communications a key problem. Also, Alaska was too far north to allow for significant agriculture and therefore unfavorable as a place to send large numbers of settlers. So they began exploring lands farther south, at first looking only for people to trade with so they could import the foods that wouldnt grow in Alaskas harsh climate. They sent ships to what is now California, established trade relations with the Spaniards there and eventually set up their own settlement at Fort Ross in 1812. Thirty years later, however, the entity set up to handle Russias American explorations failed and sold what remained. Not long after, the Russians began to seriously question whether they could continue their Alaskan colony as well. For starters, the colony was no longer profitable after the sea otter population was decimated. Then there was the fact that Alaska was difficult to defend and Russia was short on cash due to the costs of the war in Crimea. Americans eager for a deal So clearly the Russians were ready to sell, but what motivated the Americans to want to buy? In the 1840s, the United States had expanded its interests to Oregon, annexed Texas, fought a war with Mexico and acquired California. Afterward, Secretary of State Seward wrote in March 1848: Our population is destined to roll resistless waves to the ice barriers of the north, and to encounter oriental civilization on the shores of the Pacific. Almost 20 years after expressing his thoughts about expansion into the Arctic, Seward accomplished his goal. In Alaska, the Americans foresaw a potential for gold, fur and fisheries, as well as more trade with China and Japan. The Americans worried that England might try to establish a presence in the territory, and the acquisition of Alaska it was believed would help the U.S. become a Pacific power. And overall the government was in an expansionist mode backed by the then-popular idea of manifest destiny. So a deal with incalculable geopolitical consequences was struck, and the Americans seemed to get quite a bargain for their .2 million. Just in terms of wealth, the U.S. gained about 370 million acres of mostly pristine wilderness almost a third the size of the European Union including 220 million acres of what are now federal parks and wildlife refuges. Hundreds of billions of dollars in whale oil, fur, copper, gold, timber, fish, platinum, zinc, lead and petroleum have been produced in Alaska over the years allowing the state to do without a sales or income tax and give every resident an annual stipend. Alaska still likely has billions of barrels of oil reserves. The state is also a key part of the United States defense system, with military bases located in Anchorage and Fairbanks, and it is the countrys only connection to the Arctic, which ensures it has a seat at the table as melting glaciers allow the exploration of the regions significant resources. Impact on Alaska Natives But theres an alternate version of this history. When Bering finally located Alaska in 1741, Alaska was home to about 100,000 people, including Inuit, Athabascan, Yupik, Unangan and Tlingit. There were 17,000 alone on the Aleutian Islands. Despite the relatively small number of Russians who at any one time lived at one of their settlements mostly on the Aleutians Islands, Kodiak, Kenai Peninsula and Sitka they ruled over the native populations in their areas with an iron hand, taking children of the leaders as hostages, destroying kayaks and other hunting equipment to control the men and showing extreme force when necessary. The Russians brought with them weaponry such as firearms, swords, cannons and gunpowder, which helped them secure a foothold in Alaska along the southern coast. They used firepower, spies and secured forts to maintain security, and selected Christianized local leaders to carry out their wishes. However, they also met resistance, such as from the Tlingits, who were capable warriors, ensuring their hold on territory was tenuous. By the time of the cession, only 50,000 indigenous people were estimated to be left, as well as 483 Russians and 1,421 Creoles (descendants of Russian men and indigenous women). On the Aleutian Islands alone, the Russians enslaved or killed thousands of Aleuts. Their population plummeted to 1,500 in the first 50 years of Russian occupation due to a combination of warfare, disease and enslavement. When the Americans took over, the United States was still engaged in its Indian Wars, so they looked at Alaska and its indigenous inhabitants as potential adversaries. Alaska was made a military district by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant with Gen. Jefferson C. Davis selected as the new commander. For their part, Alaska Natives claimed that they still had title to the territory as its original inhabitants and having not lost the land in war or ceded it to any country including the U.S., which technically didnt buy it from the Russians but bought the right to negotiate with the indigenous populations. Still, Natives were denied U.S. citizenship until 1924, when the Indian Citizenship Act was passed. During that time, Alaska Natives had no rights as citizens and could not vote, own property or file for mining claims. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, in conjunction with missionary societies, in the 1860s began a campaign to eradicate indigenous languages, religion, art, music, dance, ceremonies and lifestyles. It was only in 1936 that the Indian Reorganization Act authorized tribal governments to form, and only nine years later overt discrimination was outlawed by Alaskas Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945. The law banned signs such as No Natives Need Apply and No Dogs or Natives Allowed, which were common at the time. Statehood and a disclaimer Eventually, however, the situation improved markedly for Natives. Alaska finally became a state in 1959, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act, allotting it 104 million acres of the territory. And in an unprecedented nod to the rights of Alaskas indigenous populations, the act contained a clause emphasizing that citizens of the new state were declining any right to land subject to Native title which by itself was a very thorny topic because they claimed the entire territory. A result of this clause was that in 1971 President Richard Nixon ceded 44 million acres of federal land, along with How deep is the ocean? https://theconversation.com/how-deep-is-the-ocean-121168 Sun, 03 Apr 2022 17:33:46 +0000 tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/121168 In some places, the ocean is almost 7 miles deep. Scientists exploring the ocean floor have found strange sea creatures, bizarre geologic formations and records of Earth's history. Suzanne OConnell, Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science, Wesleyan University Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question youd like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. How deep is the ocean? Explorers started making navigation charts showing how wide the ocean was more than 500 years ago. But its much harder to calculate how deep it is. If you wanted to measure the depth of a pool or lake, you could tie a weight to a string, lower it to the bottom, then pull it up and measure the wet part of the string. In the ocean you would need a rope thousands of feet long. In 1872 the HMS Challenger, a British Navy ship, set sail to learn about the ocean, including its depth. It carried 181 miles (291 kilometers) of rope. During their four-year voyage, the Challenger crew collected samples of rocks, mud and animals from many different areas of the ocean. They also found one of the deepest zones, in the western Pacific, the Mariana Trench which stretches for 1,580 miles (2,540 kilometers). Today scientists know that on average the ocean is 2.3 miles (3.7 kilometers) deep, but many parts are much shallower or deeper. To measure depth they use sonar, which stands for Sound Navigation And Ranging. A ship sends out pulses of sound energy and measures depth based on how quickly the sound travels back. The deepest parts of the ocean are trenches long, narrow depressions, like a trench in the ground, but much bigger. The HMS Challenger sampled one of these zones at the southern end of the Mariana Trench, which might be the deepest point in the ocean. Known as the Challenger Deep, it is 35,768 to 36,037 feet deep almost 7 miles (11 kilometers). Ocean scientists like me study the sea floor because it helps us understand how Earth functions. For example, our planets outer layer is made of tectonic plates huge moving slabs of rock and sediment. The Hawaiian-Emperor Seamount chain, a line of peaks on the ocean floor, was created when a tectonic plate moved over a spot where hot rock welled up from deep inside the Earth. When two tectonic plates move away from each other underwater, new material rises up into Earths crust. This process, which creates new ocean floor, is called seafloor spreading. Sometimes super-hot fluids from inside the Earth shoot up through cracks in the ocean floor called hydrothermal vents. Amazing fish, shellfish, tube worms and other life forms live in these zones. Between the creation and destruction of ocean plates, sediments collect on the sea floor and provide an archive of Earths history, the evolution of climate and life that is available nowhere else. Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question youd like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live. We wont be able to answer every question, but we will do our best. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Suzanne OConnell, Wesleyan University. Read more: Suzanne OConnell 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. Aerial photo taken on Jan. 24, 2022 shows a view of the Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi Province, Thailand. (Xinhua/Wang Teng) RCEP is aimed at creating a new regional economic architecture that supports and contributes to economic integration, enhances the regional supply chains and production networks, and strengthens economic cooperation among participating countries, said a Thai commerce official. BANGKOK, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which took effect in January, is set to play an important role in building the region's resilience through inclusive and sustainable post-pandemic economic recovery, a Thai commerce official said. RCEP is aimed at creating a new regional economic architecture that supports and contributes to economic integration, enhances the regional supply chains and production networks, and strengthens economic cooperation among participating countries, Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the Department of Trade Negotiations under the Ministry of Commerce, said in a recent interview with Xinhua. Photo taken in Nong Khai province, Thailand, on Nov. 15, 2021 shows a truck traveling from Laos to Thailand through the 1st Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. (Xinhua/Lin Hao) RCEP, the world's largest free trade pact ever forged, creates an environment where intra-regional trade will be further facilitated and barriers to trade and investment will be remarkably reduced, Auramon said. It also helps strengthen intra-regional trade and investment where companies, investors and especially small and medium-sized enterprises will be able to have access to an integrated regional market that covers nearly a third of the world's population, international trade and global gross domestic product, she said. The RCEP agreement, which groups 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, came into force on Jan. 1 this year. People visit the Thailand pavilion during the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Chen Fei) "RCEP and physical connectivity stemming from the Belt and Road Initiative will certainly create an open, transparent, fair and predictable growth and prosperity for the region," Auramon said. Speaking of Thailand-China trade and economic cooperation outlook, she said both countries would benefit from the RCEP deal, as the elimination and reduction of tariffs and improved market access for goods and services will further enhance and create more business opportunities for both Thai and Chinese businesses, while the high-quality commitments for investment under RCEP will attract more Chinese enterprises to invest and establish factories in Thailand, further optimizing the bilateral trade and economic cooperation at large. She also noted that the common rules of origin under the RCEP pact will facilitate regional supply chain management, increase sourcing options within the region, create more opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises to integrate into the regional supply chains, and reduce trading transaction costs for businesses. Apr. 3LIMA A group of more than 100 women joined together in worship Saturday morning in the conference room at Howard Johnson in Lima. Minister Leah McCray led the sold-out event for women to step into being everything God intended them to be. McCray led the event that produced sounds of rejoice and loving worship that could be heard from the front desk. Upon entering the event billed as "The Crossing" one couldn't help but feel the spirit that emanated from a room full of dancing, singing and prayer. "We started with 120 tickets and people kept signing up, so we had to shut it down," McCray said. "It's wonderful to see all these women coming together to worship the lord and supporting each other. I'm overwhelmed with the opportunity God provide for us today." This was the first event McCray, who is a member of In Faith Ministry in Lima, has organized but she says she plans to do more. "God spoke to me and I listened," McCray laughed when asked how the event came to be. "Praise God for giving this opportunity to all of us. He does not talk and tell you to do something for no reason and that's why today was well attended. I know he will continue to bless those who need this ministry to future meetings." Roberta Litchfield, of Lima, came seeking help to cope with the recent loss of her husband after 45 years of marriage. Litchfield's husband passed away from COVID, despite staying in and avoiding it, and Litchfield has struggled to overcome her grief. "It's just been hard," Litchfield said. "We weren't going to church or out for anything, but we caught it anyway, and it took him from me." "Women need things like this," she added. "There are some things that only women can understand. We share certain characteristics and experiences like childbirth and those things are hard for men to have empathy for." McCray said that she plans to take her ministry on the road to places like Cincinnati, Dayton and Cleveland. Story continues There will be more Lima women's worshipping opportunities as well. McCray moved from Cleveland to Lima 12 years ago to attend law school at Ohio Northern University. In addition to starting her own practice in Lima, she met her husband there too. The two attend In Faith Ministry and are active in ministry of God and food ministry. Reach Joe Gilroy at 567-242-0398 or @TLNJoeGilroy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russian forces being pulled out of his country is the least the Kremlin can do as he negotiates an end to the Russian occupation of Ukraine. This is the bare minimum that we have to start to deoccupation with it should be 100 percent withdrawal of troops, Zelensky said while appearing on CBSs Face the Nation on Sunday. First the cease-fire and then we can have a meeting with the Russian president Lets simply sit down together. Zelensky said he is willing to meet one on one with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss an end to the war, which has stretched several weeks and killed thousands of Ukrainians and displaced millions. Russian officials have said they are willing to discuss an end the conflict, though there has been little breakthrough during preliminary discussions between the two countries. The ongoing talks come as Russia begins to shift some of its resources away from Ukraines capital city, Kyiv, a move some analysts believe is an acknowledgement that Russia cannot take control of Kyiv, The Hill previously reported. How can you imagine the leaders of the global countries meeting at the time when the tanks will still be in our territory, Zelensky said. The guns, the cannons cannot dictate as to what the future will be for Ukraine. This is what Russia started with when they started the war. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. UKRINFORM/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of leaving behind landmines in Northern Ukraine. He's advising Ukrainians to wait until explosives are cleared before returning to reclaimed land. The announcement comes as seven humanitarian corridors are expected to be opened on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces were laying minefields in areas where they either were expelled from or left on their own in the northern part of Ukraine. "After them, a complete disaster and many dangers are left," Zelenskyy said in an address posted to his Instagram. "Firstly, the bombing may continue. Secondly, they are mining all this territory. Mining houses, equipment, even the bodies of killed people. Too many tripwire mines, too many other dangers." Zelenskyy advised people to wait until explosives are cleared in reclaimed territories before returning. His comments come as seven humanitarian corridors are expected to be opened on Saturday. The International Committee of the Red Cross announced it would try to reach Mariupol on Saturday after not being able to on Friday. In a statement, the ICRC said a team of three vehicles and nine personnel were unable to reach Mariupol to facilitate the safe passage of civilians and had to "return to Zaporizhzhia after arrangements and conditions made it impossible to proceed." NBC News reported that Ukraine's prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova announced that another six humanitarian corridors are expected to be opened on Saturday as well. The Ukrainian government has previously accused Russian forces of shelling and laying landmines along humanitarian corridors and disrupting the safety of those trying to flee or aid workers delivering necessary supplies. Oleksandra Matviychuk, chair of the Center for Civil Liberties, a Ukrainian humanitarian NGO previously told Insider that her organization has been mainly focused on tracking which corridors are open and actually safe. Story continues "Some days the evacuations are shelled by Russians," Matviychuk said. "Some days the corridors aren't open." As of Friday, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that 1,325 people have been killed in Ukraine and another 2,017 have been injured since Russia invaded the country on February 24. Read the original article on Business Insider President John F. Kennedy said what any smart homeowner knows: The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. Kennedy used the line in his 1962 State of the Union address to urge Congress to pass his anti-recession economic legislative agenda. Sixty years later, its time to repair the roof of our democracy after the manmade disaster of Jan. 6, 2021, and to prevent another assault on the electoral process. The violent mob that stormed the Capitol with some protesters chanting, Hang Mike Pence! wanted to overturn the presidential election. They were misinformed and misled by a president who could not accept defeat. Donald Trump still falsely claims the Electoral Count Act of 1887, which sets timetables and rules for counting electoral votes, allowed Vice President Mike Pence to ditch state election results and install Trump for another four years. Pence did the right thing by refusing to bow to Trumps power grab. The Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not, Pence wrote that day in a letter to Congress. Under the 12th Amendment, the vice president, as president of the Senate, opens the certificates of electoral votes from each state, which are then counted. More than a year late, Pence rebuked Trump publicly. And I heard this week President Trump said I had the right to `overturn the election. President Trump is wrong, Pence said in February in a speech to the conservative Federalist Society. I had no right to overturn the election. Our system held, but one shudders to think what would have happened if ... if Pence had agreed with Trump and others who wanted to run roughshod over the will of the people. So, what now? To ensure the peaceful transfer of power in the future, we must update and clarify the antiquated Electoral Count Act, once described by The Washington Post as a confusing word salad of run-on sentences. The Democratic staff of the House Administration Committee studied the law for months and concluded in a 31-page report in January the law is badly in need of reform to remove ambiguity about the vote count process. Ambiguity is the leak in democracys roof. Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, announced in late January a bipartisan group of 16 senators, including Democrat Mark Warner of Virginia, is working on legislation to clarify the law, including the vice presidents role as purely ceremonial. Trump showed his hand in a statement that said in part: how come the Democrats and RINO Republicans, like Wacky Susan Collins, are desperately trying to pass legislation that will not allow the Vice President to change the results of the election? Better question: Why should a vice president have the power to overturn the votes of millions of Americans and the hard work of thousands of local and state election officials? A group of Senate Democratic leaders also is involved in discussion drafts of reform. One likely change would make it harder for members of Congress to challenge a states electoral votes and raise the bar for sustaining challenges. Currently, if only one senator and House member object to a states results, they can draw out the counting process. Also, the timetable for recounts and lawsuits in the states could be lengthened. Updating the count act would make counting the votes more fair, but theres concern that it would do nothing to make voting itself more fair. Republican candidates still insist the 2020 election was stolen as GOP-run state legislatures tighten election rules and ballot access. House Democrats have tried to pass major voting rights legislation only to see it stalled in the Senate. Some liberals fear updating the count act alone could make it more difficult to stop Republican state officials from negating elections their favored presidential candidate lost, leaving Congress locked into certification. The White House is open to and a part of conversations about the Electoral Count Act, but that reform should not replace larger voting reforms, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. Congress needs to address these valid concerns now and reform the Electoral Count Act while the sun shines. Marsha Mercer writes from Washington. You may contact her at marsha.mercer@yahoo.com. The civilian facade of the Algerian military regime, Abdelmedjid Tebboune, made a new scandal drawing a picture of a state where basic commodities are lacking, during his meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during his short visit to Algiers. Tebboune has often bragged about his country being a regional power and a rival of the West but all this rhetoric dissipated as he spoke about oil and gas-rich Algeria as a state that cannot meet the basic milk needs of its citizens. In terms of cattle, we are facing a deficiency when it comes to milk material. We are importing milk powder and we reproduce it here mixed with water, said Teboune in a long comment prior to his meeting with Blinken. The elections that we had, including the presidential elections, legislative and local ones, we gained one thing. For the first time, opposition or not, no one said that the election was rigged. This is already a big benefit for a third-world country, said Tebboune, who omitted to mention the historically low turnout of 14.5% nationwide and near 0 in the restive Kabylie region. Tebboune did not miss to read out a diatribe against Morocco before his meeting with Blinken, repeating the same old worn-out narrative. He said the worsening relations were because Morocco attacked Algeria in 1962 during the sand war, which is registered in history as a small-scale conflict that was triggered by Algerian forces that first attacked a Moroccan garrison in the border, He even inverted roles by saying this They (Moroccans) always wanted to destabilize Algeria. There are other issues they always wanted to destabilize Algeria and I dont know the reason for that, although we have always protected Morocco. Algerias safest borders are with Morocco and Algiers has hosted, armed and backed diplomatically the separatist Polisario armed group which announced its withdrawal from the 1991 UN-brokered ceasefire. He even shameless said that its not normal for borders to be closed for 40 years between the two countries, but failed to say who closed these borders and who insists on keeping them closed and goes as far as closing his countrys airspace to all Moroccan aircrafts and who halted the only cooperation mechanism between the two countries: the gas pipeline, nurturing the false hope of undermining Morocco. Disillusioned Teboune omitted telling Blinken who entertains a warmongering rhetoric in recent months, especially after Moroccos diplomatic inroads. He brushed aside his regimes anti-Israeli rhetoric to say that Algeria only wants a state for Palestinians. Tebbounes long diatribe is reflective of a regime at the receiving end of a series of diplomatic setbacks in the region where the balance of economic, diplomatic and military power is steadily shifting in Moroccos favour. The recent announcement by Spain of its policy shift to support Moroccos autonomy plan, following similar moves by the US, France, Germany and Israel is near to traumatic for an Algerian regime that has squandered its oil and gas oil to support a separatist scheme that has only backfired at Algiers, where real homegrown separatist movements are gaining growing support base in Kabylie region and in the extreme south attached to Algeria by French colonialism. The Nebraska Supreme Court has turned back an effort by a public defender convicted on drug charges to get a new trial. District Judge Richard Birch convicted Jon Worthman in January 2021 of possession of 10 to 28 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute, a Class 1D felony. The finding came after a bench trial in September 2020 in front of Birch, an 11th District judge in North Platte, who was appointed to hear the case. Worthman, of Scottsbluff, was Box Butte County public defender at the time of his arrest. Worthman had been arrested Jan. 7, 2020, as a result of a WING (Western Nebraska Intelligence & Narcotics Group) task force investigation. Authorities recorded Worthman arranging to purchase and receive two balls of cocaine from a confidential informant, Jeffrey Lujan. Lujan testified at trial that he had provided cocaine to Worthman in exchange for legal favors. He testified that he believed Worthman had gotten charges dismissed or investigations halted for himself and other associates. Worthmans attorney, Maren Chaloupka, didnt dispute at trial that Worthman possessed the cocaine, but argued that he was using cocaine for his personal use and had conned Lujan to acquire drugs. After Worthmans conviction, Chaloupka filed a motion for a new trial, which the judge denied. Birch sentenced Worthman to the mandatory minimum on the charge, three years in prison, in March 2021. Worthman filed an appeal, and the Nebraska Supreme Court released its ruling Friday. On appeal, Worthman argued that the district court erred in finding sufficient evidence to support the guilty verdict and in overruling a motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence. Worthman said in his appeal that Lujan determined how much cocaine to deliver to Worthman. He claimed he never indicated he wanted to purchase a large amount. Worthman asked, What am I getting? which Worthman argues is indicative of a narcotics user but not indicative of a narcotics distributor, the court said in the ruling. Worthman also argued that Lujan had credibility problems and therefore there was no credible evidence that he ever did or intended to distribute narcotics to others. The court ruling cited testimony from a WING investigator, Andrew Soucie of the Scottsbluff Police Department, who opined in his testimony at trial that Worthman went through a lot of cocaine in six months and my opinion is that this is more than personal use. Soucie testified that based on his training and experience, he believed Worthman to be selling cocaine. Evidence at trial showed that the substance used in the controlled delivery was cocaine in the requested amount and that an audio recording from the delivery indicated Worthman possessed the cocaine. Evidence in the form of the quantity, as well as text messages, supported Worthmans conviction on the distribution charge, the court said. In his motion for new trial, Worthman had argued that the court abused its discretion in not granting a new trial based on evidence that Lujan had faced felony and criminal charges in the months before the trial and that a plea agreement had been offered to him. However, the Nebraska Supreme Court upheld the judges motion to deny the new trial, citing precedent that credibility of a witness is not grounds for a new trial. With good time, Worthman is slated to be released from prison in March 2024, according to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services website. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RAMALLAH, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Sunday called on the intervention from the international community to stop the recent tension between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Palestine called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to "investigate the violations and the assaults of the Israeli army and the Israeli settlers against the Palestinians," the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "These crimes are an explicit call to explode the situation and ignite violence and chaos during the holy month of Ramadan," the statement said. The foreign ministry called on the international community to ensure international protection for the Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Since Thursday, at least six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, including three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The U.S.-sponsored peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014 following deep differences on borders, security, and Israeli settlement between the two sides. Since then, there have been no diplomatic ties between Israelis and Palestinians because of the Palestinian rejection of the Israeli expansion of settlements and Israeli measures against the Palestinians in East Jerusalem. Israel seized the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war and has controlled them ever since. The Palestinians seek to establish an independent state on these territories with East Jerusalem as its capital. In such uncertain times, there are few economic sectors that are a 100% sure bet for investors but energy storage certainly seems to be one of them. As the world leans more earnestly toward decarbonization and the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sound a code red for humanity as the window of opportunity to avoid the worst impacts of global warming rapidly closes, energy storage has become one of the fastest-growing industries as demand for clean energy heats up. The global energy storage market is on track to hit one terawatt hour by 2030, a quantity that would mark a more-than 20-fold increase over the already groundbreaking 17 gigawatts/34 gigawatt-hours that were online at the end of 2020. Overall investment in battery storage increased by almost 40% in 2020, to USD 5.5 billion, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reported at the end of last year. The global storage market is growing at an unprecedented pace. Falling battery costs and surging renewables penetration make energy storage a compelling flexible resource in many power systems, says Yiyi Zhou, a clean power specialist at Bloomberg BNEF. Energy storage projects are growing in scale, increasing in dispatch duration, and are increasingly paired with renewables. The breakneck increase in storage capacity is largely being driven by China and the United States, which are currently embroiled in a quietly simmering energy storage war. Each of these countries added gigawatt-scale additions of energy storage capacity in 2020. Together, China and the U.S. represent more than half of the global energy storage market projections for 2030. China is currently winning the race, having more than doubled its energy storage capacity additions in 2020. Whats more, in July of last year, Beijing announced that it is planning to install 10 times more capacity than its 2020 levels by just 2025. Related: Why We Cannot Just Unplug Our Current Energy System Now, a new plan released this year shows that China aims to achieve this breakneck pace for energy storage addition by butting the cost of electrochemical energy storage systems by 30% by 2025. The 5-year plan released by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration also outlines the complete commercialization of non-hydro energy storage systems by 2030. The country will seek breakthroughs in long-duration storage technologies such as compressed air, hydrogen, and thermal energy, and aim for self-reliance in key fields, Bloomberg reports. It will conduct pilot programs using various technologies to meet different storage duration requirements, lasting from minutes to months. The ramping up of non-hydro energy storage capacity installation will take place in tandem with the expansion of wind and solar capacity development, which is to be built out at a massive scale in Chinas desert regions. This will help China achieve its goal of weaning itself off of foreign energy imports and shore up Beijings energy security and energy independence. Long-term energy storage will allow energy produced in Chinas sparsely populated deserts to be piped into the countrys massive and energy-hungry urban areas. The country will also explore storage technologies for power produced by offshore wind farms, so as to reduce transmission capacity needs and improve the utilization rate of the electricity generated, says Bloomberg. As straightforward and promising as these plans may be, Beijings ambitious plans for clean energy development and increased investment in energy storage are coming at a time when Chinas economy is in trouble. Current Covid lockdowns in the affluent economic hub of Shanghai are costing the country a stunning $4.6 billion USD a month, amounting to about 3% of the nations GDP. The countrys zero-Covid approach is being derided as a fiasco as 62 million Shanghai-area residents (a group larger than the population of Italy) are being locked into their homes and locked out of the economy. If President Xi Jinping continues to try to outgun the novel coronavirus instead of adapting to mitigate and coexist with Covid, many of Chinas most ambitious plans may prove to be out of reach. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Children's Hospital & Medical Center Welcomes New Leaders to Advance Child Health, Innovation Children's Hospital & Medical Center, the region's pediatric health leader, announces the addition of three vice presidents to its leadership team. The trio reflects Children's reputation for attracting top talent, as well as the organization's People First culture, which honors the role of individual team members in advancing its mission. "These new leaders signal our continuing commitment to innovation in serving the children of this region," said Chanda Chacon, Children's President and CEO. "We're excited to see their impact as they join our team of talented, dedicated professionals." Ryan Cameron, Ed.D., has joined Children's as Vice President, Technology and Innovation and will lead initiatives in digital transformation and technology adoption. He was previously the Vice President, Strategy and Innovation at Ivy.ai in Boulder, Colo. He holds a doctorate in leadership, educational and community organizations from the American College of Education, a master's degree in information systems from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor's degree in radio and television management from Southern Illinois University. Bob Davidson has joined Children's as Vice President, Marketing and Communications, with three decades of experience in the healthcare industry, including 17 years in pediatric hospitals. He comes to Children's from SSM Health in St. Louis, where he served as Vice President, Marketing and Communications, and most recently as System Vice President, Marketing Operations. He holds a master's degree in media communications from Webster University in St. Louis, Mo., and a bachelor's degree in print journalism from Harding University in Searcy, Ark. Laurie Willburn has joined Children's as Vice President, Total Rewards and People Strategies. An experienced healthcare human resources professional, she previously served as Director of Total Rewards and HR Operations at Nebraska Medicine. She holds a master's degree in human resources management and personnel administration from Bellevue University in Bellevue, Neb. and a bachelor's degree in human services counseling from Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb. Kelsey Regier Delivers Value Through Digital Innovation as Scooter's Coffee Vice President of Application Development To develop best-in-class software applications that deliver value and delight the customer, Kelsey Regier has joined Scooter's Coffee as Vice President of Application Development. As the company continues its rapid expansion nationwide, Regier and her team of passionate application developers will advance technology-enabled capabilities for Scooter's Coffee, so loyal and new customers can digitally interact with the brand. With more than 20 years of project management, application development and leadership experience, Regier is an application development and delivery team leader with a proven track record of successful project deliveries. Prior to joining Scooter's Coffee, Regier held leadership positions at Farm Credit Services of America, including Vice President of Solution Delivery Enablement and Vice President of Application Development Delivery. Her strategic direction was instrumental in replacing the company's loan origination system and creating a portal for customers. A career highlight was creating a development hackathon to innovate new products and thinking. Regier earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Creighton University and an MBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. As Scooter's Coffee strives to provide the best drive-thru interaction in the world, Regier's digital strategy, innovation and data-driven insights will help franchisees grow their business and elevate the overall customer experience. About Scooter's Coffee Scooter's Coffee continues to grow rapidly while it strives to become the #1 drive-thru coffee franchise in the nation. The Scooter's Coffee Brand Promise is: "Amazing People, Amazing Drinks Amazingly Fast!" It represents the company's business origins from 1998 and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers. Scooter's Coffee is at the dawn of a strategic growth phase nationwide, approaching 450 stores in 23 states. Visit ownascooters.com to learn more about the benefits of owning a franchise of a well-established company. SAO PAULO, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Brazil removed on Saturday the requirement of presenting a negative COVID-19 test for fully vaccinated travelers arriving by plane, state news agency Agencia Brasil reported. Only unvaccinated travelers will be required to present a negative test while fully vaccinated Brazilian and foreign travelers can enter without one, according to the report. The decision to exempt vaccinated travelers from the testing requirement is due to the decline of COVID-19 deaths, cases, and hospitalizations. As for those entering the country by land, proof of vaccination will not be required for Brazilian residents, said the report. Since Feb. 11, following the COVID-19 wave caused by the Omicron variant, Brazil has reported a decline of all virus indicators. Bill Fries, the former Omaha advertising executive who won a Clio Award in 1974 for the Old Home Bread ad campaign and had a No. 1 song with Convoy, died Friday in Ouray, Colorado, at age 93. The family will hold a private service in Colorado at a later time, said granddaughter Laura Terry of Omaha. Terry said Fries had entered hospice care at home while fighting cancer. Memorials are suggested to the Ouray Volunteer Fire Department. Fries (pronounced Freeze) was born in Audubon, Iowa, and in the 1950s moved to Omaha, where he worked as a set designer at KETV. He joined Bozell & Jacobs as an ad executive in 1961. At the advertising company, now simply called Bozell, he helped create a series of television commercials for Old Home Bread. They centered on a trucker named C.W. McCall and waitress named Mavis at the Old Home Filler-up an Keep on a-Truckin Cafe in Pisgah, Iowa. We were just trying to sell bread, Fries told The World-Herald in 2001. It was something that just took off and spoke to the right things at the right time. Fries tapped Bozells resident jingle writer, Chip Davis, who later founded Mannheim Steamroller, to create a soundtrack. The commercials chronicled the life of trucker C.W. McCall with a rip-roarin country beat. Fries provided the voice-over narration for the commercials as each spot and advanced the romance between C.W. and Mavis. The commercials ran in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota, the heart of Old Homes customer base. People called television stations to find out when the next commercial was going to run. Kim Mickelsen, the chief executive for the advertising firm that now goes simply by Bozell, said Fries became a legend in the advertising industry. His amazing contributions to numerous iconic ad campaigns, including Old Home Bread, live on even today, Mickelsen said. He will be greatly missed. As C.W. McCall would say, keep on a trucking, Bill. Bill Fries III, of Ouray, said his father was also very proud of other accounts including Mutual of Omaha and the Union Pacific Railroad. The elder Fries penned his first song when he wrote A Great Big Rollin Railroad for U.P., a song that became the basic music track for all the railroads TV commercials. Under the McCall name, Fries and Davis founded the label American Gramaphone and cut a record called Wolf Creek Pass, with the single, Old Home Filler-up an Keep on a-Truckin Cafe, which compiled bits of the Old Home commercial narration. The record sold 20,000 copies in the Midlands in two weeks. Those sales caught the eye of record executives at MGM. Old Home eventually sold 300,000 copies. MGM asked the duo to make another McCall record with Black Bear Road and Convoy on side 2. Released in 1975, Convoy rode to No. 1 on the country and western and pop charts in the middle of the CB radio craze. Truckers used CB radios to keep in touch on long, lonely stretches of road, to warn each other of upcoming bear traps (radar traps) and to recommend brown bottle shops (bars) along the routes. Bill Fries (saying) Breaker Breaker 19 is how that big song started and sold millions of copies worldwide, Davis said. It made an impressive impact on so many people. I had a great time writing with Willy. Id go over to his house and wed talk about the topic of a song while having a silver bullet Bills name for a martini. I wrote the music separately and I never heard his words until we got into the studio. What a wordsmith and what a voice. He wont have to keep the pedal to the metal anymore. Rest up, Willy you deserve it. Fries son said his father was proud of having served as mayor of Ouray from 1986 until 1992. He and his wife, Rena, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary there on Valentines Day. In addition to his wife and son, Fries is survived by another son, Mark Fries of Ouray; daughter Nancy Fries of Arizona; four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Omaha World-Herald: Afternoon Update The latest headlines sent at 4:45 p.m. daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Eleven months ago, when a class of 60 Omaha police recruits began their training, city officials hoped the group would bring the department near its authorized strength of 906 officers. But the newly sworn officers those with previous law enforcement experience who got their Omaha Police Department badges in July, plus rookies who graduated in October only offset the number of departures the force experienced. The departments net gain in police numbers since May is three officers. As of Friday, the citys number of full time, sworn officers stands at 844, compared to a historic high of 886 two years ago. The department has never reached the 900-officer target announced by Mayor Jean Stothert and the department in 2017, two years before the agencys fifth precinct opened in the Elkhorn area. Police Chief Todd Schmaderer has recognized the gaps, which follow a recent national trend of police departments having difficulty in hiring and retaining officers. Many attribute the problem to news media attention on policing and high-profile cases, stressors from protests in 2020 and/or the COVID-19 pandemic. Weve seen a more aggressive number of those leaving the Omaha Police Department or either retiring early, Schmaderer said. A lot of the exit interviews just center around burnout and loss of interest in the career. ... Fortunately, were not near the level that some cities are. Yet staffing levels could drop further before they rise. Monday, 14 recruits begin training if they stick around, six veteran or lateral recruits will become sworn Omaha police officers after 11 weeks of training and eight more will receive their badges after 22 weeks of training. If the pattern of departures continues, the small class may not even cover the losses that occur by the time the first recruits graduate. Twelve officers retired or left during the same 11-week period last year. Schmaderer said staff vacancies are an issue that needs to be solved but arent so high that residents should notice. The public likely wont feel the impact of it, he said. Its not to that level. But its cause for management attention to deploy our resources appropriately. Meanwhile, officials plan to start another recruit class at the end of this year. They currently are accepting applications in order to fill that class, which they said should be close to if not at the full capacity of 60 recruits. But troubles remain, as the department extended the monthlong application period another 2 weeks, presumably because of a lack of job applicants. Police union president Tony Conner said he was told that the department received just over 200 applications in three weeks a fifth of the total number of last years applicants and 13% of the typical average of 1,500 applicants in prior years. Acting Deputy Chief Sherie Thomas, who heads the Executive Services Bureau that oversees hiring and the training academy, declined to provide the number of people who have applied until the application period closes, which is now on April 18. Conner said a large applicant pool is important because the process is arduous, with several steps a written exam, an interview and a physical, then backgrounding that includes drug and vision tests and a credit check. Some people dont even show up to the first test, he said, and each part can weed out more and more applicants to find the best and the brightest that ultimately will represent the Police Department. Even after a class is finalized, dropouts can occur five of the recruits from the May 2021 class didnt make it to graduation. Conner fears that the impact of a decreased force could correlate to fewer services. But he said hiring requirements shouldnt change. If we maintain our standards, if theres less services because theres less officers on the street, I think the public would accept that before they ever accept us lowering our standards, he said. Thomas said theres no need for concern regarding the availability of officers responding to high-priority radio calls. A new call center, which was created during the pandemic, also helps take nonemergency reports over the phone instead of dispatching an officer, she said. The recruiting requirements are the same as they have been in previous years, Thomas said, but the department now can offer a new incentive for out-of-state law enforcement officers. Such officers now can complete an 11-week training course instead of the full 22-week class that rookies take. Mondays class has 12 men and two women. The class is made up of 12 Whites and two Hispanics. Officials had hoped the class would be closer to 30-35 recruits. Thomas said Omaha police officials know that the class is smaller and not as diverse as they would have liked. Last years class shattered previous records for diversity and size. The city also is hiring for 30 civilian, non-sworn positions that are vital to Police Department operations, Thomas said. We are hopeful that our current recruiting process is successful in attracting individuals that will assist us with being reflective of the community we serve, she said. We will continue to be intentional in our recruiting efforts. Police departments across the nation have tried various strategies to recruit, said Jessie Huff, an assistant professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Some departments, she said, have been offering signing bonuses and housing stipends but also adjusting credit score and physical fitness standards. Huff said departments should consider additional ways to appeal to a broader pool of applicants, which should include women and people of color. People are concerned that this is lowering the bar or lowering the standards, but thats not the case, she said. We can still use thorough background-check processes to bring in the right people but eliminating some barriers to include those who have the potential to be great officers but couldnt meet basic roadblocks. The Omaha department recently started a TikTok account, called joinOPD, which on Friday had more than 93,000 followers and more than 210,000 likes across their 14 videos, which show short snippets of life as an officer and the hiring process. One 8-second video of an officer and his K-9 has racked up more than 1.3 million views. And the department has a direct pipeline to UNO students interested in a law enforcement career, with the help of retired Omaha Police Sgt. Kim Retzlaff, an adjunct professor and the internship coordinator at UNOs criminology and criminal justice school. Retzlaff has gotten phone calls from local, Nebraska and even out-of-state law enforcement agencies looking to hire qualified applicants. UNOs program, which is available on the University of Nebraskas Omaha and Lincoln campuses, consistently has increased its enrollment since 2017 this semester, Retzlaff said, 985 students are taking classes. Retzlaff has formed a Future Law Enforcement Professionals group and encourages students to attend meetings, which feature speakers who work in all sorts of niches that agencies can offer. She was heartened to recently hear from 10 future students all women who were interested in a law enforcement career. When I speak with students, I tell them that law enforcement is changing, its progressing, she said. I think that its still a very noble profession and one thats not gonna go away. We need peacekeepers in our community. Current Omaha police officers are leaving for various personal or professional reasons. According to city human resources records, 54 officers left the job in 2021, compared to 30 in 2017. (The records count a persons final employment date with the city, not his or her last working day on the job.) A larger percentage of the departures is coming from officers on the Deferred Retirement Option Program, which is open to workers with 25 years of service. The plan allows the city to retain experienced officers longer and gives the officers a financial incentive to stay. However, more officers are deciding to retire earlier than planned or move on to other opportunities in line with the Great Resignation phenomenon that the nation has seen in the last two years. Former Officer Christy Jaworski retired in April 2021 after 22 years on the job. About two years before that, she had been considering retiring to spend more time with her son, who is now 8 years old. She also said she wanted to take care of her health after she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I was on call a lot, said Jaworski, a former detective in the child victims and domestic violence units. I just wanted to be there more for my family. While she said the pandemic didnt accelerate her decision, it was made clearer after she worked the May 2020 civil rights demonstrations. She recalled seeing a sign that said, A good cop is a dead cop, which jarred her. I saw some very hateful people toward police officers. ... I know that it doesnt reflect everybody, but it was very hard to see a job that I love so much become so hated by the vocal minority, she said. That was not the deciding factor, but it definitely made my decision easier in my mind. Because of all the factors, she said, she didnt feel that a 2% pension increase per six months of work was worth it, so she retired as soon as she was able. The Police Department is very understaffed in general all police departments probably are, she said. I know of a few people who just were in the detective bureau, and the caseloads were really high. Conner also mentioned an officer he used to patrol with who retired last year after 22 years earlier than originally planned because of recent events. The events of 2020 shaped some peoples view of law enforcement. Our job was on the front page of every paper and the top story on every news program, he said, adding that its a factor that is absolutely affecting retention. Its the stress of the job that gets to them. Its a lot of work, its not easy, its a challenging job. Thomas said someone she had recruited to the force left to prioritize family and personal life. Two officers who recently retired stuck around for 30 years, which is rare. After about a month off, former Officer Constance Garro got a job with a company that facilitates regional drug task forces and contracts with the city, so shes back working with the Omaha police narcotics unit from which she retired. Garro said a lot of officers retirement decisions are based on their financial situations and concerns about supporting their families, which is different for everyone. Former Lt. Vivian Buckley, who oversaw the Police Departments customer service unit, said she wasnt looking at other jobs and continued to work until she hit 30 years. She was just the seventh female Black officer in the history of the department. She said she wants the department to prioritize hiring diverse recruits. We dont get hired at the rate that other, Caucasian women get hired. Thats an issue, she said. Have more African American people, then the police force might be better. And put them in positions of leading vs. following. There needs to be a lot more diversity in all positions of the Police Department, on the job. Others who leave before retirement often go on to other careers officials have said its unusual for an Omaha officer to head to another agency. More common is Omaha attracting officers from other agencies. Conner stressed that even though the job is tough, its rewarding. He said Omaha offers many pluses that make it the best place to be a police officer a seasoned and respected police chief, support from the mayor and City Council and high approval from the community. The Omaha Police Officers Association recently conducted a poll that found 89% of Omahans support the Police Department, which is 5% higher than the national average attitude toward police, he said. The public needs to know we are truly helping people every single day, people that are perfect strangers to us. And people who like to do that type of work, I want them to consider law enforcement, he said. For those people out there considering, the Omaha Police Department is the best department in the entire country, and I will defend that if anyone wants to debate me. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Omaha Public Schools students sat in a wide circle on the still-brown grass in Memorial Park on an afternoon in mid-March. The seven seniors sitting in this group will graduate in 71 days, but they said some of the final lessons of their high school careers feel more like kindergarten. Teachers have shown them PowerPoint presentations on how to have conversations and disagreements with peers. At their school, Central High School, there is a new system called "Eagle Bucks" where students are given fake currency as a way to teach and encourage positive behavior. These bucks, which have been implemented at schools all across the district, can be traded in for rewards like candy and chips. "We needed it because kids were out of control," said Dina Saltzman, a senior at Central. At schools across the district, some students show up to school but never attend a class; hallways and bathrooms smell like marijuana as the smoke sets off fire alarms; and teachers have been injured while breaking up fights between students, according to nine students and nine current and former OPS staff members. They all said the pandemic has changed the school environment as an increase in student misbehavior continues to hinder learning and staff retention. Some of the OPS employees spoke on the condition they not be named because they have not been authorized by the district to speak publicly about their jobs. The exacerbated behavioral problems are not unique to OPS. A high school in Connecticut temporarily transitioned to remote learning last fall due to misbehavior. And last month, teachers and school staff in Minneapolis reported similar issues, including more fights and drug use, as well as more kids with anxiety and depression. For the seniors at the park, their last normal year of school before the COVID-19 pandemic was freshman year. For current freshmen, it was sixth grade. I feel bad for them, but then they are also treating it like elementary school, said Isabella Manhart, a Central student of the underclassmen. Sometimes there are kids running through the hallways without shoes on and Im like, what is happening? In their high school careers, these seniors have attended school online, watched overwhelmed teachers cry and felt social anxiety upon returning to school in person. They have watched their fellow students lose loved ones, develop substance abuse issues, drop out, fight in school hallways and do drugs in school bathrooms. "A lot of people dealt with things like parents losing jobs, like really bad crisis-type situations, losing people during COVID, that school is the last thing they're concerned with and so that's kind of another reason people have stopped caring about school," Saltzman said. The situations and behaviors described by Central students have been observed by other students, staff and parents at schools throughout the district. Several medical groups have warned that pandemic isolation from school closures and lack of social gatherings has taken a toll on young peoples mental health. "It's kind of off the rails as far as behavior. They're bad. Bad. They're naughty," Camille Horner, a junior at Central, said of her fellow students. "Like blunts in the bathrooms, skipping all the time." The World-Herald reached out to OPS officials for comment on many of the issues outlined in this story. After being given two weeks to fulfill that request, the district offered interviews with OPS officials but only after the newspaper's intended publication date. All nine members of the OPS board also received emails from The World-Herald requesting comment, but no one responded. Instead, the school board and the district sent a lengthy joint statement. "Young people across our community, like adults, have endured three disrupted and traumatic years. One can see this in every aspect of daily life, from schools to work and communities at large and one can see it across our country," the statement said. "Our district has shared several times that addressing these disruptions will take time and that we have immediate and long-term interventions in place." The district said its student code of conduct outlines expectations and repercussions, including behavioral concerns and substance abuse. "If issues arise, our administrators, safety officers and law enforcement partners intervene to address the concern," the statement said. Teachers and other staff members have been vocal all school year about the issues inside of their schools. They have said at school board meetings that they are worried about the safety of students and the quality of education those students are getting because teachers don't have time to do their jobs. Due to staff shortages, teachers have been asked to cover additional classes for missing staff members. One teacher said he has struggled to cover classes outside his content area. "I was trying to teach Spanish and I know three words maybe and the kids know that," the teacher said. "The kids all knew more than I did." Robert Miller, president of the Omaha Education Association, said while the situation within schools hasn't gotten worse, it hasn't gotten much better either. He said the district's concierge program has helped with duties like serving lunch but it has not alleviated the issues in the classroom. "Things haven't improved," Miller said. "And teachers must continue to feel valued and they're just not feeling that right now." While teachers have repeatedly said they're worried that their peers will quit and not return next school year, it's too early to tell if that will actually happen. Teachers have to inform the district of their plans for next year later this month. Some haven't waited until the end of the school year to quit. Candice Balkovic, who taught for 10 years, resigned from Lewis and Clark Middle School in January. She said she received one of two responses when she told her co-workers about her resignation: Good for you, I wish I could or Good for you, Im thinking about doing it, too. That's the state where our education is every single teacher I talked to is either 'Good for you' or 'I'm right behind you,' she said. Balkovic said she had to resign due to a cycle of problems in her building that became unbearable. Student misbehavior causes classroom disruptions and leads to violence against teachers, she said. This can cause teacher burnout and staff shortages, which means theres less planning time and lower-quality instruction. Other staff members, like principals and counselors, have had to help out in classrooms, leaving them less time to do their jobs and address other issues in the buildings. And the list stretches on and on, she said. While fights at school happened before the pandemic, some teachers and students said theyve noticed an uptick in the number of altercations in their schools this year. One OPS teacher said he breaks up at least three fights a week, sometimes a fight a day. Another said she had to break up a fight before noon on the first day of the spring semester this year. When asked if the district had noticed an uptick in fights and violence at schools this school year, Lisa Utterback, community services chief officer for OPS, told The World-Herald earlier this year that some days are more challenging than others. I will emphasize that our security officers, our school resource officers and our administrators are the individuals responsible for de-escalating and intervening when there is an altercation between two students, Utterback said at the time. The teachers said they break up fights because they will not stand by and wait for security while children hurt each other. They also said there are not enough security guards in their buildings. This school year several altercations have escalated and police have been called to middle and high schools around the district. A student was cut with a knife during a fight at South High School in October. The student was sent to the hospital while another was ordered to the Douglas County Youth Center. Two 13-year-old students also faced charges last fall after an altercation at Beveridge Magnet Middle School. A month into the spring semester, police had to use mace to separate students during two large fights on Feb. 11, at Benson High School and King Science & Technology Magnet Center. A teacher who was present during the fight at King Science had to be sent to the hospital after she was shoved to the ground by a student while barricading a doorway, according to a police report. One high school teacher spoke to The World-Herald a few hours after being knocked to the ground while trying to break up a fight among students. You do get hurt," the teacher said. "Not because the kids want to be violent but because students are doing their best to harm one another. Ive never had a child trying to attack me but its not the first time I've been harmed trying to break up a fight. Another teacher experienced injuries from students at more than one school she worked at in OPS. She said she has had multiple surgeries from the incidents and still deals with chronic pain today. Violence in the workplace for teachers is real, she said. The unpredictability of student violence at some OPS schools leaves staff feeling on edge, an OPS teacher said. She has become conditioned to constantly look for escalating behavior, which leaves her exhausted. Teachers have said their co-workers are also routinely told to f--- off by some students. Another teacher, during an interview with The World-Herald, described asking a student to pull up their mask and being told: F--- you, b----. Do your f------ job. One teacher said she was once giving a student a redirection when he told her to shut up and threatened her with sexual assault. Combative students aren't the only source of disruption. Wait five minutes in the restroom at Central and youll see a cloud of smoke rising from a stall, said Noemi Gilbert, a junior. The Central High students said it's normal to find students smoking and vaping in the bathrooms, which sometimes sets off fire alarms. The students said this was also a problem before the pandemic. Three teachers said they observe daily drug use among students in their buildings. One teacher said the blatant use of marijuana in the school is unbelievable. Another teacher said administrators started locking bathrooms in her school after students continued to smoke marijuana in them. Brad Podany, a security guard at South High School, said students even smoke marijuana in the halls. If a security guard smells it, they will try to find whos smoking. Sometimes students will comply with being searched; other times, he said, they will say "I dont care" and walk out of the building. Teachers said some students come to school only to spend the entire day roaming the hallways instead of going to class. Sometimes those students are loud or fights break out, causing teachers to leave their classrooms full of students to address the behavior in the hallway. They don't care anymore. They don't care about repercussions, Podany said. And unfortunately, it's a game that they play, and they know that, If I get in a fight or if I smoke, I'm out of school for five days at home. And then I'm right back to doing the exact same thing. Podany said the misbehaviors revolve around the same group of students who continue to be problematic. The Central students said while some of their peers might be creating problems, most are just trying to get by as they grapple with what's happening to them outside of school. Were all trying our best, said Jace Westphal, a senior. Lydia Hernandez, a senior at Burke High School, said drug use or fights havent been a problem at her school this year. I have not seen as many fights as I saw in middle school, Hernandez said. In middle school, there was a fight every week. Hernandez said the main problem at Burke are freshmen students who misbehave, acting like they are still in elementary school. The transition from remote learning to returning to the classroom full time has been challenging for both students and teachers. Students went from learning at their own pace and being isolated in bedrooms sitting in front of a computer for hours to suddenly being expected to snap back to the rigid routine of in-person school. The seclusion brought on by the pandemic has taken a toll on young peoples mental health. A study published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on responses of nearly 8,000 students in 2021, shows 44% reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless during the past year. About 66% also said they found it more difficult to complete their schoolwork. Gilbert said just walking the hallways or sitting in a classroom can get overwhelming. Other students said they now deal with social anxiety after being remote for so long. One teacher said while she was having a really good school year, a lot of her students' stamina was lost because of online learning. And it might take years to recover, she said. Going back to normal was like going back to the normal expectations, but not providing the support systems to lay out those new expectations, which is, like, a wild thing to do, Manhart said. The students have also noticed the toll the past few school years have taken on their teachers. "The teachers don't even want to be there, Horner said. It just gets manifested into, like, how they teach and what we pick up. It's, like, why would we want to be here either?" Another student said teachers would sit down with her to help her plan for college, but now they say they dont have time. You can tell that they can't pour from an empty cup because, like, they're so burnt out that there's not really a lot that they can do, Saltzman said. I feel bad for, like, asking them for advice. I just feel really bad for the teachers. Teachers said staff retention is a large problem in the district. Positions are going unfilled and too many young OPS teachers are burning out quickly, realizing the job cant support them, one teacher said. People are leaving and not being replaced because theres no one to replace them, the teacher said. Abigail Jane, a former teacher at South, was in the district for only two years before she resigned in 2021. She said she remembers a specific day when a student came into her classroom while she was teaching and attacked another student. All the veteran teachers were like, Was that your first fight? And I was like, Yeah, and they said, You'll get used to that, Jane said. Thats just the attitude if you want to make it in these schools, you literally have to be completely shut down to things. Nothing can shock you. Nothing can scare you. Several OPS teachers told The World-Herald that they didnt think district administrators understood whats happening in OPS schools. One of my teachers has two other jobs and that's just not OK, said Saltzman, a student. And I feel like it sucks that all these teachers are quitting, but I almost wonder if that's what the administration is going to need to be like, Oh, they're serious. We may need to listen to them and change something. Horner said her experiences throughout the pandemic have helped her, and other students, to gain a lot of awareness about their own path in life. Westphal said with COVID restrictions decreasing, he feels like students are just trying to get back to normal but are not mentally there. He said he feels pushed to go back to normal. The students agreed that the pandemic has changed their outlook for their future after graduation. It has caused them to be more realistic about their goals, such as staying closer to home. I think everyone's kind of waiting for the next ball to drop, Saltzman said. Because, like, there have been so many false alarms of, like, things are getting better. I think everyone's kind of lost hope of that. So hopefully this will be the last time, but we're all kind of waiting for another relapse. Gilbert said they cant picture their life more than six months into the future. I mean, what else is gonna happen? Gilbert said. And it feels kind of weird and futile, to try and plan a future when everything is working against us. This report includes material from the Associated Press. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Emily Nitcher Emily is an enterprise reporter for the World-Herald. Previously, Emily covered K-12 education, local government and the Nebraska Legislature. Follow her on Twitter @emily_nitcher. Phone: 402-444-1192. Follow Emily Nitcher 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 Marlon Brando, by his own account, was only ever really happy in two places. The first place was Omaha, where Brando's family lived until he was 6 and where he was born on this day 98 years ago today. Marlon Brando Jr., a pudgy, mischievous boy who was called "Bud" to distinguish him from his father., Marlon Sr., lived at 3135 Mason St., then 1026 S. 32nd St. His mother, Dorothy (Dodie) Brando, was the Omaha Community Playhouses first leading lady and worked with, among others, Henry Fonda. In his 1994 memoir, "Songs My Mother Taught Me," Brando Jr. recalls one of his earliest memories: waking up before the rest of his family and sneaking outside, where he'd sit on the steps at "the dead end of 32nd Street" to watch a tree as it gently shed its helicopters. He'd watch as the whirlybirds drifted to the ground, holding out his hand, hoping to catch one, never quite succeeding. When one 'copter landed, he'd look up again. "Waiting like that for the next magic," he wrote, "was as good a moment as any other that I can remember." Marlon Brando used to say, "The only thing an actor owes his public is not to bore them." And he didn't. In a 50-plus-year career of classic movies, legendary stage performances, film bombs and an often-chaotic and eccentric private life, Brando was never boring. His impact on screen acting was demonstrated by his Academy nominations for best actor in four successive years: as Stanley Kowalski in "A Streetcar Named Desire'' (1951); as the Mexican revolutionary in "Viva Zapata!'' (1952); as Marc Antony in "Julius Caesar'' (1953); and as Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront'' (1954). The latter brought Brando his first Oscar. Brando drifted into an anti-establishment pose that included a refusal to accept an Oscar for "The Godfather." Instead, he sent a Native American woman to accept the best-actor award; her speech on Native American rights offended members of the Motion Picture Academy and many viewers. The second place Marlon Brando was happy was Tetiaroa (pronounced Teti-uh-ROH-uh), a 27-square-mile island about 30 miles north of Tahiti in the South Pacific Ocean. Brando bought Tetiaroa in 1966 and owned it until his death in 2004. Here's a look back at the life of Marlon Brando. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Born in Corning, Iowa, and raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, Johnny Carson started his show business career at age 14 as the magician The Great Carsoni. He attended the University of Nebraska and got his start in radio and TV in both Lincoln and Omaha. You may not have known it, but April 1, 1967, was named Johnny Carson Day in Nebraska by gubernatorial proclamation. Gov. Norbert T. Tiemann and Carson were schoolmates at the University of Nebraska (Class of 1949). Johnny made the trip home as part of the Nebraska Centennial celebration. But that wasnt the only time. While hosting The Tonight Show for 30 years, Johnny returned to Nebraska many times for various occasions. He has served burgers, attended hospital dedications, and hes cheered for the home team. Lets reminisce about some of Johnnys journeys back home. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. HANOI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam recorded 50,730 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, a decline of 14,889 cases from Saturday, said the Ministry of Health. The new infections, logged in 61 localities nationwide, were all domestically transmitted. The Vietnamese capital Hanoi remained the epidemic hotspot with 6,304 new cases on Sunday, followed by the northern Yen Bai province with 2,604 and the central Nghe An province with 2,599. On the same day, health authorities also documented 51,316 COVID-19 cases detected earlier in the two northern localities of Thai Binh and Bac Giang. The newly reported infections brought the total tally to 9,818,328, with 42,600 deaths. Nationwide, as many as 7,787,962 COVID-19 patients, or 79 percent of the total infections, have so far recovered. Over 206.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the Southeast Asian country, including 189.3 million shots on people aged 18 and above, said the ministry. Vietnam has by far gone through four coronavirus waves of increasing scale, complication, and infectivity. As of Sunday, it has registered more than 9.8 million locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since the start of the current wave in April 2021, said the health ministry. The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld a three-year jail sentence for a former Nebraska public defender who accepted cocaine as payment for legal services. In an opinion published Friday, the Supreme Court affirmed the lower courts sentence and denied a new trial for Jon Worthman, who served as the elected public defender in Box Butte County for nearly two decades. Worthman was convicted in 2021 of cocaine possession with intent to distribute. Jeffrey Lujan, described in the opinion as a mid-level drug dealer, was represented by Worthman in various legal proceedings beginning in 2018. After multiple run-ins with police, Lujan became a confidential informant for the Western Nebraska Intelligence and Narcotics Group (WING) task force in November 2019. When WING task force members interviewed Lujan about potential targets, he mentioned that he had previously delivered cocaine to his attorney and would be willing to do so again. By December, a plan was in motion to catch Worthman in the act. According to court documents, Worthman agreed to buy an ounce of cocaine from Lujan for $500. As part of the transaction, some of Lujans legal debt would be forgiven. The WING task force set up a controlled transaction, providing Lujan with cocaine from the Nebraska State Patrol evidence locker and fitting him with a live audio and video recorder. Worthman only brought $100 for the ounce of cocaine, which Lujan accepted. He was promptly arrested. In an initial interview, he said he was only there to collect attorney fees and had no idea why Lujan threw a bag of cocaine at him. Worthman then said he bought cocaine from Lujan in the past but denied being a dealer. At trial, Lujan testified that he paid Worthman for legal services in cocaine. According to Lujan, Worthman indicated that the cocaine was being used to bribe a local prosecutor into dropping or reducing charges against Lujan and his associates. In reality, according to the court opinion, this was nothing more than a ruse to get free cocaine. In one instance, Worthman told Lujan that 2 ounces of cocaine would ensure that his cousin would receive probation instead of jail time, even though probation was the likely outcome of the case. Worthman was found guilty of possession of a controlled substance (10 to 28 grams of cocaine) with intent to distribute, a felony. In March 2021, he was sentenced to the mandatory minimum term of three years imprisonment. Worthman motioned for a new trial, which was denied by the district court. He then appealed the conviction and sentence, at which point the Supreme Court added the case to its docket. Worthman argued that he was not a dealer and that the cocaine was for personal use. But text messages shown at trial revealed that Worthman had previously bought large amounts of cocaine from Lujan, according to the opinion. A WING task force member testified at trial that Worthman bought so much cocaine that if a single person consumed it they would probably have a heart attack. The Supreme Court found that the circumstantial evidence was enough to support a conviction. Worthman also argued that Lujan was not a credible witness. The Supreme Court had previously ruled that witness credibility issues are not enough to warrant a new trial, and the motion was dismissed. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bloomington-Normal Galleries, museums Some cultural institutions are open or making plans to reopen under current COVID restrictions. Check with each facility for indoor, online or outdoor programing. Open facilities have face covering, distancing and other guidelines in effect; see websites or call for details. Angel Ambrose Fine Art Studio; 101 W. Monroe St. Suite 201, Bloomington; Open First Fridays 5-8 p.m. and by appointment; 309-825-4655; angelambrose.com. David Davis Mansion; 1000 Monroe Drive, Bloomington; open for tours, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; groups of 10 or less; $10 per person; $100 minimum; daviddavismansion.org; 309-828-1084. Eaton Studio Gallery; 411 N. Center St., Bloomington; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays; 5-8 p.m. First Fridays, or by appointment or ring bell; eatonstudiogallery.com; 309-828-1575. Illinois Art Station; 101 E. Vernon Ave., Normal; Gallery open Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; illinoisartstation.org; 309-386-1019. Inside Out: Accessible Art Gallery & Cooperative; 200 W. Monroe St., Bloomington; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; Saturday 8 a.m.-2 p.m.; by appointment Sunday-Tuesday; and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. First Friday; insideoutartcoop.org; 309-838-2160. Jan Brandt Gallery; Normandy Village, 1100 Beach St., Building 8, Normal; by appointment; janbrandtgallery.com; 309-287-4700. Joann Goetzinger Studio and Gallery; 313 N. Main St. Suite A, Bloomington; open first Fridays 5-8 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m., also by appointment; masks and social distancing required; 309-826-1193. Main Gallery; 404 N. Main St., Bloomington; 12-5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays; 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturdays; By chance or appointment at 309-590-6779. McLean County Arts Center; 601 N. East St., Bloomington; open; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, 12-4 p.m. Saturday; masks and social distancing required; mcac.org; 309-829-0011. McLean County Museum of History; 200 N. Main St., Bloomington; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sundays, until further notice; reservations at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428; mchistory.org; 309-827-0428. Merwin and Wakeley Galleries; Illinois Wesleyan University; Bloomington; open; 12-4 p.m., Monday through Friday; 7-9 p.m., Tuesday evening; 1-4 p.m., Saturday through Sunday; iwu.edu/art/galleries; 309-556-3391. Prairie Aviation Museum; 2929 E. Empire St., Bloomington; opens April 2; hours 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; prairieaviationmuseum.org; 309-663-7632. University Galleries of Illinois State University, Normal; open; 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday; 309-438-5487; galleries.illinoisstate.edu/about/visit/. Central Illinois Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield; advance reservation required; adults $15, seniors $12, under 5 free; presidentlincoln.illinois.gov; 217-558-8844. Art Center at Greater Livingston County Arts Council; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday; 209 W. Madison St., Pontiac; pcartcenter.com; 815-419-2472. Contemporary Art Center of Peoria; Riverfront Arts Center, 305 S.W. Water St., Peoria; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; peoriacac.org; 309-674-6822. Dickson Mounds Museum; 10956 N. Dickson Mounds Road, Lewistown; open, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; free; illinoisstatemuseum.org; 309-547-3721. Illinois State Museum; 502 S. Spring St., Springfield; open, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Monday-Friday, free; illinoisstatemuseum.org; 217-782-7386. Lincoln Heritage Museum; Lincoln Center at Lincoln College, 300 Keokuk St., Lincoln; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 1-4 p.m. Saturday, closed Sundays, Mondays and on Lincoln College breaks; $4-7; museum.lincolncollege.edu; 217-735-7399. Peoria Art Guild; 203 Harrison St., Peoria; open; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday or by appointment; peoriaartguild.org; 309-637-2787. Peoria Riverfront Museum; downtown riverfront Peoria; open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday and Friday; 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; and closed Sunday; adults $11, seniors, students $10, ages 3-17 $9; peoriariverfrontmuseum.org; 309-686-7000. Simpkins Military History Museum; 605 E. Cole St., Heyworth; Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 1-5 p.m.; Free admission (donations accepted); Private tours - call first; 309-319-3413; Open House, 1-5 p.m., March 19, marking 63 years of collecting military items. Time Gallery; 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Saturday; Closed Sunday; Clock Tower Place Building, 201 Clock Tower Drive, East Peoria; 309-467-2331. U of I Krannert Art Museum; 500 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign; open; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Thursdays until 8 p.m. when classes are in session; closed Sunday and Monday; kam.illinois.edu; 217-333-1861. Exhibits "Community: African American Experience During Migration"; through Spring 2022; Owens Gallery; "American Verses: Terry Adkins, Mark Bradford & Kerry James Marshall"; through Spring 2022; Owens Gallery Annex; "Cinderella, Snow White & Pinocchio"; Classic Disney Art from the Collection of Steve Spain; Oberhelman Gallery; through May 8; "OP Art: Illusions from the Permanent Collection"; Experience Gallery, through May 8; "Moon"; Experience Gallery, through May 8; "Uncovered: The Ken Burns Collection"; Galleries 1 & 2; through June 5; Peoria Riverfront Museum. "Sacred/Supernatural: Religion, Myth and Magic in European Prints, 1450-1900"; through May 15; "To Know The Fire: Pueblo Women Potters and The Shaping of History"; through Sept. 3; "2022 School of Art + Design Master of Fine Arts Exhibition"; through April 23; U of I Krannert Art Museum. "95th Annual Amateur Art Exhibition"; Brandt Gallery; through April 8; "Marlene Gregor"; Armstrong Gallery; April 8-May 13; McLean County Arts Center. "CAC Member Artists Biennial Exhibition"; through April 16; "Ann B. Coddington"; through April 9; Contemporary Art Center of Peoria. "Thickets...that which surrounds our struggles"; Drawings and inks by Herb Eaton; through April 20; Eaton Studio Gallery. "MFA Thesis Exhibitions"; through April 4; University Galleries. "2022 Honoring the Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans"; through Nov. 12; Simpkins Military History Museum. "Edgewise"; second floor gallery; through Sept. 3; Illinois State Museum. "Abandoned"; Tony Crowley; through April 9; Lincoln Arts Institute. "35th Annual Student Exhibition"; through April 20; Merwin and Wakeley Galleries. Ivy Lane Bakery is a delightful place in downtown Bloomington quaint, quiet, a few tables with free smells that makes entry more than worthy of your own nasal happiness. Each day they bake there an average of 500 cookies. Thats what made a recent phone call especially interesting. Wed like to order some cookies OK, said owner Susan Goeckner, How many would you like? How about 7,000? There was a bit of a pause, some inhalation and exhaling, some thought, some planning, coordination, extra hiring and Ivy Lane pulled it off. We even made test batches in advance, says Ginger Bowers, the bakerys kitchen manager, just so wed know what it would take to make so many. That order? It came from Rivian, the electric truck manufacturer. Bloomington-Normal is no foreigner to the rest of the world. Every 48 seconds, somewhere in America, TV viewers see the words Home Office: Bloomington, Ill., thanks to State Farm. Every time someone leans across to grab for another handful of Beer Nuts, the curious notice Bloomington, Ill. on its packaging. A college town in multiple ways, the universities offer endless exposure. Then theres Rivian. In a bit of a reversal, it already has made waves and big headlines nationally its been Page One news in the New York Times a number of times and gets ink at least once a week in the Wall Street Journal and these days, in grand fashion, is also introducing and integrating itself into B-N. At the recent family festival where Ivy Lane Bakery served its 7,000 cookies, Coffee Hound also did a hot-chocolate bar; the Childrens Discovery Museum hosted on-site activities; B-Ns Zoo Lady" painted faces; Rader Family Farms brought barrel trains for rides; Houchin Alpaca Farms supplied the four-legged. Last August, Kona Ice served 2,000 shaved ice treats at Rivian and in September, Carl's Ice Cream was asked to bring out 2,000 ice cream sandwiches. A month later, Cunningham's Candies and Tanner's Orchard did hundreds of caramel apples. By October, between kettle korn and doughnuts, Raders was supplying 2,500 items at a company event and in November, Nothing Bundt Cakes did 3,500 assorted cakes for another event. I joke that when I call a business, I first apologize before I ask, And could we get 4,500 of this item? muses Laura Ewan, the automakers specially named community outreach specialist, a B-N native and former WJBC and Chamber of Commerce employee who knows the demographics of the town. This past Valentines Day, Grove Street Bakery made 4,500 more cookies. At Garlic Press in uptown, theyve popped hundreds of pounds of its Rivian Buzz popcorn and a B-N food truck, Healthy In A Hurry, is providing healthy alternatives for employees, with more food trucks being recruited to serve second and third shifts at the car factory, these days a very busy place. All told, in only a year or three, more than 50 B-N area businesses have become involved in Rivians reaching out to integrate. It all began before there was even a Rivian in B-N. Back in 2017 thats when CEO R.J. Scaringe came to town to participate in a parts auction at the shuttered Mitsubishi Motors plant and ended the day by asking, OK, besides parts, how much to buy the entire plant? it was on his way out of town that the 39-year-old Scaringe stopped by a Coffee Hound outlet in uptown Normal. I loved the place and the warm atmosphere in the town, he later told the New York Times. Today, as you walk into the plants entry, at what it calls The Junction, you also pass B-Ns fourth Coffee Hound, wooed to the car plant by Scaringe and company. Rivian has shown itself to be extremely dedicated in being a community partner, says Normal Mayor Chris Koos. They have done so much, from hosting a 4-H robotics team very early on, to active involvement with Unit 5 schools, Childrens Discovery Museum, Heartland Community College and ISU to name a few. Adds Laura Ewan: Community is core to Rivian. Meanwhile, back at Ivy Lane Bakery in downtown Bloomington where they made those 7,000 iced and non-iced cookies for the Rivian family event, they were asked the other morning just how much flour it takes to make 7,000 cookies. It wasnt an easy question, obviously. They went to figuring out how much flour they used and it took a minute or three. Id say 500 pounds of flour, said Ginger Bowers. 500 pounds! Maybe well add flour-truck delivery driver to those who have helped out in introducing Rivian to the community. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 COLUMBIA A Columbia teenager has been arrested and charged with eight counts of felony arson in connection with fires being set in eight vehicles in Columbia, police said. James T. Hines, 18, was charged with the offenses on Friday by Monroe County State's Attorney Lucas Liefer, according to a news release by Columbia Police Chief Jason Donjon. Hines was being held in the Monroe County Jail on Saturday in lieu of $100,000 bond. "Thanks to all the citizens who provided surveillance footage, door-bell footage, etc. to help with the investigation and lead to the arrest," Donjon said in the release. The eight fires occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday. No injuries were reported. The police department said on its Facebook page that officers believe Hines acted alone. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MANILA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- More and more inbound travelers visit the Philippines after the Southeast Asian country eases entry restrictions, allowing all fully vaccinated international visitors to enter the country without quarantine. Filipino overseas worker Eyom Rivera, his wife, and his daughter are reunited with their families in the Philippines after arriving this Friday from Dubai where they have lived for the past four years. The family were scheduled to visit home for a wedding in April 2020, but the pandemic derailed their plan. While waiting for the travel restrictions to ease, the couple decided to marry in a civil rite in Dubai, where their daughter was born. When the Philippines loosened the travel rules, the young couple decided to go home and share their happiness with family members living in Albay province, approximately 500 kilometers south of Manila. The Philippines' Bureau of Immigration recorded an uptick in the arrivals of overseas Filipinos and foreign tourists since the country eased the pandemic restrictions imposed over two years ago. "The number of arrivals gradually increased since February when the travel restrictions eased," immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval told a virtual press conference. Sandoval said the daily arrival was less than 5,000 before February, while the number rose to around 9,000 after the opening and further increased to 12,000 by end-March. From April 1, the Philippines reverted to pre-pandemic immigration entry rules, allowing fully vaccinated travelers from all countries to enter without quarantine. Sandoval said most arriving travelers are holidaying Filipinos like the Riveras, and around 30 percent are foreign nationals. "The Koreans have been the top visitors, and those coming from the United States and Japan where many Filipinos live with their foreign families," Sandoval said, adding the bureau expects more tourists to flock into the country this summer. "Historically, many foreigners from colder countries visit the Philippines because of our tropical climate," said she. Before the pandemic struck, South Koreans and Chinese were the top visitors to the country, according to Sandoval. "Our borders are open; more or less, we are already back to our pre-pandemic visa policies as we enter the new normal," Sandoval said. However, she reminded travelers to adhere to basic health protocols, such as wearing a face mask, keeping a safe distance, or avoiding crowds to be safe and healthy. The COVID-19 infections in the Philippines continue to fall. Department of Health's data showed average daily cases of less than 400 in the country with around 110 million population. Around 67 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated as of April 1. CHICAGO - Two men in their 80s were shot during separate attacks in Chicago on Saturday afternoon, police said. An 80-year-old man was in a car parked in the 5200 block of South Marshfield Avenue in the Back of the Yards neighborhood when an assailant the victim did not know shot him in the chest shortly after 3 p.m., police said. The 80-year-old was rushed to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition, police said. Also on Saturday, an 82-year-old man suffered a graze wound to the leg by an unknown assailant on the West Side about an hour earlier. The 82-year-old was on the sidewalk around 2:15 p.m. in the 1700 block of North Monitor Avenue in the North Austin neighborhood, police said in a media notifcation. He was transported to West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park in good condition, police said. No further details were given by police. Area detectives are investigating. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHICAGO - Some Illinois providers may have to cut back on COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics for vulnerable groups as federal funding dries up a situation that health care leaders fear could leave the state ill-prepared for another COVID-19 surge. Until now, COVID-19 tests were free to people without health insurance because a federal program reimbursed medical providers for tests given to the uninsured. But that program stopped accepting claims March 22 because Congress didnt allocate additional money to it. That same program is slated to stop paying for COVID-19 vaccines for the uninsured on Tuesday. President Joe Biden has been pleading with Congress to approve additional funding, and its possible Congress could reach a deal in the coming days, though it may be for far less money than the president requested. For now, many major Chicago-area providers say theyre continuing to give people without health insurance free COVID-19 tests and vaccines, including Walgreens, CVS Health, Northwestern Medicine, Duly Health and Care and Sinai Chicago, among others. But some smaller providers, in areas that serve vulnerable populations, are already planning fewer vaccination and testing clinics. Others worry that if theres another COVID-19 surge, they wont be able to quickly scale-up to meet demand for tests and vaccines. Though COVID-19 case counts are low now, a more contagious version of the COVID-19 subvariant BA.2, also known as stealth omicron, is now the dominant strain in the United States. We still do want to be able to help the community, but we cannot do it at the capacity they were requesting, such as every weekend, said Jamie Tountas, chief strategy officer Mobilevax, a River North-based company thats been using the federal funding to partner with community organizations to offer testing and vaccines in underserved neighborhoods. Its heartbreaking. For example, Mobilevax had been discussing going out to Metropolitan Family Services center in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood frequently once the weather warmed. But that now seems unlikely, Tountas said. When it is not free and it is not accessible, it becomes another barrier for individuals, and, more importantly, it puts all of us at risk, said Roxanne Nava, executive director of the Belmont Cragin and Skokie offices of Metropolitan Family Services. It puts more people at risk for unintentional spread. Esperanza Health Centers, which has community health centers on the West and Southwest sides of the city, plans to continue providing free tests and vaccines, for now, but may have trouble continuing to do so if theres another surge, said Dan Fulwiler, president and CEO of Esperanza. At the moment, Esperanza is able to absorb the extra costs of testing and vaccinating uninsured people only because the demand is so low, he said. Were very worried if the demand goes up again we might have to revisit that decision, Fulwiler said. I think the choice wed have to make is how much can we afford to lose doing it. Over the course of the pandemic, about half of all the COVID-19 tests and vaccines Esperanza has provided have been for people without health insurance, he said. Another COVID-19 surge without that federal funding for the uninsured could mean that Esperanza would have to cut other programs to meet demand, he said. Or, Esperanza might have to offer less testing and vaccinations than the community would like. Though providers no longer have to offer free testing to people without insurance, they must still provide free COVID-19 vaccines to them, under federal requirements, even if they dont get reimbursed for them. A provider like Esperanza might have to deal with that requirement by simply offering fewer COVID-19 vaccines to everyone, he said. The lack of federal funding for uninsured patients comes at the same time the state health department has closed its 10 community-based COVID-19 testing sites. Those sites closed March 31, with the state health department citing a steep drop in demand and an anticipated end to federal funding for them. Some worry that the closing of those sites, combined with a lack of money for testing for uninsured people, will make it more difficult for some people to access testing. The state health department, however, said many resources remain for people to get tests and vaccines, such as free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government, federally qualified health centers which offer services to people with low incomes, and 33 state-funded sites that provide free, saliva-based, SHIELD COVID-19 tests. The state is currently strongly positioned to respond to a potential surge, with the state stockpile of tests nearly fully replenished, said Michael Claffey, a spokesman for the state health department, in an email. There are more than 1.5 million rapid tests on hand, with a half a million more on the way in the coming weeks. Chicago Department of Public Health spokesman Andrew Buchanan also said in an email that, While provider reimbursement programs are changing, no resident should be turned away from receiving, or be asked to pay for, a COVID-19 vaccine. He noted that providers may still get reimbursements for testing people without insurance through a separate Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services program. That program will continue to pay providers for the tests regardless of a persons income or immigration status. People who live in certain ZIP codes of the city may also order additional, free, at-home COVID-19 tests at https://www.accesscovidtests.org/. The federal government is continuing to offer two sets of four free at-home tests to people at covidtests.gov. Though options remain for uninsured people to get tests and vaccines, some providers say any reduction in access is worrisome, especially for people who live in hard hit communities and lack health insurance. Though COVID-19 case numbers are low now, they may not stay that way, especially without widespread testing and vaccinations, some say. What we have to understand is we cant take help away from these communities just yet, said Dr. Mick Singh, chief medical officer and CEO of Mobilevax. We cant allow that to be completely taken away abruptly because these are the most at-risk populations and they will be the most asymmetrically affected. This is how we make sure our health systems dont get overburdened in the long run. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 100 years ago April 3, 1922: Three ISNU teachers are leaving for other schools. Prof. C. E. Cooper will head the geology department at Ohio University. Prof. D. C. Ridgely will go to Clark University in Massachusetts. And Prof. J. G. Kuderna heads for Columbia University in New York. 75 years ago April 3, 1947: Some of Normals elementary school teachers will be making up to $200 per year more under a new pay scale adopted by the school board. For example, a teacher with one years experience and two years of college would earn $1,700 per year, the new minimum. 50 years ago April 3, 1972: Roscoe Ely is about to retire after 45 years of cutting hair at Clyde Hunters barber shop in the Griesheim building. He recently recalled his own fathers 45th birthday on the farm in De Witt County. He told of wondering then, how does a man get to be so old? 25 years ago April 3, 1997: Secondary headline from Tuesdays election: Bloomington will have four new faces on City Council. They are James Finnegan, John Rhoda, Joseph Skip Crawford, and Mary Ryan. No incumbents lost, although George Kroutil tied for second in the primary. Compiled by Jack Keefe; jkeefe@coldwellhomes.com. Question: Hershey, Pennsylvania, is known for its candy and San Francisco is the famed home of Ghirardellis chocolates. But what Midwestern city is fast becoming another key manufacturing center of snacking in America? Answer: With Beer Nuts, one of Americas most popular bar snacks, already here and world famous Italian chocolate maker, Ferrero, building its first factory outside of Europe here, wed humbly nominate Bloomington. Maybe with some Beer Nuts, we could throw in a Destihl beer besides. Destihls sour beers are especially popular in New York City pubs and bars. Angola's government has suspended the salaries of more than 5,000 doctors, describing their strike action as illegal. The National Union of Angola Medical Doctors began an indefinite nationwide strike last week to press for better wages and working conditions. The stoppage has paralysed public health services, although some medics are providing emergency services. Doctors say that in addition to poor salaries, health facilities are woefully under-equipped with frequent shortages of supplies and medicines. The strike is the second in four months. In December, medics took industrial action over the death of 20 children in a hospital in the capital, Luanda. Doctors allege they died because of shortages of medicine and medical equipment. Recent negotiations with the government broke down after the doctors rejected a 6% pay increase. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) has cautioned vegetable farmers against the use of contaminated wastewater in growing crops because of adverse health implications for human beings. He explained that some wastewater contained heavy metals and other micro-organisms. If used such water is used to water crops, especially vegetables that are eaten raw, they go directly into the human system, he cautioned He advised farmers to dig boreholes to serve as a source of water for watering crops because that is better, compared to using contaminated water. Prof Asare-Bediako gave the caution in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after a public lecture on the theme, ''Prescription for Better Environment and Prevention of Spread of Non-Communicable Diseases: The Perspective of the Geoscientist,'' at Sunyani, as part of activities marking the 10th-anniversary celebration of the UENR this year. He said: The type of water used in watering some of the vegetables is worrying, and thats where we contract food poisoning before heavy metal contamination also contributes to the other health implications. He noted it was difficult to identify vegetables on the market grown with contaminated water that contained heavy metals, saying that made it more dangerous to the health of the consumer. Prof Asare-Bediako also spoke against the ways vegetables were preserved at the markets before being sold to consumers, saying they become even more contaminated at the markets, He advised the public to always purchase vegetables from known sources. Prof. Emmanuel Arhin, a geoscientist of the Department of Geographic Science, School of Geo-Sciences, UENR, who gave the lecture on the theme said the lack of essential elements and excesses of toxic elements that humans were exposed to lead to health problems such as non-communicable diseases. According to him, 'research suggests that identifying the geo-availability of elements holds the key to control the prevention of many environmental health diseases. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Muslims across the country have commenced this years Ramadan today April 3, 2022. The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu made the announcement on the recommendation by the Muslim Hilal Conference. The Muslim Hilal Conference is responsible for advising the National Chief Imam and for that matter Muslims in Ghana on Ramadan moon issues. The Conference advises when Muslims across the country must start and end Ramadan, with the National Chief Imam as the Leader of the Conference. Hilal Conference is made up of all the Regional Chief Imams, Zongo Chiefs, and representatives from all the Muslim sectors. Having waited for information to trickle from all the 16 regions of the country, no information in respect to the sighting of the moon has been received. The Chief Imam now uses his position, and in accordance with our jurisprudence recommends to all Muslims in the country to complete the days of Shaban in 30 days and begin Ramadan on Sunday. What it means is that Sunday, the 3rd of April becomes the first day of Ramadan 2022, the National Chief Imams spokesperson, Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu disclosed. The elderly, people who are travelling, pregnant women, people who are suffering from some form of chronic illness as well as children are exempted from fasting but in place of fasting they are required to feed the hungry. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Lawyer, Martin Kpebu, has stated that the unexplained wealth of public officials immediately they assume power must be probed. He calls for the implementation of a law that requires that they account for properties or wealth they acquire when they come into office. The lawyer wants the automatic implementation of Article 286 (4) of the 1992 Constitution to help check corruption in the country. That is the heart of the matter that is the one we need to implement, unexplained wealth. Somebody comes into office and then overnight hes building properties left, right, centre, by the time hes leaving hes amassed so much wealth. That is what we need to implement; that there will be a law to implement the 286, Clause 4 that, at the time youre leaving office, you appear before CHRAJ automatically and explain all your wealth, he said. Continuing he stated that, the implementation of Article 286 (4) in a manner that it is activated automatically at the end of a public officers term of office, would be most beneficial to the anti-graft campaign. Martin Kpebu said, when this law was implemented under President Kwame Nkrumah, it resulted in the accountability of public officials and Ministers thus should be adopted again. And then were saying that in our history when the Jiagge Commission sat, and history shows that people used to send evidence to the Commission in the night, theyll go and push it under the doors, so the next morning by the time the commissioners and staff came, they would find envelopes that contain evidence that Mr. X upon becoming Minister built this house, bought this fresh car Bugatti, Lamborghini, you name them, and so investigate, he said. He however adds that, for the law to be highly effective Ghanaians should be able to boldly report corrupt officials and activities. You remember that the last time CDD, the last time I read something about this corruption fight, they said at least 8 out of 10 Ghanaians are scared of reporting corruption and other malfeasances against public officers. Most of our population are scared of reporting, so the only method or the more viable way of fighting corruption is that have a standing committee then people can send evidence surreptitiously, he said. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Achimota Magistrate Court has fined 15 persons out of 45 persons who were arrested by the Environmental Health Officers of the Ablekuma North Assembly for flouting the Operation Clean Your Frontage by-law. The fines ranged between GHS1,200.00 and GHS3,600.00 as stipulated by the by-law. The 15 arrested persons are tenants at Kwashieman and Darkuman and were prosecuted for keeping their premises untidy with choked gutters, overflowing garbage and uncollected heaps of rubbish. The Environmental Health Unit of the Assembly had earlier served the offending persons with caution notices to cease the nuisance, but it all was ignored. Mr Paul Agbagba, the Prosecutor of the Ablekuma North Assembly indicated that after some time the matter was reported at the Odorkor Police Station and the sanitation offenders were arrested. He said the remaining 30 persons were being processed for court. Madam Harriet Krakue, the Municipal Director of the Waste Management Department of the Assembly said all efforts were in place to intensify education on the campaign in all the electoral areas. She said sanitation officers were on the ground to offer advice on a daily basis, adding that for that reason, no one was ignorant of the law. Mr Kofi Ofori, the Municipal Chief Executive said the Municipality had over the years been battling with sanitation challenges, especially in the case of choked gutters, which had been a deliberate act among some persons living in the area who disposed of their garbage indiscriminately. As much as I am concerned I would make sure the ongoing Operation Clean Your Frontage becomes successful Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Government has been called upon to revisit its partnership agreement under the Education Ordinance of 1852 to support the missions with grants to run their educational institutions. Reverend Monica A. Achana, the Upper West Regional Manager of the Methodist Education Unit, who made the call in Wa, observed that though there were mission schools, the Government was not providing any support for their effective operation. It is a fact that religious bodies cannot be sidelined if we want quality education delivery in the country, she said during the Methodist Education Week celebration in Wa at the weekend. Rev. Achana called for effective teamwork and cooperation among stakeholders in the education sector if the desired results were to be achieved. The Methodist Education Week is an annual event of the Methodist Church of Ghana to create awareness on its active role in quality education delivery for the people of Ghana. It was also to appreciate the support of parents, teachers and other stakeholders of the Church in providing holistic education with high moral standards for children in the country. Quiz competitions and games among the students as well as clean-up exercises at the Wa Naas Palace were some of the activities that marked the week-long celebration. Rev. Achana explained that apart from the preaching of the gospel of salvation, the Church also deemed it necessary to provide formal education to the people, hence the establishment of educational institutions in the country. She indicated that the poor collaboration between the Directors of Education and the Mission Education Unit Managers had made the work of the managers very difficult, leading to poor performances of the school children. The work done by directors is not the same as that of the unit managers. We call on the Government to strengthen the partnership so that we can boast of our education as it used to be, she said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video by Xinhua writers Misbah Saba Malik and Raheela Nazir ISLAMABAD, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President Arif Alvi on Sunday dissolved the country's National Assembly, or the lower house of the parliament, on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan after a motion of no-confidence by joint opposition against Khan was declared unconstitutional. The session to vote on the no-confidence motion was convened on Sunday morning, during which the country's Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry said that the motion is an "effective operation of regime change by a foreign government," which has joined hands with the local parties to topple the Pakistani government through the no-confidence motion. Chaudhry said that the Constitution asks every citizen of Pakistan to be loyal to the country rather than a foreign power, questioning the constitutional validity of the motion brought on the directives of a foreign power, amid the chants of "the friend of the United States is a traitor" from the government benches. Approving Chaudhry's argument, Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, who was chairing the session, rejected the no-confidence motion, citing article 5 of the Constitution that "no foreign government is allowed to conduct regime change operations against an elected government." Following the rejection of the motion, Khan said in a televised address to the nation that he has sent an advice to the president to dissolve the National Assembly, calling for an interim government before going for fresh elections. "Today, the deputy speaker foiled that agenda by rejecting no-confidence motion... A conspiracy was being hatched ... The nation will not let such kind of conspiracies succeed," Khan said. The prime minister said that the Pakistani public will now use its right to choose its government through elections, adding that no foreign power should be allowed to make decisions through conspiracies. "I want to tell my nation to start preparing for elections and not let any foreign power decide the future of Pakistan." The no-confidence motion was moved by an alliance of major opposition parties of the country, which claimed to have 177 member representations in the National Assembly, five votes more than the required to de-seat the prime minister. On March 27, while addressing a public gathering in Islamabad, Khan mentioned receiving a letter on March 7, a day prior to the filing of the motion in the National Assembly, from a Pakistani ambassador to a "powerful country" stating that the ambassador was informed about the motion even before it was moved, and warned of consequences if the country failed to de-seat Khan. Khan later revealed that the United States showed displeasure when he visited Russia in February, telling Pakistani officials, in official communication with them, of regime change through the no-confidence motion. A meeting of the National Security Committee on March 31 also took notice of the foreign attempt to topple the government and an official demarche was made through official channels to the U.S. embassy in Pakistan, Khan said. Reacting to the government's move to call for early elections following the dissolution of the assembly, the leader of the opposition in the lower house Shahbaz Sharif said that the rejection of the motion by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly is unconstitutional. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, said that the government has violated the Constitution by not allowing voting to take place. The opposition alliance refused to accept the dissolution of the National Assembly and submitted a petition to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, pleading to review the ruling given by Suri, set aside the prime minister's advice to the president to dissolve the National Assembly, and that parliament session should be summoned again to conduct voting on the no-confidence motion. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Pakistan took a suo-moto notice of the ongoing situation in the country, with Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial holding an important meeting with their fellow judges to deliberate on the current political and constitutional crisis evolved after the opposition's no-confidence motion was rejected. Veteran lawyer and politician, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, has recounted how former President Jerry John Rawlings played a role in him switching camp from the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). According to him, he has always been an Nkrumahist and believed in the ideologies of Ghanas first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. I have always been an Nkrumahist and I believe in Kwame Nkrumahs ideals. At the very beginning, they tried to get me into the NDC but I resisted because I had my elders back home, I cannot come to Accra and pick a party and go home. I told them I had to go home and listen to my elders. When I came home and listened to my people; the likes of Lawyer Ibrahim Mahama and others they say no we are CPP and we are not going to go with any other party, he revealed in an interview with Motion TV monitored by MyNewsGh.com. The former Foreign Affairs Minister disclosed that he later became the parliamentary candidate for the Peoples Heritage Party (PHP) for the Kumbungu Constituency. Alongside the opposition NPP, we boycotted the parliamentary elections after the presidential elections. So I remained in the opposition and I became the Chairman of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP). That time it was not Convention Peoples Party because that time they actually refused we should not use the name Convention Peoples Party so we made it the Peoples Convention Party (PCP) so I was the Regional Chairman. In course of time, I was enticed, I believe I was motivated to join the NDC, he revealed. Asked who led the motivation he said Some of my friends talked to me and said look you are a good material and wasting your time elsewhere why dont you come to join us but resisted. Finally, Jerry John Rawlings came to Tamale and sent for me at the Airforce Base in Tamale so I went to him and he said, young man what are you doing? He said we need youcant you see we have a development agenda? We are concerned about development Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A lion rests under a tree at the Rietspruit Game Reserve in Hoedspruit on December 2, 2021. Here kitty kitty... Scientists who spent years spraying oxytocin up the noses of lions found the big cats became much friendlier with their neighbors and less prone to roaring at strangers when dosed up on the so-called "love hormone." The results, published in the journal iScience on Wednesday, could have major benefits for conservation efforts as unfamiliar prides are increasingly forced by urban sprawl to live together in reservations. "I've always loved lions," neuroscientist and first author Jessica Burkhart told AFP, explaining she became involved in the research because she had grown tired of examining the animals' brains in the lab and wanted to study them in real life. Cats in general have a reputation for independence, but lions buck that trendliving socially in prides as they win and defend prized territories on the African savanna. "If you think about male lions, for example they will leave the pride when they're a couple of years old and they will meet up with other male lions they don't know and they're not related to, and they will form lifelong bonds," said Burkhart. These types of behaviors indicated that lionsunlike solitary cheetahs or leopardsare biologically programmed to be social in some situations, making them an interesting test species for oxytocin intervention. 'Cuddle chemical' Across mammals, oxytocin is the chief molecule strengthening social bonds. Sometimes called the "cuddle chemical," it surges inside the brain of a mother when she gazes into her newborn's eyes, promoting feelings of well-being and happinesswhile causing the baby to want to latch on to its mother's breast. Similar effects have been documented in other species, as well as between dogs and their human owners. Therapists even suggest couples experiencing problems can benefit from increased eye contact, which releases oxytocin. Working on a wildlife reserve in Dinokeng, South Africa in the summers of 2018 and 2019, Burkhart and colleagues from the University of Minnesota ran a test using hunks of raw meat to lure lions to a fence. The hormone had to be sprayed directly up the nose, using a device that looks like an antique perfume bottle, so it would travel straight to the brain. After the treatment, the 23 lions given oxytocin became more tolerant of lions in their space. This was measured by seeing how close a lion who has possession of a desired object, in this case a toy, will let others approach it. "After the lions were treated with oxytocin, and we gave them their favorite pumpkin toy to play with, we saw the average distance between them drop from about seven meters with no treatment to about 3.5 meters after oxytocin was administered," said Burkhart. Lions didn't roar back when played recorded roars of unfamiliar intrudersunlike those in a control group who either weren't sprayed with anything, or were sprayed with a saline solution. Conservation benefits The lowered hostility towards strangers was a particularly encouraging finding, said Burkhart, because oxytocin is known to have a dark side in humans: while it promotes positive feelings to those within a group, it can increase rivalry against outsiders. The treatment could be helpful in a number of scenarios, she said. First, it could help bond unfamiliar lions rescued from abusive situations, such as from circuses or zoos in war zones, who are then placed in sanctuaries. Second, as cities in Africa sprawl and encroach upon lions' territory, conservationists are forced to transport the cats to private reserves where unfamiliar prides are housed togetherand oxytocin might help prevent conflict. It could also help relocations to the wild, helping lions "become more inclined to their new social environment so they're more curious and less fearful, leading to more successful bonding," said Burkhart. One fear is that unscrupulous operatorsin the vein of infamous "Tiger King" Joe Exoticmight try to use the chemical to help run zoos that promote cub petting, heavily criticized by animal welfare advocates. "The truth is people are corrupt...but hopefully in this case it'll help more than it'll ever hurt," said Burkhart. Explore further Oxytocin treatment can take lions from ferocious to friendly More information: Jessica C. Burkhart, Oxytocin promotes social proximity and decreases vigilance in groups of African lions, iScience (2022). www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext 2589-0042(22)00319-4 Journal information: iScience Jessica C. Burkhart, Oxytocin promotes social proximity and decreases vigilance in groups of African lions,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104049 2022 AFP In this photo provided by John Davis, Grinnel, the adult male peregrine falcon, flies in front of Sather Tower, the clock tower on the Campanile at the University of California at Berkeley campus, where the falcons' nest is in Berkeley, Calif., on May 27, 2021. Grinnell, one of a beloved pair of peregrine falcons who made their longtime home atop the bell tower at the University of California, Berkeley, was found dead Thursday, March 31, 2022. Less than 24 hours later, his partner Annie had mated with a new untagged male falcon. On Twitter Friday, Cal Falcons, a group that monitors the birds, said that a new falcon also appeared interested in incubating Annie's eggs and performed multiple courtship displays with Annie after spending the night in her gravel nest. Credit: John Davis via AP A peregrine falcon whose longtime mate died this week amid the breeding season appears to have found a new partner to help her hatch two eggs. Grinnell, one of a beloved pair of peregrine falcons who made their longtime home atop the bell tower at the University of California, Berkeley, was found dead Thursday. Less than 24 hours later, his partner Annie had mated with a new untagged male falcon, Cal Falcons, a group that monitors the birds, said on Twitter Friday. "When a mated Peregrine dies during the breeding season, the most likely outcome of the nest is abandonment," Cal Falcons tweeted. "In rare cases, a new mate can come in, establish a bond with the remaining individual, and adopt the chicks." While peregrine falcons typically mate for life, those who lose a partner will seek a replacement after a mate dies. The new falcon also appeared interested in incubating Annie's eggs and performed multiple courtship displays with Annie after spending the night in her gravel nest, the group said. "Although these two eggs still might not make it, this is an encouraging development," they said. "We will be keeping our eyes out for prey deliveries and incubation in particular, as those two behaviors will be an indication of a potentially successful nest." Grinnell was found dead on a street and was likely hit by a car, the group said. Grinnell and Annie had been nesting atop the university's 307-foot-tall Campanile since late 2016 and produced 13 chicks. Grinnell was attacked by other falcons last fall and spent nearly three weeks in a wildlife hospital recuperating, while other rivals courted Annie. But he returned and observers felt that the couple was bonding again. A few hours before he died, Grinnell was seen defending the nest against another peregrine falcon. Cal Falcons said it's possible that the new falcon is the one that Grinnell fought, though an injury on the bird's left foot appears to be older. In February, Annie vanished from her nest and was briefly presumed injured or dead before returning nearly a week later. Her disappearance made local headlines. The falcon researchers said they had never seen a female vanish suddenly during peak breeding season and then suddenly return. Peregrine falcons are considered the world's fastest birds. They can reach 200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour) during a hunting dive known as a stoop. The American birds were declared endangered in 1970 because of ingesting prey that was poisoned by DDT and other pesticides. The chemical caused the falcons to produce thin-shelled eggs that couldn't survive until hatching. However, recovery programs brought the bird back from potential extinction. 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Heavy rains have battered a broad swathe of Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state, with yet more rain forecast for the region. Torrential downpours triggered flash floods and landslides across Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state, killing at least 14 people including eight children, and leaving five missing, authorities said Saturday. Two days of heavy rain have battered a broad swathe of the southeastern state's Atlantic coast, the latest in a series of deadly storms in Brazil that experts say are being aggravated by climate change. More rain is forecast for the region in the coming days. The victims included a mother and six of her children, who were buried when a landslide swept away their home, officials said. President Jair Bolsonaro said on Facebook the federal government had sent military aircraft to help the rescue effort and dispatched national disaster response secretary Alexandre Lucas to the state of 17.5 million people. The new incidents come six weeks after flash floods and landslides killed 233 people in the scenic city of Petropolis, the Brazilian empire's 19th-century summer capital, also in Rio state. This time, the areas hit hardest included the tourist town of Paraty, a seaside colonial city known for its picturesque cobblestone streets and colorful houses. Officials there said a landslide in the Ponta Negra neighborhood had killed a mother and six of her children, ages two, five, eight, 10, 15 and 17. A seventh child was rescued alive and taken to the hospital, where he was in stable condition, they said. Another four people were injured. Six more victims, including at least two children, were killed in the city of Angra dos Reis, where officials declared a "maximum alert" and state of emergency after landslides devastated the Monsuaba neighborhood. Several people were rescued alive, while another five remain missing, they said. Experts say the deadly storms in Brazil, such as the one in Petropolis (people carry belongings on February 19, 2022, after a giant landslide in Petropolis), are being aggravated by climate change. Mayor Fernando Jordao said emergency workers were installing floodlights to continue the search-and-rescue operation through the night if necessary. "Residents have been working side-by-side with us on the search," he told a press conference. "We'll continue working hard." In Mesquita, 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Rio de Janeiro city, a 38-year-old man was electrocuted trying to help another person escape the flooding, officials and media reports said. Record rains The storms turned streets into rivers Friday night in several cities including Rio, the state capital, sweeping up cars and triggering landslidesa frequent tragedy in the rainy season, especially in poor hillside communities. TV channel Globo News carried images of a family evacuating two young children through the floodwaters in a styrofoam cooler in the Rio suburb of Belford Roxo, while residents posted videos on social media of small alligators swimming through flooded streets. A hospital in the suburb of Nova Iguacu was badly flooded, turning the corridors of its intensive care unit into streams. Officials in Angra said the city had received up to 800 millimeters (31 inches) of rain in 48 hours in some areas, "levels never before registered in the municipality." Experts say rainy season downpours in Brazil are being augmented by La Ninathe cyclical cooling of the Pacific Oceanand by climate change. Because a hotter atmosphere holds more water, global warming increases the risk and intensity of flooding from extreme rainfall. In December, storms killed 24 people in the northeastern state of Bahia, and in January, floods and landslides claimed at least 28 lives in southeastern Brazil, mostly in Sao Paulo state. Explore further 21 dead as torrential rain hits Brazil 2022 AFP GLENS FALLS City wards could be shifting in size come November. Mayor Bill Collins said that the Glens Falls Common Council is in the process of organizing a city independent redistricting committee. Collins said the city is supposed to look and make sure that each ward has a similar population size. He said it has been a long time since the city looked at a possible redistricting of the wards. Collins said the city was notified last year that there was a significant enough population increase in Ward 2 to warrant a review. During the most recent Common Council meeting on March 22, Collins said that Ward 2 has roughly 1,000 more people than some of the other wards in the city. Its not like we did anything. Apparently population had shifted over the last 20, 40, 60 years, he said. Collins spoke with Jim Clark, councilman at-large, and former City Clerk Bob Curtis to go over the prospect of forming a special committee to look into the matter. Curtis will chair the committee. Collins said the next step is to have council members nominate residents from their wards to be on the committee. Each council member can nominate one person from their respective ward. A resolution to approve the formation of the committee is set to be on the next Common Council meeting agenda. According to the resolution, members of the committee cannot have been a member of elected office within the past four years; work for the city, Warren County or New York state; or be a member of any board, commission or special committee for the city, county or state. They also cannot be a political party committee member in the city or the county or be the spouse or immediate family member of an elected official within the last four years or a current city or county elected official. Collins said his goal is to form a committee of Glens Falls residents to look at the ward boundaries in a non-political way. He said he doesnt want the residents of the city to be worried about the possibility of gerrymandering. The main concern is that they move the boundaries so that they are fair and there are the same number of people in each ward and that they dont consider politics at all, Collins said. Once formed, the committee will be provided with a map of the city with the current layout of the citys wards and the census information. They will only have a few months to get this work completed, according to Collins. When the committee finalizes its findings, members will bring that information to the council. If the council agrees with the findings, the council will approve it and a referendum to officially approve the redistricting will be on the ballot in November. The city of Glens Falls will have the last say on whether they appreciate what weve done, and then it would change the ward boundaries, Collins said. Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at 518-742-3224 or jmullen@poststar.com. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LAKE GEORGE The Lake George Park Commission and the Lake George Association are at odds over how to remove a recurring invasive plant species. This summer, the commission is hoping to try a longer-lasting, more effective, and cost-efficient way to deal with the Eurasian watermilfoil growing on the lakes bottom. The park commission, a state agency, has proposed to release the aquatic herbicide ProcellaCOR in two small trial areas of Lake George, Blairs Bay and Sheep Meadow Bay, both problem milfoil areas. The LGA opposes the plan to use a chemical in the water for the first time in the lakes history, claiming that Lake George is unique and requires different treatment than other lakes. Traditionally, the invasive species is removed in a technique called diver-assisted suction harvesting, in which scuba divers hand-pluck the plant at the root from the lake bottom and it is sucked up through a tube before being disposed of. This process has taken place each summer since the early 1990s, according to the park commissions executive director, Dave Wick. The park commission recently signed a contract to continue the hand-harvesting technique this year. Its very time-consuming, its very hard work, its expensive, and it can be very effective, so we are going to continue that work this summer, but we have been watching with great interest as other lakes around the region have been applying this next-generation herbicide, Wick said. ProcellaCOR was first introduced in 2010, according to Wick, and underwent years of testing by the federal Environmental Protection Agency before the EPA approved it in 2017. It was subsequently approved by New York state in 2018 and has been used in 30 water bodies in the state and 250 nationwide. Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky, a part of the LGA, said the association opposes the use of the chemical in the lake because it is too new to know the potential impacts the herbicide may have on the lake. We just feel at this time, more science is needed before the application of this herbicide. There is a lot of information that can still be gained as far as the impact to native vegetation, Navitsky said. He explained that Lake George is not a good fit for this tool. While the LGA recognizes ProcellaCOR has been used successfully in other lakes, the organization does not believe Lake George is comparable to any other sites, Navitsky said. Wick said application rates will be 7 parts per billion, which is 1,000 times less than a more generally used aquatic herbicide, and the chemical completely breaks down within 48 hours with recreational use allowed the same day of application. It takes specialized equipment to even detect the product at those low dosage rates, yet it is tremendously effective at killing Eurasian watermilfoil, with no damage to other aquatic plants or animals, Wick said. Wick cited Minerva Lake in the Adirondacks, an 80-acre lake that had a 41-acre treatment area with hundreds of thousands of milfoil plants. Hand-harvesting of aquatic weeds were previously done on that lake as well. The next year they went back and there were no milfoil plants found anywhere in the lake, which was staggering. In addition, by permit, they are required to follow up with aquatic plant surveys and it was found ProcellaCOR had no effect on any other plants, he shared. Minervas town supervisor told Wick that the town used to pay $70,000 for each annual hand-harvesting effort, but only paid $27,000 for the ProcellaCOR treatment, which has at least a three-year guarantee. Saratoga Lake and Glen Lake were next up to follow Minervas lead. The commission began the process of applying for permits in spring 2021 and has already obtained state Department of Environmental Conservation permits needed to apply the herbicide. The next step is approval from the Adirondack Park Agency on April 14. To maintain transparency with the proposal, Wick said the commissions website contains all of the studies and documentation regarding ProcellaCOR and its success in other communities. Park commission board members and LGA board members participated in an hourlong conference call hoping to find common ground. They said they just werent ready, so they asked us not to move forward with the treatments so they could study it, but we explained you cannot just apply ProcellaCOR to the lake freely to study it, you need permits. They expressed possibly testing it in a bucket of water in the lake that they apply the chemicals in and study that area, Wick said. Wick said despite further explanation, members of the LGA do not feel this is the way to handle milfoil. Navitsky said the LGAs research found the herbicide has not been accepted by the European Food Safety Authority, which uses different standards to approve chemicals than organizations in the United States. He stated the two main concerns brought up by the association are lake ecology and impact on drinking water. Although it has received sign-off here, there is this lingering peer review by the European Food Safety (Authority). EPA has approved it, but even their paperwork states there are instances of acute toxicity that may effect macroinvertebrates, but it may dilute. There is just a lot of unknown, Navitsky stated. The association believes there is too much risk attached for a non-emergency situation. We have some milfoil problems that have been managed for over 30 years and we have invested $1.2 million over the past eight years, as partners with the park commission. So we just asked them to take another look at this before we contaminate this pristine body of water, Navitsky added. Wick said the commission hoped with the scientific backing provided to the association, the LGA would reconsider its position, but the LGA was simply not interested. Both groups are looking for the public to pick a side before the APA hearing on April 14, at which time the public will be invited to comment in-person or virtually. Jana DeCamilla is a staff writer who covers Moreau, Queensbury, and Lake George. She can be reached at 518-742-3272 or jdecamilla@poststar.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. U.S. Senator Richard Dick Durbin, D-Ill., will be the keynote speaker May 22 at Augustana Colleges 162nd commencement convocation. Durbin has served in the U.S. Senate since 1997 and currently serves as the Democratic Whip, the second-highest ranking position in the Senate for the Democratic Caucus. Other U.S. Senators from Illinois who have spoken at Augustanas commencement are Adlai Stevenson, Alan Dixon and Mark Kirk. Durbin, Augustana President Steve Bahls and Dr. Millicent Knight, will each receive an honorary degree at the ceremony. Bahls will be honored in recognition of his retirement effective June 30. During his presidency, the Augustana and Quad-Cities communities benefited from his passion for the liberal arts, his natural gifts as a collaborator and his drive for innovation, according to a news release. His 19-year tenure at Augustana is nearly three times longer than the average for college presidents. Knight, senior vice president of the eye care company Essilor of America in Dallas, was the commencement speaker for Augustanas 2020 virtual ceremony. She is a 1982 Augustana graduate and a member of the colleges Board of Trustees. Commencement will take place at 2 p.m. May 22 at the TaxSlayer Center, 1201 River Drive, Moline. Doors will open at 1 p.m. for those who need accessible seating. Doors will open to the public at 1:15 p.m. The ceremony will be livestreamed and archived on the colleges YouTube channel. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. IN THE NEWS GAMING REVENUE MAY FALL The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has received studies projecting Iowa gaming revenue could fall somewhere between $183 million and $256 million a year because of the expansion of casinos in Nebraska. SCHOOL BILLS: Republican lawmakers have passed differing education bills that must next find a compromise agreement. Bills include school transparency requirements, parental objections to classroom materials, and a proposed taxpayer-funded private school tuition assistance program. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced the annual National Change of Address process to update and maintain Iowas voter registration records is underway. HELP FOR UKRAINE: Iowa's public safety department donated gear 146 protective helmets and 714 ballistic vests to Ukraine. PAY INCREASE: The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors reduced proposed salary increases for the county attorney, auditor, sheriff and treasurer after a lengthy, heated debate among elected officials. The increases were reduced by about 45%, the auditor and treasurer will each receive 5% raises, the attorney's by 7.22% and the sheriff's salary by 17.4%. THEY SAID I think if you triple the amount of money that goes into a certain sector, whether its cotton candy or a gun shop or a luxury car dealership, youre going to get more of them. I think if we add more money to the redemption centers, were going to get more redemption centers. --Sen. Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, during Senate floor debate on changes to the bottle bill at the Iowa Capitol. "Gang-related shootings take up a fairly decent amount" of time for the Davenport Police Department's major crimes unit. --Davenport police detective Jordan Sander, during a preliminary hearing on a murder case involving rival gangs. ODDS AND ENDS VEGAN TREAT: The Iowa State University Creamery has named a vegan frozen treat after Lucy Slizewski, a senior studying culinary food science and nutrition science. ON THE PATH: The oculus on the I-74 bridge bike and walking path in the Quad-Cities has been put in place. When the path opens, users will be able to look through the oculus and see the Mississippi River below. CONVICTION UPHELD: The Iowa Supreme Court upheld the second-degree murder conviction of Annette Dee Cahill, whom a Muscatine County jury found guilty last year in the cold-case beating death of 22-year-old Corey Wieneke in 1992. THE WATER COOLER TOP BURGER: Artys Ice Cream & Grill in Wilton is a Top 10 finalist for Best Burger in Iowa for the second year. Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemans Association sponsor the competition for restaurants serving 100% real beef patties. ARREST IN MURDER CASE: Clinton police charged Trevor Allan Jeorge Ward, 30, with first-degree murder and first-degree arson after a man's body was found in a burning home. REDUCTION REQUEST: A former West Liberty guidance counselor accused of sexual abuse of a student has asked for her bail to be reduced. IN THE NEWS HOOVER SERVICE AWARD Rep. Cecil Dolecheck, R-Mount Ayr, and Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, were presented the 2022 Hoover Uncommon Public Service Award. The award is presented annually to Iowa legislators who exemplify the late President Herbert Hoovers humanitarian efforts. NEW VENUE: Henry Earl Dinkins, the Davenport man accused in the kidnapping and shooting death of 10-year-old Breasia Terrell in July 2020, has been granted a change of venue for his trial. A new location has not been decided. LICENSE SUSPENDED: Davenport attorney Lori Jo Kieffer-Garrison's law license has been suspended in Iowa and Illinois after court officials determined she had forged a clients signature on arraignment papers and then misrepresented what she had done. CLINIC UPGRADE: The Mulberry Health Clinic in Muscatine will be torn down and replaced with a larger clinic with three floors and 42,000 square feet. The new clinic will cost about $14 million to build. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Do you have an event or calendar item you would like published in the Ravalli Republic? Please email your submission to events@ravallirepublic.com. Submit information in paragraph form. Submission does not guarantee publication. Posters and flyers will not be accepted. Monday, April 4 Bitterroot Public Library, Toilet paper tube bird feeder take home kit for kids. First come, first served. This kit includes all materials and instructions to create a simple bird feeder in time for spring. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. North Valley Public Library, Mother Goose on the Loose, 10:30-11:30 a.m., children, babies and toddlers. For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville. northvalleylibrary.org. Hamilton Senior Center, lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $4; Hand and foot, every Monday, 12:30 p.m. Cards/shufflers provided. $1. 820 N. 4th St., Hamilton. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club, meals at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday at 6 p.m. by Florence Carlton Church Soul Suppers. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Golden Age Club, exercise class, 9-10 a.m. 727 S. 5th St., Hamilton. Hamilton Rotary Club meets at noon at BJs Restaurant, 900 N. 1st St., Hamilton. This meeting is open to the public, and visitors are welcome. Bitterroot Valley Community College Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at Bitterroot College UM, 103 S. 9th St., Hamilton. The BVCC Board of Trustees is a public board and welcomes members of the public to observe and participate at its meetings. The meeting agenda is available at BVCC Board of Trustees meetings or by emailing district.clerk@bvcommunitycollege.org. Tuesday, April 5 Bitterroot Public Library, Juntos! (Together!) Storytime, meeting room, 9:30 to 10 a.m., registration required. Spanish language storytime for ages 2 to 5 years old. Hear stories, learn simple phrases and sing along while learning a new language. Coloring Club for Adults, meeting room, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Indulge your creative side and be social. Coloring pages and pens provided. Builders Club, 4 to 5 p.m., meeting room. Registration required. Builders Club is a weekly club that meets every Tuesday and offers free play building options for children through teens. Ages 5 and up. Socrates Cafe, 6:30 to 9 p.m. meeting room. No registration required. Revive the love of questions that Socrates inspired long ago and join the community of inquiry. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. North Valley Public Library, Library Trustees Special Board Meeting, 3-4 p.m. Role Playing Games (RPGs) in-person or online, 4-6 p.m., teens (12-18). Enter the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Create your own character and join an online campaign. No experience required. For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville. northvalleylibrary.org. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club. Exercise, 10 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Bitterrootdalen Lodge, Sons of Norway, will feature Emma Mitchell, a senior at Hamilton High School, as the guest speaker for the April 5 social meeting. She will talk about the school's foreign exchange program including current visiting students' comments. Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall and will be a salad bar. Members are encouraged to bring that favorite salad or a dessert. Any questions, please call Jackie at 961-4538. Wednesday, April 6 Bitterroot Public Library, Baby and Toddler Storytime, meeting room, 10:30 a.m., registration required. Join Annika or Kat for a story, finger plays, rhymes and songs. Ages 0-2. Junior Chef Creations, meeting room, 4 to 5 p.m., registration required. Learn the basics of cooking and baking and take home a snack. Ages 8 and up. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. Hamilton Senior Center, lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $4; 820 N. 4th St., Hamilton. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club, meals at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday at 6 p.m. by Florence Carlton Church Soul Suppers. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Golden Age Club, exercise class, 9-10 a.m. Pinochle games, 1 p.m., multiple bid, $2. 727 S. 5th St., Hamilton. Divorcecare Support Group, 6:30 p.m., Wednesdays through April 6, Hamilton Assembly of God Church, upstairs room 24. You can join at any time. $20 fee for participant workbook. Scholarships available; child care provided. Thursday, April 7 Bitterroot Public Library, Artful Thinking for Kids, 4 to 5 p.m., meeting room, registration required. Learn about artists, style, technique, and work with a wide variety of mediums. Ages 7 and up. CSI: As Not Seen on TV, 6 to 8:30 p.m., meeting room. Registration required. PLEASE NOTE: Class runs about 2 hours. Retired Alaska Trooper Lee Oly takes you through a power point presentation of the techniques used by crime scene investigators on the cases of an Alaskan serial killer and a grizzly bear mauling. Warning: This class will contain graphic photography and descriptions of human remains. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club. Exercise, 10 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Friday, April 8 Bitterroot Public Library, Preschool Story time, 10:30 a.m., meeting room. Registration required. Join Annika or Kat for stories, activities and games. Ages 3 to 5. One on One Tech Support, 11 a.m. to noon. Daniel Ray, community librarian, will tackle technology questions and/or frustrations with an in-person, one on one session. Reservations recommended. Family Movie Night, 6 to 8 p.m., meeting room. Registration required. Bring your blankets and pillows and join us for refreshments, a family friendly movie, and fun. Featuring: A Little Princess (1995) Rated G. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. North Valley Public Library, Open World Fridays, 4-6 p.m., teens (12-18). Make Fridays more exciting, come to the library for an all access pass to all the cool stuff. Choose to 3D print objects and then paint them, create a craft, explore the Dungeons & Dragons handbooks, or make a zine, it's up to you. For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville. northvalleylibrary.org. Hamilton Senior Center, lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $4; Pinochle games, 1 p.m., $2. 820 N. 4th St., Hamilton. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club, meals at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Golden Age Club, exercise class, 9-10 a.m. 727 S. 5th St., Hamilton. Saturday, April 9 Free Family Activity: Miniature Catapults, 10 a.m., Make miniature catapults out of sticks, rubber bands and small lids to launch pom poms back and forth. These easy to build catapults incorporate craft sticks, rubber bands and small lids. Perfect for launching small fuzzy pom poms back & forth. Ravalli County Museum, 205 Bedford St., Hamilton. 406-363-3338. Three Mile Community/Senior Center Grand Opening, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 4433 Sunnyside Cemetery Road. Event includes tours, refreshments, games and prizes. For more information, people can call 406-360-3385 or visit online at 3milecc.org. Stevensville Senior Center, pinochle at 7 p.m. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. AA Meeting, 6-10 p.m., Bitterroot Public Library, 306 State St. Sunday, April 10 Orienteering at Soft Rock Recreation Area, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Orienteering is the sport of navigating through terrain with a map and a compass like a scavenger hunt, but in the woods. Beginner instruction will be provided, as will all orienteering-specific equipment. The event is free for first-timers. It is open to all ages and experience levels. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required and is available through https://www.grizzlyorienteering.org/event-details/soft-rock-recreation-area-3 . Further ahead Saturday, April 23 Welcome Back Waterfowl Day will be hosted by the Bitterroot Audubon Society at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge from 10 a.m. to 1:30 pm. Audubon members will be present to assist the public in identifying and observing the waterfowl and other birds and mammals that use the refuge wetlands. This special event is for everyone. Bitter Root Back Country Defensive Horsemanship Clinic, the Bitterroot Back Country Horsemen will be holding a Defensive Horsemanship Trail Obstacle clinic for its members on April 23 from 9 a.m. to noon, and from 1-4 p.m. at the C-Max Stables, 657 Bass Lane in Corvallis. Members will be practicing their groundwork skills to present a variety of obstacles to their equines. They will then ride through the obstacles, concentrating on safety and control in moving their mounts right, left, forward, and backward through the obstacles. Visitors are invited to watch the free clinic, but note that dogs are not allowed on the grounds. For more information, contact Bonnie Morgan at 406-381-9021. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Lone Rock School is holding a school election this spring for two trustee positions, both three-year terms. Candidates are incumbents Wayne Stanford and Paula Short and challengers Kevin Hammons and Kerry J. Mason. The two that receive the most votes will be selected as trustees. The candidates responses to these questions are below: Why are you running for school trustee? What specific challenges do you see for your school? How would you address them? I am Wayne Stanford, born and raised in Hamilton, Montana. I am 74 years old and a retired educator. Lone Rock School is one of the best kept secrets in the Bitterroot Valley. It boasts 23 eighth-grade graduates who have gone on to be valedictorians or salutatorians in Ravalli County high schools since 2000. It is the only rural elementary school left in Ravalli County. I feel I have a vested interest in Lone Rock School since I have lived in the community for more than 50 years and my children attended Lone Rock School. I taught school and retired from the Lone Rock District. Because I care deeply about the children, parents, staff and administration in the Lone Rock Community, I was compelled to run for the Board of Trustees and have been blessed to serve on the board for the past nine years. I am proud of the successes that Lone Rock students have achieved and my small part in that. I am running to continue the Lone Rock legacy. The major challenge facing Lone Rock School is funding. Montanas funding system is based on enrollment. In order for Lone Rock to continue to grow and to offer additional classes in the middle school, more students are needed to generate more state dollars. Ever changing technology requires continuous upgrades to equipment, software and programs. These kinds of changes have greatly increased the cost of education. Student needs, staffing needs and facility needs are all part of the challenges facing Lone Rock School. Addressing these challenges requires a thorough understanding of Montana law, school funding and budgeting, and community needs. I believe I have that knowledge and those requirements. I would appreciate your continued support, and I ask for your vote. Thank you. Paula Short, 51, associate vice president for Campus Operations at the University of Montana Why are you running for school trustee? As the proud parent of two current Lone Rock students and a trustee since 2015, I can tell you that our school is thriving. Weve emerged from challenges of the pandemic (during which Lone Rock had among the fewest operational disruptions of any school in the valley), enrollment is up, our budget has improved and our students continue to excel academically. In seven of the past eight years, Lone Rock students have been honored as valedictorians or salutatorians of their graduating high school classes a total of 14 students in all! It is a testament to the quality education our dedicated team provides for our students. Lone Rock needs continued leadership from an experienced board with the knowledge and commitment to serving our students, families and community. I bring these attributes and the perspective of a parent of current students, which is vitally important. What specific challenges do you see for your school? As more people move to the valley, our school will face both challenges and opportunities associated with that growth. Well be challenged by maintenance needs for facilities, ever-changing technology for our classrooms and our ability to recruit and retain talented teachers and staff. Well continue to face funding challenges, even as I expect our enrollment to continue to grow. How would you address them? The role of the school trustee can be summed up in three words: resources, relationships and response. I will continue working to ensure the district has the resources (funding, curriculum, people and policies) it needs to fulfill our mission. Ill continue to build and maintain relationships with our employees, students, families and community. And Ill bring knowledge and experience to respond to new challenges in partnership with school leaders. It is an honor to serve at Lone Rock! I'm Kevin Hammons, and I manage the meat department of a local grocery store. I studied computer and software engineering at Oregon Institute of Technology, and I've worked in forestry, construction and botanical field work. Our nation is at an inflection point between liberty and tyranny. America's young people are embracing socialism in record numbers in part because they are not taught the terrible, bloody history of the unceasing failure of socialism, fascism, communism, and every other flavor of Marxism. This fight is what first drew my attention to my local school. Left wing politics is not only corrupting education philosophy, it is displacing raw academic excellence. Consider, for example, the math curriculum at Lone Rock School. Last year, at the recommendation of the teachers, the board discarded their highly regarded, rigorous Saxon math curriculum for a new, partially web-based curriculum, in part because the web-based curriculum will build a database on each student to tailor the lessons to the students' needs as perceived by the software. In other words, the software will do the teacher's work for him. A very similar math curriculum is adding to the difficulties my young niece is facing. She frequently fails her math classes by slapping down any random number as an "answer" so that she can get "done" with her work and go on to play other things on her class computer. Not only that, but the second-grade curriculum that my niece is using is half a year behind the second-grade curriculum that I used. The dumbing-down of education is real, even here in Montana, and the incumbents this election are probably the most left leaning on a left-of-center board. My website is KevinHammons.com, and my pledge is to liberty and excellence. My name is Stone Kerryjohn Mason and I've lived in Lone Rock for almost 20 years. My family has several generations of roots and branches in Montana. Three of my adult children attended and graduated from the Lone Rock school, and I have a toddler who will be entering the educational system before long. I wish to serve on the Lone Rock school board for a variety of reasons. Among them is the idea that i can serve parents as a bridge to the school and within the community. Being retired but also with a forthcoming student, I fall into both of the main demographics here. Many local parents have to work and simply don't have the time to keep up with a modern school. I'm in a position in my life to do that for them as needed. Primarily though, I want to effectively ensure our children receive the best possible instruction in an environment that is both safe and conducive to positive development as they grow into good people and direct our futures. We need to focus on preparing our children well while helping them understand the world rather than simply formatting them for higher academics. In a rapidly growing and changing community, parents need to be the guiding voice in our school. *** The American Legion is conducting a candidate forum from 6 to 7 p.m. right before the school board meeting on April 19 at Lone Rock School, 1112 Three Mile Creek Rd. Ballots will be mailed out on April 15 and the deadline for returning ballots is May 3. The polls will not be open. Ballots can be returned by mail or in-person to Ravalli County Elections Office, 215 S. 4th St., Suite C, Hamilton. To ease the travel for voters living in the north valley, ballots can be dropped off at the Florence-Carlton School Administration Building, 5602 Old U.S. Highway 93, Florence. The Ravalli Republic will publish candidate profiles for school and college board elections in upcoming editions. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Virginia Department of Transportation will close South Crater Road, or Route 301, beneath Interstate 95 in Petersburg as workers continue to replace the interstates southbound bridge deck. The closure will begin at 9 p.m. Sunday and, weather permitting, last until morning rush on April 14, the department said. But at least one direction of the road will remain closed through November. Drivers should use the following detours: Southbound S. Crater Rd. (Rt. 301): Take the ramp to I-95 north and use Exit 52 to take E. Washington St. west. Turn left to take I-95 south back to Exit 50/Route 301. Northbound S. Crater Rd. (Rt. 301): Take the ramp to I-95 south/BUS 460. Keep left at the fork to continue on BUS 460 east. Turn left onto Winfield Road and continue west back to S. Crater Road. The original bridge was built in 1962 and reconstructed in 1981. It carries approximately 38,000 vehicles each day. The bridge deck, or the driving surface, will undergo a full replacement, extending its life cycle, according to the department. Additional repairs will help the bridges existing superstructure, while its existing substructure will remain in place. The project is expected to cost $7 million and be completed in summer 2023. Anyone with questions about the project can call (800) 367-7623 or visit virginiadot.org/projects/richmond/ petersburg---i-95-south -bridge-deck-replacement -over-route-301.asp. An estimated 600 people gathered Saturday to honor Sierra Jenkins, a young journalist whose life was cut short by a stray bullet two weeks ago after gunfire erupted outside a popular Granby Street nightspot. Roughly 450 mourners lined the pews of the Metropolitan Funeral Home Chapel. As guests continued to pour in, another hundred were ushered to an overflow chapel. When those seats were filled, dozens stood in the lobby, the entryway, the hallways anywhere there was standing room. In a tribute to her best friend, Drew Ferebee said she believed Jenkins, who turned 25 less than a week before her death, would change the world. Sierra always said I dont have to change the world. If I can just leave a mark in my little section, I will be happy, Ferebee said. Well Sierra, I think you underestimated your section. Jenkins was an education reporter for The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press. Prior to joining The Pilot in December 2020, she interned at Atlanta Magazine and CNN, and worked as a news assistant for CNN Health. Jenkins was interested in social issues, always looking for stories that could create change. She was one of two people killed early March 19 at Chichos Pizza Backstage in downtown Norfolk. The gunfire, Norfolk Police Chief Larry Boone said, started after an argument over a spilled drink. Police have not identified any suspects. Elder Phillip Moore Jr. officiated Jenkins service. He offered words of comfort as he led family, friends and community members in a celebration of her life. Moore said Jenkins lived her life as God wanted living her purpose. Sierra was doing what she was purposed to do, Moore said. Sierra was here to invoke us, to revoke us, to think better than we think, to address issues that so many have swept under the rug because it does not meet their personal or political agenda. Between the reading of the Bible and praises to God, Moore urged mourners to not be so emotional that we do not demand justice. We dare not overlook what is going on. We dare not act like there was an illness, like she just stepped away. There is something that needs to be done about the condition of the world in which we live, Moore said. As he said people no longer care about the consequences of their actions, Moore told those gathered to be better. There is entirely too much senseless violence, to the point of exhaustion, nausea, irritation. To the point that we are really and truly fed up, Moore said. Maurice Thompson, a professor at Georgia State University, learned of Jenkins death from a news article that featured her photo. When I saw her picture, I just assumed she had won an award, Thompson said. Then, I started reading it and I thought Oh, God. Thompson spoke Saturday of how Jenkins came to be one of his best students. When I met Sierra, she came to me and she said, I need to enroll in your class because I need the knowledge that you have to do what it is I am going to do, Thompson shared during the service. Under Thompson, Jenkins studied the history of African Americans in Georgia, which Thompson said touched on criminal reform, gender pay, LGBTQIA rights, voting rights and womens reproductive rights. He said Jenkins was the epitome of the phrase, Let the work I have done speak for me detailing her professionalism and thoughtfulness. We will remember the work Sierra has done, Thompson said. An all-female motorcycle group escorted Jenkins to Forest Lawn Cemetery at the request of her mother, said family friend Kenya Youngblood. The female motorcycle escort, Youngblood said, was to honor Jenkins advocacy for womens rights. Jenkins was a member of HER Campus while at Georgia State University. It was then that she began to focus on women, womens health, women empowerments and marginalized communities, Jenkins mother, Moniquekia Thompson, wrote in Jenkins obituary. Sierra found that her voice could be heard with the power of her words. That was her charge in this realm, read the obituary. Sierras light will continue to shine, one word at a time. Jenkins last story was about a Hampton University program to take in students impacted by the war in Ukraine, reflecting her passion for telling the stories of students. In her tribute, Ferebee highlighted Jenkins promising career as an agent of change, stating that in her 25 years, Jenkins had accomplished what some do not accomplish in 65. For longtime friends Philip Hatter and Jayson Anuszkiewicz, Mr. Bills Wine Cellar, a community staple, has been a part of countless memories from holidays to game nights to family celebrations. Hatter, a Roanoke native, lived just four doors away from the popular wine and beer shop when it first opened on Brambleton Road over a decade ago. Anuszkiewicz, a Michigan transplant lured here by a job with Roanoke Fire-EMS, where hes now a lieutenant, gravitated toward the friendly, locally owned shop as he delved into homebrewing and built up his knowledge of wine. So when the two learned that Mr. Bill, aka Bill Phillips, was ready to retire and hoping to pass on his shop to new owners, it struck them as a natural fit. We knew the business, said Hatter, adding the duo, whose families have been friends for years, wanted to continue the legacy of glad gatherings and community connection that Phillips created. You know, wine and beer, when people are buying those things, its typically for some kind of celebratory event, he said. We want to be a place that fosters those gatherings, whether it be a group of friends around a grill on a Tuesday night or a graduation or a wedding. Our goal, really, is to help people celebrate the good life, essentially, he said. Thats what were about. The sale, which took effect March 2, was a homecoming for Hatter, who previously worked in coffee and for the past five years was a director with a roastery in Knoxville, Tenn., strengthening his background in product testing and sourcing. His family is now back in the Star City. Hatter plans to work full-time in the shop. Anuszkiewicz will be giving time to both the store and his job with the fire department. Phillips is consulting with the new team, and said in an online announcement he was excited for this new chapter for the business that he opened in 2010. Anuszkiewicz still remembers one of his first visits to Mr. Bills. He asked if they ever stocked a hard-to-find beer from his home state. Phillips tracked it down, and got it for him. That type of dedication and service is something he wants to continue. Its a good legacy, Anuszkiewicz said. ... Were here for the people. Were here for the folks who want to celebrate. The new owners plan to revive the shops weekly tastings, after a long, pandemic-imposed hiatus, with the first event booked for late April. Other gatherings, including meet-and-greets with wine and beer makers, are also in the works. Mr. Bills, which occupies a storefront spanning about 1,000 square feet, offers wines from an array of growing regions and price points. Craft beers, ciders and meads also round out the shelves. The shop, located at 2825 Brambleton Ave. in Roanoke, is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Xiconomics: China-Europe cooperation gains steam by embracing green partnership Xinhua) 09:43, April 03, 2022 BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Offshore construction of a wind farm is complicated. It is often described as a "moon landing" mission. That is even more so in the Mediterranean, one of the world's busiest waterways. Yet the Italians' determination coupled with Chinese expertise are starting to turn the Southern European nation's dream for clean electricity into reality. WIND OF COOPERATION A massive wind turbine installation vessel is on standby 24 hours a day off Taranto port in southern Italy, where engineers are about to witness the birth of the Mediterranean's first offshore wind farm. When fully operational, Beleolico could power 18,500 households. With Chinese expertise, the construction of the wind farm is nearing completion. It is ready to tell a story of how the tie-up of Chinese renewable technology and Europe's ambitious green targets can make a difference. And when the wind blows across turbine rotor blades off the Puglia coast -- the "heel" of Italy's boot -- the wind farm can generate zero-emissions electricity to power tens of thousands of local families. Italy is not the only European country that is working with China to generate power through wind. In a dense mountain forest in western Croatia, the country's largest wind farm, built by a Chinese company, has begun operation. It promotes greener, local growth and could persuade more environmentally-oriented young people to stay behind and develop their hometowns. That wind of renewable energy cooperation is impressively valuable and essential as the headwinds of protectionism and confrontation are swirling hard. That is why leaders of China and the European Union (EU) have stressed once again their shared commitment to promoting common development and jointly tackling such planetary challenges as climate change at their Friday's virtual gathering via video. SHARED GREEN FUTURE These wind farm cooperation projects are possible thanks mostly to the common pursuit by China and the EU in green development, a key component of "Xiconomics" put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping and guiding China's high-quality growth. Following Xi's economic thought, China has built the world's largest wind and solar power capacity, with an increase in new installation outpacing any other country in the world. In 2021, China sold more than 3.5 million new energy vehicles, ranking first globally for the seventh consecutive year. While China is delivering on its promise of carbon neutrality set for mid-century, the country is synergizing its development strategy with that of the EU to generate new driving forces in an already dynamic partnership. About 800 km away from Taranto port, China's Shanghai Electric Power Company Limited is using its expertise in wind, solar and hydrogen power on Malta's Gozo Island, which could become the EU's first carbon-neutral island. Horst Loechel, a professor at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, stressed the importance of green cooperation between China and the EU. This "template for cooperation" in green energy is of great significance for the world, said the professor. "We shall see more and more joint efforts in technology invention, adoption, and commercialization," said Xiong Yu, a professor at the Surrey Business School in Britain, while talking about the prospects of China-EU green cooperation. "The collaboration will be from strength to strength and can obviously impact the world," he said, adding that "it will greatly improve the trust and partnerships in many other areas between the two regions." PARTNERSHIP OF GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE Eight years ago, during a visit to the EU headquarters in Brussels, President Xi proposed that the two sides foster a partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization. During a meeting with President Charles Michel of the European Council and President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission via video link on Friday, Xi urged greater synergy between their development strategies and complementarity between China's new development philosophy and paradigm and the EU's trade policy for open strategic autonomy. The new development philosophy, featuring innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, was put forward by Xi in 2015 and has since piloted China's growth and strengthened its trade links with other countries. China-EU trade has no doubt reaped from such a vision. In 2021, bilateral trade between China and the EU was worth over 800 billion U.S. dollars, a new all-time high, up 33 percent from eight years ago. Two-way investment last year exceeded 270 billion U.S. dollars. The EU became China's second-largest trading partner last year. In the first two months of 2022, it overtook the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to grab the top spot, indicating the huge potential for the two-way trade. And across the Eurasian continent, freight trains transporting merchandise between China and Europe see constant growth, supporting global supply chains despite disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict. "China and the EU should act as two big markets promoting shared development and deepen economic globalization through open cooperation," Xi said, adding that China welcomes the EU's support for and participation in the Global Development Initiative that aims for balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth worldwide. "China and Europe are close trading partners," said Timo Vuori, director of International Trade and Trade Policy, the Confederation of Finnish Industries. It is vital for them to "continue to develop bilateral cooperation in trade, investments, and climate change. For example, there is potential for industrial digitalization and a green economy including sustainable manufacturing and renewable energy," Vuori said. For professor Xiong in Britain, China-EU ties are of global significance. "China and EU collaboration can greatly benefit each other and create unique value and opportunities for the whole human society." (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) A senior Hillsong leader has spoken out against an upcoming documentary that features former members and other critics of the church. "Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed" is a three-part series that will air on Discovery Plus on 24 March. A trailer for the documentary has already aired showing a number of people talking about their experience with the church. Ranin Karim, a designer who says she had a months-long affair with former New York City pastor Carl Lentz, also appears in the trailer. She can be heard saying, "It was the most toxic thing I ever had to deal with." Lentz was fired in November 2020 over "moral failures" and admitted to marital unfaithfulness. In addition to examining the Lentz scandal, the documentary will look into claims that the Australia-based church operates like a cult. Hillsong Church interim global senior pastor Phil Dooley brought up the documentary during a global broadcast. Dooley said he was saddened that some people had been hurt during their time with Hillsong but claimed that the documentary only presented part of the picture about the church. He also questioned the motives of the documentary makers. "Sadly, there is a documentary about our church coming out soon. Surprise, surprise. And that picture it paints is far removed from, I believe, the truth of who we are as a church," Dooley said. "There are people who have been hurt by their experience in our church. And that saddens me. For those people, I say we are deeply sorry and we pray that you'll find healing. "But there are also producers behind this documentary, and their purpose is not the healing of people but simply to hurt the church." He continued, "And if those producers were truly attempting to do an expose, I would like to expose them to a place called Gugulethu, a township in Cape Town. "And a school called Tembaletu with Xhosa speaking disabled young people who live a pretty tough life. "And yet our church collectively around the world provided them with accommodation, so that they could experience a better life and an opportunity for a better education. And we have continued to do that with these beautiful kids." Reposted with permission from Christian Today It didnt take Sierra Sallah long to hit on the name for the new shop that shes brought to downtown Roanoke. Sallah, a native of the Roanoke Valley, has always felt proud of her Southwest Virginia roots. And she knew she wanted to help showcase the talent and culture that make the region special. I absolutely love this area, she said, adding she envisioned her boutique as a place that celebrates and enjoys this area and what it has to offer and the local people here. Just kind of being excited about this area, she added. I think we need more of that. Southwest Native, a mix of jewelry, accessories and clothing, was born. The shop celebrated its grand opening in March after moving into a storefront in the Crafteria, a market that specializes in offering unique and handmade goods. The chance to join the marketplace on Church Avenue was too good to pass up, Sallah said. Her store initially started out last year as an online shop with a line of jewelry curated by her. But the idea of a storefront was already on her mind. The Crafteria offered built-in foot traffic in a growing part of downtown, as well as a chance to be alongside other entrepreneurs and creators, she said. The makers in here, each one of them has a different story about their pieces and its so interesting, Sallah said. Im really enjoying it. The small storefront also presented her an opportunity to partner with local creators and stock their work. Shes currently featuring handmade woodwork pieces from Whitt Sign Co., earrings fashioned by Simply Restored and clothing from Wild Thread Co., which also has its own shop at Smith Mountain Lake. Sallah described the boutiques vibe as a modern, minimalist, boho aesthetic. She gravitates toward clean lines and neutral palates punctuated by statement pieces. Offering items that are both affordable and high-quality is one of the shops guiding principles, Sallah added. She vets every selection, and offers a one-year guarantee on everything she sells. Southwest Native, located at 16 W. Church Ave. S.W., is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. The online shops jewelry line also can be found at shopsouthwestnative.com. Roanoke spirits shop changes friendly hands For longtime friends Philip Hatter and Jayson Anuszkiewicz, Mr. Bills Wine Cellar, a community staple, has been a part of countless memories from holidays to game nights to family celebrations. Hatter, a Roanoke native, lived just four doors away from the popular wine and beer shop when it first opened on Brambleton Avenue over a decade ago. Anuszkiewicz, a Michigan transplant lured here by a job with Roanoke Fire-EMS, where hes now a lieutenant, gravitated toward the friendly, locally owned shop as he delved into homebrewing and built up his knowledge of wine. So when the two learned that Mr. Bill, aka Bill Phillips, was ready to retire and hoping to pass on his shop to new owners, it struck them as a natural fit. We knew the business, said Hatter, adding the duo, whose families have been friends for years, wanted to continue the legacy of glad gatherings and community connection that Phillips created. You know, wine and beer, when people are buying those things, its typically for some kind of celebratory event, he said. We want to be a place that fosters those gatherings, whether it be a group of friends around a grill on a Tuesday night or a graduation or a wedding. Our goal, really, is to help people celebrate the good life, essentially, he said. Thats what were about. The sale, which took effect March 2, was a homecoming for Hatter, who previously worked in coffee and for the past five years was a director with a roastery in Knoxville, Tenn., strengthening his background in product testing and sourcing. His family is now back in the Star City. Hatter plans to work full-time in the shop. Anuszkiewicz will be giving time to both the store and his job with the fire department. Phillips is consulting with the new team, and said in an online announcement he was excited for this new chapter for the business that he opened in 2010. Anuszkiewicz still remembers one of his first visits to Mr. Bills. He asked if they ever stocked a hard-to-find beer from his home state. Phillips tracked it down, and got it for him. That type of dedication and service is something he wants to continue. Its a good legacy, Anuszkiewicz said. ... Were here for the people. Were here for the folks who want to celebrate. The new owners plan to revive the shops weekly tastings, after a long, pandemic-imposed hiatus, with the first event booked for late April. Other gatherings, including meet-and-greets with wine and beer makers, are also in the works. Mr. Bills, which occupies a storefront spanning about 1,000 square feet, offers wines from an array of growing regions and price points. Craft beers, ciders and meads also round out the shelves. The shop, located at 2825 Brambleton Ave. S.W. in Roanoke, is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Orange Avenue auto detailing business diversifies A revival is in the works for a busy car wash site that was abruptly closed by Mother Nature last year when a heavy rainstorm set off a small landslide. Southern Classic Auto Wash, which operated on Orange Avenue for more than 25 years, has been dormant since January 2021 after a steep slope immediately next to its building suffered a partial collapse amid a saturating, daylong rain. The slide, which unfolded overnight and caused no injuries, crushed the rear of the building and left it a total loss. The owners, who at the time had recently sold another location in Christiansburg, explored rebuilding but ultimately decided to list the 1.5-acre property for sale. The site is now under new ownership, and slated to become the home of a new, upscale car wash that aims to open in early 2023. Road Runner Express, which opened its first location in Lynchburg last year, offers a range of services, including memberships, which have proven popular with customers, said general manager Daniel Cyrus. Our main goal, always, is customer service, Cyrus said. That starts with the technology put in the car wash itself and, at the end of the day, really finishes with our people. That is whats really important to us. We want you to drive onto the lot, and be greeted with a smile. The high-tech facility is an automated car wash but expects to employ around 12-15 attendants to assist people. The sale of the site, located on a high-traffic corridor at 950 Orange Ave. NE, was finalized in January for $875,000. The real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer represented Road Runner Express in the deal. Road Runner was the second purchaser of the property. The site initially sold to another group last year that went on to sell it to the new car wash. This will be the businesss first footprint in the Roanoke market but it hopes to keep expanding in the region. The Orange Avenue project is now navigating the permitting and site plan approval process. Its applications call for slope stabilization work, a retaining wall and a new configuration that will put the car wash closer to the road and away from the rear slope. Once the plans get the green light, Road Runner plans to start razing the old building and moving forward with construction. Cyrus said the group hopes to open early next year. The new car wash building is expected to span about 5,200 square feet. The site will also offer vacuuming stations with car detailing tools for those who want to spruce up both the inside and outside of their cars. Contact business reporter Alicia Petska at alicia.petska@roanoke.com Join the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library as Virginia Tech Associate Professor of History Daniel Thorp discusses his new book, In the True Blues Wake: Slavery and Freedom Among the Families of Smithfield Plantation, at the Blacksburg Library on Wednesday, April 13, at 6 p.m. In 1759, William Preston purchased 16 enslaved Africans brought to Maryland aboard the True Blue, an English slave ship. Over the next century, the Prestons enslaved more than 200 individuals and used their labor to establish and operate Smithfield, the familys Virginia seat, and the plantations into which it was later divided. In the True Blues Wake tells the story of the men and women who were enslaved at Smithfield Plantation between its establishment in 1774 and the abolition of slavery there in 1865: who they were and how they and their families endured the experience of slavery. It then follows those families after their emancipation as they moved throughout the United States, and explores how they and their descendants used their families new freedom to advance in the world. Thorp was born in North Carolina but grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. He earned both a masters and doctorate from the Johns Hopkins University. Thorp began his teaching career as a visiting instructor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1981 and then spent three years at East Carolina University. He returned to Virginia Tech in 1986, and has taught there ever since, earning university awards both for teaching and undergraduate advising. He has also taught at Sunderland University, in England, and spent six months as a Fulbright Scholar in Wellington, New Zealand. Thorps research has spanned a range of topics in American history from 17th century Maine to 20th century Virginia to comparative U.S.-New Zealand history. He is the author of almost two dozen articles or book chapters and four books: The Moravian Community in Colonial North Carolina; Lewis & Clark: An American Journey; Facing Freedom: An African American Community in Virginia from Reconstruction to Jim Crow; and In the True Blues Wake. He is currently working on a number of projects that he hopes will result in further publications. Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. For more information about the program, please call Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library at 382-6969, ext. 215, or email kcopus@mfrl.org. - Submitted by Kerri Copus The YMCA at Virginia Tech celebrated International Womens Day, which falls in March of every year, by recognizing three international women community members. The three women were recognized for demonstrating a spirit of perseverance, making an impact in their community and setting an example of service in the New River Valley. Serving in a public office is Ms. Aphi Fancon, born and raised in India. She pursued a career in city planning when she and her family moved to Florida in 2002. Fancon got her graduate degree from University of Florida. In 2015, she moved to Blacksburg. She is currently working as the community development director at the New River Valley Regional Commission. She loves to volunteer in the community and make new friends. Her volunteer work has included helping in several programs such as Meals on Main and Welcoming Week with the YMCA, Renew the New, and food drives for Feeding Southwest Virginia and Radford Head Start. One of the YMCAs longtime volunteers, Ms. Manju Batra, is an active member within the international community. Batra grew up in India in an extended family and learned from an early age to be a helper in her neighborhood, just like her mother. She came to the United States in 1972 after getting married. Before coming to Virginia she lived in Missouri where she was very involved with her childrens schools and volunteering at the BW Robinson State School for children with disabilities. She joined the YMCA at VT when the family moved to Blacksburg in 1994. Batra is a connector of people. She loves to welcome newcomers and help them make friendships with other community members. It gives her a sense of fulfillment to help newly arrived international people settle in, as she was once in their shoes and remembers how challenging it was to find her way when moving to a new country. In the face of adversity, Ms. Rejane Pratelli discovered her strength and new path in the arts. Born in France, she earned a Ph.D. in plant biology and pursued her research in various countries. She arrived in the U.S. in 2007, and settled in Blacksburg in 2009. In 2013, an aneurysm left her without being able to speak and to use her fingers for a number of months, and brought her academic career to an end. She turned to art to heal and ground herself. An introductory sterling silver jewelry workshop in Blair Andersons studio near Washington, D.C., sparked a deep love and respect for that metal, and provided the outlet she needed. It took a few years of practice to fully recover the use of her fingers and grow her skills and confidence. It was through the YMCAs annual Craft Fair that she was pleasantly surprised to find that her art was well received. She eventually felt ready to take the plunge and started her jewelry business, Anvil, Fire & Time, in 2018. Since then her work has focused on the exploration of textures, using them to reflect the complexity of the human psyche and to fight the pressure society places on all of us, but especially on women. Pratelli has been helping the Y ever since with planning and organizing the annual Craft Fair. The YMCA at VT also took the opportunity to celebrate Womens History Month with an open house and presentation on the life and achievements of Lucy Lee Lancaster, who was one of the first five women students at Virginia Tech (1925). She led an active life leading many organizations while working as a librarian and traveling to 52 countries. Lucy Lee was a board member of the YMCA at VT for many years, and before her death bequeathed her house to the organization. - Submitted by Laureen Blakemore The Radford University Police Department is investigating after witnesses heard a gunshot off-campus at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. University and Radford city officers responded to the incident near 2nd Avenue and Downey Street. The summons was for a physical altercation, but witnesses told officers they heard gunfire a few minutes before the police arrived, according to a news release. As suspects had apparently driven away from the area, police said there was no continuing threat to public safety. If anyone has any additional information regarding this case, police said to contact the criminal investigations division of the Radford City Police Department at 540-731-3624. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BLACKSBURG Montgomery County attorney Chris Obenshain on Saturday became the first contender to seek the newly created Virginia House of Delegates 41st District in an election thats still 19 months away. We need a Republican candidate who can win this entire district, from Riner up to Catawba, from Blacksburg over to Bent Mountain, Obenshain said, announcing his candidacy for the GOP nomination during an event held at his familys farm in Blacksburg. The district, whose boundaries were recently established by the Virginia Supreme Court, contains western Roanoke County and much of Montgomery County, including Blacksburg. Unlike other new legislative districts set by the court, it does not include a resident incumbent delegate. Current House of Delegates members will be allowed to serve out the rest of their two-year terms within the previous legislative boundaries. The redistricting seats wont be on general election ballots until November 2023. A Blacksburg resident, Obenshain is an assistant commonwealths attorney for Montgomery County. He also serves in the Army Reserve. Although he is a first-time political candidate, Obenshains family has been significantly involved in Virginia GOP politics for decades. Chris Obenshains cousin is state Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham. Chris Obenshains uncle and Mark Obenshains father, Richard Obenshain, was the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate from Virginia when he was killed in a 1978 plane crash prior to the election. John Warner replaced him as the Republican senatorial candidate and went on to a lengthy career in that legislative body. Sherri Blevins, who chairs the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, touted Chris Obenshain as a candidate with conservative bona fides during Saturdays event, saying he will advocate for the Constitution, prioritize victims of crime and support law enforcement He is a champion for families, standing and speaking against a woke school system, mask mandates and standing for our parental rights, Blevins also said. Obenshains opportunity to seek the 41st District seat in the House of Delegates comes after the Virginia Supreme Court issued a redistricting order late last year after a citizens commission originally tasked with drawing new boundaries deadlocked. When the Supreme Court released the new districts, I kind of looked at it and said, Im living in a district that has no incumbent, Obenshain said. Its something I thought about doing before but never really seriously explored it. But it just seemed like the timing was perfect. The new district sets up the potential for a closely contested race for delegate between Republican and Democratic candidates. University town Blacksburg has a strong concentration of Democratic voters, but the rest of the district is largely rural and suburban, which have strongly favored Republican candidates of late. Im a conservative so my values and the things I believe in line up very well with the majority of people who live in this district. But I also live in Blacksburg. My grandfather was a professor at Virginia Tech, Obenshain said Saturday. I have, I think, a recognition of the differences between what different areas of the district need and want, he added. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In an angry sea of rioters that engulfed the U.S. Capitol, it was not obvious that a man wearing jeans, a dark pullover and a blue daypack was a police officer. Thomas T.J. Robertson, who is charged with federal crimes that include wielding a wooden stick at police officers who were trying to turn back the mob, was off duty at the time from his job with the Rocky Mount Police Department. But the 49-year-olds law enforcement background will play a prominent role in his trial, scheduled to begin Monday with jury selection in Washington D.C.s federal court. Prosecutors say in court papers that Robertson abused his position of public trust by siding with hundreds of Donald Trump supporters in one of the most riotous acts of insurrection the nation has ever seen. To show Robertsons role in the events of Jan. 6, 2021, the government will rely on footage from surveillance cameras, photographs that turned up on social media and the defendants own incriminating words on Facebook, according to a list of exhibits filed in U.S. District Court. Also included on the list are excerpts of Robertsons personnel files from the Rocky Mount Police Department, which fired him following his arrest. Although details of the records are not included in court documents, prosecutors are expected to use them in an effort to show that Robertson was well aware through his experience and training that his activities interfered with law enforcements efforts to control the volatile crowd. Robertson has said he entered the building peacefully, at the invitation of Capitol police officers on the scene, and did nothing wrong in posing for a selfie photograph with a fellow police officer and then walking away. Defense attorney Mark Rollins of Washington wants the jury to hear about Robertsons accomplishments as a police officer, which include being promoted to sergeant and receiving a medal of valor in 2017. The jury will have to make the decision of whether Mr. Robertson was in possession of a dangerous weapon and they should be allowed to know all aspects of Mr. Robertsons life, Rollins wrote in court papers. Details about the lawmans professionalism, dedication and commitment to public service should be allowed, the document states, to show that he would never use a walking stick in a nefarious manner. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Aloi countered that body cameras worn by Metropolitan Police Department officers clearly show Robertson using his stick to block their efforts to defend the Capitols lower west terrace from the advancing mob. Character evidence about Robertsons career as a police officer should not be admitted, she wrote in a motion asking U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper to exclude the evidence. Should Robertson maintain that his stick was for walking and nothing else, Aloi said she is prepared to present evidence that he usually did not require assistance from a cane or other support, and had not been seen using one prior to the riots. Usually, character evidence is limited to a general description of the defendants reputation and cannot be used to disprove a specific part of the case against him, the motion stated. Cooper has yet to rule on Alois request to exclude character evidence, according to a check of court records late Friday afternoon. Pros and cons of a trial Robertson is one of about 775 people from across the country charged with participating in the uprising. The insurrection began shortly after then-President Trump urged his supporters to fight like hell against an election he claims was stolen from him. Courts have found no credible evidence of widespread voter fraud. Ten of the individuals charged were current or former police officers or correctional guards, according to the Insurrection Index, a searchable database compiled by a coalition of nonprofit groups. Four other defendants are from Western Virginia. They include former Rocky Mount police officer Jacob Fracker, who accompanied Robertson on a trip to to hear Trump speak. Last month, Fracker pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct a special session of Congress held to certify the election of President Joe Biden. Despite strong evidence against them, some of the accused have refused to plead guilty. Of course, he has a constitutional right to ask a jury to decide his case, Melanie Wilson, a law professor at the University of Tennessee, said of Robertson Wilson, a former federal and state prosecutor who has accepted a job as dean of Washington and Lee Universitys law school effective July 1, said Robertson may be hoping just to get one juror to side with him, which would result in a hung jury. His status as a military veteran and former police officer could help. I think there are a number of citizens who serve on juries who would still give the benefit of doubt to police officers, Wilson said. The flip side, she said, is that someone with a background in law enforcement could be seen by a jury of their peers as more accountable than the average rioter. Knowing the challenges that were facing the on-duty officers, who were vastly outnumbered by the horde, makes him more dangerous, and yet he still participated, Wilson said. Federal authorities say about 140 police officers were assaulted during the revolt, which forced members of Congress to flee for their safety before the special session was reconvened later that night. The insurrection caused an estimated $1.5 million in damage to the Capitol. More than 100 defendants have been sentenced so far, with about half of them receiving prison sentences. The rest were placed on probation or home detention. Fracker faces a maximum sentence of five years at a hearing that has yet to be scheduled. Meanwhile, an investigation by federal authorities continues. The most recent arrest came last week, when a Missouri man was charged with assaulting police officers. Going to the jury box Last August, Robertson rejected a plea agreement offered by prosecutors. Authorities did not say at the time what concessions such as a reduction of charges or a lower sentence had been offered in exchange for a guilty plea. Since then, government attorneys have twice increased the severity of the charges against Robertson. In January, a new indictment charged that the former police officer was armed with a deadly and dangerous weapon, that is, a large wooden stick. A second superseding indictment was returned by a grand jury last month, alleging that after returning home to Franklin County, Robertson destroyed a cell phone knowing that it held incriminating evidence against him. In all, Robertson faces six charges: Obstructing an official proceeding, participating in a civil disorder, entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, violent entry of the Capitol and tampering with evidence. The trial is expected to last all week. Robertson and Fracker were arrested one week after the riots, following the posting on Facebook of a selfie photograph that showed them posing in front of a statue of John Stark, a Revolutionary War hero, in the vaulted Crypt of the Capitol. At the time, both were allowed to remain free on bond. But Robertson ran into trouble last July, after authorities say he ordered about 35 assault-style weapons online, despite orders from a judge not to have anything to do with guns. His bond was revoked and he has been held in custody since. Pointing to Robertsons often harsh online rhetoric, prosecutors say he has shown a sincere commitment to violence. One week after the November 2020 election, Robertson wrote on Facebook: A legitimate republic stands on 4 boxes. The soapbox, the ballot box, the jury box and then the cartridge box. We just moved to step 3. Step 4 will not be pretty, the post continued, according to court records. I cannot speak for others, but being disenfranchised by fraud is my hard line. Ive spent most of my adult life fighting a counter insurgency. Im about to become part of one, and a very effective one. Starting Monday, the case will reach what Robertson called step 3 the jury box. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. This article was originally published by CalMatters. You can read more of their coverage of California state government on CalMatters.org. FLORENCE, S.C. Several hundred people turned out Saturday morning for the 10th annual Walk to Health at Mt. Zion AME Church in Florence. The message here is to get out and start getting back into our fitness regimens, said Dr. Evelyn Fulmore with Pee Dee Medical Professional Association. A lot of people during the last few years of COVID havent been out and about so we are hopeful that people are interested to know that its time to get outside. Toward that end many participants took a 2.5- mile walk from the church, down Cheves Street, around downtown Florence and back to the church. We are blessed with such a beautiful day today, Fulmore said of the walk and the medical fair that took place as well. Thankful to be able to bring resources to people, have access to care, connect with providers, Fulmore said. Medical providers involved included HopeHealth, MUSC Health Florence and Francis Marion Universitys nursing program, which tested participants blood-sugar levels. Other vendors included state programs and businesses that catered to health needs. There are supports for the health care of persons who are minorities of this area and they deserve to know who and what and where, Fulmore said. Were fortunate to have the ministerial community here to support us at Mt. Zion AME, Fulmore said. Just to bring the community together for health awareness, the Rev. Merritt Graves said of the reasoning behind the walk and fitness fair. We are grateful for the physicians who take out of their time and come and show the community what services they offer, Graves said. The body is a temple, Graves said. Walking is low impact. Most of us are capable of walking. It can decrease your risk of very common illnesses, said Dr. Rodney Allen, president of the association and an orthopedist with McLeod Health. It wont tear up your knees if you take your time. Its about distance more than pace, Allen said. The fair ran from 7:30 to 11 a.m. FLORENCE, S.C. Atlanta artist Megan Mosholder sees the world a bit differently following a fiery car crash that left her in a wheel chair so her Florence art installation at University Place Gallery is titled Vertically Challenged. The exhibition is largely composed of a site-specific installation designed to highlight the intricacies of the architectural and aesthetic space. The exhibition also includes medium-scale sculptures. The show was born out of my time stuck in bed, post leg amputation, Mosholder said as she answered visitors questions on her exhibits opening night. I started thinking about the way we interact with the world when were standing and moving around and ever since I have been in my accident and having to depend on a wheel chair, my vantage point has changed. In July 2020, Mosholder had her leg amputated following more than 30 surgeries she had since a single-vehicle crash in 2018 when she was trapped inside her burning car. It used to be that all of this work was created mostly by myself or some volunteers and post accident, especially initially out of the hospital, I was unable to do much of anything, let alone build giant installations, Mosholder said. Its a nod to that experience. Her Francis Marion University Place Gallery exhibit is a collection of straight lines that form curves that are, in turn, lighted to make them shine. The main theme is the obsessiveness with parabolas. Im really interested in parabolic structural form, Mosholder said. Its out of the pure joy of seeing straight lines and how they can create curves. Mosholder said she first fell in love with parabolas in 2013 during her time as an artist in residence and is enamored with them still. The piece behind us all, the light is actually mason twine, polyester cord that masons use to create a plumb line to make sure bricks are straight, Mosholder said of a large installation piece on exhibit a collection of twine, lights, lumber and cinder blocks. Mason twine makes it easy to create sculpture without spending a lot of money, she said. Along those same lines, necessity at another exhibit further solidified her style with twine. I was at a residency in Italy and ran out of the cord I needed and had to come up with a quick solution and the solution was to paint the cord I had, she said. The cord on exhibit in Florence has both color of its own and color it reflects from lights that are part of the exhibit. One of the things I do as a site-specific artist is I build things on site. Im currently working on an exhibition that will be shown during the Venice Biennale this year in Venice, Italy, she said. Though the idea will be hers, the execution wont be. I always travel with a crew these days, she said. ... Im the ideas person, the person who secures the job, writes the proposal and tells people how to do it. A lot of my work has been staring at screens. A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with an MFA in painting, Mosholder holds numerous awards from institutions such as the Foundation for Contemporary Arts and the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences. She is often commissioned by leading corporations such as Google, and is included in public art programs, museum exhibitions, and art fairs. Interest in her installations has led to international projects, evidenced by her inclusion in the European Cultural Centres 2022 Personal Structures exhibition presented during the Venice Biennale and a public art space in Sydney, Australia, in 2017. She resides in Atlanta, is a professor at Kennesaw State University and has worked as a full-time professional artist for seven years. Hillsong founder Brian Houston has apologized to members of the Church after resigning over alleged indiscretions. In an email to church members obtained by Eternity, Hillsong's former Global Senior Pastor said he was "so deeply sorry" for his failings and that there was "no one to blame but myself for the position I find myself in". "To those impacted directly by my actions, I am sorry for the pain I have caused you," he wrote. Houston stepped down after investigations by the Hillsong Global Board into two complaints, one alleging that he had entered the hotel room of a woman who was not his wife while under the influence of alcohol, and another alleging that "inappropriate" text messages were sent to a Hillsong staffer. The Global Board concluded that Houston had broken the Pastor's Code of Conduct. Following his resignation, three churches in the US announced they were parting ways with Hillsong. Addressing church members, Houston said that he had "let you down so badly and sorry will never be enough to express my sorrow". Houston also expressed his regret over the pain caused to family members. "To my wonderful, forgiving and gracious family who I love more than anything, I hate hurting you," he said. "Bobbie, in my eyes you are the most Christ-like, beautiful, loyal and faithful person alive today. "It crushes me to see your heart breaking as we navigate this season, letting go of so much that is precious to you. I love my family and it pains me deeply to see you navigating these waters." Houston founded Hillsong Church together with Bobbie in Sydney, Australia, nearly 40 years ago. He said his resignation was "not the way I imagined it to end" and that he was "determined that my mistakes will not define me". In his apology letter, Houston also said he was committed to resolving his issues with alcohol. "Over many years of constant pressure, opposition, challenges, and attacks, accompanied by my personal turmoil over my father's evil, many people have asked 'How do you continue to get up, cope, and keep going?' And now we know the answer. I haven't coped very well at all," he said. "I openly admit that alcohol has been no friend and I am determined to relegate it to my past." He continued, "Please be assured, I accept full responsibility for my actions and I have no one to blame but myself for the position I find myself in. "It may be some time before we see light at the end of this tunnel, but I know God has not finished with us yet." Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com . If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). A second chance for Prez Biden to follow his proclamation about Second Chance Month with some clemency grants | Main | Another round of highlights from among many great new Inquest essays April 2, 2022 "The Trouble with Time Served" The title of this post is the title of this new article recently posted to SSRN and authored by Kimberly Kessler Ferzan. Here is its abstract: Every jurisdiction in the United States gives criminal defendants credit against their sentence for the time they spend detained pretrial. In a world of mass incarceration and overcriminalization that disproportionately impacts people of color, this practice appears to be a welcome mechanism for mercy and justice. In fact, however, crediting detainees for time served is perverse. It harms the innocent. A defendant who is found not guilty, or whose case is dismissed, gets nothing. Crediting time served also allows the state to avoid internalizing the full costs of pretrial detention, thereby making overinclusive detention standards less expensive. Finally, crediting time served links prevention with punishment, retroactively justifying punitive, substandard conditions. The bottom line is this: Time served is not a panacea. To the contrary, it contributes to criminal justice pathologies. This Article systematically details the rationales for pretrial detention and then analyzes when, given those rationales, credit for time served is warranted. The analysis reveals that crediting time served is a destructive practice on egalitarian, economic, expressive, and retributive grounds. Time served should be abandoned. Detainees should be financially compensated instead. Given that many detentions are premised upon a theory similar to a Fifth Amendment taking, compensation is warranted for all defendants both the innocent and the guilty and can lead to positive reforms. Only by abandoning credit for time served can the link between prevention and punishment be severed, such that detention will be more limited and more humane. April 2, 2022 at 08:36 PM | Permalink Comments About 10 years ago, my home state of Kentucky realized it had a serious problem with Judges awarding credit against sentences for time served before guilty plea or trial convictions (also called "jail credit" here). Under Kentucky law, the individual counties bear the expenses of pre-trial detainees. But the day after sentencing, the state Department of Corrections becomes financially responsible for bearing the cost of the sentence. The rub comes when the sentencing Judge awards "jail credit" against the state sentence. The Judge Executives for the 110 counties out of a total of 120 counties that have jails realized that the state should be reimbursing then for the pre-trial time being credited against the state sentence, but they never had. Notably, in 2022, Kentucky is down to 82 counties having jails. For most counties, operating the county jail is the single largest expense for the County's Fiscal Court. The Judge-Executives Association tried to negotiate on this issue with the Legislature for several years, to no avail. The state simply stiffed them and said that they didn't have the money to pay. Frustrated, the 110 counties filed a lawsuit in Franklin Circuit Court against the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Ky. Department of Corrections, seeking reimbursement of $110 million for 10 years, a total of $1.1 billion. The lawsuit was quickly and quietly settled, without the state paying any money to the 110 counties. Instead, the Dept. of Corrections began requiring that all Class D felons (the lowest level felony, with a sentence of 1 to 5 years) serve their sentences in county jails, rather than in state prisons. The Dept. of Corrections pays the jails a per diem for housing state inmates, which helps the county pay for its jail and keep it operating. Of course, it is a huge disservice to the inmates, who have few opportunities for recreation and almost no programming (not even G.E.D. classes), while serving their time in a county jail. Interestingly, because of COVID-19, the Fayette County Detention Center in Lexington deliberately decided to lower their head count of inmates to under 1,000 per day, from prior (before March 2020) weekend levels of up to 1,550 inmates. Fayette County asked the Ky. Dept. of Corrections to pick up all of their Class D felons and take them somewhere else. Some were redistributed to county jails 250 miles away, on the other end of the state, where they get few if any visits, and most of those over the Internet, not in person. Posted by: Jim Gormley | Apr 2, 2022 9:26:08 PM Interesting, but I can't get behind financially compensating the guilty as a general matter. If they are guilty, then we can retrospectively determine that their commission of the crime was a but-for cause of the pretrial detention (plus their risk of flight, harm, etc.) That pretrial detention imposes significant costs on society, and the costs thereof can be seen as an additional harm the guilty detainee's conduct has foisted on society. Given the guilty detainee's fault in at least majorly contributing to the fact of their detention, and the costs that detention imposes on society, compensating the guilty financially would be inappropriate as a general matter. Posted by: Jason | Apr 2, 2022 10:32:27 PM Any paper that starts with the falsehood of "overcriminalization of people of color" without addressing the huge (5 to 8 times greater) prevalence of black-on-black and black-on-white violent crime, discredits itself from the start. Addressing overcriminalization is one thing and a worthy pursuit, but not through a racist lens (black racism is just as or even more real than any white racism that still exists). All races are victims to overcriminalization. Stop this nonsense framing of any and all arguments regarding criminal justice. Posted by: restless94110 | Apr 3, 2022 5:51:03 AM Post a comment When parents look for information to help them choose a good elementary or secondary school for their child, they often turn to a variety of sources online. For instance, they may check out state government websites that provide report cards on local schools. Examples include Virginias School Quality Profiles or Ohios School Report Cards. Parents might also rely on popular school rating websites like GreatSchools.org, Niche.com or U.S. News & World Reports K-12 schools directory, which claims to help parents find the best schools for their child. As a researcher who specializes in education policy, I see some shortcomings with how many of these websites portray school quality to the public. Im interested in the kinds of information that parents use to make school-related decisions. I also study how parental decisions about which school to select for their child might influence student diversity within schools. Along with fellow education researcher Jeffrey Henig, I conducted a survey with a nationally representative sample of 2,800 parents or caretakers of children under age 12. With financial support from the Spencer Foundation and technical assistance from YouGov, we embedded an experiment in the survey to see how enrollment decisions might vary if parents chose schools based on different kinds of academic performance data. More specifically, we enabled parents to look at a schools academic performance in two different ways: achievement status and achievement growth. Achievement status is based on students current levels of academic performance, whereas achievement growth considers students academic performance over time. We found that when parents are given information about achievement growth, they tend to choose schools that are not only more effective at teaching their students but also more demographically diverse. Status vs. growth To make more informed choices for their children, parents need a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of these two ways to measure schools academic performance. But many websites meant to help parents choose schools whether government or commercial sites offer information about only achievement status. Achievement status refers to individual students academic performance at a single point in time. For example, 50% of a hypothetical schools fifth graders might be proficient in reading as measured by the states annual reading test. Measures of achievement status like this provide a rough understanding of how students are doing in the tested subjects. However, achievement status does not tell the public much about how schools contribute to student learning. Students face different obstacles both inside and outside of school, such as the challenges of poverty and racial discrimination, and they enter school with different levels of preparation. As a result, schools with relatively high achievement status tend to be disproportionately white and wealthy. Achievement growth, on the other hand, refers to the rate of change in individual students academic performance from one year to the next. Consider the same hypothetical school where 50% of the fifth graders are proficient in reading. But the year before, when those same students were fourth graders, only 40% were proficient in reading. Something very positive is happening in this school, but people would miss it if they focused exclusively on the 50% proficiency rate. Rather than looking at the results from a single year, achievement growth measures changes like this over time. Some researchers argue that growth is a better measure of school effectiveness than status. For instance, education researcher Morgan Polikoff has noted how indicators of achievement status, like proficiency rates, essentially measure who is enrolled in a school, rather than how well the school is doing at educating them. Because such status measures merely capture the current performance levels of students, proficiency rates are highly correlated with student socioeconomic status and other demographics, Polikoff has written. Growth-based measures, on the other hand, can show students year-to-year changes and better demonstrate the schools effectiveness or contribution to student learning. In other words, a schools academic growth has much less to do with whos enrolled at the school and more to do with what the school is doing to educate those students. Some people might wonder whether a schools rate of achievement growth merely reflects the fact that, for many schools serving disadvantaged students, those students may just have more room to grow. In fact, there are roughly as many high-growth schools that serve disproportionately affluent students as there are high-growth schools that serve disproportionately low-income students. As it turns out, all students no matter their backgrounds have a similar capacity to learn and grow. Parents are more likely to choose schools with racial diversity if theyre given data about a schools academic growth. Will & Deni McIntyre/Getty Images Toward more diverse schools For my study, I asked participants to choose between three randomly selected schools drawn from the same randomly selected school district somewhere in the United States. To guide this choice, participants received a range of demographic information about each school, such as the percentages of white, Black, and Hispanic students and the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch a common measure of economic disadvantage. In addition, some participants were randomly assigned to receive information about each schools average status, average growth, or both. What I found is that when parents are provided with information about a schools current academic performance, they tend to choose higher-status schools, which, on average, have more students who are white and from families with higher income. However, when parents are provided with student growth data, they tend to choose higher-growth schools, many of which serve larger proportions of low-income students and students of color. For this reason, school rating websites that provide only achievement status information are essentially nudging families toward the whitest and most affluent schools in a community. This exacerbates school segregation, especially if white and affluent families are more likely to have the economic means to decide where they want to live and where to send their kids to school. [More than 150,000 readers get one of The Conversations informative newsletters. Join the list today.] Increasingly, school districts and states have included growth data in their reports on local schools. As of 2020, 43 states and the District of Columbia reported achievement growth info in their annual school report cards. However, with the exception of GreatSchools.org, most school rating websites have yet to incorporate student achievement growth data into the range of information that they provide. Measuring growth has also been made more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, annual standardized tests were canceled in 2020 and frequently administered in modified formats in 2021. It will be more challenging but not impossible for states to calculate growth accurately for the next few years because of the missing and modified tests during the pandemic. The future of growth data Calculating students rates of growth on tests is a technical and complicated process. The results are often difficult for many people to understand. The next step in my research is to identify more effective and intuitive ways of communicating growth data to the public. David M. Houston receives funding from the Spencer Foundation. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Say you have two job offers to consider, one of them from your familys business. All things being equal, what are the pros and cons of working for the family? Blake Bennett, junior owner of Bennett Packaging, understands both sides of the coin. On one hand, I basically grew up in the business, so I had a skill set in business before I even went to college. On the other hand, making my own path in business seemed unlikely, Bennett says. After college, I ultimately joined the family business and have no regrets about doing so now. But he like other career experts I consulted acknowledges there are both pros and cons to doing what hes done. Pros More motivation to succeed Family businesses have the potential benefit of allowing family members to work harder than a conventional employee, says Gerrid Smith, chief marketing officer at Joy Organics. Family members who become employees, after all, have additional incentive to work harder than they might if they worked for another company. To secure the businesss long-term viability, they may put in an extra effort since they have a stake in its success and want to be viewed as equal participants, Smith says. It is your familys business, so your contribution will make a huge impact on the results, which will likely keep you motivated, echoes Daniel Cook, director of human resources at Mullen and Mullen law firm. You would want to put in extra effort to produce efficient results. Less stress and a sense of belonging When youre starting a new job, it can be stressful and even discouraging as you figure out how to work around the different working patterns of the people around you, says Andrei Kurtuy, co-founder and chief commercial officer at Novoresume. That stress is likely relieved when working in a family business. Its easy for family members to communicate with one other in a shorthand that is familiar to all of them, he says. More job flexibility and opportunity This is because staff size tends to be smaller and closer-knit, says Jared Stern, founder and CEO of Uplift Legal Funding. That increases opportunities to cross-skill. Whatever happens, you are family, and job security comes with it. It is easy to understand how decisions are made. Cons Dealing with family politics Family conflicts are bound to happen, but they will affect the company directly with a family-owned business, Stern says. Conflicts at work can easily spill over into your personal life, resulting in long-lasting animosity among family members, Smith agrees. Conflicts can escalate to the point where they endanger the company, lead to its dissolution or even lead to legal action amongst members of the same family. Conflict over internal promotions You might get promoted, and theres no standard to understand if you qualify for the position or were offered the job because you are worth it, Stern says. Resistance to innovation While Bennett has not experienced this downside, he points out that employees who work for their family sometimes are expected to do things a certain way. This is the way Pops ran the business; therefore, this is the way the business should continue to run, he says. That makes it difficult for the younger generations to make new innovations to keep family businesses competitive in an ever-evolving market. The solution: Convincing owners to let younger employees use information theyve learned in school to update the business. Just because its the way its always been done, doesnt mean its the best way, Bennett says. Younger generations have just as much at stake as the founding members of the business, so trust their process within reason, of course. Key to success: boundaries William Vanderbloemen, founder and CEO of executive search firm Vanderbloemen, sums up the situation this way: The best aspect of working for the family business is that you know the people youre going to be working with. The worst part? You know the people youre going to be working with and theres no getting away from them when the workday is over. Vanderbloemen believes keeping boundaries is the secret to success as an employee in a family business. The highest functioning family businesses Ive seen are able to keep the workday and family time separate and balanced. Thats not as simple as keeping strict hours, because sometimes business needs arise on the weekend or in off times, he says. Having the wisdom to know how to keep boundaries is an art, not a science. And the best family businesses are both masters and constant students of that art. If youre still not sure about accepting that job offer from family, Vanderbloemen says to ask yourself, Am I able to keep good boundaries with family? With work and home? That will get you pointed toward an answer. Kathleen Furore is a Chicago-based writer and editor who has covered personal finance and business topics for a variety of publications. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Space News space history and artifacts articles Messages space history discussion forums Sightings worldwide astronaut appearances Resources selected space history documents advertisements Astronaut's moon rock award moved from Disney's Epcot to museum April 3, 2022 Fifty years after it was brought back from the moon, a small lunar rock has moved from the "Most Magical Place on Earth" to the "Show Me State." NASA presented the moon rock to The Space Museum and Grissom Center in Bonne Terre, Missouri on Saturday (April 2), 15 years after it was first placed on exhibit at the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. In both instances, the lunar display was done to honor Virgil "Gus" Grissom, the United States' second astronaut to fly into space. "The Space Museum and Grissom Center is the new home of Gus Grissom's Ambassador of Exploration Award containing an authentic moon rock from Apollo 16!" the museum announced on its social media accounts on Saturday. "Come out to see one of only two moon rocks in Missouri!" As established by NASA on the 35th anniversary of the first Apollo moon landing in 2004, the Ambassador of Exploration Award celebrates the "realization of a vision" that began with a president's challenge to the nation in 1961 and resulted in the first humans walking on the lunar surface before the decade was out. Honorees include NASA's Mercury, Gemini and Apollo crew members, as well as President John F. Kennedy and veteran journalist Walter Cronkite. The award itself displays a 2 gram (0.004 lb) moon rock embedded in a lucite cylinder positioned atop a base. In Grissom's case, the lunar sample is from Apollo 16, which landed Charles Duke and Grissom's Gemini 3 crewmate John Young in the moon's Descartes Highlands on April 21, 1972, 50 years ago this month. Saturday's presentation also came just a day shy of what would have been Grissom's 96th birthday. One of the original seven astronauts, Grissom piloted NASA's second suborbital Mercury flight in 1961 and commanded the first Gemini mission in 1965 before he and his two Apollo 1 crewmates tragically died in a fire during a test on the launchpad in 1967. Although the Ambassador of Exploration Award is presented only in name the moon rock remains the property of NASA the recipient or their family is invited to choose where it is displayed, so long as it is a museum or educational institution and can meet NASA's security requirements. Grissom's widow, Betty, originally selected Disney's Epcot to display her late husband's award. In 2007, the theme park debuted the moon rock on display as part of its "National Treasures" exhibit inside The American Adventure, part of Epcot's World Showcase. The award was positioned next to a portrait of Grissom and near other space artifacts, including a flight vest worn by Native American astronaut John Herrington. The "National Treasures" exhibit was replaced, though, in 2013, which led to the moon rock being taken off display. As Betty Grissom died in 2018, Lowell Grissom, Gus' brother and an advisor to The Space Museum, chose the Bonne Terre facility as the new home for the Ambassador award. "Lowell had a choice, and the fact that he and his family chose Bonne Terre to honor Gus, well that speaks very well for us," Earl Mullins, founder and president of The Space Museum, told the Daily Journal newspaper. Bob Jacobs, NASA's director of history and information services at the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C., traveled to Missouri to make the presentation. "It was an honor to present Gus Grissom's Ambassador of Exploration moon rock award with his brother Lowell and wife Bobette to The Space Museum in Bonne Terre," Jacobs wrote on Twitter. "There are great folks who are excited about exploring everywhere." The moon rock is now one of, if not the most valuable space artifact on display The Space Museum, which was born out of Mullins' personal collection. The only other lunar samples in the state are Missouri's Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 goodwill gifts, which are held by the State Museum in Jefferson City. "Obviously we're incredibly excited that NASA is recognizing us as a legitimate museum and that they are entrusting us with something that is literally irreplaceable," said Mullins. "Per their request, we had to install some very special security and monitoring systems in order to be able to get this." To date, NASA has approved the display of 35 Ambassador of Exploration awards in museums and at universities across the United States. Six honorees are still pending an exhibit, including astronauts Bill Anders, Alan Bean, Ron Evans, Rusty Schweickart and Harrison Schmitt. The moon rock-embedded Ambassador of Exploration Award that was presented to Mercury astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom has been moved to The Space Museum in Missouri. (The Space Museum) Lowell Grissom speaks at the ceremony for the NASA Ambassador of Exploration Award presented to his late brother, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, at The Space Museum in Missouri. (NASA/Bob Jacobs) Astronaut Gus Grissom's NASA Ambassador of Exploration Award as it previously appeared on display in The American Adventure at Walt Disney World Resort's Epcot. (WDWMagic.com) 2022 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. Our Governor, Kim Reynolds, has demonstrated to Iowans that she is a strong leader. Over the past few years she has shown her capability as she has dealt with COVID, flooding, derechos and many other conditions that have tested her leadership abilities. She has ably handled more issues during her term of office than most politicians deal with over a lifetime in office. At the same time, she has kept her focus on the need to change systemic conditions that affect the well-being of the state of Iowa. She has helped our economy remain robust and the government operating smoothly. I applaud that she has stopped the continuing drain of resources out of Iowa by changing the structure of income taxes. This will make Iowa, especially western Iowa and Siouxland, more competitive with its neighbors. I am honored to be able to vote for Kim Reynolds for governor this fall. -- Suzan Stewart, Sioux City Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 4 Angry 4 A year ago around this time, in our family car, I was auditioning my annual summer playlist for my teenage stepkids. The two Zoomers are a useful focus group for this Gen Xer, whos trying to capture the peak of competitive hit-making season (something Ive been doing annually since my 20s, in the actual mixtape era). A funny thing happened when my stepdaughter heard my Summer 2020 playlist, which included everyone from Harry Styles to Tame Impala, Doja Cat to Maren Morris. We hadnt even gotten that deep into the mixwe were only through Tracks 1, Benees Supalonely, and 2, Megan Thee Stallion and Beyonces remix of Savagewhen she remarked, Ha! This is just gonna be all the songs from TikTok. Advertisement Busted! In truth, I am not a heavy TikTok user; I visit the worlds favorite meme generator and dance instructor mostly for research purposes, especially for this Slate No. 1 hits series. But Annas comment got me thinking: Is TikTok now our metaphorical town square? What makes hit songs pervasive? When you play your friend a smash like the Weeknds Blinding Lights (now the longest-running Hot 100 hit of all time, by the way, outlasting the formerly cursed Imagine Dragons), and your friend says, Oh, yeah, I know this songthat thing is everywhere, what does everywhere mean? How does a song permeate the culture, considering how disparately organized it is nowadays? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For decades, that how has been radio. Especially during the summerthe whole point of Americas Song of the Summer is that the song is inescapable, like its following you wherever you go: a passing car, the beach, the state fair, a boardwalk food stand. All of these locales imply that a radio is playing. While its certainly possible that this booming jam was dialed up by a single Spotify user, odds are its actually being played by a professional: a Top 40 broadcaster, or these days, maybe an Apple Music programmer. But perhaps, especially in our second straight COVID summer, cyberspace now counts as the boardwalk. Im still pondering this possible reality one year after my Summer 2020 minifocus group, especially when I hear Americas latest No. 1 songthe first Hot 100 chart-topper of summer 2021 that isnt by South Korean pop dominators BTS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This new chart-topper, Stay, is by another rising pop act from the Eastern HemisphereAustralias the Kid Laroi, with a bit of help from a certain omnipresent Canadian, Justin Bieber. Stay is an infectious pop confection, like BTSs Butter, the song it replaced last week. But Stay is the kind of ambient smash thats likelier to be consumed via radio stations nationwide, whereas the success of Butter has been fueled largely by BTSs excitable, very online fan base. BTS fans have nothing to worry about: The K-pop septet has 2021s Song of the Summer contest all sewn up. But theres already clear evidence that Stay is a bigger U.S. radio hit. Does this more passive, wide-but-shallow consumption pattern make the Kid Larois single less of a real hit than the one by the South Korean boy band with its own fan army? Or is Larois hitNo. 1 for a fortnight so faractually more pervasive, even though it stands no chance to win Song of the Summer? Is Stay here to stay? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture Newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Born Charlton Howard in Waterloo, a suburb of Sydney, just 18 years agoit was his birthday this week!the Kid Laroi derived his sobriquet from the Indigenous Australian nation Kamilaroi; his mother is of Aboriginal descent. Classified as a rapper, Laroi sounds less like prior chart-topping Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea, who drops bars the old-fashioned way. Hes from the post-SoundCloud school of singsong rapping. If theres one thing in common between Laroi and Azalea, its that both Oz natives have carefully studied their respective American hip-hop gurus (Azalea was famously mentored by Atlanta rapper T.I.) to produce an uncanny facsimile. For Laroi, that means emulating the warbly croon of Juice Wrld, the late Chicago-based SoundClouder-turned-blockbuster, who was the Kids earliest supporter. After the Aussie opened concerts for him in 2018 and 2019, Juice, aka Jarad Higgins, took Laroi under his wing, even letting him live in his house; their collaboration Go, a No. 52 hit, helped break Laroi onto the charts. On that track and Juice Wrlds posthumous hit with DJ Marshmello, Polo G, and the Kid Laroi, Hate the Other Side (No. 10, 2020), Juices and Larois voices flowed into, and were often barely distinguishable from, each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Juice Wrlds December 2019 death, the Kid Laroi has worked with a range of other collaborators. These collaborations have appeared on all permutations of his major-label debut, F*ck Love. (In now-standard streaming-era practice, its classified as a mixtape, giving the Kid and his label Columbia free reign to update F*ck Love with piles of new tracks every few months. Bet on it: There will be a Kid Laroi debut album sometime in 2022 or 23, probably with another F-bomb in its title.) Over the course of the past 18 months, across three editions of F*ck Love, Laroi has sing-rapped alongside Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Mosey, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, and in his highest-profile team-up, Miley Cyrus. Their duet reboot of Larois track Without Youwhose most memorable line, Cant make a wife out of a ho, had already been trending on TikTokbrought the Kid onto the Saturday Night Live stage alongside Cyrus in May and into the Top 10 for the first time as a lead act (No. 8). Advertisement Advertisement All of these pairings have set the Kid up nicely for his chart-topping breakthrough Stay. Bieber is Larois highest-profile collaborator yet, which helps explain why its his first-ever Hot 100 No. 1. But its the songs sound, a synth-pop ripening of the Laroi approach, that explains why its going to remain on the chart deep into fall. And its why youll likely hear it a lot more out in the world than you did our official Song of the Summer, BTSs Butter. Advertisement BTSs long chart command this summer reminds meas so many things doof a line from the classic mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. Remember the scene with Bruno Kirbys limo driver, who quips at the metal band that Sammy Davis Jr.s autobiography Yes, I Can should really be titled Yes, I Can, if Frank Sinatra Says Its OK? The story of The Kid Laroi topping the Hot 100 could be titled, Yes, I Can Get My First No. 1 Hit, if the BTS A.R.M.Y. Says Its OK. Stay takes over from Butter after the latter spent nine weeks on top, the most weeks of any song this year (it edged out the winters eight-week No. 1 Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo). Stay didnt so much topple Butter as Butter stepped aside, falling from No. 1 to No. 4 last week. Stay reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 in its fourth week, a bit sluggish at a time when so many songs debut atop the chart (Laroi and Bieber are now in their second week at No. 1). What made Stays arrival feel slow is that BTS had already racked up two back-to-back No. 1 Hot 100 hits this summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hang ontwo summer 2021 No. 1s for BTS? Yep, BTS was actually on top for 10 weeks straight: the nine weeks I mentioned for Butter and one week for Permission to Dance, the bands latest English-language single (their third, after Butter and last summers Dynamite). Whats kind of fishy is that the boy band swapped places with themselves for one week in mid-July, and the whole thing felt rather coordinated. For that one week, Butter fell from No. 1 to No. 7, and Permission to Dance debuted on top. The following week, Permission, in turn, fell backcoincidentally, to No. 7and Butter flew back from No. 7 to No. 1 and stayed there two more weeks. Its moments like this that make skeptics, like my fellow chart columnist Tom Breihan, so suspicious of 20s fan armies and their impact on the charts. It also makes me look, 10 weeks later, a little naive titling an article, BTS Are Playingand Winningthe Billboard Charts Game Fair and Square. Whats fair-and-square about a fan army collectively handpicking which songs will top the Hot 100? BTSs second summer hit now looks a little phonyPermission to Dance is already down to No. 55, less than a month after its single week at No. 1. (To be fair, several recent No. 1s, including hits by Taylor Swift, Tekashi 6ix9ine, and Travis Scott, had much larger and faster plummets out of the top slot.) Advertisement Advertisement Still, there is an honest, straightforwardly mathematical explanation for how Team BTS pulled off this pas de deux between Butter and Permission to Dance. Consider the three pools of data that combine to form the Hot 100: streaming, radio, and sales. As I explained when Butter hit No. 1, BTS over-relies on sales. Its streams are solid but not exceptional, and at radio, BTS is always fighting an uphill battle with U.S. programmers. Yes, still: Back in June, I closed my Butter article with the observation that the song was off to a good start at radio, stronger than last years Dynamite. However, I spoke too soon: Butter eventually hit a ceiling at radio. For roughly the past month, its stalled on Billboards Radio Songs chart at or just below No. 20. (This is a comedown from Dynamite, which got as high as 10th at radio. Isolating just pure-pop stations, Butter climbed as high as seventh place, but thats still not as good as Dynamite, which made the pop-radio top five.) Advertisement Advertisement So BTS really does depend on sales for its U.S. chart performanceboth digital downloads and physical goods. Overwhelmingly, these singles sell to the groups fervent fan base. Every week that Butter was No. 1, the single sold at least 100,000 copies, sometimes two to three times that, and most of those sales were (real, chart-legal) repeat purchases by the same fans. Columbia Records, BTSs U.S. label, boosted Butter Lil Nas Xstyle with constant remixes and updates. A Hotter remix came out in the songs second week, Cooler and Sweeter mixes by the third week, all of them deep-discounted to 69 cents on iTunes. One week in July, the group finally shipped weeks worth of preordered vinyl and cassette singles, which meant another week at No. 1. Yet another week, Columbia issued a version of the digital single with a different cover (just a new screen image!) and even that spurred fans to buy the song again. The only week this summer Butter didnt sell 100,000 or more copies was the week Permission to Dance arrived; in drill-formation fashion, the A.R.M.Y. switched its focus for that one week to Permission, and it sold 140,000 copies, outselling Butter about 3 to 1. Then, a week later, BTS fans went back to buying Butter, and the two songs swapped places. Because BTSs sales are so much largeroften 10 times largerthan those of any other hit-maker (and in Billboards chart math, each sale counts about 150 times as much as a stream), whatever song the BTS A.R.M.Y. commits its dollars to in any given week is highly likely top the Hot 100. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is all legitimate chart math, and it offers impressive evidence of the depth of BTS fandom but makes its breadth, at least in America, look rather limited. To be sure, BTS fans in the U.S. number in the millions, and one imagines that fan base growing all the time. But, to paraphrase someone else in Spinal Tap, their appeal remains selective. Since Butter racked up all nine of its weeks at No. 1 after Memorial Day, its a prohibitive, essentially unstoppable favorite to take Billboards Song of the Summer title for 2021 in a walk. But unlike such prior, official Songs of Summer as California Gurls, Call Me Maybe, Blurred Lines, One Dance, Despacito, and Old Town Road, this years presumptive victor is a song fewer Americans than ever are likely to have heard. That is unless, like my stepdaughter, you consider the online world to be the entire worldwhich, as we fight another COVID wave, might be fair. But a Song of Summer feels a little empty if its not bumping from a beach boombox. Advertisement Advertisement Which brings me back, finally, to the Kid Laroi and Justin Biebers Stay, which is quite literally the opposite kind of hit from Butter: anemic sales, blockbuster streams, and fast-growing radio airplay. In just under a month, Stay has sold only 55,000 downloads total, less than a typical BTS single sells in a week. But who needs downloads? Laroi/Biebers hit has been Billboards top streaming song for four weeks now, racking up tens of millions of streams and beating such Spotify titans as Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Rodrigo. And Stay already ranks 10th at radio, after just a month of airplay; remember, Butter hasnt gotten past 20th at radio in three months. BTS fans will carp that Butters radio peak reflects bias, even racism, on the part of U.S. radio programmers. And yes, the elders who control the airwaves remain unfairly allergic to Kpop. (I really dont know what radios problem is; Butter is a bop, no more or less than Dynamite was.) But the faster start for Stay also reflects other factors: not only Biebers long-established stardomfunny that, a decade ago, radio programmers were avoiding him like they are now with BTSbut also how Larois breakthrough hit cannily channels the sound that radio listeners across the genre spectrum have been gravitating toward for several years. Advertisement With Stay, the Kid Larois career arc reminds me most, not of Juice Wrld or Machine Gun Kelly, but of pseudo-rapper Post Malone. Five years ago, Post developed a bespoke sound identified as rap but, as Ive said about several of his No. 1 hits, really closer to emo-bro trap pop with woozy singing. Then, starting with his Spider-Man jam with Swae Lee, Sunflower, and accelerating with his breezy smash Circles, Post pivoted toward sunny techno popso light and radio-friendly that he was commanding both the Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary chart. In just two years, Laroi has moved in a similar direction: pivoting from whine-and-grind trap pop like Not Sober to the bouncy pure pop of Stay. (Its telling that Billboard is not charting Stay on its Hot R&B Hip-Hop Songs chart, even after Larois earlier, more trap-heavy singles like Not Sober were permitted on that chart.) Stay burbles and bubbles, riding a cycling synth pulse that encourages Laroi to sing more directlynot sing-rapthan he ever has before, with a perky 80s cadence: I do the same/ Thing I told you that I never would/ Told you Id change/ Even when I knew I never could I need you to stay/ Need you to stay, hey. Its got echoes of Posts Circles and Biebers bubbly 2015 No. 1 What Do You Mean, as well as the Weeknds genre-busting techno-pop dominator Blinding Lightsall hits that brought these artists to a wider audience, from kids to their grandparents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So dont be surprised if the Kids smash with the Biebs is commanding adult-contemporary radio in a few months, too. What all these synth-pop confections, from Post Malones to the Weekends, have in common is the ability to charm orI know this sounds like an insultfade into the background. Its not like BTSs Butter is more demanding on the listener. But the perception, however unfair, remains that BTS is a phenomenon perpetuated by its devoted fandom. They dominated Song of the Summer this year by turning out their base: fans willing to pay (and pay again) to own their product. But the Kid Laroi, still in his teens, is likelier to generate streams and radio spins heard by folks who will bop along, then move along. He might own both TikTok and drive time, having his butter and eating it, too. Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group. Dear Care and Feeding, We are a Jewish family with young children, and we recently moved to a neighborhood thats full of families with kids, which has been greatwe have all enjoyed getting to know our new neighbors. Recently, one of the neighbors texted me that the block does a street-wide Easter egg hunt, and everyone was going to decorate their houses and hide candy-filled eggs in their front yards for all the kids to find on Easter morning. I initially responded saying that it sounded like a lot of fun, but that we wouldnt be able to participate, and I wished them the best. My neighbor then asked me to hide eggs and decorate our yard, even if our kids werent available to participate in the Easter egg hunt. So I explained: were Jewish; we dont celebrate EasterI hoped they would have a great time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, now Ive got two different neighbors telling me that this is a secular event, and everyone does this! and I shouldnt deprive my kids of fun. Any suggestions for what I should do? I dont feel comfortable decorating our home with symbols of a holiday that we dont celebrate. And honestly, well be way too busy hosting our out-of-town family for Passover that weekend to be simultaneously crafting an Easter egg hunt in our yard. Am I an Easter Grinch? I would happily let my kids visit a Christian friends house and celebrate Easter with them, but doing it at our own house seems strange. Not a Grinch! Dear NaG, Im sorry youre in this position. Youve handled this very well so far, but perhaps not explicitly enough. I cant fault you for that, and I assure you that your second response should have been sufficient, but apparently it wasnt. I think at this point you are going to have to take it upon yourself to educate your new neighbors, explaining a little more thoroughly what it means to be Jewishat least to the two who seem to have no idea. Im not going to adjudicate the idea that celebrating Easter in this way is secularI recognize that many families (including my own, since my daughter was raised with both Jewish and Christian holidays and traditions) to some extent divorce such celebrations from their faith and religious practices. But insisting that non-Christians participate in Easter, and that depriving their children of this means those poor kids dont get to have any fun, is, if not antisemitic, antisemitic-adjacent. And since your first December in your new neighborhood is only eight months away, you might want to be proactive before these same neighbors complain that your house is the only one in the neighborhood without Christmas lights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You dont have to be didactic, or defensive. I know you want to feel at home in your neighborhood, and you dont want this to become an ongoing problem for you or your kids. Its enough to say that you appreciate their perspective on this holiday, but its not your familys holidaythat at this time of year, Jews celebrate Passover, not Easter. You might add that while you appreciate their concern for your children, they can rest assured that your kids dont feel the least bit deprived. (I recognize that this last bit of advice sounds a wee bit barbed. But so be it. I am irritated on your behalf. Feel free to skip this part if you are a nicer, more forgiving person than I am.) Advertisement Slate Plus Members Get More Advice From Michelle Each Week From this weeks letter, How Can I Connect With My NewMuch OlderRoommate: Ive been troubled to see neighbors speaking to LeAnne in simplified ways and avoiding substantial topics altogether, even when they have real effect on her life. Dear Care and Feeding, In my early 20s, I married man who was emotionally abusive to me. We were together for eight years. After we divorced, in my late 20s, I starting dating a dear friend Id known for a long time. It became serious pretty quickly. Weve now been together 2.5 years. We own a home together and are deeply committed to each other, but getting married isnt currently a priority for us. The problem is that his family refuses to treat our relationship with the respect it deserves. They gossip about me at family functions, wont let his niece call me Aunt because Im not really her aunt, and refuse to treat us as a unit (e.g., they invite just him over for dinner; they attempt to make plans with him on my birthday). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This behavior hurts my feelings. I have tried talking to them about it, but this just seems to make things worse. When I last politely spoke to his sister and told her that it makes me uncomfortable when she brings up sordid details of my divorce with extended family members when Im not there, it resulted in a multi-month debacle, with multiple phone calls to my partner, during which his brother-in-law and sister repeatedly insisted that Im only upset because Im ashamed. When I resolved to be politely courteous to the family but try to emotionally distance myself from them, my coolness triggered multiple phone calls about how Im not warm enough. I feel as if nothing I ever do will be enough for these people. They are determined to see me as less than. At this point, Ive accepted that we may not never be close. But how do I make enough peace with thisand with themthat my partner and I can see them without it resulting in months of drama? I am at the point where I dread seeing his family, which stresses out my poor partner too. Advertisement Advertisement No More Drama! Dear No, Your partners family is, of course, not only disrespecting his relationship with youthey are disrespecting you. Their nastiness doesnt seem to be of the type that would miraculously vanish were you two to get married. So heres a question for you: Why do feel its important to be close to them? I understand that youve resigned yourself to possibly not ever being close. But your longing to have a loving relationship with these people (who make plans with your partner, without including you, on your birthday; who gossip about your first marriage; who, it would seem, simply do not like you and do not approve of your partners relationship with you) is self-defeating. If I were you, I would encourage your partner to see his family without you. Why spend time with people who are so unpleasant? You two have made a life for yourselves together. If his family doesnt want to be a part of that life, they dont have tobut you dont have to force yourself to be a part of their life. Advertisement Advertisement It seems to me that continuing to be involved with these people is subjecting yourself once again to emotional abuse from people you expect to treat you lovingly. You escaped from such a situation once; its time to do it again. I think it behooves your partner to understand that you cannot and will not tolerate their treatment of you. (And I wouldnt explain it to them. Youve made your unhappiness clear. Im sure they know perfectly well how badly theyve been treating you anyway.) I would simply step away. Advertisement Advertisement Now, if the time ever comes that children become part of the mix, there will be new decisions to be made. But perhaps sometime between now and thenif then is in the picturethey will change their ways. I wouldnt hold your breath. The fact is, we cant assume that others will changeand we certainly cant make them change. All thats in our control is what we do. Take control of the part thats within your power. Advertisement Catch Up on Care and Feeding If you missed Fridays column, read it here. Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group! Dear Care and Feeding, My brother, who is white, married a woman from Mexico 15 years ago. They have a 12-year-old, Priscilla, whos in seventh grade. My husband and I, both white, have a transgender son, Luke, who came out three years ago. Luke is also in seventh grade, at the same public school as Priscilla. Priscilla and Luke grew up together and were once close friends but have grown apart now that theyre in middle school and have their own friend groups. Heres the problem: At school, Luke used the word Latinx to describe his aunt, Priscillas mom, and Priscilla got mad and went off on a rant about how no Hispanic people she knows use the term Latinx, how only white people use it, and how white people are trying to erase her culture and language. Luke fired back, saying that Latinx was more respectful of the nonbinary community and that Priscilla should learn the correct term. The argument got very heated, and finally a teacher intervened and called my brother and me to tell us what had happened. We told Luke that Priscilla had the right to her opinion and he had the right to his, and that they could disagree peacefully. Luke said no, Priscilla was wrong, she was being transphobicshe needed to learn how her words hurt transgender and nonbinary people. He wants to get his trans and nonbinary friendsall of them whiteto talk to her as a group and explain how much her words hurt them. I think Lukes overreacting, and that ganging up on her isnt a solution to this problem. I want to support my niece as a person of color (although Priscilla is light-skinned, with blond hair, and passes for white). I also want to support my son. I dont know what to do. How do I simultaneously support my transgender son and my biracial niece? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two Kids, Two Opinions Dear TKTO, First, let me point out that Priscillas light skin and blond hair are entirely beside the point of her identity. In fact, external markers and people saying/thinking she can pass as white may be painful and infuriating to her. But the central issue here is one that you need to clarify both for Luke and for yourself: the respectful, kind, and ethical thing to do is identify, talk about, and talk to people the way they want to be identified/talked about/talked to. While Latinx is a respectful, inclusive, ungendered descriptor, and one that many people have embraced as their own, if his cousin describes herself and her mother as Latina, Luke doesnt get to tell her shes wrong. (And gathering a number of people together to explain to her how wrong she is is a horrible idea, one that you should do everything possible be keep from being acted on.) You can support your son by pointing out that he would hate itthat it would be hatefulif anyone told him what words he was supposed to use to describe himself, and that you would fight that fight on his behalf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Submit your questions about parenting and family life here. Its anonymous! (Questions may be edited for publication.) Dear Care and Feeding, For the past two years, until six weeks ago, my husband and I were fortunate enough to have a wonderful nanny, Mariah. Its hard to find someone who works with multiples, and the daycare wed been on the list for unexpectedly went under shortly after our twins were born. We felt really lucky to find Mariah, especially since hiring a nanny stretched us to the very edge of our childcare budget. We were honest about what we could afford to pay, and we tried hard to be good employers. We created job perks we could affordfor example, paid Friday afternoons off each week while the kids stayed with my in-laws. Mariah was beloved by the kids, excellent at her job, and generally communication between us was good. When we got cost-of-living raises at work, so did she. But all the same, the money wasnt great, and in February she gave us one months notice that she was moving on to a family with better wages; we couldnt match what they were offering her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before I had my current (white-collar) job, I worked in peoples homes, so I know how uncomfortable things can get. As desperate as I felt when Mariah gave notice, I tried hard to keep things amicable, and I think I succeeded. Were now on waiting lists at three different daycares and a nanny agency, and in the meantime Im taking unpaid leave one day a week, stitching together two babysitters and our in-laws the other four days. Its not going well at all. And yesterday, Mariah reached out. Apparently the new family is not a good fit, and she wants to come back. Were torn. I feel like I would do anything to stop juggling childcare, but the situation hasnt changed. As my husband points out, we cant offer anything that we didnt before, so how could we possibly retain her? You cant just ask someone, Are you going to leave again? How do we navigate a conversation that would give me some certainty? Is there a solution were not seeing? Would it be punitive to ask her to sign a contract for a specific period of time? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overwhelmed in Ohio Dear Overwhelmed, For starters, lets consider this: If you rehire Mariah and she quits again when/if she finds better-paid work, you are no worse off than you are right nowand in the meantime, you have a reliable nanny whom you trust taking care of your kids. I dont see the downside of this. Sure, it kicks the problem down the road, but whats the upside of dealing with the problem now instead of later? I am a big believer in solving the problem thats directly in front of you. You have no idea what the future holds, after all. The nanny agency might find you someone you like and can afford, and that person might leave for a better-paying job. You or your husband might change jobs and earn more money down the line. If Mariah wants to come back and you need her, why not say yes? Advertisement Advertisement But not without a conversation. Its not going to give you certainty, though. I dont think she can know the answer to Will you leave again? but I think its fair for you to tell her that youre afraid she will, and I dont think it would be punitive to ask her to agree to commit to a reasonable period of timesix months, say, or a year, before she looks for work elsewhere. She can always say no (and then you can decide if this is a dealbreaker for you; you already know that I dont think it needs to be). Should you ask her to sign a contract? I wouldnt. (And if she broke the contract, would you really go after her legally?) Advertisement Advertisement When you have this conversation, I would be very clear (yes, again) that as much as you would like to pay her more, you cant, and that if she comes back, its with the understanding that this isnt likely to change anytime soon. As long as both of you are going into the arrangement with your eyes open, I dont see why it cant work, at least in the short term. And the short term is better than no term at all. Michelle More Advice From Slate My husband and I are parents to an amazing 20-month-old boy. Before I became pregnant, my husband and I went out weekly with co-workers after work. My husband still attends these and ends up getting sloshed. I love staying home, and Im over these get-togethers, but my husband insists I need to get out more and should come along. What should I do? Georgia is not a state many would associate with harness racing, but at this time of year there are a number of notable horses and horsepeople seeking refuge from winter in the warmth of the Peach State. On Saturday (April 2) the Hawkinsville Training Center hosted its first session of qualifiers this year during the track's annual Harness Horse Festival. Seven dashes were conducted over the rich red dirt with one name standing out from the rest 2020 O'Brien Award winner Pemberton. Sidelined due to injury for the 2021 season, Pemberton made his first on-track appearance in more than nine months with a convincing victory over his younger rivals. Trainer Paul Walker was at the controls as the five-year-old trotter chopped out fractions of :29.4, 1:01.4 and 1:34.3 before letting the trotter out a notch turning for home. A :27.4 closer was enough to gain a double-digit margin on his closest competitor, with the mile timed in 2:02.2 over the track rated 'good' with a one-second allowance. "He's a little bit on the lazy side when he's in front, and the track isn't super fast right now. So we were pretty happy with the way he drove and the way he finished. That's pretty well what we were looking for today," co-owner Brenda Walker told Trot Insider. "You always worry when he's been off that long, coming back but we're happy right now with the way he's trotting and how he's going. So we'll just keep our fingers crossed and continue on." Recovering from a slight fracture in his left front knee discovered after his second 2021 qualifier, Pemberton likely could have been pointed to a return to the racetrack late last year but his connections provided ample time for the stable star to recover. "After the second qualifier it was stiff and when we got him X-rayed, it showed up. So we just pulled the harness off him right away...We didn't jog him again until December [in Georgia]. We thought it might as well heal properly, and we really didn't want to race him in the winter. We're hoping that it's healed well and everything's good this year." Off a sophomore season for Brenda & Christine Walker with eight wins in 10 starts and a mark of 1:52.2 at Mohawk, Pemberton certainly earned himself a following during that award-winning campaign. "We've still had a lot of people asking about him, if he was coming back and how he was going. We're keeping our fingers crossed, but so far, so good. That's all we can say." This qualifier was the first of three planned for the son of Wheeling N Dealin, with the next tests coming north of the border at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Walkers will be heading back home with their six-horse stable in a few weeks, and the plan for Pemberton won't have him leaving the province or country, for that matter for any stakes engagements this season after returning to Canada. That said, Team Pemberton wouldn't have to leave the province for one of the bigger prizes the division has to offer: the 2022 Breeders Crown. Much too wise to make any predictions this early, Walker didn't dismiss the race given Pemberton is eligible but there is a lot of racing and a lot of time between now and the end of October. "Well, we're hoping you know, I mean, if everything goes good first. We're hoping he's competitive, and we'll just have to play by ear. You know what it's like with horses." After a lifetime in marketing and journalism, Dave Ostdiek expressed surprise by the amount of information he needed to gather and catalogue to be passed along to his replacement as he retires. Ostdiek will be retiring from the Panhandle Research and Extension Center (PREC) where he served as the communication and technology specialist for over 17 years. He was hired by Chuck Hibberd, director at PREC at the time, in January of 2005. Ostdiek grew up in Bridgeport where his first jobs were moving irrigation pipes for an area farmer and delivering the newspaper. After graduating high school, he went on to the University of Nebraska Lincoln to earn degrees in journalism and English in 1979. His high school sweetheart, Tammie (Livingston), followed Ostdiek to Lincoln, graduating with a degree in education. The newlyweds spent two years in Kearney where Ostdiek got his feet wet in journalism working at the Kearney Daily Hub as a news reporter. It wasnt long before an opportunity as the farm reporter for the Star-Herald presented itself so they returned to the Panhandle in 1981 where they could be closer to family. I had done an internship for the Star-Herald when I was in college in 1978, Ostdiek recalled. They called me at Kearney and they had an opening for a farm reporter. I thought, a good newspaper with a good reputation around the state, so my wife and I decided to move back out to western Nebraska. While at the Scottsbluff newspaper, Ostdiek experienced many positions around the newsroom. In addition to covering the farm and ranch beat, he also found himself reporting on county and courts, serving as the copy editor, city editor and regional editor. After just over a decade at the Star-Herald, Ostdiek moved into a newly created position at the North Plate Natural Resources District (NRD) office as their first information education specialist. The career move was fortuitous. Ive always had an interest in water policy, Ostdiek said. As farm reporter at the Star-Herald, I had covered the NRD so I was familiar with what they do, Ostdiek said. It sounded like a good opportunity and a good change of pace so I made the move to the NRD. In 2005, he made a third career move and began working at PREC as the communication and technology specialist. Id been at the NRD for about 12 years and there was a vacancy in this position at the Panhandle center, Ostdiek said. It looked intriguing and working for the university is always a good opportunity. So I decided to take that opportunity. After leaving his NRD post, Ostdiek realized he wanted to remain involved in groundwater policy and its integrated management. In 2006, he ran for election for the North Platte NRD board of directors where he would serve three consecutive four-year terms. As far as water is concerned, the North Platte Valley has a unique hydrology because of the fraction of surface water and groundwater, he said. Its very important that some younger people get involved because a number of people I have been involved with in management and making decisions about water in the valley have retired recently or are in the process of retiring. While on the NRD board, he served as the treasurer wjp was responsible for preparing 12 annual budgets to be presented to and passed by the eight other board members. During his tenure, Ostdiek recalls the NRD board spent a lot of time on public debate over water policy, but it was also involved in many conservation projects including cost share programs that help growers put conservation practices into effect on their lands. One fun thing about being involved with the NRD was that they have big statewide conferences a couple times a year, Ostdiek said. So its interesting to learn what is going on around the state in the areas of conservation and groundwater management. Ostdiek continued to draw from his background in journalism by working on various news releases to get information from PREC in front of the public. One specific way he did that was by starting a weekly feature called Panhandle Perspectives. He sent the feature to the Panhandle news media to share the story of what the PREC researchers and educators are doing that affects agriculture and community vitality in the Panhandle. Ive always tried to make sure that the Panhandle Center and Extension throughout western Nebraska has been telling their story, Ostdiek said. Basically, its about telling their story and print and broadcast media have always been important ways to do that. In addition to telling the PREC story, another large focus of Ostdieks time was spent developing and maintaining their website as well as contributing to other UNL sites. He said social media has become another information outlet for PREC in recent years as well. While face-to-face encounters will always be important to PREC, he is finding himself managing online connections for the many field days and educational meetings held throughout the year. At those events, Ostdiek is focused on making sure that the specialists and educators can be effective, they can be heard and understood. That means equipping our meeting rooms at the Panhandle center to make sure that they have the technology they need, he said. Making sure weve got the microphones and the cameras and speakers in the room. People with remote locations, as much as possible, we can make them feel like theyre there in the room. Ostdiek has been weaving journalism and agriculture as well as an interest in political science together throughout his career. That combination, along with an interest in writing, developed into a natural course that he said was almost a random chance. I was a senior in high school and decided to go to the University of Nebraska and Im at home pondering what to major in, he said. I think it was my dad who suggested I try journalism since I was on the yearbook at school. After a career of making other voices heard, Ostdiek is looking forward to switching gears and taking the time to see how things unfold. He is going to spend more time on hobbies and passions that he has had over the years and plans to vacation along with visiting their son and daughter in Colorado. Im learning to play a couple instruments, ukulele and harmonica that Ive just dabbled in over the years, Ostdiek said. Id like to spend more time just taking care of my physical health, biking and walking." Nicole Heldt is a reporter with the Star-Herald, covering agriculture. She can be reached at 308-632-9044 or by email at nheldt@starherald.com. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bobbi Kuhlman, a patrol officer with the Scottsbluff Police Department, always knew what her career was going to be. Kuhlman studied criminal justice in college; applying to be a police officer was her first and only choice for a career. I just always wanted to be a police officer since I was a little kid, she said. It just kind of came to fruition. The Sandhills native eventually came to reside in Scottsbluff, which she said was a good choice for her family. In addition to more than a decade of serving with the Scottsbluff Police Department, Kuhlman is also the newest college resource officer at Western Nebraska Community College. The position opened up last summer after the previous resource officer resigned. Kuhlman started at the beginning of the fall semester. She said it was a big draw for her because it allowed her to have weekends off and spend more time with her family. However, the resource officer role is relatively new. It only launched in the fall of 2019 and the campus was closed for a significant portion of 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. As such, the program didnt have much of a chance to get off the ground. Still, Kuhlman said she hopes students and staff know that shes around to help them. Her goal is to figure out the best possible way for her to do her job. Its kind of a clean slate for me to get things going, she said. Kuhlman doesnt have much contact with many of the students there. Most of the time, she patrols the buildings and dorm halls and works to help update operational plans on how to deal with dangerous situations. Fortunately, she said, those havent come up during her tenure so far. Nothing crazy, nothing major. Thats the way I like to keep it. We plan for the worst but hope it never happens, she said. There have been a few instances where shes needed to take substantial action. People dont really slow down when they drive through here like theyre supposed to, so Ive made a few traffic stops for failure to yield to pedestrians and speeding and things like that, she said. Kuhlman has had to assist in calling emergency services for medical assistance as well, but other than that she said shes been grateful at how calm the job has been. Despite having an office at WNCC, she routinely returns to help train future officers in a variety of tasks and serve in other roles on the department. She serves as a field training officer. Shes done that for several years now. That means when we have a new hire, shes one of the officers well utilize whos been trained on how to train new trainees, Scottsbluff Police Capt. Lance Kite said. ... In order to be a field training officer, you have to be a good teacher. Thats what its all about. Kuhlman teaches traffic stops, driving procedures and other lessons to new recruits. She serves as an emergency vehicle operations instructor and a child passenger safety instructor. She said she is heavily involved with making sure people have the right car seats for their kids, something she hasnt wavered from since becoming the resource officer. She saw an opportunity to expand it to the college. She tries to keep in touch with the local hospital so new parents can ensure theyre getting the right car seats for their newborn babies. Ive been fortunate to watch her advance through her career, Kite, who worked with Kuhlman since she was a new officer, said. ...She does an outstanding job. Kuhlman said she enjoys having the opportunity to train others. Its kind of nice being a training officer because you get to go through the training program again and again and again so it really keeps you up to date with policy, she said. There are some things you learn that you only do two or three times in your career ... but as a training officer, because youre teaching that over and over and over again, you stay up to date on that. In the meantime, she uses what shes learned to keep the WNCC campus safe. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. More than 50 members of the public gathered in the Hotel 21 & Co. conference to listen to a future Nebraska state senator. Five candidates are vying for the District 48 seat and all pitched their campaigns to the crowd during a forum hosted by the local Nebraska Farm Bureau chapter. The candidates speaking included Brian Hardin and Jeremiah Teeple of Gering, Talon Cordle and Scott Shaver of Scottsbluff and Don Lease II of Bridgeport. After the May 10 primaries, two of the men will advance to the general election in November. The forum was set up so each candidate answered a different general question first, but each of them had the opportunity to answer. Questions were provided by the audience. Rural workforce and housing shortages Cordle was in favor of refurbishing buildings and creating fair and affordable housing. Shaver said the government should get out of the way and encourage builders to build. The people should be able to do it themselves. I dont think the government should be involved in that, he said. Lease said businesses should create partnerships with students to incentivize them to work for them. Teeple said having trade programs was good and the state should expand them through funding and find ways to promote home ownership instead of renting. Hardin said businesses should incentivize young people to stay instead of the government. They (young people) like opportunity, they like income ... so we need to incentivize them to stay here, he said. Tax Reform Lease was in favor of paying for public schools, though he supports reducing property taxes to fund schools. Teeple agreed, saying he believes there is lots of wasteful spending by the state government each year. Hardin said comprehensive reform was needed and that incremental changes were too small. Cordle said he was in favor of eliminating property taxes entirely. We are renting our houses, we are renting our vehicles, from the government. Thats not a way to be free, he said. Shaver agreed, saying, like Cordle, that he was also in favor of the EPIC Consumption Tax Plan, a proposal by Sen. Steve Erdman to use a tax on the sale of goods to fund the states budget. Spending Excess Revenue Cordle said the Legislature should save excess revenue for difficult times. Shaver said federal funds should be used for the budgeted items and the rest should be returned to the people. Lease said it should be spent on helping people, but carefully so they dont feel entitled to it. Teeple was in favor of giving it back to the people, and Hardin said excess funds should be spent on agriculture. Criminal Justice Reform Shaver said if the death penalty is done away with, the state must stop paying extra for those inmates. Lease focused on preventing inmates from reoffending. Every kid that doesnt have these kinds of issues saves you money, he said. Teeple said policies for nonviolent drug offenders should be reformed. We treat a lot of people with sex offender problems way more leniently than we do nonviolent drug offenders and it ends up creating criminals stuck in the system, he said. Hardin said young people are often sent to local facilities who havent sinned big enough to end up here. Cordle agreed that many nonviolent offenders, especially for marijuana use, go to prison and dont get enough chances to reform. Horse Racing and Gambling Lease said gambling brings issues such as sex trafficking to communities and that the people should decide if a casino comes to town in Gering or Kimball. Teeple said gambling can bring in tourism but agreed it should be a local decision. Hardin said organized crime would flock to cash-based businesses like casinos. Cordle said a casino should not be near a tight-knit town and would be better suited for the outskirts. Shaver said he also thought it would hurt the community, but if handled correctly ... it can be a positive and you can bring in more jobs and more tourism and everything else. Lightning Round After answering audience queries, the candidates were asked to give their quick thoughts on a variety of topics. All candidates were against a red flag law for gun ownership and in favor of constitutional carry for gun owners. All candidates were in favor of repealing the states death and inheritance taxes. Hardin, Shaver and Lease were against legalizing marijuana. Teeple was in favor of it and Cordle was in favor of legalizing it just for medical use. Hardin, Cordle, Shaver and Lease were in favor of the death penalty. Teeple was against it. Hardin, Cordle, Shaver and Lease said they were against abortion, while Teeple said he was against it with exceptions for the mothers safety. When theyd finished answering questions, the candidates provided short closing remarks. Afterward, they took time to meet and greet the assembled residents of District 48. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LINCOLN Convention centers and arenas in Omaha, Lincoln and Ralston could get more state support under a bill given first-round approval in the Legislature on Thursday. Legislative Bill 927, introduced by State Sen. Rich Pahls of Omaha, would double the amount of state sales taxes that the three facilities could collect over time through the so-called turnback tax. Under the turnback tax mechanism, the state turns back state sales taxes collected by certain businesses around the facilities to help pay off the facilities debt. LB 927 would expand the possible uses of the funds, allowing all three facilities to pay for parking garages nearby. An amendment to the bill would allow the Omaha and Lincoln facilities to benefit from turnback taxes collected in a wider area. Under LB 927, the cap on turnback taxes for the Omaha and Lincoln facilities, the CHI Health Center and the Pinnacle Bank Arena, would increase to $150 million, up from $75 million currently. For the Liberty First Credit Union Arena, formerly known as the Ralston Arena, the cap would rise to $100 million, up from the current $50 million. The Ralston facility also would be allowed more time to reach the cap. Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, who named the bill as his priority for the year, said the higher cap would allow Omaha to maintain and renovate the CHI Health Center, which opened in 2003, thus protecting an important asset to the community and state. He argued that CHI and Pinnacle Bank Arena have proven their cultural and economic benefit, ticking off a list of events including a recent concert by the legendary Elton John, the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials and the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meetings. Last year, even with restrictions caused by COVID-19, Flood said meetings and events at the CHI Health Center infused $83 million into the local and state economy. Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln argued for expanding the area included in the turnback tax. He said that both the Omaha and Lincoln facilities have geographic constraints that limit development on at least one side. The CHI center is along the Missouri River, while Pinnacle Bank Arena borders a floodplain. Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard questioned the need for the changes. He specifically objected to the state putting more money into developing Omaha projects. Maybe Im the only one in the room that thinks enough is enough, he said. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form My cousin Patsy, who grew up in Charlotte but now lives at Pawleys Island, South Carolina, recently sent Judy and me a tin of Mrs. Hanes Hand-Made Moravian Cookies, a sweet gift if there ever was one. Patsy is a sweet person. The Moravian ginger cookies, slightly thicker than a playing card, are hand-rolled, hand-cut and hand-packed and are made in Clemmons, near Winston-Salem. I wondered just how thin they are. I have misplaced my micrometer now for several decades, so decided to measure the thickness of Mrs. Hanes cookies another way. I got out a ruler, set it on end and then stacked up the cookies until they just reached the one-inch mark. It took 10 cookies, so I figure each cookie is about a tenth of an inch thick. Ill let you fans of the metric system worry about how many millimeters that would be. There are several other companies making Moravian cookies, but this is the brand Cousin Patsy sent me. Had their cookies been the only contribution of the Moravians to North Carolina, in my opinion, that alone would have been enough to get them in the history books. I have mentioned it before, but I shall reiterate: Food and its preparation is a legitimate and tasty area of historical study. Immigrants brought with them not only their clothing and tools to the New World, but also intangibles such as ideas of how to build shelters, methods of agriculture and animal husbandry, stories, folklore, concepts of right and wrong, etc. Back to the story. Where, you might ask, is Moravia? Moravia was a province of Czechoslovakia next to Germany. Moravians became Protestants in 1457 before the Rev. Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. They called themselves the Unitas Fratrum (Unity of the Brethren) and when they were persecuted, many of them fled to Germany (voted with their feet). Later, many of them came to America and settled in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, from which place groups came down the so-called Great Wagon Road in the 1740s to the North Carolina piedmont, many settling around present-day Rowan County, of which Iredell County was a part until 1788. Luckily, we have good records of these folks preserved at the Salem Moravian Archives, in Salem, North Carolina. Among the records is the diary of Anna Catharina (Antes) Ernst (1726-1816), written in German in 1803, about her six-week trek to the North Carolina backcountry and the development of the Moravian communities of Bethabra (settled in 1753), Bethania (settled in 1759) and then Salem, which Adelaide Fries, the foremost scholar of the history and genealogy of the Moravians in the southern United States, translated and rewrote in story form. The Moravians and other German-speaking groups were not the only Europeans to arrive in New England or in one of the Middle Colonies to head south. Many Scots-Irish, predominately Presbyterian in religion, also made the journey. The Germans (also known as the Pennsylvania Dutch) and the Scots-Irish (also known as the Ulster Scots) were not antagonistic towards each other, but were somewhat clannish and tended to settle near people like themselves. The Great Wagon Road (TGWR) the main route south was a road in name only. Little more than a widened trail, it began at Philadelphia a major mid-Atlantic port and ended in northern Georgia. It was the route taken by many of our ancestors to North Carolina. If you remember your Tar Heel geography, you may recall that outside of Wilmington, our state has no good deep-water ports. From Philadelphia, TGWR went west to York, Pennsylvania, then south to Winchester, Virginia, basically paralleling the Appalachian Mountains onwards to Staunton, Virginia, thence to Roanoke, Virginia, and then into North Carolina, roughly the route of N.C. Highway 29, continuing onward to Winston-Salem, then Salisbury and thence to Charlotte and so on into South Carolina, terminating at Augusta, Georgia. Some authorities consider TGWR as our nations first interstate. There should be some historic highway markers posted about this historic route. The Moravians were headed for what was called The Wachovia Tract, almost 100,000 acres in present-day Forsyth County which had been purchased by the Unitas Fratrum from Lord Granville, one of the Carolinas Eight Lords Proprietors. Lord Granville had been granted huge estates by Englands King Charles II for supporting his claims to the English throne his father, you may recall, had been beheaded by Cromwell. The city of Winston-Salem and the town of Bethania are located within what was the Wachovia Tract. Historic Bethania has an excellent visitor center and museum, providing information and historical interpretation. Salem was begun in 1766 and merged with the neighboring town of Winston in 1913. If you havent already done so, you should make a walking tour of Old Salem. Many of Iredell Countys first European settlers, or the children of early European settlers who stayed in Pennsylvania, took a right-hand (westward) detour off TGWR between Salisbury and Charlotte and settled near a creek west of Salisbury, the seat of Rowan County. Clever people that they were, the newcomers numbered the creeks as they trekked westward: First Creek, Second Creek, Third Creek, etc. Settlers around the fourth creek west of Salisbury organized a Presbyterian church and the village they began was called Fourth Creek Congregation, but is better known now as Statesville, North Carolina, after it was chartered by the General Assembly. The basis for this column is The Road to Salem, by Adelaide L. Fries (Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 1944). If your ancestors as did some of mine came down the Great Wagon Road, Dr. Fries book will help you to appreciate more what your ancestors experienced. The book is now available in paperback. For the sweeter side of history, you can contact Mrs. Hanes Moravian Cookies company in Clemmons through their website at HanesCookies.com. You can even tour their bakery; I plan to. Call 336- 764-1402 for details and hours. Youll be glad you did. O.C. Stonestreet is the author of Tales From Old Iredell County, They Called Iredell County Home and Once Upon a Time in Mooresville, NC. April 4-10, 2022 is National Public Health Week. I want to take this opportunity to thank the individuals who work at the Iredell County Health Department. In Iredell County, your health department offers dental, child health, maternal health, immunization, HIV testing and counseling, sexually transmitted disease and family planning clinic services. Care Management services are offered to women with high risk pregnancies. At-risk population care management is also offered to children from birth to 5 years of age. Our Women, Infant & Children program offers nutritional counseling, breastfeeding support and free healthy food purchases for pregnant and breastfeeding women and children from birth to age 5. Our residents can also take advantage of our low-cost walk-in laboratory services. This program is especially beneficial for individuals who dont have health insurance or have a high deductible. We have public health emergency response plans that are exercised regularly. North Carolina has more than 80 reportable communicable diseases. Each disease has specific control measures that we are tasked statutorily with following. From tuberculosis to hemorrhagic fever (Ebola), public health works to slow the spread of disease in our county. Also, Iredell County births and deaths are reported to the health department by hospitals, medical examiners, medical providers, funeral homes and hospices. Our deputy registrar reviews these documents for accuracy prior to their filing at the office of the Register of Deeds. Our environmental health program ensures the safety of public facilities that include child care institutions, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, public swimming pools, tattoo parlors, migrant housing and camps. We inspect and permit public eating establishments, caterers, mobile food units and concession stands. When children have elevated blood lead levels, we assist NCDHHS with identifying the lead source and the property owner with the development of a remediation plan. When a clandestine methamphetamine lab is identified by the SBI or local law enforcement, we work with the property owner to ensure that no human occupies the property without the proper clean-up and our approval. Mosquito control complaints are also addressed through home visits and education. We work with partners to address public health concerns that impact the health of our community though the Community Health Assessment process. We coordinate the Safe Kids Iredell Coalition, the Healthy Iredell Coalition, the Iredell County Community Equity Council, the Iredell County Healthcare Preparedness Coalition and the Iredell County Child Fatality Task Force. We also share important public health updates through social media, print, radio and community presentations. Each health department in N.C. is required by General Statute to pass a public health accreditation audit and on-site survey every four years. The accreditation process includes compliance with 41 benchmarks, more than 150 activities and more than 200 evidence requirements. After a comprehensive orientation, we have to assure the continued licensure, education and competency of our staff. No deficiencies were identified during our last public health accreditation survey in October of 2018. Our administrative staff manage appointments, registration, eligibility, billing, revenue and expenditures. We follow all Iredell County fiscal control policies and procedures. In a county with more than 180,000 residents, our public health work is accomplished with only 110 full-time positions. During National Public Health Week, it is certainly fitting to recognize the staff of the Iredell County Health Department for their dedication to serving others. It is my privilege to be a member of this extraordinary team! Jane Hinson is the Iredell County health director. From Oppo K10, Redmi 10, to Realme 9i here are the top 5 recently launched smartphones under Rs. 15000 on Flipkart. Check list here. With a budget of Rs. 15000 there are a lot of options under the affordable smartphone segment to consider. Smartphone companies like Oppo, Samsung, Realme, among others are some of the most prominent brands to come up with affordable phones offering decent performance and features. If you are planning to switch to a new phone priced under Rs. 15000 then you can know that Flipkart is offering discounts, exchange and bank offers on several recently launched smartphones. From Oppo K 10 to POCO M4 Pro 5G and realme 9i- check the list here. 1. Oppo K10 The 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant of Oppo K10 is available for Rs. 14,990 at a discount of 21 percent on Flipkart. You can also avail exchange and bank offers on the phone. With exchange you will be able to further reduce up to Rs. 13,000 on the bank. The bank offers include Rs. 1000 instant discount on Bank Of Baroda Credit Card Transactions; Rs. 50 instant cashback on Paytm Wallet on minimum order value of Rs. 500 valid once per Paytm account; 5 percent cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank Card. Freebie like free 6 months Gaana Plus subscription is also being offered. 2. Redmi 10 The 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant of Redmi 10 in black colour can be purchased for Rs. 10,999 at a discount of 26 percent. If you buy the phone with exchange you can further get up to Rs. 10,450 off. The exchange offer includes Rs. 50 instant cashback on Paytm Wallet on minimum order value of Rs. 500 valid once per Paytm account; 5 percent cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank Card. Freebies like adding Bitcoin worth Rs. 201 to your portfolio; and free 6 months Gaana Plus subscription is also being offered. 3. Realme Narzo 50A The phone with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage can be purchased for Rs. 11,599 at a discount of 10 percent on Flipkart. And with the help of exchange offer you will be able to get up to Rs. 10,800 off further. The bank offers being offered on the phone include Rs. 50 instant cashback on Paytm Wallet on minimum order value of Rs. 500 valid once per Paytm account; and 5 percent cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank Card. You can also avail freebies on this phone like 25 percent off on Discovery+ Subscription and free 6 months Gaana Plus subscription. 4. Poco M4 Pro 5G The phone with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage is available at a discount of 15 percent on Flipkart. The phone can be purchased for Rs. 16,999. While on exchange you can further get up to Rs. 13,000 off on the phone. The bank offers provided on the phone include Rs. 50 instant cashback on Paytm Wallet on minimum order value of Rs. 500 valid once per Paytm account; and 5 percent cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank Card. You can also get 25 percent off on Discovery+ Subscription. 5. Realme 9i You will have to pay Rs. 13,499 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant of the phone on Flipkart. It is available at a discount of 15 percent. On exchange you can further get up to Rs. 11,550 off. The bank offers include Rs. 50 instant cashback on Paytm Wallet on minimum order value of Rs. 500 valid once per Paytm account; and 5 percent cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank Card. Freebie like 25 percent off on Discovery+ Subscription can also be availed. According to NASA, 5 large asteroids are rushing towards Earth today on April 2. Should you be worried? There is going to be an asteroid bombardment today! As many as 5 large asteroids are gunning for the Earth today, April 2 according to the American space agency. While asteroids zoom past our planet almost every single day, it is rare to see so many asteroids passing by the Earth together. This also increases the risk factor significantly as even one of them deviating from their path and heading towards the Earth can spell instant disaster for us all. While the prediction at this time is that these asteroids will make a safe passage, things can change at a moments notice. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: According to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory by NASA, these five asteroids are named 2022 FQ, 2016 GW221, 2022 FE2, 2021 GN1 and 2022 FJ1. The asteroids are between the size of 18-40 meters, and although they are not particularly large, if they were to crash into Earth, they will cause severe localized damage and create large impact craters which can lead to earthquakes, tsunamis and forest fires. It should be noted that all of these asteroids have been classified as near Earth objects (NEO) and as such, they are all potentially hazardous to our planet. Just a couple of weeks back, an asteroid named 2022 EB5 deviated from its path and hit the Earth near the western coast of Greenland. NASA: 5 asteroids headed towards the Earth Asteroid 2022 FQ is a 37 meters wide asteroid and its closest approach to the Earth will be at 3,070,000 kilometers. The 2016 GW221 is the largest asteroid to fly by the Earth today at 40 meters wide, and it will pass the Earth at a distance of 3,740,000 kilometers. Asteroids 2022 FE2 and 2021 GN1 are 30 and 18 meters wide respectively and their closest approach will be at 3,850,000 and 5,510,000 kilometers. Finally, the 2022 FJ1 is a 26 meters wide asteroid which will move away from the Earth from the farthest distance of 6,320,000 kilometers. If you want to find out more about these asteroids, you can visit NASAs Small Body Database. Do note, that due to the distance, none of these asteroids will be visible to the naked eye. You will need a high-power telescope to be able to see these space rocks floating across the sky. The Planetary Defense Coordination Office or the PDCO, a wing of NASA that is tasked with monitoring and building anti-asteroid strategies, is responsible for tracking these asteroids and ensuring that they follow the predicted trajectory and never come close to the Earth. The existence of the department in itself highlights the danger these asteroids pose towards our planet and humanity. A meteor exploded in the atmosphere over Earth recently. The horrific meteor explosion left residents in Bloomington, Indiana shocked. Check the details here. Whenever the word space is mentioned, pictures of planets, stars, asteroid, comets, meteors, Sun, Moon, Galaxies, etc. creep instantly into our minds. Things in space not only excite us but they can even impact our life in various ways. We all know about meteors falling on Earth. And in the most recent incidents of a meteor hitting Earth was recorded in Bloomington, Indiana. As per a report by space.com, at precisely 12:44 p.m. EDT (1744 GMT) on March 30, a meteor exploded over Indiana. The impact was shocking for all those who felt or saw its impact. In fact, surrounding counties were literally shaken by the sound of a massive explosion. The event was captured in a security camera. After hearing the loud sound of the explosion, locals quickly took to social media to know what actually happened. They were shocked and surprised to know that a meteor had just exploded above their heads. According to the report by space.com, a local Facebook group titled "What's that noise?" was one of the many places people flocked to with speculation about the source of the explosive sound, which was reported to have been heard for several tens of miles. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: A local resident Adrienne Evans Fernandez posted a post which was flooded by comments stacking up with rumors of fires at a nearby naval base, military tests, a motor vehicle accident and more. But as we know none of these incidents actually took place. According to Space.com, Evans Fernandez, who was first to pose the question in the popular "What's that noise?" group, said that her thoughts jumped straight to the possibility of an earthquake. "I actually thought for a hot second it was the [primary wave] of the earthquake we're supposed to always be prepared for," she told Space.com. Nancy Lee, a commentator on Evans Fernandez's initial online post, also recorded footage of the event with her Ring camera, which managed to capture the "boom." Everyone wanted to know what could have made the explosive boom. "Twelve reports were made to the American Meteor Society, spanning over one hundred miles apart, detailing accounts of a fireball's descent and trajectory heading northward, as the outer space object made its way over Northern Kentucky toward Indianapolis. These chance sightings helped to ultimately solve the mystery of the "boom" over Indiana which, as it turned out, was a "fireball," sometimes called a bolide, which is a bright meteor making its way through Earth's atmosphere from space (and burning up along the way)," the report by space.com said. Some devices launch with a splash, a big event to announce their availability to everyone. Though some mid-range options don't get the same hype. Previously, it was confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy M33 5G would launch here soon. Well, it's now available if you're interested in getting one. Recently, the Galaxy M33 was officially added to the Samsung Malaysia website. For your info, this phone comes with an Exynos 1280 chipset, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a 5000mAh battery. In terms of design, it's notably different from last year's Galaxy M32 5G. Although the new model also has a rear quad-camera module, the lenses are positioned in a square rather than a trapezoid. The Galaxy M33 5G comes with quite a few upgrades, compared to its predecessor. The upgrade is not only slightly larger at 6.6-inch, but it also supports a resolution of 1080 x 2408 and a max refresh rate of 120Hz. The main camera has also been upgraded to 50MP, though the front camera is now an 8MP shooter instead of 13MP. Besides that, the new model also comes with up to 6GB of virtual RAM. In terms of specs, the Galaxy M33 5G is on par with last year's Galaxy M52 5G. If you're a Galaxy M series fan that hasn't upgraded in years, it might be the right model for you. What do you think? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this. My husband and I and our friend Linda were in the airport, planning to get dinner (I wanted calamari) before Lindas flight left Monterey for Las Vegas. On our way into the restaurant we passed an elderly woman leaning on the arm of someone I assumed to be her daughter. Noticing a corsage (orchids?) pinned to the womans jacket, I said, Beautiful flowers! And her daughter said, Its her birthday today! Shes 102! So while my husband and Linda waited to get a table, I got to know the birthday girl. Its your birthday? I said. Yes, she said, laughing, and Im stuffed! Her name was Helen, and she didnt look stuffed. She looked radiant, and not a day over 70. I wish you couldve seen her. Happy birthday! I said. Then I added what I always say to loved ones and friends (even friends Ive just met in the airport) on their birthdays: Im so glad you were born! Thanks! she said, beaming. Helen and her daughter werent traveling. They are locals in an area known for great restaurants. But like many of their neighbors (including my husband and me) they like the food in the airports restaurant. Especially the calamari. So they chose it as the spot to celebrate Helens 102nd birthday. We chatted a bit, then went our separate ways. Funny, how we can meet someone in passing and think of them as friends. Friendship is always a gift, but it takes different forms. Some friends, like Helen and her daughter, come into our lives for only a moment. Others stay for years, in good times and bad, until one day, somehow, we lose touch. But if were lucky, we have one friend (or if were really lucky, a few) who show up and stick with us forever. Linda is one of my forever friends. My husband and I were newlyweds years ago when his job changed and we moved 500 miles from family and friends on the Monterey Peninsula in California, to a town my mother called Las Vegas of All Places. Im a firm believer that home is where you make it. So we made Las Vegas our home. We loved the desert, having a pool and swimming at midnight. We loved the people we met, and especially the visits from our grown kids and others who were guests at our hotel. But in our 12 years in Vegas, my only close friend (aside from my husband and a few checkers at Trader Joes) was Linda. We were introduced by our husbands, who worked together at a newspaper. Thanks to similar backgrounds and senses of humor, Linda and I grew close right away. We couldve been sisters. In some ways, we are. We would meet once a week or so to talk and laugh about everything and nothing. I called her my oasis in the desert. Then my husband retired and we moved back to California, to be closer to our kids and all the grandkids they were giving us. Linda and I kept in touch with texts and phone calls. But four years passed without our seeing each other. Then last week, she flew to Monterey, for a face-to-face, heart-to-heart, real visit. My husband left town and let us have the house. So for five days and four nights, Linda and I talked and laughed about everything and nothing and celebrated being forever friends. Our farewell dinner at the airport was great. Especially the company. And the calamari. Then we walked to the check-in line for her flight, hugged long and hard and said our goodbyes. Driving home, I thought of something I learned long ago: People leave, but love remains. Im not sure when Ill see Linda again. If not in this life, then on the porch in heaven. But if were blessed, like Helen, to live to 102, I hope we celebrate our forever friendship, along with all our loved ones and friends. Over dinner. At the airport. With calamari. Sharon Randall is a syndicated columnist and the author of The World and Then Some: A Novel. Contact her at P.O. Box 922, Carmel Valley, CA 93924 or via her website at www.sharonrandall.com. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An Oregon man was arrested Thursday morning on Highway 30 in Shelton for allegedly carrying numerous types of drugs in his minivan. The driver was identified as Kelly Scheel, 48, of Salem, Ore. At about 11:45 a.m., a Nebraska State trooper observed a Chevrolet minivan speeding on Highway 30 in Shelton, a NSP release said. During the traffic stop, a state patrol K-9 detected the odor of a controlled substance inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle yielded 61 pounds of marijuana, more than 750 THC vape cartridges, more than 100 syringes of suspected ketamine, two pounds of marijuana wax, 24 dosage units of LSD, more than 380 packages of THC edibles, and smaller amounts of cocaine, ketamine, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ecstasy, psilocybin mushrooms and chocolate bars, amphetamine, unknown pills and multiple items of drug paraphernalia. Scheel was arrested for several drug offenses. As of Friday, he remained in custody at the Buffalo County Jail. The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. CHARLESTON The South Carolina Historical Society Museum (SCHS) is proud to announce its new exhibit, Africa to America: The Plantation Culture of Early South Carolina, focusing on the plight of enslaved Africans and the many contributions they made to the culture of colonial South Carolina. The exhibit is set to open in late April 2022. Featuring original documents held by the South Carolina Historical Society along with images and artifacts loaned by other museums and individuals, the gallery traces enslaved Africans from the rice-growing regions of their homeland and highlights the skills and knowledge that they brought with them. Dr. Dan Littlefield, Professor Emeritus of the University of South Carolina, and former Director of the Institute for African American Research at that institution, is the guest curator for the exhibit. Now more than ever, its important to share the stories of enslaved Africans who contributed so much to South Carolinas culture, said Faye L. Jensen, Ph. D., Executive Director of the SCHS. We hope this new exhibit helps people understand the experiences of the enslaved population in colonial South Carolina, as well as the immense impact they had on shaping our state into what it is today. The new exhibit will explore various facets of the enslaved African experience, including: Origins South Carolinas planters were aware of the differences among African people and expressed a real interest in securing their enslaved servants from the west coast of Africa, where the inhabitants cultivated rice as early as 1500 B.C. Items in this exhibit include: a 1755 letter from Henry Laurens; a list of enslaved males belonging to the Ball family in the mid-1700s; an image of an African rice field drawn by a slave trader (from his log dated 1793-94); and a 15th century manila, used as a symbol of wealth in Africa. Transatlantic Trade and Marketing Scholars estimate that more than twelve million people were forcefully taken from their homes in Africa and sold into slavery. In South Carolina, the slave trade, both international and domestic, created great wealth. Items in this exhibit include: a bill of sale for 5 people to Arnoldus Vanderhorst II; 18th century kissie pennies (used for trade in Africa); and an 18th century collar and shackles. Rice Cultivation Rice became South Carolinas principal export crop by 1720. The production of rice created the wealthiest plantation economy in British North America. In 1774, thanks to rice exports, Charles Town was the richest city in the American colonies. Items in this exhibit include: a rice fanner from South Carolina and another from Sierra Leone; and an entry from Roslin Plantation Journal (c:1814) discussing the task system. Culture Many Africans came to South Carolina possessed of skills and talents that enhanced plantation life. Weaving, cooking, pottery making, and a knowledge of herbal treatments are just a few examples of their contributions. Items in this exhibit include: A newspaper article on Caesars Cure; samples of Colonoware pottery; and images of houses in a village in Sierra Leone (published in 1732) contrasted with slave dwellings at Mulberry Plantation in South Carolina. Resistance The Stono Rebellion of 1740 was the largest uprising of enslaved peoples in colonial British North America. Despite the resulting slave code which tightened controls, enslaved people continued to resist, as evidenced by frequent advertisements for runaways. Items in this exhibit include: the Slave Code of 1740, a 1734 newspaper article about Quash, a runaway; and a 1797 plantation journal entry concerning runaways. The South Carolina Historical Society Museum is located in the Fireproof Building at 100 Meeting Street in downtown Charleston. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about Africa to America: The Plantation Culture of Early South Carolina, please visit www.schs.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Shawn Callaway, a social worker, motivational speaker and advocate for blind citizens, will be the featured speaker at South Carolina State Universitys Spring Honors and Awards Convocation on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. The event will recognize hundreds of high achievers in a virtual presentation via SC States YouTube Channel beginning at 3 p.m. SC State will recognize Presidential Scholars who have achieved superior grade point averages at bronze (3.00-3.49), silver (3.50-3.74) and gold (3.75-4.00) levels. Seniors with perfect 4.0 GPAs will receive special recognition. The university also will recognize recipients of academic, merit and need-based scholarships from various community partners and endowments. About Shawn Callaway Callaway was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Prince Georges County, Maryland. When he was a sophomore at SC State University, a classmate was playing with a gun and accidentally shot Calloway in the temple. The accident resulted in the detachment of his optic nerves, which caused total blindness. Callaway returned to the D.C. area and received blindness training at the Workforce Technology Center in Baltimore. He credits a blind man named Lou Smith with providing his training and being an early mentor. He also credits his parents for encouraging him throughout his transition to life as a successful blind person. After his rehabilitation training, Callaway earned his associate degree in psychology from Essex Community College in 1995, his bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland in 1997, and then his master's in social work from Catholic University of America in 2000. He began his professional career working with the homeless at Catholic Charities, and then went on to counsel children in the Washington, D.C., public school system for the city's Department of Behavioral Health. He now works as a program specialist for the United States Department of Health and Human Services, specifically in programs of the Administration on Community Living and the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Callaway joined the National Federation of the Blind in the spring of 2009. He found himself leading the Washington, D.C., affiliate after longtime leader Don Galloway died in 2011. He is a member of the federations board of directors. He has served on the boards of the DC Center for Independent Living and the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind and has chaired the DC rehabilitation council. He co-hosts a community radio program called Open Our Eyes on two local stations. In addition, he serves as the President of the DC Friends of the Talking Book and Braille Library and is a member of the DC Blind Bowlers Association. In 2005, he married Latonya Rollins of Cleveland, Ohio. They have a daughter, Camille. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The awards displayed in Johney L. Haralsons office are numerous, save one. But that was remedied when Haralson was honored with a resolution from Bamberg County Council recognizing his lifetime of extraordinary achievement, service and contributions to the area. Haralson was presented the unanimously adopted resolution during a surprise celebration at his office in Denmark that included a congratulatory letter from local elected officials and remarks by Bamberg County Council Chair Spencer Donaldson. "The County of Bamberg is recognizing Johney Haralson today for his servantship to our communities and to the people of South Carolina. Hes been a champion for tree farming, land conversation and environmental stewardship," Donaldson said. A native of Denmark and a Soil and Water District commissioner for Bamberg since 2004, Haralson has operated Johney L. Haralsons State Farm Agency for 46 years. But he noted, after expressing gratitude to family, friend and longtime clients gathered in his office, that land conservation and forestry has always been my love and my passion. Haralson has served on the boards of South Carolina Forestry Association, S.C. Wildlife Federation, S.C. Tree Farm Committee and the National Forest Landowners Association. His long resume of community service includes work with, among other groups, Salkehatchie Forest Landowners Association, South Carolina Association of Conservation Districts, the FORPAC, and former district director of the Edisto Savannah Watershed. "I am both humbled and grateful," Haralson said in accepting the framed resolution and ambassadorship certificate. "God has opened more doors than I can count over my 40-plus years of being able to serve this community, in more organizations and in more ways than I can name here this afternoon. I get the greatest joy in the world from serving." Roxie Haralson said her husband was "reaping what hes sowed all these years." "He loves this community, and this is a terrific honor," she expressed. Haralson recounted some of his greatest joys over the years lobbying members of Congress on issues of sustainability and forestry, working with the General Assembly to pass forestry legislation, conducting workshops on prescribed fire burning, and sponsoring with his wife, Roxie, the Double K Farm Forestry Scholarship for a forestry student at Clemson University. The honor is the second that Haralson has received in the past year. He was named the 2021 recipient of the Charles H. Flory Distinguished Service Award from the South Carolina Forestry Association for his outstanding contributions to tree farming, conservation and forestry. Haralson and his wife, Roxie, have been married for 52 years. They have two daughters, Kristen and Kacey, and five grandchildren. He is also a deacon at First Baptist Church of Denmark. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 One day in the spring of 2021, Akram Johari decided to pack up and leave for Iraq, which has recently become a new land of opportunity for Lebanese looking for a better life as their country sinks into an unprecedented deep crisis. The Lebanese national currency has seen its value melt by almost 90 percent since 2019. The monthly minimum wage of LL675,000 is worth little more than $30 on the parallel market. About 80 percent of the population now lives below the poverty line, according to the United Nations. Johari, 42, ran a restaurant near Beirut. When he left a year ago, his income was worth no more than $100. I didnt have enough time to look for a job in the Gulf and I had to decide quickly. Thats why I came to Baghdad and started looking for work through Instagram, says the father. For the past month, Akram has been managing a restaurant in Baghdad and his salary finally allows him to support his family back in Lebanon. Iraq and Lebanon are culturally close and share the same language, despite dialectal differences. But, above all, when they arrive in Iraq, the Lebanese obtain a visa that is valid for more than a month and easily renewable. The movement has increased According to Iraqi authorities, more than 20,000 Lebanese traveled to Iraq between June 2021 and February 2022, not counting pilgrims visiting the Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala. The movement has recently increased, Ali Habhab, Lebanon's ambassador to Baghdad, told AFP. The diplomat believes that the health sector is particularly affected with dozens of Lebanese doctors working in Iraqi hospitals. At first glance, Iraq appears to be an unusual choice of destination to rebuild ones life. After the war against Iran (1980-88), the American-led invasion in 2003, the civil war of 2006-09, then the Daesh (Islamic State) offensive in 2014 and finally the widespread protest movement in late 2019, Iraq does not convey the image of a land of promise. Yet, since Baghdad proclaimed its victory against Daesh in late 2017, the country has returned to relative stability. The Lebanese know the Iraqi environment well, notes Iraqi economist Ali al-Rawi. There is a lot of space for Lebanese companies because most foreign companies are afraid to invest. But the image is misleading. Many Iraqis are being hit hard by the economic and social crisis. In a country where 90 percent of income comes from oil, youth unemployment is 40 percent and a third of the 40 million Iraqis live in poverty. Thousands of Iraqis are seeking to leave their country, as the wave of Kurdish migration to Europe last fall and winter demonstrated. Lebanese doctors Lebanese who move to Iraq tend to work in the service and health sectors. There are more than 900 Lebanese companies in Iraq. Most of them are active in the fields of tourism, catering or health. Before the crisis, Iraqis often went to Lebanon to consult doctors who were much better equipped than at home. But with the economic crisis, a lot of doctors have left Lebanon, says Michael Cherfan, Lebanese manager of an ophthalmology center in Beirut that has opened a branch in Baghdad. The opening of the Iraqi branch last year saved Iraqi patients the trip to Beirut. But it is also a good way for Lebanese doctors to make up for the financial losses they suffer by staying in Lebanon. Our doctors come here [to Baghdad] in turn. Every week, one or two doctors come to do tests and operate on patients, says Cherfan. The money, however, even if it allows him and his family to live, is not enough for Johari, who travels at least once a month to Lebanon to see his family. I am sad [while in Iraq] not to have my two-month-old daughter by my side, he sighs. This article was originally published in French in LOrient-Le Jour. NAMI hosting Family-to-Family classes Beginning on April 4. The classes will be one night a week for eight weeks. NAMI Family-to-Family is a free program for families, friends, and significant adults with mental health conditions. NAMI Family-to-Family provides information about anxiety, depressive disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder: and other mental health conditions. Other topics covered include communication, problem-solving, treatment, and recovery. For information and how to register, please get in touch with NAMI Casper at 307-234-0440 LOOK Shorty! That incredulous shout from a visitor to the Blackman Ranch last Saturday in Piparo drew a chorus of audible gasps from a small touring party. Led by Isaac and Nehilet Blackman, through the green acres theyve called home for more than three decades, the group was halted in their tracks at the sight of a tall, striking figure. Standing between two trees in long, flowing white garb, he smiled welcomingly. Guitar in hand, the man beckoned them forward, saying: This is the exact spot where I wrote so many of my songs. There are no more visa appointments at the United States Embassy in Trinidad for 2022, so be When Dr Eric Williams decided to lay down his bucket here in the islands after his release from the Caribbean Commission and his debates with Dom Basil Matthews in the Public Library, he held lectures in Woodford Square, which he called The University of Woodford Square. We who were alive then felt happy. He attracted people of like mind for the betterment of the islands, so he formed the PNMthe Peoples National Movement. The Caveman in the Backyard By Christine Knowles. Independently published; $9.49; $3.99 Kindle. A trio of time-traveling, 21st century kids find comradeship and adventure among Paleolithic people when they pass through an opening in the Earth at the Murray Springs Clovis Site and land in the ice age. The quest for a highly-prized spear point adds intrigue to this novel for middle school readers, and kids will relate to the real-time family dynamics of the time travelers. Theres plenty of well-researched and fact-checked information cleverly woven into the plot about Clovis culture, prehistoric animals and the science that revealed that world to us. The message that there might be fewer differences than we think between us and ancestors who lived 13,000 years says important things to kids about the timelessness of humanity. In addition to being a writer, author Christine Knowles edits an international scientific research journal. She lives in Tucson. Helene Woodhams Gladys By Trudy Weiss. Self-published. $16.99. Family ties, domestic turmoil and the hardscrabble life of pre-Dust Bowl Oklahoma inform this richly-detailed historical novel, based on the authors family oral history and her grandmothers life story. From the time she was a young girl, Gladys Simmons life has been marked by tragedy, back-breaking work and the cruelty of her brutal, anguished father. Luckily, her life has been blessed by two caring brothers and the kindness of strangers; with their support she matures into a capable, self-reliant woman, possessed of a resiliency that she clearly didnt inherit from her father. But, the author intimates, who can truly understand whats bred in the bone? As a bonus, old family photos and favorite recipes from her grandmother round out this debut novel by Tucsonan and retired teacher Trudy Weiss. Helene Woodhams Out of the Crayon Box: Thoughts on Teaching, Retirement, and Life By Debra VanDeventer; independently published; $11.99, $3.99 Kindle. Timing is everything, plan way more than you think youll need, and expect the unexpected. These are hard and fast rules of teaching, says former elementary school teacher Debra VanDeventer. But as her smart, highly entertaining memoir suggests, they really do double duty as a personal philosophy. After a rewarding, 37-year career in the classroom, about which she shares touchingly lovely memories and from which she actually retired twice (once in Indiana, then again after a few bonus years at Manzanita School in Tucson), VanDeventer found that retirement was a shock to her system. Abandoning her multitasking ways, adapting to a new rhythm in her days and following her bliss instead of a schedule was surprisingly challenging, but the Oro Valley resident is clearly as adept a learner as she was a teacher. One of the unexpected things she discovered about herself was her flair for writing creative nonfiction, and its on display here: Her adventures in retirement are a delight to read. Helene Woodhams Romero Pools: A Story of Love By Alyssa Hall. FriesenPress. $31.99 hardcover; $20.30 paperback; $9.99 Kindle. Marin didnt anticipate conducting a back-country rescue as she hiked the ridge above Romero Pools. But when Adam drops, literally, into her life, it turns out to be the stroke of luck shes needed since her fiance, Tyler, disappeared after their disastrous car wreck. Helping Adam limp down the mountain, Marin relates how her disapproving parents were bent on thwarting their romance and that now, to her bewilderment, she can find no trace of Tyler and doesnt know if he survived the crash. Adam, an endlessly resourceful psychologist, determines to investigate the mystery surrounding Marins Romeo and Juliet tragedy and discovers secrets far darker than anyone had imagined. Alyssa Hall, a Canadian snowbird and part-time Oro Valley resident, overlays her tale of intrigue with a love letter to Tucson, incorporating favorite scenic destinations, landmarks, restaurants and even El Tour de Tucson into the narrative. This is her third book. Helene Woodhams When Pigs Flew: The TFX Affair By Chris Hansen. Able Baker Press. $28, $9.99 Kindle. The Kennedy administrations awarding of the coveted contract for the TFX (Tactical Fighter Experimental) fighter bomber to the General Dynamics Corporation in 1962 despite having received a lower bid from the Boeing Corporation for what some considered a better-designed plane prompted an extensive congressional investigation. The final report, says author Chris Hansen, was disappointingly opaque as regards purported corruption, political shenanigans, corporate influence and mob connections. The plane, more commonly known as the F-111, was itself highly controversial. Hansen, a retired aerospace engineer who lives in Tucson, believes that, 60 years later, the full story of the TFX has yet to be completely understood. With this ambitious volume, equal parts aviation history, engineering and political expose, he offers a deeply researched, blow-by-blow account of the affair as he understands it. At 800-plus pages its not a casual read; the author suggests that readers use the table of contents as an aid to navigation. Helene Woodhams The Beloved Border: Humanity and Hope in a Contested Land By Miriam Davidson. University of Arizona Press. $19.95 paperback. This books title alone could attest to journalist Miriam Davidsons personal and professional investment in our troubled U.S.-Mexican borderland her third book on the region. Opening with a parable of a special place rich and biodiverse which is corrupted by the greed of empire, but manages to restore cultural and environmental harmony, Davidson immediately launches into Gangland, examining the effects of the drug war in Mexico. Elucidating gang activity, she devotes a harrowing chapter to murders of individual members of the press. She provides historic context for the drug trade that ignited such violence, and U.S. complicity (read Operation Fast and Furious) in fueling it. Slavery focuses on the plight of the undocumented in the U.S., the detention and treatment of asylum seekers, the deaths of the estimated 10,000 migrants since the 1990s, efforts to identify human remains, humanitarian aid in the desert and abuses of authority. Finishing with some sense of hope, The Peaceable Kingdom discusses the Sanctuary Movement, the natural environment, and the beauty of cross-border cultural community. The epilogue lays out specific recommendations for change. Youll recognize local heroes, and be reminded of Tucsons willingness to respond to human and environmental crises. Its an eminently readable, comprehensive addition to the body of borderlands work. Christine Wald-Hopkins Gunslinger By Jeff Ridenour. Self-published. $9.99 paperback; $.99 Kindle. Clues abound that this fourth Stu Fletcher, PI, mystery is not meant to be the noirest noir on the shelf starting with the cover photo of a teddy bear sporting a badge and a gun. Jeff Ridenour writes that he wanted to write something light, but also to skewer Scottsdale, with which his 60s high school self was at odds. In Gunslinger, set in 1969, Fletcher is called from his California base to Scottsdale to investigate the murder of a mystery bookstores owner. Theres good money to be had, and he accepts, despite his reservations about the racist detective who taps him. Dubbed Gunslinger for his penchant for shooting traffic arrests, the detectives been pulled off the case because his girlfriend is a suspect. A slate of suspects is compiled and investigated, a bevy of beguiling broads gets thrown in Fletchers path, some betrayals occur, and a semi-innocent is sacrificed before the murder is solved. Ridenour clearly enjoyed the little PI jaunt, which weaves together noir films and elements of mystery writing, and mocks the snobbish, morality-impaired, racist culture of 1960s Scottsdale. This reader enjoyed it, too. Christine Wald-Hopkins My Train is On Schedule By Marquez Price. Self-published. $11.99 paperback; Kindle available. Powerful in its economy and cultural acuity, this collection of poems speaks to a universal audience from a young Black mans perspective. A philosophy and sociology graduate of the University of Arizona, 10 years in social work, Price is empathetic and thoughtful. Personal and lucid, the poems range from short, observational pieces (Being a pallbearer in the morning/and a best man later that night,/was my lesson of living in the present); though profiles (Uncle Randle: because of the dexterity of his right hand / He taught me how to look at both sides); to longer narratives, of which, the affecting My Brothers Keeper traces life divergences of best friends from boyhood: You spent the most quality time in one year as you ever/had with your father,/as each others cellmate in prison. Its a collection youd give to someone who mistakenly believes he cant relate to poetry. And Marquez Prices poetic train is decidedly on schedule. Christine Wald-Hopkins Talk About Art! Shared Experiences in Art and Poetry By Chuck Albanese and Ned Mackey. Forewords by Big Jim Griffith and Diana Madaras. Wheatmark. $29.95. This collection of ekphrases by painter Chuck Albanese and poet Ned Mackey is a delight to the eye and a tweak to the imagination. To each of the 28 paintings by Albanese, Mackey provides a response in poetry (the ekphrasis). His third collection of ekphrases, retired TUSD English teacher Mackey then invites the reader to write some as well. Architect, retired professor and former University of Arizona architecture dean, Albanese draws from life experiences for his evocative paintings: for decades, he led painting trips to Greece and Italy. Many of his watercolors and oils thus depict affecting seaside or village scenes boats; village men in quiet contemplation or afternoon cards or chess. The collection includes local urban and desert scenes. Albaneses most vivid paintings are religious in nature. And one of them Our Lady of the Persecuted Christians provokes its richest artistic conversation: To the work of the Christian painter by the agnostic poet, Mackey writes: Centered, Christ, wise beyond his years/ already knowing the end of everything/ He blesses us anyway, believer or not. Lovely. Christine Wald-Hopkins Helene Woodhams is retired from Pima County Public Library, where she was literary arts librarian and coordinator of Southwest Books of the Year, the librarys annual literature review. Christine Wald-Hopkins, a former educator and occasional essayist, has long been a book critic for national, regional and local newspapers. If you are a Southern Arizona Author and would like your book to be considered for this column, send a copy to: Sara Brown, P.O. Box 26887, Tucson, AZ, 85726-6887. Give the price and contact name. Books must have been published within a year. Authors may submit no more than one book per calendar year. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. PHOENIX A mother who gives birth to a baby with marijuana in its system cannot be charged with child neglect if she has a doctors permission to use the drug. The state Court of Appeals overturned the decision by the Department of Child Safety to put Lindsay Ridgell on the agencys Central Registry, which is a list of substantiated instances of child abuse and neglect. Judge Randall Howe, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel, said the agency erred in brushing aside the evidence that Ridgell had a card entitling her to use marijuana for medical reasons. He said the 2010 Arizona Medical Marijuana Act provides immunity for those with such a state-issued card from being subject to arrest, prosecution, penalty or denial of any right or privilege. Howe acknowledged that DCS contends Ridgell never told the doctor who recommended the marijuana the legal precursor to getting a card that she was pregnant. Ridgell disputes that point. But the judge said all that is irrelevant. He pointed out that under the states child-welfare laws, pregnant women cannot be charged with abuse and neglect if they are taking medications under the direction of a physician. And since it is undisputed that Ridgell did have a doctors recommendation, that ends the discussion. Howe stressed that he and his colleagues were not endorsing that legal protection provided to pregnant women who use marijuana, saying it may be unwise. The United States government does not recognize the medical value of marijuana, he wrote. And the Center for Disease Control and Prevention warns of the effects of marijuana use during pregnancy. Howe also noted that the 2010 law requires warnings at marijuana dispensaries, and even on user registration cards, about the dangers of marijuana use on a fetus. But marijuanas proper role in society has been long debated, and the wisdom of legislation is not for this court to decide, he wrote. A spokesman for DCS said the agency is reviewing the decision and has no comment. Court records show Ridgell, a Dewey resident, obtained a medical marijuana card about 10 years ago after being diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and has used the drug ever since. She continued to use marijuana even after becoming pregnant in September 2018. She renewed her medical marijuana card in late December 2018, telling the certifying doctor she was pregnant. The doctor said she warned Ridgell that use of marijuana during pregnancy might result in her being reported to DCS at birth. But the doctor certified that, in her belief, Ridgell is likely to receive therapeutic or palliative benefit from the use of marijuana to treat or alleviate the qualifying patients debilitating medical condition. In May 2019, she again saw her obstetrician, telling that person she had stopped taking marijuana when she found out she was pregnant. Two later later, she gave birth to a baby boy who stopped breathing a minute after his birth and required resuscitation. After exhibiting jitteriness he was transferred to Phoenix Childrens Hospital for evaluation. Tests revealed the baby had marijuana, an anxiety drug, caffeine and Benadyl, notifying DCS that he had been born substance exposed. That constitutes neglect if the exposure was not caused by treatment administered by a health care professional. DCS, after an investigation, placed her on its Central Registry even though the baby remained healthy and that the jitteriness was never linked to marijuana use. She objected, noting that being placed on the list can affect someones ability to work with a child welfare agency or any firm that contracts with the state to provide direct services to children or vulnerable adults. The appellate judges sided with her. No one disputes that Ridgell is a qualifying patient under the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, Howe wrote. Under AMMA, then, she is presumed to have taken marijuana for medical use, which means taking it to treat or alleviate her medical condition or symptoms, the judge continued. And her marijuana use is the equivalent of taking any other medication under the direction of a physician. Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on Twitter at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com . Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Interview: China's initiative outlines priorities on solving humanitarian issue in Ukraine, ICRC president says Xinhua) 09:43, April 03, 2022 A man walks past a damaged building in Mariupol, April 1, 2022. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua) "I certainly appreciate all the efforts undertaken by China and many other countries in order to bring relief to the sufferings of the civilian population. These are important efforts and need to be supported," said President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer . MOSCOW, April 2 (Xinhua) -- President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer has positively assessed China's six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, as it has pointed to "the top priorities for humanitarian actors." The positions of the ICRC and China share "a lot of similarities," Maurer told Xinhua in a recent interview in Moscow, after he visited Ukraine and Russia. China's six-point initiative calls for making sure that humanitarian operations abide by the principles of neutrality and impartiality; giving full attention to the displaced persons in and from Ukraine; ensuring the protection of civilians; providing for safe and smooth humanitarian aid activities; providing for the safety of foreign nationals in Ukraine; and supporting the United Nations' coordinating role in channeling humanitarian aid, as well as the work of the U.N. crisis coordinator for Ukraine. Maurer said that the humanitarian situation in Ukraine is very serious and a large number of people displaced or trapped in areas of conflict are in urgent need of food, water, health and sanitation services, while the ICRC and the whole Red Cross Movement are trying to solve this problem. Humanitarian aid supplies sent by the Red Cross Society of China to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society are loaded in Warsaw, Poland, March 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Chen) China cares about the sufferings of civilians in Ukraine, and the Chinese government and the Red Cross Society of China have provided batches of humanitarian aid supplies to Ukraine. "I certainly appreciate all the efforts undertaken by China and many other countries in order to bring relief to the sufferings of the civilian population. These are important efforts and need to be supported," Maurer said. He praised the international community for financing humanitarian activities since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, adding that China has made a "noticeable" contribution. Maurer expressed concerns that a large number of people are trapped close to the front line or in urban areas where heavy shelling is reported, calling it essential for all parties to negotiate an agreement on the evacuation of civilians. He said that the ICRC aims to raise its budget for Ukraine this year and will send specialists, in addition to humanitarian aid supplies, to Ukraine to repair the damaged water supply, medical and sanitation facilities. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) When Pima Countys public facilities were forced to close to the public as a pandemic precaution, the parking lots of the countys libraries became full with people trying to access a Wi-Fi signal. (Theres) nothing like a pandemic and the closure of a public library to show how your community does not have access, for whatever reason, to the things that allow them to be productive citizens, said Michelle Simon, the deputy director of support services for the countys libraries. The library spent $200,000 to purchase 400 hot spots for students to take home to perform the remote school work the countys school districts pivoted to, but the effort highlighted a more significant problem regarding internet access in Pima County. It was that conversation about the amount of money that we as a library system had to put forth to help this small contingent of our community members and additionally, to highlight the fact of how many people were hanging out in our parking lots, trying to get a little bit of our Wi-Fi really hammered home that our community needs our help, Simon said. The countys public library and information technology department partnered to assemble the Strategic Planning Taskforce for Digital Access in Pima County, which created a long-term plan to increase access to affordable and reliable broadband internet. The task force plans to implement a part of that vision through an $800,000 contract with Cox Communications to activate 130 hot spots in rural or underserved locations that users can access for free. The Board of Supervisors was set to vote on approving the contract at its March 15 meeting but continued the item to April 5 to receive more information on the locations of the hot spots. Supervisor Steve Christy, whose district encompasses many of the countys rural areas with minimal internet access, said he wants his constituents to have access in their homes instead of relying on hot spots at community centers. Its not the necessity, in my view, of placing additional or better service in the libraries and community centers, he said. Its on the rooftops, its getting them into peoples homes. And the plan, even though it was preliminary, didnt seem to address that at all. Dan Hunt, Pima Countys chief information officer, said providing internet access to every home is a lofty goal, but its one the task force is moving toward achieving. People dont get that thats not a 12-month process. Its an eight- or 10-year process in a community the size of Tucson, he said. Tucson is a large portion of Pima County, but theres a lot of Pima County thats not Tucson as well. New hot spots Pima Countys digital access plan is comprised of short-, mid- and long-term goals running through fiscal year 2025. But by the end of September this year, the goal is to increase the number of publicly accessible hot spots by 10 sites in each county district. By the end of the year, the task force hopes to create a plan to address gaps in digital literacy and perform a community needs assessment. As a result of that plan and those goals that we have set, if youre looking at the plan, the short-term goal, what the broadband infrastructure talks about, is getting more connectivity in households by a certain point, Simon said. That is where this Cox contract comes into play. About 88% of county residents had a broadband internet subscription in 2020, according to U.S. Census data. But connectivity can be spotty in rural areas that internet service providers often overlook when building fiber-optic internet. When assessing areas for hot spots under the Cox contact, the digital access task force looked for places that were community gathering points, Hunt said, such as the Picture Rocks Community Center and the Three Points Veterans Memorial Neighborhood Park. If the Board of Supervisors approves the contract, the county will set up 130 external hot spots in rural, underserved areas that residents can access with a log-in provided by the library. There are 80 hot spots throughout metro Tucson that are already available to Cox customers away from home. Now the library is becoming a Cox customer on behalf of county residents, to be able to say, all of these hotspots are now available to you, heres the password, Hunt said. But the new hot spots are just the beginning of the task forces efforts. There are four subcommittees dedicated to different aspects of the digital access plan, including funding and procurement, digital literacy, digital access and broadband infrastructure. Were in the nascent stages, Simon said. Were trying to get the pieces in place so we turn it all on and let everybody know. At-home internet access The librarys paying for the Cox contract through Emergency Connectivity Funds the federal government provided to schools and libraries, and Simon expects about $200,000 in reimbursement funds for the countys first year of digital expansion efforts. But as with any one-time disbursement of federal money, the challenge is making sure the programs the money funds are sustainable. Can we pay for them forever? Well have to figure all of that out, Hunt said. We have basically a three-year federal funding mechanism that we jumped on board because it was available to us and allowed us to meet short-term goals. But longer-term goals, which could include building fiber-optic networks so underserved areas can access the internet at home, might be more pricey. Hunt said the county applied for a $12.5 million grant from the Arizona Commerce Authority to bring fiber networks to 1,300 to 1,500 households in the Avra Valley and Corona de Tucson areas. Theyre in places where an internet provider could never afford to build it because their return on investment is way too long, he said. Simon said bringing internet to homes is also partially achieved by helping people gain their own internet subscriptions. Several government subsidies for internet access exist, such as the Federal Communications Commissions Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides discounted broadband to low-income households. If theres an area of town that has low adoption rates, but the infrastructure is there, thats where the other piece of this is, where were able to help them understand how to access the internet with whats free, then show them the Affordable Connectivity Program, Simon said. Now theyre participating autonomously. They dont need our help to do it anymore. But those without internet access cant take advantage of the countys programs if they dont know about them. Heres this funding mechanism to get people to be able to get their broadband at a much lesser cost than what theyre paying right now. And what did we do as a federal government and all these companies? We posted it on the internet, Hunt said. They dont have laptops, they dont have connectivity, they dont have the wherewithal to even understand, how do I process this thing? The task force is waiting for the board to approve the Cox contract, then plans to set up an outreach campaign to inform residents lacking internet access of their options to get connected. If the contract is approved, Simon said her team hopes to have the hot spots in place by May. We cant just promote it online. If youre trying to get people to connect to it who dont get online, you got to have signs somewhere, you got to have pieces of paper somewhere. So you may see those kinds of things pop up in the community, Simon said. But this is a robust plan, its is not just about the Cox contract. Contact reporter Nicole Ludden at nludden@tucson.com Find a Wi-Fi connection near you To find a free Wi-Fi connection near you, visit connect-arizona.com/free-wi-fi-map. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. We were promised a 20-story tower at this prime Tucson intersection. So far, were getting a new Taco Bell. In that way, you could say East Speedway and North Campbell Avenue represents the reality of Tucson as opposed to its aspirations. A harsh assessment, maybe, but this intersection has struck me as underused since I first laid eyes on Tucson in September 1996. The warm evening after my first job interview at the Star, I pulled out a map and noticed a big intersection near the university. I drove there to see what was going on and found nothing much a Boston Market, a run-down hotel, cheap apartments and a Taco Bell. Instead of hanging out that night, I drove back to the town where I lived, Flagstaff. Thats the same Taco Bell that was torn down last month. These days, a sign outside the surrounding fence announces: COMING SOON AUGUST 2022 A BRAND NEW TACO BELL I might have been able to ignore it these last few weeks except for the phrase brand new. Nothing against Taco Bell, the company whose slogan is Live Mas, but even a brand new one does not arouse lots of excitement, even if it has a drive-thru lane and a walk-up window for late night bingeing. Thats especially true at a site that has potential for more. One corner of the intersection has significantly improved since my first visit. The Sheraton hotel was renovated and became the Aloft Tucson University. But the other corners are still lagging behind the times. Across East Speedway from the Taco Bell, the Palm Shadows apartment complex still stands. They are cheaply built, affordable and within walking distance of the university, lived in by generations of students. Years ago, someone nicknamed the place Palm Shady. The apartments were supposed to be gone by now, but owner Richard Shenkarow has not yet been able to get his ambitious Speedway Campbell Gateway project built. The idea is to have a group of buildings, up to 20 stories tall, carefully attuned to the environment by providing sun protection, shaded pedestrian space and water harvesting among other features. Theres supposed to be retail on the bottom floor, medical or research offices and residential units above. Shenkarow envisions it as a relatively car-free, transit-oriented, environmentally responsible project at the gateway to the university. Some neighborhood residents opposed the idea, especially due to the height, but it received City Council approval in 2018. Shenkarow got sick, though, and COVID-19 came along. We were under contract and ready to get going, and the pandemic hit, Shenkarow told me Friday. The brakes got put on. Its been disappointing to council member Steve Kozachik, who represents midtown and this intersection, and participated in the difficult conversations about the project. Hes seen fruitless development debates play out to a contested conclusion more than once. One of the frustrations I have, is that we go through a lot of work and so do the developers and neighbors to go through the zoning processes, Kozachik said. For us to go through all the work and have it sit vacant or undone is a drag. Its a waste of everybodys time and money and effort. UAs backdoor Shenkarow said the project is still moving forward, but no longer with the planned anchor tenant, Whole Foods. Were in strong negotiations with very experienced corporations, he said. One of them is Medistar, a Houston-based developer of medical-oriented real estate projects. The Gateway project is just south of the Banner University Medical Center. Kitty-corner from the Taco Bell, on the northeast corner of Speedway and Campbell, Boston Market no longer stands. It was a hit for a couple of decades, and even scored a March 1996 review in this paper, which concluded that the food is both tasty and wholesome. Probably inspired by Shenkarows imagination of the corner, I had celebrated Boston Markets disappearance, assuming that it meant that corner of Speedway and Campbell, too, was poised for a major urban redevelopment. Nope: The Boston Market became a Chipotle. Chipotle and Taco Bell have their place in Tucson, of course, though neither one is going to land on future tours of this UNESCO City of Gastronomy. I could imagine either of them sitting on the ground floor of, say, a four-story apartment building. We need more housing after all, especially on these major transportation routes. This is what happened on Speedway a few blocks west of Campbell, where a standalone Jack in the Box was torn down to make room for new apartments. Now the restaurant is on the first floor of that apartment building. That, I figure, is how Speedway and Campbell should be developing. But maybe Im unrealistic or out of the mainstream on this. I stopped by Dirtbags, the longstanding student-oriented bar next door to the Taco Bell site. Owner Gary Welch pointed out the Taco Bell property is relatively small and couldnt easily fit a bigger development. A developer would probably need the Dirtbags site and maybe the Wendys around the corner, too. Across the street, he noted, the Palm Shadows extends north a full block plenty of space for Shenkarows big project, whenever it gets going. And when I asked Alice Roe, president of the Blenman-Elm Neighborhood Association, why the development at this corner on the northeast gateway to the university is so stunted, she pointed to history and property. The entrance to the university was always to the west, by Main Gate, which is developing more densely every year. And this corner is private property. Speedway and Campbell is the back door, she said. I probably should have figured that out when I visited in 1996. I wouldnt have been under delusions about that corners potential ever since. Then and Now: UA campus in 50s, 60s, 70s and today University of Arizona campus, 1965 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1965 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1966 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1965 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1971 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1972 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1976 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1968 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1966 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1971 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1972 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1965 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1982 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1965 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1966 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1966 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1965 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1971 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1965 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1959 University of Arizona campus, 2016 University of Arizona campus, 1965 University of Arizona campus, 2016 Contact columnist Tim Steller at tsteller@tucson.com or 520-807-7789. On Twitter: @senyorreporter Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer. A month ago, the Biden administration did something unprecedented: It released highly secret intelligence to alert the world about what was going to happen in Ukraine. The effect of the masterfully executed operation was to unite NATO, push the Ukrainian armed forces toward emergency preparedness, and even wrong-foot Vladimir Putin by exposing a false flag operation central to his plan to accomplish a knockout blow in Ukraine. Today, a vital option in trying to halt the complete destruction of Ukraine and the likely expansion of the war into neighboring NATO countries is again to release key U.S. intelligence. This time, however, it can be cross-fertilized with open-source information available of the Internet to pin down certain features of Putins whereabouts and movements a composite of data that can provide Putin with a ticket to oblivion. But how and why? Everyone knows, of course, that Putins American-held billions are stashed in a labyrinth of proxy accounts, trusts and partnerships. The dictators so-called wallets or oligarchs hide the stolen wealth on his behalf. Tracking Vlad first requires empowering the Justice Departments recently formed Task Force KleptoCapture with the breakthrough bipartisan legislation now moving through the House of Representatives. Amending U.S. bank secrecy law, the Enablers Act would impose stringent new reporting requirements by U.S. middlemen accountants, lawyers, investment advisors, bankers and even art dealers who service Russian clients. It also would incentivize facilitators of dirty Russian money to act as the modern-day equivalent of bounty hunters. Provided they were to expose suspected money-laundering, they would earn a percentage of the confiscated proceeds. In the view of Bill Browder once the largest foreign investor in Russia and now Putins most fervid opponent the sanctions list must be greatly expanded in order to expose and confiscate the foreign bank accounts and illicit property of all of Putins corrupt generals, political allies, and intelligence chieftains. Browders point is that pressure on the maximum number of players in Putins mafia state enhances the prospect of regime change from within the Kremlin. Tracking down Putin also requires exposing the Republican Party as both corrupted and allegiant to the Kremlins cats-paw, Donald J. Trump. The Justice Department should file a superseding indictment to add Putin to the list of 12 GRU (Russian military intelligence) agents already formally accused for their criminal role in electing Trump president. Oleg Smolenkov, the CIA mole in the Kremlin who fingered the Russian president in the first place, is now in witness-protected hiding here in the U.S. His testimony is clearly sufficient to convict Putin in absentia and have a warrant issued for his arrest thereafter. Another Republican fellow-traveler who needs to be exposed is Moscow Mitch McConnell. In January 2019, then-Majority Leader McConnell got the Treasury Department to remove two companies owned by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska from the sanctions list. The purpose was to facilitate a $200 million investment by Deripaska to build an aluminum mill in McConnellss home state of Kentucky. Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, now the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, has called for this deeply concerning scheme to be investigated. Without such investigations, Russian intelligence agencies will continue to subvert American democracy in future elections. Finally, we should face the unhappy fact that cratering the Russian economy or even cutting off Russias oil and gas exports wont necessarily stop Putin. The likelihood of an internal putsch can be enhanced, however, by what intelligence officials call mosaic tactics linking tidbits of open-source information such as granular location-tracking, Alexa voice data, facial recognition and other networked data with high-value intelligence culled from covert assets in the Kremlin. Jack Sweeney, a 19 year-old student who previously tracked Elon Musks private jet, is now posting the movements of the planes of Putin and three Russian oligarchs. Dozens of websites such as Anonymous (hacktivist collective, as it calls itself, which is divulging hundreds of top-secret Kremlin emails in real-time) or Bellingcat, a Dutch website that first revealed the killing of Russian Major General Vitaly Gerasimov (tracked down via intercepted Russian army cell calls). The key now is for American intelligence agencies to cross-fertilize that kind of open-source information with top-secret data in order to geo-locate Putins whereabouts and movements 24/7 in real-time. It would allow Russian generals, intelligence operatives, internal security chieftains and the Russian people (all of whom are systematically excluded from knowing Putins daily movements) to identify where hes hiding out. (Fully 75% of the Russian population use secure Virtual Private Networks to shield themselves from Putins police.) The webpage, of course, would have to be curated and protected by Western cyber-experts in order to block the Kremlin from destroying it. Russians and Ukrainians, who share culture, language, religion and bloodlines, also have a common history of overthrowing tyrants. Tracking down Putin both in Washington and Moscow would enable them to do so again. If not, we may be heading into World War III. Richard D. Mahoney is a former Arizona secretary of state. He is a professor of political science in the School of Public and International Studies at North Carolina State University. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. The campaign finance reports are in for the candidates seeking school board seats with Jenks, Tulsa and Union this Tuesday. According to the Oklahoma Ethics Commissions website, school board candidate committees that receive or spend more than $1,000 have to file a quarterly contributions and expenditures report with the clerk of the school district. The Oklahoma Ethics Commissions timeline also calls on candidates to file a pre-election financial report least eight days before Election Day. Additionally, any candidate who accepts $1,000 or more from a donor within the two weeks of Election Day is required to file an updated disclosure report within 24 hours of receiving the contribution. Tulsa Public Schools As per documents released Friday afternoon by Tulsa Public Schools in response to an open records request, both remaining candidates for the District 7 seat each received more than $20,000 in campaign contributions between Jan. 25 and March 21. District 7 covers TPS south side and includes Carnegie, Eisenhower International, Grissom, Key, Marshall, McClure and Patrick Henry elementary schools; Thoreau Demonstration Academy and Memorial High School. With $19,513 on hand at the start of the reporting period, Tim Harris campaign received an additional $20,455 in cash and in-kind contributions from 44 donors, including $2,000 from political action committees. Along with $1,000 from the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee, the Harris campaign also received $500 each from the PACs affiliated with both the statewide and local chapters of the American Federation of Teachers. The latter is the collective bargaining unit for TPS support staff. Among the almost $25,000 in expenditures on Harris report were $17,379 to Boomerang Printing for signs, labels and direct mail services. Susan Lamkins campaign committee reported $26,090 in contributions from 50 donors. Only one contributor, former Democratic National Committeeman George Krumme, donated the maximum amount allowed under state law, $2,900. No PAC donations were listed on Lamkins report, but she did receive $100 from Heart of the Party, the Tulsa chapter of the Oklahoma Federation of Democratic Women. Among the $13,183 in expenditures listed on her report was $6,170 to Camelot Consulting for direct mail services. The two candidates for TPS District 4 seat in east Tulsa also claimed five-figure donation totals. Since the District 4 seat did not have a primary election in February, the candidates reporting period started Jan. 1 rather than in mid-January like the candidates in District 7. District 4 incumbent Shawna Keller received $12,520.20 in contributions during the reporting period, including the $2,900 maximum from Krumme. The Keller campaign also received $100 from Heart of the Party. No PAC donations were listed. The most recent campaign finance report from District 4 challenger ELena Ashley was filed with TPS in January. A spokeswoman for Ashleys campaign pointed to the Oklahoma Ethics Commissions quarterly reporting timetable Friday and said its documents would be filed later in April. A Wednesday morning post to the campaigns Facebook page claims the campaign has received more than $15,000 in contributions. Union Public Schools According to disclosure reports dated Monday, challenger Shelley Gwartney reported receiving $2,549.52 from individual donors and a combined $1,335.70 from two PACs between Jan. 31 and Monday. Among the PAC contributions, received $1,000 from the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee, and $335.70 from the PAC affiliated with Oklahomans for Health and Parental Rights. OKHPR opposes mask and vaccine mandates. The organization also supports a bill currently before the Oklahoma legislature that would require public libraries to make childrens check-out records available to their parents. None of Gwartneys listed individual contributions reached the maximum allowed under state law and none were from outside the Tulsa metro area. Dr. Chris McNeil reported $4,955 in contributions, with $2,900 coming from Krumme and $100 from Heart of the Party. McNeil also had 16 individual donations of $50 or less. Those donors do not have to be named. Gwartney and McNeil are in a runoff for Zone 2, which includes the campuses of Andersen, Cedar Ridge, Moore and Peters elementary schools. Jenks Public Schools According to disclosure reports filed with Jenks Public Schools, both Ward 2 candidates campaigns are largely self-funded. Incumbent Terry Keelings campaign reported $9,276.04 in cash and in-kind contributions through March 21. Of that, $8,000 came from Keeling himself. His opponent, Ashley Cross, reported $4,440 in cash contributions and no in-kind donations. All but $300 came from Cross herself. Despite being endorsed by both the Tulsa County Republican Party and OKHPR, no financial or in-kind contributions from either entity were listed on Cross campaign finance report. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol on Sunday identified an armed robbery suspect who reportedly shot at officers before they returned fire and killed him on the Turner Turnpike near Luther. The OHP in a news release said the Sedona, Arizona, police department had contacted Oklahoma authorities to be on the lookout for a vehicle driven by an armed robbery suspect Charles Carswell, 32. Troopers on Saturday located the vehicle in Canadian County, and attempted a traffic stop, but Carswell fled, initiating a pursuit. The pursuit entered the Kilpatrick Turnpike, in north Oklahoma City, and Carswell began firing shots at troopers through his rear window, the OHP said. Troopers made several unsuccessful attempts to perform a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) on the Kilpatrick Turnpike. When the car entered the Turner Turnpike, troopers performed a successful TVI on Carswells vehicle at the 140 mile marker, bringing the pursuit to a stop. Immediately, as the vehicle came to a stop, Carswell exited his vehicle, grabbed a rifle, and began firing more rounds at law enforcement. Carswell barricaded himself behind his vehicle until the OHP Tactical Team arrived. Carswell continued to fire at law enforcement, and troopers fired back, killing Carswell, the OHP said. Oklahoma City Police Department, as well as the Oklahoma County Sheriffs office, assisted OHP with the conclusion of the incident. The turnpike was shut down between Interstate 35 and the Luther exit during the pursuit, shootings and investigation that followed, and traffic was detoured along other routes. Westbound lanes were closed nearly seven hours and eastbound lanes were closed about seven and a half hours, before lanes were reopened Saturday night. OHP Troop Z Investigations Division will be leading the investigation, and the troopers involved in the shooting will be placed on paid administrative duty pending the conclusion of the investigation, the agency said. Oklahoma lawmakers who want to abolish abortion need to work harder at preventing unwanted pregnancy. Instead, theyre going the other way. The Senate passed Senate Bill 1225 with a 31-11 vote, and it has been assigned to the Public Health Committee in the House. The bill would require girls to get parental permission for birth control. Just girls. Boys can buy condoms away from prying eyes all they want, and they should. The responsible decision when having sex is to protect yourself and your partner from disease and unwanted pregnancy. But lawmakers want girls to jump through hoops. The result will be girls skipping contraception when having sex, putting them at risk of disease and getting pregnant. The latest Oklahoma Youth Risk Behavior Survey found fewer than half (43%) of public high school students have ever had sex, a 7% decrease from 2003. Thats a good sign that more youths are thinking through such serious decisions. But its still a lot. Everyone needs to recognize that a good number of Oklahoma teenagers are having sex. Among those who have had sex, 4% did so before age 13; 12% have had four or more sexual partners; and 30% were currently sexually active when filling out the anonymous survey. For sexually active Oklahoma teenagers, about 12% said they used no protection the last time they had sex. Of those using contraception, condoms were most often used (37%), followed by birth control pills (23%), other (12%), IUD or implant (9%), and a shot, patch or birth control ring (7.4%) Since 2003, condom use has declined among Oklahoma teens, but the use of contraception by girls (pills, implant, ring, shot, IUD or patch), went up 16%. The increase in contraception use among girls directly correlates with programs giving discounted or free long-acting reversible contraceptives and expansions of Title X family planning clinics. Teen girls of reproductive age as young as 12 have a right to receive various forms of contraception without a parents consent, according to Title X federal guidelines. This isnt some liberal conspiracy but a reflection of reality. Many of todays teenagers do not come from stable homes. Thousands of Oklahoma teenagers are not in situations where they have involved, loving and supportive parents. Some are estranged from their families and homeless. Some come from abusive or neglectful parents. Some have other conflicts preventing an open relationship with a parent. Laws need to make room for them, not get in their way. For decades, Oklahoma has been among the highest states in teen pregnancies. Currently, the state ranks No. 4 in teen births. Nearly 1 in 5 teen births is a subsequent child for the girl. Even though Oklahoma lags the national rate, significant improvements have been made in teen pregnancy prevention. In Tulsa County, the teen birth rate decreased 57.7% from 2008 to 2018. That coincides with the launch of programs such as the Take Control Initiative, which gives free contraception to low-income women, and school districts including Tulsa and Union opting for evidence-based sex education programs. Also, it led to the biggest drops in the states abortion rate. Its clear that if you give people birth control and accurate information, abortions go down. Some lawmakers arent getting this data-driven message. Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, sponsored Senate Bill 1225 citing a story he had heard that involved Tulsa. The school loaded up a busload of girls, brought them to the (Tulsa) county health office and injected them with three years of contraception, never did tell the parents, he said on the Senate floor. First, its nice that a lawmaker in Durant cares so much about Tulsa. Second, the story is not exactly true. The only known similar incident happened five years ago when a girl from a Tulsa charter school asked a nonprofit for transportation to the Health Department to get a three-year contraceptive implant. She did this after attending a sex education program at her school. The girls mother was upset and called a local television station to complain. Because the school, nonprofit and Health Department cannot comment about an individuals health care, we never heard another side, including from the girl. Parents should have a say in their childs health care, but thats not always possible. In an ideal world, children would tell parents when they were having sex. Even in functional, loving families, sometimes kids just dont want to talk about sex with their parents. And while the Youth Risk Behavior Survey was conducted with public school students, that doesnt mean private school students are magically exempt from sexual urges and behavior. Oklahoma teenagers today face the same pressures in relationships as previous generations did maybe a bit differently considering social media. Unlike in the past, we can provide better avenues and information for them to make better, safe choices. SB 1225 would take away those choices. Featured video: Plea to Oklahomas anti-abortion legislators: Pregnant women need equal rights Subscribe to Daily Headlines Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Reportedly, Russia is losing about 500 soldiers a day invading Ukraine. People hope this will alarm the Russian people and create dissent. Why would it? In another nation, over 2,000 people were being killed every day by an attack from a foreign invader. Many in that nation claimed either they weren't being attacked or the deadly attack was no big deal, despite thousands of their citizens dying every day. Their government quickly developed a plan to stop this invader. Unfortunately, many laughed at those defensive measures and said they were unnecessary or ineffective. One prominent defender of this imprudent logic stated: "Some things are more important than living." I wondered what he thought was more important than living. I realized he was speaking of money, specifically how this deadly attack and defensive methods were interfering with others making money. He encouraged citizens to ignore this threat and the defensive measures recommended by those charged with protecting the nation. In that nation is Oklahoma, No. 2 in deaths and No. 8 in hospitalizations per 100,000 from this deadly attack by a foreign invader, COVID-19. Alarmingly, a small but vocal group of these deniers are also cheering on Russia as they bomb hospitals and residential neighborhoods, killing the most innocent. Americans? Patriots? Perhaps they also believe Russia didn't interfere in the 2016 elections, Trump won in 2020 by 80%, the Jan. 6 insurrection was "legitimate political discourse," masks don't work and vaccines will cause your friend's cousin's boyfriend's unmentionables to swell up. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to tulsaworld.com/opinion/submitletter. Subscribe to Daily Headlines Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Some 820 representatives from airports, travel firms, and 71 airlines from around the world have registered to join the Routes Asia Development Forum 2022 (Routes Asia 2022), scheduled for June 4-9 in Da Nang, Vietnam, organizers have said. The 16th annual event will be co-hosted by UK-based Informa Routes, the Da Nang administration, and Ho Chi Minh City-based Duy Anh Trading JSC - IPP Travel Retail, the Da Nang Portal reported. As Vietnam and other regional countries have gradually restored their aviation activities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more delegates will register to join the coming event, Thomas Atkinson, senior business development manager of Informa Routes, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper at a press conference held by Da Nang authorities on Saturday. The six-day forum will mark the restart of air services and tourism in Asia as a whole after about two years of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, Atkinson stressed. He also commented that Da Nang has the potential to become an integral part of global manufacturing and supply chains, as well as an economic, innovation, transport, financial, and cultural hub in the next decade. Da Nang was announced as the official host city of this 16th forum at the 15th World Routes in Milan, Italy in October 2021. Phillip Nguyen, deputy general director of IPP Travel Retail and general director of Duy Anh Trading JSC, said his firm is honored to be a part of this event that contributes to connecting Da Nang back to the world, the Da Nang Portal cited him as saying. The forum is a great opportunity for the recovery and development of the city's aviation and tourism industry, helping attract more investment and international tourists to the central coastal city, said Truong Thi Hong Hanh, director of the municipal Department of Tourism. This image shows Truong Thi Hong Hanh, director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism, speaking at a press conference on April 2, 2022 on Routes Asia 2022, which will take place in the central Vietnamese city from June 4 to 9, 2022. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre As the host of the event, we are committed to creating all favorable conditions for Routes Asia 2022 to make it truly a good place for business communities to meet and cooperate for the development of aviation and tourism in the Asia-Pacific region, Hanh affirmed. By hosting the event, Da Nang continues to affirm its position as one of the leading destinations in Asia, as well as an aviation and tourism hub in Vietnam and the region, she underlined. Within the forums framework, an Asian tourism and aviation exhibition will be organized, attracting 110 airlines and 200 airports from Asia, Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Vietnam, according to the Da Nang Portal. By July 2019, Da Nang had weekly operated 48 international air routes with 462 flights per week, and 11 domestic routes with 665 flights, but the pandemic disrupted or suspended most of them after hitting Vietnam in early 2020, the Department of Tourism said. Vietnam had closed its borders since March 2020 before restoring multiple international air routes from January in a pilot program aimed at reviving the tourist industry. Since February 15, 2022, the country has removed all restrictions on international air passenger transport, and the full reopening of tourism came a month later. The first international commercial passenger flight since the COVID-19 outbreak arrived in Da Nang on March 27, with nearly 160 passengers from Singapore. The same day also saw the first outbound flight since the pandemic depart from Da Nang, carrying 150 travelers to Thailands Bangkok. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! An ethnic Vietnamese female teacher braves the geographical difficulty and shortage of amenities to help kindergarteners with both their daily life and education. She even spends her own money on their food at times. Ho Thi Ca dedicates her whole week to teaching and caring for 23 little pre-school children in Tak Le, one of the eight stand-alone classes under the management of Tra Leng Kindergarten. Tak Le can be seen hanging on Mount Ngoc Linh in Tra Leng Ward, Nam Tra My District, Quang Nam Province. Even those who know their bearings in this area dread the idea of getting to this class considering the distance and the steep slopes along the way. Against all odds, Ca has spent the last five years trekking to this traveler-unfriendly school to serve the children. She is from the Ca Dong ethnic minority group and her footsteps can be heard in Mount Ngoc Linh every Monday when she arrives and every Friday when she leaves. Classroom with no electricity, no phone signal, no fresh water Tak Le appears a makeshift educational set-up. It is made from a tent around 30 square meters in size. There is no gate and no name sign. Around it are thin sheets of tole and aluminum fence. As the evening draws close, the sky becomes dark very quickly, blending the school deep into the jungle where one can find no electricity, light, phone signal, television, and even fresh water. The person in charge, Ca, is almost out of breath as she has to both keep the children in order and prepare warm water for their baths after class time. Dinner and bath time finish at around 8:00 pm, at which point Ca flings herself to bed out of exhaustion. Next to her are little children sound asleep. Tak Le has 23 students, all of whom are from the Mo Nong ethnic minority in the area. Tran Thi Hoang Oanh, principal of Tra Leng Kindergarten, said that among the classes in Tra Leng, Tak Le is the most tiring to the teacher in charge. The class is inaccessible by road and there is no phone service, said Oanh. The teacher is the only source of knowledge here. The parents respect and revere the teacher. It takes a lot of sacrifice and perseverance to work here. Not just their teacher, but their mother too According to Ca, she was assigned to work at the Tak Le class in 2018 after graduating from her teacher training college. Despite being a local born and bred at Mount Ngoc Linh, it was staggering for her to find out how tough it was to be a teacher in this school. Due to the large number of classes scattered around the area and the inaccessible road system, Tak Le remains shabby, according to Oanh. Tak Le Village is home 70 households living in two areas, around 30 minutes walking distance from each other. Elementary school children in this village will go to a boarding school in Tra Leng Ward. The kindergarteners, however, remain in the mountain because they need to be close to their family and because they are too small. It will be miserable and dangerous for these feeble children to trek the mountain home after school, said Ca. So we teachers discussed with the school management and agreed that they remain where they live. After class hours, we prepare dinner and a bath for them. They sleep at the school as well. Ca has to both teach and take care of the 23 children. That is no mean feat. During the day, the kids have a lot of fun, but they begin to lose their cool in the evening, said Ca. Some of them wake up in the middle of the night, crying out loud saying they miss their parents. I almost have no time for a good sleep. I lie down next to them and keep them calm. The next morning, I will wake up very early and get their breakfast ready, preparing them for a whole day at school. Its really challenging but it feels great to see them grow like my own children. She even spends her pocket money According to Ca, the parents in Tak Le receive a VND500,000 (US$22) grant from the government every month for their childrens lunches. However, due to their families financial hardship, they spend this sum buying seeds and fertilizers for their farmwork instead of giving it to the teacher. Every month I charge the parents only VND50,000 [$2.2] because I understand their difficulty. The rest of the food costs comes from philanthropists, said Ca. Sometimes I even spend my own money buying them some more foods as I cannot stand seeing their low-quality meals. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the news you should not miss today: COVID-19 Updates -- Vietnams Ministry of Health reported 65,619 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, raising the national tally to 9,636,684, with 7,713,354 recoveries and 42,566 deaths. Society -- A serial traffic accident between a container truck and multiple large vehicles on a section of Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway passing through Tien Giang Province badly damaged several vehicles and injured one person on Friday. -- Authorities in southern Binh Phuoc Province found on Saturday the body of a ninth grader who was swept away by fast-flowing water while passing thourgh a roaring stream on her way back home from school on March 31. -- Local residents in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan reported on Saturday they had found a human skeleton in a coastal protection forest. -- The People's Committee of Binh Thuan Province has recently requested that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Embassy in Israel assist in the search for Nguyen Hai Binh, 29, a trainee who has been missing for nearly six years. -- Heavy rains are expected to continue in the central provinces from April 3 to 8, with high risks of thunderstorms in Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, and Tay Nguyen, according to weather forecasts. Lifestyle -- The Thanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism held a ceremony at Lam Kinh Special National Monument on Saturday to introduce smart tourism products and welcome visitors to Lam Kinh Palace, the province's unique wooden structure. -- Cua Lo Town, located in north-central Nghe An Province, will host a fireworks display on April 8 as part of the opening ceremony for the Cua Lo Tourism Festival 2022. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Unusual torrential rains that have caused heavy flooding in Vietnams central and Central Highlands regions over the past several days will continue in these areas on Sunday evening, the central weather agency has warned. The area from Da Nang City to Khanh Hoa Province, and the Central Highlands region will have heavy rains with rainfall of 100 to over 250 millimeters from Sunday night, the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said. From Sunday evening to Wednesday, the said areas will have moderate to heavy rains and downpours, together with thunderstorms in some localities. From early Monday through Tuesday, precipitation will be recorded at 100 to over 200 millimeters in Da Nang and Quang Nam Province, and at 100 to more than 250 millimeters from Quang Ngai to Binh Dinh Provinces. The region from Phu Yen to Khanh Hoa Provinces may see rainfalls of 100 to above 200 millimeters from now to Wednesday, while the precipitation in the Central Highlands may be upwards of 150 millimeters. The Gulf of Tonkin saw the northeasterly wind of 49 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 74 kilometers per hour on Sunday morning, and the wind force has declined gradually from noon. The sea area has been rough, causing wave heights to reach three meters. The northern part of the East Vietnam Sea, including the waters around Vietnams Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, will continue having strong northeast winds of 61 kilometers and squalls of 88 kilometers, along with waves of five meters in height, on Sunday night. Similar weather conditions will close in on the waters from Quang Tri Province, in the north-central region, to the southernmost province of Ca Mau, on Sunday evening. Due to a weakened cold front, the lowest temperatures in Hanoi and the northern region in general have increased by one to two degrees Celsius, reaching 14 to 17 degrees in deltas and 12 to 14 degrees in mountainous areas. Also on Sunday, the area from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien Hue Provinces has experienced the lowest temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees Celsius, with medium to heavy rains occurring in some locales. Low temperatures have been recorded from Da Nang to Binh Thuan Province, plus downpours and rainstorms in some places. From March 31 to April 2, abnormal torrential rains that resulted in flooding at depths of over 0.5 meters in Vietnams central provinces killed two people, injured five, and caused one to go missing, according to the Central Steering Board for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. Two houses collapsed and 47 others had their roofs blown off, while 229 boats sank and 2,480 shrimp rafts have been damaged. More than 78,000 hectares of rice and 13,500 hectares of other farm produce have been submerged and ruined. Residents of affected provinces are trying to harvest rice in areas where floodwaters have receded. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has sent lots of hospitals in Vietnam into financial difficulty caused by sharp declines in the number of patients, with some seeing drops in in-hospital stays of up to 50 percent. Although most socio-economic activities have resumed after many severe outbreaks since early 2020, patient numbers at hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City have yet to rebound. The number of patients seeking health check-ups has reached 80 percent but that of hospitalizations at some hospitals stands at just around 50 percent against pre-pandemic levels. It was anticipated that patient numbers post-pandemic could far exceed the pre-pandemic figures, considering expectations that more people would go to hospitals to make up for a long time they could not receive in-person medical services due to the impact of the pandemic, said Diep Bao Tuan, deputy director of the Oncology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. However, the reality is different because patients might still be afraid of being exposed to COVID-19 when visiting medical centers. The fall in patient numbers has resulted in a drop in hospitalizations, partly due to a requirement that patients and their caregivers get a negative COVID-19 testing result to be eligible for hospital admission. As shared by Tran Van Khanh, director of Le Van Thinh Hospital in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City, patient volumes at his hospital have significantly recovered compared to the beginning of the fourth coronavirus wave, which hit Vietnam in late April last year, but the number of outpatients is just equal to 85 percent of the pre-pandemic level. Once the pandemic further eases in the upcoming time, the number of patients is expected to bounce back, Khanh added. Given fewer patients, the income of medical workers at the hospital contracted by 15 percent, Khanh continued. To cope with the situation, Le Van Thinh Hospital took some temporary measures. It has provided medical services for patients under home-based treatment, mainly those having health insurance, and dispatched some healthcare workers from those wards facing steep drops in patient numbers to businesses to offer medical check-ups to their employees, said Khanh. The patient volume declines have also partially prompted some local hospitals to delay pay for healthcare workers. A cashier counter area at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi sees no more queuing and hustling like before the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre Being given financial autonomy from June 2019, Tue Tinh Hospital, under the Vietnam University of Traditional Medicine (VUTM), encountered financial hurdles when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. The hospital began facing a revenue deficit when it became financially independent, according to VUTM director Nguyen Quoc Huy. As of September last year, its debts had surpassed VND18 billion (US$788,290), leading to its default on pay for employees. At the National Lung Hospital, its director Nguyen Viet Nhung said the number of inpatients at the hospital during the peak of the pandemic last year plunged by up to 70 percent. Before the health crisis, the hospital provided medical treatment for 1,000 tuberculosis patients, but the figure then fell to around 800 following the appearance of the coronavirus in the country. During the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, there was a time when the hospital was treating 200 tuberculosis patients only. Currently, 400 inpatients are under medical treatment at the hospital, said Nhung. As fewer patients visited the hospital for tuberculosis testing and treatment, detection of the disease in the community became a tough issue. Nhung said tuberculosis is also an infectious disease like COVID-19 but it is not given proper attention, thereby posing a higher risk of community transmission amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, at other hospitals in Hanoi, the impact of the pandemic has jeopardized their revenues. Bach Mai Hospital, one of the largest hospitals nationwide, witnessed a decrease in patient volume. In late March 2020, it was put under lockdown for 14 days as nine COVID-19 cases were detected at the hospital. A host of virus control measures being adopted since then slashed the volume of patients visiting the hospital. Bach Mai Hospital then constantly made efforts to improve its medical services. It installed high-capacity heaters outside the infirmary for caregivers in January this year, when Hanoi was in winter. In June 2021 when the scorching weather hit the northern region, the hospital set up a misting system at zones designated for patients and caregivers, among many other supportive measures. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Hungary's Andras Nemeth defeated fellow Hungarian Laszlo Bujtas in heads-up play to outlast 82 runners and win Event #1: $50,000 6-Handed NLH in the Triton Poker Special Edition Series at Merit Crystal Cove Resort and Casino in North Cyprus. Nemeth took home $1,082,000 from a total prize pool of $3,936,000 for the victory. Laszlo and Bujtas were joined by Dong Hyun Kim, Phil Ivey, and Jason Koon in the top five. Other notables that cashed include Michael Addamo in 11th and Sam Greenwood in eighth. Triton Poker Special Edition Series Event #1: $50,000 NLH 6-Handed Final Results Place Player Country Prize (USD) 1 Andras Nemeth Hungary $1,082,000 2 Laszlo Bujtas Hungary $770,000 3 Dong Hyun Kim South Korea $503,800 4 Phil Ivey USA $387,100 5 Jason Koon USA $307,000 6 Elton Tsang Hong Kong $240,100 7 Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom $188,000 8 Sam Greenwood Canada $147,000 9 Michael Soyza Malaysia $113,000 10 Eng Siang Ewe Malaysia $99,000 11 Michael Addamo Australia $99,000 Winners Reaction Nemeths win is the latest in his hot run on the high roller scene that started with two victories at EPT Prague in March. The European Tour regular made the trip to North Cyprus to compete in the Triton Poker series, and he was pleased with his result. Its so surreal, Nemeth said in his post-win interview. To play for the first time and actually win. I want to pinch myself, he continued. Nemeth has an opportunity to join the $100,000 event with late registration extended until the first round of Day 2, but he may have his sights set on Wednesdays Short Deck tournament. Its expensive, and I know a few guys who know how to play, and it seems very complicated, he said when asked about his plans for the rest of the series. Winning this tournament helps. So maybe. Well see. Final Table Action The unofficial table got started with seven players, and Stephen Chidwick was the first to go when he made a set of deuces but ran into Elton Tsang's flush. Six-handed play went on for nearly two hours until Day 1 chip leader Tsang bowed out in sixth place when he couldnt improve against a charging Nemeth. The elimination of Tsang brought Nemeth near 10 million in chips and the rest of the table trying to outrun the ever-growing blinds. Day 1 Chip Leader and Sixth-Place Finisher Elton Tsang Day 1 Chip Leader and Sixth-Place Finisher Elton Tsang Shortly after, Koon was next to go in fifth place when his king-queen ran into the pocket queens of Bujtas. On the very next hand it was Ivey who hit the rail when he got his money in with ace-jack but watched Bujtas catch up with a suited seven-five to eliminated him in fourth place. The eliminations continued in rapid succession as players were in a position to either shove or fold, due to the escalating blinds. Kim was the eliminated in third when he got it in good with pocket sevens, but Nemeth called with pocket fours and made a straight on the river. Heads-up play was an All-Hungarian matchup, but it didnt last long. While six-handed play went on for nearly two hours, the final five eliminations occurred over just 35 minutes, and the big moment came when Nemeth made a pair of aces to beat the king-queen of Bujtas. Congratulations to Andras Nemeth on winning Event #1: $50,000 6-Handed NLH at the Triton Poker Special Edition Series! PokerNews will return on Monday at 1 p.m. EEST with live reports from the Day 2 finale of Event #2: $100,000 8-Handed NLH. Be sure to join us for coverage of every event from the Triton Poker Special Edition Series at Royal Crystal Cove Resort and Casino in North Cyprus. By Sarah Morland and Ludwig Burger (Reuters) -Sanofi plans to list its drug ingredients subsidiary EUROAPI on May 6, saying the business is set to grow and improve its profitability as a separate business. Having received approval from the French markets regulator, the listing on the Euronext Paris exchange is set to take place shortly after a May 3 Sanofi shareholder vote on the listing, the French pharmaceutical giant said on Friday. Sanofi shareholders will receive one EUROAPI share for 23 shares held in the parent company. The company confirmed plans to conserve a 30% stake in the business after the listing while France will buy a 12% stake through public-sector bank EPIC Bpifrance for up to 150 million euros ($166 million). The flotation plan for the group with its Europe-based production network comes as the coronavirus pandemic and Russia's attack on Ukraine have heightened concerns in the EU over the region's dependency on critical pharma ingredient imports. "You can read also through the participation of BPIFrance the interest in terms of regional sovereignty and development. Its not just the interest of France. It is the interest of the whole of Europe," Sanofi finance chief Jean-Baptiste de Chatillon said in an analyst call. L'Oreal, Sanofi's largest shareholder with a more than 9% stake, agreed to a one-year lock-up period after the listing, Sanofi added. EUROAPI makes active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for medicines and draws on six production sites in Italy, Germany, Britain, France and Hungary. Sanofi, which last year accounted for half EUROAPI's revenue, said in January that it expects the business to become the world's second-biggest API player with about 1 billion euros in revenue forecast for this year. Sanofi CFO de Chatillon said that EUROAPI's estimated core profit margin this year of at least 14%, well below the 21% for EUROAPI's closest rival Siegfried AG of Switzerland, was a case in point why Sanofi was not the best owner. Story continues "When you see the peer performance there is a margin for improvement that we truly believe is going to be delivered," said de Chatillon. The new company's CEO said Karl Rotthier said, as an independent group, EUROAPI would win over more of Sanofi rivals as customers, expand in high-margin drug development services and advisory and cut more costs. The bulk of EUROAPI's share capital, 58%, will be distributed to Sanofi shareholders through a dividend in kind, in addition to a previously proposed 3.33 euros per share cash payout. ($1 = 0.9035 euros) (Reporting by Sarah MorlandEditing by David Goodman and Louise Heavens) Sri Lanka imposes curfew after president declares state of emergency People angered by economic crisis protest in Colombo By Uditha Jayasinghe COLOMBO (Reuters) -Sri Lanka's government imposed a weekend curfew on Saturday, even as hundreds of lawyers urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to revoke a state of emergency introduced following unrest over fuel and other shortages in a deep economic crisis. The government's information department said a countrywide curfew would run from 6 p.m. (1230 GMT) on Saturday to 6 a.m. (0030 GMT) on Monday. Rajapaksa introduced a state of emergency on Friday, raising fears of a crackdown on protests. Emergency powers in the past have allowed the military to arrest and detain suspects without warrants, but the terms of the current powers are not yet clear. The Indian Ocean island nation of 22 million people is grappling with rolling blackouts for up to 13 hours a day as the government scrambles to secure foreign exchange to pay for fuel and other essential imports.. "People take to the streets when things are impossible," 68-year-old Colombo shop owner Nishan Ariyapala told Reuters TV. "When people take to the streets the political leaders of the country must act thoughtfully." Rajapaksa said the state of emergency was needed to protect public order and maintain essential supplies and services. Angered by the shortages of fuel and other essential items, hundreds of protesters clashed on Thursday with police and the military outside Rajapaksa's residence as they called for his ouster and torched several police and army vehicles. Police arrested 53 people and imposed a curfew in and around Colombo on Friday to contain other sporadic protests. Shops opened and traffic was normal on Saturday, while police remained stationed at some petrol stations. 'FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND' "There has been a failure to understand the aspirations of the people and to empathize with the suffering of the people of the country," the lawyers, members of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, said in their appeal, adding that freedom of speech and peaceful assembly should be respected. Story continues Reacting to the state of emergency, U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung said: "Sri Lankans have a right to protest peacefully - essential for democratic expression. "I am watching the situation closely, and hope the coming days bring restraint from all sides, as well as much needed economic stability and relief for those suffering," she tweeted. Highlighting the severe shortage of foreign currency, a vessel carrying 5,500 metric tonnes of cooking gas had to leave Sri Lankan waters after Laugfs Gas, the company that ordered it, could not procure $4.9 million from local banks to pay for it. "People are struggling with an acute shortage of cooking gas, but how can we help them when there are no dollars? We are stuck," Laugfs Gas Chairman W.H.K. Wegapitiya told Reuters. The ongoing crisis - the result of economic mismanagement by successive governments - has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit tourism and remittances. It has also marked a sharp turnaround in political support for Rajapaksa, who swept to power in 2019 promising stability. The government has said it is seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund and loans from India and China. In the first major food aid to the country since Colombo secured a credit line from New Delhi, Indian traders have started loading 40,000 tonnes of rice. (Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe Writing by Rupam JainEditing by William Mallard and Mark Potter) Prince William is planning to reinvent the role of the Prince of Wales in a dramatic departure from his father, according to reports. The Duke of Cambridge, who will inherit the title when Prince Charles becomes King, plans to focus on five or six core charity subjects upon taking on the role. The strategy, dubbed the Cambridge Way by palace aides, will see his wife Kate go on more solo tours overseas while William focuses on a handful of charitable causes. William, 39, will place emphasis on issues including mental health, the environment and childrens early years. The new blueprint marks a shift from the strategy adopted by his Charles - but aides insist it is not a rebuke toward the future king. Watch: Prince William suggests Commonwealth could be led by a non-royal one day Prince Charles: The Prince of Wales - In pictures A source close to William told the Mail on Sunday: This approach isnt a criticism of what has come before but just an acknowledgment of a desire for change. Its about hope and optimism for the future. What is driving the Duke and Duchess in everything they do is urgency plus optimism equals action. Many of the causes adopted by the Duke and Duchess, whether its Earthshot [the annual prize awarded by the Royal Foundation for contributions to environmentalism] or the early years work, also touches on every other aspect of society so its not that theyre excluding other good causes by having a focus. Watch: Why Have Will and Kate Faced Protests in the Caribbean? According to the paper, William plans to axe around 50 per cent of the estimated 140 members of staff currently working for the Prince of Wales. It comes after both Kate and William faced a backlash following their eight-day tour of the Caribbean, which included stops in Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Belize as part of a Platinum Jubilee Royal Tour of the Caribbean However, the trip suffered moments of controversy as the pair were met with anti-colonial protests and calls for slavery reparations. Story continues During the tour William denounced slavery as abhorrent and said it should never have happened. He also declared that who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isnt what is on my mind. In a full statement the duke said: I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future. In Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon. But we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with communities in all three countries, understanding more about the issues that matter most to them. Catherine and I are committed to service. For us thats not telling people what to do. It is about serving and supporting them in whatever way they think best, by using the platform we are lucky to have. It is why tours such as this reaffirm our desire to serve the people of the Commonwealth and to listen to communities around the world. Who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isnt what is on my mind. What matters to us is the potential the Commonwealth family has to create a better future for the people who form it, and our commitment to serve and support as best we can. While there is wide agreement that assault and other violent crimes are increasing in Waco, and nationwide, since early 2020, experts disagree on the reasons for the increase. Crime statistics reported on the Waco Police Department website show a local increase in violent crime. Criminologists and mental health professionals disagree on the extent to which the pandemic has influenced this rise in violence. But experts agree on the importance of parents showing their children, youth and teenagers how to deal with anger, bullying and confrontation without violence. Rising violence All types of crime, and in particular, violent crimes began to trend upward in 2020, said Eric Connolly, an associate professor of criminal justice and criminology at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Locally, that bears out in the Waco Police Department monthly crime numbers report on the police department website. The report lists cases preliminary designation, which may change over the course of an investigation. The monthly number of assaults in Waco hovered around 150 from January of 2019 until February 2020. In March 2020, the monthly number of assaults in Waco jumped to 184 and averaged around 166 the remaining months of that year. In 2021, the monthly average number of assaults came to 190. Not every month is greater than the month before, but the trend line for the past three years is going up, not holding steady. The annual number of murders in Waco also increased from nine in 2019, to 13 in 2020, to 17 in 2021, based on the monthly reports. Earlier this year, Waco police reported it investigated 17 homicides, a broader category than murder, in both 2020 and 2021. Police Chief Sheryl Victorian said in January that Waco had not seen more than 17 homicides in a year since 1994, when the city had 25. It saw a high of 29 homicides in 1989 and again in 1993, and matched the 17 of the past two years in 2004. Cyclical crime rates Connolly said Friday that violent crime rates nationwide had been trending downward or holding steady over the last eight years. He said overall crime began to drop in the late 1990s. However he said that before this positive trend, in the mid- to late-1980s, crime began trending upward and continued to increase nationwide for about six years. Then it started falling again. He said the overall recent increase in crime and violent crime rates might just be cyclical. He also said he has read research that shows a relationship between the effects of the pandemic and increasing domestic violence. Whats driving it is always a question, Connolly said. The crime surge that started in the 1980s, people (criminologists) in 2022 are still trying to figure it out. Except for increasing domestic violence, which is linked to the lockdowns of the pandemic, it is too early to say whether the new trend is caused by the pandemic or is just cyclical, Connolly said. Katie Chadwell, a licensed professional counselor with Klaras Center for Families in Waco, said Friday she thinks the emotional stress, anxiety and isolation of the pandemic may well contribute to teenagers and youths acting out violently. Chadwell said the pandemic has increased depression and anxiety, making young people more susceptible to peer pressure. When young people are already sad and anxious, if they come into contact with a group that offers acceptance if they rob someone or beat someone up, they may decide to do that to gain acceptance. She said that among the young people she counsels, and widespread in Waco, generational trauma makes many predisposed to violent and aggressive acting out. Grandparents passed it on to parents. And if they grew up seeing dad hit mom or parents hit their siblings, theyre (teenagers are) already more likely to use violence in an attempt to deal with problems, Chadwell said. Youth and teenagers are also already craving peer acceptance, she said. The need for social acceptance and craving peer acceptance is developmentally appropriate for youth and teenagers, Chadwell said. When schools were closed for so long during the pandemic, youth lost that peer affirmation, she said. With that loss of peer affirmation and acceptance, many teens and young people lost their sense of worth and identity, Chadwell said. To rebuild that identity and sense of self-worth, they make choices that normally they wouldnt. She said many teens may find themselves vulnerable to negative peer pressure from loosely organized groups of youth who can show them acceptance for carrying out acts of violence. Finding a nonviolent way McLennan County Precinct 2 Commissioner Pat Chisolm-Miller and Sheryl Victorian, the Waco police chief, have both recently decried the rising violence among young people. The chief also called for parents to be more involved and more constructively involved in the lives of their children. Stay in their (children's) business. Their business is your business, Vanessa Lee said during a "Moms Plea for Peace" event Miller organized March 18 for family members of homicide victims. Lee lost her son, Donche, to a shooting. Parents should teach their children ways of solving problems without violence, Victorian said Tuesday. Parents and family members should provide young men with other options than fists and guns, the chief said. She said people used to say It takes a village to raise a child, when she was younger. The police department can work with the community on prevention and intervention, but when young men and women put guns in their hands they may become a threat, Victorian said. All of the high schools in the Waco Police Departments jurisdiction have been affected by violence, Victorian said. Whether its Waco, University or La Vega High School, these kids have known each other for years, she said. If young people are a threat, then Victorians police officers and detectives will turn to apprehension, she said. Teach them to understand anger and help them learn to address situations without violence, Victorian said. Parents and family members must teach our young men and women better ways of dealing with animosity. Chadwell said he agrees with that last idea, but it may be hard with generational trauma. Caregivers may find it hard to lead the children (and teenagers) away from violence, she said. Counseling can help everyone, she said. If parents and caregivers can own their own mistakes, they may open up pathways of communication with their children and lead their children to making better decisions, Chadwell said. Parents and caregivers can reach out to schools and churches, or Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network, with which the Klaras Center is affiliated, she said. Chadwell said parents and caregivers can seek out mentors for themselves and their teenagers. Find help for the whole family. Learn how to have open conversations and encourage open communication, Chadwell said. She said parents should help youth out of danger without fear of being in trouble. Tell your teenagers, If youre in too deep, Im here to help. I will get you safe and then, after youre safe, there may be consequences later, Chadwell said. Connolly also has advice for parents. Be mindful of where your kids are, late at night and after school, Connolly said. Tell them that if they see anyone holding or carrying a weapon, report it to the authorities. Both the chief and Connolly said mentors should teach young people not to escalate violence and to let authorities get justice for them. Victorian also said she encourages young people to be forthcoming to police with reports of violence and violent intent. Be vigilant, Connolly said he would advise parents. Talk to children when they come home. If they feel off or uneasy, ask them whats going on, and report as necessary. Teach them right and wrong, of course, he said. He also said parents and caregivers should teach consequences of justice system. Let children know, Its not just that my parents could get mad, there are also consequences in the juvenile justice system and the criminal justice system that could alter their lives. And he recommends that parents should find activities for their children after school. Sports are great, but other activities are good, too, Connolly said. Minimize risks He said that when anyone is walking alone, late at night, in deserted part of a city, they make themselves vulnerable. When anyone has to walk somewhere late at night, they should try to take friends along, Connolly said. Or they should choose a route that has more people and more cars, more witnesses. Offenders are less likely to rob someone or beat them up if there are people around who will see, he said. He also said that people should be mindful of their surroundings, when they walk. Walk quickly. Keep the phone out. Dont be paying attention the phone, but have it ready to send a message or call 911. Connolly said. This story has been updated: The original version quoted McLennan County Commissioner Patricia Chisolm-Miller as saying "Get into your children's business. Your children's business is your business," at her "Moms Plea for Peace" event March 18. Miller told the Tribune-Herald on Sunday, "It's not that I disagree with that statement, I just didn't say it. One of the mothers at the event said that." She went on to say Sunday that she is still trying to understand the causes of rising violence and that she is not sure that more parental involvement is the "golden egg" that will solve it. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. First Monday legal clinic Greater Waco Legal Services will have its First Monday Legal Advice Clinic from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at El Calvario Church, 3100 N. 19th St. To make an appointment for a free legal advice session, call 254-733-2828. Mentoring Alliance lunch Mentoring Alliance will have its Central Texas lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Baylor Club in McLane Stadium, 1001 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Tickets cost $35. It will be an opportunity for community members to learn more about Mentoring Alliance, formerly the Boys and Girls Clubs of Waco, and to support the ongoing work of the organization. For more information, email at waco@thementoringalliance or call 254-752-6443. Light Up The Dark 5K Unbound will have a Light Up The Dark 5K race from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Cameron Park Zoo, 1701 N. Fourth St. It is a glow-in-the-dark run to raise money and awareness for the anti-human-trafficking work of Unbound. Food trucks at the zoo for the event will include Chick-fil-A, Pops Lemonade, Tiffs Treats, and Kona Ice. Zoo events will start at 6:30 and include giraffe feeding, pelican feeding and a tortoise encounter. A 1K nugget run will start at 7:15, and the 5K will start at 8. For more information, go to runsignup.com/lightupthedark5k. YMCA Healthy Kids Day Greater Waco YMCA, 6800 Harvey Drive, will have a Healthy Kids Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 30. The event will feature mini cooking and art classes for kids, games, bounce houses, face painting and more. Other area organizations will be present to share information and host activities. For more information, call 254-776-6612. Submit printed or typed items to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco, 76702-2588; or email goingson@wacotrib.com. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) has announced that Jerry Yagens Military Aviation Museum (MAM) is sending four of its classic WWII-era combat aircraft to attend EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2022 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The 69th annual fly-in convention will take place between July 25th and 31st this summer. The four Pungo Virginia-based aircraft which the MAM has scheduled to attend AirVenture this year include their superlative de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito FB.26 KA114, Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk.1a ET573, Goodyear-built FG-1D Corsair BuNo.92508, and North American P-51D Mustang 44-63507. They will be on show in the EAAs traditional warbirds area for most of the week, although it is likely that at least one of them will appear on the concourse at Boeing Plaza (schedule TBD), celebrating the Military Aviation Museum founders aviation achievements; Mr. Yagen is scheduled to attend as well. As the EAAs Rick Larsen noted: Jerry Yagens passion for warbird aircraft has through the years evolved into one of most magnificent airworthy collections in the world. To have these airplanes as part of the worlds largest annual gathering of warbirds that occurs at Oshkosh every summer makes this years event even more special, both in the air and on the ground. Each aircraft brings a unique story: de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito This particular Mosquito rolled off deHavilland Canadas Downsview production line near Toronto, Ontario in January, 1945 and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) until April, 1948 when the fighter bomber went up for disposal at RCAF Station Vulcan in Alberta. A local farmer bought the Mosquito, and stored it on his property until Ed and Rose Zalesky bought its by-then heavily dilapidated hulk (it broke in half during recovery) during August 1978. Jerry Yagen acquired the project in 2000, and shipped it to Ardmore, New Zealand for restoration a few years later. Here the airframe became the very first in a small procession of resurrected Wooden Wonders returned to flight via the master technicians at AvSpecs Ltd and their subcontractors. KA114 flew again for the first time in September, 2012 becoming the first of its type to fly since the tragic loss of T.Mk.III RR299 near Manchester, England in July, 1996. KA114 has been an air show favorite ever since, flying at many events in North America, including an appearance at AirVenture in 2015. This particular Mosquito rolled off deHavilland Canadas Downsview production line near Toronto, Ontario in January, 1945 and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) until April, 1948 when the fighter bomber went up for disposal at RCAF Station Vulcan in Alberta. A local farmer bought the Mosquito, and stored it on his property until Ed and Rose Zalesky bought its by-then heavily dilapidated hulk (it broke in half during recovery) during August 1978. Jerry Yagen acquired the project in 2000, and shipped it to Ardmore, New Zealand for restoration a few years later. Here the airframe became the very first in a small procession of resurrected Wooden Wonders returned to flight via the master technicians at AvSpecs Ltd and their subcontractors. KA114 flew again for the first time in September, 2012 becoming the first of its type to fly since the tragic loss of T.Mk.III RR299 near Manchester, England in July, 1996. KA114 has been an air show favorite ever since, flying at many events in North America, including an appearance at AirVenture in 2015. Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk.1a This fighter is a British variant of the Curtiss P-40E Warhawk. Instead of flying with the Royal Air Force, however, ET573 was one of many Lend-Lease Kittyhawks which wound up in service with the Soviet Air Force. The aircraft arrived on the Eastern Front during April, 1942, but went down in battle just two months later. The hulk lay abandoned where it fell near Murmansk, Russia until its recovery in 1992. Jerry Yagen acquired the project in 2000 and shipped the Kittyhawk, along with some wings acquired in Canada, to Pioneer Aero Ltd. in Ardmore, New Zealand. They restored the aircraft to flight in April, 2003. It became the founding, airworthy aircraft in Jerry Yagens Military Aviation Museum. The fighter is presently painted to represent a P-40B which the famed David Lee Tex Hill flew with the American Volunteer Group, the legendary Flying Tigers, in China. This fighter is a British variant of the Curtiss P-40E Warhawk. Instead of flying with the Royal Air Force, however, ET573 was one of many Lend-Lease Kittyhawks which wound up in service with the Soviet Air Force. The aircraft arrived on the Eastern Front during April, 1942, but went down in battle just two months later. The hulk lay abandoned where it fell near Murmansk, Russia until its recovery in 1992. Jerry Yagen acquired the project in 2000 and shipped the Kittyhawk, along with some wings acquired in Canada, to Pioneer Aero Ltd. in Ardmore, New Zealand. They restored the aircraft to flight in April, 2003. It became the founding, airworthy aircraft in Jerry Yagens Military Aviation Museum. The fighter is presently painted to represent a P-40B which the famed David Lee Tex Hill flew with the American Volunteer Group, the legendary Flying Tigers, in China. Goodyear (Vought) FG-1D Corsair Delivered to the U.S. Navy in May 1945, this Corsair spent most of its military career in storage, making the fighter one of the lowest time examples of its type to still exist. The aircraft is marked to represent the example which Lt. Sheldon R. Ray Beacham flew with VF-17, the famed Jolly Rogers, in the South Pacific during WWII. Before deploying for combat with their Corsairs, VF-17 was based at NAS Norfolk, just down the coast from Pungo, the MAMs home. Beacham, from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, was the first of the Jolly Rogers to down an enemy fighter in his Corsair. Delivered to the U.S. Navy in May 1945, this Corsair spent most of its military career in storage, making the fighter one of the lowest time examples of its type to still exist. The aircraft is marked to represent the example which Lt. Sheldon R. Ray Beacham flew with VF-17, the famed Jolly Rogers, in the South Pacific during WWII. Before deploying for combat with their Corsairs, VF-17 was based at NAS Norfolk, just down the coast from Pungo, the MAMs home. Beacham, from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, was the first of the Jolly Rogers to down an enemy fighter in his Corsair. North American P-51D Mustang Arguably the finest American fighter aircraft of WWII, the Mustang is a testament to American ingenuity and industrial capability as it went from first concept to first flight in well under a year. The Military Aviation Museums Mustang came off the production line in 1945, too late to see combat. It went into storage for a period until the Royal Canadian Air Force acquired it for their post-war service in 1947. The aircraft has had an eventful civilian life, perhaps too tangled to report here suffice to say that the Military Aviation Museum acquired it in February, 2005. She presently flies as Double Trouble two, an aircraft which served in Europe with the 353rd Fighter Group during WWII. In addition to his aircraft, Jerry Yagen will also bring his soon-to-be-published biography to AirVenture. He will speak (at Warbirds in Review sessions and other venues) about the adventures he has experienced in building his warbird collection. We will have more details to report as soon as they develop. CEDAR FALLS City Council will hold a hearing Monday on the proposed plans for the restoration of 45,126 square feet of College Hill public parking lots. The project is estimated by city staff to cost $150,252. If approved, it would be put out to bid. The councils evening includes two meetings, a work session at 6 p.m. and a standard business meeting at 7 p.m. inside the Community Center. The latter is when the hearing will be conducted. The work sessions agenda includes discussion by councilors on its committee structure going forward. Economic Development Corp mulls Cedar Falls housing needs study after council delayed funding $35,000 had been allocated by council for the study with a focus on how to provide housing variety to promote affordable housing options for all." The regular meeting includes the first reading of an ordinance changing principal permitted uses within the M-1 Light Industrial District to allow for day cares in light of the Community United Child Care Center on Nordic Drive looking to expand. It has been a prohibited use; however staff recognizes it has operated without issue since 1999 and recommends an amendment be made to the code. Second and third readings, respectively, are scheduled for two additional ordinances: One deals with a change in the parking ratio for the newly adopted downtown zoning code. The other removes an exemption for homes built before 1969, in anticipation of a major reconstruction project in Cedar Heights North, and would require owners to get rid of illegal stormwater connections that discharge into the citys sewer system. In addition, council will consider a slate of resolutions for approval. Included on the list are a purchase of a dump truck chassis for the Public Works Department and a generator for the Water Reclamation Division for $85,964 and $43,805, respectively. Acceptance of a $281,000 low bid for a trail project along Lake Street is also among them. Its to better connect the Big Woods Lake park and campground to North Cedar, says Mayor Rob Green in a blog post. Another would authorize a $286,395 contract for a sewer rehabilitation project involving the furnishing and installing of a cured in place liner within existing eight and 12 inch diameter sewer lines in selected areas of the city and in accordance with the contract documents, said city materials. A Community Development Block Grant-funded project, the rehabilitation involves approximately 8,209 linear feet of lining and 185 service taps. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CEDAR FALLS The College Hill Partnership will soon be without Executive Director Kathryn Sogard. The nonprofits first-ever director will step away April 19 after nearly five years leading the revitalization and promotion of the urban neighborhood community. It was time for change, Sogard said. We had come to a point where Id hit the limit on how I could move the partnership forward, and it was time to bow out, she said. Someone else might come in and keep the current direction or might change it. She and the board had an aligned vision but felt now would be a good time for the organization to get a fresh start with several new board members up for appointment and a new strategic plan likely to be developed. The organizations mission is promoting neighborhood businesses and housing enhancement; strengthening collaboration and pride; developing public/private partnerships; and serving as an advocate for addressing area concerns. Sogard was hired in May 2017 as an office coordinator. Before that it was a student in the role. In September 2017, she was named executive director. Shell aid in the transition. Board Vice President Hannah Crisman said members are still determining its next steps. Kathryn is vital to our day-to-day operation as our only employee. She represented us well, especially with the city. She was the one person everyone knew to contact, and really united us when everyone needed to be brought together, she said. She will be a tough act to follow. She really is the spirit College Hill. COLUMN: Great things are happening in Cedar Falls Like many of you, I made the deliberate choice to invest my life and energy here in Cedar Fa The improvements in Seerley Park and zoning upgrades in line with the Imagine College Hill! vision are initiatives Sogard is looking forward to seeing come to fruition. The Pettersen Plaza expansion and an upcoming Olive Street box culvert project are others. An uptick in the number of empty storefronts is another challenge the Hill faces, she said. As for herself, she wouldnt be surprised to find herself volunteering with her local neighborhood association. In the meantime, she will be spending more time with her family and continuing her work at Hopes Bridal near Cedar Rapids. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WATERLOO The Republican Women of Black Hawk County will hold a luncheon meeting April 8 at the Lifestyle Inn, 5826 University Ave. Cedar Falls. Beginning registering for lunch at 11 a.m. The event will last until 1 p.m. Please register by noon Tuesday at (319) 268-0547. Speaker will be Black Hawk County Supervisor Dan Trelka. DES MOINES Proposals for three more pipelines across Iowa are highlighting divisions over the use of eminent domain to acquire access to private property, and producing alliances between groups more often at odds with one another. On one side are investors and developers who say they want to deliver the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from Iowa ethanol plants to underground sequestration sites. In an unusual pairing, theyve been joined by some labor unions. Pipelines are a substantial part of our work, Richie Schmidt, president of Local 177 of the Laborers International Union of North America, said Tuesday at the Iowa Capitol. LIUNAs 3,500 Iowa members include pipefitters, welders, heavy equipment operators and truck drivers. Schmidt and about two dozen fellow union members holding local jobs mean local paychecks signs were vastly outnumbered at a Statehouse rally organized by the Sierra Club Iowa Chapter and a coalition opposing the use of eminent domain for pipeline construction. Strange bedfellows About 100 strange bedfellows environmentalists, farmers, landowners and property rights advocates as well as opponents of large-scale farming and ethanol called for the Iowa Utilities Board to reject construction of the pipelines, which Ames environmental lawyer Carolyn Raffensperger called a sewer system for the fossil fuel industry. Give me a break, Bill Gerhard of the Iowa State Building & Construction Trades Council said while listening to Raffensperger. Pipelines would provide a safer and cleaner alternative to moving CO2 by rail and truck. The benefits of the pipelines ought to strike a note with environmentalists, he said while holding an ethanol = energy independence sign. Summit Carbon Solutions, Navigator CO2 Ventures and Wolf Carbon Solutions/ADM each have announced proposals to build underground pipelines that would carry CO2 from ethanol plants in Iowa to sequestration sites in North Dakota and Illinois. Summit, the only one so far to file its route plans for approval by Iowa regulators, could connect a dozen Iowa ethanol plants with others to remove as much as 12 million tons of carbon dioxide a year from the atmosphere. That would be equivalent to taking more than 2.5 million cars off the road annually, Gerhard said. That would improve the economics of the corn-based fuel and reduce the carbon footprint of ethanol production. However, unlike the CO2 in the breath people exhale or what they drink in carbonated beverages, the CO2 in pipelines is concentrated and pressurized, pipeline opponents warn. Those differences pose unique safety hazards and greatly increase the possible affected area if a pipeline should rupture, according to a Pipeline Safety Trust report issued in March. CO2 pipeline ruptures can impact areas measured in miles, not feet. Also, CO2 is a potentially lethal asphyxiant. If released from a pipeline, it would be heavier than air and high-rate releases would form clouds of cold dense gas fog, according to the report. As it warms, CO2 plumes could flow considerable distances unobserved, displacing oxygen while settling or filling in low areas. Eminent domain Somewhere between the pipeline companies and those who agree with Raffensperger are people like Mike Main of Sioux City, who waved a No Easement. No Eminent Domain sign in the Capitol rotunda. His 80 acres of Woodbury County farmland could be crossed by a $4.5 billion, Iowa-to-North Dakota pipeline proposed by Iowa-based Summit. Mains opposition to the pipeline, in general, is soft. But Im deadest against eminent domain for the gain of private investors, he said. That may be the glue that binds the coalition. Companies proposing pipelines cannot build this or run this or make their money without using other peoples property, according to Raffensperger, executive director of the Science & Environmental Health Network and former state chair of the Sierra Club. Individual landowners like Main are facing private corporations in a race to steal new federal tax credits intended to be used in developing green solutions, according to the Iowa Pipeline Resistance Coalition. However, Jesse Harris of LS2, a Des Moines public affairs firm representing Summit, said opponents are getting ahead of themselves. In its application with the Iowa Utilities Board, Summit did request the use of eminent domain, but said its uncertain it will be needed. In my mind its far too early to be having conversations about eminent domain, he said. This is this all about finding voluntary agreements with landowners that are beneficial for them and also allow our project to move forward. In addition to utilities board informational meetings in counties on the proposed routes, Summit has more meetings scheduled with landowners in the weeks ahead, he said. Anytime we can have a conversation with a landowner we think we can move the ball forward in terms of addressing their concerns about the route of the pipeline (and) about other issues that are out there, Harris said. As of Jan. 31, Summit had obtained 290 voluntary easements, according to the utilities board. During the multiple public informational meetings conducted for both the proposed Summit and Navigator pipelines, eminent domain was discussed by utilities board staff, spokesman Don Tormey said. Just because it was mentioned at the informational meetings does not mean the companies must use eminent domain. In the case of the Summit pipeline that could impact more than 8,000 acres of cropland, more than half the counties on the route have filed objections. Lawmaker acts The Legislature is involved following the Houses adoption of an amendment by Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, to prohibit the Iowa Utilities Board from scheduling eminent domain hearings for pipeline construction until after Feb. 1, 2023. Historically, both parties have favored eminent domain limits. Iowa Republicans, according to their platform, oppose federal or state government taking private property away from the owner for the use of another private party. Iowa Democrats oppose eminent domain abuse. In 2006, after the landmark Kelo v. New London U.S. Supreme Court decision that expanded the permissible use of eminent domain from public use to public benefit, the Iowa House and Senate voted 90-8 and 41-8, respectively, to override former Gov. Tom Vilsacks veto of a bill that would limit local governments power to seize private property. In Iowa, a company requesting the right of eminent domain must establish the project is rationally related to a conceivable public purpose. Tormey said. The IUB uses precedent established by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Iowa Supreme Court as well as IUB precedent to determine whether or not eminent domain should be granted. Rep. Steve Hansen, D-Sioux City, questioned the value of Kaufmanns amendment that merely kicks the can down the road but doesnt remove the threat of eminent domain. Eminent domain is always politically charged whether youre talking about a pipeline or a shopping mall, Hansen said. Its a multi-headed issue because you have possibly unwilling landowners and there are questions whether this is a public good or being done solely for private profit. People on all sides House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, agrees the amendment doesnt remove the possible use of eminent domain. It does, however, give landowners the assurance that youre not going to wake up one day and all of a sudden all these proceedings are happening, and you feel like the worlds crashing down. None of the pipeline routes cross his familys Butler County farmland, but two of the lines could pass through territory Grassley represents in the Legislature. Constituents havent been bashful making their feelings known, he said. Some landowners have reached voluntary agreements granting pipeline companies easements across their property. Some are in negotiations and others are resisting, he said. So there are people on all sides of the issue, Grassley said. I would hope people would respect the fact the Legislature is not coming in and trying to pick winners and losers. Were letting the process play itself out. Kaufmanns amendment doesnt go as far as legislation freshman Sen. Rich Taylor, R-Sioux Center, proposed to strip the utilities boards authority to grant eminent domain for private companies. He calls that power unconstitutional, but conceded the Kelo case created a broader, mushier interpretation. Its wrong, unjust to seize property like that, Taylor said. Kaufmanns amendment is on a budget bill likely to be amended by the Senate. If senators dont like it, they will have to vote to remove it. Those who support eminent domain (for private use) are swimming upstream against popular opinion, said Taylor, who will support Kaufmanns amendment. Until he sees the bill in final form, Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, doesnt know what position his caucus will take. But I do think that theres a general agreement that we should be looking really closely at this issue, given how much energy were seeing on it around the state, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DES MOINES (AP) The Iowa Supreme Court on Friday upheld much of a 2019 jury verdict that found the state discriminated against a transgender state prison employee by denying him the use of men's restrooms and locker rooms, but the court dismissed a portion of the case that centered on sex discrimination. The ruling means Jesse Vroegh, a former nurse at the state's Mitchellville prison for women, has won his discrimination lawsuit based on gender identity and the jury's $120,000 damages verdict for emotional distress. The decision in which the full court recognized gender identity discrimination for transgender workers under state civil rights law is a significant LGBTQ victory. American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa lawyer Melissa Hasso has said the lawsuit was the first related to transgender rights that's been filed since lawmakers amended the Iowa Civil Rights Act in 2007 to bar discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation. Vroegh, who filed the lawsuit in 2017, said the victory was a long time coming. "I'm so happy that my state Supreme Court has recognized that transgender people like me should be treated the same as everyone else and that if a doctor says I should receive medical treatment I get the treatment," he said. "It is important for all people to be treated with dignity and respect." An Iowa Department of Corrections spokesman said in a statement that a new agency director and prison warden are in place since this case occurred. "The DOC does everything it can to create a safe and accommodating environment for all its employees," said the statement provided by spokesman Nick Crawford. The court determined that the amended act added sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected characteristics, which allowed the jury to consider gender identity discrimination in Vroegh's case. The court, however found the sex discrimination allegation should not have been before the jury. The high court explained that it has previously separated sex from gender with sex meaning whether one is male or female and gender relating to behavior, feelings and thoughts that do not always correlate to one's physiological status. Vroegh claimed that discrimination based on sex included discrimination based on gender identity. The court rejected that argument. "Discrimination based on an individual's gender identity does not equate to discrimination based on the individual's male or female anatomical characteristics at the time of birth (the definition of `sex'). An employer could discriminate against transgender individuals without even knowing the sex of the individuals adversely affected," the court said, In February 2019 a jury found that the Corrections Department discriminated against Vroegh and the state executive branch further discriminated against him by offering medical benefits that would not cover his gender confirmation surgery. While the court on Friday upheld that verdict, damages award and payment of more than $348,000 in attorney fees, it denied Vroegh's attempt to pursue a case against the state's insurer, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, for denial of coverage for surgery that was recommended by Vroegh's doctors to treat gender dysphoria. Wellmark said its plan did not cover any gender confirmation surgery. That benefit was later covered for state employees beginning in 2017. The ruling comes as transgender rights have become the center of legal and political fights in several states. Gender identity employment discrimination cases are pending in states including Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas. Also, Iowa is among several states where Republican lawmakers have passed laws to limit transgender athlete participation in sports. ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis Austen said the case is part of an important legal trend in the U.S. that recognizes equal rights for transgender people. "This case shows how important it is to bring these enforcement cases and we're just so grateful and proud of Jesse for being willing to take this important fight for justice and equality to the courts," she said. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 CEDAR FALLS -- The University of Northern Iowa will honor students with a declared teaching major during the Teacher Education Convocation and Celebration at 4 p.m. April 6 at the McLeod Center. The convocation honors students who have satisfied requirements for admission to the UNI Teacher Education program, the largest undergraduate educator preparation program in Iowa. Last held in fall 2019, this milestone event returns after a two-year pause due to COVID-19 precautions. This year, all declared teaching majors at all levels early childhood, elementary, middle level and high school were invited, which totals more than 2,000. Mike Fisher, superintendent of schools in Charles City, will deliver the convocation address. Special guests at this years event include Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo, superintendents from area Cedar Valley schools and area legislative representatives. All students attending will receive their teacher education pin, commemorating their admission into the UNI Teacher Education program. Family, friends and teacher education faculty and staff are invited to attend. A reception will follow in the McLeod concourse. For more information, contact Benjamin Forsyth, 319-273-2265, or teachereducation@uni.edu. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Called the Battery fire 7 Light The stove and the chimney was delivered yesterday morning. Which means that I soon will be going to the Tiny Russian Village.It is the final piece to getting Nikolais home good to use in the winter This is a long burn stove and puts out plenty of heat and is middle range in size. It will fit perfect in the bedroom area and keep the living quarters of the home warm in the deep dark winter of Russia Therefore, in the Tiny Russian Village I have three things that have to be accomplished 1. The stove above installed 2. Moms outhouse torn apart, salvage what wood I can and rebuild 3. Get the culvert installed at Nikolais hone driveway Plus little things like Sammy repair, fence repair, roof repair and fresh air for the human body repair.. WtR Most people know someone who is having, or has had, difficult financial times. Loss of a job, such unexpected expenses as catastrophic medical issues, or other personal situations can affect the ability to pay bills in a timely fashion, or at all and may result in thoughts of filing bankruptcy. But bankruptcy is more than past-due bills. It is not an easy decision and there are many factors to consider. To say it is complicated is an understatement. It is technical and emotional for the debtor and the creditors, as goods and services are provided with the fair expectation of being paid. Below is information to consider related to bankruptcy. The decision is unique to each situation and requires more resources than can be provided here. Research bankruptcy, access a credit counselor or contact an attorney for additional information. How it began Dating back hundreds of years, there are references to forgiveness of debt, as well as punitive approaches to those who could not pay their debts. Most of the authority was with creditors to provide for debt reduction; debtors could not initiate the action. In early American history, there were debtors prisons. The U.S. Bankruptcy Act of 1841 and Bankruptcy Act of 1867 were both in response to financial crisis. The modern view of debt and bankruptcy has changed, along with a fundamental change in the creditor-debtor relationship. How business is transacted has also evolved. Its likely our grandparents did not have multiple credit cards. The financial services industry has grown, with individual purchases driving approximately 70% of the U.S. economy. Without credit, many purchases would not be made. Before filing Meet with a counselor from a nonprofit credit counseling agency. See the website: www.justice.gov/ust/credit-counseling-by-state/New-Mexico for contact information. The free services can provide you with options. Try to negotiate a payment plan with creditors. Review your income and expenses for a budget. Can you supplement your income to pay debts? Can you reduce expenses? The 2 major types The CARES Act includes a number of changes to bankruptcy laws designed to make the process more available to businesses and individuals economically disadvantaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Chapter 7: This is the most common option and is designed for people who truly cannot afford to pay their bills. To qualify, you must earn less than the median income for a family your size in your state. A means test may be an option with the court. Bankruptcy trustee oversees asset liquidation to pay creditors. Most debts are released under Chapter 7. To qualify, the debtor must not have had a Chapter 7 in the past eight years. Credit counseling is required. Chapter 13: This is known as the wage earners bankruptcy because it requires you have a steady source of income and unsecured debts credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, etc. of less than $418,275 and secured debts home, car, property, etc. of less than $1,257,850, as of February 2019. Chapter 13 reorganization requires debtors to repay all or part of their debts within three to five years. Payments go through a bankruptcy trustee. Credit counseling is required. What qualifies? Debts that dont qualify: Child support, alimony, some taxes, debt to government, debts for personal injury caused by driving while intoxicated, and court fines/penalties. Debts that do qualify: Credit card debt, medical bills, personal loans, lawsuit judgments and obligations from leases or contracts. In addition, Chapter 13 includes debts from divorce and debts for loans from a retirement plan. Consequences of filing Can hurt your credit score (although your credit score is likely low). Stays on your credit rating for 7-10 years. Damages your ability to get future loans. Holds loan co-signers liable under Chapter 7. Under Chapter 13, protections include the co-signer if payments are made as identified in the Chapter 13 agreement. Becomes part of the public record. May require your home to be surrendered under Chapter 7. Stops home foreclosure proceedings under Chapter 13. Other assets may be taken to pay creditors. The process is complicated and a mistake could have a major impact on your filing. Consider whether hiring a bankruptcy attorney is best for your situation. Sources: American Bankruptcy Institution: abi.org, debt.org and investopedia.com. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Liz Hernandez has always told her children, as her parents told her, to trust their gut and if something tells them that they need to leave, they need to leave. I guess that hasnt changed from when I was growing up, but I was more running away from people who may be drinking or smoking Now its people who are killing each other, Hernandez, a mother of three, told the Journal. The fear of gun violence reaching their children is not based on distant headlines or dated anecdotes for many Albuquerque parents like Hernandez. Officials say it is a growing trend playing out on and off school grounds around the city. Theres always times that students have conflict, or theres fights, but the weapon involvement is something new thats concerning, Vicki Price, senior director of counseling at Albuquerque Public Schools, told the Journal. The access is very worrisome for us, that kids can so easily obtain weapons. In addition to actual violence, the school district has dealt with an ongoing spike of school shooting threats over social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat. APS spokeswoman Monica Armenta said a steep uptick began as students returned following the pandemic. She said many of the threats turn out to not be credible but have nevertheless led to lockdowns and even sporting events being canceled and evacuated. Armenta said she didnt know how many shooting threats APS has dealt with this school year, noting that the district doesnt compile that kind of information. Although it hasnt hit her family, Hernandez said she has watched the violence creep closer to home as teenagers first reaction in a dispute is to pull a trigger. Everybody says, Oh, it always happens to somebody else. But those somebody elses are getting so close, she said. Its not happening to other people anymore. Its happening here. Everybody, I think, can stop for a second and look around and realize that they know somebody whos been affected. Traumatizing incidents Albuquerque police have investigated a number of shootings involving teens in the past year, including two deadly incidents at or in the direct vicinity of a school. In August, a 13-year-old used his fathers gun to fatally shoot his eighth grade classmate during lunch at Washington Middle School, according to authorities. Then, in February, authorities say a 14-year-old shot and killed another student outside West Mesa High during a dispute over a ghost gun. The violence isnt always fatal. Young people have ended up paralyzed, blind or permanently disabled from often indiscriminate gunfire. Some just happened to be in the path of a stray bullet. On Halloween, back-to-back parties packed with teens erupted in shootouts across the city that left several people injured or dead. A gunfight between high schoolers in a parking lot adjacent to Sandia High in September left a student shot at least three times. In March, a fight among students outside Albuquerque High ended in a drive-by shooting at a nearby park that left two injured. Price said the violence on or near school grounds can traumatize even those students who dont see it and can hinder their education. She said school should be a safe, healthy place without fears of weapons or violence. If kids are feeling unsafe or traumatized, theyre not going to be in a position to learn and absorb things in school as they would be if they werent in that state, she said. The problem is exacerbated in those children facing social and developmental stagnation brought on through isolation during the pandemic. Price said some students are more resilient and others find continuous discussion re-traumatizing. She said counselors saw a level of denial after the Washington Middle School shooting when students began telling them were done talking about it, we want to get back to our lives. It really depends on the student, their level of ability to cope and resiliency, but I think all of them are impacted at some level, Price said. Other kids kind of stay stuck in that for a while and need to constantly debrief with us. Get involved Adults play an important role in their childrens safety. Price said its very important for parents, relatives and guardians to be involved in their kids lives to keep them safe. That means meeting their friends, having them over and keeping tabs on what theyre doing. She said it also means being a confidant. Really give your kids permission to let you know if something doesnt feel right or seem right, that youre a safe person to tell that to, Price said. Its OK to get involved. The kids will view it as dont you trust me, youre invading my privacy, but we have an obligation. For stubborn teenagers who do lash out, worried their secrets will be immediately aired to the world, Price said to be transparent. Its super important to say, before I do anything if you report to me that somebody is in trouble you and I are going to talk about it and come to an agreement,' she said. Tell them why youre getting involved in their lives: I love you, I care about you, I want to know youre safe.' Price said the hustle and bustle of life can be tough at times, but to not underestimate the power of having a family dinner. Setting time aside to connect with your kids is one of the best things you can do. She said spending one-on-one time makes it easier to recognize when something is up. Price said social media can be good, in some ways, but it adds stressors for kids who feel like they cant escape it. She sees students come in sleep deprived from being on their phones all night, and that in combination with unrestricted internet access can get them in trouble. Nothing good happens in the middle of the night on social media. Just like nothing good happens when kids are out on the streets in the middle of the night. Its not really different, Price said. She suggested having a rule in the house to turn off social media or turn in their cellphone at a certain time. We owe it to our children Hernandez said when she thinks about how much violence has played out in her West Side neighborhood, in her school district, its shocking. She said thats why its more necessary than ever to be a part of childrens lives, having conversation and making sure they know violence isnt acceptable. It is a fear of the community, its not just a fear of mine. But giving them safe places to hang out together is important, giving them opportunities to talk to somebody, she said. Hernandez said the parents of her kids friends all have the same philosophy, because theyve all had those conversations together. They touched base after the West Mesa High shooting to make sure that everybodys OK. Hernandez believes there is more that can be done by local leaders, school officials and the community to combat gun violence in Albuquerque. Theres opportunities for us as a city to kind of take a hold of this we know (the guns) are out there, so what are we going to do about it? Hernandez said. She cited STOPit, an app utilized by Hobbs Municipal Schools, as a tool for children and teens to anonymously report violence, threats and bullying. Hernandez said teens often know whos armed and are just afraid to say something publicly. Why not give them a safe way to do so? she asked. Hernandez said, instead of just reacting, Albuquerque should be more proactive. I think as a community, we owe it to our children, she said. We cannot continue on the same path, our children arent safe and thats our job. Hernandez added, As a parent, you have to do something and everybodys just being quiet watching it happen. If nobodys having the conversation, then everything just stays static. BUCHA, Ukraine Bodies with bound hands, close-range gunshot wounds and signs of torture lay scattered in a city on the outskirts of Kyiv after Russian soldiers withdrew from the area. Ukrainian authorities accused the departing forces on Sunday of committing war crimes and leaving behind a scene from a horror movie. As images of the bodies emerged from Bucha, European leaders condemned the atrocities and called for tougher sanctions against Moscow. In a sign of how the horrific reports shook many leaders, Germanys defense minister even suggested that the European Union consider banning Russian gas imports. Ukrainian officials said the bodies of 410 civilians were found in Kyiv-area towns that were recently retaken from Russian forces. Associated Press journalists saw the bodies of at least 21 people in various spots around Bucha, northwest of the capital. One group of nine, all in civilian clothes, were scattered around a site that residents said Russian troops used as a base. They appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two had their hands tied behind their backs, one was shot in the head, and anothers legs were bound. Ukrainian officials laid the blame for the killings squarely at the feet of Russian troops, with the president calling them evidence of genocide. But Russias Defense Ministry rejected the accusations as provocation. The discoveries followed the Russian retreat from the area after Moscow said it was focusing its offensive on the countrys east. Russian troops had rolled into Bucha in the early days of the invasion and stayed up until March 30. One resident, who refused to give his name out of fear for his safety, said that Russian troops went building to building and took people out of the basements where they were hiding, checking their phones for any evidence of anti-Russian activity before taking them away or shooting them. Hanna Herega, another resident, said Russian troops started shooting at a neighbor who had gone out to gather wood for heating. They hit him a bit above the heel, crushing the bone, and he fell down, Herega said. Then they shot off his left leg completely, with the boot. Then they shot him all over. The AP also saw two bodies, that of a man and a woman, wrapped in plastic that residents said they had covered and placed in a shaft until a proper funeral could be arranged. He put his hands up, and they shot him, said the resident who refused to be identified. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described bodies lying in suburban streets as a scene from a horror movie. He claimed some of the women had been raped before being killed and the Russians then burned the bodies. In a video address, Zelenskyy said Russian soldiers who killed and tortured civilians were responsible for concentrated evil. It is time to do everything possible to make the war crimes of the Russian military the last manifestation of such evil on earth, he said in remarks translated by his office. He directed some of his remarks at the mothers of Russian soldiers involved. Even if you raised looters, how did they also become butchers? he said. You couldnt overlook that they are deprived of everything human. No soul. No heart. They killed deliberately and with pleasure. Zelenskyy said his government would take steps to create a special justice mechanism to investigate every crime committed by the Russian forces in Ukraine. Zelenskyy also appeared in a pre-recorded video message at Sundays Grammy Awards, contrasting the lives of those attending the award ceremony in Las Vegas with the lives of musicians in his battered homeland. Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who cant hear them, he said in English. But the music will break through anyway. Russias Defense Ministry said in a statement that photos and videos of dead bodies have been stage managed by the Kyiv regime for the Western media. The ministry said not a single civilian in Bucha had faced any violent military action and the mayor did not mention any abuses a day after Russian troops left. Russia asked for a meeting Monday of the U.N. Security Council to discuss events in the city. The U.S. and Britain have recently accused Russia of using Security Council meetings to spread disinformation. In Motyzhyn, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Kyiv, residents told AP that Russian troops killed the towns mayor, her husband and her son and threw their bodies into a pit in a pine forest behind houses where Russian forces had slept. Inside the pit, AP journalists saw four bodies of people who appeared to have been shot at close range. The mayors husband had his hands behind his back, with a piece of rope nearby, and a piece of plastic wrapped around his eyes like a blindfold. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk confirmed that the mayor was killed while being held by Russian forces. Some European leaders said the killings in the Kyiv area amounted to war crimes. The U.S. has previously said that it believes Russia has committed war crimes, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken called images of what happened near Kyiv a punch to the gut on CNNs State of the Union. It is a brutality against civilians we havent seen in Europe for decades, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on the same show. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called on nations to immediately end Russian gas imports, saying they were funding the killings. In a turnaround, Germanys defense minister said that the EU should consider doing just that. Ministers would have to talk about halting gas supplies from Russia, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said on German public broadcaster ARD. Such crimes must not go unanswered. Russia provides 40% of Europes gas and 25% of its oil, and until now many EU nations have resisted calls to scale back or fully end reliance on Russian fossil fuels. Giving them up would mean even higher prices at the pump and higher utility bills, potentially creating an energy crisis and a recession. The U.S. has previously announced a ban on Russian oil, but it imports only a small share of Russias oil exports and doesnt buy any of its natural gas. As Russian forces retreated from the area around the capital, they also withdrew from the Sumy region, in Ukraines northeast, local administrator Dmitry Zhivitsky said in a video message carried by Ukrainian news agencies. The troops had occupied the area for nearly a month. They pressed their sieges in other parts of the country. Russia has said it is directing troops to the Donbas in eastern Ukraine, where Russia-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for eight years. In that region, Mariupol, a port on the Sea of Azov that has seen some of the wars greatest suffering, remained cut off. About 100,000 civilians less than a quarter of the prewar population of 430,000 are believed to be trapped there with little or no food, water, fuel and medicine. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday that a team sent Saturday to help evacuate residents had yet to reach the city. Ukrainian authorities said Russia agreed days ago to allow safe passage from the city, but similar agreements have broken down repeatedly under continued shelling. The mayor of Chernihiv, which has also been cut off from shipments of food and other supplies for weeks, said that relentless Russian shelling has destroyed 70% of the northern city. The Ukrainian military said early Monday that its forces had retaken some towns in the Chernihiv region and that humanitarian aid was being delivered. The road between Chernihiv and the capital, Kyiv, was to reopen to some traffic later in the morning, according to the news agency RBK Ukraina. The regional governor in Kharkiv said that Russian artillery and tanks launched over 20 strikes on Ukraines second-largest city and its outskirts in the countrys northeast over the past day. The head of Ukraines delegation in talks with Russia said Moscows negotiators informally agreed to most of a draft proposal discussed during face-to-face talks in Istanbul this week, but no written confirmation has been provided. The Russian invasion has left left thousands dead and forced more than 4 million Ukrainians to flee their country. ___ Qena reported from Motyzhyn, Ukraine. Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Ukraine, and Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal A former police chief has filed a lawsuit against the state Attorney Generals Office the agency that enforces compliance with the Inspection of Public Records Act alleging it violated the act since it has not turned over documents requested last year. Michael Geier was chief of the Albuquerque Police Department from late 2017 when Mayor Tim Keller took office until he was asked to resign in September 2020. Last May his attorney, Thomas Grover, requested all documents and correspondence between APD and the AGs Office related to Geier and his former executive assistant, Paulette Diaz, since the beginning of the year. He still hasnt received any records. In a statement to the Journal, a spokeswoman for the AGs office said it will review the lawsuit when it receives it and will contact Geier and his attorney. We value transparency in government and make every effort to provide full and open responses, spokeswoman Jerri Mares said. In early May 2021, KRQE-TV aired a story finding flaws in an investigation into Geiers former chief of staff John Ross. The story found that, at best, the investigation was bungled. At worst it was intentionally whitewashed to find Ross had committed no serious misconduct. At that point, Chief Harold Medina and Mayor Keller said they asked the attorney general and the state auditor to investigate. I am very concerned. Weve asked the AG to look into it. And if theres any wrongdoing, Ill hold folks accountable, Mayor Keller told KRQE-TV. The same month, Grover made his request for documents. We wanted to know what it was that Chief Medina sent to the agencys office what correspondence, what investigative records, whatever it was that he sent to the agencys office for them to review, Grover said in a phone interview with the Journal. Eleven months later, Grover said he still hasnt received any documents. According to a petition filed in 2nd Judicial District Court, a couple of weeks after the request was filed, the AGs office records custodian asked for more time, but referenced the wrong case. That was cleared up but the documents still were not provided. Between June 2 and Oct. 8, the custodian sent eight letters saying although we anticipated having some records available today, we will require additional time to continue a thorough search and review to determine if we possess any records that are responsive to your request and available for inspection. No records were released. The petition asks for a judge to order the AGs office to comply with the law and produce the records and award damages, costs and reasonable attorney fees. I think the record in this case is really the most compelling example of yet another agencys indifference to a very serious and very important state law, which is the Inspection of Public Records Act, Grover said. Here we have the states own point agency for enforcing IPRA not following IPRA, and I think its going to be a problem. SEOUL, South Korea The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called the South Korean defense minister a scum-like guy for talking about preemptive strikes on the North, warning Sunday that the South may face a serious threat. Kim Yo Jongs statement came amid heightened tensions between the rival Koreas over the Norths spate of weapons tests this year, including its first intercontinental ballistic missile launch in more than four years. Some experts say her statement could signal that North Korea will conduct more significant weapons tests soon and take a hardline stance on South Korea. The ICBM test on March 24 that broke North Koreas four-year moratorium on big weapons tests was an embarrassment to South Koreas liberal President Moon Jae-in, who has pushed hard to achieve greater reconciliation between the countries and find a peaceful resolution to the North Korean nuclear crisis. During a visit to the countrys strategic missile command on Friday, South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook said that South Korea has the ability and readiness to launch precision strikes on North Korea if it detects the North intends to fire missiles at South Korea. Seoul has long maintained such a preemptive attack strategy to cope with North Koreas growing missile and nuclear threats, but it was highly unusual for a senior Seoul official under the Moon administration to publicly discuss it. On Sunday, Kims sister, Kim Yo Jong, issued blistering rhetoric directed at Suh and threats toward Seoul. The senseless and scum-like guy dare mention a preemptive strike at a nuclear weapons state, Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by state media. South Korea may face a serious threat owing to the reckless remarks made by its defense minister. South Korea should discipline itself if it wants to stave off disaster, she said. Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in the Norths ruling Workers Party, is in charge of relations with Seoul and Washington. South Koreas spy service says she is the Norths No. 2 official behind her brother. Pak Jong Chon, a secretary in the Workers Partys central committee, separately warned that any slight misjudgment and ill statement rattling the other party under the present situation may trigger a dangerous conflict and a full-blown war. Pak said North Korea will mercilessly direct military force into destroying major targets in Seoul and the South Korean army if South Korea preemptively attacks North Korea. Relations between the Koreas briefly flourished in 2018 after North Korea abruptly reached out to South Korea and the United States and expressed its willingness to put its nuclear program on the bargaining table. At the time, Kim Yo Jong visited South Korea to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics and conveyed her brothers invitation for Moon to visit the North. Kim Jong Un and Moon eventually met three times in 2018. But North Korea turned a colder shoulder on Moon and cut off ties with South Korea after its broader nuclear diplomacy with the United States collapsed in 2019 due to disputes over U.S.-led economic sanctions on the North. Kim Yo Jongs remarks foreshadow another significant military test, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. Similar to how Moscow and Beijing try to gaslight the world that Russias invasion of Ukraine is somehow the fault of NATO, Pyongyang will blame its nuclear and missile advancements on the U.S.-South Korea alliance. Analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said that the back-to-back North Korean statements indicate that it will take hardline steps toward South Korea. He said that Pyongyang is sensitive to Seouls preemptive attack capability because it lacks military assets and capability to detect South Korean strikes in advance. But Cheong worried that Seouls public comments on preemptive strikes would result in strengthening the voices of hardline officials in Pyongyang and raising tensions between the Koreas. Moons single five-year term ends in May, when he will be replaced by conservative Yoon Suk Yeol, who openly discussed the preemptive attack strategy on North Korea during his campaign. His liberal rivals criticized him for unnecessarily provoking North Korea, but Yoon said he would pursue a principled approach on Pyongyang. The United States has urged North Korea to return to talks without preconditions, but the North has rejected such an overture saying the U.S. must first drop its hostility toward it. Kim Jong Un has repeatedly vowed to expand his nuclear arsenal as a diplomatic stalemate with Washington continues. Some experts say the Norths recent missile tests were meant to perfect its weapons technology, boost its leverage in future negotiations with the U.S. and secure stronger internal loyalty. They say North Korea could soon conduct another ICBM launch, a launch of a satellite-carrying rocket or a test of a nuclear device in coming weeks. VALLETTA, Malta Pope Francis prayed Sunday for an end to the sacrilegious war in Ukraine and for the world to show compassion to refugees as he concluded a two-day visit to Malta that was dominated by his concern for the devastation unleashed by Russias invasion. May we be tireless in praying and in offering assistance to those who suffer, Francis said at the end of a Mass in Valletta, the capital of Malta, that drew 20,000 people, some of them waiving Ukrainian flags. More Ukrainian flags greeted him outside a migrant shelter, where Ukrainian protesters shouted Save our children! and Close the sky over Ukraine! Francis has used his two-day visit to Malta to drive home his call for Europe to show compassion to would-be refugees who cross the Mediterranean Sea from Libya. He has expanded that message to express his gratitude for the welcome Europe has shown Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian war and his hope that same generosity could be extended to others. Though short, the trip has been particularly taxing for the 85-year-old pontiff, who is suffering from a chronic strained ligament in his right knee. He struggled repeatedly Sunday to get out of his chair and his limping gait from sciatica was so pronounced that he frequently had to grab the arm of an aide. Francis opened his second and final day in Malta by visiting the Grotto of St. Paul in Rabat, where the Apostle Paul stayed after being shipwrecked off Malta en route to Rome in AD 60. According to the biblical account of the period, the Maltese people showed Paul unusual kindness, and he responded by preaching and healing, bringing Christianity to the islands. Francis referred to that warm welcome Malta showed Christs shipwrecked disciple, meeting with recent migrants from Africa who paid smugglers to try to reach Europe to escape war and conflict. He told them that they could be any one of us. It is my hope that that is how Malta will always treat those who land on its shores, offering them a genuinely safe harbor,' he said. Malta has long been at the heart of the European debate over refugee policy. The country of a half-million is frequently criticized by humanitarian groups for refusing to let rescue ships dock at its ports. The government argues it has one of the EUs highest rates in processing first-time asylum applications relative to the population, and says other, bigger European countries should do more to shoulder the burden. Just this week, a German aid group urged Malta to take in 106 migrants rescued off Libya. Malta demurred and on Saturday, the mayor of Palermo, Sicily, said the city was ready to welcome them. While Francis has praised Maltas response overall, some migrants at the Peace Lab social service center said they had been waiting for years for their asylum claims to be processed and that Malta really doesnt work to integrate them. I need an ID card, said Agyei Kwasi Batig, a Ghanaian who has been living in Malta for eight years. In Europe, if you dont have an ID card, you suffer. For everything, you need documents. Francis Mass, his biggest event in Malta, drew an estimated 20,000 people. They clapped when Francis urged the faithful in a final prayer to think of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in the martyred Ukraine, which continues to be bombarded in this sacrilegious war. Among those in the crowd was Alina Shcherbyna, a 25-year-old Ukrainian who arrived in Malta just over a week ago after fleeing her bombed-out home in Dnipro, leaving behind her parents, who are both doctors. An Orthodox Christian, she said she was attending the Mass to accompany the Maltese host family who took her in after a solo train and bus journey that took her to Poland, Germany and the Netherlands before she flew to Malta. Carrying Ukrainian and Vatican flags, Shcherbyna said she wanted to ask the pope and the world for prayers for Ukraine, saying she still cannot believe what has happened in just a few weeks. At school we were studying a lot about the Second World War, about bomb shelters and about this disaster, and we thought it was impossible in present time. We thought it had ended in 1945 and that was it. But now, its really shocking for all of us, she said. Another Ukrainian Orthodox in the crowd, Margaryta Gromova, fled recently from Kyiv and thanked Francis for speaking out. He can really speak about this issue, he can pray for us, she said. We can feel the unity with other people, local people, the world, because we need support, like moral support, and all the support from God now. ___ Follow all AP stories about developments related to the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. VILNIUS, Lithuania Lithuania says it has cut itself off entirely of gas imports from Russia, apparently becoming the first of the European Unions 27 nations using Russian gas to break its energy dependence upon Moscow. Seeking full energy independence from Russian gas, in response to Russias energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has completely abandoned Russian gas, Lithuanias energy ministry said in a statement late Saturday, adding that the measure took effect in the beginning of April. Lithuania managed to reduce imports of Russian gas to zero on Saturday, a move seen a milestone in achieving energy independence in the former Soviet republic of 2.8 million, the ministry said. We are the first EU country among Gazproms supply countries to gain independence from Russian gas supplies, and this is the result of a multi-year coherent energy policy and timely infrastructure decisions, Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys said. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda posted an upbeat tweet on his account and urged other European nations to do the same. From this month on no more Russian gas in Lithuania. Years ago, my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the aggressor. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too! Nauseda tweeted. In 2015, nearly 100% of Lithuanias gas supplies derived from imports of Russian gas but the situation has changed drastically over the past years after the country built an off-shore LNG import terminal, launched in 2014, in the port city of Klaipeda. The energy ministry said from now on all gas for Lithuanias domestic consumption would be imported via Klaipedas LNG terminal. Last year, some 26% of Lithuanias gas supplies derived from deliveries from a Russian gas pipeline while 62% came via Klaipedas LNG terminal and the remaining 12% were imported from a gas storage in neighboring Latvia. Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia are also heavily dependent on Russian gas but the operator of Latvias natural gas storage said none of the three Baltic states were importing Russian gas as of April 2. Uldis Bariss, the CEO of Conexus Baltic Grid, told Latvian media on Saturday that the Baltic gas market was currently being served by gas reserves stored underground in Latvia. Last month, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said Klaipedas LNG terminal wouldnt have enough capacity to provide gas for all the three Baltic countries. As a solution, Estonias government has proposed building a LNG terminal jointly with Latvia and Nordic neighbor Finland in the Estonian port town of Paldiski, which is not far from the capital, Tallinn. ___ Jari Tanner in Helsinki, Finland contributed to this report ___ Follow all AP stories on Russias war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. Back in December, the New Mexico Space Valley Coalition learned that its bold vision to boost New Mexico as a national space industry hub was embraced by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and its Build Back Better Challenge. The New Mexico Space Valley Coalitions Phase I grant proposal was one of 60 nationwide, among 529 applicants, that advanced as a finalist for a Build Back Better Challenge grant of up to $100 million. Since the Phase I proposal thrust New Mexico into contention for an epic economic development triumph, the spirited and well-conceived effort has only gained more momentum. The original members of the Space Valley Coalition are Central New Mexico Community College, CNM Ingenuity, the New Mexico Trade Alliance, NewSpace New Mexico, and Spaceport America. The City of Albuquerque recently joined the cause. And now, New Mexico State University is on board, partnering with the coalition plans to advance the Space Workforce of the Future project. New Mexico already has the needed runway for the state to quickly soar higher as a commercial space hub, literally and figuratively. We have Spaceport America. We have a high concentration of space technology companies in New Mexico, including Virgin Galactic, Blue Halo, Redwire, SolAero and more. We have Sandia National Labs, Los Alamos National Labs, three Air Force bases, White Sands Missile Range, and four U.S. Space Force organizations currently operating at Kirtland Air Force Base. The Space Valley Coalition is also aligned and supports the space industry goals of the New Mexico Economic Development Department. To elevate New Mexicos space industry even higher, the Space Valley Coalition has proposed six primary initiatives. These are: Space Valley Center Rocket Assembly Building Located at Spaceport America Space Workforce of the Future Q Station Expansion Unite & Ignite Space Expansion Venture Studio and Venture Fund You can find details on the initiatives at www.spacevalley.org. The Space Workforce of the Future component is how the CNM-NMSU educational partnership along with the University of New Mexico, New Mexico Tech and Navajo Technical University will help democratize access to space industry careers and help all New Mexicans benefit from the economics of space. If the Space Valley Coalition succeeds in the Build Back Better Challenge, CNM and NMSU, along with UNM, NMT and NTU, will work directly with leaders in the space industry to create, refine or expand education and training programs that will produce the workforce needed to support industry growth, from engineers to IT professionals to skilled trades technicians. Were no strangers to helping skill-up a robust and diverse workforce. Now, we have the opportunity to adapt those winning approaches to a specific industry, aligned with the power of a coalition, to put New Mexico at the forefront of that industry. Specifically, the grant funding would help us recruit a diversity of New Mexicans, including those most affected by the pandemic, people of color, women, tribal members and low-income households. Funding would also deliver direct student support, including financial aid and wrap-around support services to help students persist and earn certificates, associate degrees and bachelors degrees that lead to space careers and financial security for families. We will create Space Transfer pathways between our institutions so students can transfer easily if they seek to obtain higher level degrees. And our Space Valley Coalition partners are committed to connecting students with employers for work-and-learn opportunities that allow students to earn a living as they develop critical, industry-valued skills. Then upon completion, graduates would be prioritized for permanent, full-time careers. All of our New Mexico Space Valley Coalition partners are united, prepared, and ready to put our plans into action in the fall. And as higher education and workforce development leaders at CNM and NMSU, we are united in our common goal to educate and train New Mexicans for life-changing careers that fuel the ascension of our states space industry. The Executives Desk is a guest column providing advice, commentary or information about resources available to the business community in New Mexico. To submit a column for consideration, email gporter@abqjournal.com. March 15, 2017 Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who in September was advised by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not to run in the May 19 presidential elections, has been writing letters and statements addressing US President Donald Trump and the Iranian government. In the face of opposition from the ruling establishment, Ahmadinejad is trying to maintain a presence on Iran's political scene by attracting the attention of the media and the public through the issuance of statements and by encouraging his former deputy, Hamid Baghaei, to run in the upcoming polls. In a Feb. 26 letter to Trump, Ahmadinejad urged him to reform the political structure of the US, raising eyebrows in Iran and eliciting criticism from Reformist as well as moderate media outlets. The letter was rejected by the Swiss Embassy, which represents US interests in Iran. According to Iranian media reports, the embassy told the Iranian Foreign Ministry that it was not its responsibility to play postman. In a rare indirect swipe at Ahmadinejad, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said March 14 that diplomatic etiquette and protocol should be observed. Foreign relations shouldnt be the subject of domestic political games, Zarif asserted. In addition to writing to the US president, Ahmadinejad has been releasing various statements against the moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani. In one, Ahmadinejad slammed his successor for saying that the Iranian treasury had been empty when he took office in 2013. Ahmadinejad wrote March 4, It should be made clear why such claims were brought up prior to negotiations with foreigners. By negotiations with foreigners, Ahmadinejad meant the nuclear talks with the six world powers that resulted in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in July 2015. Government Spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht reacted to the former presidents statements on March 14, stating sarcastically, Ahmadinejad is good at writing letters to presidents and different officials. Nobakht also said that the Economic Affairs and Finance Ministry and other relevant institutions would respond to Ahmadinejads recent statements. Since Baghaei announced his run for office on Feb. 20, reports about the former presidents intentions have occupied Iranian analysts and media. On March 15, Nameh News, which is close to Rouhanis justice minister, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, claimed that on the day for candidates to register, Baghaie will not show up at the Interior Ministry, and instead Ahmadinejad and his controversial adviser, Esfandar Rahim Mashaie, will appear to register. If Ahmadinejad enters the fray, it will be in defiance of the supreme leader. Given this, if Ahmadinejad and Mashaie register themselves for the balloting, they will probably be disqualified by the Guardian Council, which is dominated by conservatives and tasked with vetting candidates based on a number of criteria, including their commitment to following the supreme leader. In other news, Ezzatollah Zarghami, former head of the state broadcaster, officially announced his candidacy March 15. Zarghami is the latest conservative figure to enter the field. The conservatives are still divided over whom to select as a consensus candidate for the May 19 vote. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Tommy Johnson, D.M.D., (334) 206-5398 The Oral Health Office of the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) announces the winners of the fifth annual smile photo contest for third grade students in Alabama. A boy and a girl were selected from photo submissions as the overall winners of the Share Your Smile with Alabama campaign for 2022. Carl Shamburger of Pike Road Elementary School in Montgomery County and Edith Tulibagenyi of Daniel Pratt Elementary School in Autauga County were chosen as the contest winners. This years National Children's Dental Health Month campaign focused on sealants, and the theme is Sealants Make Sense. State Dental Health Director Dr. Tommy Johnson said, Cavity-preventing sealants on permanent molars reduce the risk of dental caries by 80 percent. The American Dental Association notes that sealants are an equitable way to prevent caries and help children enjoy a lifetime of healthy, beautiful smiles. Good oral health is especially important for children because attitudes and habits established at an early age and reinforced are critical in maintaining good oral health throughout a lifetime. Cavities (also known as caries or tooth decay) are among the most common chronic conditions of children in the United States. Untreated dental cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing and learning. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than their classmates. The ADPH Oral Health Office is dedicated to preventing dental disease for Alabama's citizens by promoting and developing quality, cost-effective community and school-based preventive, educational and early treatment programs which emphasize the elimination of oral health disparities. -30- 4/1/22 County health departments throughout Alabama provide a wide range of confidential and professional services. Contact your local county health department for additional information. Mission: To promote, protect, and improve Alabamas health Vision: Healthy People. Healthy Communities. Healthy Alabama. The Princeton University Library collections are among the most valuable in the world with their holdings of seven million printed works and five million manuscripts and diverse objects. Those holdings continually grow with additions of print, digital non-print, and manuscripts through acquisition or gifts. The library has been generous in its displays and educational in organizing exhibits. The current exhibit on display is titled Through a Glass Darkly; Alchemy and the Ripley scrolls 1400-1700. It is therefore stunning that Princeton, in an unaccustomed example of wokery, surrendered to cancel culture and the rewriting of history in canceling an exhibition due to be opened in April 2022. The exhibition, of which the main donor was Leonard Milberg, Jewish financial manager and generous donor to the university whose name is on the gallery where the exhibit was to be held, was to display Jewish-American artists in the late 19th century and included two who were soldiers in the Confederate army, Moses Jacob Ezekiel and Theodore Moise. The exhibition, to feature American-Jewish artists in the Gilded Age 1865-1900, was planned to coincide with the publication of Milbergs book, Yearning to be Free, the title referring to a line in Emma Lazaruss 1883 sonnet, "The New Colossus," which appears at the base of the Statue of Liberty. The cancellation of the planned exhibition is an irony: the exhibition that was meant to remedy an erasure of American art history is now being erased. The cancellation has dishonored Princetons own principle -- to present and explain materials in a manner consistent with the librarys educational and research mission. The exhibit would have expanded research by helping to restore to American art history the presence of Jewish-American artists active in the U.S. during the 19th century such as Henry Mosler. While renowned contemporary Jewish-American scholars like Larry Silver, Matthew Baigell, Barbara Gilbert, and Samantha Baskind have documented Jewish-American artists of the 19th century, there is little mention of these artists in mainstream American art history books. This exhibition would have helped fill in the gap of the presence and activity of these neglected artists. The centerpiece of the proposed exhibition, containing 50 objects, was a marble sculpture by Ezekiel of a boy holding a flaming lamp in one hand while he raises the other hand to the heavens. Moses Jacob Ezekiel (1844-1917), born in Richmond Virginia, part Ashkenazi and part Sephardic, was the first important American Jewish sculptor. Ezekiel also believed in states rights, and enrolled in 1862 at the Virginia Military Institute, the first Jew to do so. During the Civil War, while still only aged 20, he aided Confederate general John C. Breckenridge, joining the cadets charge against Union lines in May 1964 at the Battle of New Market, Virginia, where the Confederates defeated the Union army. Thus, Ezekiel can be evaluated in two ways: a proud Southerner who always kept a Confederate flag in his studio, and an observant Jew who at the age of 13 produced a bust of Cain. Ezekiel won a prize that allowed him to live in Rome, where he remained for more than 40 years, yet his most important sculptures were for the U.S. His allegorical marble sculpture of Religious Liberty, a single block of Carrera marble, was commissioned by the Independent Order of Bnai Brith in 1876 to honor the U.S. Centennial of Independence. The work is of an eight-foot-tall woman, reflecting liberty protecting religious freedom, wearing the liberty cap bordered by 13 stars, and holding the U.S. Constitution. The sculpture stands outside the National Museum of American Jewish history in Philadelphia, near the Liberty Bell. Ezekiel, a prolific sculptor of religious. Southern, and Confederate themes, made no secret of his Confederate activities. As a result, the United Daughters of the Confederacy asked him to execute a memorial honoring the confederate dead at Arlington national cemetery. He produced in 1914 a baroque statue illustrating Southern heroism. The woman in the memorial representing the South appears to be protecting the black figures, but critics see it as propaganda for the lost cause, rewriting history. After his death Ezekiel was largely forgotten, largely because his artistic style was one of emulation of the great past masters, not one of innovation. Shame on Princeton, which wants him to remain forgotten. The second cancelled artist by Princeton is Theodore Sydney Moise (1808-1883), who was born in Charleston, South Carolina, a portrait painter, and skilled a horse painter. Working in a neoclassical style, he maintained a studio in New Orleans. His painting of General Andrew Jackson on horseback in 1815 (City Hall, New Orleans) won a prize. He continued with paintings of distinguished citizens of New Orleans, containing many portraits of judges and members of the Volunteer Fire Brigade in the courthouse of New Orleans. During the Civil War, Moise was a major in the Confederate army, and participated in the defense of the lower Mississippi by helping to employ floating fire rafts to repel the Federal fleet. Leonard Milberg was naturally disappointed at the cancellation of the art exhibit. He has funded 11 previous exhibitions at the Princeton Art Museum and Princeton Firestone Library and donated 10 collections to the University. Among them was a show in 2016, By Dawns Early Light, devoted to Jewish contributions to American culture from the nations founding to the Civil War. Another ironic factor in view of the cancellation is that one of Milbergs contributions to the Princeton Library was an exhibit of his Irish prose collection. This included a number of letters and works by the Irish writer Francis Stuart, who was a Nazi sympathizer, and who spent World War II in Berlin where he made anti-Semitic broadcasts. In addition, part of Milbergs collection which was exhibited were other anti-Semites, Tom Paulin and Oliver St. John Gogarty, who was a character in James Joyces Ulysses. At this point it is still not completely clear who first raised the problem and suggested the cancellation of the exhibition. Apparently, a Princeton official for diversly was disturbed by the Confederate links of the two artists, but it seems ultimately to have been cancelled by Milberg because of the proposed censorship of the artists. It is intellectually dishonest to remove the artist with Confederate ties and rewrite art history. The ghost of cancel culture should not haunt Princeton. Princeton University itself lists its official policy that gifts to the university and Library must respect the universitys fundamental commitment to academic freedom and the rigorous and independent pursuit of truth. Leonard Milberg was right to assert that the exhibition was serving an educational purpose, and that it was groundbreaking in featuring works of an underrepresented period of Jewish-American history, and to bring back a lost part of American history. Image: Smallbones Russias invasion of Ukraine is in its second month. Pundits continue to debate the similarities and the differences between the Ukrainian incursion and a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Rational thinking is prevailing as NATO and the US want to avoid escalating the conflict into a third World War and the Ukrainian issue has not risen to the level that threatens US national security interests. However, if China apes Russia and invades Taiwan to return it to the Motherland, it is conceivable that direct Western military aid would descend upon Taiwan. No longer would the US hide behind its outdated (and shameful) strategic ambiguity policy of whether it would commit militarily to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. Unlike Ukraine, Taiwan is of great national security interest to both the US and the rest of the non-authoritarian and (mostly) democratic world. The long history of US supplying Taiwan with defensive arms (the Taiwan Relations Act) also indicates a robust US-Taiwan relationship that is lacking in the Ukrainian scenario. Two factors portend US and the West possibly aiding Taiwans defense: Taiwans geographical location and Taiwans dominance of global semi-conductor chip manufacturing. Geography favors Taiwan Like Pennsylvania that served as the geographically central Keystone State that held together the first 13 states, Taiwan is the main and central cog of the First Island Chain that stretches from the Japanese archipelago to the Philippines. First Island Chain Credit: Suid Afrikaanese CC BY-SA 3.0 To control Taiwan is to anchor the defense of the First Island Chain and, subsequently, dictate security operations in the western Pacific. The US expanded its line of defense to the coast of continental Asia after its victory in the Pacific in World War II. In a then-top-secret June 14, 1950, memo, General Douglas MacArthur wrote: the western strategic frontier of the United States restson the littoral islands extending from the Aleutians through the Philippine Archipelago. Geographically and strategically Formosa (Taiwan) is an integral part of this offshore position which in the event of hostilities(the) essential capabilityof the United States is dependentupon the retention of Formosa (Taiwan) by a friendlypower. MacArthur also saw the strategic significance of Taiwan: I am satisfied, however, that the domination of Formosa (Taiwan) by an unfriendly power would be a disaster of utmost importance to the United States. And: the strategic interests of the United States will be in serious jeopardy if Formosa (Taiwan) is allowed to be dominated by a power hostile to the United States. A 2014 US Naval Institute article by US Naval War College professor James R. Holmes echoed MacArthurs sentiments when it re-affirmed that the First Island Chain is the most effective point to counter potential Chinese invasion of the western Pacific and beyond Would the US risk losing Taiwan to China so its Peoples Liberation Army Navy could use the island to sail unimpeded to Honolulu and on to California? Would Asian countries tolerate being at the mercy of Chinese naval vessels that could either turn northward to Japan or southward toward the Philippines to link up with its fortified atolls in the South China Sea immediately after crossing the Taiwan Strait? As the key linchpin in the First Island Chain, Taiwans strategic location and its historic significance will not and cannot be easily ceded by the US to any nation unfriendly to it without a significant amount of kinetic demonstrations of US firepower. Taiwans strategic hold on global semiconductor chip capacity. Semiconductor chips are a key to the 21st-century economy. Everyone needs them. Chips are ubiquitous and omnipresent in each persons daily life and in nearly every industry and the military. Chips make smartphones talk, cars run, air conditioners cool, aircraft fly, ATMs spit out cash, electrical grid systems run, weapons systems fire and kill. They are everywhere: an average automobile, circa 2022, has 1,000 semiconductor chips; a smartphone has 15-20 chips. At ground zero of the global semiconductor chips industry stands Taiwan; its semiconductor chips makers account for 60% of the global chip market. Moreover, according to a January 2022 Center for a New American Security report, Taiwan accounts for 92% of the worlds most advanced (below 10nm) semiconductor manufacturing capacity. No country exemplifies the need for updated and more powerful chips than America, especially as it continues to maintain and upgrade its defense and aerospace programs. The advanced 10nm chips, with their combination of performance, power, and delivery parameters, are essential to Americas national security, its economy, and its infrastructure. Unfortunately, nothing has changed for the US since a 2016 Congressional report that, the US) Department of Defense (will continue) toheavily rel(y) onnon-U.S. suppliers for most of its electronic hardware and its (domestic) supplier program is used for only a small fraction of the chips in the defense systems. Today, the list of chip suppliers for US consumption is short: Taiwan, South Korea, China, and Israel; China and Israel, the third- and fourth-largest suppliers, account for just 6% of the global needs. While Taiwanese semiconductor firms have deals to produce chips outside of Taiwan, i.e, to build a $12 billion plant in Arizona to be operational in 2024, a plant to supply Sony in Japan, and new facilities in Europe in an agreement with Germany, the majority of semiconductors will still originate from Taiwan in the near future. The US will continue to depend on Taiwan until it can be a self-sufficient producer of chipsand Congress has yet to pass a bill to inject $52 billion into the US semiconductor industry. Thus, it is unrealistic for the US and the rest of the world to sit by idly and tolerate a potential attack by China on Taiwan and take control of the global supply of chips. Conclusion Similarities between Russias invasion of Ukraine and a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan are few. If China invades Taiwan, the best and only course is for the US to officially shed the benign paper tiger policy known as strategic ambiguity and intervene and aid Taiwan militarily. Taiwans position within the First Island Chain and its prominent source as the most prolific supplier of semiconductor chips make the island nation indispensable to be left to its own if China invaded. General MacArthur was prescient and his words ring true today as they did post-World War II. We know China is, at the very least, an unfriendly power to the US with the potential to be hostile. The only question is whether the current US administration has the willpower and the conviction to defend Taiwan if/when China invades and secure the First Island Chain and the global supply of semiconductor chips. The author is a first generation Asian-American and a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and Columbia University. He is a retired US Army colonel and a retired US Department of State foreign service officer. Washington states Clover Park School District recently approved a new policy that will almost certainly encourage Tacoma area school administrators to consider race when disciplining students. The new district directive urges school staff and officials to establish disciplinary policies that may be adapted to individual student needs in a culturally responsive manner. In a culturally responsive manner? Critics understandably claim the new approach is in effect a race-based disciplinary policy that will encourage harsher or lighter punishments based on a student's race, with white students being disciplined more severely. However, the district insists that it is simply following a state law passed in 2021 that compels districts to align with Cultural Competency, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion standards. It insists the new guidelines neither are nor will be largely race-based. Now tell us the one about the three bears, please. We know Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion standards have nothing whatsoever to do with race, right? John Arbeeny, a former deputy mayor of Lakewood, is also a skeptic. He expressed skepticism of the districts assertion in a letter to the editor of the Suburban Times. Arbeeny wrote: So 'culturally responsive discipline' is merely a deceptive cover term for 'racially/ethnically based discipline' which seeks to 'even out' the numbers of disciplinary incidents based upon racial/ethnic populations or some other undefined criteria. Just so, John. Just so. How come progressives believe everything should be based on race? How can this seem like a good idea, whether logically, spiritually, or based on historical fact? The underlying logic: Black people arent able to control themselves. Its not even their fault, really. They just cant help it. They were born that way because of their skin color. Melanin, you know. White people? They are all racist. Inherently. Due to their skin color. They cant help it. Just are. Then there are Native Americans, Asians, Latinos and dont even get me started on the Jews. What could possibly go wrong or be wrong about a policy such as this? In a society gone stark raving mad, one that is shedding its long-time anchors of religion and equal justice under the law, inverting the notions of morality and tolerance, shaming the pursuit of excellence and the very idea of objective standards, and mocking traditional concepts of morality? Everything. Race-based discipline and justice? Howd that work out for us before? Why not race-based health care? A race-based wage scale? Race-based restaurant reservations? It is once again time for us to abandon race-based policies in favor of sanity-based policies. That much is clear. One might even say it is black and white. The recent senseless killing in Ukraine of men, women, and children in the name of political ideology is a stark reminder that though man may be the smartest species, he can indeed be the most vicious and cruel. Nazi Germany tested out their military capabilities in the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, and Russia is doing the same in Ukraine right now with the employment of hypersonic missiles. My career in the United States Navy allowed me to hear of and witness unspeakable genocide in Rwanda and Somalia and see the results of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia. As I type, this sort of thing continues around the globe. Yes, Ukraine is in the spotlight for the moment, but let us not forget what is taking place in other spots where there are no reporters or television crews to record the anguish. Many suffer and die in silence, out of our sight and unfortunately out of our minds. In For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway graphically describes the brutality of the Spanish Civil War. Many consider it Hemingway's greatest work, with its theme of what it means to sacrifice oneself for a higher ideal. The novel is told primarily through the thoughts and experiences of the protagonist, Robert Jordan, and his companion Maria, a young Spanish woman whose life has been shattered by her parents' execution and her rape at the hands of the Falangists (part of the fascist coalition). The novel draws heavily on Hemingway's own experiences in the Spanish Civil War as a reporter for the North American Newspaper Alliance and is one of his best-selling novels. As a side note, in 1940, the U.S. Post Office declared the book "nonmailable" due to its "graphic" depiction of sex and violence. My, how times have changed! As the novel closes, Jordan is maimed when a tank shoots his horse out from under him. Knowing that his wound is so severe that it is highly unlikely that he will survive and that he would slow the others down, he bids farewell to Maria and ensures her escape to safety with the surviving guerrillas. He assures her repeatedly that they are now one where she goes, he will be too. At the end of the day, as Earnest Hemingway, channeling poet John Donne, cautioned us, like it or not, all of us are part of mankind, and the death of any man, no matter where on the planet, diminishes us all. He admonishes us to "never send one to know for whom the bell tolls; for it tolls for thee" words we should strive to live by in this crazy, violent, and at times irrational world. Image via Max Pixel. I was surprised, and I will admit I was relieved, to read about Will Smiths resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. I had been sure that Smith would follow in the footsteps of Jussie Smollett and Alec Baldwin, two criminals who cried large crocodile tears and blamed everybody else for their wrongdoings. True, Smith did start out with exercising his tear ducts and he did apologize to everyone but his victim, Chris Rock, until public outrage forced an empty apology to Rock, but with his Academy resignation, I believed he had finally come to his senses. Thats because I assumed that, by resigning from the Academy, Smith was making a genuine gesture of contrition. Im the sort who doesnt believe in leaning on assumptions, so I did a little research on just what it means to resign from the Academy. First, I learned that only five people have ever been expelled from the Academy. Carmine Caridi, who had a role in The Godfather Part 2, was kicked out of the Academy for sharing preview screeners of movies. Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Roman Polanski, and Adam Kimmel were all thrown out for their sex crimes. Image: Will Smiths tears. YouTube screen grab. I felt more sure than ever that being removed from the Academy was a terrible punishment. It turns out, though, that its the merest slap on the wrist. Only members of the Academy can vote on nominations. They also get copies of preview screeners of movies. Thats pretty much it. Smith gets to keep his Oscar, he can still be invited to future Academy Awards ceremonies, and he can still be nominated for future awards. Smith also has all the money and prestige his decades-long career has generated, and he can still cry on the shoulders of supporters like Denzel Washington. I must wonder now if Smiths resignation is a ploy to avoid further discipline. SAG-AFTRA, the union popularly known as the Screen Actors Guild, has strict rules governing the workplace. Chris Rock was assaulted in the workplace. The union has condemned Smiths behavior and, while expulsion from the Academy is now off the table, Smith could be reprimanded, censured, fined, suspended or expelled from membership in the Union. Meanwhile, Chris Rock continues to show the strength and dignity that have won him worldwide admiration. Chris went on stage in Boston after the Academy Awards, took the high road by refusing to discuss the incident, and even shut down a fan in the audience who yelled curses about Smith. Maybe next year there should be a special Oscar for grace under pressure. Chris would win it hands down. Pandra Selivanov is the author of The Pardon, a story of forgiveness based on the thief on the cross in the Bible. Retired Irish broadcaster Charlie Bird said he is humbled by the response to his charity mountain climb after he reached the summit cheered on by family and friends. The ex-RTE chief news correspondent, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year, set himself the goal of hiking to the top of Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo. His challenge caught the imagination of the public and thousands of people completed their own Climb with Charlie events all over Ireland and further afield on Saturday. Climbs were organised as far away as the US, Australia, South Africa and Spain. The campaign has now raised more than one million euro for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and mental health charity Pieta. Bird, 72, raised his climbing stick in triumph as he reached the top. Hundreds joined him on the Saturday morning climb up a mountain known as the Reek. Among them was the host of RTEs flagship The Late Late Show Ryan Tubridy, singer Daniel ODonnell and former champion boxer Barry McGuigan. Bird was accompanied by his wife Claire and daughters Orla and Neasa. I am truly humbled and inspired that so many thousands of people took part in Climb with Charlie events across the world, he said. I want to thank people all across the country for their incredible support throughout this journey. All of the generous donations will go to the two charities which are so close to my heart. It is an amazing gesture of support for me and my family. Throughout this campaign, we have had the support of so many wonderful people and organisations, and I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart. I would also like to particularly thank the Defence Forces, An Garda Siochana, Mayo Mountain Rescue, the Order of Malta and all our local volunteers for making our climb today possible. Charlie Bird is joined by family members as he lights five candles in the chapel on the summit of Croagh Patrick (Paul Allen and Associates/PA) Bird lit five candles in the small chapel at the top of the mountain one for his friend and high-profile campaigner for women battling cervical cancer Vicky Phelan; one for everyone diagnosed with a terminal illness; one for those experiencing mental health difficulties; one for everyone involved in the fight against Covid-19; and a final candle for the people of Ukraine. Irish president Michael D Higgins was among those paying tribute to Birds fortitude and determination. Hailing him as an inspiration, he said: Charlies strength and dignity over recent months has been a source of true inspiration to people across Ireland and beyond. In a tweet to Bird, Irish premier Micheal Martin added: Wonderful to see the money raised by your Croagh Patrick climb I know the whole country is right behind you every step of the way! The Climb with Charlie fundraising page will remain open for donations for the next three months. See www.climbwithcharlie.ie The former archbishop of York has said that Vladimir Putin will have one day to answer to God for the absolute viciousness he is unleashing on the Ukrainian people. John Sentamu, who is now a peer and chairman of the Christian Aid charity, questioned how the president, who identifies as a Russian Orthodox Christian, can say his prayers at night after inflicting acts of evil in Ukraine. Mr Sentamu, 72, spoke with the PA news agency after joining other church leaders in saying prayers during an act of witness for the war-torn nation outside the Ukrainian Embassy in Holland Park, west London. Chairman of Christian Aid and former archbishop of York, John Sentamu, joins other church leaders leading a crowd in an act of witness outside the Ukrainian embassy in Holland Park (Yui Mok/PA) Around a hundred Christians, including some from Ukraine, held a minutes silence for the besieged country while holding blue and yellow hearts in the air before singing the national anthem in a spontaneous outburst of solidarity. Mr Sentamu described Ukraine as a very, very strong Christian country and condemned the violence seen over the weekend in Bucha, near Kyiv, as brutality, absolute viciousness. A weekend of prayer and reflection for Ukraine across the UK #WePrayForUkraine pic.twitter.com/xbj2T3ejIJ Christian Aid (@christian_aid) April 3, 2022 When asked whether Mr Putin can ever be forgiven for his actions in the eyes of the church, Mr Sentamu told PA: First of all, the people who are going to forgive him are the Ukrainians, and the rest of us can try to remind him that the Cross of Jesus is the end of violence. If you really wear a cross like I do, you must be non-violent. To unleash such brutality is just beyond me. If I was a Russian Orthodox Bishop, actually, I would be going and telling Putin that what hes doing is contrary to the love of God, contrary to humanity as we know it, contrary really to anything else. To invade another free country in the way he is doing is just not on. He will have one day to answer to God. Members of the public join church leaders leading a crowd in an act of witness outside the Ukrainian embassy in Holland Park, west London (Yui Mok/PA) When asked whether he held any hope in the ability of Christian leaders to appeal to Mr Putin through religious reasoning, he told PA: What I would say to him, is whenever you see the poor, the vulnerable, looking at you thats Jesus looking at you. Because he (Jesus) is among the poor, the weak, the vulnerable, the unloved. So Putin, if he is saying he is doing all this how can he say his prayers at night, particularly that phrase in the Lords Prayer: Deliver us from evil? How can he do evil acts and then say: Im on Gods side never, never, never. Mr Sentamu said he visited Odesa in south-west Ukraine in 1983 and was overcome with the remarkable hospitality of the residents there, so he was saddened to see the city had heard explosions this weekend. Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Holy Family of London, Kenneth Nowakowski (left), with Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain, Archbishop Nikitas outside the Ukrainian embassy in London (Yui Mok/PA) Reverend Dyfrig Rees, 62, general secretary of the Union of Welsh Independents, which represents 350 congregational churches in the nation, also attended the act of witness with his wife, Mandy Rees, 62. He told PA he hoped Ukrainians would find people around the world saying prayers for them inspiring and encouraging. Mr Rees said: Im sure that if someone tells someone now in Ukraine that there were 100 people in London thinking about you praying for you and standing with you, Im sure thats going to keep them going. I felt pride and I felt inspired and I felt filled with hope and joy. A woman in Nairobi receives a dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, provided through the COVAX initiative. (Brian Inganga/ Associated Press) Go ahead line up for your second booster shot, Americans. But as you do, take a moment to consider how lucky you are to live in a part of the world where the healthcare system, for all its flaws, puts protection from COVID-19 within reach. Because its not that way everywhere. The vaccine shots that you and I can schedule with a simple call to our local Rite-Aid or CVS are not available to everyone. The outrageous truth is that two years into the pandemic that has killed 6 million people worldwide, 65% of Americans have received two vaccine shots and are considered fully vaccinated. (Many others have chosen not to be.) But only 14.5% of people in low-income countries have received even a single dose, according to data compiled by Oxford University. It is a lesson in how the other half lives. Why should Americans be closing in on their second, third and fourth shots before millions of poor people around the world have received their first? People in the U.S. have no greater right to health than people elsewhere in the world, says Brook K. Baker, a Northeastern University Law School professor who specializes in access to medicines. Were all human. Health is a positive good for everyone. Yet were living under a monopoly-based system where giant pharmaceutical corporations make billions in profits at the expense of poor people in poor countries who are denied access to life-saving medicines. Even for our own selfish reasons we should be fighting for universal access because infectious diseases dont respect national borders. If the virus continues to spread in lower-income nations, it will keep mutating until a more virulent variant emerges. And that variant will eventually reach us here at home. There is only one victor in a world of vaccine haves and vaccine have-nots: the virus itself, said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. So what are we doing about this? Not enough, it seems. COVAX, the global initiative created to ensure equitable access to vaccines for people in low-income countries, fell woefully short of its 2021 vaccination goals. This year, doses are still going disproportionately to wealthy nations. The developed world has repeatedly failed to rise to the occasion. Last week, for instance, U.S. senators announced they were close to a deal to pass the latest COVID response package but only at the cost of cutting $5 billion that had been designated for global vaccine efforts. Today, 77% of Americans have received at least one vaccine dose. So have 87% of Canadians. The oil-rich United Arab Emirates tops the list with 99% having received at least one dose. But in Burundi only 0.1% of the population has received a shot. In Congo, its 1%. In Haiti, 1.5%. In Chad, 1.8%. All across Africa, countries have posted rates well below 20%. This is not to suggest that Americans should be denied vaccinations or boosters while others get them, but rather that more supply needs to be made available at more affordable prices. How did we get to this point after developing such highly effective vaccines faster than ever before in history? Wealthy countries raced to grab what they could, buying up and stockpiling much of the initial supply before it could be more fairly allocated. Pharmaceutical manufacturers, many of which received lavish public subsidies to fund their research, were allowed to sell the new vaccines with no strings attached, so they controlled the quantity they produced, the price they charged and whom they sold to. The manufacturers also resisted sharing their intellectual property with other pharmaceutical companies, which would have allowed production and distribution to be accelerated. In many cases when poorer countries did receive vaccine supplies, they were close to their expiration date, donated because they were leftovers. As a result they often had to be used quickly. But that was a problem because having the doses in hand is just one step toward getting shots in arms. You also need syringes, trained workers, refrigerators for the mRNA doses, trucks and waste disposal equipment. Many poor countries lack the necessary healthcare infrastructure. Then theres the vaccine skepticism that is plaguing countries everywhere. All those factors combined to keep vaccination rates unconscionably low in many less developed countries. It is worth nothing that many countries in Africa appear to have relatively low COVID death rates. Some people attribute those rates to Africas younger population, its lower population density or the fact that people spend more time outside. Some say it argues for focusing the continents limited resources on inoculating the most vulnerable rather than the general population. But others believe the statistics are badly misleading the result of drastic underreporting. This happens because so many COVID sufferers in poor countries never reach a hospital but die in their homes. Theyre never tested and their deaths may never be counted, making the official COVID tallies unreliable, according to Baker of Northeastern University. In March, Oxfam estimated that for every life lost in a rich country, another four people have died in a poorer nation. I dont mean by such comparisons to minimize American suffering. More than 978,000 people here have died. And no one is happier than I am that were beginning, at least for the moment, to emerge from lockdown, drop our masks and fortify ourselves, if were eligible, with another round of protection. But when I get my next shot Im going to try to remember my privilege, wealth and luck, and keep in mind that the worlds poorest countries need our help. The U.S. has an obligation to do more contact your representative and senators! not just because its the smart thing to do (which it is), but because its the right thing to do. @Nick_Goldberg This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain is warning that Russias invasion of Ukraine is "far from over," despite the claim by Moscow that they are retreating from Kyiv and surrounding areas. "I think there's a lot of evidence that Putin is simply taking his troops out of the northern part of the country to redeploy them to the eastern part of the country to relaunch a battle there," Klain said during an exclusive interview with ABC "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos. Klain said its "for Ukraine to decide" what a post-war country looks like when asked about the possibility that Russia overtakes eastern regions of Ukraine, while Ukraine maintains control of the rest. "I will tell you, as President Zelenskyy has said, that's not acceptable to him, and we are going to support him with military aid, with economic aid, with humanitarian aid," Klain said. "The political future of Ukraine is up for Ukraine to decide." .@GStephanopoulos: "What do you make of this Russian retreat from Kyiv? Is Russia losing this war?" White House chief of staff Ron Klain: "I think there have been victories for the Ukrainians so far but this war, sadly, is far from over." https://t.co/Siz56hOl2ypic.twitter.com/F6n3bYFJb5 This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 3, 2022 "Is Russia losing this war?" Stephanopoulos asked Klain. "The Ukrainians are winning the war around Kyiv and in the northern part of the country. And that's tremendous credit to the fighting they've done and to the support that the United States that our NATO allies have provided them. We send weapons into Ukraine almost every single day," Klain responded, dodging the question. "And the Ukrainian military, the Ukrainian volunteers that are fighting this war have shown their bravery, their tenacity, again, backed up by the generosity of the U.S. and our allies." While the administration is focused on the crisis overseas, Klain also discussed domestic issues that were at the forefront this week, including inflation, combating rising gas prices and the CDC decision to lift the Title 42 policy at the southern border. Effects of the war at home President Joe Biden has blamed Russia for the rise in gas prices at the pump, labeling it the "Putin price hike," though gas prices were skyrocketing before the holidays last year. However, its not just gas prices on the rise; food prices are also up because of inflation, and its reflected in Bidens poll numbers. "Gas prices are a problem, absolutely, George," Klain acknowledged. "That's why the president took the actions he took this week to release a million barrels a day from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to tell the oil companies they either need to pump oil on the 9,000 permits they have or give them back for others to do that, to increase production here. Those things we think are going to bring down the price of gasoline, relieve some of the pain at the pump. And we also have an agenda to cut taxes for people to bring down the cost of everyday things." Asked about GOP ads attacking Pres. Biden on inflation, @WHCOS Ron Klain says, "The deficit rose every single year Donald Trump was president." "Gas prices are a problem, absolutely. Thats why the president took the actions he took this week." https://t.co/BPorsWlvBbpic.twitter.com/aOOQCpgX0j This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 3, 2022 A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that just 36% approve of the president overall, and only one in three Americans approve of how hes handling the economy. Republicans are criticizing his economic policies with the midterm election just months away and are poised to exploit it as November gets closer. Stephanopoulos pressed Klain on how Democrats should respond. "The Republicans have an agenda too. Sen. [Rick] Scott says their agenda is to raise taxes on millions of Americans, to get rid of social security and to do other things that are going to devastate middle class people," Klain said. "So I think when people compare our agenda to the Republican agenda, that's gonna be a clear choice for folks." When Stephanopoulos inquired about how anxious Klain is about the elections this fall, Klain said the administration has done "a great job," but there is "work to do." "We have done a lot of work to bring the economy back from dead in the water when we got here. Virtually no jobs being created, businesses closed, schools closed," Klain said, adding that there's been a "tremendous amount of progress on getting the economy going again in 14 months but a lot of work left to be done." MORE: Americans remain critical of Biden's handling of inflation, support ban on Russian oil: POLL The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday that 431,000 jobs were added to the economy in March, and the unemployment rate fell to 3.6%. Austan Goolsbee, Klains former colleague in the Obama administration, said the country may be moving toward the idea that the COVID-19 era of the U.S. economy is over with -- a sentiment Klain said he cautiously agrees with. "Right now, as we stand here today, our schools are open, our businesses are open, people are coming back to work, people are coming back into the labor force, we had a big jump in labor force participation in March," he said. "So theres a lot of encouraging signs, in terms of this economy, coming back to being a robust jobs and business creating economy." Immigration issues Immigration along the U.S.-Mexico border is also looming as a big issue for the midterms, and on Friday, the CDC announced it will end the controversial Title 42 policy, which allowed the government to expel migrants at the border during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision is receiving a lot of pushback from Democrats and Republicans. Sen. Joe Manchin called it "frightening," Sen. Kyrsten Sinema said it poses a threat to Arizona, and Sen. Mitt Romney said it's going to elect Republicans in November. "We need to do more work at the border...We've asked consistently for more resources," White House chief of staff Ron Klain tells @GStephanopoulos when asked about possible surge at border when Title 42 is lifted. https://t.co/zaM0Oytpjfpic.twitter.com/8QGpmVkxA0 This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 3, 2022 "How worried are you about a possible surge at the border?" Stephanopoulos asked Klain. "Is there anything the president can do about it?" "Title 42 isnt an immigration law, it's a public health law," Klain said. "It says you could exclude people who pose a public health risk. The Centers for Disease Control decide how to apply that, and they've decided that sometime in late May, the pandemic will be a place where we can no longer exclude people on a public health rationale." This week, the Department of Homeland Security estimated that up to 18,000 migrants could be apprehended at the border each day if Title 42 were to be lifted, though the administration will keep the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols, colloquially known as the "Remain in Mexico" policy, which bars asylum seekers from entering the U.S. while immigration courts review their claims. "Look, we need to do more work at the border. The president sent an immigration plan to Congress on his first day in office. We've asked consistently for more resources. We put in place a new rule that will take effect next month to enable us to process asylum claims more clearly," Klain said. "We also have to be honest about what's happening at the border. We have people showing up with asylum claims from places like Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Brazil, people fleeing regimes where they are feeling persecution." Crime in the US Biden has also repeatedly been attacked by GOP lawmakers for being "soft on crime." After at least six people were killed in a mass shooting in Sacramento, California, overnight, Stephanopoulos pressed Klain on how Democrats got "on the wrong side of the crime issue." "We're working very hard to be at the forefront of efforts to both control crime and have balanced and sensible policing. We think we can do both...And that's the plans we put forward to the Congress," White House chief of staff Ron Klain says. https://t.co/xxvYo7ikETpic.twitter.com/PIAxtdxbEG This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 3, 2022 Klain responded that he didn't think Democrats are "on the wrong side." "The president has sent to Congress plans for robust funding of police. Congress passed one of them just last week -- two weeks ago, in the omnibus bill and raised our funding for police. We want to make sure we have strong law enforcement to respond to crime," he said. "We also want to make sure we have in place police reform and community violence intervention that help reduce crime. ... We're working very hard to be at the forefront of efforts to both control crime and have balanced and sensible policing. We think we can do both." Federal prosecutions The New York Times reported that as recently as late last year, Biden "confided to his inner circle that he believed former President Donald J. Trump was a threat to democracy and should be prosecuted," citing two people familiar with the presidents comments. The Times reported that "while the president has never communicated his frustrations directly to Mr. Garland, he has said privately that he wanted Mr. Garland to act less like a ponderous judge and more like a prosecutor who is willing to take decisive action over the events of Jan. 6." But Klain told Stephanolopous, "I've never heard the president say that we advocate the prosecution of any person," and he reiterated Bidens pledge to let the Department of Justice be independent and free of political influence. "One reason why Joe Biden got elected was he promised that we take the decision over who got prosecuted and what away from the White House and put in the Justice Department," he said. "Only Richard Nixon and Donald Trump in the modern era believe that prosecution decisions should be made in the Oval Office, not at the Justice Department." A federal investigation into Biden's son, Hunter Biden, over payments he received while serving on the board of directors of Burisma, a Ukrainian natural gas company, and other questions over how Hunter Biden paid off tax obligations in recent years has intensified, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News last week. Klain said "neither the president or any of us at the White House" have been in contact with the DOJ regarding its investigation and told Stephanopoulos, "Of course the president is confident his son didnt break the law." "That's a matter that's going to be decided by the Justice Department, by the legal process," he said. "It's something that no one at the White House has involvement in." The Washington Post also reported this week on deals that Hunter Biden had with a Chinese energy company, which paid $4.8 million to entities controlled by Hunter Biden and the president's brother. "Is the president confident his family didn't cross any ethical lines?" Stephanopoulos asked Klain. "The president is confident that his family did the right thing. But again, I want to just be really clear. These are actions by Hunter and his brother. They're private matters. They don't involve the president, and they certainly are something that no one at the White House is involved in." The Supreme Court In the wake of text messages that revealed Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, asked former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to try and overturn the presidential election results, Democrats are now calling for an ethics code for Supreme Court justices. Asked if Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas should recuse himself from some cases following wifes text messages, chief of staff Ron Klain says that is not a matter the White House should be involved in. "I think that's for others to decide." https://t.co/lb0ZnTwgetpic.twitter.com/GZxD5yHP8B This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 3, 2022 Klain would not say if Biden would sign such a bill into law if it reached his desk and refrained from weighing in on whether Justice Thomas should recuse himself from 2020 election-related cases. "I don't think that's for me to say, but, but I know a lot of people have said that. Again, I don't think this is a place for us in the White House to be involved with the rulings at the Supreme Court. I think that's for others to decide." The Senate is expected to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court this week. Missouri GOP Sen. Roy Blunt announced this morning on "This Week" that he would vote against her nomination, leaving Maine Sen. Susan Collins as the only Republican so far to voice her support for Judge Jackson. Klain said she "deserves more Republican votes." "What I know is she will get enough votes to get confirmed. In the end I suppose that's the only thing that matters, but I wish more Republicans would look at the case here, look at the record, and vote to confirm Judge Jackson." Russian invasion of Ukraine 'far from over,' White House chief of staff says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Communal workers carry a body of a civilian man in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, not far from the capital of Kyiv on Sunday. (Sergei Supinsky / AFP/Getty Images) Ukrainian forces braced for an intensified Russian onslaught against the eastern region of Donbas as officials from Ukraine, the U.S. and other countries Sunday condemned Moscow over allegations of civilian executions. A gruesome cleanup was underway in the northern suburbs of Kyiv, the capital, following the withdrawal of Russian troops. Ukrainian soldiers were removing bodies from streets, homes and other sites in the towns of Bucha and Irpin, which had been recently occupied by Russian forces. A body lies beside the road near where workers carry a civilian in a body bag in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, not far from the capital of Kyiv on Sunday. (Sergei Supinsky / AFP/Getty Images) "Bucha massacre proves that Russian hatred towards Ukrainians is beyond anything Europe has seen since WWII," Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister, wrote on Twitter. "The only way to stop this: help Ukraine kick Russians out as soon as possible. Partners know our needs. Tanks, combat aircraft, heavy air defense systems." Ukrainian officials accused Russia of large-scale killings of civilians, alleging that some of the victims' bodies in Bucha had been found with their hands tied. In a Facebook post, Iryna Venediktova, Ukraines prosecutor general, said more than 400 bodies of Ukrainian civilians had been recovered in towns around Kyiv. Russia has denied the allegations. Kyiv region. 21st century Hell, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the Ukrainian president, tweeted on Sunday alongside photos of bodies on the streets. This was purposely done.... Stop the murders! In an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, "This is genocide," when referring to the images. "This is happening in the Europe of the 21st century," Zelensky said. "So this is the torture of the whole nation." U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken described the images as a "punch to the gut." "We have come out and said that we believe that Russian forces have committed war crimes," Blinken said on CNN's "State of the Union." "We can't become numb to this. We can't normalize this," Blinken said. "This is the reality of what's going on every single day as long as Russia's brutality against Ukraine continues." British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss echoed Blinken in a statement, saying Russia's actions were illegal. Konstyantyn, 70, who did not want to be identified by his full name, smokes a cigarette amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, Ukraine, in the outskirts of Kyiv, on Sunday. (Rodrigo Abd / Associated Press) "Their indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians during Russias illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine must be investigated as war crimes," Truss said. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called for an investigation into the alleged atrocities: "Appalled by reports of unspeakable horrors in areas from which Russia is withdrawing," she wrote on Twitter. "An independent investigation is urgently needed. Perpetrators of war crimes will be held accountable." For its part, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a statement that claimed the scenes of death were "fake," adding "not a single local resident suffered from any violent actions" while Russia occupied Bucha. Russia has requested that the United Nations Security Council convene Monday to discuss what it called a "provocation by Ukrainian radicals." A report released Sunday by the nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch documents "several cases of Russian military forces committing laws-of-war violations against civilians" since the invasion began more than five weeks ago. The cases we documented amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians, said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Rape, murder and other violent acts against people in the Russian forces custody should be investigated as war crimes. People cook on an open fire Sunday outside an apartment building in Bucha, Ukraine, that has had no electricity, water or gas since the beginning of the Russian invasion. (Vadim Ghirda / Associated Press) Authorities in the battered outskirts of Kyiv were also clearing mines, unexploded ordnance, destroyed Russian armored vehicles and other rubble. Civilians in those suburbs had for weeks been trapped between Russian bombardments and Ukrainian forces trying to protect the capital. That toll was becoming increasingly evident as retreating Russian soldiers plagued by logistical and morale problems left a landscape of ruin. Every day we collect the bodies of our residents from the streets, Oleksandr Markushyn, the mayor of Irpin, told local media, adding that at least 200 civilians had been killed in Irpin. Under the rubble there are also the bodies of the dead. On Sunday, several explosions broke the predawn calm in the strategic southern port city of Odesa, which had been quiet in recent weeks. Targeted were an oil-processing plant and fuel depots, according to a statement from the Russian military, which said missiles were fired at Odesa from ships and aircraft. There were no casualties, the mayor of Odesa said. Images showed a huge plume of black smoke in the aftermath of the attacks. The Odesa attacks continued a pattern of Russian missile strikes on fuel depots and defense infrastructure throughout Ukraine. On Saturday, Russian missiles destroyed a refinery and surrounding fuel facilities in the central city of Kremenchuk, authorities said. The war, which began with a Russian thrust into Ukraine on Feb. 24, has left thousands dead, forced almost one-quarter of Ukraines population of 44 million from their homes and created a broad area of destruction across the nation. Despite the widespread ruin and death, Zelensky noted that the country's forces continue to regain control of various areas including the outskirts of Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv that were previously occupied by Russian forces. There are more and more Ukrainian national flags in the areas that have been temporarily occupied, Zelensky said in his overnight address. He applauded ongoing resistance in the southeastern port city of Mariupol. The battered city on the Sea of Azov has become a potent symbol of the violence and displacement that the war has brought. Our heroic Mariupol continues to hold back again a significant part of the enemy forces, Zelensky said. Ukraine had gained invaluable time from the resistance in Mariupol and elsewhere, he said. Mariupol sits in the heavily contested Donbas region, where a pair of pro-Russia breakaway areas have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014. People hide in a basement of a church that is used as a bomb shelter after fleeing from nearby villages that have been attacked by the Russian army, in the town of Bashtanka, Ukraine, on Thursday. (Petros Giannakouris / Associated Press) Having been repulsed from Kyiv and other battlefronts, Russia now says it plans to focus its offensive on the Donbas, which was once Ukraines industrial hub. The Donbas includes the Luhansk and Donetsk regions and runs from Mariupol in the south to Ukraines northern border with Russia. Moscow says it has expanded its reach in the Donbas, where many residents speak Russian. Another day of heavy enemy shelling was reported Sunday in the Donbas, where Ukrainian and Russian forces are often in close proximity. Ukrainian officials say Russia may maneuver to try to encircle Ukrainian troops. The invaders are preparing for a breakthrough, Serhiy Haidai, head of Ukraines regional state administration in the Luhansk region, said on comments on Telegram. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of civilians are said to be trapped in various parts of the Donbas where fighting and shelling are ongoing. With Russia expected to ramp up its offensive in the east, Ukrainian officials said they too were bolstering forces. "We are strengthening our defenses in the eastern direction and the Donbas," Zelensky said. We are aware that the enemy has reserves to increase pressure in the east." On Sunday, the large-scale evacuation of Ukrainian civilians continued, especially from hard-hit areas in the east and south of the country. A pair of special trains arrived Sunday afternoon at the central station in Lviv, in western Ukraine, ferrying more than 1,000 people who had fled the fighting. They were given food and quickly hustled into transport out of the station. Some plan to remain in western Ukraine, which has largely been spared violence so far. But many were headed out of the country, joining the mass exodus of more than 4 million refugees who have already fled Ukraine, mostly to neighboring Poland. A fleet of buses was waiting Sunday to take the many displaced people to Poland and other countries, including Germany and Norway, in what officials call the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. McDonnell reported from Lviv and Lee from Los Angeles. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. BUCHA, Ukraine (AP) Bodies with bound hands, close-range gunshot wounds and signs of torture lay scattered in a city on the outskirts of Kyiv after Russian soldiers withdrew from the area. Ukrainian authorities accused the departing forces on Sunday of committing war crimes and leaving behind a scene from a horror movie. As images of the bodies of people whom residents said were killed indiscriminately began to emerge from Bucha, a slew of European leaders condemned the atrocities and called for tougher sanctions against Moscow. In a sign of how the horrific reports shook many leaders, Germany's defense minister even suggested that the European Union consider banning Russian gas imports. So far, the bodies of 410 civilians have been found in Kyiv-area towns that were recently retaken from Russian forces, Ukraines prosecutor-general, Iryna Venediktova, said. Associated Press journalists saw the bodies of at least 21 people in various spots around Bucha, northwest of the capital. One group of nine, all in civilian clothes, were scattered around a site that residents said Russian troops used as a base. They appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two had their hands tied behind their backs, one was shot in the head, another's legs were bound. Ukrainian officials laid the blame for the killings in Bucha and other Kyiv suburbs squarely at the feet of Russian troops, with the president calling them evidence of genocide. But Russias Defense Ministry rejected the accusations as provocation. The discoveries followed the Russian retreat from the area around the capital, territory that has seen heavy fighting since troops invaded Ukraine from three directions on Feb. 24. Troops who swept in from Belarus to the north spent weeks trying to clear a path to Kyiv, but their advance stalled in the face of resolute defense from Ukraines forces. Moscow now says it is focusing its offensive on the country's east, but it also pressed a siege on a city in the north and continued to strike cities elsewhere in a war that has left thousands dead and forced more than 4 million Ukrainians to flee their country. Russian troops rolled into Bucha in the early days of the invasion and stayed up to March 30. With those forces gone, residents gave harrowing accounts Sunday, saying soldiers shot and killed civilians without any apparent reason. One resident, who refused to give his name out of fear for his safety, said that Russian troops went building to building and took people out of the basements where they were hiding, checking their phones for any evidence of anti-Russian activity and taking them away or shooting them. Hanna Herega, another resident, said Russian troops shot a neighbor who had gone out to gather wood for heating. He went to get some wood when all of a sudden they (Russians) started shooting. They hit him a bit above the heel, crushing the bone, and he fell down, Herega said. Then they shot off his left leg completely, with the boot. Then they shot him all over (the chest). And another shot went slightly below the temple. It was a controlled shot to the head. The AP also saw two bodies, that of a man and a woman, wrapped in plastic that residents said they had covered and placed in a shaft until a proper funeral could be arranged. The resident who refused to be identified said the man was killed as he left a home. He put his hands up, and they shot him, he said. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described bodies lying the streets of the suburbs of Irpin and Hostomel as well as Bucha as a scene from a horror movie. He alleged that some of the women found dead had been raped before being killed and the Russians then burned the bodies. This is genocide, Zelenskyy told CBS Face the Nation on Sunday. But Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement that the photos and videos of dead bodies have been stage managed by the Kyiv regime for the Western media. It noted that Bucha's mayor did not mention any abuses a day after Russian troops left. The ministry charged said not a single civilian has faced any violent action by the Russian military" in Bucha. In Motyzhyn, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Kyiv, residents told AP on Sunday that Russian troops killed the towns mayor, her husband and her son and threw their bodies into a pit in a pine forest behind houses where Russian forces had slept. Inside the pit, AP journalists saw four bodies of people who appeared to have been shot at close range. The mayors husband had his hands behind his back, with a piece of rope nearby, and a piece of plastic wrapped around his eyes like a blindfold. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk confirmed that the mayor was killed while being held by Russian forces. Some European leaders said the killings in the Kyiv area amounted to war crimes. The U.S. has previously said that it believes Russia has committed war crimes, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called images of what happened near Kyiv a punch to the gut on CNNs State of the Union. It is a brutality against civilians we havent seen in Europe for decades, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on the same show. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called on nations to immediately end Russian gas imports, saying they were funding the killings. In a turnaround, Germanys defense minister said that the EU should consider doing just that. Ministers would have to talk about halting gas supplies from Russia, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said Sunday night on German public broadcaster ARD. Such crimes must not go unanswered. As Russian forces retreated from the area around the capital, they pressed their sieges in other parts of the country. Russia has said it is directing troops to the Donbas in eastern Ukraine, where Russia-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for eight years. In that region, Mariupol, a port on the Sea of Azov that has seen some of the war's greatest suffering, remained cut off. About 100,000 civilians less than a quarter of the prewar population of 430,000 are believed to be trapped there with little or no food, water, fuel and medicine. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday that a team sent Saturday to help evacuate residents had yet to reach the city. Ukrainian authorities said Russia agreed days ago to allow safe passage from the city, but similar agreements have broken down repeatedly under continued shelling. The mayor of Chernihiv, which has also been cut off from shipments of food and other supplies for weeks, said Sunday that relentless Russian shelling has destroyed 70% of the northern city. On Sunday morning, Russian forces launched missiles on the Black Sea port of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, sending up clouds of dark smoke that veiled parts of the city. The Russian military said the targets were an oil processing plant and fuel depots. The regional governor in Kharkiv said Sunday that Russian artillery and tanks launched over 20 strikes on Ukraines second-largest city and its outskirts in the country's northeast over the past day. In a town southeast of the city, Oleh Synyehubov said Russian troops fired on a convoy of buses that was trying to evacuate patients from a hospital that had been heavily damaged in shelling a day earlier. Synyehubov said about 70 patients needed to be taken away from the hospital in Balakliya, but that the buses were not able to enter the town. The head of Ukraines delegation in talks with Russia said Moscows negotiators informally agreed to most of a draft proposal discussed during face-to-face talks in Istanbul this week, but no written confirmation has been provided. ___ Qena reported from Motyzhyn, Ukraine. Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Ukraine, and Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine White Abarrio (left), ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, and Pappacap, ridden by Edwin Gonzalez, race through the final turn at the Florida Derby on Saturday. (Matthew Stockman / Getty Images) The Kentucky Derby picture became clearer on Saturday as at least six horses likely qualified for the worlds most famous horse race. Perhaps the most resilient performance was by White Abarrio, who split horses in the stretch and held off Charge It to win the $1-million Florida Derby by 1 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park. The feel-good story of the day, a filly beating the boys in the $1.25-million Arkansas Derby, didnt happen as Secret Oath finished third behind Cyberknife and Barber Road. Trainer Wayne Lukas, who won the 1988 Kentucky Derby with a filly, Winning Colors, was hoping to repeat history but it likely wont happen. A third-place finish gets you 20 points, which likely wont be enough to qualify for the Derby. But Secret Oath easily has enough points in filly qualifying races to make the starting field of the Kentucky Oaks. The path to winning the Florida Derby did not go according to a normal script for White Abarrio. After winning the Holy Bull Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths on Feb. 5, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was forced to skip the Fountain of Youth, the normal next step between the Holy Bull Stakes and Florida Derby. Going into the Holy Bull we had missed two works, Joseph said. We were giving up a huge fitness edge. To see him win that day, I thought it was remarkable. He ran such a big race, we figured if hes good enough and able to win that race, he should be good enough to give him a good chance to win the Florida Derby. Once again, things didnt go exactly as planned. Everything went perfect from then until 12 days ago, and we had a hiccup, Joseph said of White Abarrio developing a slight fever. In the back of your mind, youre like, geez, we should have run him in the Fountain of Youth, but it worked out. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, riding White Abarrio for the second time, was emotional after the race. I dont even know what to say right now, Gaffalione said. I feel like Im on cloud nine. This is all my childhood dreams come true. To win the Florida Derby, growing up down here, its just so amazing. The road to the Kentucky Derby is in its final stages with races worth 100 points to the winner and 40 points for second. The winners definitely have enough points to make the 20-horse starting field on May 7. Forty points is usually enough to also make the field. If Charge It, trained by Todd Pletcher, goes to Louisville, he will be one of the few non-stakes winners in the race. White Abarrio paid $7.80, $4.20 and $2.80. Simplification, the favorite, was third and Pappacap was fourth in the 11-horse race going 1 1/8 miles. In Arkansas, Cyberknife paid $13.60, $7.00 and $3.60. Doppleganger, running his first race for trainer Tim Yakteen after being transferred from the barn of Bob Baffert, finished fourth. In the days other major stakes race, Tiz the Bomb ($5.20 to win) came off the pace to win the $600,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park by 2 1/4 lengths over Tawny Port. The race is not usually a route to winning the Kentucky Derby because the race is run on a synthetic surface, unlike the dirt tracks at the major qualifiers. Kenny McPeek was the winning trainer and Brian Hernandez Jr. was the jockey. Next Saturday will be the final three major qualifying races headed by the Santa Anita Derby, where Forbidden Kingdom will meet Messier. The other major races for 3-year-olds that day are the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland and the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Henry Nicholls/PA) (PA Wire) Boris Johnson has condemned Russias despicable attacks against Ukrainian civilians in Irpin and Bucha, adding that we will not rest until justice is served. The Prime Minister said no denial or disinformation from the Kremlin can conceal that President Vladimir Putin is desperate and his invasion is failing. An adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said dead civilians had been found on the streets of the small city of Bucha and the Kyiv suburb of Irpin, in what resembled a horror movie. The Associated Press said its journalists in Bucha, north-west of Kyiv, watched as Ukrainian soldiers used cables to drag bodies off a street from a distance due to fears they may be booby-trapped as Russian troops withdraw and focus attacks on other parts of Ukraine. In a statement, Mr Johnson said the UK is stepping up its sanctions and military support, and bolstering humanitarian help for those on the ground. He added: The UK has been at the forefront of supporting the International Criminal Courts (ICC) investigation into atrocities committed in Ukraine. The Justice Secretary has authorised additional financial support and the deployment of specialist investigators we will not rest until justice is served. The PA news agency understands this refers to support for the ICCs investigation announced last week. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said on March 24 that an additional 1 million in funding would be provided, and soldiers with military expertise would be assigned to the ICC to help uncover evidence. Scotland Yards War Crimes Team would also be mobilised to assist the investigation, it added. Earlier on Sunday, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said indiscriminate attacks by Russian forces against innocent civilians in Irpin and Bucha must be investigated as war crimes. Ms Truss said the UK would not rest until those responsible for atrocities in Ukraine had faced justice, adding that Russia would not be allowed to cover up its involvement through cynical disinformation. (PA Graphics) (PA Graphics) Mr Zelenskys spokesman Sergey Nikiforov said authorities in Ukraine had found what looked exactly like war crimes, including the bodies of executed civilians and mass graves. Mr Nikiforov told the BBCs Sunday Morning programme the scenes discovered in de-occupied territories such as Bucha were really hard to describe. He said: We found mass graves. We found people with their hands and with their legs tied up and with shots, bullet holes, in the back of their head. They were clearly civilians and they were executed. We found half-burned bodies as if somebody tried to hide their crimes but they didnt have enough time to do it properly. Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the world must take note of events in Ukraine. Asked if alleged war crimes should be brought to the ICC, he told Skys Sophy Ridge On Sunday: I think it is absolutely right that this is all properly documented. This matters. Weve seen in war before, it matters that this is documented and that cases are capable of being brought to international justice. Mr Shapps said he spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart, infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, on Saturday night. He is very, very determined actually wanted to speak to me last night about the rebuilding of their country when this is all over, so I think they believe and are optimistic that they will win this war and push Putin back, he said. Russias defence ministry has denied accusations of Russian troops killing civilians in Bucha. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday decried atrocities in Ukraine as Russias invasion reached its 40th day, describing the grisly toll as a punch to the gut. Evidence of the brutality surfaced in the town of Bucha, located in the same region as the capital Kyiv, where 57 people were buried in a mass grave, Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk told Agence France-Presse. The corpses of civilians could be seen lining a street as well. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Jacquelyn Martin/) You cant help but see these images as a punch to the gut, Blinken said on CNNs State of the Union. The U.S. will help collect evidence of the brutality, he added. Soldiers walk amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. Soldiers walk amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (Rodrigo Abd/) Since the aggression, weve come out and said that we believe that Russian forces have committed war crimes, he said. Weve been working to document that, to provide the information we have to the relevant instructions and organizations that will put all of this together, he said. And there needs to be accountability for it. The mayor told Reuters that corpses of executed people lined Buchas Yabluska Street. Bodies lie on a street in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, as Ukraine says Russian forces are making a "rapid retreat" from northern areas around Kyiv and the city of Chernigiv, on April 2, 2022. Bodies lie on a street in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, as Ukraine says Russian forces are making a "rapid retreat" from northern areas around Kyiv and the city of Chernigiv, on April 2, 2022. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty-AFP/) Their hands are tied behind their backs with white civilian rags, they were shot in the back of their heads. So you can imagine what kind of lawlessness they perpetrated here, he said. The U.S. accused Russia of war crimes in March, about a month after it launched its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy examines the site of a recent battle in Bucha, close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 4, 2022. Russia is facing a fresh wave of condemnation after evidence emerged of what appeared to be deliberate killings of civilians in Ukraine. A dog wanders around destroyed houses and Russian military vehicles, in Bucha close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 4, 2022. Russia is facing a fresh wave of condemnation after evidence emerged of what appeared to be deliberate killings of civilians in Ukraine. Soldiers walk amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. Ukrainian troops are finding brutalized bodies and widespread destruction in the suburbs of Kyiv, sparking new calls for a war crimes investigation and sanctions against Russia. The regional government headquarters of Mykolaiv, Ukraine is seen following a Russian attack on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says seven people were killed in a missile strike on the regional government headquarters in the southern city of Mykolayiv. Ukrainian servicemen stand in trenches at a position north of the capital Kyiv, Ukraine on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The first face-to-face talks in two weeks between Russia and Ukraine began Tuesday in Turkey, raising flickering hopes there could be progress toward ending a war that has ground into a bloody campaign of attrition. Ukrainian soldiers of the 103rd Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces fire their weapons during a training exercise at an undisclosed location, near Lviv, western Ukraine, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Ukrainian soldiers ride a tank through the town of Trostsyanets, some 400 km east of capital Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday, March 28, 2022. The more than month-old war has killed thousands and driven more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes. Local residents pass at a damaged Russian tank in the town of Trostsyanets, some 400 km (250 miles) east of capital Kyiv, Ukraine on Monday, March 28, 2022. The monument to the Second World War is seen in background. The more than month-old war has killed thousands and driven more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes. A volunteer smokes next to sandbags using for protection at a Ukrainian volunteer center in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, on Monday, March 28, 2022. Ukrainian volunteers have set up a center to supply army and civilians with clothes, food, medicines and makeshift bullet proof vests. A Ukranian serviceman enters the destroyed regional headquarters of Kharkiv on March 27, 2022. France's President Emmanuel Macron has warned against a verbal "escalation" of Russia's invasion in Ukraine, after U.S. President Joe Biden branded Vladimir Putin a "butcher" who "cannot remain in power." In Kharkiv, where authorities reported 44 artillery strikes and 140 rocket assaults in a single day, residents were resigned to the incessant bombardments. A destroyed vehicle is seen at the destroyed Kharkiv Regional State Administration building on March 27, 2022, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. A statue of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko is seen protected by sandbags on March 27, 2022, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Old city photographs are seen amongst debris at the destroyed Kharkiv Regional State Administration building on March 27, 2022, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. A heavily damaged apartment building is seen at a front line district of Kharkiv on March 27, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A firefighter walks past a rocket crater in the courtyard of the destroyed Kharkiv Regional State Administration building on March 27, 2022, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. A soldier walks through the destroyed Kharkiv Regional State Administration building on March 27, 2022, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. More than half Kharkiv's 1.4 million people have fled the city since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, which was followed by weeks of intense bombardment. Russian forces remain to the city's north and east, but have met heavy resistance from Ukrainian troops here. A damaged building is seen on March 27, 2022, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. An elderly woman stands amid rubble near a damaged apartment building at a front line district of Kharkiv on March 27, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. People with their belongings in a city subway that they have used as a bomb shelter in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 24, 2022. World leaders heard impassioned pleas Thursday from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for more military aid to defend his country and the United States announced new sanctions and humanitarian aid as officials gathered for a trio of summits to discuss next steps in countering Russia's month-old invasion of its much smaller neighbor. An inside view of the regional administration building shows heavy damage after a Russian attack earlier this month in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 24, 2022. Neighbors try to extinguish the fire of a house destroyed after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 24, 2022. Residential apartment buildings are seen heavily damaged after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 24, 2022. Neighbors try to extinguish the fire of a house destroyed after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 24, 2022. A Ukrainian soldier inspects a destroyed Russian APC after recent battle in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 24, 2022. The writing made by Ukrainian soldiers reads: "Not to War." Kharkiv is Ukraine's second biggest city 30 kilometers of the Russian border. Screens display the results of a vote on a resolution regarding the war in Ukraine at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, March 24, 2022. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan attend a bilateral meeting during a NATO summit on Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels on Thursday March 24, 2022. From left, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Joe Biden, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and France's President Emmanuel Macron pose for a G7 leaders group photo during a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday, March 24, 2022. Ukrainian servicemen are seen at the explosion site as a result of a rocket strike into the shopping mall on March 21, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. As Russia's advance on Kyiv has largely stalled, the Ukrainian capital has continued to be hit by missiles and shellfire. More than three million people have fled Ukraine since Russia launched its large-scale invasion of the country on Feb. 24. Ukrainian soldiers and firefighters search for people under debris inside a shopping center after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 21, 2022. People gather amid the destruction caused after shelling of a shopping center in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 21, 2022. A view to the site of an explosion as a result of a missile strike into the shopping mall on March 21, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. People examine the damage after shelling of a shopping center in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 21, 2022. Eight people were killed in the attack. A view to the site of an explosion as a result of a missile strike into the shopping mall on March 21, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. A mother embraces her son who escaped the besieged city of Mariupol and arrived at the train station in Lviv, western Ukraine on Sunday, March 20, 2022. A woman walking in a street is visible through a roof of a building hit by shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 20, 2022. Smoke is seen above buildings close to the airport on March 18, 2022, in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv's mayor said on Telegram that the airport was not hit, but an area nearby. While Lviv, and western Ukraine more generally, has been a relative haven since Russia invaded Ukraine last month, there have been missile strikes across the region targeting airports and military sites. An elderly woman is helped by policemen after she was rescued by firefighters from inside her apartment after bombing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 15, 2022. Russias offensive in Ukraine has edged closer to central Kyiv with a series of strikes hitting a residential neighborhood as the leaders of three European Union member countries planned a visit to Ukraines embattled capital. A firefighter walks outside a destroyed apartment building after a bombing in a residential area in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 15, 2022. Firefighters extinguish fires in an apartment building after being hit by shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 15, 2022. Firefighters work in an apartment building damaged by shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 15, 2022. A woman carries a television from a residential apartment block that was hit by Russian shelling on March 14, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Russian forces continue to attempt to encircle the Ukrainian capital, although they have faced stiff resistance and logistical challenges since launching a large-scale invasion of Ukraine last month. Russian troops are advancing from the northwest and northeast of the city. Members of the Ukrainian military stand amid debris from a damaged residential apartment block caused after a Russian rocket was shot down by Ukrainian air defenses on March 14, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Ukrainian servicemen are seen by the building which got shelled near Lukyanivska metro station on March 14, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. In this photo released by Ukrainian State Emergency Service press service, firefighters evacuate an elderly woman from an apartment building hit by shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 14, 2022. A local resident searches for her belongings in an apartment building after it was hit by artillery shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 14, 2022. A man places a small Ukrainian flag on the burnt balcony of an apartment in a block which was destroyed by an artillery strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 14, 2022. Russia's military forces kept up their punishing campaign to capture Ukraine's capital with fighting and artillery fire in Kyiv's suburbs Monday after an airstrike on a military base near the Polish border brought the war dangerously close to NATO's doorstep. Ukrainian soldiers and firefighters search in a destroyed building after a bombing attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 14, 2022. People walk past a crater from the explosion on Mira Avenue in Mariupol, Ukraine, Sunday, March 13, 2022. The surrounded southern city of Mariupol, where the war has produced some of the greatest human suffering, remained cut off despite earlier talks on creating aid or evacuation convoys. People look at a burning apartment building in a yard after shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, Sunday, March 13, 2022. A man wounded in this morning's air strikes at a nearby military complex is assisted by medical staff outside Novoiavorivsk District Hospital on March 13, 2022, in Novoiavorivsk, Ukraine. Early this morning, a series of Russian missiles struck the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security at the nearby Yavoriv military complex, killing at least 35 and wounding scores, according to Ukrainian officials. The site is west of Lviv and mere miles from Ukraine's border with Poland, a NATO member. Ukrainian soldiers take cover from incoming artillery fire in Irpin, the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 13, 2022. A view of destroyed apartments damaged by shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 13, 2022. A family walks out of a basement used as shelter during an air-raid alarm in Novoiavorisk, western Ukraine, Sunday, March 13, 2022. Waves of Russian missiles pounded a military training base close to Ukraine's western border with NATO member Poland. A Ukrainian soldier digs a foxhole in Irpin, outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 13, 2022. Yuri (R), a bus driver, and his son Ruslan, a doctor, stand in front of a bus damaged in this mornings air strikes at a nearby military complex, while they wait outside Novoiavorivsk District Hospital on March 13, 2022, in Novoiavorivsk, Ukraine. A destroyed car is seen in front of a building damaged by shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 13, 2022. Ambulances are seen traveling to and from the Yavoriv military facility on March 13, 2022, in Novoiavorivsk, Ukraine. Early this morning, a series of Russian missiles struck the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security at the nearby Yavoriv military complex, killing at least 35 and wounding scores, according to Ukrainian officials. This image taken from video provided by the Mariupol City Council shows the aftermath of Mariupol Hospital after an attack, in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday March 9, 2022. A Russian attack severely damaged the children's hospital and maternity ward in the besieged port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian officials said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter that there were people, children under the wreckage of the hospital and called the strike an atrocity. An injured pregnant woman walks downstairs in the damaged by shelling maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. A Russian attack has severely damaged a maternity hospital in the besieged port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian officials say. Dead bodies are placed into a mass grave on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022, as people cannot bury their dead because of the heavy shelling by Russian forces. A man rides a bicycle in front of an apartment building damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. People line up to get water at the well in outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Ukrainian soldiers and emergency employees work at the side of the damaged by shelling maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. A Ukrainian serviceman takes a shooting position as he looks at approaching vehicles in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. A military priest tries to comfort a crying woman who was evacuated from Irpin, at a triage point in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Cars drive past a destroyed Russian tank as a convoy of vehicles evacuating civilians leaves Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Cars drive past a destroyed Russian tank as a convoy of vehicles evacuating civilians leaves Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. A child is carried on a stroller across an improvised path while fleeing Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. A Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces member holds an NLAW anti-tank weapon in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Authorities announced a new ceasefire on Wednesday to allow civilians to escape from towns around the capital, Kyiv, as well as the southern cities of Mariupol, Enerhodar and Volnovakha, Izyum in the east and Sumy in the northeast. Previous attempts to establish safe evacuation corridors have largely failed due to attacks by Russian forces. Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 8, 2022. Demands for ways to safely evacuate civilians have surged along with intensifying shelling by Russian forces, who have made significant advances in southern Ukraine but stalled in some other regions. Efforts to put in place cease-fires along humanitarian corridors have repeatedly failed amid Russian shelling. Two women watch U.S. President Joe Biden making statements on a news channel in a subway station turned into a shelter in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 8, 2022. A Ukrainian soldier helps an elderly woman who was being evacuated on a shopping cart from Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 8, 2022. Ukrainian serviceman walks past the vertical tail fin of a Russian Su-34 bomber lying in a damaged building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 8, 2022. The dead body of a person lies covered in the street in Mariupol, Ukraine, Monday, March 7, 2022. Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city on March 07, 2022, in Irpin, Ukraine. Yesterday, four civilians were killed by mortar fire along the road leading from Irpin to Kyiv, which has been a key evacuation route for people fleeing Russian forces advancing from the north. Today, Ukraine rejected as "unacceptable" a Russian proposal for a humanitarian corridor that leads from Kyiv to Belarus, a Russian ally that was a staging ground for the invasion. A woman is assisted by a member of the Ukrainian military as she flees heavy fighting in Irpin via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city on March 07, 2022, in Irpin, Ukraine. Ukrainian civilians receive weapons training in the outskirts of Lviv, western Ukraine, Monday, March 7, 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has entered its 12th day following what Ukrainian authorities described as increased shelling of encircled cities and another failed attempt to evacuate civilians from the port of Mariupol. Volunteers of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces inspect a damaged military vehicle in the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, Monday, March 7, 2022. Russia announced yet another cease-fire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine. Previous such measures have fallen apart and Moscows armed forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets Monday. A resident holds a white flag as he flees heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city on March 07, 2022, in Irpin, Ukraine. Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city on March 07, 2022, in Irpin, Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers are carrying the body of Denys Hrynchuk from Hrynchuk family's house to the church in Bila Krynytsia, on March 6, 2022, in Chernivtsi region, Ukraine. Denys Hrynchuk served in the Ukrainian army. He was killed on Feb. 28, 2022, near Volnovakha, Donetsk region. He is survived by his mother, five brothers and a sister, his wife and his one-year-old son. A view toward the city of Irpin under shelling on March 6, 2022, in Ukraine. Three civilians were killed and others were wounded as Russian mortar rounds landed between Irpin and Kyiv this morning, striking a route used by civilians fleeing southeast toward Kyiv. Russia continued its assault on Ukraine's major cities, including its capital, more than a week after launching a large-scale invasion of the country. People hide from the Russian artillery shelling in a school basement in the village of Horenka close to Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 6, 2022. On Day 11 of Russia's war on Ukraine, Russian troops shelled encircled cities, and it appeared that a second attempt to evacuate civilians from the besieged port city of Mariupol had failed due to continued violence. Yuriy, who who was shot in the leg while evacuating civilians from the shelled city of Irpin, receives first aid on March 6, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. A factory and a store are burning after being bombarded in Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022. People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine on March 6, 2022. In Irpin, near Kyiv, a sea of people on foot and even in wheelbarrows trudged over the remains of a destroyed bridge to cross a river and leave the city. Pedestrians cross a destroyed bridge as they evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, on March 6, 2022, 11 days after Russia launched a military invasion on Ukraine. A Ukrainian man rides his bicycle near to a factory and a store burning after being bombarded in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022. A member of the Territorial Defense Battalion helps to evacuate a child on March 6, 2022, in Irpin, Ukraine. Three civilians were killed and others were wounded as Russian mortar rounds landed between Irpin and Kyiv this morning, striking a route used by civilians fleeing southeast toward Kyiv. Russia continued its assault on Ukraine's major cities, including its capital, more than a week after launching a large-scale invasion of the country. A factory and a store burn after being bombarded in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022. A wife says her goodbyes to her husband who is a member of the Territorial Defense as she evacuates from the city on March 6, 2022, near Irpin, Ukraine. A view of a house which was shelled on March 6, 2022, in Irpin, Ukraine. A member of a Territorial Defence unit does pull-ups before starting his shift guarding a barricade on the outskirts of eastern Kyiv on March 6, 2022, in Ukraine. Members of a Territorial Defence unit play checkers with molotov cocktails while guarding a barricade after curfew on the outskirts of eastern Kyiv on March 6, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Ihor Mazhayev, 54, stands by his destroyed house on March 5, 2022, in Markhalivka, Ukraine. Ihor lost his wife and 12-year-old daughter and got a concussion as a result of a shelling. Regional police said six people died, including a child, and four were wounded in a Russian air strike on this village southwest of Kyiv. A view of a burned car where 4 people died as a result of a shelling on March 5, 2022, in Markhalivka, Ukraine. A view of the residential houses which were destroyed by shelling on March 5, 2022, in Markhalivka, Ukraine. A view of the residential houses which were destroyed by shelling on March 5, 2022, in Markhalivka, Ukraine. A view of destroyed Russian ammunition on March 5, 2022, in Sytniaky, Ukraine. In this photo provided by Yurii Kochubei, a view of the damage after shelling inside a sports complex, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. An official in one of Ukraine's pro-Russia separatist region says Russian forces will observe a temporary cease-fire Sunday in two Ukrainian cities. An agreement to allow civilians to evacuate collapsed a day earlier amid continued shelling and the flight of refugees to neighboring nations. In this photo provided by Yurii Kochubei, a view of the damage after shelling on a sports venue, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. In this photo provided by Yurii Kochubei, a view of the damage after shelling on a sports venue, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. In this photo provided by Yurii Kochubei, a view of the damage after shelling inside a sports complex, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. A view of destroyed Russian ammunition on March 5, 2022, in Sytniaky, Ukraine. Russia continues assault on Ukraine's major cities, including the capital Kyiv, more than a week after launching a large-scale invasion of the country. Members of a Territorial Defence unit guard a barricade close to the eastern frontline on March 5, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. A building is engulfed in flames after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. A view of heavy damage in the residential area of Borodyanka, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022, following a Russian strike. A Ukrainian serviceman walks past as fire and smoke rises over a damaged logistic center after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Firefighters hose down a burning building after bombing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Russian forces have seized a strategic Ukrainian seaport and besieged another. Those moves are part of efforts to cut the country off from its coastline even as Moscow said Thursday it was ready for talks to end the fighting. A destroyed vehicle is seen on March 3, 2022, in Sytniaky, Ukraine, west of the capital. A view of heavy damage in the residential area of Borodyanka, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. following a Russian strike. Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a damaged logistic center after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Russian forces have escalated their attacks on crowded cities in what Ukraine's leader called a blatant campaign of terror. A building burns after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Russia has launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling. Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a damaged logistic center after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Ukrainian servicemen take an APC for repairs on March 3, 2022, in Sytniaky, Ukraine, west of the capital. Russia continues its assault on Ukraine's major cities, including the capital Kyiv, a week after launching a large-scale invasion of the country. Metal road blocks built by volunteers sit outside a welding shop before being taken to new checkpoints across the country, in Lviv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. A Ukrainian volunteer removes rubble to open up an abandoned shelter, in Lviv, western Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Ukrainian volunteers prepare food for displaced people outside Lviv railway station, in Lviv, western Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Russias invasion of Ukraine has forced more than a million people to flee their homeland in just a week. A mother holds her newborn baby in the bomb shelter of a maternity hospital on March 2, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Russian forces continued their advance on the Ukrainian capital for the seventh day as the country's invasion of its western neighbor goes on. Intense battles are also being waged over Ukraine's other major cities. Women rest in the bomb shelter of a maternity hospital on March 2, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Andrey Goncharuk, 68, right, a member of the territorial defense speaks to a man in the backyard of a house damaged by a Russian airstrike, according to locals, in Gorenka, outside the capital Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. A view of smoke from inside a damaged gym following shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Russian forces have escalated their attacks on crowded cities in what Ukraine's leader called a blatant campaign of terror. Firefighters extinguish a building of Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) after a rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. A woman is overwhelmed by emotion in the backyard of a house damaged by a Russian airstrike, according to locals, in Gorenka, outside the capital Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. A rocket fragment lies on the ground next to a building of Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) after a rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Russia's assault on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, continued Wednesday, with a Russian strike hitting the regional police and intelligence headquarters, according to the Ukrainian state emergency service. Firefighters extinguish a building of Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) after a rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Local militiamen help an old woman crossing a bridge destroyed by artillery, as she tries to flee, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. People gather in the Kyiv subway, using it as a bomb shelter in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Andrey Goncharuk, 68, a member of territorial defense, walks in the backyard of a house damaged by a Russian airstrike, according to locals, in Gorenka, outside the capital Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Two militiamen hug as they meet crossing a destroyed bridge on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2. 2022. Russia renewed its assault on Ukraines second-largest city in a pounding that lit up the skyline with balls of fire over populated areas. That came Wednesday even as both sides said they were ready to resume talks aimed at stopping the new devastating war in Europe. A group of women and a boy walk to the train station as they try to leave Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Russian forces have escalated their attacks on crowded cities in what Ukraine's leader called a blatant campaign of terror. A Polish soldier carries a baby of a Ukrainian refugee upon their arrival at the border crossing in Medyka, southeastern Poland, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Seven days into the war, roughly 874,000 people have fled Ukraine and the U.N. refugee agency warned the number could cross the 1 million mark soon. People gather in the Kyiv subway, using it as a bomb shelter in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Russian forces have escalated their attacks on crowded cities in what Ukraine's leader called a blatant campaign of terror. Firefighters extinguish a building of Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) after a rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. This image taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, shows a view from the window of a Russian military helicopter as it flies over an undisclosed location in Ukraine. In this image taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Russian soldiers disembark from a Russian military helicopter after landing at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. On Day 7 of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia continued its attacks on crowded Ukrainian cities and a lengthy convoy of Russian tanks and other vehicles advanced slowly toward the capital of Kyiv. A member of the Ukrainian Emergency Service looks at the City Hall building in the central square following shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Russian strikes pounded the central square in Ukraines second-largest city and other civilian sites Tuesday in what the countrys president condemned as blatant campaign of terror by Moscow. A volunteer of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces stands in the crater from the explosion near a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Ukrainian emergency service personnel carry the body of a victim following shelling of the City Hall building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Russia on Tuesday stepped up shelling of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, pounding civilian targets there. Casualties mounted and reports emerged that more than 70 Ukrainian soldiers were killed after Russian artillery recently hit a military base in Okhtyrka, a city between Kharkiv and Kyiv, the capital. Ukrainian emergency service personnel and servicemen stand around a body of a victim following shelling of the City Hall building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Russia on Tuesday stepped up shelling of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, pounding civilian targets there. Casualties mounted and reports emerged that more than 70 Ukrainian soldiers were killed after Russian artillery recently hit a military base in Okhtyrka, a city between Kharkiv and Kyiv, the capital. Civilians try to cross a river on a blown up bridge on Kyiv's northern front on March 1, 2022. A woman takes photos of a destroyed accommodation building near a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. The view of military facility which was destroyed by recent shelling in the city of Brovary outside Kyiv on March 1, 2022. The view of military facility which was destroyed by recent shelling in the city of Brovary outside Kyiv on March 1, 2022. Russian troops will carry out an attack on the infrastructure of Ukraine's security services in Kyiv and urged residents living nearby to leave, the defense ministry said on March 1, 2022. A man leaves a vehicle damaged by shelling in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. A blown up bridge is seen on Kyiv's northern front on March 1, 2022. Defending capital Kyiv is the "key priority," Ukrainian president said. An armed man stands at a road block in downtown Kyiv on March 1, 2022. Ukrainian President described Russian shelling of his country's second city as a war crime and said defending the capital from Moscow's army was a top priority. Smoke rises from a damaged armored vehicle at a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. In this frame from a footage released by the State service of special communication and information protection of Ukraine, firemen work inside the regional administration building in the city's central square of Kharkiv, Ukraine, after Russian shelling, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Russian shelling pounded civilian targets in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, Tuesday and a 40-mile convoy of tanks and other vehicles threatened the capital, tactics Ukraine's embattled president said were designed to force him into concessions in Europe's largest ground war in generations. An armed man stands by a damaged vehicle at a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. A man takes a Ukrainian national flag swinging from a tree as he walks near a destroyed accommodation building by a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. A view of the central square following shelling of the City Hall building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Russia on Tuesday stepped up shelling of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, pounding civilian targets there. Casualties mounted and reports emerged that more than 70 Ukrainian soldiers were killed after Russian artillery recently hit a military base in Okhtyrka, a city between Kharkiv and Kyiv, the capital. Ukrainian servicemen sit in front of a damaged house near a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. A medical worker attends to a wounded man at a hospital in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Russian shelling pounded civilian targets in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, again Tuesday and a 40-mile convoy of tanks and other vehicles threatened the capital, tactics Ukraine's embattled president said were designed to force him into concessions in Europe's largest ground war in generations. Hundreds of beds are placed inside a sports hall to accommodate Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russian invasion at the border crossing town of Medyka, Poland, on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. All day long, as trains and buses bring people fleeing Ukraine to the safety of Polish border towns, they carry not just Ukrainian fleeing a homeland under attack but large numbers of other citizens who had made Ukraine their home and whose fates too are now uncertain. In this frame from a footage released by the State service of special communication and information protection of Ukraine, the regional administration building in the city's central square of Kharkiv, Ukraine, after Russian shelling, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Damaged cars and a destroyed accommodation building are seen near a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. This photograph shows a view of a school destroyed as a result of fighting not far from the center of Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, located some 50 km from Ukrainian-Russian border, on Feb. 28, 2022. This photograph shows a view of a school destroyed as a result of fighting not far from the center of Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, located some 50 km from Ukrainian-Russian border, on Feb. 28, 2022. A U.S. soldier plays with a dog at a military camp in Arlamow, southeastern Poland, near the border with Ukraine, on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Refugees fleeing conflict in Ukraine warm up near a fire after arriving at the Medyka border crossing in Poland on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. The head of the United Nations refugee agency says more than a half a million people had fled Ukraine since Russias invasion on Thursday. People prepare for the night in the improvised bomb shelter in a sports center, which can accommodate up to 2000 people, in Mariupol, Ukraine, late Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. A couple embrace prior to the woman boarding a train carriage leaving for western Ukraine at the railway station in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. Ukrainian soldiers take position under a bridge during crossfire inside the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Russia pressed its invasion of Ukraine to the outskirts of the capital Friday after unleashing airstrikes on cities and military bases and sending in troops and tanks from three sides in an attack that could rewrite the global post-Cold War security order. Ukrainian soldiers handle equipment outside Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed Saturday that Ukraine's forces had repulsed the assault and vowed to keep fighting. "We will win," Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian troops inspect the site following a Russian airstrike in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. A firefighter extinguishes a fire at a residential apartment block that was hit by a missile on Feb. 26, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. A residential building damaged by a missile on Feb. 25, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Ukrainian firefighters look at fragments of a downed aircraft seen in in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. It was unclear whose aircraft crashed and who brought it down amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Russia is pressing its invasion of Ukraine to the outskirts of the capital after unleashing airstrikes on cities and military bases and sending in troops and tanks from three sides. A boy plays on a swing in front of a damaged residential block hit by an early morning missile strike on Feb. 25, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Women pass by the apartment block in 6A Lobanovsky Ave. which was hit with a missile on Feb. 26, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Volunteers work to make molotov cocktails in the basement of a bomb shelter on Feb. 26, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. A military vehicle with Ukrainian servicemen drives through the road on Feb. 25, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Yesterday, Russia began a large-scale attack on Ukraine, with Russian troops invading the country from the north, east and south, accompanied by air strikes and shelling. The Ukrainian president said that at least 137 Ukrainian soldiers were killed by the end of the first day. Members of the territorial defense battalion set up a machine gun and organize a military redoubt on Feb. 25, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Firemen extinguish a fire inside a residential building that was hit by a missile on Feb. 25, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. People shelter with their dog in a subway station before a curfew comes into effect on Feb. 24, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Overnight, Russia began a large-scale attack on Ukraine, with explosions reported in multiple cities and far outside the restive eastern regions held by Russian-backed rebels. Damaged radar arrays and other equipment is seen at a Ukrainian military facility outside Mariupol, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Russia has launched a barrage of air and missile strikes on Ukraine early Thursday and Ukrainian officials said that Russian troops have rolled into the country from the north, east and south. People stand around a damaged structure caused by a rocket on Feb. 24, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. In this image made from video provided by the Border Service of Ukraine, military vehicles pass a control point at the Armyansk checkpoint at the Ukraine-Crimea border, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. The Ukrainian border service on Thursday released video it said showed Russian military vehicles crossing its border from Crimea. In a statement, it added that "the movement of military equipment from the peninsula is being recorded across the administrative border". Damaged radar arrays and other equipment is seen at Ukrainian military facility outside Mariupol, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. A man and woman stand next to fragments of military equipment on the street in the aftermath of an apparent Russian strike in Kharkiv in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. In this handout photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, attends an urgent meeting with the leadership of the government, representatives of the defense sector and the economic block in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Russian troops have launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine. Damaged radar, a vehicle and equipment are seen at a Ukrainian military facility outside Mariupol, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. People stand next to fragments of military equipment on the street in the aftermath of an apparent Russian strike in Kharkiv in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Russian troops have launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine. Big explosions were heard before dawn in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa as world leaders decried the start of an Russian invasion that could cause massive casualties and topple Ukraine's democratically elected government. Smoke billows from a power and heating plant after it is was shelled in Shchastya, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Russia says it's recognition of independence for areas in eastern Ukraine extends to territory currently held by Ukrainian forces. The statement Tuesday further raises the stakes amid Western fears that Moscow could follow up on Mondays recognition of rebel regions with a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine. A family crosses from pro-Russian separatists controlled territory to Ukrainian government controlled areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, the only crossing point open daily, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Dogs look at an elderly woman who shared food with them while waiting to cross from Ukrainian government controlled areas to pro-Russian separatists' controlled territory in Stanytsia Luhanska, the only crossing point open daily, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, chairs a Security Council meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. Putin has convened top officials to consider recognizing the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. Such a move would ratchet up tensions with the West amid fears that the Kremlin could launch an invasion of Ukraine imminently. A car waits to cross a checkpoint from territory controlled by Russia-backed separatists to the territory controlled by Ukrainian forces in Novotroitske, eastern Ukraine, Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. World leaders are making another diplomatic push in hopes of preventing a Russian invasion of Ukraine, even as heavy shelling continues in Ukraine's east. A boy plays with a weapon as an instructor shows a Kalashnikov assault rifle while training members of a Ukrainian far-right group in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022. Russia extended military drills near Ukraine's northern borders Sunday amid increased fears of sustained shelling along the contact line between soldiers and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine could spark an invasion. Civilians train with members of the Georgian Legion, a paramilitary unit formed mainly by ethnic Georgian volunteers to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine in 2014, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine have ordered a full military mobilization amid growing fears in the West that Russia is planning to invade the neighboring country. The announcement on Saturday came amid a spike in violence along the line of contact between Ukrainian forces and the pro-Russia rebels in recent days. Smoke and flames rise over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. Russia has deployed troops to its ally Belarus for sweeping joint military drills that run through Sunday, fueling Western concerns that Moscow could use the exercise to attack Ukraine from the north. Tanks and armored vehicles move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. A Ukrainian serviceman walks by a building which was hit by a large caliber mortar shell in the frontline village of Krymske, Luhansk region, in eastern Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. In this photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, Russian army tanks are loaded onto railway platforms to move back to their permanent base after drills in Russia. The Russian military said that it was pulling some troops back to their permanent bases after drills in regions near Ukraine, but the U.S. and its allies challenged that and charged that Moscow was actually beefing up troops near Ukraine. Valentyna Melnychenko walks with members of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination on ceasefire of the demarcation line, or JCCC, who survey damage to her home from an artillery shell that landed in Vrubivka, one of the at least eight that hit the village today, according to local officials, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden warned that Russia could still invade Ukraine within days and Russia expelled the No. 2 diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, as tensions flared anew in the worst East-West standoff in decades. Members of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination on ceasefire of the demarcation line, or JCCC, take forensic photos of a crater and damage to a house from an artillery shell that landed in Vrubivka, one of the at least eight that hit the village today, according to local officials, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. In this photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, Russian army tanks are loaded onto railway platforms to move back to their permanent base after drills in Russia. Russia says it is returning more troops and weapons to bases, but NATO says it sees no sign of a drawdown as fears that Moscow could invade Ukraine soon persist. Russia has massed about 150,000 troops east, north and south of Ukraine. I think the most important thing is we cant become numb to this, we cant normalize this, Blinken said. This is the reality thats going on every day as long as Russias brutality against Ukraine continues. Thats why it needs to come to an end.